THE TRAVAILS AND TRIUMPHS OF AN EVANGELIST

 

THE TRAVAILS AND TRIUMPHS OF AN EVANGELIST

        An evangelist is a man with a mission. He is a man with passion and hunger for souls. His primary purpose on earth is to win souls. He is given the mandate to depopulate the Kingdom of darkness. He is a hell razer. He is dreaded by the kingdom of darkness because he has been anointed to preach the gospel that will liberate people from the kingdom of darkness. All ministry gifts are in one way or the other dependent on him. The ministry gifts are interconnected with the purpose of edifying the church. A church that has  the five ministry gifts in operation is blessed beyond measure. To an evangelist, he want all souls to be saved. When he preaches, you will be so touched and broken on the spirit. He exhorts. He called the attention of people to the salvation of their souls. His preaching at times can make you ask yourself :  “am I saved”?  Outstanding Evangelists are men of the word, they are deep in the word and give themselves to word and prayer on daily basis. Evangelist can be spotted by

·        They are people of prayer. It is like praying machine is in them. They pray for hours and cannot just stop praying. It is in prayer they are empowered for the assignment

·        They are burdened to witness to people on a regular basis. They see evangelism as a duty and they do it with zeal.

·        They are not happy when they see people in sins. They call sin by its name. They can’t just look away from people living comfortably in sins. Their joy is to see sinners giving their lives to Christ.

·        Evangelists are well known people in the community because they are identified with the gospel of peace which they preach. Evangelist loves the company of people and are always relating with people. They are loving  and compassionate people.

·        Evangelists are always looking for opportunities to witness. They do not wait for invitations to preach in a church or crusade. At any slight opportunity they present the gospel  on the street, in the car, bus and they do it passionately

·        Evangelist are usually attached to a church. They do not move from one church to another. They have a church where they worship every Sunday and are accountable to the church.

·        Evangelist do not entangle himself with the affairs of this world. He has only one mission and that is to win souls and please his God who has enlisted him into his service.

            An Evangelist is a man of many travails. At times people around him do not understand him. They usually see him as someone that is extreme in his faith. The kingdom matters dominate and burn in his heart. He is concentrated on making heaven and taking as many people as possible along. He cannot cover sins, wherever he is, he is a beacon of light that exposes darkness. He is hated for standing on the truth and speaking the truth at all times. The evangelist does not care if the truth will kill you, he will say it right there. This unique attitude of him earned him a lot of enemies at work and environment. His colleagues in the ministry cannot just tolerate him at times because he is not diplomatic with issues. He usually sees what people call diplomacy as a compromise that will land them in hell. As a result of this he may not have friends even among fellow ministers. Some pastors will say force an evangelist to pastor at least three years, probably he may stop saying some of those things he do say. That is not always true. An evangelist will not even want to pastor a church. His nature will not allow it if he pastor a church, the church may scatter because he cannot just do it successfully. Can you make an Engineer to be a Doctor. This is not possible. This can only be possible if such an Engineer went to medical school and was trained. Though an Engineer, he can still do work of an evangelist. Evangelist that can be forced or accept to pastor a church will be the one that is theologically trained. A lot of errors are committed by an Evangelist who is not theologically trained and we often generalized it as “that is how Evangelist do”. Billy Graham was theologically trained, he pastored for a while before venturing into full evangelical ministry. He pastored well , he was outstanding because he was trained and gave himself to word and prayer. Reinhard Bonkee, a German evangelist was theologically trained, he pastored for three years before venturing into full evangelical ministry.

As an untrained evangelist in the University, I made a lot of errors, I said so many things then which are unnecessary. This earned me unnecessary enemies and hated for no reason. Imagine, leading devotion in the hall, and calling them out that there were lesbians in the hall. You better repent. That sounds too harsh. After theological training, there was a great change, a friend at the University saw me, he was so surprised and could not hide it but confessed “ you are reformed “. Theological training will refined an evangelist. An evangelist without Theological training in a Bible School or seminary is crude and may be toxic. Today only a few knows that I am an evangelist because I have been refined.

           An evangelist greatest problem is discouragement and rejection.

   Discouragement easily sets in. He laboured so much on the field and at times only a few chose to follow him to his church. At times he evangelizes and only a few surrender their lives to Christ. Sometimes no soul at all and this kind of situation makes him discouraged. He pray for people, they get breakthrough but only a few come back to say thank you.  A story was told of an Evangelist who was invited for a open day crusade and no one gave his life to Christ except a little boy. The little boy eventually became a world renowned evangelist. Another Evangelist preached, on the last day, no one came out for testimonies except a man who said God healed him from headache. The evangelist got so mad with God. Few days later he had a migraine, he prayed on it, nothing happened, he remembered how he challenged God for a man God healed of headache in his meetings. He asked God for mercies and God healed him. At times he prays and prays but the situation remain unchanged. People will mock him, call him names and this may dampen his spirit. An Evangelist was once challenged by his church pastor, you keep saying you are evangelizing but how many people have you brought to the church? The Evangelist felt bad, went on his knees and the following week God glorified himself. People came to the church and said evangelist preached to us and we decided to worship in his church.

     Discouragement is like an arrow or dagger in the heart of an evangelist. Discouragement have made many evangelists to stop evangelizing. Some have lost something precious to them, some are not motivated, and some are fainting because reward tarries. Some have prayed for people and those people forget them when they got their breakthrough.

Evangelists are not loved by the people of the world. People can just transfer aggression on them unnecessary for preaching the gospel in public places.  At times he feel lonely with no one to share his burden with. An evangelist can be difficult to understand at times. A few minutes ago he was bubbling in faith, sharing the gospel and suddenly he is lonely, meditating and praying. It is hard for you to understand him, even his fellow ministers can pick up offence against him. He wants to relate with other ministers too but they feel his own is too much. 

     Evangelists are the foot soldiers of the kingdom. This position them as targets for the enemies.  God have  ways of building up his evangelists. They are made in wars which are hard circumstances and situations beyond human understanding.

No matter how the enemy tries, God always make an evangelist to triumph. External battles from the enemy hardly kill an evangelist because God usually back him up mysteriously in such a way that it is beyond human understanding.

Rejection and discouragement is majorly a battle that is hard for an evangelist to win except he learns to build up his faith in God, find his identity in God and encourages himself.  Rejection and discouragement  often leads to depression which can make the health of an evangelist to deteriorates.

           God manifest himself in the ministry of an evangelist just like any other ministry. He usually give him harvest of exploits.  Notable revivals, crusades are spear headed by evangelists. Miracles, healings, deliverance flows like rivers of water in the ministry of an evangelist. Above all  God gives him harvest of souls to the extent that he cannot even know the exact number of souls that have been saved through his ministry. Beyond that, crowns will be given to him in heaven and he will be highly decorated and celebrated. The call to the office of an evangelist is a noble calling that gives God joy in heaven and the host of heaven. Obviously there are problems, an Evangelist see the problem as challenges which he must step on for him to triumph in ministry. He have wounds but God is his healer, strength and comfort. The ministry of an evangelist is a ministry of endurance and suffering. Paul had this to say:

 

2Ti 4:6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.

 

 2Ti 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

2Ti 4:8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

 

      An Evangelist endured all, he have seen several revelations about heaven. He knows where he is going and he is determined in his mind to take as many people as possible there. He is sure of his crown of righteousness waiting for him, he is sure of mansion waiting for him, he knows that life is not a funfair but battlefield.  He is confident of his faith. He delights in his weaknesses, insults, hardships and persecutions. Why? God’ grace is sufficient for him and he knows that he will keep him strong till the last day. Not all people we call evangelists are evangelists in the real sense of it.  Evangelists have first hand spiritual experience and revelations that you may not believe if they share it with you. They are humble and their watch word is that Christ should be known and make great through them while they are  unknown.  There are very few evangelist in a generation. Evangelists are world shakers. Till today America has not recovered from the evangelistic ministry of Billy Graham. In the scripture only Philip was referred to as an Evangelist. Others do the work of an evangelist but are not evangelist in the real meaning of the actual word. You cannot desire the triumphs, victories, greatness of an evangelist without the travails.  His triumphs are enclosed with pains, suffering and endurance.

©️ Abolanle Oladipupo

24^th September 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHY YOU SHOULD NOT BE A MISSIONARY

 

WHY YOU SHOULD NOT BE A MISSIONARY?

       A missionary is a job of dignity and honour. They are emissaries of God in a territory. They are Apostles of God. They carry the burden of the Gospel. They carry the message of the gospel. They combine the ministry of an evangelist and also that of a pastor in a locality. At times they establish new churches in the area where there is none and presides over it. They have a relationship with their flock and in some fields they know  all their members by names. The hosting community usually accord them honour as a representative of God in that domain who have left their comfort for the sake of ministering to their needs. The privileges, benefits, honour can make someone desire to be a missionary. Before you decide to be one  there are reasons why you should not choose to be a Missionary .

       Certain people came to Jesus, they loved his ministry, the way he moved around with accorded respect, dignity, honour , entourage. They wanted to be part of his team. Jesus looked at them and told them reasons why they should not? Let’s look at it  in the scripture

Luk 9:57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

Luk 9:58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

      Jesus told him that he did not have a home of his own. As wild as foxes are, they have homes even birds of the air have  nests. Jesus had no place to call a home.  Your home is your comfort, where you sleep and refreshes your body. It is your privacy. It is where you retreat to after a long and hectic day.

You should not be a missionary because a missionary does not have a home of his own . He has left his comfort zone to a place that may not provide the comfort he was enjoying where he was coming from.  He is a sojourner there, whatever house he rents or build there will be left someday. He operates a open door, he does not have a full privacy, a member can come in at any time for help or assistance. He cannot switch off his phone. His phone must always be on. If he finds himself in a place without potable water supply, he will drink from the stream the community is drinking from, if the community does not have stable power supply, he will adjust to the system. Jesus told the man the consequences of his decision to follow him. If you will be deprived of your comfort, will you still be a Missionary. The man didn’t respond to Jesus question probably he thought Jesus was living in a beautiful mansion with the comforts of that time.

The another reason why you may not be a missionary is found in Jesus response to another man who he beckoned on to follow him

Luk 9:59 He said to another man, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

Luk 9:60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

Jesus wanted the man to follow him. He saw a missionary in him but he gave an excuse. He wanted to attend the burial, dined and wined with his relatives.  He would also benefit from the shared inheritance of his father. He considered all these before telling Jesus that he had to bury his father first. Paul said in 1Ti 5:6  that:

But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.

Jesus said let the dead bury their own dead. Anyone who lives in pleasure is worldly and he is dead.  Jesus told him that he is not of this world, let the people of the world celebrate and share inheritance but as for you proclaim the kingdom of God.  Do not be a missionary if you are not ready to prioritize your mission above pleasures. Demas abandoned Paul, he ran away from the mission field. Of which Paul wrote:

2Ti 4:10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.      As a missionary there will be social gatherings you will be invited to, but you may not be able to honour the invitation because you are engaged with the work of the LORD on the field.

    Another reason why you should not be missionary is found in Jesus response to a man that wanted to follow him .

Luk 9:61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.”

Luk 9:62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

         Another man wanted to follow Jesus but he insisted on seeing his family first.  He was emotionally attached to his family members. You cannot be a missionary if you are emotionally attached to your loved ones and cannot do away with them.  Do not be a missionary if you cannot excuse yourself from your extended family at times. A missionary at times may not see his extended family for years. Not that he did not want to see them. Who will he leave the flock for? Not that he is not emotionally attached to his friends, family and relatives. He prioritizes his mission above  family ties.

Finally do not be a missionary if you cannot endure suffering. Suffering is part of missionary work. Sufferings are not limited to not having food to eat or money to buy things you want. Sufferings is when you are willing to sacrifice your life for others.  Paul had this to say:

2Co 4:8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

2Co 4:9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

2Co 4:10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

Paul was sharing his personal experience on the mission field. He was able to do great exploits for Christ because he was willing to sacrifice his life for the gospel. He did not hold his life back but pour himself into the mission. The outcome was great missionary exploits. Do not be a missionary if you are not ready to suffer for the sake of the gospel. The missionary must be ready to bear the marks otherwise known as scars for Christ. Paul wrote:

Gal 6:17 Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

Paul gloried in his sufferings because that identified him as an Apostle.

   Some so called missionaries have runaway from their duty posts when the reality of what it takes to be a missionary dawn on them.  Mark run away at a point when the journey was tough, thank God for Barnabas who picked him up, encouraged him and later be of help to  Paul in the ministry. With all these, if you are still willing to be a missionary, You are indeed a missionary and the work of the ministry shall prosper in your hands.

©️ Abolanle Oladipupo

21^st September,2022

 

 

 

     

GIVE YOUR BEST TO MISSIONS

 GIVE YOUR BEST TO MISSIONS

            God’s work done in God’s own way do not always lack provision but he will use people. No mission can run without finance. There is always a need to be met on a mission field. If there is a fertile ground, you can sow into, it is mission field.  Our idea of a mission field is a place where people are suffering and starving. This at times affect the way we give in supporting mission field.

       T here is always a call to give to mission but if you must give to mission, kindly give  your best.  Over the years when a call is raise to bring clothes, food and other materials to be used on mission field. I have seen people packing clothes that they cannot even wear, at times missionaries have to burn some of these clothes. How will you carry rags called clothes to mission field. If you must give clothes, go to boutique or stores and buy new clothes. You are giving it to God and God deserves the best.  If you cannot afford to give your best, hold it, God will raise others to do it.  Mission is God’s project and he cannot abandon his work. Men may look away but God will not look away. Why must you think that a pastor in the city should be made comfortable and a missionary in the village should not have access to the same comfort and luxuries like the missionary in the village. Why must you always think that Missionaries must suffer?  Comfort is relative. You can always make where you are comfortable. Paul spoke so well of the Church in Macedonia. They took great care of him and there was great results. 

Whatever the state of our mission field today? The church is responsible for it. You keep complaining of that missionary that he is lazy, he complains too much, he is hard, he is adamant, he is bossy. That is what you made of him. A look into the bugdet of some churches suggest that mission is not prioritize.  Mission will thrive if we prioritize it and give our best into it .

God is looking for those that will give their best to support mission .  One of the reasons God made some christians rich is to finance the kingdom. Whatever you have as a child of God does not belong to you? When last did you give your best to a mission Field?  

          Your best is not only your money. It can be your time. When last did you visit a mission field?  Your visit is an encouragement to the Missionaries working there. They are happy when you identify with them. When last did you call a missionary and encourage him on phone? When last did you text that missionary serving in a village?  You have fleet of cars in your garage why must you give a missionary motorcycle and not one of those cars. A missionary deserves to ride on a jeep too.  Mission is a collective efforts if we want our Missionaries to succeed on the field, we must give our best of time, money, possessions to support and encourage them. 

©️ Abolanle Oladipupo

20th September, 2022

UNDERSTANDING FOREIGN MISSIONS

 

UNDERSTANDING FOREIGN MISSIONS

         Missions are God’s given assignments to his people to take message of salvation to people that have not heard of it.  The command is to preach the gospel to all nations so that there will not be excuse on that day that I did not hear. There are many places in the world that is still hidden to the gospel of Christ. It becomes imperative that we should take the gospel there. We cannot be comfortable where we are  and there are nations that are closed to the gospel. The gospel you are enjoying today, someone paid the price by bringing it . Some died on the way to Africa, Asia, they did not even get there, some came and died as a result of tropical diseases.  The souls in the unreached parts of the world are crying for salvation on a daily basis but our ears are deafening. Foreign mission is simply taking the gospel outside your country. There are many mission boards and agencies recruiting missionaries across the world. They are ever in need of missionaries because the harvest is plenty but the labourers are few.

          Foreign mission is not something you embark on because you are called to be a missionary. Not all missionaries will serve in a foreign land. Some will serve in home mission fields.  Serving in home missions does not make you inferior to someone serving on foreign missions. There must be a burden for the country you are sure God is leading you into. Souls are won on the knees not on the field. You pray for the people, fast,  thirst for their souls and launch out to witness to them. Hudson Taylor, missionary to china, he prayed: “ Give me China or die” . He was a cobbler, an illiterate but he was so sure that God was leading him there. He did not jump to china, the day he had promptings in his spirit. He prayed severally and prepared himself for the assignment.

       A foreign missionary can either be an independent missionary or an employed staff of a mission board or agency.  An independent missionary is responsible for his upkeep on the field and that of his family. He may have sponsors but he is not accountable to any organization. A staff missionary is working with a mission board, the mission board is responsible for his upkeep and gives report back to the board that enlist him. Either you choose to be independent missionary or staff missionary, you have to prepare yourself spiritually, physically, culturally, emotionally and financially. Do not wait until you get there before you start learning about their culture, dressing and food. Make a research. Understand the people you are going to. Are they educationally or intellectually sound? If they are academically sound , you know you have to develop yourself in that area so that it can enhance your access to them. Either as independent or staff missionary you have to prepare financially. If you are a staff, think of skills that you can acquire that can be converted to money while you are there. Finances can be delayed from the mission board, you should plan on how to sustain your family financially. Generally, some mission boards prefer engaging missionaries that are professional in their fields. Only a few missionaries board can financially sustain all the needs of their missionaries on the field. Almost all the missionaries that came to Africa from America , England, Canada, Italy  are professionals, there are teachers, Doctors, nurses, Theologians, lawyers, business men .  As they are winning souls, they are also receiving income from their secular jobs. Paul was an independent missionary accountable to the church in Jerusalem, he was a lawyer, a writer and also a tent maker. Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers too. Luke was a Doctor. Paul was able to make great impact because he was not a burden to them. A missionary also prepare his family for the assignment.  Some mission board will not send a missionary without the backing of his spouse and children. It is a collective assignment.

       Finally on foreign missions, God have a way of preparing his people for any assignment. Paul was a Jew but he was born in Tarsus, Turkey the old  Roman empire . This gave him the Roman Citizenship status and gave him the rare privilege and benefits to travel round the Roman empire, stayed there without being charged heavy taxes.  He had a Roman name (Paul), he understood their culture, dressing and language.  God knew he would become a preacher to the Gentile nation even before he was aware and orchestrated his path in that direction.  If you will be a missionary to India, China, Arab, he knows what to do to ensure that you are thoroughly prepared for the assignment.  God will do his own to make you fit for the assignment. You also have to prepare yourself for the assignment.

©️ Abolanle Oladipupo

©️ 20^th September,2022

DANGEROUS PROPHETIC ANOMALIES

DANGEROUS PROPHETIC ANOMALIES

           Prophets are God’s gift to edify the church. The ministry of a prophet can not be overemphasized in a church. The church has benefited immensely from prophetic gifts. However there are dangerous trends in the prophetic office that we need to deviate from or else it will be a curse rather than being a blessings. The excesses of prophetic office is not just now. It has been since the first century. Paul addressed false prophets and teachers in his time. He called them out. Many wonder why Paul had to address several churches he established and addressing doctrinal issues. Some of the issues Paul addressed in these churches had become controversies in the modern church. Till today some churches will not allow a female to pastor their Churches. Some churches will not allow female to enter their Churches without head covered. There is a thin line between witchcraft and prophetic office. So many prophets are practicing sorceries and they think that they are still doing it right. A prophet is first a preacher who is deep in the word of God with a particular message for his generation. Whatever he says or do is guided or informed by the word of God. The word of God is the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God cannot go contrary to the word of God. Unfortunately the spirit of the prophet has led many prophets and their followers astray. Many of the spirit leading are contrary to the word of God. These leadings of the spirits are becoming patterns which are dangerous anomalies to the church.

   These trends are numerous but notable among them is the practice of praying into water, soaps, Money, and other medium to effect healing, deliverance, and miracles. It looks normal on the surface but a deeper reflection shows that it is an anomaly that is cancerous to church growth. The scripture says the just shall live by faith. What heals is faith in God and his word not the water or any medium you prayed into. So many people have prayed on water, people used it and got their healing. That doesn’t mean that it is the water that heals but the power behind the spoken word of God. Jesus did not pray on water. He healed people based on their faith in God. Praying on the water is not the issue. As humans we believe what we see and we are likely to see that water as what heal us. It is not the water but our faith in God. Most African indigenous churches if not all practices praying on water, oil, handkerchief, soaps, oils as medium of healing. This practice originates from african traditional religion. Incantations are made on water , soap, oil, which serves as medium of healing. The scriptures teaches that healing takes place without praying on any object as medium. Everything we do as believers must be guided by the word of God. To worsen it all some of these churches sell these items to their members at a price. Spiritual bathing had no any root in the scripture. Deliverance can takes place without spiritual bathing. All you have to do is believe. The word of God is powerful and it cannot contradict itself. Praying on money before dropping it or going out to drop money as prayers is going on or as preaching is going on is not biblical. You are in the house of God not in a ifa priest house where you speak to money before dropping it. The fusion of the African Traditional practices into Christianity are majorly along prophetic lines. They will say that it is the spirit telling them to do that and yet people believe them. They believe because they did not understand the word of God. Moses did not use the rod as a magician. He used it under the direction of God. He followed instructions from the giver of the rid. The day he used the rod without the instruction of God, it cost him entrance into the promise land. The reason why many prophets will lead many people to hell is because of getting results from syncretism. The results also blindfolded the prophets, he begin to see himself as the healer, prides come in. Have you ever thought of it? Moses struck the rock with rod instead of speaking to it yet water still flows. God will glorify himself among his people but he will scold his servant at the secret place if he had not abandoned the secret place.

             Bible is the standard, it is the written word of God for our walk with him in this world. Unfortunately all these anomalies in the prophetic office are usually backed with a twisted word of God to make it appealing to their audience.

Jesus was aware of these and he warned in the scripture :

Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’

Mat 7:23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

These people are famous ministers of God who had done exploits for God. Jesus rejected them because they are doing their own will and not the will of the God that called them. Jesus did not deny that they were not his servants. He was particular about doing his will. These servants of God were using Jesus to make themselves important, twisting the word of God to suit their lifestyle. Their bellies are their gods. They are making merchandise and fame from the gospel. Spirit of the prophet is the spirit of God. The Spirit of God is the word of God. The Spirit and the Word of God is one. Whatever your spirit says must not overrule the supremacy of the word of God. Any prophetic instructions that deviate from the Word of God should be thrashed into refuse bin. The prophets are not meant to direct your life. Do not subject your life to what the prophet says. The work of a prophet in this dispensation is to affirm what God have already told you, to comfort, to encourage, warn of impending danger if we choose to live sinfully and intercede for souls.

         A pastor shared a testimony of how God instructed him to start anointing service on one of the Sundays. He spoke to his member about it and he started it. He was using oil as a medium and it got to a level that people will abandon their churches on that Sunday and come in good numbers to his church. At a time God instructed him to stop using the oil during the anointing service because people are idolizing the oil as if it is the oil that is bringing about the miracles, deliverance and healing. God confirmed to him too , that same week, one of his members called him and told him that the oil is working wonders and trust the oil so much that he cannot do without it when traveling. The moment he stopped using oil at anointing service, a lot of people stopped coming for the anointing service.

The just shall live by faith and not by sight. God have no problem expressing himself through any medium but it becomes a problem when we start idolizing these things. In all the healing, deliverance, miracles Jesus did not use any medium except on an occasion where he spat on sand and used it to touch the eyes of blind man. On all other occasion he spoke the word.Speak the word, declare the word, it is the authority behind the word that will bring about healing miracle and deliverance. If you cannot sit down and study the word of God in a time like this, you will be a prey to prophets who are full of strategies, ideas and devices to rip people of their hard earned income.

              Truly Our fathers in African faith notable among them , Late Apostle Babalola used water as a medium to heal but there were several occasions, healings, deliverance and miracles took place in his ministry without using any medium. God cannot be boxed. He can work in several ways. Why must you limit God to handkerchief, soaps, oils, candle, incenses, spiritual bathing and many more. All you need is faith. Faith come by hearing and hearing comes from the word of God. Pastor w.F kumuyi ministry have experienced great healings, miracles and deliverances without use of any medium. He speaks the Word of God and God backed up his word with miracle, signs and wonders. Evangelist Billy Graham simply preached John 3:16 and miracles were taking place. The word of God is powerful. The word is truth. Preach the truth, teach the truth, deliverance, miracles and healings shall follow. That is the right pattern. Every other pattern is dangerous even if it is trending and becoming popular. Stick to the word and the word will not fail you.

Abolanle Oladipupo

©️ 18th September , 2022

THE NECESSITY OF HOME MISSIONS

 

THE NECESSITY OF HOME MISSIONS

Evangelism is the heartbeat of God. A living church prioritizes missions and evangelism. One of the functions of a church is evangelism. A church that is not reaching out to the unsaved will reduce to a social gathering. The key to the peace of the world has been given to church. That key is evangelism, a church that uses it well will enjoy unspeakable joy, peace and blessings. It is alarming that evangelism in churches has been reduce to programs, charities and social function. Evangelism that is not done in God’s own way will produce human results which is cancerous to the church growth.

           Jesus told his disciples that:

Act 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

         Evangelism is a ministry of power. You are in direct combat with rulers of darkness that have sealed the hearts of men from hearing the truth that can save them. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, souls cannot be saved. How can they be saved? If they were not preached too? Only men can preach to men. This mission has been given to men and not angels. All believers are to take it upon themselves and tell others about Christ. Gospel is like a burning fire, you cannot have it and will not be burdened to tell others about Christ.

Evangelism is broad and complex term but it simply means to announce or declare the word of God to others with the purpose of saving their soul from destruction. There are different roles you can play under evangelism. Missions is under evangelism. The word mission is a task or assignment. An evangelist reach out to all, he is not bound or restricted to a particular location. A missionary is assigned to a particular place, region, or area. He do the work of an evangelist, he do the work of a pastor and ensures that the souls are not just saved but they are fed adequately with the word of God. An evangelist task is to save souls from one particular area to another. He is not restricted to a particular place. Philip was a notable evangelist in the scripture, he was at Samaria, preaching the gospel, souls were saved, but at a time he had to invite peter and John to come over and Baptized them.  Missionaries are modern day Apostles, they are evangelists with a pastoral heart who are not just only interested in souls being save but  passionate about nurturing and feeding  the souls  with the word of God so that they can be matured in faith and Christ like.

          Jesus emphasized that witnessing should start from where you are. Gospel is peace. If your constituency is in peace, you will have peace of mind and rest of mind to go about your daily business, your church will grow and other neighboring states and countries will benefit from your prosperity.  Three and half years of Jesus’s ministry was focused on the Jews. Even though he recorded a little success among his people but the church was built on the few that accepted him. These disciples were also instructed to start their mission from Jerusalem.  

It saddens the heart that most churches in Nigeria has abandoned home mission fields. There are still some areas in the southern Nigeria that are hidden to the gospel. The problem of Nigeria is the North and it is because the church is not doing much in reaching out to the lost over there. The few churches that were in the North are built by foreign missions. It also pain the heart when you visit some churches in Kano, Kaduna, and you discovered that about 90 percent of the church members are southern Yorubas or Igbos who are residing there as a result of their businesses or jobs. No doubt there are persecution over there but believers should be able to risk their lives in telling people about Christ. Yours is to speak and Holy Spirit will do the saving. The bandits and Boko Haram threatening the existence of Nigeria could have been nipped in the bud if Christians play their part in reaching out to these people. There are missionaries from the south serving in dangerous territories in the north. There are also native missionaries right in the battle front witnessing the gospel but the support from the Southern Nigerian christians are not enough. The southern church prefer investing in foreign missions than investing in home missions in North. The missionaries in the north are abandoned and forgotten. During the Jos crises in 2002, a missionary serving in the north from the south came home  empty handed. He lost everything. He was in pains, embittered, he discussed the challenges and how the southern church is doing little or nothing to assist. He warned “ if you abandon this people, they will become a national threat and the peace you think you are enjoying in the south will become a problem” . The brother went back to Jos after the crises even when his brethren did all their best to stop him because of the risk involved. The man is still there doing great exploits for the Lord.

            Cowards die many times before their death. The scripture affirm in Revelation that cowards will not enter the kingdom of God.  The highest paid servant of God should be a missionary serving in hinterland but a good number of them live on stipends. If you make a missionary and his family comfortable, he will not run away from his post.  The church should declare emergency on home mission fields. The stability and peace of Nigeria can only be achieved if we reach out to the unreached and people we tagged as difficult. Prayer is not enough, we need to take gospel to the North, if you cannot go ,  make people over there comfortable so they can do the work well. Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt are areas that were occupied by first century christians but the lands were lost as a result of complacency of christians in that region. Church fathers like Tertullian spoke about it, he warned of heresies, complacencies but it all fell to deafening ears.  Let us take the challenge by taking local missions serious. We are doing our best but our best is not enough. We can still do more. Each church should have a plan on how to take the unreached part of Nigeria for Christ. Churches can come together and foster resources to build up mission in the unreached areas . The interior northern part of Nigeria is still part of the unreachable areas for the gospel in the world.  Charity should start from home, you can’t be taking missions to foreign countries when some local government in your countries are inaccessible to the gospel.  Foreign missions is good but the crux of the matter is that your home mission should not suffer. Let home mission be in your plans and see it as a necessity.

Abolanle Oladipupo

©️ 14^th September 2019

Why you should not pay tithe?

 Why you should not pay tithes?

           Tithing in biblical times is dated to the Abrahamic era, who gave a tithe to Melchizedek out of his spoils of war and he blessed him. Nothing was heard about tithing again until the Mosaic era when Moses commanded the rest of the tribes of Israel to pay tithes out of their means of income to the Levites who served in the temple at all times. 

Centuries later, the tribes of Israel neglected the temple, only a few are faithful to paying tithes and as a result of their actions. The Levites were hungry and were forced to go back to the farm and work. The work of the temple suffered, and the prophets of their time, Haggai, Malachi raised alarm against this and warned them of the dangers of not paying tithe.

           Jesus came, he didn’t abolish the laws, he came to fulfill them. He taught about sacrificial giving and giving as an act of worship and honour to God. Giving in the new testament is beyond ten percent but a function of how you love and honor your God.

Paul emphasized giving as a form of worship and dedication to God. He gave an account of how the money was spent. Donations and offerings were returned to Jerusalem and distributed evenly among poor brethren. Paul even said do not muzzle an ox while it works. A statement of the law connotes that laborers of the Gospel need to be paid out of the gospel.  

   Paying tithe is voluntary. If you do not pay tithe, things will not be hard for you, you will prosper and you will not be cursed.  Christians pay more than a tithe, we give our time and resources to God. If he wants our salary, house, or any precious thing from us, we are willing to give because he owns us and everything we have. Just like the Macedonian church, we have given ourselves to God and God owns all we have. Giving is not our problem because we love God and we have given our all to him 

So as Christians we pay beyond tithes, we give more to the work of God in accordance with our love for Christ.  A believer does not debate tithing because we give more than tithes to God.  The world thinks God’s work is run on offering and tithes.  They are bent on destroying the church by coming with fallacies, heresies, and false teachings on tithes. The more they promote this propaganda, the more the work of God prospers and his servants prosper more than ever before in history. This is a mystery. The church has gone beyond tithing. Our God deserves more than tithes. Only religious people pay tithes, believers walk by faith, we give artificially, and God opens floodgates of heaven for us. Church finances are getting stronger during economic crises and depressions. The church is an extension of God’s kingdom and it is run by faith and not by money.

©️July, 2022, Abolanle Oladipupo

A sinking ship

 Nigeria is burning 

Nero is dining

Nero is laughing

Nero is partying

Has Nigeria's end come?

Her acclaimed saviour is clueless

Innocent Rivers of blood are flowing daily 

Baboons have taken over the Ship

Baboons could not sail through

The ship is going backward

Oh! The ship is drowning

Who will save the ship?

Her resources have become a curse

She lived amid abundance yet she is in abject poverty

She had become a beggar among nations

She has become a subject of ridicule 

Nothing is achieved without security.

Every gain of democracy has been swallowed up by the titan of insecurity. 

Her glory has turned into shame

Her enemies are her closest allies

Her prophets have been silenced

Darkness is raging in the land

The strong that could help her have left her

The weak are remaining 

The green land is becoming dry

Her acclaimed Saviours have sucked her dry

She is dry to the bones

She is Stinking

Her able youths are leaving en masse

She is wailing in pains

Her economy is dwindling daily

She has become a haven for terrorists

A haven of kidnappers

A haven of bandits

A haven of corrupt and useless leaders

Oh! She is sinking

Will she get out of all these?

Or her end has come?

Oladipupo Abolanle

©️ 29th March,2022

UNBLOCKING THE WELL

           Unblocking the well

           Hand-dug wells are purposely dug to provide potable water. Seventy percent of the earth is water, when you dig to a particular depth depending on the area you will find water though it may not be an aquifer. Abraham was a sojourner who left Haran to Cannan. Famine set in Canaan and had to find a way of surviving. He was rich in cattle and have servants working with him in hundreds. He was a wealthy man and a billionaire in his era. In the course of his sojourn, he dug wells at Gerar which provided a source of water for his family and household. In the process of time, the inhabitants of Gerar blocked the wells he dug. Why could they have done this? In those days hand-dug wells are landmarks to mark ownership of land and at times serve as boundaries between two areas. The inhabitants of Gerar aimed at removing memories and legacies of Abraham. Abraham was a stranger who had become powerful by his wealth, army, fame, and number. He was the epitome of what you can call a great man. Isaac found himself in Gerar by what brought Abraham there, he knew the landscape, he knew that his father was a great man there, for Isaac it was familiar terrain, and in Gerar, Isaac prospered too. This could have angered the inhabitants especially when they knew his father. Jealousies arose, in a bid to recover the lands of his father, he sought to unblock the wells that the inhabitants have blocked out of bitterness. In a land where getting water is a hard thing, they blocked about five wells that could have sustained a community. This gives an insight that it is purely a fight and supremacy over who owns the land. Every attempt of Isaac to unblock the well was met with rivalry, opposition, and serious quarrel. At a point, they told him " Isaac you are more powerful than us, leave our land". This clarified that it was simply a battle of envy, hatred, and bitterness. Such battles are the most difficult battles to win. It has no ending point and it is only God that can give one victory over such battle. This battle is usually staged by those who are very close to us. They are insiders who everything about us. The best approach and strategy to win such a battle is to walk away. Isaac did not throw a fight, he walked away from them. As he walked away he kept unblocking, and as soon as they heard that he had unblocked a well, they threw a duel on two different occasions. Isaac did not give up, he did not get tired and before he knew it he had unblocked all the wells that the inhabitants of Gerar have blocked.

     Our fathers in the faith have worked so hard in handing over to us this faith. Some of them died in the process of keeping their faith. At a time the Bible was a forbidden book to have as a personal copy. It is kept in the monastery. Men who attempted to make Bible available for personal use died. Some were burned at stake.  The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. The fathers of faith are generals with scars and marks for bearing the burden of the gospel. With tears and blood, they dug wells of faith for us. Well of life that its water cannot go dry. Some of them died in the course of digging without even seeing the water. Of whom the book of Hebrews spoke of in Hebrew 11:13

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.

The well of faith has yielded great water, the gospel is being preached all over the world, souls are delivered from the pit of hell,  people are serving God in Spirit and truth. Children of God are experiencing heaven on earth. What an unspeakable joy! Certain men have crept into the folds, they are wolves in sheep clothing, they are devil incarnates who parade themselves as an angel of lights.  Paul wrote of them in 

This set of people claim to be Christians and they are into the ministry of blocking the wells of our fathers with worldliness, indecent dressing, prosperity preaching, immorality, syncretism,  idolatry, corruption, lies, flamboyant life, flamboyant dressing, and any anomaly you can think of. They are the face of the church, they are the standards of a prosperous church, they have fame, riches, and influence. Their lifestyle does not synchronize with their message. Their gods are their belly. They have monetized the gospel. They have distorted the truth. Their lives do not agree with the truth they preach. They are blocking the wells daily and have made it so difficult to access clean water. The perverted gospel has been let loose. The enemy of 21st-century churches is not from outside but within. They are not persecutors but false teachers and false prophets who have blocked access to the waters of life. The well of life that our fathers of faith strove to dig. 

It becomes imperative for every Pastor and teacher to unblock the well. How? Preach the truth, live the truth, and teach the truth. It is only the gospel truth that can unblock these wells. Paul and John in their era were busy writing letters to the new Church, explaining the consequences of the negative doctrines that were in vogue then and how believers can afford it. It is a difficult task for Paul in his time. Why? purveyors of false doctrines were reputed to be Christians with influence, fame, and many followers. In the 12th century, some of these false teachers were friends with the emperor and they seized that opportunity to oppress and persecute those that held contrary views.  To unblock the well, your focus is on your church members. Those within your area of influence, educate them, teach them, unblock the well for them so that they can have access to the pure water of life. Scripture says those that believe, rivers of life shall flow through them. Commit yourself to teach the truth, give yourselves to the ministry of Word and prayer. Unblocking the well is not something that you will see results immediately, it can take months or even years. Do not give up if it does not bring immediate results but keep unblocking with the Word of God. Unblocking the wells is not an easy task but the results are worth it. At a time Paul called out and mentioned these false teachers and prophets. These good blockers of Paul's era were elites who were vast on rhetorics and could easily win people over with their sweet words. As a result of this Paul took some actions part of it was forbidding women to be elders in some churches and new converts because of the fear that they might easily be won over by these false teachers who were orators. Likewise, we need to take action by calling the attention of those who God has committed into our hands to these false prophets and their teachings which are cancerous to the body of Christ. We need to protect our flock from these wolves who have been let loose by the Devil to contaminate and pollute the wells of life. Unblocking the well is realistic and feasible if we will see it as a matter of urgency that needs our utmost attention. The coming of the Lord is nearer than before and the enemy wants to pollute the church and render the gospel ineffective by blocking the wells of life. It is the word of God that brings about salvation, deliverance, healing, and sustains a believer. If wells of life are blocked, the enemy will prevail and possess the lands that our fathers of faith have conquered for Christ. Morroco, Algeria, Turkey, and Egypt were dominated by Christians in the first century. These lands have been conquered by Islam and Christians were the minority. How did it occur? It all started from blocking the wells of faith. Tertullian, Augustus, Hippo we're Christian apologetics who cried out against false teachings and doctrines. Paul also wrote to the seven churches that were majorly based in present-day Turkey. Despite the cries of the church fathers and intense digging to unblock the wells, the church lost its dominance in those areas because at a point someone get tired of unblocking the well of truth. The kingdom of darkness shall not prevail over the church. This will only happen if we chose to be light and do not give up unblocking access to the pure well of life which sustains and gives life to dying souls.

Abolanle Oladipupo

 ©️ 19th March 2022

KEEP DIGGING

                     

                     

Keep digging

        The act of digging is not an easy task especially when you are looking for water in a desert or dry land. This may take months and in some cases years, especially in the primitive era. Isaac found himself in such a difficult situation. He was digging hand-dug well to get water for his survival and survival of his flock. He was not the only herdsman there, there were many herdsmen there who did not see the reason to dig hand-dug well probably because of the rigor and time involved. Isaac chose to dig. In the course of digging, there might be people who would talk them off from engaging in the task. Isaac's herdsmen were focused, they were not bothered about hearsays and negative stories flying around. Contrary to their expectations, Isaac's herdsmen found water, lazy herdsmen of Gerar who could not dig well, gathered, conspired quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen. Isaac a man of peace left the well for them and moved on. Nobody will attack you until you have results. People are waiting for your results before they criticize you.  Isaac could not engage in a duel with them, he was a foreigner there, if he had struggled with them, they could kill him and took the hand-dug well from him. He chose the path of peace by moving on. It is not all battles you fight. Pick your battles. So many people have died on the road to success because they fought when they ought to have been silent and moved on.  Carefully pick your fights so that you will not be wasted by violent men of this world. Isaac dug another well and found water.  Wicked and violent men of Gerar wrestled with him. Again, Isaac chose not to quarrel with them. He left the well for them and moved on. Only a few men could accept this without throwing a fight. Isaac remembered he was a sojourner and he was not yet home. He believed nothing happened to him without God knowing. If God knows about it, he would do the fighting for him. He dug another well. This time around nobody quarreled with him on it and he named it Rehoboth, saying, " Now the LORD has given us room and we will flourish in the land"

            What are you digging it seems as if the more you try, you are not getting results and you are getting tired of trying? Do not give up. Hear this, the enemy wants to stop you that is why they are blocking your moves. Have you failed in business or your academics or any undertaking? Do not quit, keep digging you will soon find water. The moment you stop trying, you have settled for the worst. There is glory ahead and that is why you are faced with a lot of distractions and blocks. No one can stop you if you are unwilling to give up. One more trial can give you the desired victory that can make you recover from all your losses. Each challenge is to make you tougher, resist it and move on. Do not stay or settle for the less. Keep digging. There are a set of people that do not want you to prosper, they strive with each step of success you take, if you are not faced with opposition probably you are not doing it right. You do not argue with critics or strive with them. Instead of striving with them, ignore them and move on. Keep digging. Your digging will soon bring water. They are only successful in blocking your steps because you are not home yet. Keep digging till you get to your Rehoboth. At Rehoboth you will flourish, whatever you planted will grow because it is your place of fulfillment. No one will contend with you again because they can see the hand of God. Keep digging.

Abolanle Oladipupo

©️ 16th March 2022

    

THE AGONIES AND TEARS OF A PROPHET

 

The agonies and tears  of a Prophet.

             A prophet is a man of burden, a man of prayer and a man of many troubles. A journey through the prophetic books revealed that there is no prophet that lived a trouble free life. They all had their challenges but the joy of it was that God delivered them from it all. Abraham was a Prophet but for so many years he had no child. He travailed in prayers but at a time when it seemed that all hope was lost, he had Isaac. Moses was another kind. He was trained in the Egyptian school, he was learned and versatile in Egyptian philosophy. He was a professor of his time and by his training he was prepared for the highly exalted Pharoah throne. He rejected the pleasure and benefits attached to his status. He chose to identify with his people and this act of him made him a fugitive for forty years. A professor became a shepherd, it was forty years of travails, depressions, pains, disappointments, agonies and inconveniences. At eighthy years of age when he was actually preparing to die, God's mercy located him, he called him and made him a deliverer. The next forty years of Moses, he made great impact and fulfilled Gods purpose. As a deliverer, life was not rosy, he bore the burden of a whole nation, interceding for them day and night. At a time he told God to ease the burden on him.  Show me a Prophet and I will show you a man of burden. A prophet is beyond who see or prophesy. They are burden bearers. Jesus was a model of a prophet while he was on earth. He was compassionate and always praying.

             What are the agonies of a prophet? Similar to Trojan priestess of Apollos in Greek mythology called Cassandra also sometimes refer to as Alexandra. Her prophecies were accurate but no one believed her. She was believed to be Cursed by Apollo who she refused to marry after bestowing her gift of prophecy. He could not collect the gift back and cursed her that no one would believe her prophecies. Many a times prophecies do not come to pass in the lifetime of a Prophet. When prophecies tarries, Prophet is in the inner room praying, crying, agonizing for manifestation of his prophecies. God can not be boxed. He is unpredictable. At times he speak of things that will happen in fifty years to come as if it will happen tomorrow.  There was no other Prophet in the Scriptures that prophesied about the birth, ministry and death of Jesus Christ than Isaiah. He spoke of it as if it would happened in his time but it did not happen until about eight hundred years later. There was no Prophet that was ridiculed more than Isaiah. Why? Nearly all his prophecies was not fulfilled in his time. Nevertheless Isaiah kept interceding for the nation of Israel without looking back. The founder of the redeemed Christian Church of God saw the glory of the church, he knew it would be an international church, he knew the church would be a nation but all these did not happen in his life time. He saw it, he prayed about it and today Gods promises for him had become a reality.

         A prophet is a man of prayer who approach the throne of God daily, interceding for his people and praying that the will of God be done. Prophecies is not enough, for it to manifest, there must be prayers to back it up in the inner room. At times God honour the word of his servants instantly and whatever they prophesy happen immediately. Elijah was an example, at his words rain ceased in the land and when it was time for rain to come back, he prayed severally before it could rain again. God work in mysterious ways. A prophet that heal instantly today, tomorrow it may take a longer time or the miracle may not happen at all. That does not mean God have departed from his prophet but he is sovereign and unquestionable God. It becomes necessarily for a prophet to have deep knowledge of the scriptures, prophecies may fail but the word of God does not fail. The word of God is always there to assure the prophet that God is still God regardless of the happenings around him. Great prophets are usually vast in the word of God and communicate the truth expressly. True mark of a prophet is his ability to communicate biblical truths perfectly without any heresies. Jesus taught more in his earthly ministry than prophesying. He was always teaching the truths. John the Baptist reputed as the greatest Prophet communicated  truth to the people boldly and taught them practically how to live the truth. So many people parade themselves as prophets today but if they actually know what the ministry and call of prophet entails they will not want to be one. The life of a prophet is full of hidden tears, agonies, pains and inconveniences. Jeremiah was often called a crying prophet because of his agonies. There is no prophet of God that had it easy in the biblical days, their lives were full of ups and downs. Elijah was always on the run, Jeremiah was imprisoned, Ezekiel lost his wife and could not mourn. Their paths were rough but God was with them. He delivered them all from their afflictions. So many things could make a prophet to be distressed apart from unfulfilled promises and prophecies. A Prophet is not happy when people live sinful lives, a prophet is not happy when he see sick people, a prophet is not happy when people are demonized, A  prophet is not happy when false teachings are spreaded , A prophet is not happy when the church is cold. A prophet is not happy when the nation does not uphold righteousness.All these are what form agonies and cries of a prophet. He is always on his knees praying and interfering for a Gods intervention. Majority of the Biblical prophets live in the outskirts of a city where they will not be distracted from communicating with God. A prophet is simply a man in tune with God. They are always in the inner room seeking the face of God. The moment they sighted prophet at  the city in the old biblical days, there was usually fear because they knew that they had certainly come with a message.The ministry of the prophet did not end in the old testament but it still operates today. The intercessory prayers of prophets is crucial to a nation. Leaders of nations know this and that is why they have their own prophet that guides them into truth. For every working country and organizations, there are prophets agonizing fo them in prayers. The agonies and cries of a prophet are mysteries that do wonders in the spiritual realm. The agonies are embedded in his burden and in his burden lies his message.

Abolanle Oladipupo

©️ March 2022

KNOW YOUR PROPHET

 KNOW YOUR PROPHET

        The ministry of a prophet is a crucial one that can not be underestimated. The ministry is a beacon of light that communicates the truth and the mind of God for a generation. Where there is no vision the people perished. In the biblical days, the ministry of a prophet was very important in the running of affairs and administration of the country. The prophets are counselors, seers, preachers, and hope in a hopeless situation. God led Israel out of Egypt through a prophet who administered and led them out into the promised land. A good number of the judges that led Israel were prophets. The emergence of the King in the leadership of the nation did not relegate the ministry of a prophet. The prophets emerged as kingmakers and counselors to the king. The coming of Jesus Christ was prophesied by prophets many centuries before he was born. A prophet prepared the way for Jesus Christ, at the Mount of transfiguration, Jesus was interacting with Moses a prophet who introduced the laws, Elijah a prophet who advocated the revival of a nation from sins. Jesus himself was also a prophet and a priest who offered himself as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity. Jesus committed the work to the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit committed it to his servants for the building up of the saints. The fivefold ministries are the gift of the Spirit working through men for the edification of the church. The church is birthed by Christ. 

            The ministry of the prophet in the dispensation of the Holy Spirit is to communicate the truth of the gospel, guide, warn, counsel, raise alarm against false teaching and build up the church of Christ via intercessory prayers. Prophets are great intercessors in secret places but appear frail in the public. The prophets are the beacon of light in society, they do not dictate or control other people's lives. They only guide, instruct according to the word of God. Prophets usually confirm what God has already spoken to his children or they speak and God eventually confirms it.  A believer does not run his life on what a prophet says but rather on what the scripture says. The prophet will only communicate the word of God which is the true spirit and life. Every called prophet of God usually has a message, a location, and a specific audience. For every generation, there is usually at least a Prophet to minister to their specific needs. As a believer, you need to know your Prophet. Your Prophet does not necessarily mean a well-known servant of God. Your Prophet can be your Sunday school teacher, a brother or sister in the Church, or even your local church pastor. Your prophet is that particular person that usually has a word of comfort for you to stir up your weakened minds in moments of distress. Your prophet is that man that when he preaches, it is as if someone tells him everything about you to him. Your Prophet is that person that usually sees a good thing coming your way even before you could detect it. Your prophet usually sees danger ahead of you, he intercedes for you in the secret place to avert the danger. When he prays for you, it is as if he knows everything about you. 

          So many people are struggling in life because they do not know their prophet. You need a prophet to invoke certain blessings in your life. You may have been praying on one particular issue for long in your closet but just a prayer of authority from your prophet can solve that issue. The anointing breaks the yokes. The anointing of a prophet rests on his spiritual authority. They are men of words, whatever words they say, heaven will back it up.  Get to know your prophet. Your Prophet is usually very close to you if you are in the right location. Jeroboam was the first king of Northern Israel, by the words of a prophet he became a king. On becoming the king he forgot his God and went wild by getting himself involved in the high level of idolatry thereby causing Israel to sin. Life became tough for him, at the verge of losing his adored son he remembered his prophet. At that time his prophet was old, his physical eyes are gone, despite the disguise of his wife, the old prophet recognized the wife and accurately prophesied what lay ahead of him. W

hen you are in crisis, your prayers are not enough, locate your prophet and there will be a way out.

 ©️ Oladipupo Abolanle

 3rd March, 2022

JESUS IS COMING

 

             JESUS IS COMING

Mat 24:6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.

Mat 24:7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

 Mat 24:9 "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.

Mat 24:10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,

 Mat 24:11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.

 Mat 24:12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

Mat 24:13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

         These are the words of Christ corroborating that his coming is nearer than  never before. Believers don't loose faith, there is no other time to put on the whole armour rather than now. Be strong in the power of God, Purge yourselves from every besetting sin and engage in soul winning. The key to the coming of Christ with us, if we want Christ to come, the church need to engage more in evangelism at all times. The gospel of Christ must be preached at all places so that no one can have an excuse that he did not hear. Our duty as believers is to tell people about Christ,lead them to Christ and Holy Spirit will do the conversion. Our kingdom is not of this world, let us arise whatever the price and launch out to tell others that Christ is coming.

Abolanle Oladipupo

©️  February 2022

MAY "NIGERIA" NEVER HAPPEN TO YOU

        May  "Nigeria"  never happen to you

           May Nigeria never happen to you. This is a deep prayer. Nigeria as at today is one of the counties that have the highest number of prayer mountains, prayer houses and churches. Nigeria is a religious country no doubt about that but it is gradually becoming an  headquarter for any kind of evil you can think of. Poverty, money rituals, insurgencies have ravaged the nation. Karl Marx defined religion as the opium of the Masses. We have more churches, mosques than industries. Religion is the answer to everything and there lies the problem and battle confronting Nigeria. The problem of Nigeria is simply bad leadership and corruption. God will not come down from heaven and put right leaders there. It is our decision to come together as a country and fix this nation together or else Nigeria may be a history. The ruling political class are expert at dividing the nation along religion and ethnic lines which makes it difficult to reason together and challenge our common enemy. 

            Our common enemy is not the devil but bad leaders and corruption. If Nigeria economy revives and the country becomes great, so many churches and prayer houses will close down because there is nothing to pray about again.An average religious leader is a prayer merchant, prayers that are not theologically sound but rooted in philosophically and psychologically siphoning people's pockets.Unfortunately majority of these victims are struggling low income earners who want a better living. I am sure so many of these prayers are already disturbing God. Why should you pray intensively before embarking on a trip in Nigeria? Why should you pray so much for your daily bread and clothes to wear? Why should you pray for electric distribution company to bring power? Why should you pray and pray before you can build a house or ride a car?  Why should you pray and fast before you get a job? Why should you pray and pray over untimely death? Why praying for protection and security before you sleep? Why must you pray and pray for divine healing? The religious leaders have made people believed that Battles of their father's house , curses, evil covenants, satanic yokes were responsible for all these? And the question comes what is the essence of the blood of Jesus, his death and his resurrection? Is the blood of Jesus and power not enough to wipe off curses, covenants and protect us? Do they pray such prayers in Europe, America and other developed countries of the world? Certainly No. Why? They have a working government and are committed to make the economy work for all and sundry. The religious leader have made people believed that African is cursed. Some are even of the theory that their fore father's and ancestors did not serve God which makes life to be difficult for the present generation. All these theories and claims are not biblically true. Probably they didn't know that the whites also have gods and idols that they worshipped. Whites are also involve in voodoo , witchcraft, and rituals. Even at that, these set of religious people will claim even if they have witchcraft, it is white witchcraft which they used in invention of aircrafts, automobiles, phones etc. If there is any part of the world that should be backward and redundant economically, it should be Europe and America. Necessity is the mother of invention. The part of the world where they found themselves is inhabitable yet they think constructively and come up with inventions and research that can make their world habitable and comfortable.

       Nigeria itself is a battle...it have made us prey to prayer merchants and prophets. We have been made to believe that Devil, demons, witches and wizard are responsible for our problems. The truth is we have no problem but our problem is being a Nigerian. Till today people visit prayer mountains before they can get visa to travel out of the country. Such prayers are unnecessary if  Nigeria is working. If you are a citizen of Australia, you can travel to about one hundred countries without visa. Nigerian international passport can also becomes strong if we decide to make Nigeria work. Who is our enemy? Our common enemy is bad leaders and corruption. We have the resources to make us one of the G.7 countries in the world. It is high time we came together as one and fight our common enemy by flushing out the bad leaders and political system that is behind it. Let's come up with a system that will be difficult for corruption to thrives, a system that the right people with the interest of the Masses will always govern. Corruption can be a thing of the past if we see it as a virus that is threatening our existence as a country. If we don't end corruption, corruption will end the country. And the story will be " There was a country" The enemy will rejoice and the surrounding nations will say " May Nigeria never happen to you.

© February  2022, Oladipupo Abolanle

GOD IS NOT YOUR CLASSMATE.

 GOD IS NOT YOUR CLASSMATE

              Our understanding of God is based on what he revealed to us and our understanding of him will determine how far we will go with him in the journey of life.The ultimate purpose of a Christian is to know him. Knowing God will save us from asking God unnecessary questions when face with troubles. Paul's aim was to know God and the resurrection power. He left all for the sole purpose of knowing God. Knowledge is power. Power is not in ability to perform miracles,signs, wonders or healing. The real power is in how much of God you know and put into practical use. All will fail but the word of God endures forever.

           Twelve years ago, a young boy of about eleven years came to the church with his family. Her mom was sick and scheduled for an operation. My duty in the church then was to receive, welcome, pray and visit new members. Immediately after meeting with his family who joined the church together with other new comers, the young boy called me aside and asked me a question. He said " why do bad things happen to good people especially Christians?" I was dumbfounded for few seconds. I knew the boy was talking from his personal experience. He was at the verge of losing his mom who had served God all her days on earth and he kept wondering why should such happened to her. I opened the scripture to John 16: 33

 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

            Jesus did not promise a trouble free life, he never said we will not have sickness,debt and all the bad things of life. He only assure us of victory in the midst of it. The victory lies in Christ overcoming  the world. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, even in pains Jesus is Lord. Faith in God does not mean you always get what you want. It is simply trusting God in whatever situation you find yourself. The three Hebrews said  "But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." That is the practical definition of faith. John the Baptist was in prison for righteousness sake while in prison he sent his disciples to Jesus if actually he was the messiah.why? He was expecting Jesus to miraculously delivered him but he did not.  John was eventually beheaded by Herod and Jesus was told. He responded by going about his ministry. 

                John was doubtful just like any other  believer will do today when passing through difficult times. John had questions for Jesus Christ but Jesus did not answer his question. We have  many atheists today because from their human experiences God at one time or the other failed them and he could not answer their questions. Hence they conclude that there is no God. At times if God wills, he healed believers from sickness and at times he did not. Sometimes he saved believers from auto crash or aircrash and at times he did not. At times believers also died young and at times he delivered from premature death. He is sovereign God.  God is not our classmate, we cannot question him. All we have to do is to simply trust and obey him. Knowing fully well that his thoughts for us are of peace, plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future.

AbolanleOladipupo(BSc(OOU),Bth(NBTS) 

3rd February,2022