FEAR NOT, THOU MAN OF VALOR

The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. (Judges 6:12)

Gideon was a mighty warrior yet fear had crippled him to the extent that he had forgotten who he was "Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds" (Judges 6:2). Fear masked his potential so much so that he even had to hide in the winepress to thresh wheat "

The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Judges 6:11-12

Gideon's attention had to be called for him to recognize his strength and valor.

1   Why did this happen? It happened because "The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. (Judges 6:1)" Sin exposes us to all the wiles and plans of the enemy. The enemy begins to ravage and plunge us when we move out of the covering of God due to disobedience to His word. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God the realized they were naked. Sin exposes our nakedness and makes us vulnerable to all kinds of attacks form the evil one. When the protective covering of God departs from you, you become an easy target of the devil. 
     
     "Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country.  They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it." Judges 6:5-6

      I challenge you today to remain under the umbrella of the Lord Almighty. 

David said that "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra, you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91

There is peace under the governance of God. There is joy in the presence of God. There is no fear when the Lord is on your side, is with you, and in you. You always dwell in safety because you are covered inside and outside as well. "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8)." A child of God has no need to worry about the devil if he/she knows his/her position in Christ.

How can you dwell in safety? To dwell in safety under the shelter of the Most High, you must hide His word in your heart and purpose not to sin against Him. David said, "Thy word have I hid in my (spiritual) heart, that I may not sin against Thee" Proverbs 23:7

"But whoso hearkens unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil" Proverbs 1:33

In fact, God's promise to His people is that  His "people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places" Isaiah 32.18

The Lord provided safety in the ark for Noah and his family while terrible things were happening around them. The Bible says that it was the "Lord who shut them in." (Genesis 7:16). Unless the Lord shuts you in, who can never escape the terrible things around you.

"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. Psalm 127:1-2 

The song writer, Edward H. Bickersteth, Jr., wrote:

1. Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin?
   The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.
2. Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed?
   To do the will of Jesus, this is rest.
3. Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round?
   On Jesus’ bosom naught but calm is found.
4. Peace, perfect peace, ’mid suffering’s sharpest throes?
   The sympathy of Jesus breathes repose.
5. Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away?
   In Jesus’ keeping we are safe, and they.
6. Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown?
   Jesus we know, and He is on the throne.
7. Peace, perfect peace, death shad’wing us and ours?
   Jesus has vanquished death and all its pow’rs.
8. It is enough: earth’s struggles soon shall cease,
   And Jesus calls us to Heav’n’s perfect peace.

Peace and safety can be found if you rest in the bossom of Jesus. The storms will come, the surges will rise, but only in Jesus can you find solace and calmness. 

With Jesus in the boat, you can smile at the storm!

      Gideon had to refocus on his destiny. He had to reclaim his valor to possess the land.To do this, he had to pull down some strongholds and altar that had been built by his father for his small god. This altar was a hindrance to Gideon's progress. This has to be pulled down before his destiny could be achieved. What altar have you built in your life? What altars have your parents built that is affecting you? Is it sin, inferiority complex, old ways of doing things, laziness, fear, poverty, racism, idiosyncrasy, hatred, etc. Make it your aim today to go and destroy these altars and make an altar for the Lord. "So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it "The Lord Is Peace. Judges 6:24

Gideon's approach to reclaiming his destiny can be understood in the following points.

Factors to divine success

1.  Obedience to divine directives:

a) He was asked to reduce the number of his military men. He obeyed.

b) Destroy his father’s altar. He obeyed.

c) Go to the camp of the enemy. He obeyed.

2.   Have a divine (personal) encounter: In Matthew 17, Peter’s ideas changed because he had a divine encounter. Divine encounter gives:

a)  Clarity of purpose

b)  Moses had a divine encounter which changed his visions and purpose. He changed from a shepherd to a deliverer and leader.

3.  Divine fellowship and inspiration: This is manifested in how you conduct yourself.

a)  Prayer life

b)  Bible study life

c)  Having fellowship with other Christians

d) Witnessing with your life and evangelism.

4.  Divine strategy: Gideon followed the divine strategy given to him. He chose the men by divine strategy. 

"Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’  Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others." Judges 7:1-7

  5.  Be careful of the environmental noise: Do not be discouraged. Know that the   Lord is with you. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

You are destined to be great, fear not, thou mighty man of valor.

MY TEE-SHIRT DESIGNS

EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8 (KJV)

The Holy Spirit is God without boundaries. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to give you power to perform and to live a holy and purposeful life. A life with a purpose is a life led according to the will of God. When you are empowered by the Holy Spirit,  He teaches you how to dress appropriately to church.  He teaches you how to conduct yourself . He teaches you how to behave on social media. The Holy Spirit teaches you to do the right thing in the sight of God. He reveals the truth and the character and nature of God to you. He unearths the hidden God-given potential in you. 

You have a lot of potential as child of God but it takes the Holy Spirit to ignite and unveil these potentials. Kerosene and gas are nothing until a flame of fire touches them. That's when their destructive force can be realized. He Holy Spirit is that fire that ignites and sets you ablaze for the Lord. Standing water of a river or the sea is calm until a strong wind turns it into a destructive wave. Water flowing on a level ground becomes a force to reckon with when it flows or drops from a mountain top. The dormant potential is enhanced by the driving force obtained by virtue of the height. For you to recognize your potential, you have to increase your level of spirituality by digging deepen into the things of the Lord. Your strength is renewed by waiting on the Lord.

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)

When the Holy Spirit is in you, you can dine with your enemy and they cannot harm you in any way. David had the presence of God's spirit with him so he could say that

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." Psalm 23:4-5

Allow the Holy Spirit to ignite your spirit today and you will experience a new found joy in the Lord. Be blessed!

WAIT UPON THE LORD AND HE WILL RENEW YOUR STRENGTH!

".. but those who hope in the Lord (wait on the Lord) will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

The art of waiting is the most difficult thing to do. If you have been promised a gift of any sort and it appears to be delayed, you become anxious and wish it will happen sooner. You wait because you hope and trust that whatever has been promised will be deliver. Hoping and waiting require you to understand the nature of the one who has promised you the gift. If you know that the person is a liar, you will not wait, but if you believe that the person will deliver, you will wait patiently no matter how long it takes. We serve a God who is faithful and truthful. He never goes back on His word for "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?" Number 23:19

Because He is a constant God, if you wait upon Him, in His own time, He will honor your request but your request also has to be according to His will and purpose concerning your life. If you hope in the Lord, your strength is "For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry" Habakkuk 2:3. Hope with renewed strength sets you up for a miracle. The eagle flies higher and higher with each wind that blows. It waits patiently for the wind to approach and it rides higher on it. As you wait on the Lord, each new day should be an anticipation of the greater works that the Lord has promised to do in your life. Never give up your hope in the Lord!

David said, "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope" Psalm 130:5 

He waited for the Lord for direction and guidance because he knew God never disappoints. He changes"disappointments" into "appointments" and "disgrace" to "grace."

What have you asked of the Lord, that it seems to have taken so long? Is it a child that you are looking for after being married for so long? Is it a job that you have been searching for a long time and appears no to come your way? Is it a suitable partner that you are waiting for and appears to be delayed? As you read this message, I want you to rest assured that the Lord is working behind the scenes on your behalf and He will surely answer your request. You must have this attitude like the Apostle Paul that "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" Philippians 1:6. Whatever plan that God has for you is good and He will prosper you in due season. Just wait patiently in prayer! Never cease praying, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people." Ephesian 6:18.

"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

In spite of all his challenges and troubles, Job said, "If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come" Job 14:14. A change is coming to your life, an answer to your prayer is just a stone throw away if you hold on to that hope. Never throw your hands up in despair! Job waited patiently in all his afflictions. He never cursed God and God did not forsake Him. He was reward double for His wait. 

If you wait for the Lord, you will find divine favor that brings now sorrow. If you wait for the Lord in prayer concerning your business, you will find good success. Never scheme to make gains for doing so will one day bring you disgrace. Many people have gone down this route ad they have failed miserably in life. 

"The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it." Prov. 10:22. (NIV)

"The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it."                  Prov. 10:22. (KJV)

God promise those who wait "

"Strangers will stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners will be your plowmen and vine dressers. But you will be called the priests of the LORD; they will speak of you as ministers of our God; you will feed on the wealth of the nations, and you will boast in their riches. Instead of shame, My people will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation, they will rejoice in their share; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs." Is. 61:4-7

As you await the second coming of the Lord, have hope and be expectant. Do not think His coming is delayed so you are giving up but let this delay propel you to grow up spiritually and get closer to the the Lord. Each day is a day for your strength to be renewed. For each passing moment, the Apostles never gave up hope but they pushed themselves higher and higher and they did the work of the Lord with more boldness because they were convinced that their hope for the heavenly kingdom will be fulfilled one day. 
Never give up the faith!

      

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

JOY AND PEACE BE UPON YOU THIS SEASON

THE YEAR OF THE LORD'S FAVOR

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. (Isaiah 61:1-3)

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me today to inform you that the favor of the Lord will be upon you in the coming days. I have good news for you, and the good news is that something that you have been praying for many years is about to come into fruition and reality. You have been struggling to make it financially in life but this is all going to change in the coming days if you renew your mind and don't give up on your dreams. You have been looking for a full time job in many years. The Lord says this is your year of progress, don't give up hope. Your breakthrough is nearer than you can imagine. The Lord is about to do something unique in your life that all ears would hear and tingle and all eyes will see and marvel at what the Lord can do. Something that you have considered impossible is about to be turned into possibility because you trust in the God of impossibilities. With God all things are possible! I have good news for someone who is barren and has been working on having a child. The Lord wants you to know that next year by this time, your precious gift is on its way, only have faith and believe in the transforming power of the name of Jesus. There is power in His name! You have been healed of any disease or sickness that is preventing you from conceiving. Just close your eyes and see the chief physician, master Jesus Himself, touching you with His healing hands. He healed the sick, the blind, the lepers, the woman with the issue of blood for twelve years, and cast out demons. He will do the same for  you today. Claim your healing in the name of Jesus. This is your year of favor, declares the Lord. You will no more be a captive to your problems if you your trust in Him today no matter how long the problems have existed. You are free from the bondage of sin, diseases and any form of abuse in Jesus' name! Your sorrows are being turned into joy. The Lord is making a way in the desert for you where there seemed to be no way. He will clothe you with the garment of righteousness and put the oil of praise on you. Today, your name will be changed from Mr/Ms. Nobody to Mr/Ms. Somebody. The Lord is in the process of lifting you up from disgrace to grace, form grass to class, and you will be called blessed among your peers. Keep up the faith, live righteously, and expect your miracle today. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is still the miracle working God. Thank Him for His favor upon your life today. AMEM! AMEM! AMEN!

THE POWER OF THANKSGIVING

Many people are ungrateful to the Almighty God for who they are, what they have achieved or acquired in life, and how they are surviving whether smooth or rough. They may attribute their success to their craftiness or intelligence forgetting that there is a powerful unseen driving force acting behind the scenes to make things happen. In the recent book written by Dr. Joyce Addo-Atuah, The Power Of Thanksgiving, she reminds us of appreciating the little things in life and not to forget the humbly beginnings of where one started from. She uses her life experiences from childhood through adulthood, to illustrate how grateful she is to God for making her what she is today. In spite of numerous challenges she faced, she is grateful to God for using these challenges as stepping stones for greater heights. She encourages everybody to "count your blessings, name them one by one, .............and it will surprise you what the Lord has done."

In addition to the spiritual benefits of giving thanks, she indicated that the physical benefits include: the lowering of your blood pressure because you become less stressful if you appreciate the little things in life and the reduction of anxiety.

Dr. Joyce Addo-Atuah beautifully and skillfully weaves biblical quotes on thanksgiving throughout the book, interspersed with her own life stories that captive the reader. Reading this book will definitely transform your thinking on when, who, where and how to show gratitude and appreciation. You can read more about her book here.

In all things, give thanks!