Tag: God

Stepping Into The Reality Of God’s Word Ignites God’s Power

When we understand how the Word of God brings God’s power to life within us, we begin to experience miracles firsthand. The power of the Word is set in motion through belief and obedience.

Moving beyond intellectual recognition of Scripture involves integrating its principles into one’s worldview, decision-making, and daily conduct. When an individual’s actions reflect these values, God’s Spirit contributes to transformation by bringing strength, wisdom, healing, and spiritual authority. Such alignment grants access to spiritual resources, as the activation of divine power is associated with obedience and faith.

When a believer embraces God’s Word and Spirit, the mind is renewed, the heart purified, and the spirit strengthened (Ephesians 4:22-24; Romans 12:1-2). Entering this reality opens the door to divine possibilities and ushers the believer into the realm of God’s Kingdom, where spiritual principles transcends earthly limitations. In this dimension, believers become living channels of God’s power, bearing witness to His goodness, kindness, compassion, and miracles (1 Corinthians 3:9; 1 Corinthians 6:17). From such a life, qualities like courage, resilience, and spiritual authority flow naturally, springing forth as the fruit of walking in harmony with God’s Word and Spirit.

I was invited by a church in Accra to conduct a spiritual revival service. During the third day of the five-day event, the church leadership informed me about a former member who had distanced herself from the congregation following a distressing experience. Her son, who was critically ill, collapsed unexpectedly. She sought assistance from her pastor, located approximately four kilometers away, but learned that he was unavailable due to travel commitments. Consequently, she approached a nearby prophetess for help; however, the child unfortunately passed away while prayers were being offered. This incident led her to feel disillusioned, resulting in her withdrawal from church activities and a diminishing confidence in both Christianity and its ministers.

I helped her explore the Scriptures, teaching her how to use faith and embrace God’s promises. As she experienced miracles, her faith revived, leading her to recommit to Jesus and return to serving the church with new enthusiasm.

God’s Word—A Source of Spiritual Power

While I was guiding her, her younger son, about six years old, fell seriously ill one day. He collapsed just as his older brother had done years before. Recalling my advice that God empowers us through Jesus Christ, she laid hands on her son, prayed for him, and quickly took him to the hospital.

Doctors and nurses tried to help the boy in the emergency room, but he wasn’t responding. When an even more critical patient arrived, the medical staff hurried away to attend to them.

Alone, the woman went to a corner of the ward, knelt down, and prayed earnestly for her son’s life. After a while, she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see a nurse, who told her that the doctor had returned to check on her son. Still praying, she followed the nurse to his bedside.

Eventually, her son began to recover, and after several hours, he felt strong enough to ask to go home, though the doctor insisted on observing him for another day.

News of her prayers and the remarkable recovery spread throughout the hospital. When I visited, several nurses approached me, offering money so I could provide Bibles for them. Later that day, I brought a box of Bibles to the hospital for those who requested one.

Our purpose is to guide people in connecting with the Spirit of God, so they can receive healing and miracles from Jesus directly. Miracles come from Jesus, not us, and are possible through faith in His Name.

I taught the woman to seek her miracle through prayer and faith; she received it when I wasn’t there. Her experience inspired the nurses to buy Bibles. Her son was discharged from the hospital the following day.

Faith enables miracles by aligning our actions with God’s power. Jesus illustrated this in Matthew 9:28–30, emphasizing belief as the foundation for receiving healing. Remember, the outcome of a miracle is based on personal faith, not the actions of the church or pastor.

A woman who had experienced a chronic issue of blood for twelve years believed internally that touching the garment of Jesus would result in her healing. Acting upon this conviction, she reached out and touched His garment. Subsequently, Jesus addressed her, stating, “Daughter, be of good comfort; your faith has made you whole” (Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48).

The woman believed that just touching His garment would heal her. Her faith readied her to receive what she hoped for.

How Faith Works

Faith is a key: when activated in Jesus and God’s Word, it unlocks the Spirit’s power and brings miracles. A key initiates a vehicle’s ignition; similarly, faith engages the mind and motivates behavioral responses. Faith cultivates trust, providing vital energy for life. Faith sharpens the mind and strengthens the inner expectation. It prepares individuals to embrace what they believe, creating openness to receive the fulfillment of that hope. By anchoring thought and spirit in trust, faith aligns the heart with anticipation, enabling the believer to accept and actualize what they expect.

Authority for miracles is rooted in the Name of Jesus, with testimonies of signs and wonders manifesting through faith in His Name. The New Testament consistently affirms that healing and miraculous works are accomplished by invoking the Name of Jesus (Acts 3:6-9; Acts 4:29-30). His Name is presented not merely as a title, but as the divine source of power through which God’s Spirit operates, bringing transformation, restoration, and supernatural intervention.

Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, (Philippians 2:9-11; ESV).

Build a relationship with God for peace and goodness (Job 22:21-29). Studying brings understanding. Spiritual growth comes from learning and practicing God’s Word.

Faith brings miracles into reality by aligning our trust and actions with God’s power. This unwavering confidence influences our thoughts and reactions, enabling us to accept and internalize truth, which in turn fortifies our beliefs. With such deep assurance, we can receive and witness the transformative power of God’s Word in our lives.

The Word of God releases supernatural transformative power into the realities of everyday life. When His Word becomes living truth within you, the indwelling Spirit of God ushers you into the realm of divine possibilities, where natural limitations give way to the supernatural (Acts 1:8; 1 Samuel 10:6-7). In this dimension, the believer is not only strengthened, but empowered to walk in the fullness of God’s purposes, manifesting His presence and power in practical situations.

How to Become a New Personality Through Spiritual Transformation

Do you struggle to manage anger?

When provoked, do you feel an impulse to slap the person upsetting you?

When you feel angry, do you experience urges to fight or break things? Does your anger ever make you want to hit someone or damage property?

Do you ever feel tempted to hit your spouse or child when you’re angry?

How do you respond when people reject your religious beliefs?

When others verbally attack you and refuse to let you share your perspective, how do you handle the situation?

After you have explained yourself, if people still accuse you unfairly and refuse to accept your explanation – no matter how valid it is – how do you react?

Some people live as though they are enslaved by their anger. They feel helpless, unable to control their emotions. When things don’t go their way, instead of calming down, reflecting, and considering how to resolve their situation, they erupt in rage.

Horace said that anger is a momentary madness, and that we ought to control our passions, otherwise our passions will control us.

If you do not learn to control your emotions, your anger will eventually drive you to react in ways you will later regret. Instead of training the mind toward patience and non-violence, some people condition themselves to think violently. And every time we justify or emphasize violent responses –whether in words, thoughts, or actions – we are reinforcing violent behavior. Over time, this shapes us into more aggressive individuals and contributes to the creation of harsh, unforgiving societies.

Angry people often lack patience. They react before they think, because anger clouds judgment. In many ways, anger behaves like a form of temporary madness – it shuts down reasoning, and in that state, people can do terrible things without considering the consequences.

 A striking example was reported by the Ghanaian weekly, The Spectator, on April 30, 2011. The paper published a story about a Chinese man who, on Mar 15, smashed his brand-new one-million-dollar sports car in public while onlookers and media recorded the scene. He claimed the dealer had sold him a faulty car and was too slow in fixing the problem. Losing whatever patience he had – if he had any at all – he picked up a heavy metal hammer and destroyed the expensive vehicle in a fit of rage.

Robert Green Ingersoll asserted that, “Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.”

That Chinese man had lost control – his anger had extinguished the lamp of his mind and left him unable to reason.

Angry people rarely show patience. Had he simply exercised a little restraining, the dealer would eventually have fixed the problem. He also had other options: he could have donated the vehicle to charity or sold it and used the money to support a worthy cause. A village school, an orphanage, or a widows’ support group could have benefited greatly. In that case, he would have been remembered as hero rather than what he became.

Anger does not allow room for patience. People controlled by anger often lack both patience and tolerance. Sadly, many societies today are missing these virtues. Proverbs 25:15 reminds us, “By long patience is a prince persuaded, and a gentle tongue breaks the bone.” (KJ2000)

Brian Tracy said, “You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.”

Anger does not consider the innocent. It is inherently selfish. When angry terrorists strike, they do not limit their attacks to those they claim to oppose; they harm countless innocent people who have no connection to their grievances. On September 11, 2001, coordinated terrorist attacks in the United States killed nearly 3,000 people across multiple locations. The greatest loss of life occurred at the Twin Towers. Except for 55 military personnel killed at the Pentagon, all the victims were civilians.

According to reports, including those summarized by Wikipedia, approximately 2,996 people died in the attacks (including the 19 hijackers), representing individuals from roughly 77 to 93 different countries.

These victims had no quarrel with the attackers or the organization behind the violence. They were ordinary people going about their daily lives. Yet the attackers claimed to be worshipers of the Supreme God – the One known for compassion, justice, and truth. They claimed they were acting on behalf of the Holy God, and that their violence was a response to His supposed enemies. But in doing so, they targeted innocent people who had no part in their conflict and no power to influence the issues that angered them.

This is the nature of uncontrolled anger. It lashes out blindly. And tragically, even after causing destruction, pain, and suffering, terrorists often do not achieve the outcomes they desire. They kill innocent people, devastate families, destroy properties – and still fail to obtain what they sought.

We can move toward positive thinking and healthy actions only when we intentionally remove negative patterns from our daily lives. This includes eliminating destructive anger – the kind that pushes us toward violent reactions. Instead, we must cultivate love and self-discipline within ourselves.

When we allow God’s Spirit to work in our hearts, He transforms our inner character. The Spirit of God empowers us to resist temptation and guides us toward divine truth and love. Scripture says that when we unite ourselves with God, we become “one spirit with Him,” (1 Corinthians 6:17). And Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God,” (Matthew 5:9; KJ2000).

Self-discipline must be nurtured deliberately. Whenever we slip back into old habits of anger, we should quickly remind ourselves that we are walking a new path – a path marked by calmness, patience, and love. As we repeat this way of thinking and consistently practice it, our brains begin to accept the new pattern. Over time, the mind reshapes itself to align with the renewed behavior we are training it to adopt.

The Holy Spirit transforms our human spirits to reflect God’s holiness and compassion by renewing our minds and shaping us into the image of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. As He works in us, we are empowered to walk in the good works God prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10). Our desires begin to align with His will, enabling us to live in righteousness, compassion, forgiveness and true spiritual maturity.

Furthermore, God’s Spirit changes us by shifting our thinking from worldly patterns to divine alignment (Romans 12:2). This renewal produces a new self – one that is “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness,” (Ephesians 4:22-32).

Have Faith In God — He Will Make It Happen

Hold fast to your faith in Jesus. Whatever situation you face and whatever burden rests on your heart, trust that God will never fail you.

You may look at your situation and feel as though there is no hope. You may not see or understand how God is working on your behalf, but His purpose will always prevail. He will open the way before you, for He is the ultimate provider who already knows exactly how He will bring His promise to pass in your life. And even when we fail to respond to the promptings of His Spirit, God’s purpose will still prevail.

When you can no longer see a way forward, don’t lose hope. Trust that God will make a way for you. He sees you, He knows what you are facing, and nothing in your life lies beyond His power to restore or redeem.

Elisha told the three kings, “You will not see rain, you will not see the wind, but this valley shall be filled with water. And you and your animals shall drink.” (2 Kings 3:17).

So, even when you don’t fully understand what is happening, God does. Don’t lose hope. Remember that God sees you, He understands every need you carry, and He cares for you deeply.

Do what is right in every situation. God sees what is in your heart, and He honors those who walk in integrity. His ears are always open to the prayers of the righteous (1 Peter 3:12; Psalm 34:15).

God will not fail you; His answer may be delayed, but it will not be denied (Habakkuk 2:3; Luke 18:7). God’s timing may be different, but His faithfulness is sure.

In seasons of waiting upon the Lord, remain steadfast in faithfulness. Joseph exemplified unwavering devotion despite the injustices he endured; he chose righteousness and refused to sin against God, even when wronged. Likewise, David exercised remarkable restraint when presented with opportunities to avenge himself against Saul. Rather than acting out of anger or seeking retribution, he entrusted his cause entirely to the Lord.

Faithful Endurance Is Seen and Rewarded by God

The experiences of Joseph and David illustrate that maintaining perseverance and faithfulness during periods of waiting and uncertainty is acknowledged by God. When we choose integrity in the face of injustice or refrain from seeking our own vindication, we demonstrate trust in God’s perfect timing and justice. The Lord observes our faithfulness during these trials and honors those who persevere, knowing that His answers and rewards come at the right moment and in the right way. In every circumstance, our faithful endurance is recognized by God, whose wisdom and sense of justice are unfailing.

Enduring Faithfulness in Uncertain Times

In the midst of darkness and uncertainty, it is essential to hold firmly to the truth. Even when circumstances appear overwhelming and hope seems distant, remember that God is attentive to every act of faithfulness. He understands the deepest thoughts and intentions within our hearts, and in His perfect wisdom, He will reward those who remain steadfast — choosing the right moment and the right way to do so.

The waiting may sometimes feel prolonged, and the journey can be burdensome. During these times, it is important to pray for the Spirit of God to provide strength and guidance. Seeking His presence brings a renewed sense of patience, comfort, and quiet assurance as you continue to wait upon the Lord.

Trust that God is working behind the scenes, even when you cannot perceive the full picture. His faithfulness is unwavering, and His timing is always perfect. As Scripture reminds us, “For you have the need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what was promised,” (Hebrews 10:36, ESV). Through endurance and unwavering faith, the promises of God will be fulfilled in your life, just as He has declared.

Imitate those who through faith inherited God’s promise (Hebrews 6:12).

Believe in God. Be confident that, in His perfect timing, He will make things happen for you. As the Scripture says, “With God, nothing is impossible,” (Luke 1:37).

Faith Activated In Jesus’ Name Unlocks Spiritual Power

Faith, when activated in Jesus and God’s Word, unlocks spiritual power and actualizes miracles. Faith, therefore, is a spiritual key.

A key starts a vehicle by turning the ignition, just as faith activates our minds and prompts our bodies to respond to motivation. Faith inspires us to be receptive and fosters the trust that gives life energy. It invigorates our thinking and readies us to embrace possibilities.

The authority for miracles, according to Acts 3:16, is attributed to the Name of Jesus rather than rituals. Signs and wonders are reported to occur through faith in His name. The Name of Jesus is identified as the source of healing and miraculous events (Acts 3:6–9; Acts 4:29–30).

David — who was only about 15 to 19 years old — defeated Goliath and helped save Israel. David’s older brothers and the other soldiers, though considered capable, feared Goliath and avoided him, while still holding him in contempt. And it is possible that you may encounter disapproval from others, much like how Joseph’s siblings regarded him. Yet years later, Joseph rose from rejection to become Egypt’s second most powerful leader. God enabled him to rescue several nations from famine, including his siblings who had rejected him.

Faith And Dependence On God Achieve Impossible Goals

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint, (Isaiah 40:29-31; ESV).

Moses demonstrated leadership qualities at age 40, a stage many people find comfortable. He was full of enthusiasm and keen to show his abilities. However, the prevailing spiritual climate was unfavorable, so he escaped to Midian.

Forty years later, at eighty, Moses was called by God to return to Egypt and lead Israel out of bondage. Abraham was called at age 75, proving that age is no barrier to being chosen for important purposes.

The Bible encourages praying for both spiritual and material prosperity, as long as financial gain doesn’t outweigh spiritual priorities. Wealth can help support others and further spiritual goals.

Peter stated, “We have left everything to follow you.” In response, Jesus affirmed that those who make sacrifices for the sake of God’s kingdom will be rewarded abundantly in the present life and will receive eternal life in the future (see Mark 10:28-30; Luke 18:28-30).

Several passages in the Bible refer to promises of prosperity and health afforded to followers. For example, Deuteronomy 28:1-14 enumerates blessings and riches granted to those who earnestly follow God’s guidance, while Deuteronomy 8:18 indicates that God provides individuals with the ability to acquire wealth. Additionally, Proverbs 10:22 and 3 John 1:2 offer assurances regarding both wealth and health. Accordingly, discussing prosperity within a theological context is appropriate when approached with accuracy and adherence to biblical principles.

When we acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the everlasting key to our problems we will hold onto Him to unlock our miracles every time.

A friend once said Jesus is the source of miracles, not the other way around. I agree — studying the Bible shows that Jesus’ Name brings about healing, miracles, and prosperity. Thus, it is incorrect to preach prosperity as the source of Jesus.

Prosperity should not serve as an incentive for individuals to follow Jesus. If it does, their faith may lack sincerity or resilience, and they may discontinue their commitment upon receiving blessings or healing. Similarly, patients typically do not revisit a physician after their recovery is complete.

Jesus first said, “As you go into all the world proclaim the gospel to everyone. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever doesn’t believe will be condemned,” (Mark 16:15-16; ISV). Salvation was first before miracles.

After that He said, “These are the signs that will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak in new languages, and they will pick up snakes with their hands. Even if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; and they’ll place their hands on the sick, and they’ll recover,” (Mark 16:17-18; ISV).

Miracles do not make Jesus. Rather, we find miracles in Jesus, for by His Name the miracles happen, (Acts 3:16).

How Faith Works

How does faith contribute to actualizing miracles? Faith is a firm belief that builds confidence in someone or something. It encourages us to accept and reflect on ideas, making belief stronger. This deep confidence enables us to receive and experience the effects of God’s Word in our lives. Thus, God employs faith to bring about miracles.

So, Jesus asked, “Do you believe I can do this?” They replied, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it unto you.” And their eyes were opened, (Matthew 9:28-30). Belief prepared them for Jesus’ actions, while faith primed their minds and bodies to expect healing. And God watches over His Word (promise) to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12).

A woman who had experienced a chronic issue of blood for twelve years believed internally that touching the garment of Jesus would result in her healing. Acting upon this conviction, she reached out and touched His garment. Subsequently, Jesus addressed her, stating, “Daughter, be of good comfort; your faith has made you whole,” (Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48).

The woman believed that just touching His garment would heal her. Her faith readied her to receive what she hoped for.

Maintain your spiritual union with God

Our spiritual union with God, through Jesus Christ, enables us to have a direct access to God. And God answers our prayers and grants us our requests because we do what is right, (Proverbs 15:29; 1 Peter 3:11-13). Therefore, maintain your spiritual walk with God, (Galatians 5:25) and continue doing what is pleasing in His sight, and God will continue to work miracles in your life (1 John 3:22).

Do Not Lose Hope, Since It Holds Great Reward For You

There will be many lonely days when help is unavailable. But God will always be there for you even though you may not see or know He is right beside you.

Sometimes you just want to give up because you can’t see how you could succeed. Your confidence breaks down and you want to give up.

We read in Proverbs 13:12,

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” (ESV)

The results may not be as you anticipate. And nothing seems to be happening. And so, your spirit breaks down. Yet you must not give up hope. Continue to believe and continue climbing the steep mountain even as failure seems to stare you in the face.

There are discouragements along the way, but your faith in God will take you through. Righteous living, despite the hardships, and your steadfast faith in God will provide the strength to press on. For God promises to give us strength if we walk in His presence.

The journey may be long and weary, but God promises that He will not let us down. Circumstances may become hard, and help may seem far away, or may even appear not to be available. But God is always near us.

Continue in prayer and service to God and others. Even when darkness engulfs you. God knows what is in your heart (1 Samuel 16:7; Jeremiah 17:10). He will provide the way and the means. Maintain a steadfast integrity before God, and He will give you the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18; Deuteronomy 28:1-13).

Joseph had dreams, or visions, that God was going to make him great. Yet Joseph went through difficult times. His own siblings could not believe him and even plotted against him. He was sold into slavery, falsely accused of attempted rape and imprisoned. Yet he maintained his integrity before God and would not sin against God (Genesis 39:9).

And God brought him out of prison to become a prominent person in Egypt. It took thirteen years for him to achieve the vision (Genesis 39:1 through Genesis 41:57).

Joseph did not understand why God appeared to be silent when he was treated unfairly. He did not know that was the path that God was taking him through to attain the vision. Yet he continued to believe in God and in himself.

Challenges will come, but you will be stronger than them if God’s Spirit indwells you.

Neuroscience proves that if you truly believe you’ll die, you will eventually end up dying. Because there would be no motivation in you to want to live. Your entire system would surrender to your negative or positive thoughts.

You can train your mind to accept positive or negative thoughts. By serious contemplation — thinking on anything in your mind — you can use the mind to train yourself to achieve a purpose.

The God-Spirit in you is greater than all the challenges in the world (1 John 4:4). The God-Spirit in you can turn you into a new person (I Samuel 10:6).

So, discard negative thoughts from your mind. Reject hate, anger, fear and doubt from your mind.

We read in Ephesians 4:22-23,

22 … to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds. (ESV)

Let your faith lead you to believe Jesus and God’s Word. You are what you are because of your mindset.

If you do not achieve it today, expect it tomorrow for tomorrow will come. That is Mañana (in Spanish). Tomorrow will always come. Mañana in Spanish is an indefinite time in the future. So, in Spanish it means‘tomorrow.’

I know a man (whom I shall name Mañana) who was scorned by some people, including his wife. Just as Joseph and David were slighted by others (including their siblings). His dream of ‘mañana’ became his song.

He resolved in his mind that he would become successful no matter how long it would take. He had no money, but that did not stop him from believing. Though he knew that lack of financial resources would delay his achievements, he believed that the lack of financial resources would not be an insurmountable impediment to his success.

Don’t lose hope. Don’t be angry even when you do not readily get help from others. Take your complaints to God. Remember that tomorrow will come, and when it comes it will bring help. Joseph relied on God. God remembered him and took him out of prison to become a prominent person in Egypt.

You might not have achieved success when you were younger. You can still achieve great laurels. Do not give up even if you are past 60. George Mueller did not perceive age as a barrier to continue achieving great things for Jesus. At 70, after he retired from the orphanage, George Mueller believed he was still relevant and so decided to embark on a worldwide ministry of preaching and teaching.

For a seventeen-year period, he toured the USA three times, India twice, Australia and other British colonies three times. He preached in 42 countries, including China and Japan. He addressed meetings up to 5,000 people at a time. He estimated that during that 17-year period he had addressed more than 3,000,000 people.

He ended his travels when he was eighty-eight and died at 92. He was still active in his church. On the evening of March 9, 1898, he led a prayer meeting at the church. The next day a cup of tea was taken to him at 7 in the morning. But no answer came to the knock on the door. When the door was opened, he was found dead on the floor beside his bed.

God did not make a mistake for creating you or in placing you where you are now. Wherever you are, and whatever honest work you are doing, the Lord says He shall bless the work of your hand, (Deuteronomy 28:12-13). So, our friend Mañana believed he could become successful if he resolved in his mind to become successful. And God blessed him.

Your decision will change your situation. It may not be immediate, but it will come – mañana (tomorrow) will come.

Carry through with your decisions despite the challenges, mocking and discouragements you encounter.

Success depends on the mind. We read in Mark 11:22-24,

So, Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (NKJV)

But you must act on your belief. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead, (James 2:26). Mañana’s friends, relatives and wife could not comprehend how he was going to succeed, just as people slighted Joseph and David. Yet Mañana achieved his goal for God blessed the work of his hands.

Overcoming negative habits like fear, laziness and procrastination requires conscious efforts. The brain accepts and adapts to the information that we feed it. After some time, the information is imprinted as a pattern of behavior and becomes a habit.

Our beliefs make us act. Our positive actions lead us to success.

Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. (Hebrews 10:35-36; ESV).

Renew the spirit of your mind to achieve your vision

The mind can visualize what you want to become. The mind can also visualize the challenges that you might encounter as you work towards achieving your vision. Furthermore, your mind might suggest that you could or could not overcome the challenges.  In most cases, the suggestion might be that the challenges are overwhelming, and that you would not overcome them.

But deep inside you the voice of faith would also be telling you that you could achieve your aim. The voice could be telling you, “Don’t give up! Press on! Be resilient! You will achieve your aim!”

Jesus said, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.” (Mark 9:23; KJ2000). “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37; KJ2000)

Faith is not just uttering words. Faith is not mere wishful declaration. If you have faith, you work towards your vision. Nothing can convince you to stop. And no matter how many times you fall, you will rise again, because you believe you can make it (Proverbs 24:16; Micah 7:8).

Some people give up when they don’t see how they can succeed. When the journey becomes wearier, and strength drains away, they become discouraged and give up.

The great men and women of history that you admire today were ordinary people. They were like you. Some of them were discouraged by people and almost gave up because of lack of encouragement. But vision and the passion to achieve their aim carried them through. They believed in their vision when others could not see what they saw.

They were not extraordinary people when they began. Their achievements made them become extraordinary people. We learn and grow as we practice. A Buganda proverb says, “By trying often, the monkey learns to jump from the tree.” Your mental rehearsal primes your mind and your body for the execution of what you want to do and what you want to become.

You can actualize your vision if you align your thoughts, emotions and actions. Remember Hebrews 11:1 says faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith ignites confidence and spurs the mind to accept what we hear. Faith makes our minds to operate the ability to receive the operation of God’s Word in our lives. Faith creates expectations and motivates us to continue despite challenges.

Research in neuroscience, particularly discovery of neuroplasticity, aligns with the teaching in Ephesians 4:22-24 that we can renew our thinking (our mindset). Studies in neuroscience corroborate Ephesians 4:25-32 that we can change our characteristics and form new habits by feeding the mind with good thoughts.

In Ephesians 4:25-32 we read how we train the mind by feeding the mind with new actions over the old actions and repeating them until they become habits, (replacing the old habits). Neuroscience calls that retraining and reframing the mind. The Bible calls that renewing the spirit of the mind (Ephesians 4:23). Neuroscience explains that when we repeat a new action, new cell-to-cell connection pathways (known in medical language as synapses) take place in the brain.

Whether the repetitions are done covertly in our mental imagery or overtly through actions, the brain recognizes them, and patterns of behaviors are created.

Therefore, the Ephesians 4:25-32 passage tells us to replace the old ways or actions with new and good (or correct) ones. And research in neuroscience confirms that, by repeating the scenario several times, we establish new patterns of thoughts and behaviors.

Thus, Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (ESV)

We are, therefore, transformed by the renewing of the spirit of the mind. We become new personalities by feeding our minds with new thoughts and actions. Repeating them eventually forms new habits and characteristics.

Belief can be positive or negative. If it is positive, it will produce positive results. If it is negative, it will produce negative results. If you believe you can do something, you will get what you want. If you believe you cannot do anything or you can’t achieve your goals, you will not achieve them.

Patience is endurance. Without patience, you cannot endure the challenges and the heartbreaks that confront you. If you believe in what you are doing, though it takes time, you will achieve what you want. Patience, perseverance, persistence, faith, and endurance will take you through to achieve your vision.

But faith without works is dead (James 2:20). As the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead (James 2:26). It simply means that if you think of something, and you act on it, you will eventually become or make it happen. But if you do not act, nothing will happen.

Resist the temptation to give up. Keep on doing it when it feels like quitting. Correct the mistakes when they arise and continue.

Learning a new thing will not come easily. Work diligently against the challenges. The new actions will create patterns of new behaviors in your brain and register them in the mind (the brain). The actions become easier to perform as you repeat them. Repeating them etches them on the brain. These become ingrained as the neurons and the synapses wire together to form behavioral patterns. Anytime signals are sent, the neurons correspond to each other, the synapses engage, and action is performed.

The Bible affirms that you need a strong spirit, an unyielding will, to become successful. Proverbs 18:14 says, “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?” (NKJV)

After several repetitions, the pain becomes less and less until you do not feel it anymore. So, discipline your body and make it endure the challenges. You cannot succeed if your mind disagrees with your body. Your mind and body must agree.

Your body acts according to the suggestions of the mind. Wishing and thinking alone will not produce results.

Success may seem slow in coming, but it will surely happen if you persevere and press on. Time appears to go slowly, in fact very slowly, when you need something desperately. Paradoxically, at the same time, the years appear to be flying speedily past you, and you feel you are losing time. It is a dilemma when you are caught in that situation. When years seem to be flying speedily past you while success seems to be taking long in coming.

This takes us to the word ‘willpower’. Willpower is about self-control. Willpower is about endurance. Willpower is about power of the will. Willpower is the ability to resist something in order to attain something else. Jesus said in Matthew 26:41 that the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

By practicing and repeating, we nurture willpower. And while enduring, we must also conform to God’s will and principles. For when we are far from God, the influence of His Spirit is also far from us. Our relationship with the Spirit of God then becomes strained.

Willpower links with your spirit to act. When you pray sincerely and are attentive, you will hear the Voice of God directing you, whether to take to the left or to the right. The Spirit speaks to your spirit, and you hear a word (or voice) saying, “This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right hand, or whenever you turn to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21; NKJV)

Depending on your relationship with God’s Spirit, you may be close or far from His immediate influence and help. 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, “He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit” with God.

The spirit works in or through the mind. Therefore, in Romans 12:2 we are told to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. If you keep repeating the new behaviors, they will eventually be registered on your mind and become automatic behaviors.

When Friends Become Angels Chosen By God

The word angel ccomes from the Greek word angelos, which means messenger. In the Bible we read of messengers sent by God (Michael and Gabriel, etc.) who brought messages from God to people. Messengers may be divine or human.

Friends are always with you throughout the time you spend on earth. Friends are around when you are struggling in life. Some will pray for you even when you do not know that they are doing so. Those who pray may or may not tell you that they are praying for you. Some may also not pray for you. Some will care and some may not care. But be assured that the ones that God added for you will always care and pray for you even if they are not able to support you physically or financially.

And surely, God will always select some of your friends as angels for you. They are sensitive to God’s promptings and guidance. God uses them as channels to bless you when He provides or grants the answers to your requests. So, do not disregard any of your friends. God may use any to provide His blessings upon you.

Some will want to help but may not have the capacity. And so, not every friend will be able to assist you as you expect. But God will surely make a way for assistance to be available at His appointed time.

You may be the one choosing your friends. But some of them will include the ones whose spirits align with God’s Spirit towards you in areas of your dealings with God. These are the ones God will use when granting your needs in the form of answered prayers. For God does not send assistance (or the answers to our prayer requests) direct from heaven to us. He uses friends (and sometimes, strangers) when granting answers. So, do not lose hope. Do not disregard your friends. And have faith in God.

Some friends feel urged by the Holy Spirit to pray for you. Some will encourage you to continue moving forward when you are overwhelmed by challenges.

Friends are the angels that God uses when He answers our prayers or when He grants our prayer requests. They carry God’s gifts or answers to us.

Friends are with you throughout the years of your struggles. Some share your sadness, sorrows, pains, and also your joys and happiness. They celebrate with you when you achieve your goals. They feel the pains that you feel, and they feel the joy and the happiness you feel.

Every good friend that comes into our lives is chosen by God for good reasons and good purposes.

Friends contributed to what you have been able to achieve. They are the channels or the instruments that God used to help you reach your goal in life. Therefore, we must be grateful for the friends we have. And we must pray for them.

Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend, and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away, (Proverbs 27:10; ESV).

Human friends who stay with you during challenging times are the angels that God, in His wisdom, selected and added to the friends you were making.

While you were getting acquainted with people and making some of them your friends, God was also choosing those He would be using as special channels or as His angels. They are the ones who are always there with you when you do not know how to deal with a situation. They are the ones who are sensitive to God’s promptings and miraculously respond to your needs even when you do not tell them directly to do that. They always respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

My friends have walked with me throughout the years of my struggles in the ministry. They stayed with me in trying times, prayed with me, supported and encouraged me to continue moving forward whenever I was overwhelmed by challenges.

These friends are the angels that God added to the group of friends I made. I cannot, and will not, forsake them.

Without my friends I would not have achieved most of my goals. Therefore, I see them as the angels that God sends to me whenever He answers my prayers.

God does not come down Himself to help us. God helps us through people. And mostly through our friends, though He sometimes uses strangers.

As I look back, I see how God has granted my prayer requests by using friends. Sometimes, when the situation looked so gloomy or frightening that I could not see how I could climb out of the pit, then a friend would stretch forth a helping hand and pull me out of the pit.

Ninety (90) per cent of these assistances happen spontaneously without me telling them myself. God somehow speaks to their hearts, and they know in that instant that I need assistance.

Friends like that are chosen by God for us, and we must do well to keep them very close.

You Are Not Alone And You Can Make It

Sometimes, in life, you may feel you are alone, and you feel no one cares about you. However, you are not alone and you can make it. God is with you even when it does not seem so to you.

Waiting for results is not easy. Especially in difficult situations when you are starving for quick response (or help). God assures us that “When we pass through the waters, He will be with us; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow us: when we walk through the fire, we shall not be burned; neither shall the flame scorch us,” (Isaiah 43:2).

Your faith will be tested by negativity, failures, sicknesses and evil. Not by God, but by Satan, to sway you away from God and from victory. Remember Job? God Himself acknowledged Job’s righteousness. Yet Satan tempted Job to make him renounce his faith in God. Even Job’s three friends believed Job was not completely sincere. But Job proved God right by his faithfulness. And God blessed Job for standing firm in his faith.

“If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small,” (Proverbs 24:10; NKJV).

Someone said that God does not promise us a smooth flight, but He promises us a safe landing. (I don’t know who said that, but my experiences make me to agree with the person who said that). No matter how rough the storms you encounter, you will land safely at the harbor. God is in the midst of the winds that stir the storms to prevent the winds from destroying you. If you can see Jesus amid the storms, then you will see that you are actually riding on the shoulders of Jesus who will take you safely to the shore.

Not all the runners in the race make it to the finishing point. And in your endeavors, you, too, may consider giving up when the challenges become too many.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 says, “I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.”

Someone, referring to this passage in Ecclesiastes 9:11, on “the race is not to the swift,” wrote,“The race is not always to the swift but to those who keep on running.”

We all have time and space to work with the resources that God has bestowed upon us. You may have limited resources, or you may not have the financial and physical resources to begin with at all. But you have the desire to make it in life. Your desire to succeed may be the only resource that you have. And that, though limited, can be the springboard that you can use to launch out and manifest your success.

Many remain the same, without succeeding in life because, though they believe that God is always ready to bless, they give up when the going gets tougher as they climb the ladder of success.

Correct your mistakes and create new plans when you fail. Fight back the feelings of discouragement that get in your way. Though circumstances can make it difficult for you to progress smoothly, circumstances should not make it impossible for you to progress in life.

Some people have risen from grass to grace even when people doubted that they could succeed. Some started with nothing, but they worked hard and saved the little they made and eventually became rich. Some were considered too young or too old, but they proved the skeptics wrong. Though they encountered challenges, discouragements, and delay, they pressed on to achieve their visions.

Circumstances may slow you down, but you can still climb. When you cannot run, you walk. And if you cannot walk, you crawl. And you will still be moving toward your goal.

Many are waiting to get money before they start. Those people are still waiting. And they will continue to wait. Start something now. That will make anyone you want to help you have confidence in you. If you are doing nothing now, how will anyone trust you with money?

Pursue your goal and strive towards excellence. You will eventually succeed. No matter how long it takes you, you will eventually realize your vision. Like Joseph did.

People who persevere accomplish great things.

Success does not come easily. You will encounter challenges and rejections. Even though you pray that you will not encounter them. You may have worked diligently, prayed and believed in what you are doing. You know you are sincere in your endeavors. And you are honest in your dealings with people. Yet sometimes you feel alone and forsaken. You feel rejected by some of the people you place your hope on and only a few believe or help you. Besides, the more you try to convince people, the more you feel that some of them are skeptical about your intentions. And you feel that Jesus knows how sincere you are and why you will succeed.

Despite the fears and challenges, if you believe in yourself, you will achieve your goals. If you have faith in God, and you are diligent in your work, you will rise when you fall, (Micah 7:8), and you will stand among successful people, (Proverbs 22:29).

God knows you well. God will not forsake you. And God will not deny you success, if you are right with Him, (1 John 3:21-22). God promises you that, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame scorch you,” (Isaiah 43:12; KJ2000).

Be like the Cushite Joab sent to deliver the victory message to King David, (2 Samuel 18:19-21). After Joab had sent him, Ahimaaz came again to persuade Joab to let him also go. Joab had earlier refused Ahimaaz’s request. But this time, he yielded to Ahimaaz’s pressure and allowed Ahimaaz to also take the message to the King, (2 Samuel 18:22-23).

Ahimaaz was a faster runner than the Cushite. So, though the Cushite took off earlier, Ahimaaz passed him and reached David first with the message. The Cushite knew that Ahimaaz would deliver the message to King David before him. Yet he did not stop running! (Read the whole account in 2 Samuel 18.) People who are well resourced will always be ahead of you. But do not quit the race. God called you, and He has not given up on you.

Ahimaaz reached David first and delivered the message. But when David asked about the fate of Absalom, Ahimaaz had no information. That information was critical to King David. So, the King had to wait for another messenger to bring that information. And when the Cushite eventually arrived, he provided that part of the information. So, though you are still behind, do not stop running. You have an important part to play.

Achievers do not give up. Even when others have passed them and they are left alone, they continue running. When they are in hostile environments, or situations, they do not lose their composure and confidence, and they do not react violently or negatively.

They envision success, no matter the circumstances. They go to sleep thinking of success despite challenges.  Even when they think some people do not believe them, they feed their minds with hope, visions and ideas of success. And they know that there are other people who believe them and will come to their aid. When they fall (or fail), they know it is temporary. They quickly rise and continue running the race.

When they don’t immediately attain their visions, they maintain the confidence that they are still relevant and that they will succeed. They continue renewing their minds to adapt to present situations and environments.

Moses was 40 years old when he first exhibited his vision of leadership qualities. But the environment was not conducive for him then, and he fled to the land of Midian. Forty years later, at the age of eighty (80), God called him and sent him back to Egypt. Fitted for the role that God had for him, even in that advanced age, Moses led the nation of Israel out of bondage. And he led them forty years, with Aaron as the High Priest.

Achievers are constantly transforming themselves into new personalities, allowing God’s Spirit to change them and adapt to the ways of God, (Romans 12:2).

Lack of adequate financial resources make it difficult to get the ideal (or the requisite) tools to work effectively. And so, what may take five years to achieve results may take as long as fifteen (15) years or more for you to obtain optimum success. Often, extended waiting periods delayed my work. You may be compelled to work with substandard tools (or work with tools that were not what you originally hoped for).

You may have limited resources. Or you may not even have resources to begin with at all. Your desire and determination to succeed may be the resources that you have to start with. And though limited, that can be the springboard for you to launch out and manifest success.

God is the one who calls us. Let us focus on Jesus.

God Still Works Miracles Through Us

Knowledge is power! And spiritual knowledge is spiritual power!!

In most religions, the individual goes to the spiritualist, (the mallam (teacher) – mu ‘alim) or the fetish priest, and tells the spiritualist his or her problem (or need). The spiritualist then prays and performs rituals to get the answer or the miracle.

In Christianity, God indwells the individual and performs His miracles through the individual. And so, in emergencies God is always nearby.

Yet sadly, many Christians are not aware of this privilege that God has bestowed upon them. “They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. I have said, ‘You are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” (Psalm 82:5-7; KJ2000).

In John 10:34-35, Jesus referred to this passage.

Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods, unto whom the Word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken; Say you of Him, whom the Father has sanctified, and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God?’”

Jesus quoted the words literally. He did not water down their meanings. He quoted the words just as the Holy Spirit inspired the Psalmist to say them. The word ‘eloheem’ is used in Psalm 82:6, and ‘theos’ used in the passage in John 10:34. However, the Psalmist clarifies what he says by the statement, “And all of you are children of the most High.” Meaning they are not Almighty God, but children of the Almighty God. So, how are they the children of the Almighty God?

Some words and statements in the Bible are difficult to accept by ordinary human minds. But God chose those words and made those statements. If God intended differently, He would have chosen the appropriate words. Therefore, we do not have the right to reinterpret them to agree with our way of thinking. God is the originator of His words. And they mean what God says. We cannot vary God’s Words and intentions. Otherwise, each of us would then be proffering our own meanings. Then there would be confusion as to who is right.

Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:20-21 that no prophecy in Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation. Because no prophecy ever originated through human decision. Instead, people spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. And in 2 Timothy 3:16 Paul writes that “All Scripture is God-breathed.” Meaning that the Holy Spirit breathed the words into the prophets and the writers. And they wrote or said exactly what they were inspired to write or say. They uttered the words that God intended. So, until God Himself varies the meanings, we have no right to vary the primary meanings of the words we read in the Scriptures.

The Bible advises us to acquaint ourselves with God, thereby good shall come upon us, (Job 22:21-29). We accumulate knowledge by studying. Furthermore, we learn the mysteries of God by delving deeper into the Bible.

The Holy Spirit baptism transforms us into God’s spiritual children, (Mark 1:8; Act 1:5; Romans 8:14-17). Then God’s Spirit infuses our spirits with His Spirit and makes us become one spirit with Him, (1 Corinthians 6:17). Even if this seems difficult to accept by our human minds, we must accept it by faith. Many of the disciples who followed Jesus also found some of His statements difficult to accept, (John 6:60-61).

God’s Spirit, indwelling the individual’s spirit, unites the believer’s spirit with God’s Spirit, and performs the spiritual renewal in the individual’s spirit. The individual is then transformed, and he or she receives empowerment by the Holy Spirit.

But we grieve the Holy Spirit if we indulge in sins and do negative things, (Ephesians 4:30). Therefore, Paul advises us not to quench the Spirit, (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22).

God uses our faith to actuate the miracles He performs in us. Therefore, Jesus asked, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” And they answered, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it unto you.” And their eyes were opened, (Matthew 9:28-30).

Belief prepared their minds to receive what Jesus was about to do. Faith (belief) sent signals to the appropriate parts of their brains to coordinate the appropriate parts of their bodies to receive the anticipated miracle of healing.

A key turns the ignition and makes the engine of a car start. In the same manner faith acts in our minds and makes our bodies respond to motivation. Faith, therefore, motivates our reception and creates the trust that animates our lives, and prepares the body to accept the possibility of something happening.

Power for miracle is in the Name of Jesus, not in rituals, (Acts 3:16). Signs and wonders happen by faith in the Name of Jesus. The name of Jesus is the power that heals and makes miracles happen, (Acts 3:6-9; Acts 4:29-30).

God hears and answers our prayers because we do what is right, (Proverbs 15:29; 1 Peter 3:11-13). Therefore, Paul in Galatians 5:25 admonishes us to maintain our spiritual life with God, and God will continue to work miracles in our lives.

We Are Fellow-Workers and Co-Healers with God, (Part 4, Final Instalment)

“I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing. If a man abides not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you,” (John 15:5-7; KJ2000).

The Holy Spirit living in you is God living in you. Therefore, you are not a weakling. You are mighty in God’s estimation.

Joseph was 17 years old when he told his brothers and father that he dreamed he was destined for greatness, (Genesis 37:1-11). His brothers derided him. But 13 years later, after he was sold into slavery, falsely accused and imprisoned, God brought him out of prison and elevated him, (Genesis 41:39-46). God called Abraham when he was 75 years old (Genesis 12:1-4). Jesus began His ministry at 30, (Luke 3:21-23), and Moses had the vision that propelled him to his leadership role at 80, (Exodus 7:7). And, what’s more, some of the disciples of Jesus did not attain higher education, yet Jesus believed in them. And God used them mightily to confound the learned and popular people, (Acts 4:13-19).

We accept these accounts when we read them in the Bible. And we believe that they are true and possible because God is involved. Yet we find it difficult to believe and accept it when we are in similar situations and when they are happening to us or to people we know. Why can’t what happened in the Bible happen to us in our day? Is it not the same God that we serve?

Obstacles cannot break you. Obstacles or challenges should rather motivate you to go higher. Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world, (1 John 4:4).

But Jesus said, “He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5). We cannot do anything on our own. God’s Spirit gives us the power. Just as the milk transforms the water to become whitish, milky or creamy, so the Spirit of God in us transforms our spirit. We receive the Holy Spirit when God pours His Spirit into our spirit, (Joel 2:28-29; Romans 8:9-17), and we receive power because the Holy Spirit is in us, (Acts 1:8). Then we become one spirit with Him, (1 Corinthians 6:17).

However, as stated earlier, God does not leave all His powers into our hands to use as we want. His Spirit continues to regulate and supervise us in accordance with the Mind of God. So, we ask, and He performs according to His will, (Job 22:28; 1 John 5:14).

Jesus said, “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give you,” (John 15:16). However, there is a warning in verse 6 that anyone who does not “abide in me, is cast forth as a branch and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned,” (KJ2000).

God made you a partaker of the divine nature, (2 Peter 1:3-4). So, despite your educational background, your physical strength or age, you are destined for greatness. You are a champion! I speak from personal experience, not from theories.

You are a conqueror because God lives in you, (1 John 4:4). If you allow God to actuate His power in your spirit, He will make you the conqueror that He created you to be.

Do not worry when people fail to readily accept you. There are people ready to recognize your worth elsewhere. God will use you to bless people where people welcome and accept you. And those who did not believe in you will hear about your success story. Some may then invite you when they hear what God is doing with you.

God has made you His co-worker to proclaim Jesus to the world.

We Are Fellow-Workers And Co-Healers With God, Part 3

Salvation is a gift from God. We do not earn it through work. However, sin can separate us from God. And if we continue living in sin we could die in sin, separated from God. When a righteous person turns away from righteousness, commits iniquities and dies in them, God will punish him or her for his or her deeds. All the righteousness that he or she did shall not be remembered, so says God in Ezekiel 18:21-28 (and other passages in Ezekiel).

When the prodigal son went away from his father, he was still the son of his father. However, he was no longer enjoying the benefits in his father’s house. But when he returned home, his father received him back. He did not have to be conceived again in his mother’s womb and be born physically again to regain his status as his father’s son. When he renounced the life that he was living, he was automatically restored to his position in his father’s house.

So is the salvation that God gives to us. If we stray away and return, God receives us. We do not have to be baptized again for God to take us back. However, if we remain in sin, and die in sin, then we die in sin away from God. If the Prodigal Son had remained in the foreign land, and died there, he would have died away from his father.

Some Christians hold the view that a Christian cannot fall into a similar situation. They believe that no Christian can lose his or her salvation. That is true to some extent. However, a Christian can reject salvation after receiving it. The Apostle Paul indicated the possibility of Christians apostatizing. In 2 Thessalonians 2:2-3, he wrote that, before the Day of the Lord, apostasy will first occur among believers in the Church, and the man of sin, who is destined for destruction, be revealed.

Furthermore, in Hebrews 6:4-6, we read that it is impossible to renew people who were once enlightened, have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were partakers of the Holy Spirit. The passage says that such people are crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh and putting Him to an open shame. These people were believers who have tasted the heavenly gift and were partakers of the Holy Spirit. That means they were genuine believers. For only genuine believers can partake of the Holy Spirit and taste the heavenly gift. They were believers at some time in their lives before forsaking their faith in Jesus. They abandoned their faith in Jesus Christ and became unbelievers.

And in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 the Apostle Paul tells us that a falling away – apostasy – of believers in the church will occur first before Jesus Christ returns. The Greek word used is apostasia, which means a departure, a rebellion. The word apostasia according to Thayer’s Definition, is a falling away, defection, apostasy. Strong’s Definitions include defection from truth – falling away, forsake.

The Holy Spirit chose the word for Paul. Whatever explanation we may give apart from what the Apostle Paul wrote will be our own uninspired reinterpretation of what the Apostle wrote. Paul was intelligent enough, and was inspired by the Holy Spirit, to choose the word apostasia.

You may not be happy with what Paul wrote or the word he chose. Yet you cannot change the meaning of what he intended. He chose the word under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Apostasia, as stated, means rebellion, departure. It means a falling away or departure from what one had or believed.

Paul said people will turn away from God. In 1 Timothy 4:1 Paul warns that the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times, some people shall depart from the faith. Departing from the faith means they first believed and held to the faith. And then decided to forsake or depart from the faith they believed and held to. The Greek word used is aphistemi. Thayer’s Definitions include cause to withdraw, to remove, to go away, to desert, to fall away. And Strong’s Definitions include to remove, instigate to revolt, desert, depart, draw (fall) away, withdraw self.

Furthermore, in 1 Corinthians 10:12 Paul advises, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he falls.” The word used is pipto, to descend from a higher place to a lower, to be thrust down, to fall from a state of uprightness, to perish, etc., (Thayer).

For this reason, we must constantly remind ourselves to remain steadfast in our lives with God. As co-workers with God, we must constantly examine our lives to see if we are on the right path with God. We must be guided by the Holy Spirit in all that we do. Because we are the channels that God uses. We are God’s ambassadors. And the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, (Ephesians 1:13-14). Ponder over this statement in Ephesians 1:13-14. We are marked or sealed for Christ until the final day that we shall be caught up to be with Him. Once we are saved, we are saved forever. We can’t lose it and go back another time to become born again the second time.

However, as we have seen from the Bible, we can, if we want to, walk away from God. Our deeds can lead us away from God. We may slowly drift away from God, and eventually drift out of the Kingdom of God completely. An individual can also intentionally reject God, as Paul says some will do in the latter times in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and 1 Timothy 4:1.

God will not compel us to remain believers if we choose to apostatize, rebel or depart from the faith. However, God prefers that we remain faithful believers. This is one of the hard facts in the Bible. And we cannot change it because it is not our word. Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:20 that no prophecy of the scripture is of one’s own interpretation. And Paul says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” (2Timothy 3:16; KJ2000).

Passages in the New Testament, inluding those written by the Apostles Paul and Peter, indicate that Christians can apostatize and fall out of God’s Kingdom. As I mentioned earlier, we may find some statements hard to accept. But we have no right to change their meanings. Else there would be confusion as each of us would be providing our own interpretations to suit what we want.

The Holy Spirit knew the words He chose.The Holy Spirit will not say white if He means black.

Therefore, Paul warns that there will be a falling away (apostasy) by some Christians, (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Paul again warns the young Timothy that the Spirit says clearly that in the last times some people will abandon the faith by following deceitful spirits, the teaching of demons, and the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences have been burned by a hot iron, (1 Timothy 4:1-2).

So, while God’s salvation is meant to be permanent, the individual, by his deeds and will, can walk away. God will not compel the individual if he or she chooses to walk away from the salvation that he or she received from God.

The unrighteous cannot live with God unless he or she discards his or her sinful life. So, if you decide, you can rebel against God and drift away into Satan’s kingdom. However, there is no salvation in Satan’s kingdom.

Paul’s warning that some will become apostates – (that they will rebel, they will abandon, they walk away from the true faith they had, they will reject the faith they had received) – indicates that they will make a conscious abandonment of their faith in Christ.

Some believe that such were never true believers in the first place. Well, Paul did not say that in his writing. And I do not want to go into that argument. But what I know is that Peter and Paul, in their writings, warn true believers of the possibility of apostasy occurring among believers.

The epistles were written to guide us (and warn us) on how to live righteously to complement our faith in God.

The Bible does not say that regardless of one’s actions, one will be saved and remain saved. The Bible says we are saved once, and we do not need another act to obtain salvation again. Salvation is a gift from God. However, we are saved unto good works. We do good works and live according to God’s will as proof that we have been saved from unrighteousness, (Ephesians 2:8-10).

Therefore, Paul asks, “Shall we continue to sin so that grace may abound. God forbid…” (Romans 6:1-2). If you drift way from God, you are walking away and abandoning God.

Though the gift of God is free and eternal, you can apostatize and forsake the gift (as we read in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and 1 Timothy 4:1-2). Satan has a subtle way of deceiving and seducing people. He makes people to focus on once saved, forever saved, taking their minds away from the other passages in the Bible that warn of the possibility of apostatizing. So that they may indulge in sinful acts and subtly be led away from God.

To be continued…

We are Fellow Workers and Co-Healers with God, Part 2

Our union with God, by His Spirit, gives us direct access to God. The individual is connected to God by God’s Spirit. “He that is joined (kollao – to join oneself to, to glue together, etc.,) unto the Lord is one spirit with Him,” (1 Corinthians 6:17). He communicates to the individual through His Spirit. We relate to God and worship Him by the Spirit, (John 4:24; Philippians 3:3). And God gives us dominion (radah, to rule – to dominate) over His creation (Genesis 1:26).

This is not so in other religions. In Christ Jesus, we have a better and direct way to God. The Old Testament covenant contained faults (Hebrews 8:6-9). So, the new was given which made the old obsolete, (Hebrews 8:13).

The Bible advises us to acquaint ourselves with God (Job 22:21). Therefore, cultivate the habit of reading and learning the truth to empower yourself. People who study accumulate knowledge and become enlightened.

The Holy Spirit should have free access to the spirit of the believer. As mentioned earlier, (in Part 1), the human being is a spirit living in the body of flesh. And so, God, in pouring His Spirit upon an individual, is pouring His Spirit upon (into) that individual’s spirit. The human body is, therefore, the temple for both the human spirit and God’s Spirit.

But the person must be open to receiving the Holy Spirit into his or her spirit. Because the Holy Spirit will not force His operation on an individual. The Holy Spirit will work in the person’s spirit if the individual opens and receives the Spirit of God.

Belief (faith) enables us to accept or receive God’s Spirit into our spirit. The 120 disciples first believed, accepted the Holy Spirit, and then prepared themselves as they waited for the actuation of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5). On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell upon them. The Spirit actuated the Power of God and enabled them to speak in tongues, (Acts 2:1-4).

The Holy Spirit Himself actuates His power in our spirits. But we must first prepare ourselves and allow for the actuation.

Miracles are manifestations of the Power of the Holy Spirit (God). God’s Spirit, working together with your spirit, (1 Corinthians 6:17) makes them happen. God’s Spirit makes them possible because of your faith in Him. As illustrated earlier, the milk transforms the water. The water does not transform itself. The transforming power, in our case, is the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, Paul asserts categorically that if you connect your spirit to God’s Spirit, you become one spirit with God. God, by His Spirit, indwells you, and your spirit and God’s Spirit become one, (1 Corinthians 6:17).

As stated earlier, this is a hard saying. But delving deeper into the Bible enables us to understand this mystery and truth. Remember that even many of the disciples of Jesus could not accept some of His statements.

When we pray, God’s Spirit synchronizes events and our declarations to make realities occur, (Job 22:28). Your desires become realities (Mark 11:24) because God’s Spirit turns them into realities, (John 14:10).

Being co-workers with God, (and his Spirit indwelling us), we must also live holy lives.

The Transformation

We are transformed by the Holy Spirit working in our spirits, as I illustrated earlier using water and milk. Transformation does not automatically happen just because an individual believes. You must first initiate the process by renewing your mind, changing your mental attitude, and allowing your thoughts and actions to align with God’s will, (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:22). Discard your former behavior or conduct and be not conformed to the world. If you do not yield your body as an instrument of unrighteousness, (Romans 6:13), the Spirit will work with you to reshape your thoughts and perspectives to align with God’s ways.

The desire and the plan start with you, and God directs your steps, (Proverbs 16:9). So, God helps you to complete what you started, if it agrees with God’s will.

If we believe, but do not allow the actuation of the Spirit, the Holy spirit will not actively be involved in our lives or in our spirits in what we do. We will be acting in the flesh and not in the spirit. Though we may not lose our salvation yet. Even though we are God’s spiritual children, if we do not allow for the actuation of the power of the Spirit in our lives, we will be powerless Christians. We may still be God’s children but spiritually powerless. However, we may drift away from God and eventually may lose our salvation. (Detailed discussion on this in Part 3).

We read in Job 22:21-23 that we will know God, and know how we relate to Him, if we acquaint ourselves with Him. For those who know their God are strong and they accomplish great things, (Daniel 11:32).

The Christian is a member of a holy priesthood offering acceptable spiritual sacrifice to God through Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 2:5). The Christian is an instrument or a channel God uses to perform miracles or answer prayers.

God Works Miracles Through Us.

A church in Accra invited me to hold a spiritual revival for them. Three days into the five-day revival service, the leaders of the church told me about a woman who used to be one of their staunch members but backslid because of an unfortunate occurrence.

Her son was critically ill and at the point of death. She ran to her pastor who lived about five kilometers away only to learn that the pastor had traveled to the northern part of the country.

So, she took her dying child to a prophetess who lived close by her pastor’s home. As the prophetess held the boy praying, the child died.

The woman was angry that God had failed her despite her faith in God and all that she had done for God. She did not understand why God would forsake her and let her son die. She vowed not to go to church again. He faith in Jesus and Christianity died.

I explained to her how God had given her the power in the name of Jesus. I made her understand that while she was running and seeking for someone to pray for her son, she could also have used the name of Jesus to pray and Jesus would have saved her son from dying.

I took her through the pages of the Bible and made her know why and how God had not failed her. The Pastor feeds the congregation the Word and prays for them. The individual must take in the Word and digest it to actualize his or her miracles.

Your faith remains dormant or dead if you do not activate it. When a mother feeds her child, and the child eats and digests what the mother feeds him or her, the child will live and grow. If the child does not eat what the mother feeds him or her, the child will not grow well and may even die.

To help actuate the faith of the individual, Jesus would ask, “You believe that I am able to do this?” And they answered, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it unto you,” (Matthew 9:28). In Mark 9:23-28, Jesus said, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.” The father of the child cried, and said with tears, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.” Jesus rebuked the foul spirit and cast it out of the child.

I taught her to actuate faith and actualize miracles. The woman’s faith was restored, and she became a strong believer in Christ again.

While we seek the help of people who are spiritually elevated, we should also know that God is with us and will hear us when we cry to Him, (Jeremiah 33:3). God has made it possible for the Christian to call upon Him any time in the name of Jesus Christ, (John 14:13-14).

At the time I was visiting her, she had another son, who was about six years old, also sick. I told her that, though she could seek help from me and others, if she also prayed and exercised her faith, God would answer. I taught her to exercise her faith and pray. Miracles started happening in her life. She became more committed to Jesus and resumed her good works for the church.

One day, her other son went into a crisis and collapsed. The boy collapsed in the same manner as the other one had years earlier. But this time, she determined she was not going to let that son go. She remembered that I said God has given us power in the name of Jesus Christ to help us in times of need. She put her hand on the boy and prayed. Afterwards she rushed the boy to the Hospital.

They took the boy to the emergency ward. The doctor and nurses worked to revive him. But the boy was not responding. Then the doctor and the nurses had to rush to a new emergency.

The woman refused to yield. She went to a corner in the ward, kneeled and prayed to God to let her son live. She told God that she was not ready to let that son go.

She felt a hand touch her shoulder. She turned and saw a nurse telling her the doctor had returned to her son. They were hoping the boy would now respond. She stood up and walked with the nurse to the bed, still praying and asking God for the life of her son.

A while later, the boy responded and moved a little. Eventually, he regained full consciousness and opened his eyes. Some hours later the boy was strong and told the mother he wanted to go home. But the doctor said they had to monitor him for at least a day. The following day the boy was discharged from the hospital and his mother took him home.

The woman, like Jabez, (1 Chronicles 4:9-10) realized that she could change the situation by calling upon God to save her son. She prayed like King Hezekiah prayed and asked God to heal him and reverse the death that God had pronounced upon him. God heard him and granted him fifteen years more to live, (2 Kings 20:1-7). The boy grew up and became a young man.

God has given us the power, in the name of Jesus Christ, to change our situations.

Do not say your church is not spiritual. You are a living stone, adding to other living stones building up into God’s spiritual house. Collectively the members are a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices to God, through Jesus Christ. If your Church is not spiritual it is because you are not spiritual.

To be continued…

We Are Fellow Workers And Co-Healers With God, Part1

We Are Fellow workers and co-healers with God.

“For we are God’s co-workers. You are God’s farmland and God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:9; ISV)

What does that make us? We are God’s co-workers. Therefore, are we also co-healers with God? We become fellow workers with God when we accept to be God’s ambassadors, proclaiming God’s grace to the world. Jesus commanded us to go into the world and proclaim the gospel to all people. To be effective, Jesus provides us with protection and power against the onslaughts of Satan and evil forces, (Luke 10:19; Mark 16:17-18).

In our present discussion we are delving into hard-to-accept statements of the scriptures and into deeper areas in the spiritual realm. Some of the words and statements in the Bible may be hard to accept, but they are God’s Words. And God knows why He chose those words to make such statements.

The Bible advises us to acquaint ourselves with God and know Him properly so that we can understand how God works in our lives, (Job 22:21-29). People who study accumulate knowledge, become enlightened, and are strengthened spiritually.

It is not strange to hear that some people find some statements in the Bible hard to accept. Even some of the disciples of Jesus found some of Jesus’ statements hard to accept, (John 6:60-63). But we do not have the right to vary the meaning of God’s Word or statements. We must accept them as the Holy Spirit chose them for us. God is the originator of His Words, and they mean what God says. We cannot vary God’s Words and intentions. If God intended differently, He would have chosen the appropriate words. So, let us delve into the Bible, and with the help of etymology, we shall discover who and what we are.

If we are co-workers with God, then we are also co-healers with God! That stance might sound too audacious for us to assume. But God’s Words in the Bible seem to tell us so. God works miracles and heals through us. We are the instruments and the channels of blessing that God uses to express His love and sovereignty to the world.

The Christian is referred to as a living stone, adding unto other living stones building up God’s spiritual house. Collectively Christians are a holy (or a royal) priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices to God, through Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 1:5-6).

God will never allow the enemy to cause havoc on His field or destroy His building. So, He empowers us with the Holy Spirit, (Acts 1:8). And nothing can destroy or harm us, (Luke 10:19).

Sin broke our relationship with God, and we lost our God-given power. God restored that by sending Jesus. And through Jesus Christ we become co-workers with God, (1 Corinthians 3:9), and Jesus’ ambassadors (or representatives). Furthermore, if we are faithful, His divine Spirit co-ordinates with our spirits to make us effective as His co-workers.

How do we become one spirit with God?

We cannot share in God’s essence. So, how does God make us to partake in the divine nature and be members of His divine body? (1 Corinthians 12:27; 2 Peter 1:4). How does God share His divine nature with us, (2 Peter 1:4)? How does God pour His Spirit upon us, (Joel 2:28)?

God is Spirit and we can relate to Him only in the spirit, (John 4:24). We, too, are spirits in the bodies of flesh. God created the human body from the earth and then breathed His Spirit into the body and the person became a living soul, (Genesis 2:7; Ecclesiastes 12:7).

The Bible says, “… the person who unites himself with the Lord becomes one spirit with him,” (1 Corinthians 6:17; ISV).

So, how does an individual become one spirit with the Lord?

As we cannot join our human bodies to God we are, therefore, joined to Him in the spirit. And in the spirit, we become one with the Lord, (1 Corinthians 6:17). As indicated, the human being is a spirit indwelling the body of flesh. God’s Spirit also indwells our human bodies. So, God pours his Spirit upon us, (Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:17), that is, into our spirits. And both spirits, (God’s Spirit and our human spirit), become one spirit indwelling the human body. That was still hard to comprehend until God illustrated to me using milk and water.

Many years back, I was pondering and struggling to understand this wonderful act and mystery of God in the believer, and God used milk and water to illustrate.

Both are liquids. But milk is whitish (or creamy) while water is colorless and transparent. If the milk is poured into the water, the water changes color. The water does not change itself. The milk transforms the water, and the water becomes milky in color and in taste. The more you pour the milk into the water, the more whitish or creamy the water becomes. The water loses its color and its taste and now looks and tastes milky.

In the same manner, the Spirit of God transforms the human spirit. Just as the water becomes milky when the milk is poured into it, so also the Spirit of God transforms the human spirit into becoming God’s spiritual child (Romans 8:9, 14-17). The more the Spirit of God is poured into the human spirit, the godlier he or she becomes.

The body remains flesh, but the spirit of the person in the body now becomes God’s child in the spirit, or God’s spiritual child. The same way the vessel (or container) that the water is in remains the same vessel without changing. The human being, who is spirit in the body of flesh, becomes the child of God by spiritual adoption. Though the body remains the normal body.

The Holy Spirit baptism transforms the human spirits into God’s spiritual children, (Mark 1:8; Acts 1:5; Romans 8:14-17). Before then we are just spirits inhabiting the human body. But through baptism God’s Spirit infuses our spirits with Himself to become one spirit with the Lord, (1 Corinthians 6:17). And as God’s children we are to live holy lives as our Heavenly Father is holy, (1 Peter 1:16).

We are, therefore, made spiritual, or transformed spiritually, by God’s Spirit working in our spirits.  And we must remain godly, living holy lives because God is holy. We must avoid all forms of unrighteousness, (1 Peter 1:16).

If filth (or dirty water) is poured into the transformed water, the water will change color and lose the purity that the milk infused into it. In the same manner, if a transformed person indulges in sinful acts, that person’s spirit will become contaminated. And the individual will lose the infusion of purity of the Holy Spirit.

The Christian is a child of God and can approach God directly. The Bible confirms that God relates to us in the same manner we relate to our children.

According to the New Testament doctrine, the Holy Spirit indwells the individual who truly accepts Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord, (Mark 16:17-18; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:37-39). The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, (Acts 2:37-39; Joel 2:28-29; John 14:12-16).

Non-Christians go to spiritualists (fetish-priests, juju men, juju women, Islamic clerics or teachers, – the mu’alims – popularly known as mallams in Ghana and Nigeria). They tell the spiritualists their problems or needs and the spiritualists speak to their juju divinities or deities and receive the answers or perform rituals for answers.

But Christian spirituality does not require us to go to a spiritualist for spiritual power. Because God pours His Spirit into the spirit of the Christian, and the Christian’s body becomes the dwelling place of the Spirit of God, (Ephesians 2:22).

In Christianity, the individual’s body is the temple or the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, God Himself indwells the believer and is near to the believer at any time. And so, the Christian is elevated higher than ordinary people. God’s Spirit indwelling the Christian transforms the Christian to become God’s spiritual child, (Romans 8:14-17). Psalm 82:6 states that they are the children of elohim.

People felt Jesus blasphemed when He said He was the Son of God. But “Jesus answered them, ‘Is it not written in your Law, “I said, you are gods”? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came — and Scripture cannot be broken — do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?” (John 10:34-36; ESV).

Similarly, some people today think people blaspheme when they interpret some scripture passages literally and believe that they are actually what the words say they are.  And so, they attempt to water down the meanings of some of the words or statements in the Bible by providing their own interpretations. But the Scripture cannot be broken. What God says means exactly that.

The word used in Psalm 82:6 for ‘gods’ is ‘elohim’, (sometimes spelt eloheem). The word means divine ones, gods, rulers, judges, and is also the word used to refer to the true God. And in John 10:35 the word theos was used. The Greek word theos means a god or goddess.

Jesus quoted the passage and interpreted it as it is. Indicating that we must always interpret the Word of God as it is written or as it is used in the scriptures. We must not change the meaning even if we find it hard to accept. God will choose the appropriate words if He means otherwise. We create confusion with the different interpretations that we give. Such interpretations are mostly according to our individual whims. But we cannot teach God what to say and the words He should use.

The Spirit of God is comfortable living in us if we cleanse our spirits (inner being, the inner self) of sins, (Matthew 5:8; 2 Timothy 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:14-15; 1 Peter 1:15-17).

If we indulge in sins as worldly people do, we make God’s Spirit uncomfortable. And He cannot perform His work in our lives as He would. Then we become spiritually unproductive, though we may still be God’s children. Eventually, we may lose our standing with God’s Spirit.

Though He gives us power when we receive His Spirit (Acts 1:8), His Spirit regulates and supervises us in accordance with the Mind of God. God cannot leave all His powers into our hands to use as we want. So, we ask, and He performs, (Job 22:28). He does so by His Spirit indwelling us, (John 14;10).

God’s Spirit defines us. We are what the Spirit of God says. So, the Bible says, “Let the weak say, ‘I am strong,’” (Joel 3:10). And the poor can declare he or she is rich because God’s Spirit will create the wealth. If you focus your mind on God’s Spirit, and obey Him, you shall ask what you want, and God shall do it for you, (John 14:12-15; John 16:23-24).

By His Spirit, He created all things out of nothing. And by His Spirit He will make things happen. He works through us to perform His grace upon people. He chooses us according to His divine wisdom and not because we are perfect.

God created the universe and put us on this planet earth to enjoy what He created, (Genesis 1:26-31). Therefore, be happy. Do not feel depressed. Nothing can suppress you unless you allow it. Your body is the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit. And He lives in you if you let Him, (1 Corinthians 6:19).

So, before you say your church is not spiritually strong, ask yourself if you are strong spiritually. The individuals make the church. Therefore, if the church is not spiritual, it is because the individuals are not spiritual.

My new book, ‘Actualizing The Holy Spirit Power’, which is coming out soon, delves extensively into how God’s Spirit harmonizes with our human spirit to perform miracles. The book also discusses how sin grieves the Holy Spirit, interfering with the free flow of God’s Spirit in our lives, thus, hindering the miracles in our lives.

To be continued…

The Road To Success

Success does not come easily no matter how sincere, hardworking, and diligent you are.

Patience, loneliness and endurance will be your companions on your journey to become successful.

It is in fairy tales that people become rich instantly. In real life the road is hard and lonely. In fairy tales, good luck comes around in the form of a fairy who makes things work out easily and smoothly when people despise you.

However, in real life, the road to success is hard. It takes a conscious effort and determination to attain success. Sincerity alone does not guarantee success. That is why many people with sincere motives do not get to the finishing point on their journey to success.

People see only the negative and think you cannot achieve what you set your mind on.

While I was doing research on success and failure, I read a statement on the internet. The statement did not add the source. It stated that “a successful businessman was asked, ‘How have you done so much in your lifetime?’ He replied, ‘I grow great by dreams. I turned my mind loose to imagine what I wanted to do. Then I went to bed and thought about my dreams. In the night I dreamed about my dreams. And when I awoke in the morning, I saw a way to make my dreams come true. While other people were saying, ‘You can’t do that, it is impossible’, I was well on my way to achieving what I wanted.” (Emphasis mine.)

That is what people go through to achieve success. People may not see how you can achieve your vision. You and God are the only ones who know how you really feel about the vision.  And only Jesus can tell if you will succeed or not. If God believes in you then press on and God will take you through.

God told Gideon, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites,” (Judges 6:14). People may not have rated Gideon highly. However, God knew that Gideon was the one he would use to save Israel. Even Gideon himself did not think he was the right person to save Israel, and gave excuses, (Judges 6:36-40). But God used him to save Israel.

Joseph was 17 years old when he announced that he dreamed he was destined to be a leader, (Genesis 37:1-11). His family found it hard to believe him. But God used him to save the world (including his family). God called Abraham when he was 75 years old (Genesis 12:1-4), and Moses had the vision that propelled him to his leadership role at 80, (Exodus 7:7).

God sees what people don’t see.

Some of the disciples of Jesus did not attain higher education, yet Jesus believed in them. And God used them mightily to confound the so-called learned and popular people, (Acts 4:13-19).

When we read these accounts in the Bible, we accept them as true. We believe that they are possible because God is involved. Yet we find it difficult to believe and accept them when we are in similar situations and when they are happening to people we know. We find it hard to believe that what happened in the Bible can happen to us in our day. Yet it is the same God that we serve.

Jesus is with you on your journey to success. His invisible hands are directing your steps as you take each step, (Isaiah 30:21). Just don’t give up. Even if it takes longer than you expected.

Moses, fearing for his life, escaped to Midian. He was adopted by Jethro’s family and married his daughter. However, God still had him in mind. Forty years passed, then God suddenly appeared to Moses one day and said he had chosen Moses to lead the Children of Israel out of bondage.

Joseph went through thirteen years of slavery, including imprisonment. But he was the one God chose to save the world from famine, including his own family who could not believe him when he told them of his dreams.

David was regarded as a shepherd. His brothers were enlisted in the king’s army, but he was sent to look after the sheep. Yet he was the one God chose to save Israel from Goliath and the Philistines.

Jesus is your helper. Those who believe in God do not get disappointed. He provides support and guidance for people who believe in him. Though the road will be hard and rough to travel on, God will always be beside you to lead you gradually to your goal.

It is a lonely road, but God will be your companion in your journey.

With Jesus by your side, nothing will be impossible for you to achieve.

In Mark 10:27 Jesus said,

“With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” (NKJV)

As a young Christian, I heard people saying, “If by 45 you have not made it in life then forget it because you will not make it.”

I believed them until I studied the Bible deeper and read the accounts of successful people, including Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, who became successful after he had gone into formal retirement.

Age is not a barrier to you if you are determined to become successful. In old age, your strength will not be as when you were young. And some people, observing that they have advanced in age, think they might die soon. So, they become discouraged.

Life does not begin at 45 as people say. Life begins when you decide. Moses was 80 when his ministry started, and he lived forty more years and led a whole nation.

If you have faith in God, and you believe in yourself, you can achieve your vision even at an advanced age. You may also live longer if you take care of yourself and maintain a healthy diet.

You are also not too young to achieve success. I mentioned Joseph earlier. He was only 17 when he dreamed of becoming a great person. After 13 years of challenges, Joseph became second to the ruler of Egypt. He was taken out of prison and made the vice Emperor of Egypt at age 30.

People may despise you and leave you behind. But don’t give up. Keep on running until you reach the goal.

The Cushite might have felt lonely and discouraged after Ahimaaz passed him. Joab had chosen him over Ahimaaz, a faster runner than the Cushite. However, Joab later allowed Ahimaaz to also run with the message. And though the Cushite took off first, Ahimaaz, being a faster runner, passed him.

How did the Cushite feel when Ahimaaz passed him? What kept the Cushite running still? He knew that Ahimaaz would reach King David first and give him the message he was also carrying. So, why was he still running? It turned out that though Ahimaaz reached the King first, and delivered the message, there was something special that only the Cushite could provide.

Winners win because even when discouraged they keep running. They know there are disappointments along the way. They know they may not get all the help they need.

But they believe in themselves, and they have faith in God.

Though they may find themselves in hostile environments, (or situations), they do not lose their composure. They maintain their confidence, and they do not react negatively or violently.

They go to bed thinking of success. And when they sleep, they dream of success.

They feed their minds with ideas of success. They train their minds to focus on success. They renew their minds daily and adapt to positive mentality and actions.

Their minds are transformed to accept only success and not failure. They may fail or fall. But they know it is temporary, and they will rise and continue running.

They are transforming themselves into new personalities daily. They do not conform to the world… they allow God’s Spirit to change them and adapt to God’s ways (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:22-32).

Aim to prove skeptics wrong.

Do not be angry when things don’t go the way you expect. Correct the mistakes and move on.

People may not see you as a winner. However, you can prove them wrong.

Strive for Peace

Welcome to The Peacemaker, known as Conquering Without Being Violent.  Our motivator is Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.

Strive for peace with everyone.

“Strive for peace with everyone, and for holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14; ESV)

The Bible enjoins us to strive for peace with all people.

Think of what good you can do for people, your community, and your country. Always promote peace and love. Have good thoughts and ideas concerning humanity. Be an agent of peace. Feed your mind with good thoughts and ideas.

Avoid arguments as much as possible. There may be times when you cannot avoid arguments. In such a situation Dr. Winch, a psychologist, recommends that, instead of engaging in a protracted debate, state your case clearly and calmly, and then end the discussion.

The Bible tells us not to waste our time arguing with people when it is obvious that they are not ready to reason. End the discussion when you observe that the discussion is proving unproductive. But make your point clear before you decide not to continue.

The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:23-25

23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. (ESV)

Arguments breed quarrels. God’s servant must not be quarrelsome. We must be gentle, and kind. We should teach instead of attacking people who disagree with us. Paul advises that we should be teachable when correcting people who are wrong. We should not only teach but be ready to learn from people who disagree with us if what they say makes sense. We must listen and then analyze what they say. We should always try to make friends with people even when we disagree with them.

Abraham Lincoln said, “I conquer my enemies when I make them my friends.” So, don’t consider people who do not readily accept your views as enemies. Find ways to make them your friends.

Some people do not accept their faults. They will argue and try to prove others wrong, even when they are wrong. Be patient when dealing with such people, knowing that you, too, are expressing a different opinion.

People who don’t want to admit that they are wrong will not listen to opposing views. They will vehemently argue against you and anything that you say. Don’t waste your time arguing with people who do not listen to you and don’t want to listen to you.

Just declare your position, and then let go. But let the person who is arguing with you know your position. It is important to make your views known. But you don’t compel people to accept your views. Even God does not compel us. He says in Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, let us reason together.” God does not compel us, but he encourages us to reason with him.

In Isaiah 43:26 God says, “Let us review the situation together, and you can present your case if you have one,” (NLT).

We read in Proverbs 19:11, “The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression.”

Do not use anger or violence to correct angry and violent people. You can be stern in your remarks without being loud and angry.

You can be moderately stern, or even moderately angry just enough to express your displeasure about the attitude that your opponent is exhibiting, without being too angry or violent.

Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:14, “Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen,” (NIV). And in Proverbs 20:3 we read, “Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling,” (NLT),

Violent people love violence. Evil minds enjoy inflicting pain on people.

Evil minds lie against other people. They are cold when they lie. They even believe in their lies and don’t care about the consequences. Their conscience is seared with hot iron (1 Timothy 4:1-2) and they don’t even feel God’s Spirit prodding them when they are doing wrong.

The Ghanaian weekly, The Spectator, on Saturday, February 26, 2011, in the “Obaa Yaa” column, published a letter under the headline, “My Wife Is Very Difficult.” It was written by a man who had been married for 10 years at the time of writing. The woman he married was making life hell for him. She was difficult and refused to listen or understand him.

He wrote that his wife was individualistic and selfish. She did not consult him in anything she did. She listened more to people than to him. When he threatened to divorce her, she pleaded with him to rescind his decision and promised to change. But despite the assurances she gave him, she went back to her old ways.

Another letter by a 29-year-old man, to the Ghanaian weekly, The Mirror, was published on Saturday, June 27, 2009. The young man was married to a 25-year-old woman, and they had been married for three years and had a two-year-old daughter. He indicated in his letter that he and his wife were Christians.

He wrote,                                                         

“Recently, we had a misunderstanding and while we exchanged sharp words, she slapped me. The problem was reported to our Pastor who asked one of the church elders to help settle the dispute.

When we got home, she was in the bedroom, so I called her requesting her to come for the settlement. This irritated her so much that she came out and slapped me again in front of the church elder.

I have decided to divorce her as a result of such gross disrespect but because of our marriage vows before God, I find it difficult to do. I need your help.”

Romans 12:2 and Ephesians 4:23 advise Christians to change their mental attitude and be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we can know God’s will, and what is proper and pleasing to him.

Study to know the will of God. The Bible explains how we should relate to each other, and how we should love each other. Feed your mind with thoughts of love and good deeds and practice them.

Use your mind constructively under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Do not fight people who disagree with you. Do not curse or hate people who regard themselves as your enemies. Disagreements should not make people enemies.

Use encouraging words to correct them from wrong-doing to do what is right. Let them understand why they should avoid exhibiting negative behaviors. You can disagree with their negative stance or attitude without being frontal with your arguments.

Jesus used the reverse method of engagement when he encountered the Samaritan woman in John 4:5-42.

The woman responded sarcastically when Jesus asked her for water to drink. But Jesus responded by using the reverse approach. He ignored her remarks, but told her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who is saying to you, ‘Please give me a drink,’ you would have been the one to ask him, and he would have given you living water,” (ISV). Jesus addressed her needs and told her that if she knew who she was speaking to and the gift of God she would have asked for living water from him.

As you read the dialogue, you notice that Jesus spoke about life in general and the woman’s needs without demeaning the woman. Even when she eventually swallowed her pride and asked him to give her the living water, Jesus did not tell her bluntly that she had to repent of her sins of promiscuity first.

Of course, she had to confess and repent before God would forgive her. But knowing the situation between the Jews and the Samaritans, it was not wise for a Jew to tell a Samaritan in the face that he or she was a sinner and must first repent and confess his or her sins before he or she could receive the blessings of the living water. Jesus used the reverse method to make her aware of the need to confess and repent of her sins before she could obtain forgiveness.

By now, because of how Jesus had dialogued with her, she and Jesus had become friendly towards each other. So, when Jesus told her to go and bring her husband, she could tell him she had no husband. Though Jesus knew that she was living with a man who was not her husband, he did not tell her that straight in the face. He asked her to go and bring her husband, expecting her to confess voluntarily.

At this point in their meeting, the woman and Jesus were now friendly towards each other. So, she could easily tell Jesus that she didn’t have a husband, though she was living with a man. It would not have been easy for her to confess to a stranger, and a Jew for that matter, that she was living in sin with a man who was not her husband. But Jesus had changed the atmosphere from antagonistic to friendly and peaceful. And so, she could easily tell Jesus that she didn’t have a husband. It wouldn’t have been easy for her to tell him if antagonism existed between them. Remember that the Jews and the Samaritans were not friendly to each other.

Jesus had doused the enmity between the Jews and the Samaritans and made it easy for her to confess her sinful state to a stranger who was a Jew. It is easier to tell an acquaintance your faults or sins than to a stranger or an enemy. And Jesus had broken down the enmity wall between them and created an atmosphere of friendship. So, she could tell him, a Jew, that she had no husband.

And her confession opened the way for Jesus to talk about her previous life with five men, and her current situation that, even “…the man you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” (ISV)

If Jesus had not first created an atmosphere of friendliness it would not have been easy for the Samaritan woman to tell him, a Jew, that she was a sinner. The atmosphere of friendliness made it possible for Jesus, a Jew, to remind a Samaritan woman of her life of promiscuity without the Samaritan becoming offended.

Jesus maintained the peace while he reminded the woman of her sinful life without offending her.

Unfortunately, some people speak like the piercing of the sword. The tongue of the wise, however, promotes healing, (Proverbs 12:18).

Against Conscience

Against Conscience

Albert Einstein said, “Never do anything against conscience even if the state demands it.”

Every human being has a conscience. Conscience is an inherent ability to perceive what is wrong and right. Conscience enables us to compare our behaviors and our morals.

C.S. Lewis stated, “Human beings, all over the earth, have this curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain way and cannot really get rid of it.” (‘Mere Christianity’)

A person may ignore his or her conscience and do contrary to what his or her conscience tells him or her. But conscience cannot be eliminated. Whenever we want to do anything inappropriate, an inner voice opposes us by making us aware that what we intend to do is not right.

James H. Aughey, an American clergyman (1828-1911) said, “Conscience is the voice of God in the soul,” implying that God speaks to us through our conscience. That small voice speaking against what you are planning to do is the voice that God put inside you to check your behaviors. That voice is telling you that someone is watching you.

However, some people ignore their conscience. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:2 that these speak lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron. They intentionally reject the urgings of their conscience. They do what their minds tell them to do. They are selfish and greedy and do not care if what they do will harm others.

A good conscience helps us to perceive right and wrong. Psychology describes conscience as the inner sense of right and wrong. It is the awareness of our behaviors.

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines conscience as the sense or consciousness of the moral goodness or blameworthiness of one’s conduct, intentions, or character together with a feeling of obligation to do right or be good.

Conscience guides us in our actions. A good conscience guides us in making the right decisions and doing what is right. In these turbulent times of evil, the human conscience is engulfed in the ocean of negativity. Therefore, it is difficult for many to maintain a high standard of integrity. Apart from the lure of illicit quick and easy wealth, peer pressure exerts tremendous persuasion that most people find too compelling. The lure and persuasion are so overwhelming that many people can’t withstand the pressure and so, yield to temptations.

That’s why we need God’s Spirit. God’s Spirit provides the spiritual strength for us to withstand the temptations. 1 Corinthians 10:13 assures us that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our strength. He will always provide a way out.

Does your conscience speak to you? What does it tell you? If your conscience tells you to do what is right, do you also feel confronted by the lure or the persuasion to do what is wrong and gratify your need?

Your financial situation might be precarious. You might be in dire need of money, and the opportunity to make some quick money through illegal means might present itself. But your conscience is also telling you that you must preserve your integrity. To make matters worse, you notice that others have abandoned good moral and ethical principles and are making money through unethical means. How do you respond to that?

Though people might feel sorry for a thief who steals because he is hungry, when the thief is discovered or apprehended, he will be made to restore what he has stolen. The Bible says he must restore what he has stolen sevenfold (Proverbs 6:30-31).

Stealing is still bad even if you steal because you are hungry. Instead of stealing, beg. If God’s Spirit indwells you, He will help you to do what is right if you ask for His help and guidance.

The dictionary defines patriotism as the feeling of love, devotion, and a sense of attachment to a country or state.

Leaders encourage citizens to be patriotic. Yet some of the leaders, or most of them, are themselves unpatriotic. They expect others to be patriotic, yet they are not patriotic themselves. Many leaders take advantage of their fellow citizens, get juicy pay or remuneration, and enjoy extra benefits they have not earned. Yet they are not satisfied with what they get, and they crave more. They are always craving and striving to loot even what has been entrusted to them. They call those extra benefits perks; additional or extra benefits to their salaries. What is funny is that the perks are not given to them willingly by the people. They violently seize the so-called perks.

Nations have crafted national anthems and pledges to remind citizens of their loyalties and devotion to their countries, but people do contrary to the anthems and pledges. Leaders and those entrusted with the nations’ wealth blatantly abuse the trust of their citizens.

In every aspect of our national life, economic or social, there is blatant corruption. Corruption is eating deeper and deeper even among the religious. We claim to be religious, but we indulge in all manners of evil. Greed is voraciously eating deep into our psyche. Only a fraction is courageous enough to be faithful or honest.

Some police officers and army personnel use the weapons that are bought with the taxes of citizens to harass, bully, and deprive innocent citizens of their freedom. Innocent people have been jailed for crimes they have not committed. Some are lucky that after spending some time in jail they manage to get organizations to fight their cases. These few are fortunate to be released. Others are not so lucky, and they remain in jail, serving their sentences. A few who have been freed have gotten some compensation. Others do not get compensation after they have been released. Because they do not have the means to fight for compensation.

People value money above the good of their countries. Some value wealth above their fellow human beings.

Although people claim they love and fear God, their deeds are evil. They pray to God and claim to be God-fearing, but their actions are inimical to the welfare of their countries and fellow citizens. Some kill their fellow human beings and use parts of the bodies of the victims for rituals to make money. They do not consider that the lives they take do not belong to them. God created those lives and God will surely punish people who kill innocent and helpless people in their greed to make money. They will surely pay for their evils on the day of Judgment.

People indulge in illegal occupations and destroy the environment so they can make money for themselves. The environment God gave to humans and living beings to maintain life on earth is being rendered unfit for agricultural activities and the sustenance of life. In Ghana and other African countries, the devastation is frightening as rivers and water bodies are polluted and lands degraded.

Political opposition parties crave votes and so they make all kinds of promises. Some of them are childish, and some are outright lies. Those who make them know they are impossible to fulfill. Some also promise people who are engaged in illegalities that when they assume the reins of power, they will grant them amnesty. Amnesty so they can perpetuate their illegalities?

While in opposition, they see the rot in the ruling governments. They shout at the top of their voices that they will clear the mess when they assume power. But when they assume the reins of power, they quickly or conveniently forget the promises they made while they were in opposition.

Security agents who should arrest culprits instead indulge in malfeasance they are supposed to help eradicate. They take bribes, claiming the bribes are gifts, and they let culprits go free. Yet, these security personnel swore oaths to defend the constitution of their country and to do what is right.

Only a few people remain truly patriotic. Only a few resist the lure of money and do not contaminate their integrity.

Let your conscience speak to you and desist from negative acts against your country and fellow humans.

When people pollute the waters and poison the lands with mercury and cyanide the harm affects all of us. We eat the foodstuffs that are harvested in areas where the lands and the waters have been poisoned. The crops and waters take in the poison of the mercury and cyanide that illegal miners use in their operations. The foodstuffs are sent to other towns and cities where they are sold. When we eat these foodstuffs we eat the poison of the chemicals that the plants and crops have absorbed into their systems. So, the harm affects all of us, including those who did not participate in polluting the waters and degrading the lands.

People must stop polluting the waters and stop poisoning the lands.

Mindset is the power to self-realization and self-esteem. Your mental attitude decides how you see things in the world, how you believe in yourself, and how you respond to situations.

The physically challenged person whose mindset is positive will challenge his or her crippled legs to climb the ladder of success and achieve results.

The physically challenged person whose mindset is positive challenges himself or herself to learn to paint with his mouth, despite having no hands.

You can make things happen by changing your mindset.

However, a change of mindset alone is not enough. You need the Spirit of God to strengthen your spirit. You need to exercise willpower. God’s Spirit will enable you by empowering your spirit to do what you should do. The Holy Spirit will help you to exercise willpower when you feel weak (Acts 1:8). When the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit enabled them to speak in languages that they had not learned. They spoke strange languages because the Holy Spirit enabled them to speak (Acts 2:4).

We must first have a change of mindset. The mind adapts to the new thought patterns or behaviors you feed your brain. Acting on our beliefs or thoughts changes our behaviors by reshaping our behaviors to adapt to new patterns of action.

We get supernatural power to act when God’s spirit activates God’s power in our spirits (Acts 1:8). Furthermore, our actions lead to achievements.

God is Spirit. And He lives in the human being as the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit transforms the human spirit into a new person endowed with God’s power (1 Samuel 10:6). The human body cannot join himself or herself with the Spirit of God. God’s Spirit joins himself with the human spirit and the two become one spirit living in the human body (1 Corinthians 6:17).

I use milk and water to illustrate. Both are liquids. But milk is whitish (or creamy) while water is colorless and transparent. If the milk is poured into the water, the color of the water changes. The water does not change itself. It is the milk that transforms the water to be like milk in color and taste. The transforming power is in the milk.

In the same manner, God’s Spirit, pouring into the human spirit, transforms the human spirit. As the water eventually becomes milky, so those led by God’s Spirit become spiritual children of God (Romans 8:14-16). And our spirit and God’s Spirit become one (1 Corinthians 6:17).

If the Spirit of God is poured into the human spirit, the human spirit receives divine power (Acts 1:8). However, if a person merely believes but does not allow the Spirit of God to actuate His power in him or her, he or she remains a powerless believer. He or she may still be God’s child but be powerless.

Allow the Spirit of God to actuate the power of God in you. The Father who lives in you is the one who does the work (John 14:10).

Don’t be an unbelieving believer. Jesus noticed that some of His disciples found His statements hard to understand or accept (John 6:60-63). You must believe before you can receive spiritual power (Matthew 17:19-20; Matthew 21:21; Luke 17:6; John 1:12).

God makes you partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4). Despite your educational background, your physical strength, or age, you are destined for greatness. You are a conqueror because God’s Spirit is in you (1 John 4:4).

What you decree is established by God for you, (Job 22:28) because He lives in you, and because you decree according to God’s will (Romans 12:2). Therefore, we have the confidence that we receive anything we ask him when we ask according to his will (1 John 5:14-15; Jeremiah 29:12; John 14:13; John 15:7).

May God give you the grace to understand that you are God’s child because of the work Jesus Christ did on your behalf. May God make you know how much He loves you (1 John 3:1-2). Because of this privilege, God wants you to purify yourself (1 John 3:3). God is Holy so we must also live holy lives (1 Peter 1:14-17).

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is our motivator.

Change your mental attitude, stop violence, believe in yourself, press on to success

You may stop to rest and then continue the race. But don’t quit the race. You can win. So, persevere to the end and the prize will be yours. No quitting. Focus on the prize and continue running towards the goal.

The transformation

While running to get the prize, show compassion to people you meet. Forgive wrongs done against you. Let God avenge you, for he says, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay…” (Romans 12:19).

Meditate always on what is noble. No lies, no gossiping, no dishonesty, and don’t hate.

In Philippians 4:8 we read,

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (ESV)

God gave us minds so we can make decisions. But our minds degenerated, became corrupted and we glided down into the abyss of hate, murder, lies, fear, and all kinds of evil and negativity.

The Bible tells us to renew our minds by rejecting and discarding all evils. The Bible tells us to feed our minds with love, kindness, and righteous thoughts.

What we feed the mind leads to action. According to neuroscience, actions are performed when neurons connect to send and receive information or instructions. Neurons are cells within the nervous system. They send and receive information within our bodies. And our bodies act per the instructions of the mind. The Psalmist says in Psalm 139:14, “… I am fearfully and wonderfully made,” (ESV).

Neuroscience explains that when information is received, the brain sends the information to the action zone. The neurons interconnect with each other to send the information to the parts of the body where actions are to occur.

The mind is an action center. And our thoughts decide how we feel and act. You cannot succeed if you don’t believe in yourself. You must believe in yourself and act on your beliefs to achieve your vision. Though we cannot get rid of our emotions entirely, we can regulate and control how we react to situations.

Success does not come easily. So, continue running until you receive the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24; Philippians 3:14).

Thoughts have creative power. What goes on in the mind attracts reality. Inventions begin as thoughts in the minds of inventors. If you constantly believe that you will be a winner, and work at it, you will break through adverse circumstances and become a winner.

The body responds to the way we think, feel, and act. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As he thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Faith begins in the mind. And neuroscience explains that there is a special relationship between how our minds work and what kind of results we get. Faith and positive thoughts make us approach life and business with optimism. Faith motivates us to overcome self-limiting beliefs. Faith motivates us and helps us to conquer the challenges in life.

Repeating an action creates a pattern of behavior that is etched in our mind or the brain. The more you practice or perform an act, the more you solidify that action. And habit is formed. In later actions, the body follows the pattern that has been formed.

Faith motivates us to act. When we repeat actions, we train the body to learn to do the actions. Actions become easier by repetitions and eventually become automatic or almost automatic. The actions are then performed with little or no thought at all.

Faith invites the Holy Spirit to work in your spirit and actualize your vision. And you eventually become what you think and do. You become stronger by overcoming obstacles.

Information creates emotions, which in turn leads to action. Your eyes (the sight) and ears (the hearing) pick information for the brain to process. Processing the information leads to action, and action turns into being.

When you do something repeatedly, your body learns to do it better, more easily, and automatically. Your mind and body are now conditioned to work together. Any time information about the action is sensed, your body can subconsciously go into action, without you consciously thinking about it. Our thoughts, therefore, are translated into how we live, how we will succeed, or how we will fail.

The mind turns vision into reality as our thoughts create the emotions to stimulate our desires and actualize the vision. And the brain processes the information we feed it and creates a pattern of behavior.

Jesus said,

22 “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours,” (Mark 11:22-24; ESV)

You actualize your vision when you put your thoughts into action.

Meditate on God’s love and truthfulness. Believe that God is truthful and will perform what you ask him to do (Numbers 23:19; 2 Timothy 2:13). Learn to be good, kind, honest, and non-violent. The Holy Spirit indwelling you is comfortable with these characteristics and works unhindered in such environment.

The Spirit of God indwelling you transforms your spirit. Milk transforms water by making it become milky or whitish. So also, the Spirit of God indwelling you transforms you spiritually. However, the Holy Spirit cannot transform your spirit if you do not surrender yourself completely and if your spirit is contaminated. Desire God’s Spirit and yield your spirit to God’s Spirit, and God will transform you.

If you surrender to the Holy Spirit, He will direct your spirit. Yield to the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17) and He will fill your spirit with His power. He will enable you to speak and act in His power (Acts 1:8; Acts 2;4; Mark 16:17). The Holy Spirit helps us to be loving, kind, and truthful.

Neuroscience teaches that the mind decides how we perceive things and respond to challenges. Furthermore, neuroscience explains that our behaviors are developed through repeated actions. Repeating an action will ingrain it in the brain to become a habit. Ephesians 4:22-24 instructs us to shed off our former conduct, or behavior, and be renewed in the spirit of our mind, by feeding the mind with new information for actions.

The world is a jungle. It is a jungle of confusion, hate, anger, struggles, and all kinds of evil.

However, with God’s Spirit, we can become what we believe. We can make life great for ourselves. But only if we actuate our beliefs and practice God’s principles.

Press on – don’t give up!

Fire for fire ends in ashes.

Abigail Van Buren said, “People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes.”

Do not use violence to achieve a purpose. Patience may take the long route. But eventually it achieves success. Proverbs 25:15, “With patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone,” (ESV).

And Proverbs 14:29 says,

 “He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly.”

Mahatma Gandhi said, “Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary.”

Be tolerant and live peacefully with each other. Romans 12:18 tells us, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (ESV)

Jesus taught us to be peaceful, loving, and forgiving. And Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger,” (ESV).

Success and Transformation Require Mindset Change

Transformation and success will not happen without the change of mindset. Fear, hate, anger, and violence will continue to be the bane of your existence until you renew your mental attitude.

Without the change of mindset, we will continue to do what we do and will continue to get the same results. And we will continue to wallow in poverty and ignorance. We will continue to live in mediocrity, believing and wallowing in inferiority and thinking we cannot achieve great heights.

The belief that an individual can overcome challenges and do the impossible led to the invention of the airplane.

Belief makes all things possible (Mark 9:23). Belief enabled man to fly to the moon. Unless you renew your mindset, your miracles will not happen.

Do you not notice the harm, the unrest, the chaos that anger and violence are causing?

The imaginations of the thoughts of the hearts of people are evil continually (Genesis 6:5). Perversity has taken control of people’s hearts, and few people can be truthful, tolerant, and forgiving. The situation will change only when there is a change of mindset.

People are becoming more skeptical each day. Even religious people, including Christians, are becoming agnostics on matters of faith and God.

Anger has become the bane of our social lives. The political landscape is violent and full of untruths. Propaganda holds sway in most political discourses. And negative attitudes are destroying the fabric of our societies. Unforgiveness is destroying the conscience of many people. Even some Christians are caught in the web, and most are reluctant to forgive wrongs.

Mindset is the power of self-realization and self-esteem. Our mental attitudes decide how we perceive things, how we believe in ourselves, and how we respond to challenges.

The physically challenged person whose mindset is positive, can challenge his or her crippled legs to climb the ladder of success and achieve results. The physically challenged person whose mindset is positive can challenge himself or herself to learn to paint with his or her mouth, despite having no hands. The visually impaired who has a strong and healthy mindset will not throw his or her hands up in despair but will forge ahead in the quest to become successful despite physical challenges. There will be no limitations. Our mental attitude towards life can make us do things that people will marvel. Either positively or negatively.

Jessica Cox was born with no arms, but she trained to become the world’s first licensed armless pilot, as well as the first armless back-belt in the American Taekwondo Association. She graduated in psychology and a minor in communications, drives a car without modifications, and has a scuba certification. According to Wikipedia, she has not used prosthetic arms since she turned 14.

She was in Ghana for a four-day motivational seminar in October 2011. The theme of her motivational seminar was “Just As You Are, Arise and Do Something.” Note that she was born without arms. Yet she is successful in many aspects of life while many people who have arms are languishing in poverty and begging for aid.

Neuroscience buttresses the statements in Ephesians 4:22-32 and Romans 12:2 that we can renew the spirit of our mind and transform ourselves to reach the best in life. We can learn to control our minds or develop our minds and achieve higher aspirations. Therefore, Ephesians 4:23-24 encourages us to change our mindset by renewing the spirit of our mind and become a new, or a transformed, personality.

You don’t have to remain mediocre in life. The Bible explains that God’s Spirit helps to transform our spirits and enables us to live in newness of life (Ephesians 4:23; Romans 12:2).

Per neuroscience our behaviors are developed through repeated actions. Repeating an action will ingrain it in the brain to become a habit, or a characteristic. Furthermore, we deal with anger by controlling it. And we learn to control our anger by delaying action. Therefore, by repeating the action, we form the habit of controlling the anger.

“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32; NKJV)

Some people have the innate desire for evil. And when they are in positions of authority, they misuse their power and brutalize suspects in their custody. Some police and military personnel use torture to make suspects confess to crimes. That is not right. For even if suspects are guilty, the use of torture can erode the credibility of the confession.

Personally, I find it hard to believe confessions that are obtained through torture. Because people may confess when they can’t endure the pain.

The Bible exhorts us to be renewed in the spirit of the mind and learn to do what is right.

Don’t be upset when you fail in a venture or enterprise. Try again and you will succeed. Put your faith into action, and you will reach the height you envisage. It might take you longer to reach success because of the lack of financial resources. But remember that though the snail crawls slowly it gets to its destination.

Though money makes success easy, yet without money, you can still achieve success. If you have faith, time, good health, and determination you can also reach the top of the mountain. Others may have the means to fly easily and quickly to the top of the mountain, while you may not have the means to fly. However, you have faith, time, health, determination, and vision. Let your vision light your path to success.

No matter how big the project is, or how far out of sight it might appear, if you work step by step, you will reach your goal – your success. You may not have enough funds for the project, but you can still achieve your aim by working and saving a little at a time. Though it may take longer for you to reach the pinnacle of success, you will eventually get there.

Julia Carney wrote in her poem, Little Things, or Little Drops of Water, about how each effort matters, however little. Every little thing can change the situation, or even change the world.

“Little drops of water, Little grains of sand, Make the mighty ocean, And the pleasant land. And the little moments, Humble though they be, Make the mighty ages Of eternity. So, our little errors Lead the Soul away, From the paths of virtue, Far in sin to stray. Little deeds of kindness, Little words of love, Make our earth an Eden, Like the heaven above.” (Julia A.F. Carney’s Poem, Little Drops of Water).

I like the proverb that says, “You can eat a whole elephant if you take a bite at a time.” A daunting task can be done by taking a little at a time. You can eventually raise the money for your investment when you save a little at a time. So, eat that elephant by taking a bite at a time.

Have a change of mindset and press on toward the prize – your success – your goal. You will reach the goal if you persevere (Philippians 3:13-15).

Years that pass may redefine your vision into a new or different one. But your vision to be successful should not die.

Your spouse might have forsaken you, and friends may not believe that you can make it. Your resources may not be adequate. But you still have time, hands, legs, determination, and health. Your hard work, perseverance and hope will take you to your goal. Have a strong mental attitude and you will get there.

Life will not smile at you when you are striving to reach the top of the ladder. But don’t be angry when things do not go the way you want. Anger will not solve your problems.

You may be physically challenged, or you may lack resources. These can slow you down, but they should not stop you from reaching your goal. Do what is right, leave the rest to God, and all will be well.

It may take years to reach your goal, and the going will be tough and unpleasant. But God will see you through. Have the mindset to believe that no matter how poor you are, how young or old you are, whether you are male or female, God destined you to be a success in life. You can eat that elephant (poverty, illness, or whatever the challenge is). Just take a bite at a time. It might take a long time to finish eating it, but you will finish eating it if you don’t lose hope and if you don’t give up.

God was with the Children of Israel in the wilderness journey. Yet that did not stop enemies and the Devil from attacking them. They faced many challenges. There were times they did not get water to drink, or the water was bitter. But amid the challenges, God performed miracles.

The night may be very long and lonely. But if you live an honest life before God, Jesus will always be by your side and guide you. God searches our hearts and gives us what we deserve (Jeremiah 17:10; Romans 2:6).

Don’t lose hope when help is delayed. It may take some time before your desire materializes. But “if you can believe, all things are possible…” (Mark 9:23). Be patient when learning perseverance. You won’t achieve success at a go. You must practice and repeat the actions till your mind and your body accept the new information you are feeding your mind.

Remember that you must take a step at a time. Repeat the actions until your mind accepts them. Whatever you are doing will need time. Initial stages are not pleasant. You might not see success at once. But if you practice your beliefs, your mind and body will gradually learn to adapt, and the rest of the journey, including the spiritual, will become easy.

It becomes easier as you continue working or practicing. The easier it becomes, the more flexible it becomes for the body to get used to.

Your brain adapts or changes in response to what you feed it. It reorganizes its structure or functions, as new information is fed into it. Therefore, Ephesians 4:22-24 instructs us to shed off our former conduct or way of behavior, and be renewed in the spirit of our mind, by feeding the mind with new information on action or behaviors. In Ephesians 4:25-32, we are told to discard the negative behaviors and replace them with positive ones.

Practice, they say, makes perfect. Just as constant practice gives you dexterity in playing a sport, or in what you do, so also deliberate repetitions and practices are needed for new habits to become habitual and automatic. Therefore, Ephesians 4:28-32 tells us to feed the brain or the mind with positive thoughts of actions. The positive thoughts will stimulate positive actions. What we feed the mind is what will be acted on.

And so, as most people continue to feed on evil thoughts, so evil acts continue to engulf the world (Genesis 6:5; Proverbs 6:14; Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21-22).

No matter your age, you can change or learn a new attitude or habit. In Romans 12:2 we are encouraged to be transformed by the renewing of our minds to know the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God so that we can practice and become new or transformed persons. Discard the old conduct and put on the new nature (Colossians 3:5-10).

You can achieve the height you aspire. Age is not a barrier. Joseph was 17 when he had the vision to become great. His family considered him too young (Genesis 37). But God proved Joseph right. He took Joseph out of prison, promoted him to be second to Pharaoh in Egypt, and used him to save the world from famine.

David was also considered by his family as fit only to tend sheep, but God anointed him to be King of Israel (1 Samuel 16:11-13). Moses was 80 years old when God commissioned him to lead the Children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. And he led them 40 years.

It is not only in the Bible that age does not pose a barrier. George Mueller, at 70, and resigning from the orphanage, embarked on a worldwide missionary tour. For 17 years he visited 42 countries until he was 87. He died at age 92. Anna Mary Robertson Moses, or Grandma Moses, was an American folk artist. She started painting seriously at the age of 78 when arthritis made her unable to embroider. She was a self-taught artist. Some of her works have sold as much as $1,360,000.

Neuroscience tells us that the brain can rewire itself and enable us to reframe our mindset. The ideas (or thoughts) we feed our brain change our mindset. If you feed your brain with thoughts of patience, endurance, perseverance, love, and goodness, your mindset will change and adapt to those behavioral thoughts. You will be renewing your mental attitude, or the spirit of your mind (Ephesians 4:22), to be conformed to the will of God (Romans 12:2).

What your mind accepts will become beliefs. If beliefs grow, faith increases. The mind adapts to the new thought patterns or behaviors you feed your brain. Your behavior changes or reshapes to the new patterns as you act on your beliefs.

God’s spirit activates his power in your spirit (Acts 1:8), enabling you to achieve your aims (Acts 2:4; Mark 16:17; Acts 19:6). And your actions lead to achievements.

God’s Spirit becomes your teacher and leads you into the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:12). God, who knows the mind of his Spirit, knows what you want because of God’s indwelling Spirit. Moreover, the Spirit makes intercession according to God’s will (Romans 8:27).

God who gives you the vision of what you can and should be, knows and understands your vision, even when other people do not understand. It is your vision. No one can understand it as you do, and no one else can have the passion for your vision more than you.

Alas, many will  read or hear this message but only a few will practice it. Many Christians believe and wish, but only a few actualize the power of the Holy Spirit. It is time to arise and actuate the power given to us by Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8).

God believes in you. Press on to success.

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Nothing can stop you from reaching success if your mind is decided

Failure can be reversed, so don’t let it make you angry. Keep pushing forward towards success.

Some people are upset when they fail in a venture or enterprise. A failure should not mean the end of a venture or enterprise. You can try again and succeed in later attempts.

Nothing can stop you from reaching success if your mind is decided. God defined your destiny before he formed you in your mother’s womb. If you put your faith into action, you will reach the height you envisaged. Despite the hard knocks of life, you can climb the ladder to success. It might take a long time for you to get there because of the lack of finances or some physical conditions you might have. But you will surely get there, even if you must crawl.

Do not stop even when circumstances make you crawl. Keep moving till you reach your goal. “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.” (James 2:26; ESV) Faith will keep you going.

If you believe in your vision, you will work assiduously to make it happen. And God will be by you to confirm his word. (Mark 16:20; Acts 14:3)

Determination and perseverance will decide how you succeed or fail.

Thomas Edison made thousands of attempts when working on the light bulb. Later a journalist asked him how he felt when he failed a thousand times. Edison replied he did not fail a thousand times. Those were 1,000 ways he learned would not work. He said, “The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”

Thomas Edison was not upset anytime an attempt proved wrong. He did not lose face. He knew he could try as many times as possible until he got it right. And he did.

In Genesis 4:6-7 we read,

“The LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.’” (ESV)

Cain and Abel were two brothers who presented offerings to God. God respected Abel and his offering but rejected Cain’s offering. Cain was not happy and was angry with his brother. But God told him that he was wrong to be angry or upset. If he did what was right his offering would be accepted.

The bottom line was that Cain did not do what was right to receive a favorable response from God. But instead of addressing the issue, Cain vented his anger on his brother Abel.

It was not Abel who rejected Cain’s offering. God rejected the offering. Therefore, Cain should have directed his anger to God. But he misdirected his anger and vented his anger on Abel.

God told Cain he was wrong to vent his anger on his brother. Besides, he wasn’t even right to be angry at all. God would have responded favorably to him and accepted his offering if he did the right thing. When Thomas Edison made corrections, he eventually got the light bulb right.

Many people express their anger wrongly and aggressively and hurt (mostly) innocent people.

Anger is an emotional response to threats. We may use anger as a defense when attacked, insulted, or mistreated. Some people, however, do not use anger rightly. Like Cain was angry with his brother.

Lack can make some people angry. Lack of money limits people’s ability to do what they want. And some people are angry when they can’t get what they want. Lack of confidence can also make a person believe that he or she cannot achieve his or her ambitions. This may also make some people who think they are stuck in their hole angry and bitter. And make them envy those who are successful.

Certainly, money makes success easy. However, without money, you can still achieve success. Otherwise, we would not hear stories of people rising from “rags to riches.”

You may lack funds now to execute your project or business. That doesn’t mean your vision should perish. It is a temporary failure, not a permanent one.

Have faith in God. You can put it on the back burner for a while. Not because it has lost its importance, but because of the lack of funds. It could take months, and sometimes even years before you might come back to it. But no matter how long it takes, you will come out someday and shine.

Just don’t give up. Your present lack of funds should not be the demise of your vision. Consider it a temporary setback and keep it on the back burner until you can raise funds to continue the project. But your vision stays. A genuine vision should not die. Years that pass may refine, or even redefine it into a new or different project. But the vision should not die. Genuine visions do not die easily.

Violent people express their anger through aggressive behaviors. Non-violent people, on the other hand, control their anger and are non-aggressive when they express their anger. Though they may not like what is done to them, or said about them, they have control over their emotions and so can express their anger without being violent.

Some people become volatile when they are upset. When they don’t achieve a purpose, they lose face, and in their anger, they hurl invectives. They resort to incendiary rhetoric to even the scores or make others feel as bad as they feel. Even those who did not cause their problem are not spared.

Incendiary remarks are the fuel that ignites conflicts. The remarks act like petrol on fire and make the fires of hate and conflict burn intensely.

In their efforts to prove their religions superior, some religious advocates use inflammatory remarks on people who hold contrary views. Some politicians also spew out invectives at each other on radio and television.

Jesus taught us not to be antagonistic or inflammatory.

We can always try again whenever we do not achieve the results. If there are corrections to be made, make them, and try again.

Certain places are notorious for conflicts and are regarded as flash points. Unfortunately, people in such areas use inflammatory speeches instead of toning down their discussions.

Religious militants display confrontational attitudes when advocating their religious doctrines. They are angry and violent when people don’t accept their doctrines. Instead of using persuasive and intelligent discourse, they spew out vituperations against other religions.

Attacking the beliefs of your opponent is not peaceful dialogue. You are pouring fuel onto a fire. And you make people dislike you when you do that.

John Locke, writing in 1689, asserts that, “… true and saving religion consists in the inward persuasion of the mind, without which nothing can be acceptable to God.” And that, “Confiscation of estate, imprisonment, torments,” can never really make people “change the inward judgment that they have framed of things,” (unquote… from “A Letter Concerning Toleration,” page 20, published in Buffalo, New York by Prometheus Books, 1990).

Do Not Use Compulsion.

Religious militants believe that polemics is the right way to prove their religions as the best. They insult and attack other people’s beliefs.

Discuss the essence of your religious beliefs convincingly.

Some people do not know how to present their views convincingly, and so resort to insults. They use physical violence to compel people to accept what they are offering.

Christians, however, have been recommended to emulate Jesus in convincing their listeners. Jesus was not antagonistic and was not violent. He was peaceful. He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)

As you believe in your opinions and religion so also your opponent believes in his or her opinions and religion. Using force will not make your opponent understand your views. Use persuasion and logic to convince your listeners.

Jesus used logic, wisdom, persuasion, and love to make the Samaritan woman listen to him (John 4:6-42). Paul used the same method when he spoke to the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers at the Areopagus (or Mar’s Hill – Acts 17:22-34). Though some mocked him, many believed him. You may not win all, but you will win some. Those who could not understand his resurrection statement told him he could come again another day to explain that.

You may have the truth, but listeners will not be convinced if you cannot articulate your message wisely. Religious militants and politicians who cannot articulate their views convincingly resort to lies and vituperations. They use violence and aggression to force people to obey or accept.

When politicians use provocative words against their opposers they argue that they are exercising their rights and freedom of speech. Freedom of speech, or the right to free speech does not mean one should use insulting language to express one’s views or disagreements. Use persuasion to speak to the minds of listeners. That will help them to make informed decisions. And they won’t feel they have been coerced to accept your views.

Persuasion, however, must be sincere, without manipulation. You must be able to explain the sincerity of your beliefs.

Anger is a normal emotion that we can use to stop people from doing wrong. Anger becomes a problem and abnormal when it gets out of control and turns violent. Then it becomes destructive.

Do not be angry if things do not go the way you want. Anger by itself does not solve problems. God told Cain, “If you do well you shall be accepted.”

Do not use anger as an excuse to hit a fellow human. Always express your anger positively. Talk about what you don’t like and how you feel you have been wronged. Using the positive method will get you favorable or good responses.

Some people are frustrated and angry because of their physical conditions. Some are even angry with God because of their physical disabilities or because of poverty. They vent their anger on everyone and blame others for their lack or inability to be like others. Envy makes them regard the world and everyone as enemies.

You, too, can become successful if you are determined to be successful.

Physical challenges and lack of finances are not permanent disabilities that should prevent you from excelling or from becoming successful in your endeavors. They will delay your success but can’t stop you. Nothing can stop you from reaching your financial and spiritual goals if you decide in your mind and believe in your heart that you can be successful.

Many successful people you see today were once like you. Some of them labored for other people, doing menial jobs to buy bread for survival. Some lived without food for days. Some slept on the streets, at bus stops, and other open spaces with the sky for their roofs.

Don’t be upset when things don’t happen the way you expect. Don’t lose face when you try and fail to get to the top. Don’t feel humiliated. Defeats or failures are temporary. Let them spur you on to get back on your feet. Don’t be ashamed when you have those temporary failures. You can always spring back onto your feet and continue pursuing your goal (Job 5:19; Proverbs 24:16).

You will surely rebound when you fall because God takes note of what you do.

“For God is not unfair. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other Christians, as you still do.” (Hebrews 6:10; NLT)

Therefore, don’t be angry when things don’t happen as expected. Everything will be all right if you patiently endure. Always do what is right. Faith and perseverance will take you to your goal.

It may take years to reach the top. And the going will be tough and unpleasant. But a sweet ending awaits you.

Some people may not believe in you. And some who believe in you may not be able to aid you. Believe in yourself, be committed to your cause, and do what is right. Friends who believe in you will be praying for you. They might not be able to support you financially, but their prayers will touch God and goodness and mercy will follow you. God, the ultimate provider, will give you the provision.

God cares even when people do not consider you. He knows your heart. He provided for others. He will provide for you, too.

The night may be too long and lonely. But Jesus will always be by your side. He will guide you if you ask him. He will encourage you and lead you to success.

Live an honest life before God. God searches our hearts and gives us what we truly deserve (Jeremiah 17:10; Romans 2:6).

Hebrews 10:35-39

35 “Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. 37 ‘For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. 38 And a righteous person will live by faith. But I will have no pleasure in anyone who turns away.’ 39 But we are not like those who turn their backs on God and seal their fate. We have faith that assures our salvation.” (NLT)

Some people look at their conditions and slump into self-pity. They are convinced that they cannot do anything worthwhile. When help is delayed, they lose hope. But you should not lose hope for God is waiting to help you.

Some people do not even suffer from physical challenges, yet they give up hope and consider themselves incapable when they meet challenges.

God gives strength and ability to the weak and the physically challenged.

The Rev. Dr. Christian Adjei, who has gone to be with the Lord, was my lecturer at the Ghana Christian College and Seminary, now Ghana Christian University. The Rev. Dr. Adjei told me one day in class that I had great potential. I had just given a presentation. After listening to and evaluating my presentation, Rev. Dr. Adjei told me I would achieve great heights and travel internationally if I continued to work assiduously.

I had no financial support. I struggled to feed myself and buy clothing to wear. By the grace of God, the college had absorbed my tuition and lodging fees. That provided some relief. But I still needed to cater for myself in other ways.

Rev. Dr. Adjei himself surmounted physical challenges to rise to the top. He had polio at a tender age and his legs were crippled, compelling him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

He did not give up on life. He studied assiduously and eventually gained a doctorate. Proverbs 18:14 says, “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?”

What the Reverend Dr. Adjei said about me indeed happened. I studied assiduously, gained a scholarship in the United States, and secured degrees up to the Doctoral level. I have lectured in tertiary institutions in Ghana and Singapore. I have given lectures, and academic presentations and preached in the US, and the UK. Other countries I have also been to are France, The Philippines, The Netherlands, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, and Zimbabwe, among others.

Your desire may take time to materialize because you presently lack funds. But Jesus said, “…If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes,” (Mark 9:23).

Keep yearning, thinking, and believing in your heart, wanting to achieve the best. Pull yourself together to do what you want. Your entire personality will pattern itself to the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of your heart. Your mind and body follow the dictates of your heart. You will achieve your desire according to how strong your heart yearns, and how enthusiastic you are.

Proverbs 23:7 — “… as he thinks in his heart so is he…” People strive hard to get what their hearts yearn for. That is why some, unfortunately, will even kill or use their children, spouses, or relatives, for rituals to gain wealth.

The heart and the mind dictate or influence our passions. The mind conceives the idea and sows it in the heart. It germinates and grows into a strong desire. And the whole human personality is influenced to do what the heart dictates. Use this power that is in you for positive things. Shun the negative.

Be strong in your mind and body. The journey is long, and the lack of funds is hitting you vehemently. But you can do the impossible through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13).

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Our beliefs and actions define our destiny

Our beliefs and actions define our destinies. We are constantly defining our destinies through our beliefs and actions. God created us with the potential to succeed. But we derail our destinies or alter them by our beliefs and actions.

Focus on the goal ahead of you, even when the journey becomes rougher and tougher. If you veer off to the left or the right, you will miss the mark. The goalpost will still be there. If you do not reach the goalpost it is not because the goalpost has shifted. It is because you have taken your sight off the goalpost. To reach the goalpost you must return to the path that leads to the post. Your action defines the outcome.

You can achieve whatever vision you have if you stay focused and do not allow distractions to veer you off the path. You may encounter challenges as you pursue your vision, but you must not give up. What you do eventually determines your future. Your actions determine what you get and how you succeed in life.

You may put your vision of what you want to be on the back burner if challenges make it difficult for you to continue. You are not abandoning it when you put your vision on the back burner. You can bring it forward and put it on the front burner at the appropriate time. I do that when I am faced with challenges that make it too complicated for me to proceed as I would. I do not abandon any vision I believe in. I always know that someday I will execute it, and make it happen. It may be on the back burner for the time being, and at the right time, when it is conducive, I bring it onto the front burner.

I am the one who defines or determines my destiny. Not people. I follow the course that God planned for me. And with God helping me I can make my vision happen. Though it delays because of challenges it will eventually happen.

If God gives you a vision, he will make the provision for it at the right time. You may not know the time, but God will surely make it come to fruition.

You are the one defining your destiny. You are the one making it happen. Not people. If you cannot believe in yourself and in the vision that God gave you, you may follow everybody’s suggestion and finally fail. So, you see, you are the one defining your destiny.

No matter how you feel about hurt or an offense, violence or vandalism are not the right methods to employ in registering your displeasure.

Whatever we do will come back to us, either positively or negatively. If what we do is positive, then the payback will be positive. If it is negative the payback will be negative. So, we are the ones defining how we will be in the future. We are the ones also determining the future of our communities. We are the ones determining how rich or poor our communities will be.

In areas that are prone to conflict and vandalism, the repercussions are negative. People fear to relocate or to accept transfers to conflict areas.

When people vent their spleen by resorting to vandalizing properties, they are expressing their rights in the wrong manner. In their angry reactions, they vandalize businesses and properties. Their actions send wrong or negative signals to the world that their communities and environments are not friendly.

There is no true peace and tranquility in areas that are prone to conflict. People live mostly in fear, and one does not know what may happen to one at any moment.

And so, by our attitudes, we define how our communities will progress or retrogress. If violence is associated with a community, businesspeople will dread investing in that community. No businessperson will be confident about investing in a community that does not guarantee the protection of investments.

People who indulge in such wild and unreasonable behaviors tend to be adamant and reject the advice of well-meaning people who advocate peaceful co-existence. They reject peaceful ways of resolving disagreements. They are controlled by their emotions and prefer violent ways of expressing themselves.

But as we observe communities that are prone to violence, we notice the destructions that are perpetuated. We notice how people are killed or injured, and how commercial activities decline in such communities. We notice retrogression in economies because of the stagnation of economic activities. Basic and critical services, including health, education, farming, etc., are affected.

Violent people use violence to settle scores, even when it is obvious that violence is a bane of economic activities. He who is slow to wrath has great understanding (Proverbs 14:29a).

By our attitudes, we are defining the future state of our communities. The violence and destruction we unleash on each other determine how others regard us. And we are constantly nurturing poverty in our communities as new businesses are not established. Existing ones are relocated to other communities that are peaceful because ours no longer provides a conducive atmosphere for business activities.

Destruction of properties and businesses retard economic progress. And so, by our violent and destructive actions, we are defining the state of welfare and economic health of our communities. The violence and vandalism that we unleash are destroying the well-being, happiness, and prosperity of our communities. Yet ego will not let us do what is right by eschewing violence.

As we go on rampage and destroy properties, we are defining the future for our communities. The children are the ones who will suffer when they take over the reins of affairs. If parents destroy the facilities and economic structures of the communities what then will be left for the children to use when they take control of the affairs of the communities?

If parents are unable to give their children the required financial support because they lack the means or the ability, should they not leave enabling environments so the children can manage their economic situations when they take over from their parents?

Sometimes, the vandalism extends to infrastructures in the community. If parents leave the infrastructures as they are, even if they are not able to enhance them, the children can at least have something to depend on in the future to use for production and the advancement of their economies.

Curfews may be imposed in communities because of the recurrence of violence and murders. In Ghana, the use of motorcycles was restricted in Bawku, in addition to the curfew imposed. It made life, which was already harsh for the people, more restricted and harsher. Law-abiding citizens who did not indulge in the negative behaviors were unfortunately also affected by the ban, making their already difficult situation more difficult.

Yet, despite these restrictions and the presence of security personnel, people who indulge in conflicts, violence, and vandalism continue to perpetuate them. Ironically, most of them live in poverty. And one would think that they would rather be thinking of upgrading their economies rather than destroying them by their negative acts. Most of them are not also able to provide tertiary education for their children. Therefore, many children in those communities will not have strong foundations to stand on and propel themselves up economically in the future. And poverty will persist in that area for as long as they do not stop their negative behaviors.

Let us stop vandalizing infrastructures in our communities, so our children will have some stepping stones to stand on and propel themselves in their economic ventures. However small these may be the children can use them as stepping stones to climb on and build their future.

My father could not send me to the senior high (which was known then as secondary school). However, he laid the foundation for me by making sure I completed the elementary school, which was known as the Middle School. The little education I had enabled me to gain employment, though menial in some instances. I was able to earn money, which I saved to further my education.

People who know me might think that my father provided my secondary and tertiary education. It is the little that he provided (the elementary school education) that served as my foundation. I used that to work and secure the means to climb the educational ladder. Now I have a doctoral degree.

I am grateful to my father for building the foundation on which I could stand to work and make progress in furthering my education.

Violence and vandalism are destructive. They do not create but pull down what exists. They retard progress.

We can always resolve misunderstandings through dialogue. Some people think dialogue is a slow method of resolving disputes. Though dialogue may be slow, it is the right method. No matter how slow it is, dialogue eventually provides resolution.

Conflict may be a quick way to end misunderstanding, but it destroys economies. Conflicts may also result in the deaths of loved ones and injuries.

Sometimes, members of political parties fight and injure each other during elections. This is senseless. Why should members of the same political party fight, and some die, in an exercise that seeks to elect a representative for their party? Are there ulterior motives (or gains) they are fighting for that we do not know?

Violence brings pain and loss, or deaths, in its aftermath. But when emotions rise perpetrators of violence do not consider that.

People clash with the Police when they know that the Police will eventually subdue them. Yet their emotions do not let them think properly.

In the Eastern Region of Ghana, the youth clashed with the Police about the youth’s intention to lynch a suspect. They caught a man they claimed killed a woman. They took the suspect to the Chief’s Palace. The Chief informed the Police to come and take the suspect to the Police Station. When the Police were taking the suspect to the station, the youth confronted the Police and demanded the suspect be handed over to them so they could lynch him.

Of course, the Police would not allow that. The youth then decided to take the law into their own hands. They started vandalizing properties.

The Police responded by firing warning shots. Some people were injured in the melee and one person who was taken to the hospital for treatment died. The Police arrested about 71 suspects but later processed 37 for court.

So, what did the youth achieve through their violence? If they had allowed the law to take its course, nobody would have died, no one would have been injured and no one would have been arrested. The actions of the youth determined the outcome.

God does not compel us to change our behaviors that are not good. He does not compel us to do what he wants us to do, although he wants us to do what is right. Why then do some people want to force fellow humans to do what they want?

We disagree with others, and we insist it is our right. Yet some can’t countenance others disagreeing with them even when they are also disagreeing with those people.

When we accuse others and indicate that we would take measures or actions against them we don’t regard that as a threat to them. But when they also indicate their intentions to act against us, we cry loudly that they threaten us.

It is a paradox that people who do not show mercy usually are quick to beg for mercy and expect to be granted mercy. Yet they refuse to listen to the pleas or cries of people who ask for forgiveness from them. But when they are at the mercy of the people they mistreated, they are quick to turn around and beg forgiveness from them. They ask for justice to be tempered with mercy.

In Ghana, a military officer was brutally beaten to death in Denkyira-Obuasi, in the Central Region. As his attackers beat him, the man pleaded with them to stop. He told them he was a military officer.

They could have taken him to the Police Station, or to the military camp, to verify. But they didn’t. They beat him until he died.

In court, the culprits were found guilty, and sentenced to life imprisonment. Their relatives were on television begging for mitigation. They asked the government to temper justice with mercy. The culprits who attacked and killed the military officer did not temper justice with mercy when he begged them to spare his life. If they had tempered justice with mercy, he would not have been beaten to death. If they had tempered justice with mercy, they would have taken him to the Police Station and handed him over for the law to take its course.

Their relatives were on television lamenting that sentencing them to life imprisonment meant they would not see their loved ones again. But in saying that, they did not consider the relatives of the military officer who was killed. They, too, would not see their loved one again, as he is dead, killed by the culprits.

So, you see, our actions define our destinies. We define our future by our actions. God wants us to be successful in life, and to live in harmony with each other. But we are altering God’s intended plan for our lives, and disrupting the peaceful co-existence that God intended for us.

And by such actions, we are redefining the destinies that God prefers for us.

We reap what we sow. God prefers we sow good seeds so that we can reap good rewards. However, God will not compel us to sow the seeds. He will not take the free will he gave us. We sow our seeds and define our destinies as against the destinies God preferred for us.

God allows us our free will and how we choose to use that. Though he wishes that all will live well and be saved, (1 Timothy 2:3-4) he does not compel us. We change the plans that God has for us by our wrong actions. And so, by our actions, we define our destinies and deviate from the plan that God wishes for us.

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