The Kingdom and the church are two cross-referenced words commonly used to denote the congregation of saints on earth. The Holy Scripture, though, clearly differentiates one from the other.

The kingdom of God is solemnly the restoration of the intended divine relationship of Almighty and humans, which will be interrupted by the disobedience of Adam & Eve. On accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, one enters into the Kingdom where love prevails over hate, envy, greed and selfishness. Forgiveness of sins is the first & foremost thing we experience in the Kingdom, followed by righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” Luke 10:19

 

Jesus has given us spiritual authority over all the powers of the enemy which we ought to exercise with the help of the Holy Spirit. Relying on Jesus unlocks unto us the vaults of His heavenly riches and glory stored for us in places where neither thieves nor moths can invade. 

Continual existence in His Kingdom outgrows the spiritual to reflect divine attributes in the natural, reflecting the essence of Jesus and His Kingdom to a world alien to His dogmas. Through our lifestyle, habits, and relationships, we ought to manifest the divine culture-reflecting the holiness of God and His everlasting love. We are called to exhort the world to follow Jesus, with deeds that are more impactful than mere words.

Do we make efforts to build God’s Kingdom?

 “And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Mathew 16:18

God’s plan to establish the intricate and impeccably beautiful ‘Church’ began even before the creation of the world. Apostle Paul rightly describes it as a hidden plan: God has chosen us to be in union with Him through Jesus, a divine covenant to bear the fruits of holiness within our souls. Because of His love, God has made us His children through Christ and that was His pleasure and purpose (Ephesians 1:4-5).

Neither man’s inclination toward sin nor rebellion towards Christ caused God to bring a halt to His plan for establishing the Church.

“To the general assembly of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,” Hebrews 12:23

The first born in the New Jerusalem, those born again, unto them has He entitled all the privileges of the Church; dreaming dreams and receiving revelations being the pre-requisites of being called the Church, whereas access to the Kingdom is a promised treasure unto all those who believe.. Salvation and access to the Kingdom is shared equally by Jews and Gentiles whereas for the Church, God’s plans remain exquisite- To use her to reveal the manifold wisdom of God (2 Corinthians 4:7-11) which is Christ’s possession (1 Corinthians 1:24, 30 ). Forgiveness of sins and faith paves a path to enter the Kingdom of God, but to inherit it we ought to pursue Christ who will eventually use us to manifest God’s wisdom and Glory through our lives to the world.

In His perfect time, Almighty will finish His plan and Lord Jesus will come for the ‘church- His undefiled bride’ to be with Him in all eternity. 

Let us prepare ourselves to be a part of the ‘Church’ to receive the bliss of eternally living in His Glory divine.

Praise be to God!

 

“He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that
brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper” (Psalms 1:3)

 

A blessed man who delights in and
meditates on the word of God will be like a tree planted by streams of
water. As water helps yield life, the Word of God yields prosperous
living, helping us grow in hunger for His Word. ‘Prosperous in all ye doeth’ an
everlasting promise unto all those who walk in accordance to the will
of God framed by His Word, forsaking the pleasures of the world to
journey through the route alienated from the sinners and the scornful.

 

Firmly rooted in Christ, we shall stand like ‘glorious’ trees constantly nourished in the ‘Word of God’.
Our roots are called to grow deeper into the Word till it reaches the
water-the Holy Ghost who causes us to bear fruit in all seasons without
causing the leaves to wither. Be ye willing to shed away all alliances
to the pleasures of this world then shall ye acquire the gift to live
and flourish in supernatural manner-bear fruit without shedding leaves!

“The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing” Psalms 92:12-14

 

By growing roots deeply into divine water, children of God-from the young to the old shall bear fruit irrespective of the seasons of their life. Through deeper roots we enter into a divine fellowship with Father God through Jesus Christ. The trees of this world start small and take time to grow, but our God-promised growth shall be supernatural, like Aaron’s staff that budded. 

 

The beauty of His presence can be experienced in the natural when we strive to establish a fellowship with Him in the spiritual, bearing the fruit of a divine life; a living, breathing and tangible testimony to the world around. Apostle John witnesses the Glory and Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and urges us to join in the fellowship and enjoy communion with Abba Father through His only begotten Son. 

 

 “That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” 1 John1:3

 

Who can be the partners or part takers in the fellowship with God???

“All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

 

To enter into a fellowship with God one ought to believe that the Scriptures are inspired by the Holy Spirit – the author who is reliable. 

Believing in the Holy Trinity is the fundamental prerequisite for a fellowship with God since He has revealed Himself to be communion of Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, Christ therefore is the only way to enter into this divine fellowship. 

 

Accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior, we believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, his righteous living, death on the cross, resurrection from the dead and His promised return for He is the Lord. Salvation by grace through faith– the heart of Christian living, a dogma that can only be comprehended with the power of His faith, enables us to believe in the Lordship of Jesus Christ- a gift that attracts blessings from all realms. 

 

Sin affects our fellowship with God and draws us away from the divine presence. Lucifer draws the best example as to how pride can cause you to fall from the heavenly glory to the darkness of hell. Eden outlines yet another instance of falling away from the intimacy of God-failing to adhere to the will of God. Let us therefore come before the throne of God, with the boldness Christ has gifted us through His blemishless blood, to confess all our sins are to realign ourselves in our relationship with Him. For He who called us is faithful-for He equips you with all spiritual artillery before the war and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness that tarnishes us.

 

“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing-life forevermore” Psalm 133:1-3

 

The Church ought to commune together not just for worship but in all other gatherings- Sunday School, Women’s Fellowship, Youth Meetings, Elderly meetings and all other meetings called for us to be together aiming at building others in the Word, helping them grow deeper in their relationship with the Lord and to encourage them in faith to produce the fruits of love and good works (Hebrew 10:24-25). 

The Psalmist speaks of the fellowship of believers as ‘good’ and it corresponds to the way we respond to each other’s needs by abiding in His will. The blessings of the fellowship are compared with the ‘precious oil’ that was poured on Aaron’s head pointing out to the works of the Holy Spirit. Just as snow melts and wets the entire land to sustain life, the richness of fellowship is also compared with the ‘dew of Hermon’ that keeps life from drying out  and dying. 

 

Paul says that we live in Him and He lives in us because He has given us His Spirit (1 John 4:13). Let us therefore pray that we may receive help from the Holy Spirit to experience deeper fellowship with God and with our Lord Jesus Christ, to flourish and enjoy the ‘dew of Hermon’ in all the areas of life. 

 

Praise be to God!

“For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23).

Leaning on to her lover amidst all the distractions, Bride of Christ awaits the day of the wedding feast of the Lamb. Apostle Paul describes the beauty of the perfect Bride, comparing her to the Holy City of Jerusalem.The Bride- fair as Moon, clear as Sun, yet majestic, prepares for an eternal life with her Perfect Lover.

Sinners, with no right to claim purity, Jesus took away all our sins and draped us with fine linen, bright and pure through His crucifixion and resurrection. Being part of the Church, we must reciprocate the love Christ has shown toward us to become His undefiled Bride. Unto those who surrender to the divine call, the Holy Spirit uses God’s Word to cleanse and sanctify our  minds. The Bride is called to decorate herself to match the glory of Christ, purging away all worldly desires. 

To be in the ‘light’ of Jesus, departing from the ‘darkness’ of evil (John 8:12), we ought to lead a secluded lifestyle, consecrating ourselves to be the bearers of God’s glory, forsaking the desires of the flesh and the filthiness that it carries. The call may sound to seem impossible, as it was with Abraham- to be the father of a nation when he did not possess even a single babe through his seed. Nevertheless, our response to God’s mighty and marvelous call is to be reciprocated with the willingness to walk through the aisles of self denial. To Abraham it was to leave  behind his family and friends and to journey to a land unknown. To Moses it was to leave behind the luxuries of the palace to embrace the harshness of the wilderness along with God’s people. Let Jesus Himself, the author of our faith, be our model and motivation to run a secluded life, who was willing to step out of the glory of Heaven to step into the shame of the Cross to fulfill the will of the Father in Heaven.. 

Are we willing to lead a life dedicated to bear the Glory of  God??? 

“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ”, (1 Corinthians 12:20)

Apostle Paul reminds us that we are one body with many members and so is with Christ. When we place our faith in Christ for the redemption of our souls, we are baptized in one Spirit, who weaves us together into one body irrespective of our social backgrounds. (1 Corinthians 12:13).

Just as organs within a body, defined for specific and exclusive functions, we as members of One Body in Christ ought to conduct the duties ordained to us for the perfect and smooth functioning of the Church.. As the ligaments are to tendons so are we liable to mutually support our brethren for the body of Christ to function seamlessly. We therefore are entitled to support anyone who struggles.

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the Day is approaching” (Hebrews 10:25)

Fellowship with our brethren is the integral essence of Christian living, encouraging one another in staying connected to our divine purposes. The source of life comes from the head (Christ Jesus) to which the body is being connected by the Pastors, Apostles and Teachers.. One who isolates himself from the Body of Christ, stays away from Christ Himself. 

It is by faith in Jesus as Savior, we have been awarded the right to be called ‘children of God’ (John 1:12) .There exists only one way to be saved –“believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved’. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in threat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves”, Matthew 7:13-15

Jesus states the existence of two gates at every crossroad of our lives: two gates leading to two different destinations, certainly only one will lead us to our Abba in Heaven. Only one promise to lead us to God and heaven and the other to hell and destruction. Sailing through the pleasures of sin may seem easy, its waves leading you to the gateways of hell. Rowing upstream through the rivers whose currents run downstream is tedious, so is the life of faith. 

Which way are we heading to?

Let’s submit ourselves into the mighty hands and retrospect the choices we make in life. 

To Thee alone

My whole belongs

O’ Jesus Son of God

You paid the price 

To own my heart

Precious and priceless blood

How can then now

This heart belong

To any other treasure 

Than the Jewel of Heaven

Surrender I now

Me and mine

Own me deeper deeper Lord

The bride that You longed

May You find that in me

Bright as the ‘Son’

Your beautiful moon

Shining Your Light 

To a world lost in sorrow

May I add to Your joy

Souls marching home

Surrender I now

Me and mine

Reign through me Lord

Let Your Kingdom come

Praise be to God!!!

Church, the betrothed to Christ is urged to love Him with all of thine heart “For I
am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one
husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ”, 2 Corinthians
11:2.

The betrothed, sealed by the priceless gift of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) is
called to grow to a matured bride, a transformation captained by the Holy Spirit
and fulfilled in accordance with His desire upon our willingness to surrender to the
call.

“As there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of
the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show the
bride, the Lamb’s wife”, Revelation 21:9-10.

The Bride is unveiled by the angel as the Holy City of Jerusalem, representing
Christ’s bride as people living in the Glory of God. Apostle John witnesses her in
the spirit as a rare jewel full of radiance as from a clear crystal. To witness her
beauty Apostle John underwent spiritual ‘pipto’ multiple times, for the beauty of
the perfect bride is revealed in spiritual depths. May we grow in spiritual maturity
through the Word to witness true spiritual beauty, one that is hidden to the naked
eye.

“Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun,
as majestic as the stars in procession?” Song of Solomon 6:10.

Song of Solomon, the love song between Christ the groom and the church His
Bride, describes her beauty as clear as the sun, a fair moon yet majestic as the stars.
The Bride looketh forth as the morning, shining the light of Christ upon our lives
and the lives of others, the fair moon that never ceases to shine even in the darkest
nights, revealing none but her Lord to the lost world. As radiant as the sun she
shines, the rays of His holiness shining from a soul washed clean by His blood. Her
beauty was ramparted by His majesty; His Glory manifested through the power of
her prowess.

“Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I
awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; There
she who bore you brought you forth”, Song of Solomon 8:5

The beautiful virgin in Song of Solomon is described to stay true to her love for
her shepherd boy despite the affectionate promises made to her by the prominent
figure of those days, King Solomon. The world never ceases to allure us toward
him, beckoning us to indulge in the adulterous act of loving anything else like
Him. Zealous yet jealous in loving, the groom desires to possess our hearts in full
calling for complete dependency, a reliance he loves to honor.

“Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed
with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?” Song of
Solomon 3:6.

Leaning on to the bosom of her groom, the bride’s mouth pours out the heartbeat
of her Lord. Our fellowship defines the content of the conversations we indulge in.
Learning from the transfiguration of Jesus at Mount Tabor, Jesus was found
conversing with Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:2) about the upcoming deliverance
through the Cross and the promise of eternal life.

Leaning on the bosom of the Mighty and the Holy One as witnessed by Apostle John in Revelation 1:12, let us
profess His glory, for we, His undefiled Bride also shares with Him in His majestic glory.
Holy living therefore ought to become our new way of living; choosing to traverse along paths that remain alien to the world we currently reside in.

The journey though difficult is eased by the love of our Lord. Forget ye not, the
transformation we are called to undergo- to be His mature Bride before He returns.
Praise be to God!!!

The island of Patmos My secluded life To grow in the holiness He dreamed me to have

Waiting to hear His thunderous voice I lay in wait for my betrothed To take hold of me and Lead me home.

 

“They looked unto him, and were lightened; and their faces were not ashamed” (Psalms 34:5 KJV)

Praise and thanksgiving, being the
essence of meditation and prayer brings us closer to God, enabling us to
channel His power to operate in our life. The bottom line of prayer is
praise- the song which we shall endlessly be signing all through
eternity. Reinstating the praise life of Eden-the reason for which we
are called and saved by the precious blood of Jesus,equipping us to
praise Him and worship Him.

Praise, a joyful recounting of all God has done for us, reflects either in visible or in audible actions.

 

It is closely intertwined with thanksgiving as we offer back to God. 

“Now unto him that is able to exceeding abundantly above all that
we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians
3:20)

 

Christ transforms us from the inside out and His power translates into our lives, the pure manifestation of His indwelling. For increased spiritual power and answers to prayer, we need increased recognition of the indwelling of Christ. 

God responds in ways unexpected. Saul’s life changing encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus reflects His heart to save the world lost without Him. On the island of Patmos, the Apostle John saw Jesus, in a vision: eyes like fiery flames, His head and His hairs were white like wool, his feet like fine brass as if they burned in a furnace and His voice, the sound of many waters. As he couldn’t stand in His glory, John fell at Jesus’ feet and was taken through a near to death experience (Greek: pipto). The release of God’s power happens in these divine encounters, as it operates in the time of praise. God’s sovereign will is clearly manifested in the resurrection of Jesus. In the absence of praise, God’s power is released into the tomb to raise Jesus from the dead. 

Word of God reminds us how the Omnipotent God partnered with Moses to release Israelites from captivity. 

Still praise stands as a powerful tool to release God’s power and it is the key to recieve answers from the Lord. When Paul & Silas found themselves in jail in terrible condition, having been severely beaten, bleeding for the cause of Christ, they began praising God out loud. In spite of being in that terrible condition, they were praising God so loud that other prisoners were listening in (Acts 16:25-34). It is marvelous to see how their praise invited God’s power into the condition they were in and freed them.

 

 

Different patterns of praise: There are seven Hebrew words in the Bible that are translated as praise. 

 

‘halal’ being the root word for hallelujah, it  means “to praise, celebrate, to be boastful. Halal praise expresses our love for God and who He is and celebrates His goodness in our lives. As we embrace His love and deliberately choose to delight in the Lord alone, forsaking the worldly pleasures, God’s power resonates in our lives. Let’s cease to be self-conscious of what others might think and praise God with whole heart, being consumed by His love!

‘Barak’, kneeling in reverence or bending at the waist as a sign of submission, is another act of praise. Abraham, Moses, David and Elijah bowed down when they presented themselves before God. 

 

“Come and let us worship and bow down; let us kneel (barak) before the Lord, our maker” Psalms 95:6

Emotions being gateway to the spiritual realm, often music played during worship acts as a catalyst for invoking the emotions towards the Almighty. ‘Zamar’, in the Bible, reminds us that God loves instrumental praise.

 

“But now bring me a minstrel, and it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him” (2 Kings 3: 15)

When instruments are played in adoration of His works, power is released into worship, opening up our spiritual eyes and allowing the Spirit of God to touch the hearts. 

 

“But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3)

“And he has put a new song in my mouth, even praise (tehilah) to our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:3)

Psalmist pours his heart out, how the presence of God filled his heart on praising Lord by ‘tehilah’, singing hymns in adoration, especially new songs from heart. 

 

Do I use my singing voice to bring praise to God?

 

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1)

‘Todah’, extending our hands in adoration and thanksgiving, remains the simple way to thank God and praise.

“One generation shall praise (shabach) thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts” (Psalm 145:4)

Giving a loud shout of praise to God (shabach), causes seasons to shift.  Joshua 6 portrays the great example of how people shabach destroyed the walls of Jericho. Sometimes all it takes is a loud shout of praise to break walls in our lives!!!

‘Yadah’ describes moments of worship with raising of hands. In Exodus 17, when Moses’ hands were lifted in air, Israel was prevailing in war physically and spiritually as the Lord fought the battle for them. Moses extended his hands and the first plague turned river Nile to blood, and caused the ‘crowding of frogs’ to show the power of the God of Israel (Exodus 7:12, Exodus 8:5-6, Exodus 9:10). Extended hands bring forth victory on surrendering to the Lord, praising His majesty and his greatness. 

God loves all forms of praise and worship, each of them designed to connect us with the creator on different levels. That’s what the seven Hebrew” words for praise are all about!

 

“Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness” (Psalm 150”2)

 

Praise be to God!!!!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV)

 

Pray that ye, O dear Bride for strength from the Holy Ghost to leave behind thy crowns, thy titles, thy kin and brethren of the past to be embraced by Him who owned you with His blood. Continue ye henceforth to remain in Him, pressing on forward to receive Him more, by dislodging all that you own. The world beckons from behind, to share in its glory, one of a different kind. Let never ye trade eternal for transient, reminding thyself that even Solomon in all his glory can never be compared with the lilies our Master has dressed. 

 

Surrender therefore

All ye who have come to be

One with the One

As clay in the potter’s hand

As wood with a skilled craftsman

He is faithful to transform ye

From darkness to light

Walking deeper into Him, parting ways with the ‘me’ and the ‘mine’ at every crossroad of the journey, His compassionate Love fills and His Grace builds citadels in the voids that we have carved out for Him to own. The talents of ours which once bore fruits for the world, He begins to mould to bear fruits for His eternal Kingdom.

 “(Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” (Colossians 1:12-13 KJV)

Behold, the new has dawned

The powers of the old

Therefore hold void

 

We who have been translated to the Kingdom of Light therefore have come out of the influence of the Kingdom of evil, the power of His blood breaking us away from its gravitational pull. 

Christ’s Bride, the most intricate creation of all, birthed at the banks of Jordan begins her journey of transformation thence till she becomes one with her groom. A thousand steps perhaps tens of thousands it may feel like, but let the beauty of being His Bride motivate us to remain married to Christ’s transforming chisel; His Love captivating us more than the pain of separating us from our’selves’. Shedding away the skins of the old, stained with the grime of the world, may ye be always willing to be dressed in the new skin He drapes. 

 

 “Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them” (Leviticus 15:31). How much more shall we separate ourselves from that which defiles, the Temple where God resides in His Spirit?

 

Let us therefore offer our bodies as living yet acceptable sacrifices unto God determined to progress higher in the depth of the sacrifices made to live in deeper depths of His Glory. The parameters of sacrifice are defined by the Word of God, as mentioned in, (1 Corinthians 6:9), (Acts 15:20), (Galatians 5:20), (Colossians 5:3-9), (Ephesians 5:3-9), (Revelation 21:8), (Revelation 22:15) and (Luke 9:66) each growing in depth as one advances in their journey to be Christ’s Bride, the stake always higher as we come nigh to our real treasure. 

 

“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient; all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12)

 

Christ has fulfilled the sacramental law on our behalf, re-defining our roles to be in the participation of Water Baptism and Lord’s Supper. His death and resurrection however does not do away with the Moral Laws which emphasize in abstaining from committing adultery, murder and disrespecting parents. Let us therefore grow in our spiritual journey to be Christ’s mature bride receiving principles and the morals the Bible hails whilst receiving strength and wisdom from the Holy Ghost to undergo acceptable sacrifices. 

As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.” (Song of Solomon 2:3), let He alone be thy only delight. The delight that numbs the pain of your self-denial.

 

 

To Thee alone
My whole belongs
Jesus, Son of God

You paid the price
To own my heart
Precious and priceless blood

How can then now
This heart belong
To any other treasure
Than the Jewel of Heaven

Surrender I now
Me and mine
Own me deeper deeper Lord

God with me now
Grew to live in me
Tearing down all distance
By the passion of Your Love

Laying down all crowns
I make way for my King
Hosanna my heart sings
When synched with His Heart

The bride that You longed
May You find that in me
Bright as the ‘Son’
Your beautiful moon

Shining Your beauty
To a world lost in sorrow
May I add to Your joy
Souls marching home

Surrender I now
Me and mine
Reign through me Lord
Let Your Kingdom come

 

 

Praise be to God!

 

 

 

Dependency – an ailment of the self, physical or emotional that yearns to source reliance from the sufficient.

 

Dependency is the cocoon we build for ourselves on those sturdy and resilient cedars, entangling our reins on those branches higher than us, surrendering to be a marionette under its shade. Independence, though laurelled on those who dared to break free from the shackles of reliance, often outgrows to oppose fellowship – the biblical doctrine of mutual honorship. The self-sufficiency that results ferments the soul to pride; a state of spiritual handicappedness. The fact remains that neither of these prevalent worlds can catapult us into the victory realm that God has called us to thrive in, rather they tend to detain us in spiritual slums.

The potentials we are called to conquer, the possibilities we are ordained to scale were not called to commence and cease within the pages of the Bible, but are chronicled to benefit from, hence the befitting gift of an everlasting and ever faithful companion was offered to us through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ – the Holy Spirit. “And
I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter that He
may remain with you forever. The spirit of the truth, whom the world
cannot receive, because it doesn’t see Him, for He lives with you
(constantly) and will be in you” (John 14:16-17). 

From the encounter at the Cross to meeting Christ in His glory, He, the parakletos, will be our forever companion guiding and instructing us with God’s infallible truth. Holy and victorious living will then no longer be a cliche to those who are willing to surrender all their crowns at the feet of His throne to be led by the Holy Spirit, for there exists no
earthly reliance that stays resilient to all the turmoils of today.

The mountains may quake
Lofty cedars may wither
But never will shame
Conquer a man
Who has made the Lord
His only reliance

 

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter
that He may remain with you forever. The Spirit of the Truth, whom the
world cannot receive, because it doesn’t see Him, for He lives with you
(constantly) and will be in you,” (John 14:16-17.).

His Love grew from the Cross
To wipe the tears of my soul
Thus came rushing His Spirit
Rending those veils
Ending the wait
To be one with me
Now my wordless groans
Acquire His voice
Forever friend in me
‘Parakletos’

He, the parakletos, our comforter, counsellor, helper, intercessor,
advocate and strengthener, whose comfort not only soothes the scars but
has the power to heal, whose counsel directs us to the paths that we
ought to traverse, who exercises the power to delegate help from the
heavens, intercedes for us before the accuser, advocates our cause
before authorities we have not access to, and strengthens us to root
deep; the treasures available to all those who choose to ask, seek and
receive from Him.

He, the Spirit of Truth desires to indwell you to lead you in God’s
infallible truth, but alas, these residences of corruption have besett
His throne. Abandon, therefore ye, the ways of the world to provide room
for the dove to rest on you, who will lead you to victory through
purging-paths founded on His Truth ever escalating to higher grades of
holiness.

Beauty it is
To deny thy ‘self’
To receive Him more
A journey of trust
From Calvary bound Home
Nailing your limbs
To remain in His
To remain impaled higher
Than the dogmas of this world

Holy it is
To stride along thorny paths
His presence shall then
Numb all my pain
Flesh shall recede
In every step
To build His throne
O’ Parakletos
May my soul be
Your eternal abode

“ But the comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in
my name (in my place, to represent me and act on my behalf), He will
teach you all things.” (John 14:26)

Praise be to God who gave us all spiritual blessings through Christ
Jesus, gifting us with a wealthy inheritance that lasts beyond the
grave. Yearn therefore ye, to acquire more spiritual wealth, the only
currency that holds the same worth in this world and the world to come.

Dependence through continual obedience and surrendering to the Holy
Ghost opens doors to spiritual intelligence and revelation to the
ambushes of the enemy. “Then the king of Israel sent to the place of
which [Elisha] told and warned him; and thus he protected and saved
himself there repeatedly,” (2 Kings 6:10). Deeply loving is He, our
advocate who unfailingly warns us of the hazards fabricated by the enemy
through the Word of God, prophecies and dreams. Though gracious He is,
He reprimands every trace of sin found in us, edifying us with the Word
purifying us to each day to be God’s precious vessels of honour, if our
attitude resonates that of David rather than of Solomon at His
conviction of sin (2 Samuel 12:1-14).

“So the LORD was with Joshua and his fame was in all the land” (Joshua 6:27)

(Joshua 6:27 and 7:1) Be ye continually engaged with the Holy Spirit
seeking His will before you sketch forth plans, to wait patiently for
Him to whisper the Words refuting the facts that surround, to reveal the
paths subduing the pleasure that prevails and to overflow with Him
turning, the Living Water which turns bitter all the sweetness of this
world.

Ask and it shall be given
The abundance of His Holy Spirit
Seek and ye shall find
His ways leading to life
Knock and He shall reveal
The treasures of His knowledge

For unto those that asketh
Shall be provided
The wealth of His wisdom
And
The strength of His power
To walk holy and victorious

The key that unlocks the treasure chest to the King’s unfailing and
unlimited mercies and unsought tenderness, has been made available to us
through the Holy Ghost. The depth of our physical or emotional
handicappedness will never be a hindrance for His mercies to flow into
our lives, the cloak with which He wraps and hides away our infirmities
(2 Samuel 9:24).

Our fortified citadel in the deepest valleys who whispers words of
encouragement, its syllables echoing within the fabric of our souls,
birthing strength in the crevices that lay void (Judges 6:12), the Holy
Spirit, our strengthener builds the limbs of our soul to march ahead
into paths that unfold under the shade of our feet.

 

My Comforter in days of distress
My counsellor lighting up new paths
Defending, redeeming and feeling my ache
My wordless groans your prayer for me

No other helper than Thee
O’ Spirit of God Most High
Never can there be a voice sweeter
Than your whispers that quicken me to Life

O’ Living Waters
Streams that never cease to flow
Fill my cup till it overflows
Make me your vessel
In ways least imagined

“Decisions play a pivotal role in establishing a covenant as they
channelize authority to be exercised, our determination and sacrifice
being the frame supporting it. Our decision to define our faith in Jesus
is rewarded with the gift of a covenant with God Himself.

Our faith-encounter with Jesus, though varied in nature, was our
first step into this covenant – a bond soaked in Agape Love. The
encounter, though beautiful, we often fail to realize that more beauty
awaits us in the deeper realms of this covenant, for which our decision
remains the key component. The driving force instigating our decisions
depends on the desires and needs of one’s heart. May we pause and
examine the driving force behind our covenant with God and seek aid from
the Holy Spirit to define desires in our heart to serve Him more.

“But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God; for it is He that
giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish His covenant.”
Deuteronomy 8:18

God, the ever-replenishing source of talents and understanding,
blesses His children with all requisites to prosper in all their works.
God also gifts us with the power to make wealth, graciously blessing us
with opportunities and opening doors in our favor. When He gifts us with
the power to make wealth, we ought to remember the LORD our God in our
prosperity, reverting a portion of the revenue we earned with His Grace,
as a token of gratitude for the One who was merciful toward our
plightful past. Forget not, the enemy, who viciously attempts to ensnare
us that we may stumble and fall short of receiving our pre-reserved
blessings in full measure. Thus, the LORD has established five forces
for the establishment and stability of our covenant relationship with
God.

1. The Force of Wealth
God’s desire to witness His children prosper in this life, is one of the
facets of our covenant with Him, but is often mistaken as prosperity
gospel. “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my
blood.” The covenant sealed with the blood of the Lamb of God attracts
His power to formulate victory gift miracles in the daily lives of those
who believe. The promise of prosperity is not for us to indulge in
sensualities, but to continue carrying our cross, for self-denial still
remains as the valid access key unto the covenant that was formed on the
foundation of Christ’s denial unto the deity of Himself. “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me” (Mathew 10:38).
Let us, therefore, continue to crucify the desires of the ‘self’, the
voids thus created being His throne room to exercise His authority
deeper in our lives.
Gratitude to the prosperity blessed with ought to be reverted in
financially aiding Kingdom-oriented ministries. Faithfully persevering
to follow Christ is certainly rewarded by the ever-faithful God; His
guidance bringing you out victoriously from the darkest valleys and
hottest furnaces. “Whoever believes in me, as scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:38).
Under the shade of His covenant shall you find prosperity in your
endeavors, health, life, relations and experiences both in the spiritual
and natural realm.

2.The Power of Praise
“ And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.” Acts 16:25

Let not your pain
Silence your praise
O’ beloved of the Lord
Do not ye realize
That your praises 
Can quake open new doors

Come to His gates
With thanksgiving in your hearts
For the goodness of His love
Lasts longer than
The turmoil of today

 

Forget not, that praising in the darkness of pain led to the
salvation of an entire family, opening new doors for Paul and Silas to
advance their ministry, which earlier seemed to have reached its dead
end in that land.

3. The Role of Celebrations/Statutes (Corporate Praise)
“Which covenant he made with Abraham and his oath unto Isaac; and
confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law and to Israel for an everlasting
covenant” (Psalms 105:9-10).
Abiding by the statutes laid by God become an inevitable component when
we involve in His covenant, for the force that laid the covenant also
derives its statutes, abiding by them thus deepening the bond. Every
ritualistic celebration is, therefore, to be discerned with caution
before getting our souls involved with the powers that defined them.
“Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O LORD , in the light of thy countenance” (Psalms 89:15).
Let us seek wisdom and understanding from the Holy Spirit to discern the
spiritual forces behind the festivals celebrated around us that we
shall continue to remain holy before the Holiest of the Holy; that we
may be elevated to envious success-levels.

4. The Key of Sacrifice
“And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of
thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my
God which doth cost me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24).
There exists no covenant without an altar. Physical altars in the Old
Testament are replaced with persistently defined rhythms in daily life
orchestrated to please God. This can range from fixed timings for family
prayers, regular church attendance and uncompromised personal communion
with the Lord – your secret place, His sweetest place to wrap you with
His love and blessings!

5. The Laws of God
“For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my
kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my
peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee” (Isaiah 54:10).
God’s Grace does not deny God’s laws. The power of God’s Grace is to be
utilized to grow in holiness and righteousness, hence aligning our
motives to His, who gave up His life to bring about a new creation in
whom righteousness and holiness are reinstated as in the days of Eden
(Ephesians 4:24). Though the enemy may attack us from all dimensions,
His Grace is enough for us to continue in His holiness and
righteousness, enabling us to remain wrapped in the garment of His
praise.

Covenants-
A bond made
For His love to 
Seep to the deep
Depths of  my being
To own me in my
Heart, mind and soul
To bring His health to my
Thoughts, desires and existence

Gave up He His all
So will I henceforth 
That the power of His strength
Shall prosper me in whole

Praise be to God

Romans 16:20
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”

 

This powerful verse starts with a salutation that no other power can boast of. As children of this God, peace is our portion – as it says in another Bible verse that our God is the source of peace that passes all understanding. What an encouragement to start with!

Satan has made several attack on God’s creation, starting from the Garden of Eden. This verse is a reminder of the vow that God had made when right after the great fall, He said that the son of man will crush Satan under his feet. This is a verse that can give us, Christ’s followers an immense encouragement in knowing that our enemy has already been defeated by our God.

We can continue our journey on earth with the blessed assurance that we are already on the victor’s side.

Luke 12:32
“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”

 

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom
There are so many things that we are anxious of and afraid of such as death by persecution, public shame, basic physical needs. All through the bible, we read again and again , “Do not fear” as fear keeps popping up again and again into even the best of us. This is mainly because we think of God as someone who is busy, has to look into the concerns of the whole world. We sometimes feel God may be angry with us, has not forgotten or forgiven our previous sins or there could be more pious people that God is more bothered about.

 

Well this verse puts an end to these thoughts and confusions as the verse speaks about God’s mind and His nature. The verse says that it is His wish and He wants to give the kingdom to His people just like how a father toils all through his life to give the best for his children and gives everything freely. The main reason to give is His love. His love made Him to look for an option to save us, only love made Jesus come to this world and lay down His life, there was no force behind it.

 

We may at times feel, low, less, not worthy, or weak in front of others, but our Father is not bothered about all these factors at all. He considers Himself as our Father and we are His children. Our Father is optima of compassion, grace, kindness and at the same time righteous. The verse emphasis that it is the God’s good pleasure to give the kingdom of God. He sees no reason to keep it back. He will also use all His power to take care of us because we are precious to Him. Hence, He calls “Little flock with affection & care” as He know we are little in size, strength, wisdom, righteousness, and love. It is the Father’s good pleasure to give it to his little flock, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived”.