Leviticus 26:9

“I will look on you with favour and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you.”- Leviticus 26:9

One of the greatest victories of the Cross was the ultimate defeat of sin. And through that defeat Christ made it possible for you and me to walk in the divine favour of God. This favour is not based on anything pertaining to us, but wholly on the kindness and benevolence of our God!

God desires for you to step out and to walk in that divine favour everyday of your life. And you can by believing and activating your faith! And when you do, that same favour will cause you to multiply and to experience increase in every area of your life.

Go on, I dare you to!

Proverbs 15:24

The path of life leads upward for the wise- Proverbs 15:24

The followers of Jesus were never called to mediocrity. That’s why we should never let the world and all its negative events get us down. Christians know how to be up in a down world. And they can do that because they are citizens of the Kingdom of God.

Yes, there are challenges, but the Bible is full of examples of men and women who had to face many struggles.

Caleb had to endure 40 years of wandering in the wilderness with the children of Israel before he staked his claim in the Promised Land.

Despite his age of 80 he chose the toughest mountain area because he was a man of faith and he had a “different spirit” he had a spirit of excellence.

Daniel had to face death because of his faith in God, but it was said of him that he had an “excellent spirit”. King Solomon’s wisdom excelled that of all others.

You and I are called to be above every situation and circumstance because we have the Holy Spirit living in us and the Word of God that inspire our faith to conquer every giant that may oppose us.

1 Samuel 17:25

Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied-  1 Samuel 17:45 (NKJV).

We all probably know the story of David and Goliath and how the young shepherd boy who was to become king, killed the giant. It’s one of the great events of the Old Testament, but it has a very real lesson for us today. We all have our giants that threaten us from time to time.

It may be a giant of sickness, or financial lack, or a family breakdown that threatens you, but you can slay your giant. When David ran out onto the battlefield all he had was a sling and five stones that were no match against the heavily armoured Goliath.

But David had something more powerful than any earthly weapon; he came in the “name of the Lord”.

And that’s the way to face our giants – in the name of Jesus and with the Word of God in our mouths. But to slay our giants we need to spend time in God’s presence and time reading and meditating on the promises of God. Don’t find yourself on the battlefield of life empty handed in the spiritual sense.

But be prepared to confront your giant with the name of Jesus on your lips and faith in the authority of God’s Word that every foe must bow its knee, whether sickness, lack or any other giant that may confront you and me. 

Proverbs 13:20

"He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed."- Proverbs 13:20 (NKJV) 

Last week we spoke about the power of consistency and how it’s the little things you do each and every day that count. But it’s not just being consistent that matters.

No, it’s being consistent about doing the right things with the right people. Do you know that the people that you hang out with will largely determine whether your life is fruitful or not.

The Word tells us that if we walk with wise people then their wise influence will rub off on us and we, too, will be wise. I have discovered that there are four types of people that will have a positive influence on your life;

(i) Those who are passionate about what they do; passionate people more often than not, have a “can do” attitude towards life.

(ii) Those who are happy about what they do; happy people are positive people.

(iii) Those who are always eager to learn about what they do; there is always something more and new to learn each and every day.

(iv) Those who never stop dreaming; dreamers are more loyal to their future than they are to their past.

So, let’s choose our friends wisely, because like buttons on an elevator, they can either take you up or down. And I’d prefer to go up!

Romans 5:20

“…But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more...”- Romans 5:20 (NKJV)

I don’t know about you but when you pick up newspapers and listen to the news, everything seems to have a negative and “doomy gloomy” connotation to it.

You could surmise that, pretty much, this world and with all that’s happening, is in a bad place. And to add to this fatalistic mix, it’s almost as if, what’s right is wrong and what’s wrong is now right.

There are those that would conclude that it’s because we’re in the so called “last days” of this age and that from here on out, “things will just get progressively worse and worse.”

But I beg to differ.

I do believe that the “last days,” is not about calamity and disaster but actually about the glory of God covering the whole earth.

It’s about you and me witnessing the greatest outpouring of God’s Spirit like it’s never been seen before.

This is the finest hour of the Church and there has never been a more opportune moment for you and me to rise up and do what God called has called us to do.

Jesus is coming back - not for a defeated Church - but for a victorious and glorious Church.

But until that time arrives, let’s busy ourselves with winning the lost and seeing people encounter this amazing God we serve!

After all, the only thing that we can take one day to heaven with us is people.

Matthew 4:4

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."- Matthew 4:4 (NKJV)

Just as we are sustained in the natural by the physical food that we consume on a daily basis, so too in the spirit.

The Israelites were sustained by the manna that they acquired on a daily basis.

The priests were sustained by light from candlesticks, bread from the table of shewbread and incense from the altar of incense. 

This is what gave them strength to fulfil their daily functions and activities around the Tabernacle of Moses. 

As a young shepherd boy, David spent time with the Lord while on the hills of Jerusalem and cultivated an appetite for both God’s word and His presence. 

No wonder he was able to slay the bear, the lion and a 2.7 (9ft) metre tall giant.
He finally went on to become one of Israel’s finest kings!

And you know, right through the ages, nothing much has changed.

Still today, we are sustained and strengthened by God’s word and by the time we spend daily in His presence.

If we want to conquer our giants and fulfil the plans and purposes that God has for our lives, then this is what we simply must do.

I know that there are times when life can be somewhat hectic and in the business of it all, we miss out on these very special moments.

Notwithstanding, these moments are very precious to God.

Because, it’s in these moments that God gets to whisper His sweet secrets to us, sweet secrets that proceed from the heart of God.

And these words, which are wrapped up with His goodness and benevolence, help us conquer every giant that comes our way to fulfil His plans and purposes.

Psalm 62:11

“God as spoken once, twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God.”- Psalm 62:11 (NKJV)

Because all power belongs to God, He has all the supernatural ability that we need. 
There is no short supply in Heaven.
There is no limitation with Him.
There is no recession in Heaven.
This awesome God that we serve has ALL that you will ever need..

I don’t care what you are facing right now, or how difficult it may seem. 
Maybe it’s terribly painful for you?
Maybe you are facing disappointment? 
Perhaps you’ve been wounded and let down and discouragement has its tight grip on your life. 
Perhaps today, you are in a bad place and don’t know which way to turn.

Listen to me friend, turn to God and come just as you are and give Him your problems.
God can supernaturally turn your situation around. 
In just a moment, He can do it. That is the confidence I have in Him. 

You ask, how can you say that?
Because all power belongs to Him and because I’ve personally seen Him do it time and time again. He’s never let me down. He’s never failed me yet.
And I’m nobody special; I’m just an ordinary person like you.
And if God can do it for me, then He can do it for you.

1 John 3:8

“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”- 1 John 3:8 (NKJV)

God’s one purpose for sending His only Son to earth is wrapped up in Calvary.
And when we take away or diminish Calvary, we take away and diminish His purpose for humanity.

When we take away and diminish the Cross, we render the Cross “barely able.”
My friend, I want you to know, that there is nothing “barely able” about the Cross.

Jesus was not barely crucified. Instead He was wholly, cruelly and brutally murdered on that Cross, so that He who knew no sin was MADE to know the fullness of our sins.

And then God, by His Spirit was not barely able to raise Him back to life. Instead, by the full might of God He was resurrected with such force and power that He completely and utterly defied and conquered death, hell and the grave!

Because of what Jesus accomplished, the good news is that there is nothing barely able about you and me.

Instead we are more than able to do all things because of that same Spirit that indwells you and me.

We are more than able to share God’s love with others.
We are more than able to pray for the sick and see them healed.
We are more than able to take that position in the corporate world and succeed. 
We are more than able to be that parent that God called us to be.
We are more than able to prosper, so we in turn can be a blessing to others.
We are more than able to win others to Jesus and see them discipled for the Lord.
We can because we are more then able through Christ!

John 14:12

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."            John 14:12 (NKJV)

It is very clear from this verse that we are to do the same works that Jesus did whilst on this earth.And what exactly did Jesus do? He preached, He taught, He healed the sick and He delivered people from the oppression of the devil.

Jesus is our example, and He, forever, will be our example. We emulate Him and do as He did in all things.

But how did Jesus do all of this? By the enabling power of the Holy Ghost!

You will remember that at the river Jordan, not only was He water baptized and affirmed by the Father, but He also received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

And because of this, He was able to confront and overwhelm the powers of darkness during His time in the wilderness.

I do believe with all my heart that the only way we can do the works of Jesus and even “greater” works, is by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.

If Jesus needed the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, then how much more you and I?

Acts 6:8

"And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people" - Acts 6:8 (NKJV)

I always enjoy reading about Stephen especially when it comes to this one verse.
I think it’s because he was just an ordinary man, who had been chosen to serve in the church.
And yet what a powerful ministry he had.

He was a man full of faith and power and his life was a living manifestation of signs, wonders and miracles!

The God-kind of faith will always translate into the power of God resulting in the lost being saved, the sick being healed and people being delivered and set free from the powers of darkness.

And without a doubt, this is the kind of gospel that the world needs today.

The point I want to make is, that your faith and God’s power are inextricable linked.
And when you know this, there can be no limit to what God’s power can do in and through your life.

If God could use a man like Stephen to demonstrate His power, then He can use you.