Author: Promise

Promise Tewogbola is a Christian, a writer, a behavioral economic researcher and an author of several books. He has a master's degree in Public Health and a Ph.D. in Applied Psychology.

What Happens When God Chastises You (Part 1)

Let’s assume for a moment that you have a child that you told to stay indoors while you quickly went out to fix an outing later in the day. Let’s also assume that you’ve provided everything imaginable – food, toys, power supply, games, and so on – just for the comfort of the child. All you just want the child to do is to remain indoors while you went out to prepare for a splendid day for the two of you.

Suppose the child gets out of the house and one thing leads to another and he ends up getting injured and badly bruised, what would be your first reaction be when you see your child wounded outside the house?

Would you fold your arms and laugh at your child’s bad state?

Would you tell him something like, ‘I hope you’ve learnt your lesson’?

Really, I don’t expect you to react that way.

I suppose that majority of parents (and prospective parents) would pick the child up, clean him and dress his wounds.

While we are not ignorant of the fact that there are some parents that would fold their arms and mock their children, that would be the exception, rather than the rule.

No normal parent would derive pleasure from his/her ward’s pains.

Don’t forget, we were created in God’s Image and Likeness and it’s very possible to deduce some aspects of God’s Nature from our actions.

So, if an imperfect human parent won’t derive joy from his/her child’s pain, do you really believe that the Perfect God would derive joy from inflicting diseases, sicknesses and calamities on His erring children, just to teach them sense?

The answer is ‘No’. It’s simply not consistent with His Nature!

God will never use calamity, diseases, pestilences or death to chastise or teach us a lesson. Every good and perfect gift is from God (James 1:17) and God is the Master at doing good (Psalms 85:12). The Good God would never use bad evil to try us (James 1:13). That picture is totally discordant with His Nature. It’s just not Who He is!

I remember sharing this with a friend who replied,

“Promise, people are so used to seeing Jesus as the Lamb. They’ve forgotten that He’s the Lion of the tribe of Judah”

Yes and Amen! I agree.

However, if you’re trying to use that truth to buttress your position that the Father (in His Lionlike wrath) would use sickness and calamity to chastise and teach you sense…then, we must have messed up our theology at some point.

Now, someone may be wondering why the Israelites were judged with pestilence and disasters in the Old Testament.

Good question.

In the Old Testament, God’s wrath was revealed fully against man, because his spirit was dead and he couldn’t decipher the effects that sin was having on him. Hence, in the Old Covenant, the only way God could make man understand His displeasure with sin was to reveal His wrath against sin fully!

However, in the New Testament, particularly after the death and resurrection of Christ, God is no longer angry with mankind!

Why?

Simple. ALL wrath has been poured on Christ at Calvary.

Romans 5:9 says,

“Much more then, being now justified by His Blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him”

We are saved from wrath because Jesus Christ has appeased the wrath of the Father on the cross by His Blood!

Consider Isaiah 53:10-11,

“It pleased the LORD to bruise Him. He shall see the travail of His Soul and be satisfied…”

God is not pouring His anger on Mankind – that anger has been appeased by the suffering on Christ on the cross.

TO BE CONTINUED…

The Priority List

There was a time I needed to forward the manuscript of my forthcoming book to a highly respected role model. Getting her phone number was pretty straightforward, so was getting her email address.

After attaching my manuscript to a short email and sending it, you can imagine my surprise the next day when my role model told me that she didn’t receive the mail.

I resent the mail. Three times.

That was the point that I discerned that my recipient had a kind of ‘Prioritizing Software’. You see, that application controlled the flow of emails into my recipient’s inbox in order of priority.

My point is this: There was no way my recipient would see the email I sent until she tweaked her settings to place mails from me on the high priority list.

Now, this revelation got me meditating.

Could there really be a spiritual ‘Prioritizing Application’ that regulates the time it takes for us to receive the manifestations of our prayer requests?

Matthew 7:7 says,

‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you’

Yet, it is obvious that many believers are asking, seeking and knocking, without seeing the desired manifestations.

The reason?

In the order of the kingdom, God’s Word has the highest priority level!

In so many different aspects of the Bible, you’d find out the premium that is placed on the Word is very high. So high that God’s ranks His Word above His Name (Psalms 138:2). And just in case you’ve forgotten, everything created is subject to the Name of Jesus. Yet, God prefers you standing on His Word rather than you religiously shouting Jesus’ Name seven times while praying!!!

Yet, when many pray, they do not pray Word-based prayers. James 4:3 explains better,

‘Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts’

Whenever you pray selfish, lust-based prayers, they are all heard by God. He recieves them. The prayer gets before the throne of grace!

But such prayers are ranked very low in terms of Kingdom priorities.

On the other hand, if you want your prayer to be ranked high on Heaven’s priority lists, all you have to do is to find out what God has to say about your situation, and let that form the basis of your prayers.

Instead of you praying, ‘Father, please make me prosperous, rich and famous, in Jesus’ Name’…you can personalize Psalms 92:12 by saying, ‘I shall florish like a palm tree. I shall be fruitful and prosperous in anything I lay my hands to do. I shall fulfil purpose. Everything that God has put into me shall manifest. In Jesus’ Name I’ve prayed’.

I’ve come to realize that the entire world was created by God’s Words and is held in place by the integrity of His Word (Hebrews 1:3).

God’s Word is laced with integrity and the day He says something He doesn’t mean, the whole world would self-destruct!

When you use God’s Word to pray, you are sure of seeing the manifestations of your desired results. God’s Words are infallable and prayers laced with His Words are fail-proof!

Are you in a tight scenario where you need God to come through?

Get into the Word, and get into God’s high priority list as you pray God’s perspective about your situation into manifestation.

The Word At Quantum Level

During the course of the Christmas break last year, my fascination with quantum mechanics took a quantum leap.

For the uninitiated, quantum mechanics is a branch of physics that deals with the nature of matter at subatomic levels. ‘Subatomic’ implying sizes that are billions of times smaller than that of invisible atoms and electrons.

The funny thing is that I never really cared about Physics at any point in my life prior to December last year. I had always considered the subject kind of vague and abstract and it never seemed to interest me.

However, that changed last year when I was reminded of a concept of quantum mechanics referred to as the ‘Wave-Particle Duality of Matter’. In simple terms, it means that at quantum levels, matter can either exist as a wave or a particle, but not as both at the same time.

You see, whenever the subatomic components of matter is manifested as a wave, it is actually a probability pattern of where the subatomic component is most likely to be found. To get this idea, let’s assume that I am holding a ball which I intend to put into one of 10 square boxes in front of me. Now, while the ball is still in my hand, all the boxes have an equal chance of being picked, despite the fact that none of them physically has the ball in them. In the same way, at subatomic levels, matter exists simply as a wave of probability or potential of where it would most likely be found.

The whole story suddenly changes when an observer decides to observe this wave of probability/potential, because the subatomic matter would crystallize to form a particle at the exact point that was observed!!!

Now, I’m fully aware that some of you would roll your eyes and call this hogwash.

It’s not! All I’ve shared with you is practical science, with results that have been repeated in the labs, time and time again!

How then does all these relate to the Word?

Good question!

Hebrews 4:12 says, ‘For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword…’

The Word of God is a Living Force, full of unimaginable amounts of Life, Power, Wisdom, Direction, Understanding and Insights. However, just as in the Wave Property of Matter in Quantum Mechanics, that Direction, Power, Wisdom, Life or Insight that you need per time only exists in the form of potential that cannot be of any benefit to you….

…unless you observe it!

In the same way a wave would crystallize to form a particle wherever the observer looks, the Word you need to turn your life around for the better would crystallize anywhere you observe in the Word.

2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that ALL Scripture is inspired by God. This implies that every single part of the Bible – including the ‘boring parts’ and the genealogies – is backed up by God’s Inspiration and Power. Every single page of the Bible has the power to change your life…if only you’d pick it up and read!

It’s so simple. It’s so profound.

Are you looking for a Word from God? Perhaps you’re waiting for another person to speak into your life, while you have your Bible under your armpit. Awake and stir yourself up. Take responsibility for your life and get your Bible. Observe the pages of the Word, and watch spiritual possibilities crystallizing into the physical realities you desire to see in your life!

Samson: A Man Of Faith

In the popular Faith’s Hall of Fame found in Hebrews 11, there’s a surprising entrant that seemed kind of out of place.

For years, I battled with the idea of Samson being counted as one of the heroes of faith.

Seriously, it didn’t make any sense to my little church mind.

Religion had taught me that Samson was a moral and character failure that had a lot of biceps, but very little brains.

But, I believe that Samson’s name wouldn’t have occured in Hebrews 11, if he didn’t have a particular trait of faith that the Holy Spirit wanted to pass across to us.

However, I’ve found some interesting answers that I’d share shortly.

First of all, I don’t believe that Samson was a physically imposing figure.

But what of the comics?

For once, forget the comics and movies depicting Samson as a muscular guy with bulging biceps and a 6-pack abs.

Astonishing, right? Stay with me…

You see, when it comes to describing the physical attributes of individuals, the Bible is quite explicit about it.

For example, Saul was a head and shoulder taller than all the Israelites of his day (1 Samuel 10:23); while Zacchaeus was extremely short (Luke 19:3); and 2 Samuel 23:20 refers to the two lionlike men of Moab. By the way, Vashti (Esther 1:11) and Rachel (Genesis 29:17) were very, very, very beautiful.

My point is this: If Samson had been a muscular specimen of a man, the Bible would have mentioned it!

And since the Bible was silent about Samson’s physical attributes, it’s safe to say that he was a very ordinary-looking guy. The Bible was also silent about Jesus’ physical looks…but that’s a matter for another day.

It’s important that we understand this, because it’s key to our understanding how Samson could be an example of faith to us.

Now, Judges 13 tells us the story of the circumstances surrounding Samson’s birth. His parents had received the revelation from the angel of the Lord, and they were given specific instructions on how he would be brought up as a Nazarene because he would be used to deliver their nation from their enemies.

Again, Samson was not yet born when the angel visited his parents with God’s Word about his life and destiny as a deliverer. Yet, Samson could walk in supernatural strength for one single reason.

His parents told him about God’s Word concerning his destiny!

Of course, his parents told him, what’s the big deal?

Well, Romans 10:17 tells us the implication of that truth,

‘So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God’

That’s what made Samson a man of faith.

Samson had no physical sign that could indicate to him that he was going to be a great deliverer filled with supernatural strength. He had no angel appear to him, neither did he see a glory cloud or feel a goose bump…

All that Samson had was the Word from the angel of the Lord that his Mama had told him!

It was that Word that was manifested when Samson tore a lion like a baby goat (Judges 14:6).

That same Word caused Samson to tear out the gates of Gaza (Judges 16:3).

That same Word provided the wisdom that Samson used in catching 300 foxes, pairing them by their tails and putting a burning stick between the tails (Judges 15:4).

That Word came to Samson by hearing God’s Word about him, as his parents told him!

Samson was able to look at things that were not seen with the eyes of faith – created by the Word. He was able to call things that are not as though they were, because somehow, Samson got to know that he did not need to see large biceps and triceps, complete with well-developed pects and 6-pack abs to match, before God could use him mightily.

Samson didn’t need any of this. His parents had told him that he would be the deliverer of Israel. Samson believed, and the Spirit of God could move him as He willed.

Friend, Samson may not have been an epitome of excellence when it came to moral matters. But, in terms of having a crazy faith in God’s Word concerning his life, very few can trump Samson’s attitude.

Has God spoken His Mind concerning your destiny? Emulate Samson – a man of faith!

Rejoicing When Passing Through

If there’s anything we need to rehearse in our minds over and over again, it is this:

God loves you and He has your best interests at heart.

The oft quoted Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God knows the thoughts that He thinks towards us. He says they are thoughts of peace and not evil.

We have to come to the point where we know in the very core of our hearts that God wants the best for us.

3 John 2 tells us that God wants us to prosper and be in good health, even as our souls prospers.

If we are able to reach the point where our minds come into agreement with the truth of unconditional God’s love for us that is already in our spirits, we would be able to respond appropriately when challenging situations arise.

Consider what Paul said to the Phillipians: ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice’ (Phillipians 4:4).

We would find it easy to rejoice in the Lord if, and only if, we have settled the matter of God’s unconditional love for us in our hearts!

Now, despite the fact that as believers, we have settled the matter of God’s love in our hearts, we would still have some ‘passing through’ moments that creates in us more questions than answers.

The reasons are not too far-fetched:

First of all, we still live in a fractured, sin-affected world under the bondage of corruption (Romans 8:22). This is where we live in, despite not being citizens of the world (John 14:16).

Secondly, we live among people in the world who by their actions give the devil and his demons the right of way in their lives. This is consistent with Romans 6:16,

‘Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey’

People are yielding themselves to the devil on a consistent basis, and as a result, they become devil-controlled and would never promote the course of God’s kingdom. Rather, they antagonize God’s perfect plan.

But in spite of all these, we can still thank God, because He causes us to always triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14). The devil tries to take his best shot at us, using the sin-corrupted world and the actions of devil-controlled people. Yet, God is able to turn these situations into something beneficial for us.

Matthew 5:10-12 makes us understand that despite the fact that the devil would inspire people to persecute believers, it would still end in the great inheritance of the kingdom of Heaven…starting from this side of eternity!

The Pharisees in Acts 5:40-42 were evidently not led by the Spirit of God. As there’s no equilibrium in the realm of the spirit, if you’re not Spirit-led, you’re devil-led! So, these Pharisees yielded themselves as tools to the devil for the persecution of the apostles. Yet, the disciples chose to maintain the correct perspective, choosing to see themselves walk in the great reward of the kingdom of heaven. They chose to revel in the love of God, and as a result, they found more strength to go on the offensive for the kingdom.

Friend, God doesn’t tempt with evil (James 1:13), but when temptations and trials do arise, God is able to use it to build patience in us. Patience is simply faith sustained over a longer period of time. And the good news is that when patience has had its perfect work, there’s no limit to what we can believe God for by faith (James 1:2-4).

Once we are convinced in our hearts by our consciences and by the Holy Spirit (Romans 9:1) that whatever sufferings, trials or temptations that we are going through at the moment is not caused by a door we’ve opened through sin (John 5:14) or because we’ve stepped out of God’s grace and Perfect Will in disobedience (2 Corinthiains 2:10-11), then we can rest in God’s love that whatever we’re passing through at the moment would end in joy unspeakable.

With the right mindset, we can rejoice in the Lord always and taunt the devil; telling him that, if he had known the great work that God was using that particular situation to do in your life, he wouldn’t have brought up the challenge in the first place!

God is the master of doing good (Psalms 85:12) and whatever circumstance we may find ourselves in, would always be turned around for our good. With this at the back of our minds, we can boldly say, ‘All things work together for good to them that love God…’

Wanna Receive From God? Here’s How (Part 3)

Do you remember the story involving Jesus and Lazarus’ sisters in John 11?

In the previous installments of this particular topic, I remember sharing with you how having an understanding of God’s love for you, and taking God’s Word as your ultimate reality could go a long way in positioning you for receiving from God.

Let’s revisit the story to see what more we can glean from it.

John 11:6 says,

‘…He abode two days still in the same place where He was’

That may look like an ordinary verse…but it contains the very heart of what I’m trying to communicate to you.

When you consider the fact that the original Greek manuscript, in which the New Testament was first written in, had no commas…look at what one comma would do to that verse….

So, instead of having: He abode two days still in the same place He was….

We now have: He abode two days STILL, in the same place He was….

That verse is telling us more than the mere fact that Jesus continued to stay in the same place He was for two days.

No, what that verse is saying is that Jesus stayed STILL for two days.

STILL…as in, calm in His Mind!

Hmmn…I see a lot of folks rolling their eyes!

You see, while He was on earth, Jesus was 100% Divine and 100% Human.

He was in every sense like us.

He slept, cried, got tired, got hungry, got thirsty, and so on!

Because of this, it’s my belief that Jesus must have felt strong emotions for the sick Lazarus and his sisters. Furthermore, I believe He must have been very eager to go down to Bethany and get Lazarus healed.

I think that’s the whole significance of John 11:5 which tell us that Jesus deeply loved Martha and her siblings.

However, if Jesus had made a move to get to Bethany instantly, it would have been a merely impulsive emotional response, rather than the leading of the Spirit!

Does this mean that emotions are evil?

No. They aren’t.

In fact, like your imagination, your emotions can be a tool that could glorify God…when used appropriately.

Jesus Himself was often moved with compassion before He ministered healing, provision and deliverance (Matthew 9:36, Mark 5:19, Luke 7:13 are a few examples).

The problem is just that when your emotions become your life’s driving force, you are at risk of totally missing out on God!

That, my friend, is not good enough.

I believe Jesus had to stay two days in the same place, so that He’d be solely led by the Spirit.

Another thing I should add here is that the fact that Jesus stayed still (calm) in the same place did not mean that He disconnected Himself from all that was going on around Him. It doesn’t mean that Jesus became a monk or hermit.

Rather, it simply means that Jesus didn’t allow His emotions drive Him around. I believe He chose to be Spirit-led and Spirit-conscious, even as He was interacting with His disciples and associates for two whole days.

You might be wondering how all these applies to you.

It’s simple: Don’t be dominated by your emotions!

God has empowered you to be in charge of your emotions.

You have to bring your emotions under your control.

Before you met Christ, your emotions reigned over your entire conduct.

But once you gave your life to Christ, you became a new creation! The old has passed away, and now you can rein your emotions by the power that’s at work within you.

Isaiah 26:3 says, ‘You will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee’.

When your mind (will, emotions and intellect) is totally established on God and subject to the Spirit, you will find it easier to let the perfect peace of God position you to receive from Him.

It’s that simple.

It’s A New Year: Get Understanding

It’s with great pleasure that I welcome you to this brand new year. Indeed God has been faithful to us and we give Him all the glory for what He has done, what He is doing, and what He is set to do in our lives, both collectively and individually.

As we embark on the journey into the new year, I’ve come to realize that understanding would be a key for the uplifting of many this year.

What then is understanding?

Understanding is a supernatural discernment and perception of reality from God’s point of view. It is the experience of knowing and identifying whatever, whoever and wherever God’s Presence has vetted per time.

The truth is that by understanding, you cannot be confounded, depressed, confused or at a loss this year. Why? You have the benefit of a supernaturally elevated perception – one that is backed by the very breath of God.

By understanding, you are tuned into the dynamics of the spirit and your comprehension of actions, events and intentions becomes razor-sharp.

To me, the most outstanding feature of understanding is that it is applicable to EVERY aspect of your life. That includes your physical well-being, career, social life, relationships, spiritual walk with God, emotional intelligence, financial health and so on.

Proverbs 8:9 says, ‘They are ALL plain to him that understandeth’

Understanding makes all things plain to an individual.

Understanding is all-encompassing.

When it’s in full manifestation in your life, you understand the ways and timings of God, you undestand people, and you understand things.

Therefore, this year:

1. Apply your heart to understanding (Proverbs 2:2)

Your heart is the core of your being, as an individual. It’s where your values, principles and worldview are developed. That core is the seat of understanding. By applying your heart, you are attached to understanding – to the point of spiritual and emotional involvement. The truth is that you cannot and will not grasp understanding, if your heart is not involved. The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart. No heart involvement, no understanding! The goodnews is that the more you apply your heart, the more you experience a phenomenon called ‘largeness of heart’ (1 Kings 4:29) which means that your capacity for understanding is even stretched more.

2. Lift up your voice for understanding (Proverbs 2:3)

This year, you cannot afford to be ‘gentlemanly’ in matters concerning understanding. You must not be ashamed of your need to get understanding. Shout for it. Cling to God in desperation for the manifestation in your life.

3. Bow your ear to understanding (Proverbs 5:1)

Ears that are submissive to the dynamics of understanding are key for its manifestation. The truth is that the hearts of many are hardened, and as a result, their ears cannot be sensitive to understanding. However, if your heart is in the right place, your ears would be sensitive to understanding. And if your ears are sensitive, you’d always hear and understand what others do not! That’s what distinguishes the extraordinary ones from the ordinary.

It’s my heartfelt prayer for you this year that you would not only possess understanding – understanding would also possess you!

Happy New Year.

Wanna Receive From God? Here’s How. (Part 2)

In the last post, I wrote about how love was one of the key ways you can receive from God.

Before I go on to the next point, I need to emphasize on the fact that these keys I’m writing are not to be taken as a ‘3 steps to reach God fast’ or ‘7 ways to make God do as you say’!

Religion preaches laws and rules; God desires relationship. Yet, we are always eager to ‘do’ something to merit receiving from God.

The Father says,
“I want to enjoy you”

We respond,
“I know, so what must I do?”

The thing is, Are there 3 steps you have to take to talk to your earthly dad? Of course not!

What there is, however, is a mindset and disposition that you need to have before you meet him, right?

That’s simply my goal with this post.

The truth is that all 3 keys I’d be sharing are all intertwined within each other. For any one you decide to pick, the other two keys automatically join up by default.

So, without wasting time, let’s move to the second key to receiving from God:

See God’s Word as your utmost reality!

That sounds so simple. Yet, so many of miss it.

In John 11:4, look at what Jesus said regarding Lazarus’ sickness,

“This sickness is not unto death…”

Well, if you’re familiar with the story, you’d find out that Lazarus ACTUALLY died!

So, does that make Jesus a liar?

No!

The thing is that the Word of God is the REAL reality!

See, Jesus had said that Lazarus’ sickness would not lead to death. And that was an unchangeable truth.

Even after Lazarus had physically died, as far as Jesus was concerned, the man was not dead.

Even when Lazarus had been wrapped and placed in the tomb, as far as Jesus was concerned, the man was not dead.

Even when Lazarus was in the tomb for 4 days and 4 nights and had started decaying, as far as Jesus was concerned, Lazarus was not dead!

Here’s why:

Hebrews 1:3 says,

“…and upholding all things by the Word of His Power”

This implies that God holds up the whole created universe by His Word. Meaning that EVERYTHING – man, animals, planets, sun, moon, stars, galaxies – is sustained by the integrity and veracity of God’s Word.

Wow! That’s profound. I really hope you get this.

The whole creation was implemented by the veracity and truthfulness of God’s Word. The reason creation could successfully occur in the first place is because God’s Words are TRUE!

Get this:

The day God lies, all His Creation would self-destruct!

That’s why God cannot lie! (Titus 1:3)

That’s why God does not joke with His Word.

If He has spoken it, it is already a reality!

So, when Jesus said, ‘This sickness is not unto death….’, sincerely speaking, it was not unto death!

Despite the fact that the prevalent circumstances were looking contrary to what Jesus had said, it still was not the real Reality.

Jesus’ Words were!

The truth remains that until you get to the place where you can see God’s Word as your ultimate reality, you’d find it hard to receive from God!

Sincerely.

Unless you start seeing God’s Word as your ultimate reality, you’d remain stuck in your current predicament.

Unless you start seeing God’s Word as your reality, you’d be tossed and swayed to and fro by anything that the devil and your circumstances throw at you!

Now, am I saying that you should live in denial because you want to see God’s Word as reality?

No! Of course not!

Denial is a refusing to acknowledge that the devil or your current circumstances exist.

Denial is living a lie.

Denial is a carnal and philosophical fantasy. It’s not scriptural, because the devil does exist, and we live in a corrupted world, where circumstances and challenges would arise.

On the other hand, seeing God’s Word as your reality means that you choose to focus on the scheme of things FROM GOD’S VIEWPOINT.

That’s very important!

You’re not denying the fact that there are needs to be met, or problems and circumstances to tackle. However, because you are seeing the reality from God’s viewpoint, you can also see the superabundance of provisions available to cater for all your needs.

Consider Genesis 39:2,

“And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man…”

Now if you read the text, you’d find out that Joseph had just been sold to Potiphar by the Ishmaelites.

He had no mother.

No father to rescue him.

Jealous brothers who hated him.

He was probably without any clothes, because slaves were sold naked back then.

Yet, God’s word concerning Joseph was that he was a prosperous man.

Joseph saw himself from God’s viewpoint, regardless of his current challenges or the ones that lay ahead of him.

Joseph was secure in the reality of God’s Word for him…and he ended up becoming the Egyptian Prime Minister.

So, are you in a dire need for change, freedom, relief, provision?

Yes?

Then you really need to stop magnifying your current circumstances or the devil!

Instead, get into God’s Word to see reality from God’s viewpoint.

It’s that simple!

Receive From God: Here’s How (Part One)

It seems like many of us would be willing to do ANYTHING to be able to receive from God on a consistent basis. Whether it is guidance you need for that life-defining decision you’re planning to make or it’s provision you desire for that pressing need in your family, I’ve got good news for you….

God is ALWAYS more than eager to meet you at the point of your need. But the question remains this: Are you able to receive?

As time goes on, I’d be sharing some of the principles (or keys, if you like) that would place you in a position where you can easily receive from ANYTHING from God.

So, let’s start.

The very first key that would place you in a position where you can receive from God is this:

Be assured in your mind that God LOVES you!

That’s simple. Yet, it’s very, very profound.

The truth is that you will never be able to make any demands from your Heavenly Father if you are not secure and assured in His Love!

If you keep seeing the Father as One Who is always watching out for your shortcomings, flaws and faults, you’d never be able to approach His Throne of mercy to obtain grace and mercy.

Is that God’s fault?

Of course not!

It’s my belief that generations of exposure to dead, routine religion has totally blinded us to the fact that God delights in us and desires to have a Father-to-child relationship with us.

Listen, if you can just grasp this point now, you’re already receiving from God!

Consider the message that Lazarus’ sisters sent to Jesus in John 11:3,

“…Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick”

As innocent as that statement may sound, it contains the totality of all I’d be saying in this post.

Note that the message to Jesus was not…

“…Lord, behold, if You had loved him, he would not have been sick”

You know why?

Simple.

Lazarus’ sisters were fullly assured in the deepest core of their being that Jesus loved them!

Did you get the gist?

They were already secure in the Love of Jesus, and that was the reason they were in the perfect position to receive from Jesus.

Note again that Mary and Martha did not tell Jesus…

“…Lord, behold, he who loves you is sick”

They did not put any effort to try and impress Jesus about the warm heart that Lazarus had towards the gospel and the kingdom of God.

Sounds blunt, eh?

But it’s true.

Personally, I think all Christians could learn from this.

We now live in an age where the focus is on what we can ‘do’ for the Lord. We go about impressing people with our zeal and zest for the things of God. We put up such a good performance and pat ourselves on the back on how we are showing our love for God. We even try to hold God to ransom, telling Him things like,

“God, you know I’ve done many things for your Name and Kingdom, so, You have to move in my life NOW”

Please note that I’m not against a display of energy and passion for
the things of God! God forbid.

I just want you to pay attention to your motivation for doing these things. As far as some people are concerned, their public display is a mere selfish bid to earn points with God.

Mary and Martha’s message to Jesus did not contain any of that!

They were totally focused on the love they knew Jesus had for them!

That love did not have anything to do with Lazarus’ presence or absence of requited Love.

That love did not have anything to do with whether or not Mary had put a good religious performance or not.

That love had nothing to do with Mary’s, Martha’s or Lazarus’ input towards Christ’s ministry.

That love was God-initiated and God-inspired!

Little wonder Romans 5:8 says,

“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”

What manner of human love can ever attempt to trump that?

My advice? Don’t even try to trump it. Just follow Mary and Martha’s example and secure yourself in God’s love for you.

Rest in God’s love for you! Don’t even attempt to deserve or earn it, because you can’t!

The thing is that until you get to the point in your heart that you are convinced that the Almighty Creator of the Heavens and the Earth is interested in you, you’d continually find it hard to receive from Him.

Rest and enjoy His Love and see yourself finding it extremely easier to receive all you need from the Father!

That’s not all. Watch out for Part Two of this series.

Grace and Peace.