While Men Slept The Enemy Sowed Tares

Why is there so much wickedness and trouble in this world now? Why are situations getting worse instead of better? These are questions which if you are able to identify and adhere to their answers, your life and destiny will take a new turn for the better.  This post aims at answering these questions.

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way – Matthew 13:25 (NKJV)

Tremble, you women who are at ease; be troubled, you complacent ones; strip yourselves, make yourselves bare, and gird sackcloth on your waists. People shall mourn upon their breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine….until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is counted as a forest - Isaiah 32:11-15 (NKJV, emphasis mine).

When God created the world, everything was very good (Genesis 1:31), but when sin came in (through Adam’s disobedience), everything started changing from very good to worse. The more the iniquity on earth the more things will become worse.

What can be done to change the situation?

Jesus Christ gave us the answer in Matthew 13:25: while men were sleeping, the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. That is while men were spiritually sleeping, the enemy the devil came and sowed iniquities that gave rise to troubles and chaos everywhere. And the more they remain asleep, the more freedom he has to do more evil.

There is a strong need for men to cease being at ease and complacent about what is happening and choose to take the responsibility to call down the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on earth in prayers so that wilderness will become a fruitful field and the fruitful field be counted a forest (Isaiah 32:11-15).

A fervent prayer of faith avails much (James 5:15-16). Prayer of faith will always ward off the enemy and instill the will of God (which is always for your good) on earth. The more you pray, the farther away the enemy from your territory, and vice versa.

Why you must pray

You may wonder why God won’t just stop the enemy instead of you praying. The truth is that God can’t stop the devil expect you pray. Man is in charge on earth (Genesis 1:28). What he says stands, what he allows stays, whom he invites comes. So, just like the enemy was invited initially by Adam (Genesis 3, Luke 4:5-6) and is still welcomed on earth through man’s thoughts, words and actions; so also, God needs to be invited before He can manifest on earth.  Read more...

 

He Cried And They Did Not Hear

Have you ever cried to God and it is as if He didn’t hear? If it is true, what could be the problem? God is not deaf, so if your cry seems not answered there must be a reason. This post explains one of the reasons why God would not hear you.

Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts – Zechariah 7:13 (KJV)

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded – James 4:8 (NKJV)

A one-sided love will not produce the best in a relationship. When one person is the only one giving in a relationship, a day will come when he will cease to give. So also, in your relationship with God, He says draw near to Me and I will draw near to you (James 4:8); take one step towards me and I will take steps towards you. Make a move to please God and He will surely make a move to please you; give to God and He will give to you, and you know that when you give God with your little hand, He will give you with His big hand.

Interestingly, God has taken the first step towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, God gave His only Son to die for us that whosoever believes will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16, Romans 5:8). Now, God expects you to take your own step towards Him.

God, in the scriptures, has given us His expectations of us, things He would want us to be doing and there too He has promised to release great blessings to us for obeying His instructions. Also, in the scriptures, the Lord has tabled His heartbeats and passion, such that whoever causes them to be fulfilled touches His heart and certainly enjoys overwhelming favours from God. Read more...

The Unfailing Great Provider

Do you worry how your needs will be met? Do you have a deadline ahead of you and you are afraid you won't be able to meet up with your financial obligations or agreement. I have good news! You need not worry or fear, for there is one who is more than able to supply all your needs and on time.

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus - Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)

Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? - Jeremiah 32:27 (NKJV)

The almighty God, is the unfailing great provider, His riches are unlimited and the universe is at His beck and call to ensure that He delivers on time. He is never late and there is nothing hard for Him!

There is no need that you may have now that God cannot supply. The obstacles between you and your answered prayers are doubt and unbelief. God has proven times without number in the scriptures, in people's lives and even in your own life that He is more than able to meet all your needs. If you can believe all things are possible to you - Mark 9:23. With men, it may be impossible but not with God for all things are possible to God - Mark 10:27

Let's look at some scriptural examples of God's provision:

After Elijah proclaimed drought in Israel, he went and stayed by Brook Cherith and God sent a raven to feed him with bread and meat morning and evening till the brook dried up because of no rain. Then God sent him to the woman of Zarephath who fed him with a handful of flour and little oil that never finished - 1 Kings 17:1-16. Also, when Elijah was running away from Jezebeel, God sent an angel to feed him with baked cake and water twice, enough to keep him for forty days and forty nights - 1 Kings 19:5-8. God can supply your needs from anywhere and by anything or any person.

Furthermore, when the temple tax collectors inquired from Peter whether Jesus pays tax, Jesus asked Peter to go and collect the money from the mouth of the first fish he catches. Peter went and truly there was money in the mouth of the fish, which he used to pay his tax and the Lord's tax as He instructed - Matthew 17:24-27. And when Jesus was faced with the challenge of feeding five thousand men, besides women and children, he fed them with only two fishes and five loaves - Matthew 14:13-21 Read more...

How To Prevail In Prayer

Only those who prevail in prayers prevail in life and only those who travail ever prevail in the altar of prayers. Prevailing prayers require that you engage your entire being in prayers. It is a process of invoking divine intervention in prayers

Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children – Isaiah 66:7-8 (KJV)

…the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months – James 5:16-17 (KJV)

Many people are praying but few are prevailing and returning with their testimonies. It takes prevailing in prayer to have dominion over that challenge in your life. And knowing how to travail in prayer empowers you to prevail at all times.

How to prevail in prayers

1. Engage your heart to provoke divine intervention

Travail begins from the heart. It is pouring your soul unto the Lord. Engaging your heart will result in explosive answered prayers. Hannah poured her soul unto the Lord and God remembered her and she received Samuel. Her mouth was not moving but her heart was fully engaged, (1 Samuel 1:13-19) 

2. It takes groaning in the Spirit to travail in prayers

This is engaging the help of the Holy Spirit in prayers. He makes intercession for saints with groaning and according to the will of God, (Romans 8:26-28). And when you pray according to the will of God, He hears you and grants you the petitions that you desired of Him, 1 John 5:14-15. The ultimate purpose of groaning is a supernatural change of level in life. Read more...

How to pray when your prayer must be answered

Answering prayers is what God wants to be doing for His children. He said in Matt 7:7,”Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”  (NKJV) Furthermore, to prove His willingness to answer all our prayers, He said in Matt 7:1,”if ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”. (NKJV) As a child does not need to do anything special for his father to meet his needs, so also we do not need to do anything special for our father in heaven to meet our needs.

However, the challenge is that many do not see God as their father, but as that man up there in heaven waiting to hit us with the sledge hammer any time we do wrong. If this were so, we would all be gone by now. He is merciful and loving, bearing our weaknesses and sometimes chastises us so we can be better children. An understanding of the father – child relationship between us and God will eliminate the tension, doubts and fears that crowd our minds when we approach God in prayers. We ought to come with confidence, with expectation to receive whatsoever we ask of God. This is assuming your position as a child not as a servant. God is a good God and Father.

Murmuring and complaining, coupled with anxiety also limit answers to prayers. We are expected to approach God with thanksgiving, reminding Him of His words concerning those issues that need His intervention. In the multitude of words that we say to God in prayer, God is itching to hear us declare His words (scriptures) back to Him. God says in Isaiah 43:26 that we should put Him in remembrance that we may be justified. Christ, when He was tempted in the wilderness, overcame the devil by declaring what was written in the scriptures concerning the temptations presented by the devil. Therefore, it’s not ‘how many words’ but ‘what words’ were declared in prayers that matters. Read more...

What Is Prayer Altar? (Part Two)

How long you stay in God's presence determines the results you get. The prayer altar enables you to dwell in the Lord's presence and enjoy the wonders of His presence. It is the express access to all that God can ever give to man.


He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him - Psalm 91:15 (NKJV)

If you desire answers from God, then you have to call upon Him, and altar of prayer enables you to do so. Today we will continue with "what is prayer altar?"

What is prayer altar?

• It is the altar of turnaround - In Acts 16:25-34, Paul and Silas prayed unto God and the prison doors were opened, the chains of the prisoners were all loosed. When the keeper of the prison saw the doors open, he wanted to kill himself and Paul restrained him and spoke the word of God to him and his family. This led to a big turnaround in the life of the man and family: they were saved.

•  It is the altar of divine intervention - on mount Zion there is deliverance and holiness and the people of God possess their possessions (Obadiah 17). At the altar you come to a place of appointment with God for divine intervention, to possess what belongs to you in Christ. Read more...

What Is Prayer Altar?

Prayer is a must if you are to live a victorious life. God is calling people to build prayer altars in their lives. God is looking for a man who will stand in the gap that evil will not befall men. An understanding of what to expect when you rightly build a prayer altar will energize you to do so.

So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one – Ezekiel 22:30 (NKJV)

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” – Acts 6:4 (NKJV)

So what is prayer altar?

• It is the altar of testimonies - Those who pray always will have testimony. Prayer is the processing plant for testimony.
• It is the altar for speed accomplishment – Abraham’s servant enjoyed divine speed after he prayed to God. Rebecca came out and did everything as the servant prayed (Genesis 24:12-27)
• It is the altar of strength – Men of prayer are men of supernatural strength (Luke 22:40-43)
• It is the altar of sanctification – The more you look at God in prayer, the more you look like Him. If you keep seeking the face of God in prayer, your desire for sin will disappear. In all probability, the more prayerful you are the more sanctified you become (Luke 9:28-29, Malachi 3:3)
• It is the altar of possibilities – God is the God of possibilities. When you pray and stay on the altar you will see the glory and get the answers (Jeremiah 32:27, Mark 10:27, Mark 9:23)
• It is the altar that alters things – It is the control room to press switches for change. Elijah prayed and there was no rain for three years. He prayed again and rain came (James 5:17-18) Read more...