WEAPONS OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE 1

 WEAPONS OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE 1

Oct  12  2023

 By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi

  2 Corinthians 10:3-6 " For though we walk in  the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:  (For the  weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but  mighty through God to the pulling down of strong  holds;)  Casting down imaginations, and every  high thing that exalteth itself against the  knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity  every thought to the obedience of Christ;  And  having in a readiness to revenge all  disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled."

     The above scripture says we are in a spiritual warfare for the control of our minds by the enemy of our souls . He who controls your mind controls the world around you and invariably your life and that of those affiliated and or dependent on you. 

      Mind  Control is the greatest weapon the enemy uses against God's people . Terrorist organizations know this too well and use the greatest tool known to man ; religion , as the means to make  irrational ideologies appear rational and a strong culture is built that guarantees  continuity of terrorist ideologies from generation to generation. To overcome terrorism  one must first apply  a superior ideology to subdue theirs and change their culture . The strongest force in humanity is love. Everybody yearns to be loved. 

    It will take an ideology premised on love to overcome the plans of the evil one . "Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians13:13 

  Love is demonstrated through giving what is most valuable to us. Faith works by love ( Galatians 5:6) Every act of faith always demands an act of obeisance : an expression of love demonstrated by making oneself useful to those we love. God demonstrated his love and faith in the salvation of humanity by giving Jesus Christ. Christ offering himself on the cross for our sins is God's greatest weapon of warfare against the kingdom of darkness  . No religious leader gave himself up for the salvation of his followers , instead the reverse is the case , with followers dying for their religious leaders . 

   The enemy wants us to look at our failing circumstances instead of trusting in God's word  . Spiritual warfare  takes place in our minds and it entails refusing to be guided and influenced by the negative things we see with our physical eyes ( 2Corinthians 10:7; 2Corinthians 4:16-18) .Battles are first won or lost in the mind before the physical manifestation.

  In the old testament , God demanded burnt offerings and the smoke : often white in colour ( symbolic of righteousness and love)  obscured physical appearances  as seen in 2Chronicles 5:6-14.  The priest could not minister because of the glory of the lord in the temple and the smoke from the offerings. 

   Offerings are in two forms 1) alms given to the less  privileged (Acts 10:31) and  2) Financial or material support to inspired teachers or preachers of the gospel and service in missionary work ( Philippians 4:17-19) . 

   The scriptures says".... give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. " Romans 12:1 

Prayer : Heavenly Father forgive me of my sins against you I believe Jesus Christ died and was raised again for my salvation i receive him as lord and saviour and receive the Holy Spirit and power for fruitfulness in Jesus name.

+2348035536911 +2348098536911 email: michaelbensonajayi@gmail.com

FAITH REQUIRES PERSISTENCE AND OPTIMISM

 FAITH REQUIRES PERSISTENCE AND OPTIMISM

Octoberber 12, 2023

By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi 

Josh 14:11 KJV “As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.”

        Caleb was promised a parcel of land as a forty-five year old soldier and it took forty years for this to materialize .At the old age of eighty five years, he was willing and ready to engage the enemy in a battle to claim the promised land. What optimism! How long have you been waiting for the fulfillment of a promise in your life ? Caleb waited for forty years. In faith , Its never too late with God.

        Following Jesus Christ requires walking by faith and this requires being optimistic. An optimist is a person with a positive outlook on life. He or she always looks out for the good in a situation no matter how bad it may seem;the opposite is a pessimist. Optimism is a mental attitude or perspective . A common idiom used to illustrate optimism against pessimism is a glass with water at the halfway point, where the optimist is said to see the glass as half full and the pessimist sees the glass as half empty.

   Life does not always come with guarantees, good things happens to bad people and bad things happens to the good. Eccl 9:11-12 TLB says “the swiftest person does not always win the race, nor the strongest man the battle, and that wise men are often poor, and skillful men are not necessarily famous; but it is all by chance, by happening to be at the right place at the right time. “ The fact that you failed in a marriage , business , academic or other endevour does not mean you are a bad person and therefore , blame- worthy .Sometimes great footballers  fail to score in a penalty shot. Great business models have been known to fail. Education, beauty and skill cannot guarantee success , that is why the just shall live by faith.  

     The scriptures speaks of the unpredictability of life in  James 4:13-16 NIV “Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."  As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil”  Our best plans may sometimes fall apart because disappointments are part of life. Some of the greatest scientific discoveries such as space technology were achieved after many disappointing expeditions but they were eventually accomplished through optimism    

       Therefore, optimists are never surprised or set back when things go wrong, they are persistent and quick to pick up the pieces and continue .They never feel sorry for themselves and take full responsibility for every situation in their chosen path. They never blame others for their shortcoming or make excuses. Optimists look for the reasons why they could not fulfill their responsibilities and improve on them. They always seek for the good in every situation that’s why they are always in control of their emotions.    Caleb had learnt a valuable lesson for 40 years: the importance of being at the right place at the right time with the right people and doing the thing: he was very sure that he will surmount the opposition and he did. Optimists are driven by the conviction that “…he is faithful that promised (Hebrew.10:23)” 

Prayer : Heavenly Father forgive me of my sins against you I believe Jesus Christ died and was raised again for my salvation I receive him as lord and saviour and receive the Holy ghost and power for stability ,hope and overflowing peace in the midst of crisis in Jesus name.

Prayer / counseling +2348035536911, +2348098536911(whatsapp) email:michaelbensonajayi@gmail.com

OVERCOME SUICIDAL TENDENCIES

 

OVERCOME SUICIDAL TENDENCIES

October 10, 2023

By Rev.Michael Benson Ajayi

Acts 1:17-18 KJV“For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.”

      This is the account of Judas Iscariot: one of the leaders of the early church. He was close to Jesus and assumed to be trustworthy given that he was in charge of the treasury (John13:29).Judas had built his security around money and social status therefore, whenever his finances were threatened his love for God , missionary work and will to live diminished. There are many of such persons in the church who have put the pursuit of money above love and fellowship with God's people. King David prayed against this " Give me an eagerness for your laws  rather than a love for money! Psalms 119:36 we need this prayer daily for our families.

      These persons like Judas are often cynical and hypercritical of divinely constituted authority (Matthew 26:6-8) This is the breeding ground for suicidal tendencies and when he eventually came to his senses the damage had already been done. He was left with no true friends and was filled with despondency. True friends never encourage us to live outside God’s will especially fellowship with God's people.  With no sense of security and overwhelming sense of hopelessness, Judas proceeded to take his life. 

       Ignorance of God's will for our lives contained in his word leads to deep despair .This is the first step towards committing suicide.  The word of God gives hope to the hopeless. Judas was preoccupied with money other than the ministry of the word. Acts 1:17-18 says Judas obtained part  of the ministry of Christ, he was partly committed thus the word of God did not have deep roots in him. The first thing Satan does before destroying a Christian is to convince him or her to keep away from reading of God’s word. He uses our unhealthy cravings for money, sex and lust for social influence resulting in a heightened sense of anxiety and renders the word of God in our hearts unfruitful. The scriptures in Revelations.3:17 describes such persons as being wretched, pitiable, poor in spirit, naked and spiritually blind. This leads to the second stage of being suicidal: isolation- a deep sense of loneliness and feeling being left- out. They become very moody and detached from others. It is at such times that Satan starts selling the idea of taking one’s life. I have been there before, therefore, whenever we notice this trend in a friend or family member, we should be quick to share God’s word of hope with them with prayers. Regular visits, phone calls, messages really helps at such times. Tell them how much they're loved and they should be taught on how to trust God for provisions (Philippians .4:19)and nobody can truly say what  God's judgment is for committing suicide: asking for forgiveness before committing a sin is far more risky than after. Suicide does not give one the opportunity for amendment after death considering that after death comes the judgment (1Cor.3:16,17,19,Heb.9:27)suicide is a lack of faith in God's saving grace. 

        We are enjoined to let the word dwell richly in our hearts, think less about ourselves ,regularly sing scripturally based songs ,psalms and hymns, this helps in lifting the human spirit. Phil 4:4-7 TLB says “Always be full of joy in the Lord; I say it again, rejoice! Let everyone see that you are unselfish and considerate . .. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don't forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace., which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand…”

     Engage in outdoor physical exercises , appreciate nature ( the sun, stars , birds ,flowers , pets etc ) and take little steps towards self improvement visit godly friends .  Seek medical attention if necessary and help from a spiritually mature Christian. Join a group of progressive minds . Finally , stay

away from carriers of bad news and from pessimistic friends or family members especially on social media at all cost. This keeps your faith alive. Phillipians  4:8-9 TLB says "Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about. .. and the God of peace will be with you. “ happy words and thoughts leads to a happy  and prosperous life.

Prayer : Heavenly Father forgive me of my sins against you I believe Jesus Christ died and was raised again for my salvation I receive him as lord and saviour and receive the Holy Ghost and power  to overcome depression and hopelessness in Jesus name     Free  prayer/counseling. +2348035536911,+2348098536911 email:michaelbensonajayi @gmail.com

CONTINUE IN PRAYER BECAUSE OF CANCELLATIONS .

 

CONTINUE IN PRAYER BECAUSE OF CANCELLATIONS .

By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

' Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; "Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.'  Isaiah 6:5-7

  The universe is a courtroom with the Almighty God as judge . God's people are described as magistrates ,  Psalm 82:6 says ..' ye are gods.." The word gods is the Hebrew word  el-o-heem' it means magistrates , great judges . That is why we can pass decrees , bind and loose ( Matthew 18:18, Job 22:28) Every statement including sighs are recorded for or against us in the universal court of law. Prayer gives God the legal grounds to act on out behalf .

   Jesus Christ said " Matthew 12:37 "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. " 

 When you pray you need to give a justifiable reason why God should answer the prayer . The only reason should be that his will be done .  The Bible says God does things according to the counsel of his will. If He has purposed it and shall bring it to pass.

    Whenever our confessions line up with his word , the power of God is activated to work in our favour bringing healing and deliverances .

  The holiness of God gives no room for the slightest error in prayers .Every time we speak a word that is contrary to God's will concerning what we are praying for, it cancels the prayer previously made concerning the prayer point. That was what happened to Isaiah 6:5 when he said " .. I am undone ..."  The word 'undone' cancelled his  prayers . The word 'undone ' is the Hebrew word dâmâh it means to be dumb or silent; hence to fail or perish; transitively to destroy: - {cease} be cut down ({off}) . Imagine praying for breakthroughs and at the same time saying I'm finished , destroyed  , I'll be dammed , I'm cut off, I don fuck up  etc slangs often used in the world . As casual as they sound , they resonate within the court room of the most high God and cancel prayers .

    It is for this reason that the apostle Paul said in Colossians 4:6 "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.'

  The angels had to quickly put coals of fire in his mouth to change his confession or else he would have been destroyed. 

  Pray and watch what you are saying if it lines up with the word of God , anytime we err, remember we have the blood as the eraser to wrong confessions ( Col. 2:14) and 1 John 1:7,9 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

[9]If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Prayer : Heavenly Father forgive me of my sins against you I believe Jesus Christ died and was raised again for my salvation I receive him as lord and saviour and receive the Holy Spirit and power to preach the gospel .

+2348035536911, +2348098536911 e-mail: michaelbensonajayi @gmail.com 

   

ACCESS TO UNLIMITED PROVISIONS

ACCESS TO UNLIMITED PROVISIONS

October 8 , 2023

By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi 

Matt 6:32 AMP ”For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all.”

      Prayer is the communication between God and His children ;it involves exchange of information : therefore after speaking to the heavenly Father; we should wait for a reply . The answer could be through an inner voice by the Holy Ghost, through an anointed servant of God, ministry of angels or through the written word of God. God always replies prayers and if we could develop the habit of waiting to hear Him speak to us, we would be less anxious and make fewer errors in our decision making. At such times Satan always reminds us of our weaknesses, this to weaken our faith and eventually make us give up.

          God does not need you asking for air to breath before giving it , He knows you need clean breathable air as a matter of necessity. He already knows what we need. The scriptures say God has given us all that we need, 2 Peter 1:3-4NLT”By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.” What this means literally is that just like the air we breathe, God has made provision for our jobs, marriages, healing, finances, academics, ministry etc. and we receive them through an intimate knowledge of Jesus’ voice. Therefore, instead of being anxious over a matter, we should rather give thanks ;acknowledging the provision that has been made while asking for wisdom on how to access what has been made available. Seek for wisdom on how to have a peaceful home and it shall be given to you.

            We are asked to earnestly seek wisdom(James1:3) through more mature believers,reading books,training, fasting and prayer without anxiety. Fear borne out of anxiety is a smokescreen that makes it hard to see what God has provided. Meditating on and declaring God's word over our lives eliminates fear. God is more interested in you receiving your blessings than you are . Unnecessary delays are usually caused by the misinterpretation of scriptures . 

  There is a misconception of the scripture in Luke 18:1-7,8… "And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?.. " . Erroneously , God is likened to an unjust judge who needs to be arm-twisted or bribed with an offering  before He can answer a prayer .Many persons have gotten hurt as a result of this while carrying out so-called ‘spiritual assignments’ needed for answers to their prayers. The parable in Luke18:1-8 is a comparative analysis of God's willingness to answer our prayers with this unjust judge's unwillingness. This widow had more confidence in man solving her problem than in God, this should not be, He wants us to trust Him more than we trust any human being for our needs despite the devil’s delays (Daniel10:12-14) He will surely meet those needs. Trust Him.

 Prayer: Heavenly Father forgive me of my sins against you I believe Jesus Christ died and was raised again for my salvation I receive him as lord and saviour and the Holy Ghost and power for unlimited provisions and uncommon breakthroughs in Jesus name . .  

Free prayer/counseling +234 8035536911, +234 8098536911 email: michaelbensonajayi@gmail.com 

ENCOURAGE YOURSELF IN THE LORD

 ENCOURAGE YOURSELF IN THE LORD

September 06, 2023

By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi 

Exodus 14:13-14 NIV “Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." 

    Moses was faced with a situation in his leadership  were all human formula failed him:  he was being chased by Pharaoh and the Egyptian army and the only way forward was through the sea. Death was certain whichever way , except there was divine intervention. Sometimes we find ourselves where our best plans fail not because we did not make the necessary calculations but due to circumstances beyond our control, this results in discouragement and depression with suicidal tendencies. 

   Many persons are simply going through the motions of life, they’ve actually lost the will to live. Some of the factors that results in discouragement includes;

   THE HARDNESS OF THE WAY (Numbers 21:4 ): God’s way to ultimate success and breakthroughs is usually the slowest but the surest. He waits for your peers to achieve what they consider as best, then He gives you something that would make you the envy of all (Ephesians 3:20, Psalm45:7) He will give the double for your shame. Another source of discouragement is

  THE DIFFICULTY OF THE TASK BEFORE US ( Nehemiah 4:10) the Jews were frustrated by the amount of waste material that had to be excavated in other to rebuild the broken walls of Jerusalem , likewise , we may be required to first clear out some junk in our life’s before starting a major project and this can be overwhelming , this may require , ending an inappropriate emotional relationship that comes with financial gains , acquiring a school degree to qualify for a job, changing a mainly consumer nation to a manufacturing nation,  etc 

DELAY IN THE FULFILMENT OF DESIRES , is a major source of discouragement to many, you may be waiting for a government agency to issue you a document or finance your project , a process meant to take a week may take a year or more , this has led to many persons abandoning dreams , delayed dreams is a major cause of terminal diseases and death in third world countries were corruption is rife resulting in delayed desires . Prov 13:12 TLB says “Hope deferred makes the heart sick; but when dreams come true at last, there is life and joy”. Delayed marriage is another source of discouragement, this is also caused by corruption and poverty . Despite the perceived challenges, God will send helpers to you ( Isaiah 41:13) says ‘I WILL HELP YOU’ Jesus does not want you to be afraid , He said ‘be not afraid ‘ (Matthew.14:27 ,17:7,Acts 23:11, Acts 27:22) .He has promised to bless the journey of your life (Genesis 26:24) Grant you overshadowing care (Matthew10:31) 

He will always be your companion in trying times when everyone has abandoned you ( (Isaiah 43:1-3) . He will give you strength in the time of weakness ( Isaiah 41:10) therefore , your case is not hopeless . His angels have been assigned to watch over you in the time of disaster and war ( 2Kings 6:16) and would guarantee your needs are met in the time of national economic difficulties (1Kings 17:13) He has great plans for you . Put your trust in Him. 

Prayer : Heavenly Father forgive me of my sins against you I believe Jesus Christ died and was raised again for my salvation I receive him as lord and saviour and receive the Holy Ghost and power to overcome the temptation to give up on my dreams and I receive strength for breakthroughs in Jesus name. 

Prayer/ counseling +2348098536911 WhatsApp ,+2348035536911 email: michaelbensonajayi@gmail.com.

 

WITCHCRAFT CANNOT ALTER YOUR DESTINY

 

WITCHCRAFT CANNOT ALTER YOUR DESTINY

 

 By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi 

Eccl 11:3 AMP bible” If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.” 

    Superstitious is defined as: a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation : it is an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, it can also be described as a notion maintained despite evidence to the contrary” (Merriam Webstar Dictionary ) Superstitious beliefs are the greatest hindrance to the development of underdeveloped countries . They militate against scientific discoveries and productive work ethics. They stifle creativity and promote mediocrity.

     Science is a gift from God to help us appreciate and harness the potentials of the universe. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit described as the ‘word of knowledge’ (1Cor 12:8). The word ‘knowledge’ as used in 1 Corinthians 12:8 is the Greek word ‘gnosis’ which means scientific knowledge. This means Christians are supposed to be at the forefront of scientific discoveries. Most physical problems for which endless ‘deliverances’ are made can be easily solved scientifically. Through science we now know ‘ogbanje’ is sickle cell anemia and can better be managed with proper medications and a lifestyle change . Unfortunately, many religious leaders promote superstitious theology above sound doctrine and their followers have become superstitious in all things (Acts17:23). This kind of teaching deprives followers from having a loving one-of-a-kind personal relationship with Jesus Christ .They are grossly suspicious of every friendly gesture . These preachers assume the position of go- between like the ancient African voodoo priests who claimed to be God’s spokespersons. 

    God wants to be known by all without intermediaries because of the insincerity in man (John14:6,21,23). The most popular of these superstitious theologies is that of the ‘planting of charms’ in locations only known by the juju priest or ‘prophet’ who against Jesus' instructions (Isaiah45:13,Matt10:8) often request to be paid before you can be 'delivered' . They claim 'juju' or charms' can hinder a person’s progress .This is contrary to the scriptures which says idols (jujus or charms) are worthless (Habakkuk .2:18-19,1Corinthians .10:19) The born again Christian is immune to demonic oppression (2Timothy.1:7,Hebrew.2:14-15,Luke10:19). Demons are terrified by Born again Christians . The activities of these superstitious preachers leads to widespread hatred ,irresponsibility and corruption in a society (Isaiah1:23-25). According to Eccl.11:3, an inanimate object such as that made of wood cannot hinder the blessings of a child of God. It is what it is, like a fallen tree: DEAD. Job 5:6 puts it so directly” Job 5:6 “Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;” This means the failure of marriages , businesses, relationships, finances etc. can’t be attributed to a charm buried somewhere beneath the soil or a voodoo priest's invocations Human misery is as a result of selfishness (Galatians 6:7-9) therefore, we should make conscious effort to be hospitable, just, fair and show benevolence on a daily basis. Most problems are caused by the lack of the Christlike character. We should seek for mentors who will teach us the principles of Bible-based success and not reject the discipline that comes with it. Prayer : Heavenly Father forgive me of my sins against you I believe Jesus Christ died and was raised again for my salvation I receive him as lord and saviour and receive the Holy Ghost and power to terminate every evil appointment against my prosperity in Jesus name. 

prayer/Counseling +2348098536911, +2348035536911,  Email:michaelbensonajayi@gmail.com