Monday, 28 August 2017

Nigeria: Visit Us in Your Compassion

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The Divine Promises of God

Obadiah 17 
“But upon Mount Zion, there shall be deliverance and the house of Jacob shall possess their possession.” 
Obadiah 21 
“And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's.”  
Isaiah 60:22 
“A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.”  
Zechariah 4:6 
“…Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”   

God’s promises do not fail…

Hebrews 6:17-18
“Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.”


Internal Displaced Persons Camps in Nigeria

Over 2 million men, women and children in IDP Camps in 13 states in the northern Nigeria:

Abuja, Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Gombe, Ka­duna, Kano, Na­sarawa, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara. Children are malnourished, diseased, insecure and distressed.

Exodus 2:24-25
So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.

Prayers for the Displaced Nation
  • Lord, please look upon the plight of the men, women and children in IDP Camps across Nigeria and hear their groanings. Look upon their oppression and respond in mercy.
  • As you remembered Your covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob, our appeal is to the blood of Your cross, the blood new Covenant which was shed for many. (Mark 14:24) 
  • Our appeal is to the love that caused You to send Your only Son as Saviour of the world. Lord, please deliver Your people. (1 John 4:14)

Mark 6:34-37
And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. 36 Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.” 37 But He answered and said to them, You give them something to eat.

  • Lord, please visit each camp in Your compassion and do for them what no man can do. Let a door of ministry of Word of God be open within the camps. Please raise disciples for this cause and give them utterance to preach the complete gospel. 
  • Send forth labourers from Your presence into their midst, disciples who can ‘give them something to eat’, who can give them the bread of heaven, the real food for spiritual nourishment. 
  • For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). Destroy every work of the devil within the camps and set the people free completely. Root out the wicked camp leaders and replace them with men with the compassionate heart of Jesus.

1 Peter 2:24
 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 
  • Lord, please comfort the people, miraculously heal those with sicknesses and diseases, in Your name we pray. Heal them spirit, soul and body.  Revive their hearts and cause them to return to you. 
  • As we seek the Kingdom on their behalf, please let all other things they need (e.g. food, clothing and medical supplies) be added to them miraculously. Turn this humanitarian crisis around for Your glory.

Psalm 9:9 – “The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
Let’s raise a cry for the children, the heritage of the Lord. 
Pray that the Lord will be their refuge and that He will silence the foe and the avenger raging against them. 

Exodus 3:9-10 – “Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”


The Church in Nigeria

Ephesians 4:11-13
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Romans 1:5 ICB
Through Christ, God gave me the special work of an apostle. This was to lead people of all nations to believe and obey. I do this work for Christ. 
  • Lord, please give us saviours upon mount Zion in Nigeria, who will judge the mount of Esau, and every territory, every camp, every part of Nigeria will be the Lords in the name of Jesus. 
  • Give us genuine Apostles in Nigeria – those who contend for the faith, those who carry the Seed of the gospel, those who labour for the purity of the gospel in life and in ministry. 
  • Lord we ask for genuine prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers that all work in unity for the perfecting of the saints until they mature and can be sent by God to confront enemies of the cross. 
  • Lord, give us disciples that carry the mark of Christ in Nigeria – those that continue continues in His Word, those that love one another genuinely, those who bear fruit, those who are distinct from the world system. 
  • Pray for discipleship classes to multiply in their thousands and as the complete gospel is being preached, souls will be revived and discipled to become like Jesus. 
  • As the gospel begins to spread, let the body of Christ in Nigeria begin to arise to identify the gift of God given to them so that saints can be equipped for the work of ministry.

The Government in Nigeria

Proverbs 21:1
The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,

Like the rivers of water;

He turns it wherever He wishes. 
  • Pray for the President, the Vice President and all those in authority. Pray that the Lord will turn their hearts towards His kingdom's purpose. 
  • Pray that the Lord will give them wisdom from heaven to know what to do. 
  • Let there be restoration and revival of hearts of men all over the nation.

“Asiri Ihinrere” (Mystery of the Gospel in Yoruba)

Tuesdays at 1.30pm UK Time

Acts 16:14
Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.

  • It is the Word of God is what makes a man see the man of Calvary. Ask the Lord to open the hearts of our elderly like you opened Lydia’s heart. 
  • Help them to meticulously study the Word of God and deliberately apply it to their lives, even at their old age. 
  • Raise disciplers for them locally who can follow them and help them to continue to be disciples indeed.
  
BLESSED ASSURANCE 

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!

O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. 

Refrain:This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long. 

Perfect submission, perfect delight!

Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;

Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love. 

Perfect submission, all is at rest!
I in my Savior am happy and blessed,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.


Fanny Crosby, 1873

Monday, 21 August 2017

Nigeria: God is With Us


Matthew 16:13-18

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ
13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.


Thank God that Nigeria as a nation is not without God. As Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi during His earthly ministry, so He has entered the coast of Nigeria through His Gospel.

Many have received Him and some know about Him. Some have received the revelation of Jesus is the Son of God and have continued knowing Him.


Prayers

  • We want to thank God for the Peters that God has given the revelation of Christ in Nigeria. Ask God to multiply them and use them to transform the nation through the Cross-Centred Gospel.

  • We are going to pray for those who know about Christ but have no connection with Him. Ask for a personal encounter and for God to put an end to their increasing numbers, because nothing good can come out of a doctrine that only know about Him. The condition of the hearts of the inhabitants of the land determines the growth and the peace of the land.

  • Church Leaders: God raised Saul who became Apostle Paul among the religious leaders. Let us pray for God to raise Pauls, who do not love their lives unto death, who will deliver the message of God that changes lives to the people of Nigeria and surrounding areas.

  • Government Leaders: We saw how Matthew, the tax collector, was raised among government workers. Matthew was a dishonest tax collector under the Roman Empire’s system. He was driven by greed until he encountered Jesus Christ. He showed a radical change of life in his response to invitation of Christ. He did not hesitate or look back. He left behind a life of wealth and security for poverty and uncertainty. He abandoned the pleasures of this world for the promise of eternal life in Christ Jesus. Let us pray for the baptism of the same grace to come upon our government leaders and workers. 

  • Youths: Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were raised among the youths to stand for truth; and they refused to give in to the delicacies of the king which would have paralysed the will of God in their lives. They stood for every word that come out of God; They stood to declare the God of their land that saves. Let us pray for the Daniels of Nigeria to arise and defend the cause of the truth in Nigeria, Daniels that render prayers that move the hand of God. 

  • Royal Family: Nehemiah, who was the cup-bearer to the king, learned that the remnants in Judah were in distress and that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down while He found himself in a conducive place, under the roof of a king. However, he was unhappy with the condition of his people and the land. He had a great burden for his Father’s land, which caused him to pray and ask the king to allowed him to rebuild the walls.
  • Let us pray for God to raise generals that carry the burden of Nigeria like Nehemiah. Lord, where are the Nehemiahs of Nigeria that will mobilise the building of the walls of Nigeria that have broken down. Help us, O Lord.
  
Deborah the Prophetess (Mother in Isreal):

Judge 5:6-8

In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath,
In the days of Jael,
The highways were deserted,
And the travelers walked along the byways.
Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel,
Until I, Deborah, arose,
Arose a mother in Israel.
They chose new gods;
Then there was war in the gates;
Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.

  • Deborah arose for the righteous justice of the land, for deliverance from sins and for deliverance from their enemies. When the men were afraid and silent, Deborah arose. O God, let the great burden and love of God for the land of Nigeria come into the Deborahs of the land, including me. Help us, Lord. 


Monday, 14 August 2017

Nigeria: Take Away the Accursed Things


Joshua 7

1But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel.

  • If we will not deceive ourselves, it is very clear that Nigeria as a nation has taken the accursed things, and now she cannot stand before her enemies.
Then Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.

  • As we are the Joshuas of today by the grace of God, we gather together to humble ourselves before the Lord, to ask for mercy and God’s help on behalf of the nation of Nigeria. 

And Joshua said, “Alas, Lord God, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all—to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!

  • Many times in our ignorance, we blame God for our own wickedness, but we have come to repent on behalf of Nigeria, for the nation has sinned against God. We have not come to murmur but to plead for mercy because of accursed things in the midst of the nation, such as fraud, mammon, disobedience of all kinds, self-love, persecution, adultery, fornication, killing of innocent people and more. 
  • Please Lord, expose all the accursed things in the midst of Nigeria and remove them in Jesus' name.

13 Get up, sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel: “There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.”

  • Let us examine the mercy of God to the children of Israel in this verse. It is the same thing God wants to do with us now. In the Church, there are accursed things; in the Government, there are accursed things; in the hospitals, there are accursed things which lead to the death of many innocent young and old people daily. Among families, there are accursed things that allows 'Ai' to prevail. 
  • Let us pray for God to use His light to expose all the accursed things in the midst of Nigeria, remove them and replace them with His righteousness prevails over all the enemies of the land.  

21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.”

  • O God, let Your flint knife fall on all the 'beautiful Babylonish garments' that have taken over the hearts of Nigerians, making them become the slaves of Ai (the enemy). Cut them off in Jesus’ name.

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver under it.
  • Let us ask God to deliver Nigeria from the work of flesh and from the Adamic nature in the midst of the nation that generates and bears fruits.
  • Lord, please uproot and remove them, that the fruit of Your Seed may take over the land. Lord, please have mercy and bless Nigeria and the people of the land in Jesus’ name.
  • Let us pray for the children of Nigeria, that God will protect their hearts and interests against everything that heaven regards as an accursed thing. Lord, let them lose taste for them from today in Jesus’ name. Amen.  

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Monday, 7 August 2017

Nigeria: The Church Under Seige


The Divine Promises of God

Obadiah 17 
“But upon Mount Zion, there shall be deliverance and the house of Jacob shall possess their possession.” 
Obadiah 21 
“And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's.”  
Isaiah 60:22 
“A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.”  
Zechariah 4:6 
“…Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”  

God’s promises do not fail…
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11 

“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” Isaiah 46:9-10 


The Church in Nigeria is Under Siege
  • No unity in truth and purpose. 
  • Split into organisations and denominations with their own agenda.
  • Under the oppression of the spirit of Esau
    • Externally - Islamic tyranny
    • Internally – sin’s tyranny
  • False Teachers preaching another gospel, not this gospel of Jesus Christ.
  • False Prophets prophesying error.
  • Millions trapped in mega churches run by prosperity preachers.
  • LGBT church serving the Nigerian community. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccVgySv_hYg

This is what the gathering of Zion has turned into in Nigeria.

Peter 2:1-3 “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.”


Prayer for Repentance

Psalm 51:1 - Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.

Isaiah 54:8 – With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” Says the Lord, your Redeemer.
  • Let us repent on behalf of the Church in Nigeria.
  • Lord, please forgive us, forgive Your people.
  • Cry unto Him for mercy and restoration.

Prayer for Ourselves

1 Peter 3:10-13  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 – “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” Thank You for unveiling this gospel to me, for opening the eyes of my mind that the god of this age has blinded.
  • Grant me grace to see more of Your saving fulness. Be completely gone, unbelief.
  • Show me mercy, that nothing will obscure the light of Your glory from shining on me. 
  • Rid me of every hindrance in my spirit, in my soul, in my body.
2 Corinthians 4:2 – “But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”
  • Lord, let Your Word be clear in my understanding.
  • Deliver my heart from deceitful handling of the Word of God and crafty ways of circumventing the cross. Let the cross come down on every habit of sin in my life.
  • Grace to renounce the hidden things of shame, the accursed things, please grant unto me.
  • Grace to manifest the truth to every man, please grant unto me. 
  • Make me a base for Your operation on earth – a ‘Zionite’ indeed. Help me to know always that as a base for Your operation, You are expecting holiness.

Prayer for the Body of Christ in Nigeria

We are contending with the sinful nature of the natural man. Our wrestle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

The siege from the mountain of Esau is not the problem of Nigeria because God has already said – “A day is coming when everyone who lives on the mountain of Esau will be cut down – even the sage and wise men.  Obadiah 8 (NEB)

The problem is that men and women in the Church have not come to mount Zion where the Lord makes His delivers – i.e. rods of His strength that He sends out to discipline principalities and powers and rule in their midst through the power of the gospel.

“Those who find safety on mount Zion shall go up to hold sway over the mount of Esau, and dominion shall belong to the Lord. Obadiah 21 (NEB)

“The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies!” Psalm 110:2
  • Lord, raise delivers all over Nigeria, rods of Your strength who are able to manifest the truth and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ fearlessly in the face of opposition.  
  • Let Your mercy triumph over judgment in Nigeria. Let Your truth locate Your people and draw them to Yourself. The enemy will not prevail, in the name of Jesus. James 2:13 
  • Let this great deliverance from sin’s tyranny be the portion of the Church in Nigeria, as Your deliverers faithfully do Your will. Let the dominion in Nigeria be Yours, in the name of Jesus.
  • Flush out all other gospels that have been propagated all over Nigeria. Break down every dividing walls between denominations and organisations and let the glorious body of Christ emerge.
  • Let there be one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God and Father of all in the name of Jesus – Ephesians 4:4-5
  • Rid the Church of every manifestation of the spirit of Esau by the power of the gospel. What is impossible with man is possible with You, O Lord.
  • Establish Your people upon mount Zion. Let there be deliverance, let there be holiness, let the house of Jacob in Nigeria possess their possession.
  • Cause the Church to wake up from their slumber. Bring revelation that the church is under siege that they may arise from complacency and call on God.
  • Strengthen the Church against Islamic terrorism. Lord, deliver Your people. Comfort Your people. Heal Your people. Bind the brokenhearted. Help them to trust in Your faithfulness in the midst of danger.

Revival in Nigeria

Nigeria has experiences great revivals in the past. 
Apostle J. A Babalola ignited a revival in Yoruba land in the 1930s. He accomplished more in six weeks than the Anglican Church was able to do in sixty years. 

In the early 1970s many young people in schools and universities caught the fire of revival through the Scripture Union and  became known as SU’s. The Scripture Union has a Schools ministry, a camping ministry for young people and a Bible reading ministry which is still going on in Nigeria today.
In spite of their great structure and success among the youth of the previous generation, this revival has not continued into the present generation. 

Many revival labours that started well have now become institutions.

Wasted revivals are followed by a period of ‘night time’. The effects of the ‘night time’ have been felt in every part of the society in Nigeria.


Prayer for Revival in Nigeria

The Lord has declared that it is time for Him to visit His people again.
You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come.” -
Psalm 102:13 
  • Lord, please visit Nigeria again with the fire of revival. Do a new thing in our midst with both young and old.
  • Let us see the end of the distress of the Church in Nigeria, in the name of Jesus.
  • Revive the Church in Nigeria with the Spirit of truth. Let there be a renewal. Equip Your people with the mystery of the gospel.
  • Arise, O Lord and have mercy on the Church. Let Your favour rest on her.
  • Raise a cry for the Scripture Union – Ask the Lord to break down their routine and send His revival fire.
  • Lord, raise help for them so that the open doors they have into the hearts of young people will not be wasted. Let the complete gospel thrive again in their midst.
  • Open the eyes of their leaders to see the Man of Calvary.

STANDING ON THE PROMISES

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I now can see,
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

Russel K Carter, 1886