Understand And Respond When God Speaks
If it’s God who is speaking, we trust that by His very nature, God is worthy of our undivided attention. So, when we listen, we’re to respond accordingly because God may be saying something to you through His word or through someone else that will change your life. It’s so important to obey God’s voice when He speaks. Don’t allow anything to distract you from seeking God first and hearing His voice in everything you do. He wants you to respond when he speaks. Therefore, making Him the priority of your life, bring every thought to the obedience of Christ. The word of God is so incredibly powerful and transformative. The word of God doesn’t exist so we can argue with it. It’s not up for negotiation or broad interpretation. It’s exactly what it says. It’s a touchstone of truth. It’s our strength and it is crucial for our well-being. If it’s optional for you, it can never be transformational. It’s time to replace opinions about the word with obedience to the word. The word of God resides in a place of authority, not subjectivity. It’s unchanging. Likewise, God is our stable, strong foundation that does not waver and isn’t malleable to the opinions and whims of popular culture. If we are to eliminate uncertainty and fear in our families, relationships, careers, finances, health, etc. – we must trust the Lord and hold on to His word and respond to His word accordingly. Your life will never be the same if you make the word of God a priority. God is going to touch your life today, not because of who you are, but because of who He is and His promises. There’re so many things happening around us in the world today. It’s so easy to get caught up in the world and see all the different things that are going on. There’s a constant barrage of how unsteady and unsafe, and constantly moving our world is, and yet God promises that we will not fall if we build our lives on His word (Mat. 7:24-27). He is our rock, the thing that never moves; the structure that we can count on and find ourselves attached to. He is your protection, and that’s why you don’t have to worry. Don’t fear no matter what comes against you. We have every reason to trust Him no matter what our daily circumstances may look like to our human eyes, and no matter what we may face in our personal lives. I pray that we would be awakened to the knowledge and truth of the goodness of God in all situations, and respond in accordance to His word. How will you respond to the Lord today? You can trust Him with your uncertain circumstances. You can trust Him with your present problems and future plans. Trust and obey, He is enough for you. I would like to encourage you to keep your eyes fixed and focused on your relationship with God. That’s the main reason why Jesus came and died for us so that we can be brought back into fellowship and relationship with the Lord. He’s given us His word, so we have a firm foundation to stand on, and as we truly base our lives upon the word of God, we’re going to be successful. No matter what we do, no matter what the world or our circumstances dictate, it doesn’t make a difference, the truth of God’s word surpasses everything. So, it’s important for us to stay focused on His word. Make God’s kingdom and His word your top priority. God thinks differently from us. He sees things we don’t see. He knows things we can’t even begin to imagine. That doesn’t mean we can’t change the way we think to match how He thinks, because the Bible says that we can do so. We have the mind of Christ. For, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) Having the mind of Christ means that we agree with God and His ways. We can know His thoughts. In Psalms 103 verse 7, the Bible actually says that the children of Israel knew the acts of God, but Moses knew His ways. What we see is that God revealed His ways and character to Moses. You and I are called to know the ways of God and to understand the way He thinks. So, it’s not just a matter of outlooking and saying how does God think. It’s participating in that action. And so, the question that I’m going to pose to you is what is your response? How are you going to respond to what God is about to tell you? God has declared so many wonderful things in our lives, but have we responded well? In Genesis chapter fifteen the word of the Lord came to Abram before he became Abraham. After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” What an amazing statement to hear from the Lord. But let’s look at Abram’s response. This is what Abram said, 2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” What’s incredible to me about that is that God just appeared to Abram in a vision. He said I am your exceeding great reward; you’re going to inherit me. And he responded, but I have no child. Oftentimes, that’s what happens to us as we start looking at our circumstances. We look at who we are, what we have, and what we don’t have rather than what God has declared to us. I want to challenge each and every single one of us that our lives are bigger than our current situation. 3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house
Victory that overcomes the world
“For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). Victory that overcomes the world It’s because there is something in the world which is in disagreement with the principles of God. There is a spirit at work in people who are not born again and it’s the prince of the power of the air which is the devil (Eph. 2:2). They walk in trespasses according to the course of this world and have become the servants of Satan. The Bible also talks about the spirit of the anti-Christ. Most people don’t want to hear this, but there is the spirit of anti-Christ that is at work in the world. People are hostile to God, they are in opposition to God, they are incompatible to the things of God. They are subjects to the devil, and they work according to Satan’s ideas and plans. People blaspheme God and they use the name of Jesus as a swear word. There is a demonic attack against God. The world continues to attack God’s people. In many parts of the world today, you can be any kind of pervert and weird you want to be, and if anybody says anything, they call you homophobic or hater and they persecute you. They don’t persecute people who are into sin and doing wrong things. Even if you murder somebody, they try to figure out what is in your background that made you do that. Who abused you and made you this way? There is a battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the devil. If you stand up and say I’m for Godly marriage, I’m against abortion, I’m for reality, you would be persecuted because of your testimony for Christ. We have to do battle with the darkness of this world. This is not a battle which will end today or tomorrow or next year. But when we operate in faith, God is able to grant us such victory that we are actually better off because of the battle and the victory that overcomes the world. The ultimate ground for endurance in persecution is the victory of Jesus over the world (John 12:31; 1 Cor.15:57). There is a spirit of anti-Christ. And people think why is it that it’s only Christians that they come up against? It’s because there is a spirit of anti-Christ, a demon spirit at work in the world and many of us don’t even recognise it. There’s a spirit working in the children of disobedience (Eph. 2:2). Jesus said we would have tribulation. In the world there are troubles, conflicts, confusion, and battle. There is warfare; of strife and disagreement; of agony and wrestling; It’s a battle until death; battle throughout life; fighting with a certainty of victory because Jesus made the incredible statement that in the midst of tribulations of this world, whatever is pressing and whatever is threatening, we were to be of good cheer; “I have overcome the world”. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). How do we win this battle? Christ disarmed Satan on the cross and stripped him of his power. We walk in the victory Christ has for us, and we do that through faith. The world has its principles, customs, and values, and whoever does not choose to go according to the fashion of the world, is an enemy of society. They are attacks from the enemy intended to steal the Word of God out of our lives. Friend don’t do just as everybody else does. If you see people doing a dishonest thing in business, it is appropriate for you that everybody does it. If they rebel against authority, it is appropriate for you that everybody does it. Do not accommodate the world’s system of beliefs. Give them the gospel and get them ready for the second coming of Christ. The Bible clearly states that “whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world”. There is no justification for us being defeated. God’s provision is greater than all our needs. Have faith in the testimony of God’s promises. Anyone born of God has victory that overcomes the world. This text of scripture serves as a reminder to us of God’s promised victory and gives us an opportunity to release our faith and appropriate what has already been provided. Faith is the victory that empowers us to overcome the world. The victory through faith is available to us. “And this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.” He has given it to us. Believe and receive it. Our victory is not dependent on things but rather on our faith in the person of Jesus Christ. He is our victory. Even our simple “child-like” faith will do the job. It doesn’t take big faith – just pure faith in God. The measure of faith you received at salvation can move mountains because it’s actually the faith of Jesus. You have all the faith you need. Use that measure of faith to overcome in every area of your life. We have to overcome the world by our faith: But faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom 10:17). Faith comes by meditating on the word of God (Jos. 1:8). Don’t allow the world to influence you with its belief system by conforming to its standards (Rom 12:1-2). We must not let the world intimidate us; withstand them, don’t let us drift away and go along with others in order to avoid criticism, slander, persecution, affliction, or mockery. We have the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome. God has placed His children in all walk’s life – in education, arts and entertainment, politics and many more areas. Thus, God is raising people up to dominate every area of society. He is bringing all areas
Get Rid Of Your Disappointments And Regrets
A Sermon Delivered on Wednesday evening, March 16th, 2022, byEvangelist PAUL ACQUAH, Live on MZ Radio London, UK As Christians, we can become complacent and satisfied knowing that we’re going to heaven, but God wants us to live an abundant life here and now! When you have God’s double portion blessings, you can expect your life to be fuller, richer, and more satisfying. But are you willing to go after it? If you truly want a double portion from the Lord, then you’ll be willing to put your own plans aside and seek out what God has for you. It doesn’t necessarily come easy. It’s not going to come without some dedication and effort from your side. But if you are willing, like Elisha was, to chase after a double portion, the opportunity is there. God has already blessed you. His favour is on you. So, go after Him with all your heart and see what God has got in store for you! The purpose of this message is to show you how to receive a double portion of God’s blessings in your life. Living in double portion blessings means living in God’s greater blessings. This is a higher realm of living. “Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours” (Isa. 61:7). This scripture says instead of your former shame, you will have a double portion and instead of humiliation, your people will shout for joy over their portion. In their land! I’m glad He didn’t say when you go to heaven. I’m sure many of you have a lot of difficult and challenging things in your life. God wants to renew your strength so you can enjoy the peaceful and joyful life He has planned for you. Go for what God has planned for you. You don’t have to settle for less than the many blessings God has for you. Your attitude of settling for less is what is keeping you from receiving the good and perfect things from God. God’s blessings are the blessings that belong to all His children. When you become born again, you are called into God’s blessings. In that place of blessings, you are favoured. Every child of God is blessed and you begin to walk in the promises of God. You are supposed to walk in good health, righteousness, and prosperity. You are a blessed person. You may be going through a couple of struggles here and there, and still going through life. And that’s where a lot of Christians are. It’s a good place to be, but there’s another realm of God blessings where only a few Christians live, and that’s God’s greater blessings. That’s a double portion blessing. The main reason we aren’t receiving His double portion blessings is because we are willing to settle for less. Very few are committed to receiving what God has for them. We have been influenced more by the world than by God’s Word and are satisfied to accept far less than what God has provided. Christians are to live an extraordinary life God designed for us to enjoy. Living in double portion blessings will not happen automatically. Only few of God’s children live in this realm. This is a place you decide how your life will be. As long as you are not eager to receive God’s double portion blessings, you will remain the same. That is an important truth. You must reach a place in life where you eagerly pursue God’s greater blessings. You must have a holy dissatisfaction with ordinary life before you can experience all that God has for you. It doesn’t happen accidentally or automatically. God wants you to have an abundant life. That includes double portion blessings (see John 10:10). You will not live in God’s double portion because you are a nice person. You will not live in God’s double portion because you are prayerful. You will not live in God’s double portion because you are born again. So many of God’s children live in His blessings, but there are greater blessings, or double portion blessings, and it takes faith to get those blessings. It takes faith, trust, and obedience to get those blessings. It takes more than just praying to receive God’s double portion. We pray but many have misconception about prayer. We think when we pray, then God does everything. When we pray, very often God shows us what we need to do. I’m not saying God doesn’t move supernaturally. The things we cannot do, He will do them for us. But if we are going to do nothing and expect God to do everything, then that’s not going to happen. You need to understand the message of faith in order to obtain God’s greater blessings. It’s just sad that so many Christians are even fighting the message of faith. Unless you’re willing to stand and fight the fight of faith, you will be overcome by this world. If you don’t stir yourself up, you will settle to the bottom. The world isn’t going to encourage you toward God’s perfect and good things that He has for you. Most Christians are not going to encourage you toward God’s greater blessings as well. Sadly, religion is one of the strongest weapons Satan is using to discourage people from believing for something more. Many churches believe that God doesn’t perform miracles today, or worse, that God is the one who wills for our lives to be in such a mess to break us. That is not true. This is where you believe ‘by His stripes you were healed.’ So, when sickness come to your body, you say no way. So many Christians, when sickness come, will say, well — sometimes up, sometimes down. I believe I will be ok, and they go through the sickness or process. Some
What are the benefits of salvation?
It’s so important to understand the benefits of salvation because sometimes I run across Christians who don’t seem to have experienced any change in their lives. But we should be experiencing change from the moment we were saved. There should be something going on, so let’s refresh ourselves in this and see what it’s about. For you to experience the benefits of salvation, you must understand the gospel because the gospel and the power that it carries releases the benefits of salvation in our lives. The gospel itself is God’s power. The understanding of the birth, death, burial, resurrection of Jesus Christ, and of being born again to become a new creation are all part of the gospel. So, there are benefits of salvation that we should notice as we accept the Lord as our saviour. As we believe in the Lord and begin our Christian Walk, we should be noticing something different in our lives and the way we conduct our lives. The term “salvation” has become so familiar to Christians that the true meaning and understanding have been lost. Salvation is much more than just being born again. This refers to every benefit that the believer is entitled to, through Jesus. Salvation means much more than just forgiveness of sins; it includes healing, prosperity, and deliverance in every area of our lives. Therefore, if we are not experiencing the abundance that Jesus provided for us in any area of our lives, then we are having a problem understanding what salvation truly entails. The truths of the gospel are not commonly preached or understood in many churches. This is the reason so many Christians are not walking in all the benefits of their salvation. They don’t have the power of the gospel working in them. The word ‘salvation’ needs to be explained because today salvation has been cheapened from what it originally meant to be. The word salvation as used in the bible is not limited to forgiveness of sins. It includes forgiveness of sins, but it’s much more than that. Most churches today use the word salvation and forgiveness of sins interchangeably. Yes, salvation includes forgiveness of sins, but as I said earlier, it also includes prosperity, healing, and deliverance. Everything that was purchased for us by Jesus is a part of what salvation produces, Only in Christ can we find true happiness and peace in this life. Salvation is not just an insurance policy; it is the way to experience the supernatural life and goodness of God in our daily lives here and now. Salvation is something that was done and completed in the past yet continues to have present results. God’s grace has already provided all spiritual blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1:3), and our faith reaches out to God and receives the benefits (Romans 5:2). Putting faith in what God has already provided by grace is the key to victorious Christian living. Jesus paid it all. It’s not based on my performance; it’s based on my faith in what he did. Salvation is the gift of God unto the forgiveness of sins, the healing of your body, your prosperity, joy, peace, deliverance, emotional stability, and many more. But for some Christians, this seems a radical thought to them that healing has been purchased through Jesus for them just as much as forgiveness of sins. Prosperity has been purchased for them just as much as forgiveness of sins. Deliverance from oppression, depression, fear, anxiety, anger, have been purchased for you through what Jesus did. You don’t have to do something else to earn them. They aren’t addition to salvation, They’re integral part of salvation. Jesus wants you healed, delivered, set free, prospered, just as much as he wants you forgiven of sins. And it’s the gospel that releases that power of salvation for healing, deliverance, joy, peace, and forgiveness of sins. Mix what God has done with faith (Hebrews 4:2). And faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). Evangelist Paul AcquahPaul Acquah is the founder of Christ Is All Ministries (CIAM), an evangelical ministry meeting the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of people. He is passionate about seeing people transformed by the Word of God and making heaven more crowded! Read More
How do you get saved?
God wants everyone to be saved.“This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4). And how do you receive salvation? By confessing with your mouth that Jesus is your Lord and believing in your heart that God raised him from the dead and you shall be saved. The Philippian Jailer came to Paul and Silas and said what must I do to be saved? The jailer asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16: 30-31). Paul didn’t say well, confess your sins, ask God to forgive you, and that’s what a lot of people tell you to do. What would happen if you forgot a sin? Does that mean it’s not under the blood? And that it wasn’t forgiven? No, you don’t confess your sins, you must admit that you are a sinner and that you need salvation. You have to come to that realization that if you don’t turn from trying to save yourself then you can’t truly make Jesus your saviour. So, there is an acknowledgment that you are a sinner, but you don’t confess your sins, you don’t have to mention every single sin. Paul told the Philippian Jailer that believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved and your house. Jesus has done everything, but you must put faith in him and him alone. It can’t be faith in him plus faith in yourself. You must trust Jesus alone. So, if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is your Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you shall be saved (Romans 10:9). It would be a shame for you to stand before God and say well, Iwent to church, and I did all these things but that’s not what salvation is. If you can imagine somehow or another you and meand other people standing before God and God says what makes you worthy to enter Heaven. If you start saying, I went to church, I paid my tithe, I lived a good life. If you give any of those answers you would go straight to hell. The only answer that will get you into heaven is, when he says what makes you worthy? You would have to say nothing that I’ve done but what Jesus has done. Jesus Is my saviour I put faith in a saviour and he’s the one I am trusting. If you trust in any of these other things, I’m not saying that you don’t go to church and that you don’t live a good life, but if that’s where your trust is, instead of in a saviour, you’re going to hell. You need to put faith in a saviour and there’re many people reading this today who agree with what I’ve said, and you have done it and you are born again but you don’t clearly understand this and you can’t explain it to other people. You need to meditate on these things so that you can clearly present this to other people. You are a witness for the Lord, you are the only Bible some people are ever going to read and so you need to be able to know these truths and understand them and explain them. You really need to not only experience salvation, but you need to get to where you can give an answer and explain salvation. First Peter chapter 3 verse 15 says sanctify [e]the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defence to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; We need to have our lives seasoned with salt and be ready to give an answer of the hope of the calling that lies within us. You need to understand it yourself and you need to be able to explain it. Evangelist Paul AcquahPaul Acquah is the founder of Christ Is All Ministries (CIAM), an evangelical ministry meeting the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of people. He is passionate about seeing people transformed by the Word of God and making heaven more crowded! Read More
Are there many ways to Heaven?
There’s so much confusion about this and there’re people who think that there’re many ways to Heaven. Jesus said specifically of himself in John CH 14: 6. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. There aren’t multiple paths to God. There aren’t many ways to heaven. Some people say well, all paths lead to God. That’s a total lie, it’s a deception, it’s not the truth. Jesus is the only way to the father. If there was any other way to have salvation, God would not have gone to the expense, or to the effort to hurt, and the pain that he suffered to become a man and live among us and then suffer our sin and our punishment in his own body. “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” (1Peter 2:24). The only reason he did that is because there was no other way. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among people by which we must be saved [for God has provided the world no alternative for salvation]” (Acts 4:12 AMP). It doesn’t matter how good you think you are; you aren’t good enough to earn salvation and go to Heaven. The Bible says in Romans 3:23 that “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[b] Christ Jesus our Lord”. There’s a payment that comes for our ungodliness. There’re people who don’t hear these things and there’re so many people who are comparing themselves with other people and thinking that comparative to other people, I’m a relatively good person. You must understand that other people are not your standard. Jesus is your standard and if you aren’t as perfect as Jesus is, then you need a saviour. You need to recognise that it’s not about you being good and doing good. You just need to come to the end of yourself and say, ‘oh God have mercy on me a sinner’. You need to call out and put faith in what Jesus did. You even need to go beyond just asking God to save you and asking for mercy. You need to believe that he’s already paid for your sins and done everything that’s necessary. All you must do is just sign your name to this deal. Jesus has already come and signed his name to it and paid for your sins. All that is needed is your cooperation by putting faith in Jesus and when you do that you become a brand-new creature. Jesus even said that therewill be many people who will come and say ‘Lord, Lord, haven’t we lived a good life, haven’t we done this, haven’t we done that’, and he’s going to say depart from me you workers of iniquity I never knew you. Here’s what Jesus said in Mathew 7: 21-23; 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your nameperform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ The Bible says in Romans chapter 10:9 that “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. That’s more than just saying those words, but if it’s from your heart,and with your mouth you say Jesus I make you my Lord, Iturn my life over, I trust you and you look to Jesus and you believe that he paid for your sins, you will be saved.. Jesus has already paid for your sins; He is the only way to heaven. So, if you will confess that with your mouth and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you shall be saved and have right standing with the Lord. That’s the promise of Romans chapter 10 verse 9 and it’s really that simple. Evangelist Paul AcquahPaul Acquah is the founder of Christ Is All Ministries (CIAM), an evangelical ministry meeting the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of people. He is passionate about seeing people transformed by the Word of God and making heaven more crowded! Read More