Tuesday, May 12, 2020

STAYING STRONG IN A DIFFICULT TIME





There are spiritual disciplines that children of God can employ to overcome every opposition that is positioned against their destinies in life. Let us look at the three among many.


1. DETERMINE TO WAIT UPON THE LORD

Isa 40:29 -31 “ He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

The Word denotes that, “But they that wait” it means not everyone has the desire, focus, spiritual discipline and spiritual intelligence to wait upon the Lord. Are you in need of strength when you are fainting in destiny? Wait upon Him!

Pro 24:10 “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.”

Fainting is associated with strength in scripture. One spiritual secret to achieving meaningful results in life is to intensely be strengthened by God. Days of adversity will always come in our lives. That is why it is imperative to consistently dwell in the secret place of the Lord to possess supernatural strength.  

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

The much needed strength to achieve dreams, fulfil personal visions and start anew in life is accessed through Christ’s strength. The strength of a new beginning, the strength to enter a new season comes from God through Jesus Christ. Your destiny requires strength to be accomplished. Pursue that divine strength and the secret is waiting upon the Lord as a child of God.
           
In Matthew 14 After Jesus had finished doing ministry and feeding the five thousand. He instructed his disciples to go ahead while he found time to wait upon God. Jesus was behind his disciples about 6 hours and to catch up with his ministry team He walked on water.
           
Spending quality time with God is never a waste of time. Jesus intentionally waited upon God and He was given supernatural strength  to catch up with his ministry team. The miracle of walking on water was a spiritual possibility  provided at that moment as a means to catch up in the natural.

 Waiting upon God in prayer gives you spiritual advantages over the affairs of life and  creates all spiritual possibilities.   To effectively  manifest supernatural strength, a relationship with God must be intentionally forged through personal revelation and spiritual encounter.  

2. DETERMINE TO POSSESS THE JOY OF THE LORD

 1 Chro. 16:26 -27 “For all the gods of the people are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy are in his place”
There is a place where God abides and that place is a place of divine strength and joy. Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”The Bible says “always” So all the way from 2020 and beyond you have to strive for the joy of the Lord in your heart. All the way to 31st December  you must thrive to posses joy. Shout Joy! This doesn’t mean there won’t be  challenges in your life but you walk by revelation and not by situations.
Isaiah 12:6 “Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion for great is the Holy One of Israel among you” 
 Sing for joy all people for the Lord is good all the time. Great is our God, the helper of men who seek Him  daily.
Hebrews 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
You must look at some troubles in your life with joy and ask yourself “I wonder what is on the other side of this pain and process?” Jesus carried the cross with joy for the He knew what was on the other side.
I don’t know completely what is on the other side of 2020 but like Jesus Christ who knew His Father was on the throne. I just believe today through personal revelation that God is still on the throne. Therefore l know despite the pain and multiple challenges in life, God is in  total control.

You do not rejoice because things have changed But you rejoice to change things in life


Nehemiah 8:10 “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Satan uses life circumstances and unpredictable situations to steal our joy in the Lord. When we lose the joy of the Lord we lose strength to finish well in our spiritual journey. 
 A sense of hopelessness dries up our faith and joy in the Lord.  Whatever you are going through and how ever don’t lose your joy in the Lord.
 Despite the setbacks and upsets of 2020 the downfalls of 2020, the tears of 2020, the pains of 2020, the confusion, disappointments, sleepless nights of 2020, the insufficiency of 2020 and the Covid 19 pandemic. DO NOT LOSE YOUR JOY IN THE LORD!

1 John 5:4  “You see, every child of God overcomes the world, for our faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world.”

If we are to be identified as Overcomers, we must face oppositions, and challenges to assume such spiritual status in Christ. And Christ has by spiritual positioning given us divine weapons to overcome ALL things in this life. Remember we are in this world but we are not the world.

Romans 8:35 “…Troubles, pressures, and problems are unable to come between us and heaven’s love. What about persecutions, deprivations, dangers, and death threats? No, for they are all impotent to hinder omnipotent love.”


 Possess the Joy of the Lord Continued!

Habakkuk 3:18  “As for me, I will rejoice in the LORD. I will find my joy in the God who delivers me.”
Habakkuk lists a number of things that failed but he says in verse 18 “Yet as for me I will rejoice in Lord.”  You must have the revelation of this God who delivers – The God with the ABILITY to save and deliver despite what the circumstances may be.
Pro 17:22 “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit drains one's strength.”
A joyful heart is therapeutic to one’s life like medicine to the body prescribed by a medical practitioner. In the absence of this mystery of joy, your body and life can be drained of its strength completely unto death.
Depression dries up your strength and gives access to diseases to be made manifest in the body. Make sure as a child of God you have a daily dosage of joy for endurance  in the name of Jesus.Be intentional like David and declare boldly despite the situation around you child of God,
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”

3. DON’T LET THE FACE MASK HINDER YOUR PRAISE  


 Act 16:25  “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.”

These men were in a lockdown situation but their faith was let loose. Verse 25a: And at “midnight”- Just before the  breaking of a new day it is the darkness. Some of you are in your “midnight season” You cannot see your way out of that situation that has you bound. 

 It has confined you and placed limitations on your life.Your  marriage, money, liberties and finances are restrained. Your vision and focus is darkened. You cannot reach out to others because those with you also are bound. (You pick up the phone to call and you realize we are just alike).
            You must appreciate this portion of scripture as a Child of God today.  Paul and Silas didn’t belong to a whatsapp minister’s group to receive daily motivation. They had no access to a podcast, Christian radio or twitter. So they reached out deep in their spirits and prompted by the Holy ghost, they prayed and sung praises to God.
            When true praise reaches the heavens, something supernatural begins to manifest as we minic God’s throne on the earth and His glory is released. Chains were undone  and doors opened on the account of a heart declaring gratitude to a living God. Praise is a spiritual weapon that the people of God used in scripture to fight in battles and victory was granted.

 Verse 25b: “and the prisoners heard them” That which was bound with them heard the songs and prayers.  When God directs and inspires you, drag those legal pending  papers, applications and business papers, receipts and doctors reports bring them out before God. Sing praise to the true God and watch heaven begin to work on your behalf.
            Songs are instruments of invocation to bring God’s presence to manifest in a place and situation. The challenge is that  many times a larger percent of what we sing we really do not believe in. We sing songs we have no revelation about. We praise as part of a program but not with understanding what praise can and will do to one doing it in Truth and Spirit.

Verse 26: “And suddenly,”   I prophesy a suddenly in our situations, suddenly the matter is resolved, suddenly the pain leaves the sick body, suddenly the closed door opens. Suddenly there is a call  and the answer is YES!
            I believe in the spiritual possibilities of “suddenly” miracles manifest. Suddenly it is done! I release a suddenly grace to manifest and change our situations,  Suddenly you are loose, your family is loose, Just suddenly!!!
            Suddenly revival break forth and souls are won to the Lord. Suddenly what you have been waiting for years comes to pass.
I believe in the Lord of suddenly!
Praise and praise and I say again praise God even when it makes no human sense. There is a spiritual shift that takes place for sure.

Keep your faith and continue to wait upon the Lord because there is HOPE for the redeemed of the Lord in the land of the living. God bless and pass on this message



   Psa 100:4  “You can pass through his open gates with the password of praise. Come right into his presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to him and affectionately bless his beautiful name!”






By the election of grace I pray for you  according to the apostolic revelation
Eph 3:16 “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man..”
·         And I decree and declare because your inner man is strengthened: You have emotional, physical, psychological and spiritual  ability to withstand all manner of challenges.

·         I  pray child of God, because your inner man is strengthened: you have the ability in your mind to think well and clearly concerning all things affecting you.

·         I  prophesy by the auction of the Spirit, because your inner man is strengthened: Your physical body has the ability to resist all manner of diseases. I command every disease to loose its hold upon your body now

·         I  command through Yeshua, because your inner man is strengthened: You are above and not below in the affairs of life. You are born of God and therefore you are an overcomer.





Pastor Jim Machuku


Thursday, June 6, 2019

WORK, EVANGELISM & DISCIPLESHIP 2019

This  May - June 2019 Mc3 worked alongside Emmanuel Wesleyan Bible College students for a whole week to reach out to our city and beyond with the loving message of our Lord Jesus Christ. The commission is clear and that mandate bears the heartbeat for God. 

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.." - Matt. 28:19-20 [NIV].

 It was a ministry packed one week of spreading practical love and sharing the message of Hope to the residents of Manzini in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Mapping - Manzini City: Our focus was to engage prayerfully in spiritual mapping around the city. We identified where specific demonic influences are operating and posted men and women to claim those place for Jesus through spiritual warfare.

 This spiritual exercise really made us appreciate God's love for the city of Manzini and the people who reside and work in it. 

 Correctional Facility - Matsapha: Our ministry assignment was to minister in correctional facilities and bring hope to those behind bars. And a team of 7 students ministered to the inmates at a correctional facility in Matspha, encouraging and sharing the love of Christ to some whose past has shattered their dreams in life. To see the message of the cross and God using the foolishness of preaching to save some is a miracle worth to testify about.

Hope House - Manzini: We took time to visit the Hope House in Manzini which houses sick people with severe health conditions, some medically incurable.
To have an opportunity to share the gospel of Christ to these loved individuals brings a sense of appreciation for life and realize how fragile life is and can be. 
We shared with them also fruit parcels mostly important our smiles graced with the loving and unfailing grace of our Master Jesus Christ- Our Healer!
Ka - Zakhali Private School - Manzini: Our passion for the young people came alive once more as we had the privilege to interact with High school students at the above mentioned private school.

We shared gospel songs, word of wisdom and motivation for educational success to the learners. The response was overwhelming and took time to pray for the students for their future and God's continued protection against all evil vices that our young people engage in.

To see the faces of these young people and realize these are future and ultimately today's leaders in the making for our great Kingdom of eswatini give us hope for better things to come for this nation.
They are smart and have the ability to articulate issues of life affecting them on a daily basis as young people. And in the same token offer what they believe is the solutions to their challenges.

And we as advocates for truth laid the foundation in our fruitful conversations based on the personality and principles of Christ Jesus. Jesus is the ANSWER to the world today and the church been the channel for the expression of that answer. Memorable moments to remember as some of these kids graduate from high school to higher institutions of learning. Our prayer is the SEED of the Word has been sown and it will usually grow.
                                                                                         
Mpoli Community - Manzini:  We once more engaged in spiritual mapping for the community of Mpoli where we were preparing for a weekend tent revival for three days.

The community was receptive as we did home visits and pastoral counseling to those in need.
The needs in the community vary but one thing was certain JESUS was presented and well packaged to those on the walk sides, homes stores, and street traders.   
                                       
  Mpoli Care center painting:  For the love of the many kids that find hope, a meal, discipleship at this center during the course of the week, we took time to clean around and do some painting.

Shared some candies/sweets with some kids that came by and sung Christian songs under the African beautiful sun, danced to some kids songs. FULFILLING!

Jesus loves the little one too :)


Tent Revivals - Mpoli:  From Friday leading to Sunday, the focus was an evangelistic campaign for the cause of the gospel. The Word of God powerfully was ministered with the expectation to see changed lives.

The presence of the Holy Spirit was tangible as God honored His people and their prayers for the community of Mpoli. The week ended with a celebration service on Sunday. Mc3 is thankful to EWBC and all for the ministerial support rendered during this busy week.

Prayer Requests: 
- Continue to pray for the 5 high school students who gave their lives to Christ. For continued discipleship to these young people. We want to see converts becoming disciples who make disciples who make disciples...
- The 7 individuals who surrendered their lives during the tent revivals and made a commitment to be part of the church at Mpoli.
- Pray for the Mc3 pastoral team as they do follow-ups for continued discipleship in all the places we went during the work, evangelism and discipleship week.
- Pray for the seed of the Word sown in people's lives in every place we ministered in by grace.
Pray for the completion of the church structure at Mpoli as the church continues to meet there.

JESUS IS LORD 

STAYING STRONG IN A DIFFICULT TIME

There are spiritual disciplines that children of God can employ to overcome every opposition that is positioned against thei...