The Marks of A Mature Christian Woman

A Christian woman is a woman who has a personal relationship with God, whose life has been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. God has forgiven her all her sins and she is a new person, born again. Your relationship with God grows as you follow the principles of His kingdom, know Him intimately and obey His word. Many Christian women are not growing due to lack of commitment, worldliness and ignorance. But God wants you to grow up into maturity.

Every believer, man or woman is enjoined to move on to perfection “Therefore, leaving the discussion of elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God” Heb 6:1. Immature Christian women cause a lot of trouble in our churches and fellowships today. They are the ones that are reading the bible upside-down to suit their hidden agenda. Immaturity is responsible for gossips, fights, character assassination, confusion, hatred, envy and the like especially in women fellowships. It ought not to be so. Maturity is not in appearance; it is not measured by wealth, poverty or age. You can be hundred years old and still be a baby in the Lord. The number of years you have been in the Lord does not determine your level of maturity. What determines your growth is what you do with what God teaches you from your daily walk with Him and how you successfully apply those truths to your personal life to make you a better you and more like Christ.

It all boils down to certain virtues you need to possess as a Christian woman that will mark you out as a mature person. For you to grow into maturity you need to stand strong in these areas:

WALK: The Christian life is about following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, depending on God’s faithfulness and doing His will for your life. God expects you to respond to His love by giving Him the right of way in your life and crowning Him the Lord of all. Prayer brings into reality your heart desires and keeps you connected with the Father. What is your prayer life like? It is more valuable to seek God’s presence than His presents Ps 16:11. She does not stumble in words. She bridles her tongue, not judgmental and speaks with dignity and respect James 3:2. “A gracious woman retains honor” Proverbs 11:16.

WORD: A mature woman places high premium on daily bible reading and meditation. The word of God will build your faith and put you on the path to success in life. Read Joshua 1:8. Rising above mediocrity never just happens, it is a result of faith combined with works. “Your word have I hidden in my heart that I may not sin against You” Ps 119:11.”Your word is pure therefore your servant loves it Ps 119:140.

WORLD: Friendship with the world is enmity with God. Who are your close friends? We are called to live a separated and holy life 2 Corinthians 6:16-18. A matured woman is mindful of the kind of people she associates with. Are you living by worldly standards? Has your beliefs system been corrupted by compromise, human traditions and tribalism? You should not do things because every one around you is do them. The church has become so worldly and the world so churchy.

WORK: One of the neglected areas in some women’s lives is the area of the gifts that God had placed within them. The Holy Spirit endows us with God’s power to live supernaturally in other to carry out God’s mandate here on earth Acts 1:7. You cannot claim to love the Lord and sit back doing nothing for Him. Contribute your quota to the advancement of God’s kingdom here on earth with your talent and substance Luke 1:74. A mature woman is a soul-winner for Christ. Issues of eternal values are her priorities in life.

WAY: Your lifestyle reveals where you are at in your journey to the promised land. A mature woman strives to maintain healthy relationship with her husband, children, siblings and everyone around her. She builds her home on godly principles. She is a role model to her children. She cultivates a positive attitude and outlook. She is hardworking. She is a woman of integrity and a positivist Proverbs 31:10-31.

Maturity does not happen overnight, it is a process. If you are willing and obedient the grace of God will give the enablement you need all the way till you reach full stature in Christ.

The Price of Greatness

Many people have dreamt, prayed or wished to attain greatness at some point in their lives. Well glory has a price. Greatness does not come easily. Greatness is a concept of a state of superiority affecting a person, object or place. Greatness can also be referred to individuals who possess a natural ability to be better than all others in a general sense. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to achieve greatness in your life? A commitment to greatness is a lifelong commitment to serving others.

My aim in this blog is to explain greatness from God’s view point and how it can be attained God’s way. The Lord Jesus did not spend much of His time to teach His disciples how to be great neither did He give them a ten-point formula on how to become great or famous but rather He taught them about service, humility and character. He taught them that the way up is down. In short, a mother’s ambitious quest for her sons to be great threw Jesus’ entourage out of balance. So much that He had to deal with it. Are there no fights in the house of God today because of over-ambitious brethren who want to grab positions and posts of authority? Believe it, there are.

Sad to say that it has often led to ugly situations among brethren. ^“Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. And He said to her, What do you wish? She said to Him, Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They said to Him, We are able. So He said to them, You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father. And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many’ Matthew 20:20-28. Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth Him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great” Luke 9:48.

There is good, healthy ambition and there is bad, unhealthy ambition. Good ambition gives purpose, meaning, and significance to life, it builds drive, initiative, self-esteem and much more. The price of greatness is responsibility. Doing what you know how to do diligently and giving it your best. “Seest thou a man DILIGENT in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men” Proverbs 22:9.

If you continue in mediocrity, struggle in the wilderness and absorbed in inconsequential projects you may fall short of God’s plan of greatness for your life. There are qualities expected of anyone who desire to be great according to God’s standard. We must all feel worthwhile yet true. Inner health comes only from serving God and others according to Jesus, not from position and power. Selfish ambition is false ambition. There is nothing wrong with high positions of responsibility, authority leadership and organization. However, all positions should exist not to lord it over people, but to serve people. We are to seek to serve God and people not seek to rule people. Our ambition should not be to lead only, but also to serve. There is a tremendous difference between leading and serving.

“And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” Matthew 23:12. ^“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” James 4:10. The Lord rewards those who obey and serve Him. Believe deep down in your heart that you're destined to do great things, live a life committed to serve others, be diligent in all your ways, humble yourself and God will give you greatness.

 

Fulfilling Your Destiny

Let us start by defining what destiny is. What is destiny? Destiny from Christian view point is God's purpose and plan for your life. It is your appointed or ordained future. Destiny is what God has predetermined you to be and to become, His perfect will. There are divinely deposited potentials in you to help you fulfill your destiny. Our role is to discover and live in God's desired destiny for us. There is a goal He desires you to accomplish. “There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand” Proverbs 19:21.You can begin this process today by taking positive steps toward your destiny.

Your destiny is specially custom designed for you to bring you to a place of complete fulfillment in life. I believe God has prepared a ‘road map’ for all His children to finding and finishing His plan for us. The question is do you know God’s plan and purpose for your life? “In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will” Ephesians 1:11.God chooses our destiny for us not people. God sometimes uses His Servants to help His people to discover His plans for their future, but it is our individual responsibility to pray to God to show us His plans for our lives. There are many people in the bible that did not fulfill their destinies. Some started out well but ended in utter shame and sometimes death. Saul is an example of starting out with God and ending up without Him. “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit” Ecclesiastes 7:8.

Even though he started out right he lived his destiny, walking in the fear of God but at some point he sinned against God and lost his sense of direction and vision. He won a great battle against the Ammonites. The people of Israel praised God because of him "Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death. And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day for today the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel" 1Samuel 11:12-13. But before long he tragically began to fall apart. He had walked in his destiny for only a short time. God intended that Saul be remembered as the man who delivered Israel from the bondage of the Philistines. But Saul missed his destiny! He began to cave into his fleshly desire for human applause, fame and acceptance. By so doing he disobeyed the God who called him and he forfeited his destiny. Sadly, he ended up consulting a witch for guidance.

Samson is another person who did not fully accomplish his destiny. When Samson fell for Delilah, a woman from the Valley of Sorek, it marked the beginning of his downfall and eventual demise. It didn't take long for the rich and powerful Philistine rulers to learn of the affair and immediately paid a visit to Delilah. Samson was Judge over Israel at the time and had taken out great vengeance on the Philistines, but this time he was wrapped by his weakness-lust. Hoping to capture him, the Philistine leaders each offered Delilah a sum of money to collaborate with them in a scheme to uncover the secret of Samson's strength. At last he died a shameful death without finishing his assignment.

In order to fulfill your destiny, you have to know, believe and pursue it. Ask God if you do not know His course for your life. Believe that God will bring to past His plan for your life and prayerfully pursue it. Fear is the enemy of faith. The worst thing that can happen to you in life is wasting your life because of fear, fear of failure. Believing in the hope of your calling is the most difficult part of fulfilling it. It is often much easier for a person to lose faith in themselves than to lose faith in God. “Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents” Matthew 25:24-28.

Thank God, many people fulfiled their destinies in the Bible. Paul said of his mission on earth “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”2 Timothy 4:7. Jesus said at the end of His earthly Ministry “it is finished”. His mission of redemption accomplished! No matter how far you've fallen away from God, no matter how big you've failed, it is never too late to humble yourself and turn over your total dependence on God. Even if you have wasted your life doing what God has not asked you to do, today you can still turn to Him and repent. Ask him for guidance and direction for the rest of your life.

God Wants You To Succeed

Many people in the world today want to be successful. No one wants to be called a looser. That is a good thing. Most people tend to equate success with money. God is interested in our victories and breakthroughs, but many people need a better understanding about this issue. Let us begin by defining what success is from God’s view point. What Is Success?  Most dictionaries define the term as simply one’s ability to achieve personal goals. For example, a soccer coach may consider himself to be a success if his team wins every game. Or a college student may feel successful if he or she makes straight A’s. Meaning, the more money you make, the more successful you are. But under this definition one could argue that a fraudulent businessman who makes millions of dollars is a very successful person. That is not right. Such a dealer may be a savvy businessman, but is he really successful? No, because he has a negative impact on the lives of other people he does business with and that falls short of God’s standard of success. That is not to say that it’s wrong for christians to be wealthy, material blessings are part of our inheritance in Christ. “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that He may establish his covenant which He swore unto thy fathers, as it is this day” Deuteronomy 18:8. “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” 3 John 1:2. Material possessions acquired by crooked means should not be called success.

There is a difference between enjoying God's abundant provisions and elusive obsession called success? First, discover what success truly means and then be willing to work hard and smart for it with every talent you possess and expect great results through the help and grace of God. Paul writes "...be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless”. As Christians, we are not only allowed to strive for success; we’re told how to be successful “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success” Joshua 1:7-9. God’s intention for His people is for them to succeed gallantly in every area of their lives and only by obeying God’s word and serving Him can true success be achieved in life. All you need to succeed in life is already programed in you by God through Christ Jesus. ^“Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant” Psalm 35:27.

We must ask this question, what is it that would make God see me as a success? One of the greatest achievements in life is a passionate desire to be the person He has called you to be and to faithfully follow His plan, purpose and design for your life. ^“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” Jeremiah 29:11. Our success depends on being who God wants us to be. Secondly, it depends on doing what He calls us to do. God must always be the focus. It’s not about us but about Him. Our goal is to fully realize what He has set forth for us. Our victories belong to Him, and He deserves all the praise and glory. You cannot be successful if you leave the Lord out of your life issues. By the world’s standard, you may appear to “have arrived,” but what is the eternal value of fame and fortune if I may ask? Life without Christ is s life of crisis.

There is no doubt that God is interested in our success! Not only is He interested, but He encourages us to be triumphant and victorious. The story of Joseph in Genesis chapters 37-50 is a picture of how God can make an ‘outcast’ to become a force to reckon with. He took Joseph from prison to palace. By the world’s standards, he was finished from the start. Joseph had been beaten and sold into slavery by his own brothers, and for years he lived a life of servitude and imprisonment. However, in everything Joseph was faithful and God made him successful. He later became the prime Minister of Egypt. God planned out his life, even during those years when all seemed hopeless. Moses, David, Nehemiah, and Joshua attained great successes in their endeavors by the help a loving God.  The Apostles spread the good news of salvation throughout the world of their time and they very successful or there will be no churches today. All these men of faith discovered what the Lord wanted them to do, committed their lives to it, followed godly principles, and achieved their goals. In God’s eyes, they were all successful. 

God provides for us to succeed. When God asked Solomon to build the Temple, He gave him supplies through people around him. ^“And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir. My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household 1Kings 5: 8-9”.

God equips us for success. God spoke to Moses in the bush which was on fire but did not burn up. God used this miraculous event to inform Moses that He wanted him to return to Egypt and lead His people out to the promised land. We learned through the burning bush miracle that serving Christ involves taking risks. To obey God’s call to return to Egypt Moses would have to change his mindset, be ready probably for torture and ridicule! He would have to leave the comfort and security of Midian where he had tended sheep for his father-inlaw for forty years and return to Egypt. In Egypt he would confront Pharoh and lead about two million Jews out of Egypt. God reassured Moses that the Jews would be receptive to his leadership and Pharoh would let them leave, eventually. God had been preparing Moses for this assignment and this great change in his life. Moses had been raised in Pharoh’s palace. He had lived there for forty years learning the protocol of how the Egyptian government worked. He was an insider at some point of his life. This knowledge would be very helpful to Moses as he and Aaron confronted Pharoh and told him to let the Israelites leave Egypt.

As we examine the way God prepared Moses for his ministry we must remember that God has prepared us for the ministries to which He called us. Throughout these changes we must remember that God has been preparing us for changes and different callings! He calls us to be shining lights in this dark and idolatrous world. He has provided what we need in order to be successful men and woman.  Every believer has been given certain talents and spiritual gifts. These powerful gifts enable us to do the things that God calls us to do. The Lord has also equipped us by giving us the presence of His indwelling Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings us into intimate fellowship with the heavenly Father, empowers our daily lives, teaches us the things of God, and gives us great success.

As believers we can be successful in life only when we yield completely to the leading, direction, and empowerment of God’s Spirit. The Lord is concerned about our success. Since He determines our goals and destinies, He equips us to meet them, we should never be ashamed to claim and enjoy the blessings He gives for that purpose.  We must often take an honest look at how we define success, and then align our understanding with Scripture. The only one way we’ll ever achieve true success is God’s way.

How To Become A Born-Again Christian

Have you ever asked yourself where you will spend eternity? If you die today are you ready to meet God? Let me share with you how you can become a true, regenerated and blood-washed Christian. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into this world as a human being, lived a sinless life, died on the cross and rose from the dead. Because Christ died to pay for our sins, your sins can be forgiven. And because He conquered death, you can have eternal life when you accept His gift of salvation. This gift of forgiveness and eternal life cannot be yours unless you willingly ask for it. God requires an individual response from you. "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20. In order to have a personal relationship with God, you have to invite Him into your life. There are few steps you can take to experience this great transformation.
Acknowledge: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23. Accept the fact that you need to be saved.
Repent of your sins and ask for forgiveness.
"Repent...that your sins may be wiped out and times of refreshing may come from the Lord" Acts 3:19. This gift of forgiveness and eternal life is free. It is something you cannot earn.
Believe and trust in the gift God is giving you.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8,9. The word grace means "unmerited favor". It means God is offering you something you could never provide for yourself.
Receive Christ into your life."To all who received Him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" John 1:12. "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" Romans 10:9.
Today, surrender your life to Jesus Christ. Confess your sins. Ask God to forgive you. Confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, your life will never remain the same. If you want to know more about how you can have a personal relationship with Christ, write or call us: Rev. Helen Adejare, P.O.Box 300738. Arlington TX 76007, USA.Tel: 972-203-7656.        

Deliverance from Satanic Curses- Prayer Points

TEXT:  Proverbs 26:2, Malachi 3:8-9, Deut 27, 28. Gal 3:13

INTRODUCTION: Do you ever wonder why everyone seems to be blessed but you, why you have been prayed for several times but never got healed (not all sicknesses and diseases are caused by evil spirits)? Ever wondered when you start getting ahead and things suddenly start falling apart? Have you ever wondered why you have not been able to settle down in a relationship? Get ready to find out! There could be a curse.

What is a CURSE? It is a spell placed on people with the intention of harming them. This misfortune intended by curses can range from illness, accidents, poverty, disfavor, barrenness, mental breakdown, failure, lack of settled marriage and even death.

The principal purposes are revenge, wickedness and protection.
Different types of curses – INHERITED (generational and ancestral-sins of your fore fathers) and ACQUIRED (personal sins, witchcraft, negative words pronounced on your self, ties/yokes to people with evil spirits, covenants and curses from cursing others).

The devil seeks for LEGAL GROUND to operate from even in the life of a believer, this calls for continuous search of one’s life to make sure that there are no ‘open doors’ for satanic manipulations by complying with God’s standard.

PRAYER POINTS:
1) Father, I thank you for the privileges you have given to me as your child. I appreciate the death of your Son, Jesus Christ in my place. I come boldly before you now on the basis of the finished work of Christ on the cross to ask for forgiveness of my sins of omission or commission and all the sins of my forefathers that they committed against you (1 John 1:7-9).
2) I hereby renounce and denounce all ancestral inheritances that are contrary to Your word, plan, purpose and design for my life (Eph 5:11, Ps 47:4).
3) I cancel, destroy and render null and void every legal ground upon which curses operate in my life, whether inherited or acquired. (Gal 3:13). I command all chains and shackles of generational curses in my life to be permanently consumed by the fire of the Holy Spirit of God. I have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus from every handwriting of evil ordinance written against me ( Eph1:7, Col 1:13-16, 2:13-15).
4) Satan, I raise my shield of faith and stand now to resist you with the Sword of the Holy Spirit that proclaims you as a false god and an accuser of brethren. I am a child of the living God. I proclaim that your works against me, my family, ministry and progress are absolutely and utterly destroyed in Jesus name.
5) I refuse and break the power of all curses, hexes, vexes spell, incantations, psychic power, works of witchcraft, voodoo, satanism, cultural spiritism, marine spirits, household wickedness, demonic evocations and mental manipulation sent to distract or destroy me in the name of Jesus Christ (Numbers 23:22-23).
6) I refuse and resist all demonic arrows and bows of curses sent against me (us) from--------. I command all those powers to go into everlasting bondage in Jesus name (Rev 13:10, Jeremiah 30:16-17).
7) I pull down and burn up all ungodly alters and shrines erected against my progress. I will be head and not tail, above and not below. I bind the spirits of Jezebel and voodoo consulted and invited against me in Jesus name (Lam 3:37).
8)Every curse pronounced against my destiny, I break, resist and render of no effect in Jesus name.
9) Let every spirit of Balaam hired to curse my progress be destroyed in the name of Jesus.
10) I reject every cycle of frustration and failure in my life in the name of Jesus.
11) Everything that is representing me in the demonic world against my career be destroyed by the fire of God, in the name of Jesus.
12) I receive my complete deliverance. Thank the Lord for your deliverance and pledge to live a godly life for the rest of your life.

Choose your battles

We live in a world where some people try to get to the top by riding on others and making people look small so that they can look big in their own eyes. They try to destroy people’s character, pull them down by malicious words and peddle false rumor against them. Smearing innocent people is one of the devil’s strategies of humiliating good spirited people.

In the bible, some were challenged and insulted for sins they did not commit. David was accused of being responsible for King Saul’s predicaments, the man he faithfully served. “And when King David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of King David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man”. 2 Samuel 16:5-8. Interestingly, David did not respond to Shimei’s accusations.

Every true believer in Christ is engaged in spiritual warfare daily against the devil and his cohorts whether you know it or not. “For we wrestle 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” Ephesians 6:12. However, we have to choose what and how we respond to challenges and accusations along the way.

Paul was called a murderer in Malta. Paul shook off the viper and moved on. Shake off everything trying to intimidate you. “Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live. But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects” Acts 28:3-5. This man must be a murderer they said about him. Do not let circumstances define and dictate who you are. Time and again the enemy will throw stuff at you to bring you down and paint you black, take shelter under the everlasting arms of the father, THE GOD OF JUSTICE. When Jesus was accussed of wrong doing before Pilate, He was silent. "When He was accused by the chief priests and the elders, He gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, 'Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?' But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor" Matthew 27:12-14. You may want to keep quiet when you are falsely accused and let God speak for you.

It is not wise to listen to they said, she/he said. Life is too precious to spend on inconsequential and irrelevant issues. "CHOOSE TO MAJOR IN MAJORS NOT MINORS" You are like those you answer. To reach your goals in life you have to focus on your priorities and things relevant to your goals and matters with eternal values.