By His Stripes

 Rev'd and Pastor G. S. Adeyemo

Our focus in this edition is ‘Divine Healing;’ God never intended for us to be sick in body, spirit and soul rather, that we have physical health, as well as that of soul and spirit. The Bible says, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 3 John 2 Your pain and aches are not to death, you are in God’s plan for perfect health at all times. Perhaps, you or your loved one is going through untold pain, the Word of God shall fall on you and you shall be healed in Jesus name. Doctor's report may seem scary while your experience is telling you no more hope for you. God's verdicts stand sure which says, "He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." Psalm 107:20. That same living Word is creative and redemptive, infallible and able to heal you from all forms of sicknesses. 

No matter what might be responsible for your sickness, by the stripes of Jesus Christ you are healed. You need to reach out in faith and receive what Jesus did for you!  He died and rose from the death just for remission for sins of the world and deliverance from its consequences, however, that doesn't mean that the world will be saved, except they come to God and receive what Jesus did for them.

 Sickness and diseases are known symptoms of a curse. It was God who placed the first curse on the soil which was and is the host of man's resources for survival. The curse of hardships was placed on mankind as God said "Unto the woman..., I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast  hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and  hast eaten of the tree, of which I  commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not  eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake;  in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of  thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it  bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the  herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face  shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto  the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for  dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou  return.It is an agelong plague that defies all efforts by man." Gen. 3:15-18; Deuteronomy 28:59-61. Since Jesus paid the price on the cross to set us free from all curses (Galatians 3:13), why would there be any reason for a child of God to still be living under a curse? Every single person who came to Jesus for a healing was healed. The Bible says, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him" Acts 10:38. 

If a person is under a curse, according to the Bible, evil has come upon them in some way. Sickness, tragedy, or bad circumstances are occurring in their lives. As a result of idolatry and some form of sins, a curse is placed on such person. Most times the manifestation is seen in terminal illness. No curable drugs can be procured in the hospitals. In Jeremiah the Bible reveals, “Why criest thou for thine affliction? Thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee. For thus saith the Lord, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous. There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines. All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased. Why criest thou for thine affliction? Thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.” 

The question that may come to mind is ‘if it’s the will of God that we should be in sound health, why do we sick?’ Also, ‘what are the causes of illness and how can we be in good health?’ Andrew Murray once said “If Christians learned to realize practically the presence of the Lord that health, their spiritual life would thereby be developed and sanctified” The Bible is explicit that by the stripes of Jesus Christ, we are healed. "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."1 Peter 2:24, but why are there so many Christians who are still sick? All believers are entitled to healing; however, if we don't reach out in faith to accept what was given to us, it won't be manifested in our lives.  Coming with sin are all manners of sicknesses into the world, and "so death passed upon all men..." Romans 5:2, 14; Genesis 2:17; 3:17 

Physical healing is closely associated in scripture with spiritual deliverance and forgiveness of sin. Psalms 103:3; Isaiah 33:24; 53:3-5; Matthew 4:24; 8:16-17, 9:26; 12:22; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:18, 20-23; 6:17-18; 8:2,36; 11:14;13:16; Acts 5:16; 10:38; James 5:15.

PRAYER POINTS

As we humbly pray together seeking divine healing, say, Lord Jesus, I agree that I am a sinner. I am ready to forsake my sinful life. I believe You died for me and rose the third day. I invite you into my heart and life. Come in as my Lord and Saviour from now on. Thank you for saving me. As from today on, I will obey the words of God, fellowship with other believers where the Bible is taught. Help me so to do in Jesus mighty name I pray.

I want you to pray the following prayer points:

I renounce all curses inherited from my parents in Jesus name

I plead the blood of Jesus Christ upon my soul and body in Jesus name

O Lord, purge me from the contamination from generational curses in Jesus name

I command the fire of Holy Spirit on the root of sickness in my body in Jesus name

I break the yoke of terminal illness from my bones and body in Jesus name

You devouring diseases in my blood stream, die in in Jesus name

By the stripes of Jesus Christ, I am healed from cancer in Jesus name

By the stripes of Jesus Christ, I am healed from barrenness in Jesus name

For I am fearfully made, I command you sickness to panic and fade away from my body in Jesus name.

I am healed from all illness in Jesus name.

Thank you Lord, Jesus Christ for healing me. Seal me with your blood in Jesus name.

Peace amidst the Storm of Life

 Reverend G. S. Adeyemo
President, Abundant Grace Ministries
Alimosho Lagos  

Your anxiety about the future is unnecessary, for God is already there before you get there. Anxiety is a form of intense fear or worry about uncertain end. It is a crippling fear that tells you about what you cannot do, achieve, what you will fail to attain before the reality. If you listen without evaluating what you’re being told, it’s easy to become frightened. It makes you feel so uncomfortable resulting to certain unusual behavior. Sometimes it comes as a result what you hear, see or feel. When you begin to think something bad is about to happen, anxiety sets in. you become impatient to see a result. Those who are married may testify to this when your pregnant wife tells you she would go to hospital as a result of certain pressure within. Getting to the hospital waiting to see the doctor, you become anxious to get card, to be next patient to see doctor, anxious to hear the result. By the time you were asked to go back and bring baby wears and others, while the woman goes to the labour room you become more restless. What runs through your mind if for after an hour they are still in labour room? When hearing the yelling of your wife the intensity of agitation becomes so visible and you walk up and down. You want the nurse to tell you how far?  There is a strong desire for something to happen. However, your anxiety cannot do anything about the pang of the woman. It won’t bring solution except the doctor does what is necessary to be done and God approves it. 

Anxiety tears you apart between your regrets about yesterday and tomorrow uncertainty. Your mind goes one way and the body goes other ways. You are on your way to church but the mind is on way to the business at Abuja. You are listening to sermon and the same time thinking about the traffic while going home at the end of the service. Sometimes you are overwhelmed with how, why, when so intense that you lose appetite and sleep. Jesus said, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” Luke 12: 22, 26. Do you know that fear of failure drives away faith deflates courage and thereby prevents victorious living? It is an enemy of miracles.

Let us consider some of the consequences of anxiety:

1. It blurs one’s vision: anxiety gives false impressions. There are shadows of what never existed. "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." John 20: 15

2. Anxiety deprives you from living a faith-filled victorious life. “Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, and “Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. Luke 8: 24-26

3. Anxiety kills. Since it prevents faith-filled living, and the Bible says, the just shall live by faith, anxiety can result in death. It has led many to committing suicide. In anxiety, you can’t retain information. That is dangerous to life for you won’t be able to take informed decisions but sometimes overreact.

How to win over your worries and anxiety:

1. Take responsibility for discovering why you are anxious. Know the basis for anxiety. 

2. Stop carrying it alone. Talk to God in prayer about the situation

3. Confess positively about the situation

4. Invite Jesus into your situation. 23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" 26 He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. Luke 8: 23-26.

DELIVERANCE FROM RETROGRESSION

 Reverend G. S. Adeyemo
President, Abundant Grace Ministries
Alimosho Lagos

Retrogression (setback or delay) is a subtle weapon in the hands of the Devil to frustrate man's destiny and mortgage the glory deposited in the man for life. Retrogression is painful because you are disallowed to get hold of what you are aiming at even when it is so close. An Online Dictionary defines retrogression as, “the process of returning to an earlier state, typically a worse one.” Retrogression is evolution followed by dissolution. Moving forward by ten steps but backward a thousand steps is a form of retrogression. Retrogression occurs in the spirit and in the physical worlds. If you were delivered from drunkenness when you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and everyone is rejoicing with you however few days or weeks later you found out you are back in the same sin and even worse, it is an indication that the spirit of retrogression is operating in your life. Perhaps, you were employed with an income so encouraging but you are always broke, it is possible the spirit of retrogression is attacking you. 

Regular disappointment at every stage of success is a sign of retrogression that you ought to battle with all seriousness.

Satan uses this instrument to steal away the precious time of man so as to make the person irrelevant in his generation and society. You must fight back and pray through in order to possess your possessions. 

The world is a battle field and everyone is a target. Satan and his angels are our enemies manifesting in various ways through diverse media. We cannot fold our hands accepting defeat while God's desire is for us to enjoy the wealth and goodness of the earth. Though God's ultimate aim is for us to reign with Him in His Kingdom, yet we are destined to rule the earth, triumph over all evils till we lay down our sword at His feet in heaven. The Bible says, "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. It is time to take charge and breakthrough in the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer. “When you take charge of your life, there is no longer need to ask permission of other people or society at large. When you ask permission, you give someone veto power over your life” Diane Ackerman

My beloved, get ready for your deliverance from this terrible humiliating demonic weapon and you will lunch into limelight in Jesus name.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Lord I thank you for your purpose for my life. May you be praised in Jesus name

2. I confess all inherited and committed sins in my life. Have mercy and forgive me in Jesus name

3. I renounce all demonic authority over my life in Jesus name

4. I renounce the blood covenant that is linking me to ancestral curses in Jesus name

5. All monitoring agents of darkness that are tying down my destiny catch fire in Jesus name

6. By the power in the blood of Jesus Christ I am set free from all form of retrogression in Jesus name

7. I release my destiny from shackle of retrogression in Jesus name. 

THE POWER OF COVENANT

 Rev'd G. S. Adeyemo

The power of covenant or oath is so strong. It is capable of making you to succeed where others are failing, keep you in health while others are in sickness; in prosperity while people around you are languishing in abject poverty, gives you sweat less triumph while others are struggling with issues of life and living in defeat. God told Isaac to stay in the land, do not go to Egypt, I will perform my oath or fulfill my agreement with you as I promised your father. God’s promise to Abraham was re-enacted and revived in Isaac that, He shall be the a great nation, he shall be blessed, his name shall be great; he shall be a blessing, those who bless you shall be blessed;

God will curse him who curses Isaac; In Isaac shall all his family and other families of the earth be blessed. These blessings were released to Isaac (biological descendants and Israel till today). Through Christ Jesus our Lord everyone who believes God has been brought into covenant blessing of Abraham and everything God did in the biological Isaac, He is committed to do and even do much more for you and me that have been redeemed and purchased by the precious Blood of Jesus Christ. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us for it is written “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith. If you are a child of God, a true believer born of water and of the Spirit of the Living God, I can assure you that through faith in God and patience you will receive what God has promised father Abraham through Christ Jesus, you are under the covenant of life, power, prosperity, health, royalty and priesthood. Remain blessed in Jesus name. 

After reading this message, take time to claim the following promises;

  "The Lord shalt increase your greatness, and comfort you on every side." Psl. 71:21.  

  I prophesy into your life and family that exceeding great success with divine favour be your portions now and always in Jesus name.  .

  "And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:" Gen. 26: 13. This shall be your portion in Jesus name.  

  Give God quality praise for He loves you, protects, provides, cares and will satisfy your desires to the utmost in Jesus name.  

 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy  and peace in believing, that ye may  abound in hope, through the power of the  Holy Ghost. Romans 15: 13.  

  Rejoice in the Lord for He shall surely raise helps and keep you from failure in Jesus name. Shalom

  For the angels of the Lord surround you, no weapon fashion against you shall hurt you in Jesus name. Those to bless you shall locate you today hold your peace

  The God who turns around all situations is by you to turn your grief to joy, failure to success, darkness to light, good dreams to realities, pains to gain in Jesus name. Isaiah 43: 18,19. Shalom