Mark 5:6, ‘But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him.’
Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-17; Luke 8:27-39
The word ‘worshipped’ is taken from the Greek word ‘proskuneo’ which means ‘to prostrate oneself in homage to; do reverence to; adore.’ The fact that this tormented man ran to Jesus, and not away from Him, indicates that even ‘demon-possessed’ people have a free will and Satan cannot control an individual without his consent.
Many battles have been fought over whether or not a Christian can be demon possessed. The Greek word for ‘possessed’ literally means ‘to be demonized.’ The Bible makes no clear distinction between degrees of demon activity (such as oppressed, depressed, possessed, etc.), but simply refers to people as being ‘demonized.’ All Christians are fighting against spiritual powers. If we don’t put on the whole armor of God, Satan can certainly affect us or even control us.
The best way to administer deliverance is through God’s Word. As a person receives the Word, it will set him free and also help guard against this situation when the demon tries to come back in with seven other spirits. In severe cases of being demonized, the individual clearly needs the help of a believer, and that’s the reason why Jesus equipped all believers with authority over evil spirits.
Anointed praise and worship will also drive off evil spirits. One thing reserved for God alone is worship, and the devil has always sought that. If he can’t be the one to receive worship, then he seeks to turn others away from giving true worship to the most High God. Praise and worship to the Lord is such a powerful tool against Satan. He can’t stand to see God worshipped. Worship God today in spirit and in truth. The Father seeks those who will worship Him this way. He’s waiting for you.
This message was written by The Association of Related Ministries International (ARMI) is an extension of Andrew Wommack Ministries (AWM). ARMI is a unique partnership committed to providing resources to help like-minded ministers succeed in a spirit of excellence and to draw from the experience and expertise of both the AWM and Charis Bible College staff. (www.awmi.net).
I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit’s instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won’t always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to. — Galatians 5:16 (TLB)
To walk in the Spirit is a challenging and inspiring exercise, for it combines activity with relaxation. To walk means to place one foot in front of the other. If you stop doing this, you are no longer walking-you are standing still. Walking always implies movement, progress, and direction. Sin shall no longer rule or dominate you when you are allowing the Holy Spirit to live Christ’s life through you. It is living by faith, living by trust, living in dependence upon God.
If we look to our own resources, our own strength, or our own ability, as Peter did when he walked on the water, we will fail. You cannot live the Christian life by yourself. The Holy Spirit must live in you and express Himself through you. Living for Christ is a day-by-day experience. It is a continuous dependence upon the Spirit of God. It is believing in His faithfulness.
Prayer for the day: Lord, so often I have walked on my own instead of walking in Your Spirit. Guide my footsteps this day, I pray in Jesus’ name.
Written by Billy Graham, Founder of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association(BGEA). BGEA exists to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by every effective means and to equip the church and others to do the same.
TOPIC: War Against Satanic Contention (Mountain Of Fire and Miracle Ministries, MFM Daily Devotional 19 April 2019)
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 6-8; Luke 15:1-10
FIRE SCRIPTURE: Genesis 37:13-20
MEMORY VERSE: “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
The MESSAGE:
It will be unwise and unreasonable for anyone to engage in whatsoever that will not yield any benefit. Many a times, a lot of Christians are ignorant of spiritual warfare confronting their lives. Many do not know that the enemy is contending seriously for something so precious in their lives, and that is why the enemy is so violent and unrelenting in their operations. Beloved, the enemy has a goal and target and is highly determined to achieve this.
There are three important things the enemy is contending for in the life of every believer:
The enemy is contending for what has been written concerning your life. The enemy will fight with everything in his possession to make sure that somebody’s life does not go according to the design of heaven. The enemy knows that when a man misses divine track for his life, the person becomes a loser. That was exactly what the enemy was contending for in the life of Joseph. His brother said, “Let us kill him and see what will become of his dream”.
The second thing that the enemy is contending for is your success. At times, the enemy will not hinder somebody from starting a thing, but their target is to make sure it doesn’t succeed. Sometimes, to enter into marriage will not be a problem, but how that marriage will be successful becomes a serious warfare. Many people are struggling today because the enemy is waging serious war against their success.
The last and the most important one is the kingdom of God. The battle already declared in the spirit world against every child of God to end up in hell fire is terrible. Luke 13:24 says strive to enter in at the straight gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able to. The word ‘strive’ used by Jesus Christ here demands for a serious warfare for anyone that desires to make heaven. My prayer is that every satanic contention against your life shall fail woefully today, in Jesus’ name.
MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE: TO BE PREPARED FOR WAR IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS OF PRESERVING PEACE.
PROPHETIC WORD: Every power contending with your destiny shall die.
PRAYER POINTS:
MORNING
O Lord, fill me with Your peace and joy, in the name of Jesus.
Powers contending with the plans of God for my life, die, in the name of Jesus.
Spirit of depression and frustration, go back and afflict your sender, in the name of Jesus. EVENING
Every effort of the enemy to frustrate me shall be futile, in the name of Jesus.
Untimely death is not my portion; untimely death is not my family’s portion, in the name of Jesus.
I prevail over negative circumstances, in the name of Jesus.
My life shall continually bring glory to God, in the name of Jesus.
MOUNTAIN TOP LIFE is a daily devotional by Dr. D.K Olukoya (General Overseer, Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, Worldwide)
Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:
Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.
If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.
Key Verse: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:15,16).
MESSAGE:
Many people have been misled into taking wrong decisions with terrible consequences in their lives. It is either because they have sought solutions from wrong and self-serving sources or they are not fully persuaded of the stand they have taken over issues. Unfortunately, such actions do not just affect other people’s lives, but also mortgage their eternity, especially when propelled by pecuniary gains or as a response to external pressure or fear.
In the text, new converts in the Galatian Church were either being cajoled or subtly threatened to undergo circumcision before they could be adjudged to be truly saved. This position was canvassed by some people in the church, who had not totally extricated themselves from blind and sentimental attachment to the Abrahamic covenant of physical circumcision and other outward rituals synonymous with Judaism. When Apostle Paul was informed of this, he quickly wrote to the church to debunk this erroneous demand.
Yet, today, many people that want to be identified with Christ and get to heaven do not want to hands off the traditions of men they had imbibed. They pray in prescribed ways; they impose rules that are outside the Bible; they outlaw certain dietary requirement; and erect man-made hurdles against accessing God. In the process, they become religious, but not righteous.
There are no strings attached to getting saved. Salvation is by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). God does not demand that anyone seeking salvation must first be good, faithful, gentle or prayerful. All He expects is that you acknowledge your sins, confess and forsake them and accept that Jesus died for your sins. Once you are saved, you receive the grace to live victoriously and faithfully for the rest of your life.
Thought For The Day: Getting saved is as simple as ABC.
The Bible In One Year: Acts 24-25
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
Flatimes’ Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:
Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.
If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.
Topic: Unseriousness [Open Heavens for Teens 19 April 2019]
Memorise: “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;” – Romans 12:11
Read: 2 Kings 13:14-19
14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.
15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.
16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands.
17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD’S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
18 And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.
19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
Bible In One Year: 1 Samuel 27-29, Luke 17:1-19
MESSAGE:
If you will manifest as more than a conqueror that you are, you must first conquer the laziness that is in your life. If you fail to do this, it will surely affect every area of your life. It is common for a weakness in a fellow’s character to affect virtually every area of his life. For instance, a student who finds it difficult to get to school early will not be chosen as a prefect because he will be a bad example to other students. If you have identified lateness as a weakness, start applying correctives measures now before it affects every area of your life.
Another area of character weakness that must be addressed is relates to carelessness. Most teenagers these days never take anything seriously, and in the process, they lose so many benefits that God has put in place for them. Life is serious, and if you do not take it seriously, you will miss out. Take your education seriously, take the trust your family has in you seriously. Take your relationship with God seriously. There is a time to play and a time to be serious, don’t let play get the best of you, be serious.
Prayer Point: Father, please turn all my weaknesses to strengths in Jesus’ name.
1 I am Thine 0 Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Chorus Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord To the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side.
2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
3 Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!
4 There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
Daily Devotional for Teen’s guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.
Topic: He will not Forget (Open Heaven 19 April 2019)
Memorise: “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”- Hebrews 6:10
Read: Leviticus 26:42-46 (KJV)
42 Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
43 The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.
44 And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.
45 But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.
46 These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.
Bible in One Year: Genesis 19-20, Jeremiah 21:1-10
Open Heaven 19 April 2019 Friday MESSAGE:
“And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” – Genesis 2:15
From this verse of scripture, we see that God ordained work to be the normal routine of life for mankind from the very beginning. Therefore, every legitimate human task has fundamental value, and is a potential means of glorifying God, irrespective of how demanding it may seem. This is the reason why working in the service of God’s kingdom is one of the requirements of divine elevation. In addition to being born again, walking in humility and being an addicted worshipper of God, anyone who wishes to receive divine elevation must enlist in the service of God’s kingdom. For example, you can become a soul winner, a teacher of the word or an intercessor. You can also join the counselling, sanitation, ushering, choir or welfare departments of your church. Wherever you find yourself, just get busy doing something useful for God. You are sure to receive divine elevation as a gift from Him in return, for He never forgets His people’s labour of love. Joseph, Moses, Ruth, Daniel, Rahab and David are examples of those who buried themselves in God’s work, and they were all rewarded greatly.
Remembrance means bringing to mind an awareness of someone or something from the past, and it is the opposite of forgetfulness. Though it is not in the nature of God to forget anything as humans do (because He is all-knowing), the words “remember” and “not forget” are used in relation to God in several passages of the Bible. When God remembers someone for good, that person’s situation immediately changes for the better. More importantly, God considers it an act of unrighteousness to forget someone’s labour of love in His vineyard. I pray that irrespective of what is happening at the moment, your labour of love and contributions to the kingdom of God will be brought to remembrance speedily, and you will be gloriously rewarded in Jesus’ Name. 1 Corinthians 15:58 says:
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
Through the immutability of God’s word, be assured that God can never forget your contributions to the progress of His kingdom here on earth. In due season, He will turn things around in your favour and reward your righteous deeds. However, you must not relent or be weary in doing good, because good works and righteous deeds works and righteous living must continually be our lifestyle.
Open Heaven 19 April 2019 Friday Action Point:
Pray for the families of missionaries all over the world. Ask God to supply their needs and take care of their children. Also, reach out to any of such families you know.
Open Heaven 19 April 2019 Friday Hymn 8: My Faith Looks Up To Thee
1 My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!
2 May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!
3 While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.
4 When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!
Open Heaven 19 April 2019 Friday Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heaven 19 April 2019 Friday Daily Devotional.
Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:
Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.
If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.
Navigating Life as a Pastor’s Wife: A Profile of Pastor Debra Morton
The environment outside of Changing a Generation Full Gospel Baptist Church is dark and cloudy. For the last two days, weather forecasters have been predicting that the weather in Atlanta would be bad. However, the mood inside the church is anything but that, with people bustling with excitement in anticipation of what God is going to do on this dreary Sunday Morning.
One may wonder what the source of all this excitement is until they meet Pastor Debora Morton.
Pastor Debra Morton co-pastors the Changing a Generation Church alongside her influential husband, Bishop Paul Morton.
Bishop Morton is well-known for leading the Full Gospel Network, a church network that has become known as the fastest growing network of black churches in America.
Having grown up in New Orleans and surviving Hurricane Katrina, the stormy weather does not seem to bother Morton.
And on this day one thing is clear, Morton is not going to let the weather slow her down. The multifaceted woman is on a mission to do as much for God as He will allow her to do. Morton is a proud first lady but she’s much more than that, she’s a pastor, business leader, speaker and author who proudly serves alongside her husband.
Without his wife being by his side, Bishop Morton expressed to me that so many of the pair’s projects would have never gotten off the ground. When asked how she keeps up with…
AOC Calls Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu a ‘Trump-like figure,’ Says His Re-Election Is ‘the Ascent of Authoritarianism Across the World’
The editor-in-chief at Jewish News Syndicate says that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is “the country’s most unavoidable political personality.”
In a column for The Christian Post, Jonathan S. Tobin writes that the representative’s comments on a Yahoo News podcast showed how she “gladly took the bait” on a controversial topic.
Ocasio-Cortez was asked on the podcast about whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s re-election should affect U.S. policy on Israel. She suggested aid cuts and said that Netanyahu is a “Trump-like figure,” calling his re-election “the ascent of authoritarianism across the world.”
Tobin wrote in his column that her comments signify a larger discussion that could come heading into the 2020 presidential race. He said that “divisive debate about Trump’s pro-Israel policies … will fracture, perhaps fatally, what’s left of the bipartisan consensus backing the Jewish state.”
Currently, aid to Israel is part of an agreement signed in 2016 by President Barack Obama. The 10-year agreement guaranteed $38 billion in aid to the country.
Under the agreement, Israel cannot ask for more money from Congress and cannot use the aid to pay for weapons it is making in the country.
“What AOC and her friends don’t understand about U.S. military aid is…
Mueller Report Undercuts Trump’s Argument that He Didn’t Obstruct, Democrats Say
Democratic leaders said Thursday that the just-released report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller undercuts claims by Attorney General William Barr that President Trump didn’t obstruct justice.
The nearly 400-page redacted report was released to Congress and then to the public Thursday, nearly four weeks after Barr released his own summary of the contents.
Mueller had been investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Barr’s March 24 summary was championed by Trump and Republicans as clearing the president.
“The differences are stark between what Attorney General Barr said on obstruction and what Special Counsel Mueller said on obstruction,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, both Democrats, said in a joint statement. “As we continue to review the report, one thing is clear: Attorney General Barr presented a conclusion that the president did not obstruct justice while Mueller’s report appears to undercut that finding.”
Barr, speaking to reporters, stood by his earlier summary.
“As I addressed in my March 24 letter, the special counsel did not make a traditional prosecutorial judgment regarding this allegation,” Barr said. “Instead, the report recounts 10 episodes involving the president and discusses potential legal theories for connecting these actions to elements of an…
Man Arrested after Attempting to Enter New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral with Gas Cans and Lighters
On Wednesday, the New York City Police Department arrested a man after he attempted to enter St. Patrick’s Cathedral while holding two gas cans and lighters.
According to the New York Times, a 37-year-old New Jersey man attempted to enter the church around 8 p.m. Wednesday night, but a security guard turned him away.
Reportedly, as the man left, gasoline spilled on the floor prompting the guard to alert two NYPD officers outside of the church.
In a news conference, the NYPD deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism John Miller shared that the officers then approached the man and questioned him about the incident. Miller noted the officers found that the man’s answers were both “inconsistent and evasive.”
He said, “His basic story was that he was cutting through the cathedral to get to Madison Avenue, that his car had run out of gas.”
He continued, “We took a look at the vehicle. It was not out of gas, and at that point he was taken into custody.”
According to Miller, the man is known to the police, and charges have not been immediately filed.
As the incident took place only days after the devastating fire at the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, the Archdiocese of New York commented on the situation in a statement ensuring people that nothing had happened to the church.
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