Topic: How to Avoid Communication Breakdown (3)

Dear Reader,

Welcome to your week of blessing in Jesus’ name! I have been examining the issue of communication in the home. Also, I have established the fact that communication is a vital factor in improving your relationship, not only with your spouse, but with other members of your household.

This week, I shall be discussing what I titled “Communication Blocks.” While defining what communication is, I said it is the passing across of information between two persons. Communication blocks are the things that you do, through your words and actions that prevent you from connecting at a deeper level with someone else.

When you want to have a telephone line connected to your house, the first thing you do is to go to the agency responsible and apply for it. The moment you are connected, you can freely pick up your receiver and dial any number of your choice. However, you can only call someone who is also connected. Likewise, in our relationship with God, He expects us to keep our communication lines open in form of relating to Him in prayer. He said in Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. But if the line is blocked there will be no response and it can be frustrating.

Also, if you block your communication line with your spouse and you make it impossible to access you, then you are digging a big grave. Your home and marriage will not end up in the grave!

There are some things that you can do to block your spouse from talking to you. Therefore, you must avoid the following communication blocks:

If you roll your eyes and look exasperated or resigned when your husband or wife talks, all you are trying to say is “I have heard enough.”
When you sigh loudly and deeply when your mate is sharing an opinion then, it means, “I’m not in agreement.”
When you look at the clock or at your watch repeatedly it implies “You are wasting my time with your conversation.”
When you don’t stop whatever you’re doing when your partner wants to have a serious conversation with you, what you are passing across is “What I am doing is much more important than you.”
When you don’t make eye contact and give your spouse your complete attention, then you want him/her to know that “You are just forcing me to be here I have other things to do.”
When you use the time your spouse is speaking, to think about things unrelated to what your partner is saying “all you simply want is for him/her to leave you to your own world.”
These are great communication blocks that have shattered many homes and marriages today. You could probably develop these attitudes because you are reacting to what might have happened in the past but I want you to understand that this will further cause your home to disintegrate.

These attitudes are common among women.The Bible says: Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands (Proverbs 14:1). Do not block your spouse. It shall be well with you!

If you desire effective communication in your home, the right place to begin from is a personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ. If you want to start this relationship right now, you can say this prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today acknowledging that I am a sinner who needs Your forgiveness. I believe You died for me and rose again on the third day. Forgive me my sins, wash me with Your Blood and write my name in the Lamb’s Book of life. Thank You Lord for saving me.”

Congratulations, you are now born-again! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.

Topic: Covenant Success Habits!

Even though success is a universal desire, many people go about chasing shadows because they do not understand how to get there. Interestingly, success is much more a function of character than activity (2 Peter 1:10). Principles and character must go together to maximise result in the pursuit of destiny. A wise man once said, ‘You don’t decide your destiny; you decide your habit and your habit decides your destiny.’ In other words, where we find ourselves in life is entirely a function of our habits. That is why I have often said that it is our attitude that ultimately determines our altitude.

Therefore, there are certain Covenant Success Habits which I believe we need to possess to enhance our success in life. These habits are fundamental in the school of success because without them our success is not in view. They include:

Decision: In the school of success, we are responsible for our decisions. Decisive men are successful men. They don’t look back but are ever forward looking. Also, they don’t take no for an answer as their hearts are fixed, trusting in the Lord. There are so many people that God has shown their destinies but are afraid to take a decision to move. I remember when the Lord called me in an 18-hour vision, I was not indecisive. I made a decision to run with the heavenly vision; else, I would have been stranded today! Let us understand that indecision is a plague. Its effect is frustration, depression and devastation (Revelation 3:16). So it is not enough to have a goal, but we must make quality decision as far as that goal is concerned.

Association: Many believers are victims of wrong associations. Let us understand that our relationship in life can either make us or break us; they never leave us neutral. There are many people around our lives that will never allow us to see the fulfilment of our vision except we separate from them. So, right association is a booster of vision. Don’t be deceived! Friendship is by choice and not by force. We have the responsibility to decide the people we walk with. Many destinies have been ruined as a result of wrong associations. We must understand that anyone who has a negative influence on our lives is an enemy, not a friend. Beware! (Mark 9:38-40; Psalm 106:32-33; Mathew 7:6).

Concentration: One of the factors that will enhance the fulfilment of our vision in life is concentration. This has to do with being focused. Concentration is sticking to our discovered vision. Those who stick to their goals are those who are steadfast in the pursuit of that goal. We don’t know how high we can fly until we stick to our jobs or assignments. When we have discovered our destinies, we must give it all our attention; mentally, physically and emotionally as the power of concentration always guarantees distinction.

Gratitude: This is acknowledging the grace of God, as we move towards the fulfilment of our vision. We should look at where we are and convince ourselves of God’s backing in getting there. Unfortunately, many people despise the hand of God in their little businesses and become stranded in life. As believers, therefore, we must beware of ingratitude because it shuts us off from God’s blessing. We should never take God for granted as it is risky to do so. When we despite the days of small things, we miss the greatness that lies ahead. Grateful people don’t miss greatness. Remember, it was gratitude that brought Solomon into his place of encounter. Those who truly celebrate their God in the Kingdom become celebrities (Psalm 103:1-3).

Joyfulness: Joy becomes part of our nature when we become born-again. This is because; it is part of the fruit of our regenerated spirit. One interesting thing about life is that only excited people excel in it. Interestingly, every moody, long-face person has a long way to go. The longer the face, the longer our way. Until we become depressed; we cannot end up as failures. So, we must beware of depression as that is the bait of the oppressor, the devil. When he succeeds in introducing depression into our lives, he has made us victims of life (Isaiah 3:10).

Uprightness: God’s provision for man’s success has uprightness as its foundation (Proverbs 10:9). For instance, Job was an upright man, and he was the greatest in the East. Many people know the system of success, but don’t have the result. This is because the foundation of uprightness is not in place. Without uprightness, the struggle for success continues.

Faithfulness: There is always a reward for being faithful. It guarantees us a fulfilling future and raises us above limitations. If we have been faithful over a little, God will make us master over much (Luke 16:10). For instance, if someone pays his tithes faithfully, despite having little, he has committed God to move him to abundance. When we eat our tithes with the excuse of being poor, we become stranded in life. No excuse is tenable for disobedience in the Kingdom. As it is written: …if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee( Deuteronomy 28:15). This scripture re-emphasises the truth that our misfortune in life is rooted in our disobedience to the fundamental laws of the scripture. We shall not end as victims! (Deuteronomy 28:1).

Are you born again? If you are not, this is an opportunity to do so. Simply say the following prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!”  For further reading, please get my books: Success Strategies, Success Systems, Maximising Destiny, Exploring the Secrets of Success.

I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have five services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:40 a.m., 9:40 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:20 p.m. respectively. I know this teaching has blessed you.

Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 01-4548070, 01-4548280; or E-mail: [email protected]

Topic: Love Comes First – Monday October 16, 2017.

John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Text: John 13:35

Jesus didn’t say that all men would know we are His disciples by our doctrine, our rituals, our hatred for sin, or even by the way we express our love for God. He said very clearly, that the one characteristic that would cause the world to identify us as His followers, is our love, one for another.

This same night, the Lord prayed to His Father using this same thought saying, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (Jn. 17:21). The only way that Christ’s body will be one as the Father and Jesus are One, is through God’s kind of love.

Unity of believers, that can only come through a genuine God-kind of love, is the greatest tool for evangelism that the church has or will ever have, according to Jesus. The early church didn’t have the massive organizational structures that we see today or the ability to travel anywhere in the world in just a matter of hours. They certainly did not come close to spending as much money, in proportion to us, to spread the gospel. And yet, the pagans of Thessalonica said of Paul and his companions, “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also” (Acts 17:6). They had evangelized the known world in less than thirty years.

Before we can ever fulfill the great commission of Matthew 28:19-20, there must be a revival of love in the church, where doctrine and ritual take a “back seat” to love for one another.

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).

Topic: The Effects Of Praise [Monday October 16, 2017]

Scripture: Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Psalms 48:1-2

Thought For The Day: When God is greatly praised by His people; He troubles and drives away the conspirators against them.

Praising God is the most crucial responsibility in the life of every child of God. Our anchor scripture tells us that when God is greatly praised, He becomes the refuge for His people. That was what happened in the battle of Jehoshaphat. While they were in battle, they began to praise God, and God became a refuge for them against their enemy (2 Chronicles 20:20).

When God is greatly praised by His people, He troubles and drives away the conspirators against them. God baptizes the enemy of His people with fear, destroys their wealth, investments and establishes the expectations of His people.

Job 23:14 says, For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

I prophesy to you that as you praise God today, your season of disappointments is over. God will disappoint your disappointments. He will cause things that are appointed for you to be performed. He will be your refuge and drive away your conspirators. He shall baptize them with fear and terror. He shall destroy their wealth and their influence and establish your expectations for you, in Jesus’ Name.

Remember This: When God is greatly praised by His people; He troubles and drives away the conspirators against them.

Assignment:

1. Praise God consciously everyday

Prayer:

O LORD, I ask for the garment of praise and thanksgiving in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: THE EFFECTS OF PRAISE.

Daily Reading: Jeremiah 28:1 to 29:32, 1 Timothy 1:1 to 20, Psalm 86:1 to 17, Proverbs 25:17.

Quote: Every time we deprive God of our praise and of our worship, it is like we are choking Him. Culled from ALABASTER BOX by Dr Becky Enenche

Today In History: 16/10/1384 – Jadwiga was crowned King of Poland, despite being a woman.

Amazing Fact: Rabbits often sleep with their eyes open.

Don’t Forget To Attend: The Healing and Deliverance Service tomorrow by 9:30am. Invite your friends and loved ones.

Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), is a powerfully anointed church, headquartered at Abuja, Nigeria, with Dr Paul and Becky Enenche, as the Senior Pastors. It is a power-packed arena where God’s Presence, Principles and Power are at work for the salvation, healing and restoration of human destinies and dignities.