WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST TEMPTATION?

TheBETTERLife Post
Week of January 19-24, 2015

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST TEMPTATION?

Everyone gets tempted. If you are not being tempted right now you will be tempted in the days ahead. Not only that, your biggest temptation will be difficult for you to resist. Reason is simple: Temptation is never detestable or unattractive. Real temptation is a subtle evil with a strong appeal. Call it a "desirable evil" if you please. The power of temptation lies in the fact that they are often blended with the necessities of life. For example - sleep, food, money, rights, self-esteem, expectations and standards.

Think of sleep. Sleep by itself is not evil; it is essential for a healthy mind and body but sleep can also kill if one falls to the temptation to sleep at the wrong time and place. Many lives have been lost to the temptation to sleep either on the wheel while driving or with the wrong people at the wrong places. Another common temptation is a sense of right. It is essential to know and fight for our rights but if we fall to the temptation of allowing our sense of right and entitlement to run wild, we can become victims of resentment, separation, divorce, suicides, murder and wars. How? Uncontrolled sense of right will usually build mountains of unrealistic expectations and fights that lead to resentment, strife, sickness, separation, divorce and wars.

Need I say that every temptation comes from the devil and not from God? God may test our strength from time to time in order to build us up but God will never tempt anyone because temptation is evil in intent. But knowing that temptation is ill-intended is not enough to overcome it. We need God's help. Without this, no one can truly overcome any temptation that is wrapped with life's essentials or things we consider important or normal and needed for a happy life.

The question is what is your biggest temptation? By "biggest" I mean "one that has power to break you". Yes, if you have a relationship with God through Christ, God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear but that is by PROVIDING A WAY OF ESCAPE for you. Do you know what that way of escape is? Do you know how to find and use it? The word of God has answers: PRAY AND PREPARE

A. PRAY.
When we pray we see temptation for what it is: Satanic strategies designed to trick and trap us away from divine protection and provision. That is why God tells us to "Give no place to the devil"(Ephesians 4:27) but to resist him. The only way to effectively resist the devil is to pray on the basis of the word by the help of the Holy Spirit. This is what Jesus did. After fasting and praying for extended period, Jesus became hungry and Satan came with food. Does food appeal to a man who has not eaten after 40 days? But Jesus was still able to dismiss satan and overcome his temptation with the word because he had prayed. Without prayer we become "IGNORANT" of the strategies of the devil.

This was why Jesus warned his disciples: "Get up and pray so that you fall not fall into temptation"/ Luke 22:46. They did not get it. Like most people today, they thought that all they needed to overcome any temptation was "willpower". Jesus repeated the warning 3 times and 3 times they fail to heed. To help Peter, Jesus prayed for him. When temptation came, Peter was terribly sifted because he did not pray but he survived because Jesus prayed for him. Not much was heard about the others after that. So, prayer is the key to overcoming temptation not willpower.

B. PREPARE.
In addition to praying ahead we also need to prepare to overcome temptation in three ways:
1. Avoid temptation. Isn't it easier to "give no place to the devil than to cast him out"? It is far better to refuse to open your door to smoke than trying to get the smoke out of the room after the fact.

2. Protect yourself. Put on every piece of the personal protective equipment (PPE) that God has provided for all his children. The bible calls our PPE "the Whole Amour of God" Ephesians 6:10-18.
Belt of truth - refuse to believe anything but what God says in his word.
Breastplate of righteousness - protect your heart from evil suggestion by pleading the blood of Christ.
Shoes of Peace - let Christ form in your heart by feeding on the word and telling others about him. This will make you stable and peaceful even in tough times.
Shield of faith - choose to live by faith in God through the leading of the Spirit rather than by common sense. It's a fight of faith anyway. No one can see, feel or touch the devil who is behind all evils as opposed to physical fight.
Helmet of salvation - saturate your mind and heart with the work of Christ's atonement
Sword of the Spirit - seek revelations from Gods word and learn to use it against evil thoughts and occurrences.
Pray in spirit - learn the language of the Spirit and use it to instruct your angels and confuse the devil.

3.  Stay in the protected zone.
Stay in the safe zone by submitting to the higher power. Psalm 91. The easiest way to become a victim of temptation is to fly solo or be the lord of your life. Learn to submit to God's authority and to human authorities. Join a local bible-believing church and be committed. This will build an hedge of protection around you and your loved ones.

#PeterOkaka, #TheBETTERLife #FreshwaterChristianHouse, #Fastingandpraying, #newyear, #dominion,

GET CLOSE TO DAD

TheBETTERLife Post 

Week of January 12-17 2015

On what basis do we pray?

On what basis do we ask God for blessings? 

I believe it is on the basis of father-child relationship. Outside this relationship prayer is nothing but an art of begging. Prayer is not meant to be begging but an exclusive right of God's children to ask for what they need. Since there is no such thing as right or privilege without a relationship, our relationship with God then becomes our basis for prayer.  If you saw someone on the street asking
 a total stranger for favour you would say he is begging for alms. Prayer without a relationship is the same. If God is not our father, praying to him is like begging and beggars do not get more than crumbs that fall from the children's table. I didn't say that, God did. 

One day, one woman came begging Jesus to heal her child. Our merciful Jesus looked at her and said : "first let the children eat all they want, it is not right to give the food that is for children to dogs" Jesus was saying in essence "On what basis are you praying to me or asking me for that favour?" Jesus continued, "it is not right to give to dogs the food that is meant for children" Mark 7:26-27

Jesus's response is hard for some to grasp. But Jesus was not being unkind  to the woman at all. How could the one who went about doing good and ultimately giving his life to save the whole world be unkind? Jesus helped her anyway. But by his response, Jesus was simply letting the woman know that the blessings of God are for God's children only. And of course the woman could become a child if she so wish. 

Without a father-child relationship you have no right to pray. Simple. If you choose to pray regardless, the most you would get are crumbs. Does that mean a sinner who is not a child of God cannot pray? 

Yes and no. Yes, if she is asking for mercy and no if she is asking for blessing. The only valid prayer a person who is not a child of God can pray is the prayer for mercy. "Lord God, have mercy and save me" If  she or he  refuses to take this route, that person's prayer might actually be an abomination before God. 

Proverbs 28:9

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

Proverbs 15:8

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight

John 9:31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 

Do you know God as Father? 

Technically God is the father of the whole world but not everyone is living in the will of God. Living outside the will of God in any area make us prodigal children. In that sense, though everyone is a child of God by origin everyone is not a child by rights. If we are not children by rights then we are not entitled to the rights and provisions reserved for children who live in God's will. 

Is God your father? If yes are you close to him? 

Effective prayer is based on effective relationship. Relationship gives us the  right and privilege to boldly come to God and confidently pray like Jesus  taught us to pray:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven...."Matthew 6:9-13

Would you like the right and privilege to pray the "Lord's Prayer" with boldness and confidence like all of God's children do? Then you need to get right with God and get close to God. 

1. GET RIGHT WITH GOD

If God is not yet your father, making him your father is easy. Humbly come before God in your innermost being and pray something like this: "Lord God, I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is your son who came to save me from sin and all the consequences of sin. Save me and make me your child". Rom 10:9 Done. If you prayed that from your heart, you are in the family. The children rights and privileges are now yours. Find a bible -believing church and plug in for a chance to grow in your walk with God. 

2. GET CLOSE TO GOD

Whether you are new or old in God's family your relationship will only grow by your faithfulness along these five lines: effective communication, regular meetings, valuing the relationship, expressing love through giving and asking for forgiveness. 

1. Effective communication. We fellowship and commune with God through prayer of asking and listening on the basis of God's word. Make this a daily habit and your relationship with God will grow. 

2. Regular meetings. Out of sight is out of mind and out of mind is out of life. In addition to private prayers and bible studies, we grow in God-consciousness and godliness when we fellowship with other children of God in a local church. Besides this growth benefit, being an active part of a local church gives us a spiritual covering that outsiders do not have. 

3. Value the relationship. We demonstrate our value for our relationship with God through HONOUR. Give God the first place in your life by prioritizing your time and work to acknowledge him. No father bonds with a child that disregards and refuses to acknowledge him. 

4. Express your love through giving 

Honour God with your wealth. Prodigal children have a sense of entitlement and they squander their wealth but wise children honour their father by using their resources to promote the work of God. Why not? All that we have came from God our father in the first place. Our right to ask God to give us our daily bread is based on our wise use of what he has already blessed us with. Two ways to do this is tithe and offering. (Ref: Mal 3:10, Matt 6:33. Luke 6:38)

5. Ask forgiveness 

Sometimes we err as children. When this happens it is good to not assume we are automatically forgiven without asking. That would amount to taking God's love and grace for granted. If we fall, we need to return, confess and forsake with a desire and commitment to sin no more. God is faithful and just to forgive all our sins and restore our relationship to good standing. 

I pray that your prayers this week will ascend to the throne of grace as the prayers of a beloved child. May the lord grant the desires of your heart. 

#PastorPeterOkaka, #TheBETTERLife #FreshwaterChristianHouse, #Fastingandpraying, #newyear, #dominion,

PRAYER WORKS, PRAY!

TheBETTERLife Post
Week of January 5-10, 2015

PRAYER WORKS, PRAY!

Prayer works. I know this by experience and by simple observation. Children pray. Parents pray. Presidents pray. Prisoners pray. Employers pray. Employees pray. Christians pray and non-Christians pray. Need more proof? God himself says pray works: "You will call on me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you", "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know (Jeremiah 29:12, 33:3) People who have prayed, have and can testify t this. "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles". (Psalm 34:4-6). If that's does not convince you, nothing will.

Not only does prayer work, it works beyond human imagination. "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us”. (Ephesians 3:20). When combined with fasting, prayer can change the unchangeable and achieve the impossible(Matt 17:21; Isaiah 58:8-14. My prayer for us all this year is that God will exceed our prayer expectations and imagination in Jesus' name.

However, prayer will only work powerfully for those who pray diligently. At the very least, the person who does not ask will not get. Yes, God in his mercy can intervene even before a person prays but that is exception rather than the rule. If you don't pray, there will be no prayer to answer. "You have not because you ask not. (James 4:3) Jesus confirmed this when he said. "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete". (John 16:24).

Our goal this month is to receive from God through prayer and fasting. Fasting makes prayer a powerful combo. Therefore, invite your friends and family to church in the next four weeks, as we focus on the purpose, power and practice of prayer. Meanwhile, I bow my knees to God our Father through our Lord Jesus Christ, that He may grant you answers to your earnest prayers according the riches of his glory; and above all strengthen you by his Spirit in your inner being until Christ dwells in your heart richly. Join us. Let us pray!

#PastorPeterOkaka, #TheBETTERLife, #FreshwaterChristianHouse, #Fastingandpraying, #newyear, #dominion,

PRAY AND FAST

TheBETTERLife Post
Week of December 29, 2014-January 3, 2015

It is true that how we finish is more important than how we start. But sometimes if we start out on the wrong side we may never get to the finish line. For this reason, it is important that we start well by inquiring from the Lord who knows the end from the beginning. One of the best ways to do this is through prayer and fasting.

Prayer is the official communication means between man and God. When combined with fasting, prayer properly positions us to receive signals and direction in the form of ideas, insights, concepts and discernment from God.

Why bother to ask God?

Because most of us have plans for tomorrow. Yet, none of us knows tomorrow. What appears to us to be the right way and the right plan at first can lead to disaster in the end. But if we commit our ways to the Lord God and trust in him; if we acknowledge him in all our ways and do not lean on our own understanding or plan, he will direct our steps. No one will argue that prayer of inquiry is better than a prayer of rescue because many are the plans in a man;s heart but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

That is why our loving Father God who knows the end from the beginning declares to all: "Call to me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things that you do not know. For I know the plans that I have for you. They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope".

So, before we set out to do anything we have planned for the coming months in new year, let us heed God's call. Let us inquire from the Lord and trust him with all our hearts to lead us. We are free to make our plans but let us not rely on what we know. Rather let us acknowledge God and ask him to direct our paths in the new year. With God leading, we believe that 2015 shall go down in history as our year of undeniable DOMINION.

#PastorPeterOkaka, #TheBETTERLife, #FreshwaterChristianHouse, #Fastingandpraying, #newyear, #dominion