LIFT YOUR HANDS

When was the last time you lifted your hands up to God in prayer, in worship, in consecration, in surrender? Or have you never? Do you find it strange? Or is it just something you are not accustomed to doing? If that’s the case, you’re missing out!

Lifting hands is first a Scriptural instruction.

I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting (1Timothy 2:8)

Beyond being a Scriptural instruction, what is it about?

It is an act of offering worship & thanksgiving.

Thus will I bless You while I live: I will lift up my hands in Your name (Psalm 63:4)

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord (Psalm 134:2)

My hands also will I lift up to Your commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in Your statutes (Psalm 119:48)

Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense; and the lifting of my hands as the evening sacrifice (Psalm 141:2)

It is an act of prayer (supplication, intercession & repentance).

Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy oracle (Psalm 28:2)

Arise, cry out in the night…..pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up your hands toward Him for the life of your young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street (Lamentations 2:19)

Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the heavens (Lamentations 3:40&41)

Having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands to the LORD my God (Ezra 9:5b)

My eye mourns by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon You, I have stretched out my hands to You (Psalm 88:9)

And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven (1Kings 8:22)

It is an expression of thirst (desire) for God.

I stretch forth my hands to You: my soul thirsts after You, as a thirsty land (Psalm 143:6)

It is a significant practice in the Spirit; a prophetic action producing definite effects.

And it came to pass, when Moses lifted up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed (Exodus 17:11)

And Moses went out of the city from Pharoah, and spread abroad his hands to the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth (Exodus 9:33)

It is an act of swearing by covenant men, angels & even God.

And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand to the LORD, the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take.....anything that is yours….. (Genesis 14:22&23)

And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, and swore….. (Revelations 10:5&6)

For I lifted up My hand to heaven, and say, I live forever (Deuteronomy 32:40)

It is an act of blessing.

And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them (Luke 24:50)

It is an expression of the posture of our heart.

It seems to me from Scriptures like Psalm 143:6, Lamentations 3:41 & Ezra 9:5b that when we lift our hands or stretch them out to God, we are doing something in the physical that mirrors or represents the posture or attitude of our hearts: desire, surrender, repentance etc.

In worship, in prayer, in invoking the blessing over your children & your church members & even yourself, lift your hands to God even if no one else will.

There are prophetic utterances that you release with your hand(s) lifted up. There are times, without a word, you prophetically lift your hands & unlock, release & provoke changes in both the spiritual & physical realms. Discern such things & respond accordingly.

Your hands are not just to be trained for natural activities sir & ma, train yourself by the Word to use them in this our realm.

You are the blessed!

REJECT OF EARTH, REJECT OF HEAVEN

Son of God, Son of man
Rejected by heaven, rejected by earth
Light of the world, flame burning bright
Hope of the world, by darkness slain

He came to His own, His own received Him not
One with His Father, inseparable through eternity
Sin now laid on Him, sin now made of Him
Transformed to darkness, all comeliness lost

What a cup to drink, what wrath to bear
Separated from His Father, now He called Him Eli
Let this cup pass, He had pleaded
Your will be done, thus He yielded

He drank the cup to its dregs, not one drop left
All judgment poured on Him, the wrath of God satisfied
It is finished, He cried; all is lost, the angels thought
Now I’ve got Him, Lucifer roared; our Rabbi is gone, the disciples mourned

A sword pierced Mary’s heart; anguish and sorrow cut deep
My Lord is gone, Magdalene sobbed; He gave me hope and now it’s lost
Silence in heaven, darkness on earth; rejoicing in hell, anticipation in the air
We’ve got the miracle-worker; the one who scattered our armies

Yet there He hung, suspended by nails
Reject of heaven, reject of earth
Man said, crucify Him; God said, judge Him for Adam’s sin
They spat at Him, God turned from Him
Father forgive them
God, why have you forsaken me
Into Your hands I commit my spirit
And He breathed His last

By heaven rejected, that I might be accepted
From the Father separated, to Him I am joined
He became my sin, He died my death
His death was my life, His shame was my glory

By men rejected, though for them He gave His all
Those He loved and came for; Him they cursed and spat on
Men He had healed, even those He had freed
Ashamed to speak for Him, afraid to be known with Him

Rocks split wide open, the temple curtain followed suit
Darkness for three hours, the light of the world hung slain
The end. Or was it the beginning?
Would He rise like He said? Would He rot in His grave?

THE NEW CREATION REALITY MY PRINCIPAL TAUGHT ME

I owe a lot to my secondary school principal, Mrs. A. O. L. Adeniyi of Obafemi Awolowo University International School, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.

The most unforgettable of all is the role she played in helping to secure my admission into Medicine & Surgery in OAU in the year 2006. She went up to the Vice Chancellor’s office several times to make sure the promise of automatic admission would be fulfilled. I am not ashamed to say I received help from God through her & the VC (Professor Faborode).

Of course, from JSS1 to SSS3, there were many things I learnt from her, especially in Biology. But today, I realized I also learnt something very spiritual & vital from her: ALL I NEED IS A SCAPEGOAT. When my classmates would get to making noise (you know I was gentle as a dove); she would step in and say to us & to the class captain, “all I need is a scapegoat”. You can be sure we (sorry, they) got quiet in a hurry! Nobody wanted to be the scapegoat.

ALL I NEED IS A SCAPEGOAT!

In Leviticus 16, God gave Moses certain instructions about two young goats to be used as Israel’s sin offering (vv. 8-10). The high priest was to offer one as a sin offering (slaughter it). He was to make atonement with the other. He would lay both hands on its head and confess the sins of Israel over it, thus effectively transferring the sins of the people to the goat (vv. 20-22). It would then be led out into the wilderness by the hand of a fit man and let go as a scapegoat (Hebrew: AZAZEL), carrying the sins of the people away (most likely to be torn by wild beasts). Jesus became all for us: the high priest, the sacrificial goat and the scapegoat (Hebrews 9:25-26 & John 1:29).

Jesus was my AZAZEL. He was my SCAPEGOAT!!!
A scapegoat is one who is blamed & punished for the sins of others. Jesus was the perfect scapegoat. He knew no sin, but God laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). As the levitical scapegoat was led out of the camp, He was led out of the city; not to be torn by wild beasts, but to be sacrificed on the cross as on an altar (1Peter 2:24 AMP). All that was needed was a scapegoat, a representative, someone to satisfy the requirements of divine justice. All I need is that scapegoat. Because He has become the scapegoat for my offences, I have escaped punishment & judgment. He has carried away my sin and everything tied to it (my sicknesses, my curse).

In the African traditional religion as practiced by the Yorubas of Southwestern Nigeria, there is a strongly held belief that the sickness & death meant for a person/locality can be transferred to another person or an animal; who then carries the sickness & death away from their geographical location. They have a vague idea, a shadow. I show you the substance from the Scriptures. Jesus Christ (Son of God and of man) was made a scapegoat for you and I. He bore our sins in His own body to the cross & on the cross (1Peter 2:24 AMP). He has borne it, we no longer have to bear it. Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses, carried our diseases (Isaiah 53:4-5 & Matthew 8:16-17). He has borne them, we no longer have them.

ALL YOU NEED IS A SCAPEGOAT.

JESUS HAS BEEN MADE YOUR SCAPEGOAT!

REJOICE EVERMORE!

WAVES & CURRENTS; TIDES & TORRENTS

Are you thirsty?
Come to the waters
Drink & be satisfied
Be filled with milk & wine

The Master still calls
His voice rings clear
Let the thirsty come
Let the hungry feed

Out of your belly
Living rivers flowing
Waves & currents
Tides & torrents

Rapids of power
Tongues of fire
Gushers of wisdom
Streams of grace

The Spirit from within
Flows so sweet & strong
His power from within
His glory shines bright

You've been made to drink
You've been made habitable
Only God's blood could do this
The life of His very Son

Now shines bright the Sun
Now dance in His rain
The heavens are open
Love pours down on us

THE INTERCEDING PRISONER

He’s no famous Bible character. In fact, his name appears only 3 times in the Bible, but there’s just something about him.

We would not have known his name or his life’s work if Paul had not mentioned him in his letters to the Colossian church and to Philemon. We would not have known his place & impact in the kingdom, but heaven would have known. Many lives he touched may not even have known his name, but the Master would have known. This man was such that Paul called him a fellow servant, a faithful minister and a servant of Christ (Colossians 1:7 & 4:12), terms he used ever so sparingly in his epistles.

EPAPHRAS. His name literally means he was devoted to the goddess Venus, but this man received Jesus and became devoted to the Master. He became so devoted to God’s people in Asia Minor that, even when he was imprisoned and could no longer serve as a pastor or minister directly to them, he kept agonising, contending & labouring fervently for them in prayers for one purpose: that they might stand perfect and complete (mature and full) in all the will of God (Colossians 4:12).

Epaphras was a faithful minister of Christ (apparently a pastor & teacher) to them while he was a free man. Being imprisoned, he could have had a number of different responses. He could have gone into self-pity, depression, doubt or even resentment towards God. He could even have gone on a “ministry vacation”. After all, you can’t pastor a church from prison. He could have taken a break from being a Christian. Some people do in such situations, but not Epaphras.

I may be in prison, I may not be able to write letters to teach and instruct the church like Apostle Paul, but I can pray. My freedom may have been taken away, but my speech hasn’t. My body may be locked in, but my mouth isn’t locked; my tongue isn’t tied, my knees can still bend. I cannot be in Colosse physically, but I can still touch them in the Spirit. After all, the adversary that seeks to keep them out of the centre of God’s will is a spiritual adversary. It’s not a flesh-and-blood battle. I may not have a pulpit to preach from, but I have a prayer altar to mediate from!

Such was this man’s conviction that he burned with great zeal for the saints in Colosse, Laodicea and Hierapolis. Paul the apostle saw it and bore witness. If the letter to Philemon was not written or read, we would never have figured out that he was a prisoner (Philemon 1:23). He was unlimited by the bars.

There are those that are in a physical prison, like Epaphras. There are those who are not limited by physical bars; but are barred by old age, physical infirmity, financial lack, illiteracy & peculiar circumstances from serving God the way they desire to. Some have their heads bowed in discouragement, self-pity & low self-esteem. Some have their hands weakened by their circumstances. Whichever category you may belong to, God has sent me to you with a message: YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE LIMITED! Where you are, in those very circumstances; even in a physical prison, YOU CAN BE MIGHTY FOR GOD.

Epaphras was a mighty prisoner; mighty for God, mighty in prayer (Colossians 4:12). Anna was a widow, limited by her social circumstances. She had enjoyed only 7 years with her husband; but she did not become a bitter old woman. She worshipped night & day in the temple, fasting & praying. She prophesied over the Messiah Himself (Luke 2:36-38). Seemingly inconsequential in the social order, she was mighty in the Spirit. Many widows have learnt from her through the centuries of the Church. Hagin spoke of one of them who prayed a full gospel church into her town. Paul was an apostle, he was a go-go man; ever on the move for the Lord Jesus. Imprisonment came, but his mouth was not shut. He could pray, he could write, he could instruct & mentor; and so he did.

Are you bitter or battered (discouraged) because of your circumstances? Look to Jesus & the joy His Spirit supplies within (Romans 14:17&18). That joy is your strength. You can look beyond your circumstances & pray for others as Epaphras did.

Is your job/academic schedule preventing you from serving in the specific way you would like to serve? Does there appear to be no way around it yet? You can still serve another way. If nothing else, you can be an intercessor. If you can’t serve behind the pulpit, you can be mighty for God behind closed doors.

Are you a widow with an empty nest? Are you “too old” to serve in a department? You can still be an intercessor. You can still be an encourager, you can still visit; you can still be a mother to many. You can be a conduit for the gifts of the Spirit. You can even write.

Are you weakened by physical infirmity? Have you released your faith & received healing that has not yet manifested? You can look beyond yourself & lay hands on other sick people. You’ll be shocked, they’ll be healed! Even if you can’t move from your bed, you can still pray!

It doesn’t matter what your peculiar situation is. You can cover distances in the Spirit like Epaphras. There are unconfirmed reports of women in church history who even took it a step further: crisscrossing continents in the Spirit, ministering physically to prisoners of war & returning to their homes in time for dinner. If so, they must have learnt from Jesus, Elijah, Elisha, Paul & Philip (John 6:21, 1Kings 18:12, 2Kings 5:26, 1Corinthians 5:3&4, and Acts 8:39&40). I said that to let you know how limitless you are in Christ. The possibilities of the divine life in you are endless.

If the only way you can serve God & His people in your peculiar situation is by interceding, then give yourself to it. I say again: YOU CAN BE MIGHTY FOR GOD RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE!

MY BIRTHDAY TESTIMONY 2

Three years ago, I wrote a birthday testimony; thanking God for His faithfulness DESPITE everything that had gone "wrong" in the two preceding years. Today, I'm writing this to thank Him BECAUSE OF everything that has happened in the last 2 years.

I experienced delays in 2013-2015, it seemed as if things did not exactly go according to my plan or even (to an extent) His plan. It seemed as if most things were just not responding to me. In all that, God was faithful.

At a certain point in 2016, I was sorely tempted to start breaking generational curses and praying "fall down & die" prayers; but instead, I kept meditating on the blessing that I carry, declaring that I am blessed, 'cos I am! Thank God for the Holy Ghost!

2017-2018 was the season of turnaround. I have seen God give me speed. I have seen my life unfold according to divine programming such that God & I know it and I'm not wondering if this is His plan. Everything's not perfect, no. But I have seen the blessing at work, I have seen the blessing find expression.

2017, He took me on a journey through Jigawa. The only downside in Jigawa was that I didn't make much money. In fact, I made losses. But in everything else, I prospered. Talk about spiritual increase, promotion in ministry, career, health, protection, peace, divine favour, direction, impact, purpose, great grace, unique opportunities, strength, personal revival & radicalisation for Jesus and you're telling my story.

Despite having failed Him in certain ways in 2015/2016; God gave me the privilege to serve Him in NCCF (that's an epistle on its own). God radicalised me through the Deeper Life Church & through NCCF National Conference 2017 (my life has not remained the same). I also met amazing people. Then He brought me back to Osun State with much rejoicing.

2018, a floodgate of testimonies, especially in my career where I had previously experienced pain. God has been opening job doors to me in undeniably favour-based ways. God has given me speed. Within three months, I prepared for & passed my primaries (an exam that many prepare for over several months & fail); not by skill or intelligence, but by divine direction & favour. God led me to the right people & materials. God used people like Dr Wumi Akinwande, Dr Familusi & Dr Akarakiri for me.

After the exam, He took me to Living Hope Hospital (a wonderful home & workplace and physical & spiritual environment) where I learned ultrasound scanning & a boatload of other things, met wonderful people; had souls won and people receive the Holy Ghost. Then this October, He opened the doors of residency training to me. I said I wanted to be a consultant OB/GYN by age 30 before. Now, I'm starting residency in Family Medicine in 2 days' time (from O & G to Family Medicine, a story for another day, if occasion permits). In this same year, I was consecrated as a youth pastor in the Foursquare Gospel Church.

There has been provision too o! Looking forward to more financial increase.

There have been adventures with the Holy Ghost.

I'm not where I want to be yet, by any standard; but I'm not where I used to be. I'm evolving, I'm accelerating, I'm spreading!

The summary of my testimony in this season is: I have been mightily helped by Jehovah Ezer.

Thanks for reading my testimony. Thanks for all the birthday prayers & wishes & congratulatory messages; all the calls & texts & whatsapp & Facebook messages. Nations will surely rejoice with you too.

Dr Jesutola (Ayanfe) Adewumi.

DIVINITY

Through the centuries, man has craved divinity. Man has always wanted to be like God, or to be a god. It started with the deception of Eve. Adam & Eve were already like God (Genesis 1:26), but the serpent said to her: eat & you will be like God, knowing good & evil (Genesis 3:5). They ate, they became like God in the sense of knowing good & evil (Genesis 3:22), but they lost the very thing that actually made them like God in the first place (His nature).

From that day forward, there has been something in man, a knowing: "I am meant to be more". Different men have devised different ways of becoming "more"; becoming gods. They tried to make an everlasting name for themselves by spectacular achievements (Genesis 11). Some attained great wealth, power & influence & sought to immortalise either their names or themselves. Some men killed other men & drank their blood; others subjugated fellow men (Judges 1:7) & often demanded worship or worship-like postures & expressions from them (Genesis 41:43 & Esther 3:2-5). Some, through research, have sought to use science & technology to achieve those very goals. 

There's another category of men that have sought things such as "the fountain of youth", "the secret of life"; "the center of the universe" or "the hub of creation", often out of  desire for immortality, great power or great wealth. Others have done everything they thought could work to give them powers beyond the natural. In recent years, the Eastern religions have gained ground in the Western world. Why? There's a promise of divinity, the introduction of a most fantastic thought: that divinity dwells within every man & can be nurtured & activated through transcendental meditation. It simply speaks to a certain deep-rooted desire in the human heart. From Egyptian Pharoahs to Japanese & Incan emperors to American serial killers and leaders of various cults or religious sects, men through history have fancied themselves  gods or God.

Of all these men, not a single human being has attained divinity or even immortality. But in A. D. 30, a Jew named Jesus came on the scene and began to declare himself God (John 10:33). Several times, the Jews were ready to stone him, but they never could. Sometimes, he hid himself supernaturally, sometimes his words made them unable to. At other times, he simply walked away. This same man kept saying that it was possible for men to be born of God, born from above just as He was (John 3:3&5). He began to say that by simply believing in him, men could have eternal life (John 3:16). He went on to say the strangest thing:

"If you eat my flesh and drink my  blood, you have eternal life in you. If you don't, you haven't!" (John 6:53&54 paraphrased)

This time, the Jews were deeply offended & confused & many who had been following him turned back. It seemed like he had simply gone off the deep end. But those who stayed with him later understood (and experienced) exactly what he was talking about (John 6:63, 1:1 & 1John 1:1). While he was NOT introducing to the Jews the cannibalism that men through the ages practised in trying to attain divinity, he sure WAS painting a picture such people could relate to: "you can eat & drink all the blood & flesh you want to, but if you haven't had my own (by believing my words), you don't have the divine life!"

This life was to be like a never-drying wellspring of water within them. This life was a different kind from that life by which they had been existing before he came. This was a superior life, a higher life, THE DIVINE LIFE. This was divinity at their doorstep. What men have sought through the ages, what men have done all sorts of things to attain or at least mimic; readily available at their doorstep, readily available at YOUR doorstep. According to 1John 5:11&12, this is the testimony of God: He has given us eternal life (ZOE: the divine life & nature, what makes God God), and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has that life. He who does not have the Son does not have that life, period!

Do you have the Son? No? Then you don't have eternal life. It really is very simple. Do you believe that God has raised Jesus from the dead? Then take a moment right now & confess Jesus as your LORD, receive the life He so freely offers. Have you done that? Now I can speak to you as to every other believer.....

You are divine in origin & nature

You are heavenly, born from above

You are not of this world, realm & plane

You are divine

You are a god, just like God

You have been born of God, not just adopted

You are a child of God, you are God-class, God-kind

Don't look at your body or soul, look at your spirit, the real you!

Look at Jesus, look at the Father!

Look in the Word for that is your mirror!

You are just like God, you can function like Him by His Spirit & Word in you

The only thing you are not is God Himself (the Father, Son & Spirit)

Yet you are a son, just like the Son

Where the Father & Son are seated, you are seated

By the Word & Spirit of God

Everything that God is, you are

Everything that God has, you have

Everything that God can do, you can do

That is glory!

This is divinity!

Light dawns!