The 2017 March Healing Service was filled with God’s awesome presence and anointing. We heard great testimonies of God’s deliverance of our brethren. One of these testimonies was from Pst. David Kinanee and family, whom God delivered from Python attack. Believing the declaration of God’s servant in the February healing service on God’s protection over our lives. Four days after this service, his family discovered a huge python at home. Since it was dark, his wife and two of his kids had been at home, gone about their chores without realizing there was a python at the door post. It was his third child who thinking it to be a wrap of cloth was at the verge of picking it up, but felt restrained. She decided to beam a torchlight on this strange cloth, only to discover it was a python positioned to strike. At this discovery, she called out to her father who killed the snake. Interestingly, he was questioned by members of the community who said the python was the god of their land. To God be the glory, no one was hurt. Another great testimony was that of Bro. Victor Ekwa, whom God delivered from the habit of smoking (marijuana). The final testimony was that of Pst. (Prof) Apele Iyagba and family whom God delivered from a terrible train accident. On the 25th of February, himself, his wife and son were returning from a funeral and collided with a moving train. There was no sign or notice to indicate a train was in motion. Upon collision, their bumper got hooked on the moving train and would have been dragged along the rail tracks but God intervened. He gave their son (the driver) wisdom and he put the car in reverse gear. This completely disengaged the car from the moving train and the entire family was delivered from a catastrophic incident that would have claimed all their lives.

God’s Word brought to us by the International Director, Pastor Isaac V. Olori, was tagged “Go, Dip Yourself Seven Times” (2 Kings 5:1-17). The subject of the lesson was Naaman, who despite the position he occupied, was a leper. Describing the personality of Naaman, he stated that the prowess of Naaman made him preferred by the people of Syria, as they looked beyond his predicament and endowed him with a high level of authority. This position however could not serve as a covering for his ailment. Comparing the situation of Naaman to sin, he stressed that no situation or sin of ours can be hidden from God. We must realize that just as leprosy, sin overshadows every other possession of a person. Inner purification should therefore be paramount in the life of a man.

Pastor Isaac Olori also analyzed the character of the slave girl, who took her master’s condition with great concern and acted on it. He stated that though the slave girl was a captive physically, she was not a captive spiritually, as she believed in the power of her God and what He could do. She did not let the captivity she was in, make her disbelieve her God. Her attitude was in contrast to the king of Judah, who receiving the letter from the king of Syria became upset and afraid, despite his rank.

Furthermore, he was keen to mention that when God brings forth His Word, we must receive it, believe it and obey it. Total obedience of God’s Word determines if we receive our miracle or not because whatever we do not have regard for cannot bring blessing to us. He also pointed that sometimes, the hindrance between our miracle and us, is the way we think.

Analyzing the importance of Elisha’s instruction, he highlighted the following;

• The healing received by Naaman was not as a result of washing in River Jordan (the element) but in his obedience to God’s Word. This implies that receiving a miracle from God is not dependent on the element used but in the Word of God.
• Most times, God’s Word is difficult to explain, understand or analyse but total obedience is key to receiving the benefits (Isaiah 1:19).
• Receiving a miracle from God largely depends on our humility, because a lot of people have shielded themselves from the power of God because of pride. Except we humble ourselves, we cannot get the grace of God.

Furthermore, he stated the following as major learning points from the sermon:

• While it is good to receive gifts as a servant of God, it should not serve as a criteria to carry out one’s ministerial duties. Naaman thought he could give gifts in exchange for the miracle he had received but this gift was rejected by Elisha because the blessings of God cannot be purchased for money. Jesus was a true example, he never received gifts for the miracles he performed.
• It is expedient that we connect to God by faith and not through elements, as discipleship teaches men to put their faith in God and not in elements.

Finally, leprosy in the Old Testament signified spiritual defilement and this is the same significance sin has. Until we dip and cleanse ourselves in the blood of Jesus, we remain unclean. Sin in its entirety defiles, deforms, destroys a man, hence, we must maintain a complete relationship with God and surrender all to Him.

This was the first healing service for the year 2017 and God honoured us with His awesome presence. Also, we heard testimonies of salvation from a group of cultist from Bera, who openly declared their faith in God and affirmed continuity in kingdom activities. See more details here.

The message by the International Director was titled “The Power of Spiritual Desire” (Matthew 5:6). Introducing the topic, he stated that approaching life without any desire is a sign post to failure, as seeking for anything is a product of desire. He also said that, the capacity to search for anything comes when there is a desire. Furthermore, the sermon exposed a vacuum in the heart of every man and the efforts we put in, geared towards filling that vacuum– as declared by Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 55:1-3). This vaccum is, however, not physical and cannot be bought by money (Jeremiah 2:13). Nevertheless, some believe that having physical possessions can bring satisfaction or fill that void, not knowing that even acquisition of these wealth could increase sorrow. It is necessary to note that, God sees it as evil, when individuals forsake Him to find satisfaction elsewhere.

The sermon also revealed that spiritual desire can launch one into God’s purpose for their life, but for this to take place, our spirit needs to be alive. Being hungry or thirsty is a sign of life (Matthew 6:33) thus having no craving for righteousness, implies that our spirit is either sick or dead. As water and food is to the body, so is righteousness to the spiritual body.

To fulfil God’s purpose for our life, we must seek God first. This is possible when we become part of His kingdom. Kingdom here refers to the rule and reign of Jesus Christ in our personal life. It also refers to salvation, which requires you to live according to the directives of Christ by submitting to His Lordship. Anyone who does not recognize Him as Lord over their life, is not qualified to be part of His kingdom. Another relevant part of seeking the kingdom is spreading the gospel of the kingdom through soul winning and discipleship.

The second level of spiritual desire is seeking His righteousness. Righteousness means being right with God and with man. It means Purity of heart and uprightness of life. It also emphasizes living in accordance with the standards of God’s kingdom, which requires our heart and life to be in conformity with God’s word. It is therefore not about how people see you but how the Spirit of God agrees with your Spirit in the things you do. At this point our motives are judged according to God’s standards (Matthew 5:20). Matthew 5:21 shows some examples of righteous standards. The standard of the kingdom requires a pure heart, so we must constantly examine the state of our heart.

The danger of failing to seek His kingdom and righteousness is that you will not enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 7:22, 23). Thus frequent examination of our lives is important. If you must fulfil God's purpose, first things must be first: The Kingdom and Righteousness.

Some questions you should ask to know if seeking the kingdom is your priority are:

1. Where and for what am I primarily putting my energy and why am I doing it?
2. Am I living for temporal things or for eternal things?

The blessing of spiritual desire

1. Filled: Matthew 5:6 – Those who go after righteousness will be filled and once you are filled, there would be no space for worry, fear etc. Also, you will have godliness and contentment.
2. Answers to prayer: Psalm 34:17 - When you seek righteousness, God will hear you when you cry.
3. God will not forsake you: Psalm 37:25 - The blessings of righteousness will follow you and your seed.
4. Flourish: Proverbs 11:28 – You will flourish and not know dryness.
5. Protection: Proverbs 18:10 – No matter the level of insecurity, you are protected.
6. Boldness: Proverbs 28:1 – Righteousness will make you bold as nothing can intimidate you.
7. Open Doors: Isaiah 26:2 – There are open gates for you because righteousness opens doors

To access these blessings, we must not compromise. Not seeking God’s kingdom shows a misplaced priority and one who exhibits such will not go far with God, neither will he/she find fulfillment. Even though they are Christians, they will only live like the ungodly who focus on earthly possessions (Matthew 6:32). So, let our focus be on Christ and His righteousness, as we exist to please the King. Finally, do not be satisfied with the level of righteousness you operate on now, SEEK MORE!

It was wonderful worshipping in the Temple this month. God’s power and magnificence was paramount in service. We heard testimonies of God’s faithfulness from our brethren, one of whom was Pastor Peter Daniel, who was involved in a motor accident in 2004 and as a result, experienced severe spinal pain but was miraculously healed during the August 2016 healing service. He also testified how God healed his two sisters in October 2016 healing service. In his words, “…while the International Director said the healing prayers, I put a call through to my sisters, so they could partake in the prayers as well, and today they are healed”.

The sermon by the International Director was titled “The Name above all names” while the text was taken from Philippians 2:5-11. He described a name to be a part of one’s identity, as it portrays a person’s worth, character, reputation, authority, will and ownership. Describing the name of Jesus, he pointed that, His name was in sync with the mission He came to accomplish. Hence, whenever the name “JESUS” is mentioned, it should serve as a reminder of the task He came to accomplish, as well as a description of who He is and what He can do. Furthermore, the sermon brought to the fore the authority that resides in a name, and Jesus recognized this power and authority in His. So, if we – Christians- act, recognising the power in that name, we must certainly have the backing of heaven.

Major highlights of the sermon include;

1.      How Jesus achieved greatness in His name:

a)      By inheritance (Hebrews 1:4). As the only begotten Son of God, He obtained a more excellent name than any angel.

b)      By achievement (Philippians 2:5-11). He showed that He was qualified to obtain the greatness in His name through His works.

c)      God conferred it upon Him (Colossians 2:15): As a result of the humility He exhibited, God conferred it upon Him.

2.      How to access the power in that name:

It was clearly pointed out that, the power in the name of Jesus is not just in mentioning it, but this power can be accessed through the following ways;

a)      Spiritual understanding: A man who will access the power in the name of Jesus, is the man who has spiritual understanding of the power in the name and personality of Jesus - Colossians 1:16-19.

b)      Reverence for His name (Exodus 20:7) – Reverence for that name can be linked to the way we call Him. Calling the name unnecessarily depicts lack of reverence. A typical example of reverence for this name can be traced to the attitude of the early Jews, who spelt the Name as YHWH, thus signifying His awesomeness and the fact that He is indescribable. Also, history has it that, an unnecessary mention of that name could attract a punishment of death.

c)      Faith (Acts 3: 12, 13 and 16). To access the power in the name, we must have faith in the name and person that owns the name.

d)      Called by that name (2 Chronicles 7:14, John 1:12).  Being called by the name of the Lord happens by Salvation. Being called by that Name gives you access which principalities recognise. This gives us power over situations, diseases etc.

Finally, it is expedient we know that a person’s name can direct the course of his life. Also, being identified with the name of Jesus and acknowledging its power is the best thing that can happen to anyone, as no one can survive without the backing of that name, JESUS.

The Healing Service this month was another special one as we marked the second year home-going anniversary of our founding father, Apostle Geoffrey D. Numbere, with a thanksgiving. Led by his wife, Pastor Dr. Nonyem Numbere and his immediate family, the Ministry gave thanks to God by prayers and offerings for keeping and sustaining us these past 2 years. Through the Apostle Numbere Foundation in conjunction with Greater Evangelism Publications, 6 of his books were available for the Church.

We heard testimonies from brethren of God’s goodness in their lives. Amongst them were Bro. Jeremiah Peter, who had been diagnosed of different ailments including diabetes, typhoid, arthritis and ulcer, but was healed during the last healing service. Interestingly, he was contracted to bring someone to church as a commercial driver but decided to stay for the service and there he got healed.

Also, Pastor Lebari Sime of Choba Church testified how God healed him of a condition that produced blood from his mouth. In his words, “this started in July 2014 and continued till this year but in the June 2016 Healing Service, God healed me during the prayers. I felt something moving like an object in my body and when I got back home to check myself, my saliva was clean. Till date there has been no trace of blood in my saliva”.

God’s word, brought to us by His servant Pastor Isaac Olori, was tagged “Contending for our spiritual heritage” (1 Kings 21:1-9, Jude 1:1-3). He defined the word “Contend” to mean striving in opposition or to exert one’s strength to get a possession. He further analyzed our heritage as Christians by stating that, “the greatest heritage we have is our faith in Christ and the best heritage any man can achieve is spiritual heritage, hence, rather than strive for earthly things, one must seek to get this spiritual heritage”. He was keen to point that, without the forgiveness of sin there cannot be an inheritance since our heritage begins with the common salvation. This Common salvation, in itself does not depict a lower value but is referred to as Common because it is the gift of God to every man. To buttress his point, he said, when we accept Christ, we become a heritage of heaven as well as custodians of the faith and as such, no one is superior or inferior in God’s sight – because before God we are equal. However, the difference is only evident in the way we choose to relate with God based on that salvation.

In analyzing the concept of “The Faith”, he stated that this faith is not the faith to possess something but a body of doctrines which we are to believe and adhere to, and if the soundness of these doctrines is lost then our salvation is at stake. He revealed that there is a war in the spiritual realm for our faith of which many Christians are unaware of because their faith have been drained by the enemy through pressures, unsound doctrines, invasion of worldliness and series of attack from hell. So, the only way to evade such attack and protect our possession is to earnestly contend for the faith, by guarding our salvation with fear and trembling. While exemplifying Naboth, he stated that God is seeking a man who will be a custodian of the faith and not bow to pressures. Naboth was able to withstand the pressures of King Ahab because he understood the significance of his inheritance unlike Esau who was willing to sell off his birth right.

In conclusion, we were adjured to hold on to, build up and contend for the faith, as God is ready to stand with any man who is willing to uphold the faith.