Joel prophesied about the day of the Lord when an army of locust would descend on the land to destroy whatever was before them. “Fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but behind them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them” (Joel 2:3). Joel’s prophecy demonstrated the destructive nature of the army of locust that removed the life out of every place where they visited. They would enter a city that resembled Eden and yet leave it as dry as a wildernesses.

Joel calls for the return of the people to God in prayer and fasting. ““Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning”(Joel 2:12). Once the people had repented in prayer and fasting, Joel declared that the Lord would have pity on his people. He would make sure that their needs were supplied and they would no longer be a reproach among other people. Joel declared a time of joy and celebration as God would vindicate his people and send the latter rain.

Joel also declared that God would restore all the years that the locust destroyed and the people would have great provision. “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame” (Joel 2:26). When God pours out his blessings, there is no need for sorrow or weeping. We are able to be glad and rejoice before him for his faithfulness and his loving kindness. Joel also Prophesied of God pouring out his spirit upon his people and there would be many revelations.

There are seasons of major losses and trials. Many believers have experienced the fire of affliction. Once we return to God in prayer, fasting and consecration, God will restore what was lost. We have a reason to rejoice and bless the Lord for his promise of restoration. “Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: For praise is comely for the upright” (Psalm 33:1).

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Have you ever noticed how singing songs of praises to God puts you in a better mood? Have you ever felt really low and a song of praise comes on the radio and you started to sing along and it shifted your entire mood? What about those days when you felt really low and you saturated yourself in worship. This can either be at home or in a worship service and as you begin to worship, the atmosphere of the presence of God washes over you. Burdens are lifted, yokes are destroyed and you feel completely refreshed and revived. Singing is one of the creative forms of expressions which is a channel for us to express our deepest emotions.

There are things that can be translated in a song that we would find hard to express in words. Before my Dad retired, I considered him a ‘singing preacher’ who would break out into singing in the middle of his sermons. His singing made his sermons ever so interesting. For those of us who know him well, we know that he truly loves music and there are ways that he can convey some emotions easier through a song. Paul said that we should, “address one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with our hearts”(Ephesians 5:19).

One of the most notable worshippers and musicians in the bible was David. “My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being” (Psalm 108:1)! David was so skilled and anointed on his instrument that he was summoned to play for the King. “And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him” (1 Samuel 16:23).

Today I encourage you to sing a song of praise and thanksgiving unto God. Worship God from the very depths of your soul and with your spirit bless his holy name. God is great and worthy of all our praises. “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Revelation 4:11).

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If we remember the story concerning the Prophet Habakkuk, we will remember that the chapters started off with his complaints to God. Habakkuk was angry that it appeared that the wicked seemed to prosper while the righteous was in distress. Each time God responded to Habakkuk and reminded him of who he was. In the end Habakkuk had no choice but to worship God and to praise him for his faithfulness. He determined that no matter the circumstances, that he would rejoice in the Lord. “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls” (Habakkuk 3:17).

Habakkuk declared that God had strengthened him and made his feet like a deer. God made him to walk on high places and had lifted him out of his despair. Habakkuk was able to rejoice and praise the Lord after he had prayed and poured out his heart to God. God had time to listen to Habakkuk’s complaints and it was ok for Habakkuk to express his difficult emotions to God. God met with Habakkuk to reason with him and to answer his questions. I am encouraged to see how Habakkuk’s time in the presence of God ended in prayer and worship. Habakkuk had the space that he needed to offload his cares and worries. Once he communicated with God and told him how he felt, I believe that he was relieved of his burdens.

Like Habakkuk, there are many things that we are worried and disgruntled about. The mistake is that we sometimes avoid praying when we feel these negative emotions. We somehow think that we have to be in a good place before going to God. This could not be further from the truth. God wants us to come to him with honesty and authenticity and tell him how we feel. God knows our heart and what is in our minds and he wants us to be confident to come to him and be open and honest. Like a good father he will listen and reassure us. He won’t always take away the trial or give us what we want, but at least we remain in communication with him.

Our communication with God lifts the burden of heaviness and restores the joy of our salvation. “Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength”” (Nehemiah 8:10).

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The scripture above is a verse from a song written by Moses after God appointed Joshua as his successor to lead the Israelites into Canaan. The scripture denotes the strength in unity, the power in agreement and the flight of the enemies of God when his people arise to take territories. Moses wrote the song to encourage and strengthen the people and to show them what God was about to do with their enemies. “if I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand takes hold on judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and will repay those who hate me” (Deuteronomy 32:41).

We know that our God is a consuming fire and he goes before us and consumes all his enemies (Psalm 97:3). No one will be able to stand against us all the days of our lives, as long as we have God as our rock and our defence. God is our strong tower and our refuge and hiding place. He is a great and terrible God and there is no other God like him. God will arise in his might and defend his children and we will not lose a battle when God fights for us. We pray and stand on the word of the Lord. We worship him and declare his promises. We will not grow weary when we are tested and tried, but we will go forward in Jesus Name.

We do not fight in our own strength and the war we wage is not in the flesh. Our weapons are spiritual and we take the fight out of the realms of the natural. We bind things on earth and they are bound in heaven. We ask God to show us the strategy for each battle and we take authority over every stronghold. We bind every strongman in the name of Jesus Christ. “But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house” (Mark 3:27).

We are taking back territories for God and we advance to establish the kingdom. We are here to establish dominion and we scatter the enemies plans and schemes against the children of God. We raise a standard of prayer and intercession and we put the enemy to flight. We raise a shout of victory as we advance and we raise our voices in praise and worship. We will not be denied in this season as we contend for the promises.

“Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain” (Isaiah 40:4).

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The will of God is not always the easiest thing to do, but it is the safest thing to do. Many times a word from God may not make sense to our human minds and often a path that God directs us to walk down may not seem like the most inviting. We have to trust that God is a good father and he knows what is best for us. His ways are not our ways, neither are his thoughts our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8). The will of God and walking in faith can attract ridicule from other people around you who do not understand. Just ask Noah when God told him to build an ark when there was no rain (Genesis 6).

The crowds laughed at Jesus when he told them that Jairus’ daughter was not dead but asleep. This did not deter Jesus, but he put them out of the house and commanded her to come back to life (Matthew 9:24-25). He did not change his position or adjust what he believed because of their ridicule. He simply asked them to leave the place where he was. How many times have we adjusted our confession of faith based on who we are talking to? We may worry about the person not understanding us and in order not to seem foolish, we adjust what we believe. We have to stay in faith no matter the circumstances and continue to confess what God has said to us.

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25). Wanting to appear wise before the world will not work if you want to be a strong Christian. Be prepared to come in direct contradiction with the world system. There are even people who call themselves Christians who will challenge your belief system and try to cause you to doubt what God has said. I have known of ministers who have talked believers out of doing what God told them to do. We have to remember that even ministers are human and can make mistakes. This is why it is important to hear from God for yourself and act on what he says.

“It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8).

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Most organisations have a vision statement which outlines what the company aims to achieve. Within a larger vision are aims and objectives that are set to carry out the broader vision. Individually, we have an idea of what we want out of life and we have goals and objectives to achieve. Not everyone considers the importance of writing down their vision and life goals. How do you know what you actually want to accomplish if you have not spent the time to write it down? Have you spent quiet time alone with God to ask him to show you the blueprint for your life? Do you know what you were born to do and the assignment for which you were created?

In Habakkuk 1 and 2, Habakkuk complained to God about violent men. “Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise” (Habakkuk 1:3). Like many people, Habakkuk was impatient and frustrated as he watched the wicked take advantage of the righteous. He longed for God to take vengeance for his people and to act on their behalf by repaying iniquity. Scholars believe that Habakkuk wrote this book while Israel was in captivity in Babylon. He appeared to be discouraged by the captivity of his people.

After Habakkuk’s second complaint, God’s response was to write down the vision. Habakkuk being a prophet was in a position where God would give him insight and revelation into the future. God wanted Habakkuk to write down what he saw and heard as a source of encouragement for the people. His readers would be able to carry out the vision and it would give them strength to carry on as they would have hope in what was to come. There are dreams, visions and desires that you have that are yet to come to pass. It is time to go before God in prayer and fasting and ask God to make it plain. Ask God to show you the next steps and to outline what he wants you to do.

We have to shut out the distractions and spend less time looking at other people. Spending too much time on social media can create pressure to conform with trends and patterns. It is easy to start to make comparisons with other people and develop a lack of contentment. You have a uniquely divine assignment that only you can fulfil. You have to spend time alone with God to pray and to listen to get revelation for your life. Stop waiting for a man of God or other people to tell you what you need to do. Develop the ability to hear from God for yourself. Other people should confirm what you have already heard or discussed with God. Once you have heard from God, write it down plainly and start to work at it.

“For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3).

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Jesus set the ultimate example for us of a person of significance, because of the sacrifice that he made on the cross. He lived a set apart life and demonstrated an example of the son of God among men. Jesus fasted and prayed for forty days, spent days alone in the wilderness and was disciplined in his prayer life. Some people think that they can get the anointing by proximity. That if they stay close enough to people who are anointed, that it will rub off on them. There are other people who believe that the prayers of some Christians are more powerful than others. So if someone is dedicated and on fire for God, that it is better to get that person to pray for you because God may hear their prayers better.

It is true that some Christians have made the sacrifice to develop maturity and are disciplined in their walk with God. Some believers have spent enough time in the presence of God to be able to discern the voice of God. We have to understand that there are no ‘super Christians’ with a VIP access to God. Every born again child of God has access to the throne of God and should exercise the spiritual disciplines to hear from God and access his blessings. We do have Pastors, Apostles, Prophets and Teachers to edify the church. Every believer has a responsibility to work out their one salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).

Many people want to be significant, but don’t want to make the sacrifice. There are people who desire to be held in high esteem who have done nothing worthy of honour and respect. What the world deems as significant is very different from what God considers significant. We have to remember that only what we do for God will last into eternity. We are not laying up for ourselves treasures here on earth where thieves can break in and steal (Matthew 6:19). We are to maintain an eternal perspective and ensure that whatever we place emphasis on is what will last into eternity.

The main questions that we should ask about our relationships are. Does our relationship with others point them towards Christ? Do people know more about God from being in our presence? Does our lifestyle spur people on to good works? Have people been better off from knowing and being around us? We are here to establish God’s kingdom so we have to live a life that has impact. The thing that is of lasting value is ensuring that we lead people to experiencing the freedom of salvation.

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In Joshua 9, after Joshua and the children of Israel defeated Jericho and Ai, the Gibeonites decided to make a contract with Israel to avoid destruction. They disguised their clothes and travelling equipment to convince Joshua and the leaders that they had travelled from a far away country to meet with them. “So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord” (Joshua 9:14). Joshua and the leaders unwittingly made a covenant with the Gibeonites to allow them to live. They later learnt that the people had deceived them but were bound by their oath which they swore before God.

“But all the leaders said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them” (Joshua 9:19). As much as they wanted to dispose of them and take possession of their lands, their covenant was legally binding. We have all at some stage in our lives signed a legal contract concerning work or other contractual arrangements. These contracts will stipulate terms and conditions under which we can operate. They may also limit our movement between companies and set out the parameters within which we can operate.

Similarly, there are spiritual contracts that we have formed knowingly or unknowingly with the kingdom of darkness which seeks to limit our movement. There are ancestors who have formed covenants in the realms of the spirit that impact on successive generations. Ever wondered why some illnesses stay in some families for generations? There are often other social issues that are prevalent within a family or region. Some issues affecting current generations have nothing to do with any mistakes that they have made, but are the legacies of decisions made by past generations.

We have to be led by the spirit and seek the guidance of God before coming into agreements with people. Not every contract is worth signing and some agreements can land us into difficulties. Thanks be to God that Jesus shed his blood on the cross of Calvary and forged a new covenant with his blood. We speak to our bloodline and our DNA and we break every evil covenant affecting our family in Jesus Name. We renounce every evil covenant that has been formed knowingly or unknowingly and we speak deliverance in Jesus Name. “And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20).

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We need to remain in the spirit in order to discern between good and evil. Many things and people in our world are good at disguising themselves as ‘angels of light.’ Paul spoke about false apostles who were deceitfully disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. Paul stated that it is no wonder because even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. “So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds” (2 Corinthians 11:15). It takes spiritual maturity and discernment to know those who are sent by God and are being led by God. Even people who disguise themselves as ministers of God can lead people astray.

We have been sent into the earth to fulfil a God given assignment and purpose. God assigns people to assist us on our journey and to equip us for his work. God will appoint people during different seasons to help, nurture, support and strengthen us. In the same way, the devil will use people who act as agents to distract us from God’s purpose. The devil is skilled in deception and so are his agents who present as people of God. We have to stay in the spirit and discern who people represent. We have to pray concerning our relationships and always ask God to choose our friends and associates. We ask God to choose our church and Pastor and remain in the spirit to discern when a season has come to an end.

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). We make a lot of mistakes by not consulting the Holy Spirit and can waste precious time with some people with good intentions. There are seasons when we can waste time with people who present as being in need of help. After offering support, we need to step back and re-evaluate some helping relationships. Do people show the willingness to receive help and support or were they sent as a source of distraction? There are many relationships that we have pursued that were not a part of God’s plan for us.

Let us test the spirit, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and be guided in our decision making. We cannot make decisions out of our desires and quench the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been sent as our helper, comforter and counsellor. Let us consult God and allow Him to be our guide. “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh”(Galatians 5:16).

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The soul has been described as the seat of human emotions, desires and passions. The soul is also said to be the seat of the conscience and some scientific ideas attribute the soul to an “electromagnetic life force.” Christian philosophy attributes the soul as being connected to our spirits and the two function together. When we choose to live for God, to serve him and to submit ourselves to him, then we live with a pure conscience before God. Ignoring the laws of God and living a life that is submitted to the flesh is likened to, “having one’s conscience seared with a hot iron” (2 Timothy 4:2).

A seared conscience is one that is callous and almost dead to the things of God. It also suggests immorality and a life lived in rebellion against God. It was Ezekiel who said that, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20). This relates to a spiritual death and a spirit that is separated from God. We have to remain connected to God who is the true vine to remain alive in Jesus Christ. God formed us at creation and we live and exist through him. “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7).

The creation cannot exist outside of the creator or deny that God exists. We seek him daily to remain filled with his presence and so that we can bear good fruits. “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). Being separated from God leave us without the life and source of comfort and hope that we need to live a victorious life. Staying close to God ensures that we continue to live victorious in him. Our relationship with God keeps us grounded and provides daily refreshing for our souls.

“which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil” (Hebrews 6:19).

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