Tag: Snapshots of Glory

📸Snapshots of Glory – Word Focus 2 Day: Part 2 God’s Ways: Maximising His Glory – “Delay is not Denial”

Case studies: The resurrection of Lazarus/The ten plagues prior to the Exodus

(Excerpt from the book God’s Ways are Higher Chapter 2)

While I was tidying up, I saw a piece of paper dated 18th April 2013 on which I had written the following:

1. A quote I had seen written on a board (daily quotes are written on it) at Tooting Broadway underground station that day “The greater the obstacle, the more the glory in overcoming it”

(Anonymous) and underneath I wrote:

2. “I meditated on the sermon on the subject of worship at church one night: “We have a God who is faithful whatever He has promised, He will fulfill or bring to pass”‘

I have a journal and at times I write things I need to remember for my journal on pieces of paper.

I knew it was not a coincidence I found the paper on the night I was writing this series on God’s glory maximised during the process of fulfilling His promises or miracles in what may appear to be delay or denial.

DELAY IS NOT DENIAL

For Glory maximisation: The Resurrection of Lazarus.

It is not surprising that Jesus would use the same strategy as Abba Father did (see Part 1), by prolonging the time in which he performed a miracle so as to reap as much glory out of it as possible. Jesus was simply affirming who He is, the incarnate Christ, God who came as man to redeem the world:Paul the apostle said

“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation…” (Col. 1:15)

Jesus himself said “I and [my] Father are one” (John 10:30 KJV).

In his ministry, Jesus did what he saw the Father (God) doing and the Father was working through him to fulfill His will (John 5:17,19,30)

Having heard that Lazarus was sick, Jesus did not go to Bethany immediately, by the time Jesus arrived Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days (John 11:17). No one who knew he was sent for could understand why he had taken so long to come, after all he loved Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary. Even Mary told Jesus that her brother would have not died if he had come earlier.

Miracles reveal to the unbeliever that the God is indeed real and they testify that He sent Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ goal in his ministry was to glorify God and he chose at this time a strategy God also uses which would bring greater glory to God.

Jesus “stayed where he was two more days,..” (John 11:6) deliberately when he heard that Lazarus was sick

because the miracle of resurrecting Lazarus was a far greater glory inducing miracle than healing him would have been.

This is why Jesus said when he heard Lazarus was sick “this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby”(John 11:4 KJV).

We should be encouraged that as God is glorifying himself in all the earth, so he is also performing miracles in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones. There is also a lesson Mary and Martha as well as multitudes must have learnt following the resurrection of Lazarus as well as other miracles of God, which should also serve to assure us God is in absolute control in the worst circumstances. This lesson is that some situations get worst before they get better.

“The greater the obstacle, the more the glory in overcoming it” (anonymous -see point 1 above)

For Glory Maximisation: The 10 plagues prior to the Exodus.

To the naked eye, Pharaoh was extremely defiant and unreasonable in his reluctance to let God’s people go despite several tragic incidents (plagues) which were devastating to the Egyptians and their land.

However when God sent Moses to Pharaoh to demand that he let the Israelites go, God literally spells out what He was going to do and why:

“And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel [is] my son, [even] my firstborn. And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, [even] thy firstborn.” ( Exodus 4:21-23 KJV)

“And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.” (Exodus 9:12 KJV)

“And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I [am] the LORD.”(Exodus 14: 4 KJV)

The evidence is therefore crystal clear; God allowed Pharaoh to refuse to release the Israelites from bondage each time until after the the tenth plague so that He would, during each of the ten times he sent Moses to Pharaoh, demonstrate His might and power. As a result the Egyptians suffered the consequences of Pharaoh’s hardened heart each time, the tenth and final one was by far the worst in that all the first born sons of the Egyptians died including Pharaoh’s.

The Lord plans to unleash vengeance on our enemies on our behalf and to deliver us from every demonic bondage because as His children and believers in Jesus we are his “first born sons” and so precious to Him.

It is worth noting that before Moses’ journey to Egypt when the Lord spoke to him, He mentioned that Pharaoh’s hardened heart would result in his first born son being slain (Ex. 4:23), Moses did not at the time envisage a prolonged nine plagues processes before this most devastating one of death to Egyptian first born sons.

As in this case, the Lord may ask us to do something but He may choose not to give us all the details of the time span, how he would do it or details of some of the joys or dangers and challenges we may encounter along the way but as Moses we must obey nevertheless because our lives or those of multitudes may depend on our obedience. Our obedience as that of Moses did although we may not be conscious of it often has eternal consequences and is for prophetic fulfilment.

Although the Israelites were doubtful and fearful revealed by how their suffering was intensified by Pharaoh at beginning of Moses’ demand he lets them go, the prolonged wait to perform His miracle of deliverance of His people was worth it to God. This is because through it He demonstrated that He was the one and only Almighty, Omnipotent God who Pharaoh, the magicians and gods of Egypt could not withstand or stop.

Our God is in every situation we go through. He sees, knows and cares. What appears to the naked eye or in the natural is often not what the full picture is or how it will remain permanently.

In order to have God’s perspective of things or understanding of His ways, we must determine to stay as close to Him and Jesus Christ as possible through daily bible study, prayer and praise. The Holy Spirit is activated as a result and we become ones who walk in the Spirit with the gifts and fruit of the Spirit able to know God and have His wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

In addition, whatever the enemy throws at us will never derail us because our soul knows well that in every “storm” or unsettling situation God is at work in His supernatural ways we may not understand for however long it pleases Him to reap as much glory out of it as possible.

“We have a God who is faithful, whatever He has promised He will fulfill or bring to pass”

“You are blessed, determine to stay blessed”

Deborah Esther

Š2018Deborah E. Nyamekye

NOTE: God’s Ways: Maximising His Glory – Part 1 & 2 These articles are from Chapter 2 of my book God’s ways are Higher (Light of the World-John8.12 Publishing).

In this book, I expound on case studies from scriptures that reveal God’s Ways that are often not easily understood by people and at times may appear foolish to the human mind. However His sovereignty, wisdom and might are greatly revealed in the process as well as the outcome. This book also helps us to know and understand the God we serve and hopefully encourages the reader to search the scriptures more and to cultivate an intimate lifestyle with God even more.

Advertisement

Snapshots of Glory – Word Focus 2 Day: Delay is not Denial – Part 1 Glory maximisation: The Birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah

image
God did not allow Abraham and Sarah’s old age to serve as an obstacle to prevent Him from fulfilling His promise that He would give them a son. If He had, then it would mean that He would be confining Himself within the boundaries that the natural or carnal man lives by. This type of person does not live by faith in God and so the things (ways and acts) of God which are spiritually discerned are foolishness to them (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Perceiving things from a carnal “natural man” mind set results in the conclusion that a woman of ninety years old, which is an age well past menopause, can conceive is impossible. As the angel Gabriel told Mary the mother of Jesus Christ, concerning Elizabeth who was also past child bearing age “with God nothing shall be impossible”(Luke 1:37 KJV).

Our God is the great I Am, the Almighty God also called El Elyon, the Most High God, creator and possessor of the whole universe!! He is a “mountain mover”; no obstacle whatever its size is insurmountable by Him in the pathway of fulfilling His plans and purposes to the glory of His Name and Kingdom.

Therefore we serve a God who is as controller of the universe does what He chooses to do and when He chooses to do it. This is why if we choose to be as the Spiritual man of 1 Corinthians 2:15-16, walking in and judging by the Spirit as ones with the minds of Christ, we are guaranteed an understanding of God’s ways. True worshippers who worship God in Spirit and truth in these last days are the type of people God calls His children (John 4:24).

DELAY IS NOT DENIAL, BUT TO REAP MAXIMUM GLORY
It is worth noting that it took 25 years before the promise by God to give Abraham a child came to fruition. Abraham was called out of Haran and from among his relatives by God at the age of 75 (Gen 12:1-3) and God promised to make him a father of many nations. He was 100 years old when Isaac was born and Sarah was 90 years old (Gen.17:15-21/Gen 21:1-3). Through this incident we are given an insight into one of God’s ways rooted in His nature or thoughts which is how He strategises a number of times in scripture to prolong the waiting time for the manifestation of His promises or miracles so as to reap the maximum glory out of them.

In the case of Abraham waiting for 25 years before the son of promise was born, this meant that the extent of awe of having Sarah give birth at an even older age than when Abraham received the promise and the extent of Satan’s defeat and the shame rendered to doubters and mockers was far greater than if God had performed the miracle the year the promise was given or earlier than when it was fulfilled.
We serve a multi-tasking God who while reaping the maximum glory out of a situation through a chosen strategy will simultaneously be applying another strategy within the first also for His glory.

For instance, God also strategised that Abraham and Sarah would benefit during the waiting period for their child. They benefitted in that their faith, patience and perseverance in relation to God, His ways and acts were strengthened. God will use every opportunity to transform our hearts and minds so that we become more like Him through Christ Jesus.
By the time Isaac was born, Abraham’s faith and trust in God was such that he did not hesitate to commence the sacrificial process of Isaac, his much sought after son when God told him to do so. When he was about to kill Isaac, God provided a ram as a substitute. God’s command to Abraham was a test (Genesis 22:1) and he revealed to Abraham that he had passed the test in this manner: “And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here [am] I…Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only [son] from me.” (Gen 22:11-12 KJV).

God also foreknew that Ishmael would be conceived by Abraham with Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian maid due to impatience while they Abraham and Sarah waited on God to fulfill His promise. Therefore while to the natural mind Ishmael’s birth was an accident, in God’s supernatural plan it was not. Ishmael’s birth and therefore destiny as a means through whom nations would be born (Abrahamic inheritance, although different to that of Isaac) was God’s will otherwise He would not, in His sovereignty have allowed it to happen.

Despite challenges, impatience with God and testing along the way, Abraham prevailed and was imputed with the righteousness of God as well as an all time recognition as a world renowned man of faith. Abraham must have been filled with awe and thankfulness (although scripture does not state this) when he contemplated not only what God had done for him and Sarah but how He had done it; God reaped more glory before multitudes out of Abraham and Sarah’s prolonged wait for the promise than if God had done it another way and it included increasing this couple’s knowledge of the thoughts and strategies of the God they worshipped.

As children of God, we ought to be encouraged by this as we live our Christian lives because at any given time, God has our destinies perfectly mapped out. In addition as long as we continue to partner with Him, He will fulfil His promises to us no matter how long it takes while removing every obstacle and reaping as much glory out of the process as possible.

NOTE:  God’s Ways: Maximising His Glory – “Delay is not Denial” Part 1 (this week) & 2 (next week Part 2 Glory Maximisation: The Resurrection of Lazarus); These articles are from Chapter 2 of my book God’s ways are Higher (Light of the World-John8.12 Publishing).
In this book, I expound on case studies from scriptures that reveal God’s Ways that are often not easily understood by people and at times may appear foolish to the human mind. However His sovereignty, wisdom and might are greatly revealed in the process as well as the outcome. This book also helps us to know and understand the God we serve and hopefully encourages the reader to search the scriptures more and to cultivate an intimate lifestyle with God even more.

Š2018 Deborah E. Nyamekye

Visit our online stores with t-shirts, bags, mugs, swimsuits etc… with beautiful designs, brightly coloured, some with inspirational text, poetry and bible verses.
http://www.love2inspire.boutique
http://www.creations-shop.com

 

📸Snapshots of Glory – Word Focus 2 Day:

God’s Ways, Thoughts and Our Obedience Part 3: Obedience is partnering with God by faith for His will to be done on earth.

The prophet or intercessor when revealed the will of God partners with Him to ensure His will in heaven is made manifest on earth. Their prayers and actions in obedience to their call affirm that they are perpetually engaging in acts which are aligned to how the greatest prophet and intercessor Christ Jesus  taught His disciples to pray “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. Thus they are confident of the outcome of events to the glory of God.

As believers in Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us who is also the Spirit of prophecy/Testimony of Jesus (Rev. 19:10). The Holy Spirit knows the mind of God and reveals His will to us and makes intercession for us according to the will of God (Romans 8:26/1 Corinthians 2:9-12) each of us therefore has the ability to know the will of God and to intercede for His will to be made manifest on earth. This is our inheritance as children of God.

In the account of Elisha raising the Shunammite woman’s son from the dead (2 Kings 4:8-37), we see that he was inclined to use a method which to the natural eyes looked unusual; Elisha performed the miracle of resurrection by the following process (2 Kings 4:33-35):
He prayed to God, then he
-lay on the woman’s son,
-took a moment to walk up and down the house for a while, then
-went back into the boy’s room and lay on the boy again. This time the boy resurrected from the dead.

Partnering with God in confidence and even in what appears to be peculiar ways for the ultimate fulfillment of His will by Elisha reminds us of Christ. There is a long list of examples in the life of Christ, however we will focus on resurrection miracles of Jesus; He said the Synagogue official, Jarius’ daughter was not dead but sleeping (Mark 5:39) and was laughed at by the crowd. When Jesus was told by Lazarus’ sisters that he was sick, he said that the sickness would not end in death but it was for the glory of God, and so that he, Christ would be glorified (John 11:1-4). However Lazarus died. Jesus also referred to Lazarus death as “sleeping” to his disciples.

By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. Mary told Jesus that if he had come earlier their brother would still be alive. Christ knew that there would be the manifestation of a greater miracle and therefore greater glory to God in the resurrection of Lazarus than in his healing, “so when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days…” (John 11:6). In both resurrection incidents, Jesus demonstrated himself as the giver of physical life as he is also the giver of spiritual life. (John 11:25KJV).

The attitude Elisha and Jesus had and the actions they undertook in the resurrection process are not easily understandable to the natural human mind. This is because the ways and thoughts of God are higher than those of men (Isa. 55:8-9) “and because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men (1 Corinth.1:25 KJV).”

As Elisha knew it was God’s will to resurrect the Shunammite woman’s son, so too Jesus knew it was God’s will to resurrect Lazarus. Therefore when Jesus said Lazarus was sleeping and took what seemed like a long time to arrive, he was speaking and acting as one who already knew the outcome, which has already been decreed by God in heaven being one with God (John 10:30).

As children of God, we must remember our identity as heirs with Christ which means we are exceedingly abundantly blessed and therefore with a great capacity by the dwelling Holy Spirit to be used for His sake. This includes seeing things the way Jesus did and therefore making ourselves available to be used by God for miraculous works. Jesus even said that those who believe in him will not only do his works but greater works than he did (John 14:12 KJV).

As we live a life abiding in God and He in us through Christ Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit, nothing should stop us from exercising our faith as Christ did. This includes declaring those things that we know are His will by faith, preaching the Gospel and other works of the ministry (Matthew 28:18-20) and taking authority against Satan and his demons (Luke 10:18-19).

My prayer is that we would know our God intimately through daily bible reading and meditation while in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. This way we will become more like God, speaking of those things that be not as though they were, (Romans 4:17). We will also walk in His wisdom, knowledge and understanding, always strengthened by the power of His might to do exploits for Him.
“…but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits] (Daniel 11:32).”

NOTE: This article ( and last week’s Parts 1 & 2) are from my book:

“God’s ways are Higher”.

In this book, I expound on case studies from scriptures that reveal God’s Ways that are often not easily understood by people and at times may appear foolish to the human mind. However His sovereignty, wisdom and might are greatly revealed in the process as well as the outcome. This book also helps us to know and understand the God we serve and hopefully encourages the reader to search the scriptures more and to cultivate an intimate lifestyle with God even more.

Š2018 Deborah E. Nyamekye

📸Snapshots of Glory: The Power of Testimony: A Testimonial Song: Intimacy & Destiny Restored

I will sing of the goodness of the LORD!

For He has restored blessings lost.

As a child I hold his hand and skip along

with a face beaming at the thought of

His plans ahead and His goodies galore.

As a dancer I glide with ease to and fro only trained by the Spirit’s flow, filled with joy at every step and twirl as my body sways and receives God’s healing thrill.

As an intercessor I pray God’s will on my knees or as I sit, stand and lay me down, a trainee of the Spirit who knows all so well.

I enter spiritual realms few tread with the Spirit at the head proclaiming “liberty!” while breaking yokes and releasing captives in this time of Jubilee.

As a witness, I am a love letter God writes to the world saying “come to me, return to the fold and be made whole”. I am a light-bearer to showcase the truth of my Master’s Word for therein can be found the Light of the World, Christ Jesus the Lord.

His Light within sets me ablaze to recount reams of God’s deeds and to expose the tricksters schemes at a count of 1,2,3.

As an overcomer in jubilation, I proclaim “Gracious God, all my life, I “will give a testimony of your great goodness and will joyfully sing of Your righteousness (1)“”

(1) Psalm 145:7 HCSB

The Poetic Song above is a testimony of thanksgiving by a joyful believer in Christ. They relate how He has restored them back to a life of intimacy and a destiny in service to God.

Testimony is powerful in the life of the Christian in that it serves to reveal how God has worked in their lives at different intervals of their Christian walk. It therefore gives glory to God, strengthens the faith of hearers and could be a means to draw unbelievers to Christ resulting in their Salvation.

Let us keep on giving testimonies whether verbal or written in the form of an article, a song set to music or a poem as multitudes are sure to be encouraged, uplifted, motivated and inspired. Your testimony could be just what someone needed to hear to prevent them from committing suicide or giving up on an important project.

You are blessed, determine to stay blessed!

Š2016Deborah E. Nyamekye

Want to subscribe by email so you can pass these Snapshots of glory devotionals to others? Email me at readywriterps451@gmail.com than you

📸Snapshots of Glory -Word Focus 2 Day: Man & Woman of Faith, Though it May Tarry, Wait For It!

In likeness to Abraham of Old Testament times, you are a man or woman of faith who believes in a God you cannot see. In this New Covenant era, you believe in God through Christ Jesus. You are not perfect by any means, but you have surrendered your life wholeheartedly to God at the altar of sacrifice; in the place of prayer and daily worship or devotion.

You live in obedience to Romans 12:1-2:

“1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (KJV).

Like Abraham, you have not just presented yourself to God wholeheartedly but everything you own and those you love, your “Isaacs” as it were.

In this place you have faith that God will fulfill all His promises to you and your family including your children’s children. This faith that you have is the same faith that Abraham had in God and is only possible because of your acceptance of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.

“13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree:14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. ” (Gal 3:13-14 KJV)

“29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal 3:29 KJV).

When we study the life of the patriarchs of Israel, Abraham Isaac and Jacob, there was a similar pattern in that testing and waiting on God for his promises took what is humanly perceived to be a long time.

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing” (Gen. 12:2 KJV).

Abraham and Sarah waited for years before they conceived the child of promise, Isaac. Abraham was 75 years old when God promised him that He would be the father of many nations, then fifteen years later, at the age of 90 God renewed his promise. When he was 100 years, they finally conceived Isaac. This is a total of 25 years for God’s promise to be made manifest (Genesis 12, 15-17). Isaac was the son through whom the promise of the nation of Israel would be born and through Israel (the tribe of Judah, one of the 12 sons of Jacob who together are the nation of Israel) Jesus Christ the incarnate Christ who is God in human form, would be born as the Saviour of the world, to reconcile man to God (2 Corinthian 5:19/John 3:16).

Waiting for a long time to give birth to twins, one of whom would have God’s covenant promise to Abraham, the blessings of the first born, was Isaac and his wife Rebecca’s fate. It was only in the 20th year of their marriage that they conceived their twins. Jacob had to labour for seven years for Rachel’s father before he could get married, not to the love of his life Rachel, but her sister as their father had deceived him. He obediently worked for her father for another seven years before he would allow Jacob to wed Rachel.

Despite it taking 14 years before he married Rachel, his choice of a bride, it is just as well Jacob persevered, otherwise there would not have been 12 tribes! The “four square” prophetic number chosen by God to represent God’s people. If you are a child of God, know that nothing you do with the conviction that God is the source is in vain.

Even waiting on God for children (Abraham and Isaac) and wives (Jacob) were in themselves tests because of the length of time it took. God was testing them as follows: Will they wait on God and not attempt to bring what God has promised to pass prematurely? In Abraham and Sarah’s case, they were impatient and Sarah gave her maid Hagar to Abraham so as to conceive a child with him. Abraham agreed and Ishmael was conceived (Gen.16).

If we take matters into our own hands and scheme something that looks like what God promised us, God will not accept that thing as a replacement of His promise. This is because the product of our works birthed out of our impatience with God is a mere counterfeit of the real and will cause problems. They are a means for Satan to afflict, accuse or condemn us. When Hagar was pregnant with Ishmael, Sarah had no peace and she was jealous of Hagar and complained of her to Abraham and sent her away. Hagar returned only to be sent away again after Ishmael’s birth.

Anything that is not birthed by God is contrary to God and His plans for us. Praise be to God that despite their disobedience, God brought to pass his promise of a son, Isaac to Abraham and Sarah. This promise was upheld because Abraham to whom God spoke this promise to first, as we ascertain from scripture believed God. God caused him to visualise his descendants as being as the sand on the seashore and stars in the sky (Gen 22:17). Sarah was the one who activated her doubt not only by laughter but when she was told but by offering Hagar to have a child with Abraham.

Brethren do not allow anyone to talk you out of what God has promised you by way of a prophetic promise or a vision or revelatory dream. If you believe what God is saying to you, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might and refuse to do anything that will bring you heartache in the process and interfere negatively with the outworking of the promises of God in your life.

We must refuse destruction or enticement by those who offer alternative schemes or plans however well meaning they may be as we wait on God for what He has for us. Even those who are close to us can be instruments of the enemy to attempt to abort our God given vision.

Brethren, an “Ishmael” may happen along the way, or we may gain a “Leah” due to being deceived or through our own character weaknesses, but as long as we remain steadfast and dependant on God however long it takes, we will attain the promises of God, not partially but completely for God says “my word ..that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11 KJV).

Š Feb.2017 Deborah E. Nyamekye

📸Snapshots of Glory – Word Focus 2 Day: The Battle is the LORD’s – True Worshippers are guaranteed Victory in Life’s battles Parts 1 & 2

Scriptural focus 2 Chronicles 20

Part 1 Summary of the qualities expected of a true worshipper or a committed child of God.

A true worshipper has the following nature and lifestyle:

1.Seek and waits on God for guidance or direction.

2.Prayer and fasting is a lifestyle with expectation to hear God speak.

3.Even if they experience the emotion of fear, a true worshipper remembers their authority in Christ and that they are empowered by God because the Holy Spirit is within them and is guiding them.

Therefore as Jehoshaphat, rather than accept defeat when faced with danger in times of fear when they feel weak and helpless they take refuge in Him (God) who gives them strength and strategies to overcome.

4.A true worshipper accepts that they are called to be relational with fellow brethren for God and Christ are relational. Cihrist prayed to God for his disciples

“I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one–as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.” (John 17:21 NLT).

While Jehoshaphat must have trusted God to answer his prayers, he also knew that unity in prayer and fasting pleased God and so called the nation of Judah to fast and pray.

Therefore when faced with issues that concern or affect them collectively either as a church or nation, a true worshipper is not one to isolate themselves but rather join in with the brethren to engage with one another in intercession and worship before God.

Part 2 The Battle is The LORD’s:

Prayer & listening to God, the keys to receiving God’s wise strategies for victory.

PRAYER GATHERINGS, THE KEY TO BEING AN OVERCOMER FROM YOUR GATHERED ENEMIES

A consolidated army of surrounding nations advance to attack Judah – A call to fast and pray

Armies from surrounding nations had gathered together stationed to begin to attack Judah. King Jehoshaphat of Judah was terrified but he knew that the only way to overcome this fear is to seek He who is able to deliver and so He sought the LORD for guidance as to what to do. He ordered all the people of Judah to fast, they gathered in Jerusalem to seek the LORD’s help.

Jehoshaphat prayed

“5 Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the Lord. 6 He prayed, “O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you! 7 O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham?

8 Your people settled here and built this Temple to honor your name. 9 They said, ‘Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war,[d] plague, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.’

10 “And now see what the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir are doing. You would not let our ancestors invade those nations when Israel left Egypt, so they went around them and did not destroy them.

11 Now see how they reward us! For they have come to throw us out of your land, which you gave us as an inheritance. 12 O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”

ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO BE USED BY GOD IF AND WHEN HE NEEDS YOU?

ARE YOU RAISING YOUR FAMILY THAT WAY?

Prophetic Word of encouragement was given.

It is worthy to note that the prophecy was given when the Spirit of God came upon one of the men gathered whose name was Jahaziel, a descendant of Asaph. He was not a well known prophet yet Jehoshaphat did not reject the Word, He humbly received it.

God speaks through anyone He chooses, and we can only know it is God and therefore not miss His blessing if we have a heart like Jehoshaphat; humble and close to God, dependant on Him as a true “sheep” for His sheep know his voice, they recognise it is Him speaking regardless of what His voice sounds like or the vessel through whom He speaks.

Jahaziel came from a musical family, as a descendant of Asaph. He was from a household of musicians or worshippers and God chose the Spirit of prophecy to manifest through him at such a crucial time when the nation was assembled waiting on God.

This ought to speak to us; our lives should be lived in such a way that we practice what we profess to be, true worshippers of God through Christ Jesus at all times. In doing so, we open ourselves up to hear from God not just for ourselves but also other people and even nations.

We and our descendants can be trusted by God to be His vessels to fulfil as well as convey His plans, some of which could bring great deliverance to nations as in the case of Asaph’s descendant Jahaziel. God said through Jahaziel, before Jehoshaphat and the crowd

“15 Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lordsays: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel.

17 But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!””

PRAYER AND LISTENING TO GOD’S WORD RESULTS IN RECEIVING GOD’S WISE STRATEGIES FOR A VICTORIOUS OUTCOME

When Jehoshaphat having prayed accepted the prophetic Word of God, God gave Him the strategy of how to advance, he followed the instructions and Judah was victorious in the warfare against the great Army:

“18 Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the Lord. 19 Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout.

20 Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”

21 After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:

“Give thanks to the Lord;

his faithful love endures forever!”

22 At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lordcaused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.

23 The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had destroyed the army of Seir, they began attacking each other.

24 So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.

25 King Jehoshaphat and his men went out to gather the plunder. They found vast amounts of equipment, clothing,[e] and other valuables—more than they could carry. There was so much plunder that it took them three days just to collect it all!26 On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing,[f] which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the Lord there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.

27 Then all the men returned to Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat leading them, overjoyed that the Lord had given them victory over their enemies. 28 They marched into Jerusalem to the music of harps, lyres, and trumpets, and they proceeded to the Temple of the Lord.

29 When all the surrounding kingdoms heard that the Lordhimself had fought against the enemies of Israel, the fear of God came over them. 30 So Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.

ŠApril2016 DENyamekye

🎤🎼🎸A Song of Praise: The Battle is the LORD’s !

The Battle is the LORD’s

I shall declare it,

far and near

and shall not fear.

The Battle is the LORD’s

yet He arms me with strength.

I march in awe.

Boosted and bonded with

soldiers, we march in awe.

Our strength is in

weapons from above,

mighty to pull down every

stronghold, and cast down

all powers binding

people of God.

The Battle is the LORD’s

I shall declare it,

far and near

and shall not fear.

The Battle is the LORD’s

yet He gives

me strategies.

I march to war.

Skilled and schooled with

generals, we march to war.

Our strategies are wisdom

from God above,

Mighty to pull down every

high thing,

and cast down all exalted

against the knowledge of God.

We are one,

from every nation,

regardless of race

association,

Rich or poor

and life’s station

He calls us, we are one,

and arms us as one.

The Battle is the LORD’s

We shall declare it,

far and near

and shall not fear.

We shall not fear

for the Battle is the LORD’s !

Scriptures inspiring Song:

John 17:21, 2 Corinth. 10:5, 2 Corinth. 10:4, 2 Chronicles 20

(Š160416-DENyamekye)

The above is a chapter in the book: Wielding the Sword of the Spirit by Deborah Esther Nyamekye sold on amazon online,The Good News bookshop, Leyton London & Manna Christian centre, Streatham London

📸Snapshots of Glory -Word Focus 2 Day: An Excellent You!

“Potential to excel is essential to un-tap God’s intentions for you among the nations” (1)

God has given you and I potential to excel. The reality is that it is possible to attain that height of excellence in God, mount up to that place where we are fruitful in a manner that only God can cause us to be for the sake of multitudes among the nations. How? If we abide in God and allow His word to sanctify and therefore transform us.

Friends you may not feel qualified according to man’s standards, but remember that God qualifies and vindicates the called according to His purposes or set standards.

In the bible Gideon (Judges 6-8) and Saul (1 Samuel 9) did not feel they qualified at the time of their calling to leadership by God.

David did not look like a likely king of Israel in Samuel the prophet’s eyes, but he, and not his brother (Samuel’s choice), was the one God chose (1 Samuel 16). God told Samuel that unlike man, He does not look at the appearance but the heart of the person.

Indeed this speaks volumes; when you feel you are overlooked or cast aside, rest assured the only one who is in absolute control of your life has a plan predestined for your life that no one can prevent, not even a prophet of God!

God does not look at your outward appearance (i.e height, features, weight etc..) and base His decision as to whether to endow you with the potential to excel for His glory on it.

In fact God is known to choose the most unlikely ones in people’s eyes for exploits.

“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinth.1:27 ESV).

Jesus chose a group of men as his disciples who included those considered in his day to be at the bottom scale of society (i.e fishermen) and in undesirable (i.e a tax collection) employment. If Jesus said to them, not allowing their status to be a hinderance to their predestined call, “You will be my witnesses … to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8) then he is saying the same to his disciples today.

While Jesus came initially to the Israelites, his ministry evolved to reveal that he came for the world (John 3:16) or “as many as received him (John 1:12) in other words anyone from anywhere who receives him; Jew, gentile, male, female, slave or free (1 Corinth. 12:13/ Gal. 3:28). This was revealed in his ministerial encounters with people of different cultures, social status and genders such as the Roman Centurion whose servant Jesus healed, the Samaritan woman and Mary of Bethany.

In addition the great commission of believers of all nationalities, whether male or female is to spread the gospel in nations of the world (Matt.28:18-20).

“For potential to excel that’s ripe, tap into Christ to un-tag from a world that’s stagnant in strife, where offence is rife”(2)

Living a life in Him (God) so as to fulfil your destiny or purpose requires a no nonsense approach. When the ungodly world says “No you can’t” because it looks at you through the lenses of what the status-quo

dictates, and stereotypical norms assume about “people like you”, such as your social or economic class, nationality, race or culture, you must rise up and say “In Christ, yes I can!”.

Such an approach is only possible if you do not see yourself as others define you, but rather as God defines you according to His word.

The scripture “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” (Romans 12:2 NLT).

This aforementioned scripture is apt in that it encourages us to be transformed by renewing our minds. The most effective way in which our minds can be renewed is by meditating on scriptures about our Christian identity among others. Such scriptures remind us daily of who God says we are in a world that is constantly attempting to conform us to its diabolical ways in our thoughts and deeds. From the standpoint of an identity well grounded in Christ, we can then be bold in the pursuit of our predestined purpose on earth.

You are a treasure in an earthen vessel as a believer in Christ (xxx) therefore be reminded that someone, somewhere needs the treasure of God that is YOU! You have so much to offer the world because of the excellent power of God within YOU! so seize those opportunities to excel that God presents to you daily.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Corinth. 4:7 KJV).

Š17-02-2018 DENyamekye

Quotes from Poem “Potential to Excel”: paragraph (1) and (2) by DENyamekye

Snapshots of weekly devotional delights captured from God’s Word of truth: The Snapshots of Glory series are posted in “Manna from on High” Blog of Ready Writer Prophetic Scribe Ministry, an Inspirational writing an publishing ministry, subsidiary of Bearwitness-Forerunner Ministries International founded by Minister Deborah Esther Nyamekye

Subscribe to blog to receive these weekly devotionals or join the mailing list by sending your email address to readywriterps451@gmail.com

https://readywriterps451.org/2018/02/17/%f0%9f%93%b8snapshots-of-glory-word-focus-2-day-the-excellent-you/

📸Snapshots of Glory – Word Focus 2 Day: Fully Committed? Receive life in its fullness

Life in fullness is the life God offers to all who are His. We lack nothing because all that God has for us is available to us. According to His Word, we have all that pertains to life and Godliness because of God’s divine power (1 Peter 1:3)which gives us the strength we need to live life to the full.

As we know our Christian life is at the same time an instant reality as it is a progressive journey. We receive the free gift of salvation; Our justification as children of God is as a result of Christ’s righteousness credited (or imputed) to us because of faith in him not because of our works (2 Corinth. 5:21/ Eph. 2:8-9).

We also undergo the sanctification process. However for the truth of our justification and therefore righteousness to manifest as a daily reality, we must exercise our freewill (yes it was never taken away when we believed in Christ!), by choosing to partner with Elohim God in the sanctification process.

Some people choose to attain a higher godlike self or super humanity by depending on meditation techniques of eastern religions’ gurus or repetition human induced mantras of modern day life coaches who do not have the God of our Lord Jesus Christ as their source. The aforementioned is not for us who are children of Elohim God; God through Christ, His Word and in the power of the Holy Spirit is our source of salvation and sanctification; our goal is to be holy as God is and commanded us to be ( 1 Peter 1:16) after all we are created in His image (Gen.1:26-28).

I’M I FULLY COMMITTED?

Becoming holy or manifesting as consecrated and sanctified depends on the degree at which we are willing to surrender to God and to be fully committed to Him in every area of our lives. We reap what we sow (Gal.6:7). God’s presence, power and glory are made manifest or at work in and through us only when we obey and keep His commands as expressed by Jesus (John 14:21,23).

THE REWARDS OF THE FULLY COMMITTED: STRENGTHENED TO DO ALL THINGS

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness. (John 10:10 Berean Study Bible)”. While this scripture is for all believers in Christ to take hold of, it becomes a reality only in the lives of those who obey God’s commands, the fully committed that is. They receive life in its fullness or abundant life. What does this mean?

-A life that is void of condemnation; one is set free from the law of sin and death by the law of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1-3)

-A life full of assurance that God is in control of the world and every area of one’s life.

-by God the person produces lasting fruit (John 15:16).

-by God the person is able to fulfil their predestined potential or purpose.

“The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him”. (Chronicles 16:9NLT)

These were the words of the Prophet Hanani to King Asa of Judah when he depended on Ben Hadad, King of Aram to help him in his warfare against Israel.

Friends, who do you depend on as your source of strength or power,

is it yourself, others or God? If like King Asa we seek human help rather than God’s then it means we are not fully committed to God.

As verse 9 of 2 Chronicles 16 affirms, it is to the fully committed, those who depend and rely on God that His searching eyes rests upon to strengthen or empower so that they will be productive for His sake. They are a picture of the faithful church (Rev.3:7-13) as opposed to the lukewarm or compromising church (Rev. 3:12-17/14-22).

The fully committed “…dwell in the secret place of the Most High” and “Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psa.91:1). They receive God’s promises and blessings (verses 9-16):

“9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,

Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil shall befall you,

Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,

To keep you in all your ways.

12 In their hands they shall bear you up,Lest you dash your foot against a stone.13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. 14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.16 With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”

The Apostle Paul’s life as one fully committed to God and His purposes is evidence of a life lived in its fullness.

The Apostle Paul knew that it was only by Elohim God’s strength or empowerment at work within him that he was able to do all the great and many things that he did. He said

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”(Phil 4:13 NKJV).

Jesus said “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NLT).

Many of us quote the Apostle Paul’s words frequently “I can do all things through Christ who strengths me” that is all well and good, but friends, may our confession be true prophetic declarations as opposed to hollow utterances! Meaning?

If we are fully committed in our relationship with God, totally dependent on Him through Christ, His Word in the power of the Holy Spirit, then we are exercising our free will in accordance with what and in whom we believe.

The result is that God’s written and spoken word works for us; In the breath of God is the life of God with which He created the world including us and is working daily to make us manifest as His workmanship created for good works (Eph. 2:10).

God therefore responds to our fully committed lifestyles by ensuring that scriptures and prophetic words fulfil their intended purpose, His will in heaven being done for us on earth.

To God be the glory!

Scriptural reading & meditation:

2 Chronicles 16:1-9, Psalm 91, John 14:21,23.

Š31-01-2018 DENyamekye

Snapshots of Glory will be posted once a week (towards or on the weekend)

📸Snapshots of Glory – Word Focus 2 Day: Jesus, Our Sabbath Rest -At Peace & Doing Good Works

“And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” (Gen. 2:2-3 NKJV).

The God of our Lord Jesus Christ is all powerful! He is mighty and always full of energy and was therefore not tired when He rested from His labour. God had finished what He set out to do; to create the world in six days and rested on the seventh day. He had accomplished His goal and saw that what he created was good (Gen. 1:31). It was finished!

In this context of God resting from his labour, rest means “a cessation of labour having completed the task one set out to do”. The day that God rested was a blessed day. This is because He personally sanctified and blessed it.

“Father, if you being the God of the universe El Elyon, creator of heaven and earth rests from your work, your creative acts and projects, how much more should we not do the same?” You certainly do not expect us to attempt to labour in our own strength without your guidance or leading, we are incapable of doing so. This is why you counselled us through the writer of proverbs:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do,and he will show you which path to take. (Prov. 3:5-6 NLT).””

GOD IN CHRIST – OUR SABBATH REST

How then could humanity attain this rest? Cease from the burden of having to “labour” without God?

When we do things in our own strength without dependance on God hence His power which is the same power with which He created then whatever we do cannot be good unto God. This is why we are saved by grace through faith not works. Our carnal works do not please God and can only produce unrighteous fruit or sin.

Christ compassionately beckons “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt.11:28 KJV).

When God is in it, it is not labour in the sense of striving or doing things in our own strength. No one but God can restore mankind to that place of rest, His type of rest, so He left his throne and came in the person of Jesus Christ, a sinless saviour.

God cares. God so loved the world that He sent Jesus Christ, so that he who believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

Let us remember that scripture speaks of the incarnate Christ; God came to earth in the person of Christ. “”Me and my Father are one” Jesus said (John 10:30).

“… God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself..” (2 Corinth. 5:19KJV)

JESUS CHRIST CAME TO BE OUR SABBATH REST

God’s Sabbath Rest for humanity has been “ready” since the Seventh Day when He rested from creating the universe (Gen. 2 ). It was ready but was not acceptable by all.

“For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.” (Heb 4:3-4 KJV).

For those who failed to enter God’s rest due to disobedience in God, Hebrew 4:7 states “God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today.” This was in reference to Christ being a means for those who did not enter God’s rest through disobedience to have a second chance.

Yearly sacrifices did not suffice, they were requirements of the law of Moses “the shadow of good things to come not the very image of the things” so God sent Jesus Christ.(Heb.10:1 -10 NKJV).

Do not be discouraged if someone you have been witnessing to has not accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour, as this passage (Heb. 4:7) gives us hope. As long as Jesus tarries, our loved ones still have a chance to be saved.

Jesus suffered criticism, mockery, rejection, beatings and betrayal and the ultimate shame and death on the cross for our sakes. He suffered all this, even though he was sinless (Heb. 4:15) so that we would not have to.

His accomplishments made a way for those who accept him as their Lord and Saviour (Rom. 10:9) to therefore have God’s Sabbath Rest which also speaks of a life void of anxiety.

May we truly find peace in God and heed to the Apostle Paul’s encouraging words as follows:

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Phil. 4:6 KJV).

In Christ our Sabbath Rest, we have all that we need; because we know with certainty that “his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertainunto life and godliness (2 Pet.1:3 KJV).

“But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified (Hebrew 10:12-15 KJV).

As our Sabbath Rest, seated after finishing his work on the Cross, Christ embodies our sanctification and declares us holy and righteous. As long us we believe this truth and partner for this to be a reality in our daily lives, we will always overcome any attempt of our enemies to discourage us and take our focus away from our one and only burden bearer, Christ.

SAVED TO DO GOOD WORKS

Our Salvation is intended for us to manifest as “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10).

As the redeemed of the LORD, we are restored to our creation mandate; As ones created in God’s image to be His representatives on earth. It is therefore inevitable that we would do good works for Him.

After God created the universe, he saw that his works were good, it follows that those created in His image will inevitably do good works.

What has prevented you from thinking you are capable of doing works that by God’s definition are good, if indeed that is the case?

God’s word is true about you, as long as you are born again you are predestined to do good works.

“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent…hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Num.23:19 KJV)

You have been gifted with the creative flair of the master creator, the capacity to do exceedingly abundantly more than you can ever ask or think why? Because God is the one by His mighty power doing his works in and through you (Eph.3:20).

Friends, let us therefore be encouraged and motivated to take steps of faith in doing what He has called us to do, “being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work” in us “will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil.1:6 KJV).

Thank you Jesus, Our Sabbath Rest!

ŠJan2018DENyamekye

Snapshots of Glory are bi-weekly concise, to the point devotional delights captured 📸regularly from God’s Word.

How to receive them?

1.Subscribe by email – send me your email in the comments box here or at readywriterps451@gmail.com

2.Regularly visit this page

or

3.visit and subscribe to this blog : Ready Writer Prophetic Scribe Ministry’s Manna from on High Blog.

Already posted since last week click below

-God at the steering wheel

https://wp.me/p6VmB9-16e

-Intimately & Daily yours

https://wp.me/p6VmB9-15U

New bi-weekly concise devotional series started week of 8th Jan.2018

Snapshots of Glory are bi-weekly concise, to the point devotional delights captured 📸regularly from God’s Word,

How to receive them?

Subscribe by email – send ms your email in the comments box here or at readywriterps451@gmail.com

or visit and subscribe to this blog : Ready Writer Prophetic Scribe Ministry’s Manna from on High Blog.

Already posted since last week click below titles:

-Intimately & always yours (+prayer)<

his week:

God at the steering wheel<<
look out for: Jesus, Our Sabbath Rest – Living in His Peace & doing His good works

God bless you!

Deborah Esther x