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Do not believe them.

“And Jesus answered and said to them, “Take heed that no one deceives you.” Matthew24:4.

“For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive.” Matthew24:5

“And many false prophets shall rise, and they shall deceive many. Matthew24:11

“For there shall arise false Christians and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; inasmuch as if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Matthew 24:24

“Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore, if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert chamber; go not forth; behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe not.” Matthew 24:25.

Believe the false teachers and prophets at your own peril! They know how to do it, but we have the anointing of the Holy Ghost and the scriptures to say no to them from every angle they want to catch us. Jesus is the best teacher that has ever been on the surface of the earth when it comes to revealing the knowledge of God. He always taught us the truth because he came from the Father, who is in heaven. He is the Truth. No one on earth really knows the Father except him. He has been with Him since the beginning, and he knows His mind and plans for the whole world. This means that whatever He tells us about the Father’s will for us is nothing but the truth.

Therefore, how could someone on earth come to tell us a different thing than we believe? Do not believe them! Christ has already revealed the signs that will precede his coming and told us that only the Father knows the day and hour. He was able to put it in a very simple way for anybody to understand by using the parable of a fig tree as an example. He warns us several times not to be deceived by the false teachers and prophets as written in the above texts. In fact, this was even his first answer to his disciples, who asked him to tell them the signs of his coming and the end of the world.

“And Jesus answered and said to them, “Take heed that no one deceives you.” Matthew24:4.

Also, in the end, he says to them:

“Behold, I have told you before.” Matthew 24:25,26.

This tells us how necessary it is for us to be careful so that we will not be deceived by false teachers, prophets, or those who claim to be Christ. As he said, we are already in the end times, and what he said is happening before our eyes today! However, as he said, we have to be very careful so that we will not be deceived by them. False prophets and teachers are everywhere today, even those who claim to be Christ. This is why we have to hold onto his warning and believe all that he told us, knowing very well that it is true and cannot be changed over time.

Today, there are those who use satanic means to perform miracles, deceiving many people into following them. Some claim to be Christ, while others engage in teaching doctrines that are contrary to what Christ has taught us about his coming. They are not teaching the truth—what will prepare the people for the rapture—but what will draw them in and give them money. They are being used by Satan to deceive believers away from God. Do not believe them! Through their fruits, we should be able to know them and abstain from them.

“Now the spirit speaketh expressly, that in later times some shall depart from faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils” {1Timothy 4:1}.

If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shall be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou has attained {1Timothy 4:6}.

Paul also warned us in the first text above about what will happen in the end times. This warning is for every true believer today. Then, in verse 6, he charged Timothy to continue to remind the believers of this word so that they would be careful. Moreover, in our first text, he attributed the false teachings to devils and seducing spirits, meaning that Satan is the one sending these spirits, false teachers, and prophets to deceive people away from the faith. Deception has been his major tool for taking the people of God away from God. He started in the Garden of Eden, and he is still using it today. Genesis 3; Rev 12:9. Some Christians believe in eternal security—that once saved, saved forever. This does not seem to be true based on what Jesus himself says: “But he that endures unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 24:13.

Remember, he was referring to believers when considering Matthew 24:12. In this regard, we ought to stand firm in faith until the end of our life on earth; otherwise, we will miss our salvation. This is why he is warning us now. Judas Iscariot is always the best example of how to learn a lesson from Matthew 27:1–5. To tell the truth, a believer can lose his salvation through deception. I know of a believer—I mean, a believer who was deceived to join a cult for material gain—could you still say that such a person is a child of God with his salvation intact? You see, this is one of the reasons we have been warned, because there are many at this end. While God is keeping us by grace in faith, we also ought to be careful. This is what it means.

We cannot overcome their devises until we fill our spirit with God’s word. God’s word makes us wiser than them. The devil and his agents are deceivers, but we have the word and the anointing of the Holy Ghost to withstand him in every direction. As I said earlier, we can lose our salvation. Therefore, to keep standing in faith until the end, we must earnestly contend for the faith once given to us. We are to constantly engage ourselves, both in defending ourselves and through words. In other words, we are to fight the good fight of faith to the end and receive our rewards and eternal life, fighting with understanding, perseverance, and heavenly focus. Paul fought the good fight of faith and expected a crown of righteousness for himself and those who would keep the faith (2 Tim 4:7–8). He also compared our Christian faith to that of a race. According to him, many are enrolled in a race, but only a few who run well and observe the rules can receive a prize at the end (1 Cor 9:24–25). For this reason, he says thus:

 

“And everyone who competes for a prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to abstain from a perishable crown, but we want an imperishable crown. Therefore, I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus, I fight, not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:26–27).

Therefore, to avoid being disqualified from the faith, we must subject ourselves to discipline or spiritual exercise (1 Tim 4:8). This will enable us to flee from those things that can draw us away from faith and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. When we have these things, then we will be able to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold of our eternal life (1 Tim 6:11–12).

Apart from deception, which is the major tool for Satan, there are other instruments that he also uses to draw Christians away from faith. Let us get them out of this scripture below.

“Therefore, hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed in stony places—this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy—yet he has no root in himself but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, he immediately stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But he who received the seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruits and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matt 13:18–23).

 

Looking at this parable critically, we will discover that the devil uses three major ways to derail Christians away from faith. They are ignorance (v. 19), affliction (v. 20–21), and anxiety (v. 22). Now, let me explain them one by one.

 

• Ignorance:

 

According to our discussion, ignorance means the inability of a believer to understand God’s word. It is very important that a believer understand the word of God that he or she has been hearing. This will enable him or her to treasure it in his or her heart and apply it rightly. In the parable above, this was the problem of the first hearer of the word. He did not understand it, and so the devil took advantage of his ignorance to snatch away the word that was sown in his heart, and he became empty. This reveals how the devil has been playing on our ignorance of God’s word. If we do not understand, how can we apply it? God says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6. Ignorance can make us live contrary to God’s will for our lives. Many Christians have stumbled because of this reason. As we discussed about false teachers, ignorance is the major thing that can easily make some Christians fall into their hands. This is why we need to know the scripture very well. We ought to be like the Bereans brethren, who, after hearing the word, went back and searched the scriptures daily to see if those things were so. Also, the kind of church we attend matters a lot. Pardon me to say that many pastors today do not really have time to study the word and allow themselves to be led by the spirit. Instead, they copy from others. They need to study deeply so that it will enable them to expound God’s word accordingly to the full understanding of the hearer. Because of this, Paul charged Timothy to “study to shew himself approved of God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed but rightly dividing the word of truth”{2 Timothy 2:15}.

 

When we understand the word get the rheuma, there is no reason we can let it go from our hearts. Understanding means having the insight of God’s word. In other words, it is being enlightened through the word. God’s word always inspires us when we grab the rhema and act on it. It is a very powerful tool that can stir up our spirit to action! However, lack of understanding is what always makes some believers inactive in every aspect of their spiritual life. And this is why Satan usually takes advantage of them.

 

“Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he “understands” and “knows” Me, that I am the LORD, exercising loving kindness, judgement, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD.” (Jeremiah. 9:23).

 

“There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God (Rom 3:11).

2 Afflictions:

This is the situation where the children of God are being afflicted with all kinds of problems for the sake of Christ. It can inform of calamity, sickness, poverty, confusion, disappointment, hindrance, torment, etc. The devil is very wrathful because he has missed his heavenly position, and more so, he knows that his time is very short. The major reason the devil is afflicting us is so that we may doubt the presence of God with us and eventually give up. He wants us to lose our faith in serving God. Job 1: 9–11. But we have to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, knowing very well that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. The problem for the second hearer was that he was not strong in the Lord. He received the word shallowly, and when affliction came, he fell away. This is what is prevailing today in the body of Christ. We should always allow the word to sink deep into our hearts. Moreover, our hope should not be laid on anything else than Christ and His word, so that when the devil comes, roaring at us, we will be able to stand our ground and roar back at him. Job was not depending on his wealth but on God (Job 1:21). God should be our everything. He says He will never fail us or forsake us. Joshua 1:5. Again, know that God will not allow any affliction that is more than our strength to come to us.

However, these days, many believers have already given up their faith because of many problems and challenges. No wonder Christ told us that in the last days the love of many will wax cold because of an increase in iniquity (Matthew 24:12). But we have to move on, no matter what. The devil is just roaring. He cannot do us anything since we have the Lion of the tribe of Judah with us. Hallelujah! We have the power already in us! Roar back at him in faith, and he will leave you alone. Do not fear, because greater is he that is in us than he that is in the word. 1 John 4:4. It only requires our faith in God whenever we are afflicted, as Habakkuk says:

“Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, Though the labour of the olive may fail and the fields yield no food, Though the lock may be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills” (Habakkuk 3:17–19).

3. Anxiety:

Anxiety is worry. It is also a strong desire, either to have something or to do something at a particular time. When the Bible says “and the cares of this world,” it means the worries of life. It can come to us in two ways: either we worry about getting something done or we get something at the right time. Worry is an obsession that preoccupies our minds and distracts us from listening to God’s word. This is what caused the spiritual unfruitfulness of the third hearer. It is the thorns the Bible is talking about. Like Martha, he was too busy with everything while missing out on the most important thing (Matthew 6:33; Luke 10:40–42). Instead of setting his affection on the things above, he set his heart on the earthly things. Because of this, he was carried away from faith. The whole of his heart and mind were preoccupied with worries—worries about what to do and how to do it on time to get the best result. However, we always need to trust in God for everything. This is the best remedy for your worries. Lack of trust in God causes great anxiety. Jeremiah 17:8.

No wonder he could not grow in spiritual things. Paul says:

“But what things were gained for me? These I have counted as losses for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Phil 3:7–8).

God does not want us to worry about anything in life but to be still and trust in Him in order to see His miracles. Psalm 46:10; Exo 14:13–14; Psalm 37:3. This is why Jesus warns us:

“Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or What shall we drink?’ r’What s shall we wear?’ For after all the settings the Gentiles seek, your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” (Matt 6:31–32).

But today, the reverse is the case. We are in the era of modernization and are seriously struggling for survival. As a result, many of us are already distracted. We are worrying about so many things when only one thing is important, and those of us who are wise have chosen it: eternal life! There is no doubt that today there are so many things that can easily lure us away from faith. It seems the devil, the god of this world, is using all these modern technologies to distract us, but we have to use them wisely, just as he distracted the third hearer. We should not love them because they are of the world (1 John 2:15).

According to Jesus, our worries cannot help us anyway, so why should we worry? Mt. 6:27. God is our helper. Heb 13:6. He is our provider. Psalm 23:1; 2 Corinthians 9:10. We do not have the power of our own to do anything except the Lord. This is why the psalmist says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labour in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the house, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:1-2).

An overview of the four hearers

If we now look at the three hearers critically, we could realise that the actual problem was not in receiving the word but in understanding it. If their eyes were opened to see the wonderful things in God’s word that they had received, they would never have joked with their salvation; instead, they would have tenaciously held onto it, applying it daily, and it would become fruitful like the fourth hearer. This is what God wants from us. We ought to be fruitful in spiritual things (John 15:2).

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THE POWER IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS

There is power in the blood of Jesus! Jesus is the Lamb of God who was sacrificed on the cross for the redemption of mankind. He came into the world in the form of a man and was found sinless. Because of this, his sacrifice was highly accepted by God and set above every other sacrifice forever. Symbolically, God has been revealing His plan of sending His Son as the Lamb of God, from the dispensation of the dispensation of the Old Testament till its complete fulfilment in the New Testament, where Christ appeared to offer himself in Genesis 22:8, 13, 12:3, and Lev 4:32. He shed his blood on the cross and said, “It is finished.” This means that he has completed his redemption mission and that no sacrifice can be made again.

Spiritual significance of blood

In the things of the spirit, the use of blood is very essential. This is why almost every religion in the world requires the use of blood to perform one thing or another. But Christ’s blood is the highest and most powerful. Hebrews 9. In the kingdom of darkness, it is not an exception. In fact, it is even worse since the use of human blood is very common. The devil and his worshippers are always in desperate need of human blood for their ritual, initiation, purification, empowerment, renewal, and promotion purposes. To get this accomplished, they will go about shedding innocent blood, either spiritually or physically. Many of the of the disasters we have been hearing about are not ordinary. They have already been planned and programmed in order to drink blood and empower themselves.

You can understand this well when you read the book of Job. Job did not know that it was Satan who had been causing those disasters as we know them today. The Bible makes us know that, as soon as Satan received permission from God, he went straight away, targeting the day of their gathering and causing a series of calamities upon them {Job 1:6-22}. He killed his servants and children and finally stroked Job with sickness. He is still into this business of shedding blood with his followers today. He does not change and cannot change. He was the same yesterday and today until his judgment. This is why calling the blood of Jesus is very relevant to our spiritual wares. They empower themselves with the blood to fight and win. Therefore, calling on the blood of Jesus will surely neutralise their powers since Christ offered the highest and final blood.

The power of the blood revealed in Exodus 12:13

“And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the uses where are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”.

This was the picture of Christ’s sacrifice and redemption power in his blood. Life is in the blood, and where life is, there is power. Lev. 17:14; John 6:53–54. God directed the children of Israel that every household should kill a lamb without blemish and strike the blood on the two side posts and on the upper door post of their houses because the Lord is going to pass through the land of Egypt that night and smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast. He told them that the blood on their door posts shall be to them as a token {sign or mark} upon the house where they are. That when He shall see the blood, He shall pass over them, and the plague {destroyer} shall not be upon them to destroy them. And this came to pass that night, according to the word of the Lord (Exodus 12:4–13, 29).

Redemption through the blood of Jesus

Exodus 12 was just a shadow of things to come. If it was the blood of an ordinary lamb they used and God honoured it, how much more the blood of the Lamb of God, who was sinless? This is why there is power in the blood of Jesus when applied correctly. Jesus has defeated the devil and his cohorts on the cross through the shedding of his blood. And through his blood too, we were redeemed and had victory over the evil one (Col. 1:14, 2:15; Rev. 12:11).

We have victory already over the devil. There is no need to fear again when wrestling against him. Spiritually, the blood of Jesus is exhaustibly available for us. We are to activate it by declaring it during our battles. The following are the ways we can declare the blood of Jesus against the forces of darkness and have a complete victory:.

1: Become a true child of God.

2: Study and internalise God’s word {know and quote the verses where the blood is used in the Bible}

3: Live a holy life.

Mention it many times during the battle.

Sprinkle or cover all your possessions with blood; where you know, the devil can have entrance to you by mentioning their names one by one, {just as the Lord told them to do on their doorpost, which was the entrance for the destroyer}. Do this demonstratively with your hands as you mention their names and believe that it is done. There is also power in demonstration!

6 Declare it during evil hours, {e.g., midnight}

7 Declare it with boldness and faith in God’s word.

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Wining your spiritual battl

es, { Part 1} Continue reading “WINNING YOUR SPIRITUAL BATTLES PART 1”

The exact date for the coming of Christ

The exact

date and hour of the coming of Christ (the rapture) will continue to remain unknown to humans because what God has said cannot be changed over time, no matter what happens. The only thing that Christ did was reveal the signs that would precede his coming. But the date and hour he says that only the Father in heaven knows it. This makes it extremely difficult for anyone on earth to tell the exact date and hour of his coming (Matthew 24:36). God has not revealed it to His Son or His angels; how then can any man predict it correctly? Or can the word of God change over time?

Never! Do not be carried away by any prediction, no matter how good it appears. Many people have been predicting the date of the coming of Christ and the end of the world, calling it a doomsday, but the more they predict, the more they fail. And this is still telling us that no one knows the date. Alternatively, some people’s faith might be weakening because of the disappointment. However, going back to the Lord’s word will renew their hope in his coming.

God is an Omniscient God. He knows far better than men and all the technologies put together. The most sophisticated technology in the world cannot predict the exact date, not even the wisest or best psychic in the world, like Nostradamus. It is only God, and this should tell us that God means business in this. He knows that before that time, so many people will repent and become righteous over night to escape from the impending judgment. He does not want anyone to outsmart him. Rather, he wants to catch them unprepared at the scene of their evil acts. He knows that almost everybody will like to repent a minute at that great time, like the thief on the cross. And God will have forgiven us because of His word. This would not be seen as genuine repentance because it is not from the heart.

So, the God of all wisdom decided to hide the day and hour from any man. This is why Christ says, “But of the day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only Matthew 24:36.

Again, he gives a parable to illustrate this, saying,

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Verily, I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, my lord delayeth his coming; and he shall begin to smite his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkenness; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looks not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder and appoint him to his potion with the hypocrites; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 24:45-51 

The passages above have revealed everything that we are saying, as highlighted. God does not want anybody to know the day because many hypocrites will come to get repentance, and God cannot join their portion with genuine people. God wants to reward those who are genuine and faithful to the end, no matter the pressure of the world.

One of the greatest predictions of the end of the world and the coming of the Lord, I know, was in 2000. This prediction was so strong that its impact was felt almost everywhere in the world. Both the media houses and authors made their cold money out of it. Many believed because it had been a complete 2000 years since Christ came to earth. Moreover, there was this belief that God always considers numbers in his works, coupled with the changes that have been taking place around the world. So, many people repented and got born again. They sold their things and gave the money to the church and those that did not have it. They did all the things that are mentioned in Matthew 25:34–40. As if that was not enough, they became evangelists and preachers of repentance for the year 2000. Because of this, almost everybody was born again. The word born again was making waves everywhere you went

Now, ask me, after that year has gone and nothing happens, what happened? Those people who sold their properties and gave to the poor began to regret heavily because the world did not end as said. They went back again to live their normal lives. This is the fact behind this. God does not want this hypocritical kind of repentance. He wants repentance from the heart. No one can play fool with God. Those people still go back to their vomits because their repentance was moved by the fear of the year.

God decided to hide the day and hour to really see the true colour of the hearts of men, whether they really fear Him. Jesus likens this day to the days of Noah, where they were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage until the day Noah entered the Ark, and he knew not until the flood came and took them all away. Matthew 24:37-39. He also says that the day will come unawares to anyone, like a thief. Because of this, he urges us to always be watchful until he comes.

Conclusion 

Therefore, as we have been saying, understanding the times does not mean understanding the day and hour of Christ’s coming or the rapture. They are two different things. Thanks to God, Jesus has revealed to us the signs that will precede his coming. This is enough to know today that his coming is imminent and get fully prepared to share in his glory. So, as the master says, let us continue to be watchful and keep praying. Moreover, let holiness always be our watchword, because without it, no one shall see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14.

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Wining your spiritual battles part 2

The battle that began in heaven Continue reading “WINNING YOUR SPIRITUAL BATTLES {PART 2}”

Endtime and its signs Continue reading “ENDTIME AND ITS SIGNS”

There is safety in understanding the times and taking appropriate action, but ignoring them is self-destruction (Proverbs 22:3; Ephesians 5:16–17). The children of Issachar and the five virgins are well known when it comes to understanding the times. 1chronicles {12:32; Matt. 25:1-5}.

 

Jesus came to give us understanding of things to make us wise! He is the greatest end-time teacher who has ever been on earth. He always taught with authority, and his disciples made many references to him. In Matthew 24, he reveals so many events that are going to take place before the end. At the end of his revelation, he said this:

“Now, learn a parable of the fig tree: When his branch is yet tender and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” Matthew 24:32-33.

 

The main purpose of this revelation is for us to know the end times based on the manifestation of those signs on earth. This is why he says, “When you shall see all these things, know that it is near.” This is because when we know them, we will not be deceived by anyone when we see the signs. Moreover, we will be able to prepare for his sudden arrival.

Today, it is indisputable that all his prophecies concerning the end of age, which date back more than two thousand years, and those of his counterparts have come to pass. The signs are everywhere!

In view of this, Christians in particular are supposed to learn from these signs and understand the times we are in so that they can do the needful, like the children of Issachar and the five virgins. Unfortunately, many of them are busy doing other things outside of their callings, while others have already given up their faith because of the many trials and wickedness of the day. Salvation is not something anyone should joke with since it has to do with spending eternity with Christ.

Therefore, Christians are to be reminded of their end-time responsibilities so that they will not be found wanting at the coming of Christ, and the blood of the perishing souls will not be required at their hands.

 

This book is fantastic and rich enough to redirect every believer to his or her end-time responsibilities. Also, there are provisions made for anyone who wants to join the household of God and be partaker of this glory that is about to be revealed. Continue reading “UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES -END TIMES”

In today’s world, where everything fails, walking with God through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and God’s words becomes the most reliable and delightful thing that could happen in your life. It is an experience that is really full of hope, security, wisdom, strength, peace, joy, love, contentment, etc. Above all, you will spend eternity in heaven at the end of your journey on earth. This is what every soul should hunger and thirst for as long as they are in this corrupt and troublesome world. Continue reading “WALKING WITH GOD IN THIS PERILOUS TIMES”

The Power in the Name of Jesus

{End-Time Spiritual Warfare, Series 1}

 

‘’Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;’’ {Phil.2:9-10}.

 

‘’Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved’’ {Acts 4:12}.

 

One of the greatest weapons for our spiritual warfare is the name of Jesus! According to the texts above, there is no other name elsewhere that can save us except this name, Jesus. It was given to us by the Most High God. The Almighty God, who has power over everything in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, No one should deceive you into thinking that there is any other name or means that can really save you. It is a great lie from the pit of hell, and you need to reject it immediately.

 

The truth is that, at the mention of this name, everything bows; principalities and powers become incapacitated. Sickness, diseases, and difficulties disappear just at the call of this name, Jesus! Apart from our spiritual warfare, our requests can also be granted to us by our Father in Heaven. But now, we are talking about using the name to gain victory over our enemies. Many people do not know the power embedded in the name, so they take it very seriously. But Satan and his demons really fear the mention of this name, Jesus, because it always torments him and renders their works useless. This is why, even in the dream world, they will try to block your mouth and paralyse your spirit so that you will not be able to remember or call the name. But as a genuine Christian, you must be strong in the spirit through constant prayers, God’s word, and faith.

 

If you want to determine the efficacy of this name, you must do the following:

 

1: Be born again. By being born again, I mean that a genuine child of God is the first to access the power in this name. This is done by accepting Christ into your life as your Lord and Saviour and turning away from sin.

 

2: Live a holy life: This is very important because it will help you exercise your faith with a clear conscience, thus becoming more powerful and blameless before the devil. Acts 19:14-16.

 

3. Stand up with boldness: It is always right that when we are in spiritual warfare, we are to stand up like soldiers and declare the words in the name of Jesus. Remember that boldness is even a terror in the kingdom of darkness. So, exercising your full authority this way will surely counter the works of the devil.

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Paganism and Easter celebration

According to history (Britannica, Wikipedia, and church history), there was an annual celebration in the pagan world called the spring equinox. This celebration was always observed during the spring season, precisely on March 21^st, to honor the goddess of spring and fertility. It was one of the most popular events in the pagan world, especially in Rome. This goddess is known by different names in different regions and cultures across the globe. In England (Anglo-Saxon), it was known as Eostre or Eastre. This might be where Easter got its name. In the Romans, it was known as Cybele, the mother of gods, whose son {Attis} died and resurrected. So, the period has also been celebrated as a period of rebirth and a new life. They demonstrated this concept by painting eggs, rabbits, and eating chocolate. They also share these items with others as symbols of new life and love.

God raised Constantine as the Roman Emperor, who eventually became a Christian. It happened that in 325, in the council of Nicaea, there was an agreement by the Emperor and church leaders that Easter should always be celebrated during the full moon, on any Sunday between the 22nd of March and April of every year. This is to say that Easter can be fixed during this period. This was done because no one knows the exact day of the birth of Christ, and this is why Easter is known as a movable feast. They also agreed that Easter cannot be celebrated together with the pagan feast on the 21^st of March. The main purpose of this celebration was to use the period to commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This, they believed, would replace the pagan celebration of Attis.

From this historical background, we know that the Pagan people have been using these two periods to celebrate their deity. We also know that Jesus was not born at Christmas. No one really knows the exact date, though the angels make us think it was during the spring. However, as said, this period was appointed by Emperor Constantine and the church leaders to commemorate the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Christ. The Emperor, who was converted to Christianity because of his dream and victory in the war, declared Christianity a state religion and made himself a political leader. He made a lot of reforms during his time.

As a result of this, many pagans’ methods have been brought into the church, like Easter celebrations and Christmas. It is against this background that many denominations today do not celebrate Easter and Christmas. They see them as pagan celebrations, and once you celebrate them, you are indirectly worshipping their gods. Besides, since no one knows the real day that Jesus was born, it is therefore not scriptural.

Now, let us look into the scriptures. The Bible says:

”Verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Again, I say unto you, If two of you agree on earth to touch anything that they ask for, it shall be done for them by my Father, who is in heaven.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of {Matt 18:18–20}.

Constantine was a political leader in the church. He gathers up the church leaders at Nicaea. They chose the period and agreed upon it to commemorate the death and resurrection of Christ, since no one knows the date. Their major reason was that, through this celebration, the love of Christ for humanity will always be remembered. Therefore, as long as they have agreed together, it was established in heaven according to the word of God above. The day has been approved in heaven to be celebrated, especially for the remembrance of the Lord till He come again {1 Corinthians 11:24}.

Moreover, the Bible says, ‘’And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Col. 4:17). This scripture has given us the guarantee to celebrate Easter or Christmas in the name of the Lord with thanks. This means everything we say or do during this period should be to the glory of God. If we follow this scripture, Easter or Christmas is worth celebrating. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it as long as the following are concerned:.

1. It makes the name of the Lord remembered and known all over the world.
2. It gives Christians the opportunity to spread the gospel and win souls.

It helps Christians to reassess and rededicate their lives to Christ through his atoning blood.

4. The love of Christ is rededicated among Christians.

The question now is, how do we celebrate it in the name of the Lord?

The Bible says Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). And this happened when he was on the cross (Col. 2:15–18), when he rose up and established his kingdom and glory upon the church. He has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light so that we may be the praise of his glory. He has destroyed all the works of the devil and restored all things he has stolen for his own glory, including the Christmas season and Easter in particular.

So, as holy people of God called for his own glory, when we celebrate any of these seasons, we should not follow the pagan way of celebrating them but with holiness, contentment, and great thanks from our hearts. We should re-examine our lives and make changes where necessary. We should also demonstrate Christ-like love to others and reach out to the pagans with the gospel. This is how we ought to celebrate the seasons—not by just eating, drinking, and dressing exorbitantly, but by placing Christ at the center of our celebration.

Enough of all these arguments! Imagine a pastor who says he cannot buy land to build his ministry just because it is an evil spirit spot or belongs to witches and wizards. How then will the kingdom of God be expanded here on earth? God has called us out of darkness, and we are now children of light full of divine power to exploit. For this reason, everything the devil has taken for his own glory, we are to reclaim it for the glory of God.

Therefore, let anyone who does not celebrate it say it is better than the one who celebrates it, and the same for the one who does.

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