RIGHT CHARACTER FOR RIGHT MARRIAGE (4)

Dear Reader,

Every couple craves for a sweet home, but not every couple will experience it. There are works of the flesh working against every home. So, every couple that desires a sweet home should ask for the help of the Holy Spirit, in order to build a home free from strife and malice.

Today, we are going to identify one of the enemies of family success – Temper, and how couples can take grace to live above it.

Temper, according to Collins Cobuild English Dictionary, is the tendency that you have to become angry or to stay calm. It also says: “It is a state you are in when you are so angry that you cannot think clearly about what you are saying or doing.”

Anger is a natural emotion that one exhibits at a particular time. We all get angry at one time, but the difference between this and the work of the flesh is sin. That is why the scripture says: Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath (Ephesians 4:26). Here, the Bible warns that if you are angry, do not allow your anger to lead you to sin. Anger is a canker that has destroyed many marriages, and as a result renders many children hopeless. The Living Bible Version charges us thus: If you are angry, don’t sin by nursing your grudge. Don’t let the sun go down with you still angry get over it quickly. For when you are angry you give a might foothold to the devil.

If you allow your temperament to boil, you open the door to sin. If you get upset about the way your spouse reacts to certain things at times, do not explode and speak cruel words, which can cause irreparable damage. What makes you a mature individual, is your ability to control your emotions until your anger simmers down.

You don’t have to boil like a kettle of water on fire, just because your spouse expresses a different opinion. Sometimes you get angry and lose your temper and unseemly words pass your lips, just because your spouse advises that the action you are about to take is contrary to the Scripture.

Some spouses try to suppress anger. They get angry, but swallow it, pretending everything is all right, and plaster a smile on their faces. They are like hot bottles of coca-cola shaken. Once the lid is opened, the hot liquid rushes out in torrents. Bottling up anger is risky; it steals away the harmony in the home. Never give it a trial.

You can let out the steam by discussing the issue of the anger at the appropriate time. Call upon the Holy Spirit to help you keep your temper so that you can live a life of love, which “is not provoked” to anger. Anger is a killer. Simeon and Levi, who slew the men of Shechem because of their uncontrollable anger, got a horrible sentence: Simeon and Levi are brethren;…Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel(Genesis 49:5-7).

Anger must be dealt with, if you want to avoid the shame that division and scattering bring to a marriage. Anger puts an end to a sweet marriage faster than adultery or fornication. One may not kill physically, yet by anger or even silence, you can kill your spouse’s spirit. Watch it !

You do not solve family problem by strife. You need a nature when you want victory over anger, one which lives for Jesus Christ, controlled by the Holy Spirit, so that you can give yourselves to the Holy Ghost. When He possesses your home, He also possesses your tempers and keeps you from sinful anger.
Now, pray this prayer: “Lord, help me not to become angry without reason, but to be victorious by Your grace over all thoughtless anger and all bitterness, harmful to my family member and myself, in Jesus’ mighty name!”

Are you born-again? If you are not, you don’t have genuine access to operate the mind of Christ that can help you select a good companion (1 Corinthians 2:16). However, God’s grace of salvation is extending to you right now. If you desire to be born again, say this simple prayer in faith:

“Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today as a sinner. Forgive me of my Sins. I believe You died and rose on the third day for my sins. I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, and conselling@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores:

• Marriage Covenant
• Making Marriage Work
• Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

Verse of the Day

Malachi 3:10

10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

My Faith Works! Confession

I hear, study, believe and confess God’s Word, and my faith continues to grow. I abide in God and His Word abides in me, so I ask what I need according to His Word, and I believe I receive it by faith. Jesus is Lord over my situation, and I do not fear or worry about what I’m going through because I released my faith and God’s will is being done in my life right now.

Jesus is the author and finisher of my faith, so I look unto Him by believing and acting on His Word! I believe that my faith works because I believe God’s Word is true, it comes to pass and He is the rewarder of those who seek Him. I not only hear the Word, I act on it by faith. I do not doubt, but believe in my heart that I have what I speak by faith.

Scripture References: Romans 10:17, John 15:7, Mark 11:23-24, Matthew 6:10, Hebrews 12:2, Hebrews 11:6, James 2:17
- See more at: http://www.kcm.org/real-help/resources/my-faith-works-confession#sthash.2dcDpLTX.dpuf

Verse of the Day

2 Corinthians 4:17

17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Unlocking the Supernatural through Favour!

Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof. So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory (Psalms 102:13-15).

We are in the latter days, the era of supernatural favour in the body of Christ. As a result, there shall be an unusual release of supernatural favour in the church of Christ before Jesus returns. Also, the church will begin to possess the land and wherever the soles of our feet shall tread upon shall be given to us. As it is written:

We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them (Psalms 44:1-3; see also Haggai 2:3-9).

But, what entitles us to favour?

• Redemption: Redemption is a product of favour. It is written: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).

Grace, which also means favour, is the heritage of the redeemed and everyone that is born again is listed among God’s beloved. As it is written:

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved (Ephesians 1:6; see also 2 Corinthians 5:21).

‘Beloved’ here means to be favoured or a favourite. That means every child of God is God’s favourite on the earth. Thus, we have our roots in divine favour by redemption. The Bible says:

For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield (Psalms 5:12).

As a result, everything about our lives attracts favour.

• The ‘church in the wilderness’ was cladded with favour: The ‘Church in the wilderness’ (the Israelites) was a highly favoured and struggle-free church. The Bible records:

This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us (Acts 7:38).

During the sojourn of the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years, they experienced the tangibility of favour. They enjoyed manna twice daily and the Bible says that: Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years (Deuteronomy 8:4).

There is nothing in the Old Testament that can compare to what is available to us in the New Testament. If the church in the wilderness was that favoured, how much more shall the church of the Living God bought by the Blood of Jesus be favoured.

Furthermore, concerning the Israelites, God said:

And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty (Exodus 3:21; see also Exodus 12:36).

God is committed to giving His people favour and we are privileged to be His people by redemption. Hence, we are entitled to divine favour.

• The church in the upper room enjoyed favour: As it is written:

Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved (Acts 2:47).

Favour was the identity of the first church. That means the church of Christ is ordained to swim in favour.

Furthermore, Jesus Christ, the Head of the church was robed with favour. The Bible says: And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man (Luke 2:52).

Jesus said: As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world(John 17:18).

We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus. That means whatever pertains to Christ pertains to us. Thus, we are highly favoured individuals (Romans 8:17).

What, then, is in Favour?

• Favour terminates tears: Favour turns our tears into testimonies. It is written:

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled (Psalms 30:5-7).

It is favour in a man’s life that defines the quality of his life.

• Prosperity: And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand (Genesis 39:2-4).

It is impossible to secure favour with God and not have favour with man.

• Favour is the cure for man’s struggles: Joseph didn’t struggle; favour positioned him from one level to another (Psalms 105:17-22).
• Supernatural enlargement: Grace is the covenant mother of greatness. It is grace that makes great, not skill or strength. Every giant in the Kingdom is made of favour. No one can be greater than the grace of God at work in his life and grace simply means divine favour. Apostle Paul said: But by the grace of God I am what I am… (1 Corinthians 15:10; see also 1 Samuel 2:9; Ecclesiastes 9:11; Romans 9:16).

It simply means that without grace, we are grounded. However, by the release of divine favour, greatness surges and enlargement is stirred up (Isaiah 60:1-22).

Interestingly, apart from the favour of salvation, every other favour we desire is at a cost. It is important to understand that God’s favour is real, but it is not free. This is because even the favour of salvation still demands that we repent and be baptized, so we can be saved and then receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. That means there is what we must do to trigger favour.

Thus, encounters with turnaround favour demand the following, among others:

• Be Born Again: New birth is the first covenant step into a world of favour. Thereafter, we are listed among God’s beloved after the order of Joseph (Psalms 5:12).
• Commit to the Love of God and His Kingdom: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

Our love for God entitles us to the flow of divine favour. David was a man after God’s own heart and God lavished him with supernatural favour (1 Samuel 13:14, 16:21-22).

The Bible records that Solomon loved the Lord and he reared an altar of sacrifice to God which granted him access to His favour (1 Kings 3:3-13).

Furthermore, Joseph was an epitome of God’s favour; he encountered favour in Potiphar’s house and he was in charge of his entire estate. He also secured favour in the prison and was appointed an official. That favour also made him to be brought before the king for multiple change of levels (Genesis 39; Psalms 105:17-22).

Every true lover of God enjoys access to divine favour. This is because when we walk in love, we are entitled to an open cheque from God which secures the supernatural in our affairs (1 Corinthians 2:9; 1 John 3:22-23).

However, we must understand that God’s love is not theoretical, it is practical. This is why the Bible says: For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (1 John 5:3).

We cannot claim to love God when we do not walk in obedience to His commandments. Thus, the love of God demands that we:

• Love His Word: We cannot claim to love God if we do not love His Word (Psalms 119:97; Proverbs 13:15; 2 Peter 1:2).
• Love His house: I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord (Psalms 122:1).

If we love God, going to church and fellowshipping with the brethren will be our delight and lifestyle.

• Love His Kingdom (Psalms102:13-15; Matthew 6:33; Luke 7:1-5).

• Love His People (Matthew 25:31-40; Galatians 6:10; 1 John 3:16-18).
• Love Humanity (Matthew 22:36-40; Luke 10:29-37).

• Engage in prayer & supplication: Just like Jabez did, we can break the siege of misfortune over our lives as we engage the prayer altar (1 Chronicles 4:9-10; Psalms 106:4; Hebrews 4:16).

• Seek revelation of the truth: It is written: Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard (Proverbs 13:15).

The more revelation we have, the more favour flows in our direction (Daniel 1:9, 9:2).

• Seek fresh anointing: The fresher the anointing on our lives, the fresher the flow of favour. Jesus never lacked favour because He had access to fresh oil. However, we must recognize that the altar of prayer is the altar of empowerment and revelation, which triggers the release of fresh oil for fresh favour (Psalms 45:7-8, 12).

It is important to understand that favour is not a religious theory; it is a virtue with proofs.

Therefore, we must expect the manifestation of supernatural favour in the following areas among others:

• Marital breakthrough: Marriage is a manifestation of divine favour. The Bible says:Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord(Proverbs 18:22; See also Genesis 24:1-27; Psalms 68:6).

• Exploits after the order of Daniel (Daniel 1:9, 2:46).
• Supernatural visitation after the order of Sarah (Genesis 21:1-6).
• Supernatural turnaround in the order of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:5-8).
• Business Breakthrough after the order of Job (Job 1:1-3, 9).

The greatest event of anyone’s life in the Kingdom is a product of favour and its ultimate is to establish our dominion on the earth. Therefore, I see the favour of God rewriting your story in Jesus’ name! Remain ever blessed!

Jesus is Lord!

Verse of the Day

Exodus 20:12

12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Activating the Power

RHEMA COLLEGE WEEKEND INSTRUCTOR HIGHLIGHT

//CRAIG W. HAGIN

No matter what we're going through, we have to remember that God's power is greater than anything we're experiencing. Whatever we may face—from financial problems to health challenges to adversity of any kind—God's power is more than enough to change our situation. It's what causes us to be victorious.

God is well able to work on our behalf. But all too often, instead of looking to Him when we face a crisis, we try to come up with our own solution. If we need extra money, we might think the best thing to do is get a second job or work overtime. Doing these things, however, may not be wise.

Our wisdom is limited, but God's wisdom is unlimited. I believe we should do everything we can. But sometimes everything we do just isn't enough.

Paul tells us in First Corinthians 2:5 that "[our] faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God" (NKJV). The Holy Spirit can do more for us in two seconds than we can ever figure out. It's not about what we can do; it's about what God can do. It's His power and ability—not ours—that works out our problems.

Turning On the Switch of Faith
Faith is the key for God's power to operate in our lives. It's also important to know where to put our faith. In other words, our faith has to be in something. And we see in First Corinthians 2:5 that it should be in God's power, not in the wisdom of men.

One of the best places to see God's power demonstrated is in Genesis chapter 1. God changed things He didn't like with His words. He saw a null and void earth and decided to do something about it. He said, "Let there be light," and there was light (v. 3).

God spoke and things changed! He said with His mouth what He believed in His heart. And what He said came into manifestation. We have this same power when we speak.

Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." Every time we open our mouths, we are speaking either death and
destruction or life and blessing into a situation.

The Word of God contains the power of God. That power is activated when we speak God's Word to our situations. When we hide God's Word in our hearts and speak forth that Word, we, like God, can change our situation.

God's power can be compared to electricity. Electricity flows through the wiring in our homes. We can have electricity in our house, but nothing happens until we turn on a switch. The power was there all the time, but nothing happened until it was activated.

Let's activate God's power by speaking His Word in faith to the things in our lives that we want changed. God's power is a powerful force. No sickness, disease, poverty, or demon in hell can stand up against it!

[Editor's Note: Craig W. Hagin is a Rhema Bible Training College instructor, co-pastor of Rhema Bible Church Oklahoma City, and Chief Operating Officer of Kenneth Hagin Ministries.]