I KNOW WHO I AM (MY IDENTITY IN GOD)

A chief objective of our Bishop and Pastor, Bishop B.T. Gage is to ensure that the heritage of the church is preserved and that there is a next generation that is equipped and enabled to take up the mantle when the elders can no longer carry on.

Recently, he has been teaching us about Paul and Timothy and the manner in which Timothy was faithful to him and the work of the Ministry to the point that he was sent to the church in Philippi, highly recommended by Paul.

PHILIPPIANS 2:19-20 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

Our Pastor has lofty dreams for us as young people and based on the teaching and the leading of the Lord, we ought to be great men and women, mighty in the Lord and the things of God.

However, in order for us to accomplish the things that God has for us, there are certain things that we must do.


1. We have to know who we are and our purpose in God.

"When we know who we are, we become the most potent force ever existed"- Bishop Gage

• We are warriors of God
• We are the Lord's battle axes, His weapons of war
• We are conquerors and anointed to conquer

2. We have to give attendance to reading

In 1 Timothy 4:13- Paul urged Timothy to give attendance to reading.  Why is reading so important?  The Bible says "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6). 

By reading the Word of God we are edified and built up in Christ.  We know first hand what God says about us and what he has promised us.  Therefore, we are not easily swayed by every wind of doctrine.  Our Pastor states that "the discipline to read is the difference between success and failure."

Hence it is critical that we know the word for ourselves so that we won't have to succumb to the wiles of the enemy.




3. We must not forget the prophecies that were pronounced over our lives

Our Pastor reminded us that when God called us, there were some prophecies that were declared over our lives.  It was not that God had not spoken, but it is that we have forgotten.

Whenever we forget those things that God has spoken over us, we lose direction, focus and ultimately purpose.


4. We must not neglect the gift that is within us

Paul urged the young man Timothy not to neglect the gift that is in him that was given to him by prophecy and laying on of hands by the presbytery (1 Timothy 4:14)

Our Pastor urged us to think about the gifts that have been made barren within us because of neglect.  He stated that neglect of the gift causes us to lose sight of our purpose to the extent that we no longer have any vision or sight of it which ultimately leads to barrenness and aborts our purpose.

What are the gifts that have been deposited in you that have become neglected?  In what ways have you become barren?

The good thing about this gift is that it never disappears totally, it is beneath the surface and all it takes is a willingness to remove the blockages and allow it to resurface.  Whatever your gift, it can still bare fruit, as long as you are alive and willing to dig deep and let God.


CHARGED TO FIGHT


The warfare that faces us is intense but we can win and we can defeat the enemy of our souls, all it takes is a desire and a willingness to fight.  We won't overcome easily but if we are willing to fight we will be victorious because God is with us.

Whatever your circumstance, whatever your situation, FIGHT.

 

If the enemy plagues your mind, FIGHT

If he plagues your family, FIGHT

If there is sickness, FIGHT

If there is poverty, FIGHT

If there is depression, FIGHT

If you're weak, FIGHT

Fight in prayer

Fight in praise

Fight in fasting

Fight in tears

 

JUST TO SAY "I LOVE YOU"

From the break of day

To the darkness of night

From the narrowest of ways

To the path of flight

 

From clouds, rains and thunder

To wind, warmth and glorious rays

From the sounds of nature and wonder

To smiles on every face

 

From the crash of the great waters

To the steady, flowing stream

From the low-lying pastures

To the mountain's mighty beams

From the days of sadness, trials and woe

To times of joy, light and bliss

From places of solitude and feelings low

To times of survival, an unending list

 

I made them all, perfect and entire

To complete and fashion the breath I blew

I created them all, for you to acquire

And just to say "I Love You."

MY FATHER'S GIFT

We need the patience to know that our Father will give us the desires of our hearts.  It may not be packaged the way we desire but it is His will to give us just what we need.

 

God's gifts are often in disguise. 

 

Have patience, wait on the Lord and whatever he gives to us, even if we do not want it, still accept it as a loving gift from a loving Father.

JEHOVAH JIREH-THE LORD THAT PROVIDES

THE FORGIVING AND FAITHFUL FATHER

SAVING THE NEXT GENERATION

Judges 2:10 states "After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel." (New International Version (NIV)).

This Scripture depicts a sad state of affairs which existed in Israel.  After Joshua and other leaders and that whole generation died, a generation rose up that knew not the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.

These are the people of God whom he had brought from the land of Egypt by his mighty hand.  They had witnessed the miracles of God, his glory and his wrath but yet a generation of children grew up without knowing the Lord.

This must not be so in AJAN Fellowship.  We believe that the mighty acts of the Lord must not be kept a secret from our children.   It is our heritage and it must be transferred to them.

It is the vision of our leaders that the generation to come is preserved and that they will know the Lord and the power of his might and also declare his works.

The works of the Lord must not die with the previous generation but must live on in the next.  The next generation must be equipped and designed to take up the baton that has been left.

OUR VISION FOR OUR CHILDREN

It is well known that children live what they learn and for our children, it is our vision that they will:

• know the Lord and serve him exclusively
• not be like their forefathers- a stubborn and rebellious generation 
• be successors in the kingdom and the work of the Lord
• remain in the house and presence of the Lord
• be a righteous generation that will counter the attacks of the enemy

OUR STRATEGY: REHEARSAL

"And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua." (Exodus 17:14)

Training and reinforcement of that training is critical to preserving a righteous generation for the Lord.  In the same way that the Lord commanded Moses to rehearse the book of memorial in the ears of Joshua, we are committed to doing the same thing for our children.
 

There must be a righteous remnant for the times that lay ahead so that a generation may be preserved.
 

The fact is that we do not have much time.  As evil increases and the distractions and immoralities abound, the time to act is now.
 

We have to act in our homes first, we have to act in our church and then we can impact a whole community and by God's help the entire nation.
 



THE IMPORTANCE OF A SHOUT

A servant of the Lord from North Star Pastoral Ministries in the United States of America visited our church last year and shared with us the importance of a shout.

Psalm 47:1 commands us to "clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph."  Sometimes all we have left is a shout but if we can shout to God, a shout is all we need.

 

WHY IS SHOUTING SO IMPORTANT?

Why is shouting so important you may ask?  Well, shouting is important if for no other reason but to get some attention.  If someone is drowning, and they give a shout, once someone is in the same vicinity they can render some kind of assistance.

Shouting essentially is crying out.

Shouting defeats our enemies

Shouting is everlasting

TYPES OF SHOUTS

There are various types of shouts.  There is:

• The Victory shout
• The Shout of Lamentation
• A Shout for Help
• The Shout of Happiness for success etc

BENEFITS OF A SHOUT

• Shouting is a mighty weapon- Isaiah 42:13-

 Can you imagine the countless forces of darkness that we tear down just by shouting a praise or calling on the name of Jesus?  Can you imagine how the Lord wages war for us starting with a shout?  It is beyond imagination what happens in the spiritual realms when we shout.

Vow that you will never keep silent ever again.

• 

  Shouting brings down walls- Joshua 6

The Israelites were commanded to march around the walls of Jericho for six days without a word.  But on the seventh day when they marched they were commanded to "Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city." (Joshua 6:16). 

The walls of Jericho fell flat because their victory was tied to them having the faith and shouting.  The enemy knows this and so sometimes he tries to muzzle us so that we do not say the things that God would want us to say.

• Shouting is praise

2 Chronicles 5:13 shows the joy and the lifting of praises of Israel when the house of the Lord was built.  Everyone lifted their instruments and voice to make one sound in praise and thanksgiving to God.  There are times when you are so grateful to the Lord that one cannot help but lift your voice to give a shout that echoes not only on the earth but also in the Heavens.

If God has done something for you and you want to shout about it let no one hinder you because shouting is praise and God inhabits the praises of his people.

• Shouting brings victories and miracles

Amos 1 verse 14  states that the fire of God will devour the palaces of Rabbah with shouting as in the day of battle.  Soldiers in war normally shout as they advance to the enemy somehow this lifts their spirits and confidence, allowing them to know that they can overcome. 

As in the case of Joshua and his Jericho wall, shouting made the walls fall.  We can obtain the same victories and miracles with our shout.

So the next time that you feel the need to shout to the Lord, don't hold back and if persons look at you weird just tell them that God shouts and so can I.