Category: From the Presiding Bishop of TREM

‘’So what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? Romans 8:31 (MSG)

What a joy to be alive and well to be a part of the grand finale of this year’s edition of Word Celebration. Indeed, God has visited us as individuals, families and as a ministry. I want to specially salute all the men and women for the input they made in this year’s conference. I also use this opportunity to salute the various planning committees at the different levels. You have done a great work and the Lord will surely fill your mouth with testimonies in Jesus name.

Without doubt, God has used this period to deliver valuable keys into our hands in order to ensure that His word becomes a reality in our lives. I am sure you are very familiar with the above-mentioned scripture in Romans 8:31. All God is trying to remind you of in that scripture is the fact that He is for you all the way. If you back up a little from verse 28, you will notice that God is indeed committed to making all things whether good or bad work together for your good. When you read from verse 26, you will realize that God is so interested in you to the extent that even when you don’t know how or what you should pray for, the Holy Spirit helps your weakness by interceding for you with groaning that cannot be uttered. What the scripture is revealing to you is that God will go to any length to prove that He loves you. That is the God you serve. He ensures that head or tail, you win.

Beloved, do you realize that even your salvation was not your idea? It was His idea and you had nothing to do with it. Ephesians 2:1 puts it this way: ‘’And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins…’’ Did you see that? You were already dead in sins and there was nothing good about you, but look at what the scripture says in Romans 5:8… ‘’But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.’’  Simply put, when you were headed in the wrong direction, it was He who turned you back, cleaned you up and reconnected you to the destiny that He had prepared for you in Christ.

Like I said at the beginning of this conference, your present circumstances and challenges does not change the fact that God is for you. Let the devil jump up and down, God has your back covered. Nothing has the capacity to diminish His love for you. Remember you were saved by grace and not by what you did or didn’t do, so don’t feel condemned. Understand also, that that grace which saved you is also able to keep you till the end. In other words, God is not going to give up on you now. He does not jump ship. He has loved you with an unconditional love and nothing can change it. When He looks at you, He see you through the eyes of Jesus. There is absolutely nothing you can add to what He has already done. Your addition and sacrifice will be too cheap and cannot save any person, so go to bed and rest in His finished work.

Beloved, this conference was put together to equip you with the word of God so that you can truly live the word and manifest the power therein. Like you already know, the evil in the day and hour we are living in is really unprecedented, so you cannot afford to just take things for granted. The arrows that are flying around are unimaginable and the only place of safety is the word of God. If God watches over His word to perform it, then you cannot afford to live outside the word of God. Stand on the word and let the word truly be more important to you than your necessary food. I therefore implore everyone both men and women, to buy copies of the messages preached during this conference in whatever format you are comfortable with. You need to hear those messages over and over again for faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

As this conference comes to a close, I want you to go forth with a knowing that the world out there will bow to you, because God is for you. Child of God, you have been empowered, now is the time to go out and shine. I declare to you by the authority in the word of God that you will not be put to shame. Your expectation will not be denied. You will not labour in vain nor bring forth for trouble. The Lord will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing upon you.

As you go into this week, as always, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. As a father in the house, I bless you.

In His Royal Service
Dr. Mike Okonkwo, The Presiding Bishop 

Prov. 18:20 – 21 (KJV)

“A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied. Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that love it shall it the fruit thereof.”

Dearly beloved, I bring you greetings in the name that is above every name, Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God and our soon coming King. I also want to use this opportunity to wish you a happy new month; it’s the 1st Sunday of the second quarter of the year 2016. Thank God for His hand of protection and preservation over our lives, individually and as a ministry. He alone deserves all the praise.

This morning, I feel constrained in my spirit to share from this passage of scripture, because this year, it is vitally important that we receive all that God has specifically packaged for us. Beloved, towards the end of last year 2015, God gave us a word as a ministry, that 2016 is our year of All Sufficiency, and He was not pulling punches when He declared it. Our God says what He means, and means what He says. Understand that ever before the Lord gave us the word, He had already perfected it in eternity; grace had already made available every blessing for the year 2016, and our part is to stand in agreement with His word and what grace has provided, in order to have it manifest in our lives.

From the text today, the Psalmist is very clear; in other words, the quality of your words determines the quality of your life! Yes, God has declared 2016 as your year of All Sufficiency, but the important question is, what are you also saying? What are you saying concerning your life, family, business, finances, children, spouse, career, present situation? Are you allowing the newspapers to define what you say? Are your words in agreement with what God has spoken? I know that the television, newspapers and different media outlets are filled with tales of woe, economic recession, violence, insecurity, and all that stuff, but let me remind you that though we are in the world, we are not of the world.

Child of God, I do not care what the postulations and projections of the economists are, you are a kingdom citizen, and therefore your economy is not tied to the economy of the world, but to the inexhaustible economy of heaven. Therefore your language must align with that of heaven. I have said this repeatedly, do not for any reason join the company of those that speak carelessly, and only complain about the economic challenges; you are not like everyone else, you are different!

The Bible in Genesis 1:2-3 (KJV) tells us, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” Do you see that? Here, God was faced with a situation, the earth was filled with darkness, but in the midst of that darkness, God cleared His throat and declared boldly, what He wanted to see manifest.

Beloved, God is a speaking Spirit, and since you are made in His image and likeness, you also are. The writer of the book of Hebrews makes us understand in Hebrews 1:3 that God “upholds all things by the word of His power”. How does that grab you? Meaning that, the world and everything in it will collapse, if God’s word is taken out of the equation. The word of God is errorless, impregnable, and authoritative, having no margin for failure, and therefore in the face of any circumstance or prevailing situation, you should declare the word boldly.

When you wake up in the morning, instead of rehearsing what the enemy is saying, or what the doctor said about your health, declare what the word of God says over your health. Jesus paid the price for your victory on the cross, and so you are entitled to walk in divine health. In the area of your family, business, job, finances, children, spouse, etc., refuse every lie of the enemy. The bible says he is a liar and the father of lies, so resist him from taking hold of your mind through fear. Speak the word of God, because the angels of the Lord are on standby to execute whatever command you authorize (Psalm 103:20).

Child of God, the word of God is our most potent weapon as believers, and we must not be intimidated to put it to use. Therefore, in season and out of season, declare the word of God boldly, because the word works! I speak over your life that the plan of God concerning you will come to pass; your portion in the land no one will take. This year, the God of All Sufficiency will cause you to abound unto every good work, in Jesus’ name. I will hear your testimony!  I bless you in Jesus’ name. Maranatha!

In His Royal Service
Dr. Mike Okonkwo, The Presiding Bishop 

When the year 2015 was coming to an end, the God who knows the end from the beginning, spoke into the year 2016 and declared it our year of all sufficiency. Little did anyone know that things will go this way. The more you look, the more convinced you might be to agree with the world and panic in search of a solution; but God has spoken, He has declared the end from the beginning, so do not panic. Stand firmly on the word of God. Be assured that God who has spoken is able to do all that He has promised.

However, like I always say, it will not fall on you like a bag of cherries; you have a part to play. When He said He will provide all your needs, it is not by dropping money from heaven, otherwise it will be counterfeit. Rather, it is by showing you the hidden riches of secret places.

“And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.” Isaiah 45:3 (KJV)

Did you see that? There are hidden riches of secret places; there are resources yet to be tapped. God is able to open your eyes to areas yet untapped that will bring incredible wealth your way.

God never leaves himself without a witness. Years ago, I stood on this pulpit to encourage entrepreneurship. I knew that the white collar jobs were the in-thing, but I also knew, by the Spirit of God, that the time is coming when jobs will not be all over the place; but many people took it with a pinch of salt. Then in 2012, the Lord gave us a topic for the Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture which was: “Dependence of the Nigerian Economy on Crude Oil: Any Alternatives?” The topic seemingly bore no relevance as the oil prices was good and formed the major part of our national income. At that lecture, the Lord took us back to Agriculture as an alternative that is not only viable but grossly neglected.

Unfortunately, many of us listened but took it lightly and did nothing with it; but today, the reality is staring us in the face. Like the adage says, the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, but the second best time is now, the same is true, the best time to diversify was many years ago, but the next best time is now. I have come today to challenge you NEVER to take the word from this pulpit for granted again.

God is always giving us advance information so that we can be prepared. Information is power only when it is applied. For too long, we have taken the words for granted; but that must stop. Don’t just be a hearer of the word; be a doer.

Since the very first Saturday of the year, we have taken a close look at the economy. We had the Business Summit that reviewed the economic landscape, reviewed the budget and we had a very robust discussion on the way forward for us as Kingdom citizens. Various areas of opportunities were thrown up by experts, but the question is: what are you doing with the information you received.

In the last two weeks, we narrowed down to the agricultural and IT sectors. We received information that startled some of us; but to many was not new. The question is: What are you doing with it? January has come to an end; January 2016 is gone and gone forever. No matter how much you fast and pray, it will never come again. Don’t sit down and cry over split milk. If you have not done anything in January; it is not too late to start; wake up from your slumber and get to work. God has given us the word from this pulpit. He has constantly assured us that this is our year of ALL SUFFICIENCY; so you need to align with it. You need to get to work. You need to ask God for specific directions. He said He will bless the work of your hand: what work are you doing for Him to bless? Your hand cannot be empty and expect success; No. God has to bless something.

The question is what are you doing? Sit down and be still in the presence of God. Receive instructions from His mouth. Let Him guide and direct you and as you do, eyes have not seen, neither has ears heard and it has not even come into mind what the Lord will do for you. I have no shadow of doubt in my spirit that this year will be glorious for you. The light of God will shine all around you. You will end this year rejoicing. I will hear your testimonies. I bless you in Jesus’ name. Maranatha!

In His Royal Service
Dr. Mike Okonkwo, The Presiding Bishop 

Dearly beloved, in-spite of the contrary news about the global economy filtering through the news media on a daily basis, I come to encourage you to lean on God’s abundant grace and mercy. Like I have taught over and over again, your real strength is that grace will work for you and not the socio-economic postulations and theories of men. If you take a look at what is happening around, you will see that everything is spiraling downwards; and that is because the best of men are still men. No matter how brilliant and sincere they are, they are still men because they are subject to limitations.

The Bible in Rom 5:17 says “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)” {KJV} If I will put that in my own words, it means you have received so much grace that nothing is powerful enough to pluck you out of His Hands. It also means that you have been wired to rule and reign here on earth in-spite of the prevailing challenges. It means that there is nothing you can do to fall out of God’s favor. You are secure in His Hands, without guilt or condemnation. In addition, when He looks at you, He sees you in Christ. He does not see your own obedience but sees you through the obedience of Christ. What a privilege! That should make you come boldly daily to the throne room of grace that you may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need. Beloved, stop struggling, stop fretting and just lean on the grace of God.

Let me remind you that Grace is God giving to you what you did not deserve, nor qualify for, just like your salvation which was not your idea. Remember that it was He who knew no sin that became sin that you may become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. It was His decision to die, and while we all were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. Consequently, the grace of God reached out to you when you did not deserve it. Your labor, self -efforts, struggles couldn’t get it and yet He just made up His mind and said I am coming after you. In other words God took a decision to save you and love you unconditionally. Your assignment therefore is to believe and receive the grace that has been freely given to you. Stand back and watch the grace of God take you beyond your wildest imagination.

Let me illustrate this a bit. It was grace and mercy that went ahead of Esther to that foreign land and caused Vashti the incumbent queen to make a mistake. Queen Vashti made a mistake because God was preparing a place for Esther in a strange land. When Esther stood before the king, she was not as beautifully dressed and adorned like the other contestants, but grace made a way for her. She found favor before the king and she became his queen. She became royalty immediately even though she was coming from a poor background. That is what grace can do for you. Grace takes you from the back to the front. It is not about your abilities or self-effort, but it is all about grace. When you lean on grace, you break protocol and human barriers.

Child of God, don’t ever be discouraged about the happenings and events around you. Like I have always said and it bears repetition, this is the best time for God to reveal Himself in the lives of His elects. If God was to manifest Himself when everything is working well, people will explain it off, so He waits for a time when men no longer have the answers, to reveal His glory through His people. That is why the Apostle Paul says you should hold fast to the profession of your faith. In other words, hold on to what you have believed and don’t allow circumstances derail you. Things might look tough, just hold on fast. They may look like they would never work, lean on His grace and He will see you through. I charge you according to the words of Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 2:1 which says ‘’…Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Function in the grace that you have received. Work in that grace. Live in that grace. Allow that grace sustain you, go to bed and stop the struggle.

God is waiting on you to enjoy what He had already made available to you in Christ Jesus. He has it all figured out. Before the challenges you see today came on the scene, God already had the answers. As you go through this month, I declare that grace will make a way for you. You will not labor for trouble. You will not be stranded. God will bless you and cause you to have sufficiency in all things. I look forward to seeing you at the top because: YOU WILL GET THERE in Jesus’ name. Maranatha!

In His Royal Service
Dr. Mike Okonkwo, The Presiding Bishop 

Dearly beloved, in your daily walk with God, you must always be conscious of the fact that His intention for you is to succeed in-spite of all odds. Whenever you come to the crossroad of life, get ready because God is ready to show you another dimension of Himself that you have never seen. Crossroads of life are part of your pathway to greatness. There will always be crossroads in life. You cannot fast or pray it out of existence. You cannot make confessions of faith and then it would not happen. Everyone comes to the point where there is a crossroad. It is what you do at crossroads that matters.

A crossroad is a place where you make critical decisions. That critical decision may mean you may have to do something that does not make sense at all just for the sake of the Kingdom. That decision may mean going back to knock on certain doors that had hitherto closed up on you. It may mean you have to repeat a certain task, sit again for an examination, write a fresh business proposal, re-invent your business or find new ways of achieving your set goals. It is all about being resilient. It is all about commitment. It is all about refusing to throw in the towel.

In 1 Kings 18, the ancient Prophet Elijah came to a cross road in his life and ministry. Israel was in a period of apostasy – men had turned their backs on God and the entire nation was spiralling down in evil and anarchy. Consequently, there was a great famine in the land and no more corporate worship of the true and living God. This was a dilemma for Elijah and he knew he had to settle once and for all who was God in Israel. He called for a contest and when the Prophets of Baal were done, he repaired the broken down altar of God and asked that water be poured upon the sacrifice – in other words make it difficult for God to answer by fire.

Let us look at that event again as recorded in the scriptures: 1 Kings 18:33-35{KJV} ‘’…And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces and laid him on the wood and said, fill four barrels with water and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood. And he said, do it a second time. And they did it a second time. And he said do it the third time. And they did it the third time. And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.’’

Beloved, how do you pour water on sacrifice and expect fire to consume it? That decision could only have come from a man who knew God could never fail. They kept pouring in scarce water until the whole altar was filled with water and the trench he had dug was overflowing. Naturally, you would think that water retards fire, but God wanting to show His power answered by fire and the fire licked up the sacrifice, the water and even the stones. The result was a great revival in the land as can be found in verse 39 which says ‘’…And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God.’’ That marked the end of Baal worship and the true worship of God was again restored in Israel.

Can you imagine what would have happened if Elijah had given up? His ministry would have become irrelevant. In the same vein, I come to encourage you never to give up. Oftentimes, people fail just because they gave up too quickly. Just a little more effort, a little more patience and they would have succeeded. There is so much you can achieve this year if you would just hold on tenaciously to God’s promise. Yes, I know you may encounter challenges, but I come your way today to challenge you never to give up. You can start today from where you stopped the last time, because I know that as you do, God will honour your faith.

In Christianity there is nothing like retreat, you don’t go back. In Luke 18, there was a widow who entreated a wicked judge to avenge her of her adversary. Even though the judge did not fear God nor regarded any man, yet he avenged her for her continual coming. She refused to take No for an answer. Beloved, don’t run away from battle. You have to continually go forward in-spite of the challenges and you will see the salvation of your God. Whenever you go forward, you see God in another dimension. You see Him do the unusual. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way, ‘’…for we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.’’ {Heb 3:14} There is so much you would achieve if you keep at it without faltering. Never give up.

Child of God, I challenge you to keep moving.  When you are faced with a mountain and you are determined to go on irrespective of obstacles, supernaturally the mountain will either give way or you would climb over the mountain, or you would go under it, or you bore a hole through it. One thing is sure; you will get to the other side. Beloved, rejoice because I see you getting to the other side. God will honour your faith. You will not be denied. I will hear your testimony. Maranatha! In His Royal Service

Dr. Mike Okonkwo, The Presiding Bishop 

2 Cor 9:8 (KJV) ‘’And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work….’’

In this first message of 2016, I come to announce to you that it is already done. God has already gone ahead of you. Hitherto you have stayed too long on the floor, but I prophesy that your rising begins now. Thank God for New Year resolutions, plans, and projections but beloved, it is not about what you can do, but it is all about what He did before the foundations of the Earth was laid. Let me illustrate this with the story of the exodus.

First and foremost, you will remember that in Exodus 12, it is recorded that God asked His people in Egypt to borrow jewels of silver, jewels of gold and raiment from the Egyptians and the Bible says they found favor in their sight and they lent to them such things as they required – and they spoiled the Egyptians. Right from the very start, the God of All Sufficiency knowing they were going to leave Egypt for the journey into the wilderness, provided them with much more than they needed. Child of God let me announce to you ahead of time that 2016 would deliver its goodness to you. It doesn’t matter what the economy says, your God has already gone ahead to declare your sufficiency in all areas. Put on your imagination – slaves who had had known nothing but hardship, were setting out of Egypt very rich. That is the God you serve.

You will also notice that in Exodus 14, after they had left Egypt, Pharaoh and his cohorts suddenly pursued them with horses and chariots to bring them back to bondage and slavery. You can see that the devil would always fight the plans and purposes of God over your life, but it’s too late because your God is always a step ahead. At the Red sea, we are told that God’s people became stuck and Pharaoh intensified his pursuit thinking he had them pinned down but unknown to him, it was a set up to wipe them all out. In verse 15, I perceive that God cleared His throat and commanded Moses to tell the people to go forward. Moses would have thought to himself, how can we go forward when the Red Sea is right in front of us? However, all he ever heard was go forward as impossible as it sounded. God had spoken and there was no going back. God was saying in effect, you may not see a way through the sea, but I am going to make a way for you even where none exists.

The clincher however, was that Moses obeyed what God had said. Acting on what God said, the people walked through the sea supernaturally, without struggle and continued their journey as if nothing happened. In like manner, I declare that this year, no plan of the enemy concerning your life will come to pass. God will prove Himself in your life. You will experience the supernatural. From today to the last day of this year, you will see the goodness of God in your life. Beloved, God has spoken concerning this year so expect great things to happen for you. It is a decision you must take. You must choose to believe God for what He has said. Don’t cancel yourself out.

I therefore challenge you to stay connected to God’s word which is the only thing that is constant. Every other thing will fail but not the word. Remember that God’s word to Moses was ‘Go Forward’ and for as long as he heeded to what God said he had victory. God never starts anything without His word. Whenever God wants to do anything on the Earth, He sends His word ahead of time and that settles it. The Psalmist says in Ps 119:89 ‘’Forever, O lord, thy word is settled in heaven.’’ Beloved, fix your mind at all times on the word He has given you for the year, bury your head in it and expect the best.

Another important decision you must take this New Year is to always sit always at the feet of the Master. As we climax the age, evil will increase and so you cannot afford to forsake His presence. The devil, like a roaring lion is still in the business of looking for those whom he may devour so don’t toy with your Christian experience. Like I said during the cross over service and it bears repetition, you need to know the well you are drinking from. Joseph was a fruitful bough because he stayed by the well. He always had advance information and was able to withstand all the arrows shot at him. They shot arrows of jealousy, blackmail and injustice against him yet he was unstoppable. The man was remembered at a critical time and season and because he was connected to God, he was able to preserve generations after him.

This year, I encourage you to stay connected and take advantage of your position in Christ. When next the enemy comes around, remind him that you are a joint heir with Christ and let him know that the Greater One lives in you and he will flee from you. Whatever cannot touch Christ cannot touch you.

I am standing in faith with you that this year, God will spring surprises in your life. You will eat the good of the land and your barns shall burst forth with plenty. I bless you. Maranatha! In His Royal Service

Dr. Mike Okonkwo, The Presiding Bishop 

Dearly beloved, I bring you greetings in the name that is above every other name, Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God and our soon coming King. Over the years, the church has laid emphasis on what we were delivered from because of the fall of man. We were taught that we have been delivered from the bondage of sin and sickness. Consequently, the church placed emphasis on showing you where you are coming from.  The message is however not complete if it only tells you where you are coming from.

Let me share this scripture with you:

“And he brought us out from thence that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers” Deuteronomy 6:23 KJV.

Our text today reveals a key principle in the dealings of God with His own people. And that is: He brings out to bring in! He does not bring you out to leave you hanging. In other words, God brings you out because He has a place He wants to bring you into. Religion has told you that you need to get saved, and work hard to be right with God, but does not tell you what you get by being saved. It does not tell you the benefits of the redeemed life.

Beloved, the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a complete gospel. It is a total package. It tells you where you are coming from and also let you know what you are entitled to. We have in time past failed to emphasize the believer’s entitlement. So somebody says “I am a Christian” and he does not even know what makes him one. He is ignorant about what is available to him. Like I have always said and it bears repetition, the believer is in Christ. That means that everything Jesus deserves, you are entitled to as well. Everything Jesus deserves you also get. What does this mean? It means you are not just redeemed from sin, but you are also blessed. As a believer, you are standing on a blessed ground where there is no sickness, lack, barrenness, struggle or curse.

On this blessed ground, you are made wealthy. He brought you out so He can set your feet on a solid rock. He does not just bring you out so you can stay on a muddy ground. No! He brought you out, so that you can stay in a wealthy place. Child of God, understand the fact that Jesus is wealthy! Therefore, you cannot but desire wealth. When you wake up in the morning, expect only good to come to you. What is good is your portion and there is nothing the devil can do about it. This is so because Jesus took everything that has to do with you and handed over everything that has to do with Him. It was a spiritual exchange. Though He was rich, He became poor that you also might become rich. Never again say you are poor! Stop looking at your pocket! Rather, accept what He has provided for you.

When you accept that you are rich, then heaven will move everything on your path to ensure that there is money in your pocket. That is why; the greatest thing any believer can do is to believe. For instance, when the devil strikes with sickness, receive the healing that has provided because as long as Jesus cannot be sick, you know you cannot be sick. The assignment you have is to believe. When you believe in the finished work of Christ on your behalf, you begin to operate in the realm of rest. It is all about Jesus and what He has already made available for you. You don’t have anything to do with it. He did it all for you. What a love!

Child of God, don’t reject what has been paid for by Jesus Christ. Without Him, you will be embarrassed. Without Him, you will see shame. Your path is to receive. That is what you are called to do as a believer. Believe and receive! Begin to function from a position of rest. He has finished it all. He cannot be working and you are also working at the same time. The Psalmist says in Psalms 121:4 that ‘’He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep’’, that means He is awake for your sake. That should give you rest. Why then are you awake at night while He that keepeth you is also awake at the same time? Don’t forget, that He brought you out to bring you in so you can truly rest.

Let me quickly remind you that Kingdom Life World Conference kicks off by 4:30pm next Sunday, so begin to prayerfully prepare to come receive all that God has in stock for you. Ensure you avail yourself of the opportunity to be in all the services. Don’t choose which service to attend because you never can tell where God will meet you. I have prayed and believe that this year God will do for you that which He only can do. Expect a miracle. I declare that you will not go empty handed. I bless you. Maranatha!

In His Royal Service,

Dr. Mike Okonkwo, The Presiding Bishop

Matthew 8:2-3 {KJV}
‘’And behold, there came a leper and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth His hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.’’

Often times, we do not really doubt God’s ability, but we are not too certain if He is willing to handle our situation and so we approach Him with so much fear and uncertainty. I come to assure you this morning that the God you serve is both willing and able to do much more than you can ask because He loves you. He is favorable disposed to you, so all through the remaining days of this fast, you must approach Him with an iron clad assurance that He has taken care of all that concerns you. The Apostle Paul puts it this way in Romans 4:21-22 ‘’…And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.’’

From the scriptures, it is clear that Abraham was fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had said even when he had not seen the manifestation. All he did was to believe and receive. Do you realize that the devil may have used people close to him to discourage him? Rather than doubt, he believed in what God had promised. In the same token, you must also believe that God heard you even though you have not seen the manifestation yet. I know that the devil has an age-long trick, of bringing back the symptoms of the challenge and making you feel like nothing has happened. He may even try to make you feel as if the prayers are not answered and that God is not real, but beloved, stand your ground and you will take delivery of all that God has packaged for you.

All through the remaining days of the fast, I encourage you to walk with the confident assurance that your God is both able and willing to do all you have asked. Operate from a position of victory because you know He will come through for you. He has your back covered and your victory is assured. However, you must refuse to give the devil a foothold this season. There are several ways through which you can give the devil a foothold in your life. I want to zero in on three major routes through which you can give the devil access.

The first strategy is through negative confession. You will agree with me that often times we give in to pressure and exchange the symptom for the real thing. Yes, you have prayed and God has assured you of your healing, but the symptom is still there. Understand that the devil actually intensifies the symptom to make you confess negatively and of course whatever you confess you receive. So when he backs you to the wall and applies pressure, rather than confess negatively, choose to praise the Lord. No wonder God commanded us to give thanks in all things. You may not know how, you may not know when, but be fully persuaded that He will do it again. Beloved keep thanking God until you see the result; and I guarantee you that it will not tarry.

The second strategy is un-forgiveness, malice and strife. Paul writing to the church at Corinth as recorded in 1 Corinthians 3: 1-3 described those early believers as carnal and not spiritual. Yes, they were believers, but he called them carnal. The scriptures tell us that they were involved in envying, divisions, strife and yet they expected the power of God to move in their midst. That is why you cannot afford to lift up holy hands to God in prayers, and yet refuse to forgive those who have hurt you no matter what they did to you. Go out of your way and make peace with all men. Refuse to harbor grudges against any person. Don’t let strife and bitterness against any person rob you of your benefits during this fast.

The third strategy is listening to the second voice – because it is so loud and compelling. The first key to controlling the second voice is to identify it, the next thing you do is to cast it down. Don’t give it any room to grow in your life especially at a time like this. Counter it with the word of God. Remember God spoke to Abraham in Genesis 17 that He would make him the father of many nations, but the second voice came to Abraham and he laughed. Why did he laugh? He looked at his age and the deadness of Sarah’s womb, but thank God the story did not end there. God’s reply to him was – ‘’…Is anything too hard for me?’’. The second voice will always make you disbelieve God’s word. This word of assurance from God helped Abraham and his family to overcome the voice of the adversary. That same God will prevail in your life to shut down the second voice. You will not miss out in Jesus name.

I encourage you to keep these issues close to heart so that you will be a partaker of all that God has ordained for you. Remember, He who hath begun a good work in you will surely perform it. My God will exceed your expectations. You will surely testify. I bless you in Jesus name.  Maranatha!

In His Royal Service,

Dr. Mike Okonkwo, The Presiding Bishop

Dearly beloved, when we started the fasting and prayers a few days ago, some people may have thought it was impossible to go through it, but just like yesterday, we are already in the second week. I want to encourage you not to relent, but keep pushing because indeed strangers shall submit. God is committed not only to hearing your prayers but also to ensuring that you have a testimony. This season, expect God’s supernatural intervention in your life. You will not be denied in Jesus name.

In 1 Chronicles 4, the Bible tells us an interesting story about a man called Jabez who was described as honourable. In-spite of his honour, his problem started when his mother bore him and gave him a name which literarily means ‘sorrow’. Beloved, Jabez understood what it meant to encounter closed doors in life. He was rejected by men, even though he had no hand in the circumstances of his birth. He was victimized by those who should have shown him love and given him succor. Everywhere Jabez went, sorrow went with him. Can you imagine how he felt? I perceive that his situation was so bad that everywhere he went he became a laughing stock. It was at this point he sought the face of God. Let us look at the scripture:

1 CHRONICLES 4:10

{KJV} ‘’And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine Hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested”. Beloved, let us see this same text in the Message Translation:

{MSG} ‘’Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection – don’t let evil hurt me”. God gave him what he asked.

Worthy of note is the fact that Jabez desired God’s intervention in his life and that desire drove him to his knees. He desired a supernatural intervention. He had expectations of a better life. He needed a fresh start – a new beginning. He was tired of the status-quo and so he cried to the Lord. Beloved, just like Jabez, you have sought His face in fasting and prayers; get ready for the manifestation. Let me assure you that God heard you ever before you began to pray and He is already throwing His weight around on your behalf. Every request you have brought before Him this season has received His attention. See Him intervening in that long standing health condition. Beloved, don’t look at the symptoms, look at the healing. See Him intervening in your job, business, finances, academics and marriage.  Like Jabez, you will not go empty handed.

I declare that this season, the Lord will touch you in those areas where you have toiled and labored over the years. Every issue that has hitherto brought tears to your eyes would be resolved in Jesus’ name. God will exceed your expectations. This season will not end without your testimony. If God could intervene in the life of Jabez who was labeled ‘sorrow’ much more will He do for you this month and in the days ahead.  Remember that Jabez operated in the old covenant, and yet had such awesome results.

Can you begin to imagine what God would do for you – a new covenant believer? Listen to what Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:32: ‘’…He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?’’ Child of God, did you see that? If God could give His only begotten Son, then what else will He not give to you? Like I have always said and it bears repetition, when He gave you Jesus He gave you His best, and when He gave you the Holy Spirit, He gave you His all.

In the days ahead, I encourage you to approach the fast with a mindset that it has been done. What you are thanking Him for, is the manifestation. Don’t look at the symptoms, but rather stand on His promises because His word will never fail. Keep confessing the word over your life as you pray and refuse to doubt in your heart. Whenever your heart is besieged with the thoughts that you had prayed this same prayer point last year, understand that the devil is trying to sneak in doubt and unbelief into your mind, so give him no room.

Cast down that thought and superimpose it with what God has promised. Remember that as a man thinketh in his heart so is he. Refuse to dwell on what you felt did not happen last year, but rather thank Him for what you are expecting now. See it in your minds’ eye because expectation brings manifestation. You will not be denied in Jesus name.

As you go into this week, be assured that in every area of life, God is committed to blessing you. He will fill your mouth with testimonies. You will surely, without fail, testify. Your miracle will not be aborted. Maranatha!

In His Royal Service,

Dr. Mike Okonkwo, The Presiding Bishop

2 Peter 1:3
‘’According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue.’’

Dearly beloved, as you continue in the fast, I come to remind you of a salient truth that whatever you need in life has already been provided for. In other words, God is not going to do for you or provide that which you need. He already did, therefore, do not approach this fast with the traditional mindset of asking God to do one thing or the other, but rather come to receive that which has already been done for you by Christ.

Let me re-iterate once again for emphasis what I said during the opening of the fast – God is already committed to you as a Believer and there is really nothing you can do to earn His love. He already loved you while you were still un-loveable. His love was not predicated on what you did or did not do, no, He just chose you by election. Let me share this scripture with you:

Ephesians 1:4-6
‘’According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having predestinated us into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise and glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved.’’ {KJV}

Beloved, did you see that? One major revelation of being accepted in the beloved is that you pre-existed this world. That means you were chosen before the foundation of the world was laid and you are without blame. Men may say you don’t qualify because you made a mistake, but God already loved and chose you before the foundation of the earth was laid and there is nothing anyone can do about it.

You were chosen in Him, and so if Christ is strong, rich, holy, healthy, then you are that also. If Christ cannot be sick, then you cannot be sick. When sickness shows up, stand upon His word that says by His stripes you were healed. Understand that you were healed before you became sick. You are the healed that the devil wants sick, so refuse it even when the symptoms are there. Receive the healing because it was paid for over two thousand years ago.

Child of God, by the same token, if you are His beloved according to the scriptures, then you are His favorite, the apple of His eye and His pet. That means He respects you, dots over you and is concerned about you. Because He loves you, He is favourably disposed towards you. He is ready to fight for you when you are backed up in a corner. Understand that He loves you with an eternal love, and cares for you. He already provided you with a house, job, car, wife, husband and family. Everything was paid for at Calvary. If He gave you His only begotten Son, why would He not also freely give you all things? With this at the back of your mind, go to Him in prayers as your loving Father without cringing or begging. You don’t beg for what God has promised, you just believe it and receive it by faith.

That is why from now henceforth, let more of your prayers be thanksgiving. You need to thank God for what He has done. Yes, you might not have it physically yet, but you are thanking Him because you know that His word has no margin for failure. Locate all the scriptures that deal with your issue and begin to declare His promises over your life. The scriptures say in 2 Corinthians 1: 20 ‘’for all the promises of God in Him are yea and Amen, unto the glory of God by us.’’ Beloved, don’t just mumble words, search the scriptures diligently and pull out every promise that God made to you and thank Him for it. When you thank Him, you are saying that you believe and because every word of God has a return ticket, you will receive the manifestation.

In the days ahead, I encourage you to give more time to prayer. Don’t just fast without praying. That would amount to hunger strike. Sit at the feet of Jesus and learn from Him. Don’t just talk to God in prayer, listen to Him too; that is the main thing in prayer. Receive instruction from His mouth and the things He will tell you will unlock the doors of your miracles. This month shall be for you the beginning of months, the Lord will take you from where you are and catapult you to where He wants you to be. His mercy will speak for you. All that the locust, the caterpillar, the palmerworm and the cankerworm have eaten will all be restored. The events happening around you might not look like it, but God is not looking for what looks like it, He is overriding the events to do what only Him can do.

As you go into this week, be assured that in every area of life, God is committed to blessing you. He will do for you what you cannot do for yourself. He will open your eyes to see the hidden treasure of secret places. He will fill your mouth with testimonies. You will surely, without fail, testify. I see strangers submitting to you. Your miracle will not be aborted. Maranatha!

In His Royal Service,

Dr. Mike Okonkwo, The Presiding Bishop