During our Prayer Breakthrough Thursday program on UCB Radio, we invite anyone who is listening to contact us with their prayer requests (or praise reports) and we dedicate one hour every Thursday between 1pm and 2pm to share and pray for those needs on air. It is a sobering hour for our team as we receive many requests from people desperate for a breakthrough in their circumstances. But it is also a great privilege to be trusted with these needs and to be able to stand together in prayer.

I am sometimes asked, ‘why is prayer important? Is there a particular way I should pray?’

I feel so passionate about prayer. It is such a wonderful way to engage with God, with each other and to see God’s power and grace released in our lives.

In the early days of UCB, the ministry was soaked in prayer. The situation our founders faced was so difficult that every breakthrough, every month of finance had to be ‘prayed in’. We are so grateful for the army of people who over the years have faithfully prayed for UCB’s ministry and days like these are our way of ministering in return to our listeners.

We know that many of our listeners will have key difficulties and issues in their lives and will need someone to ‘stand in the gap’ for them. We receive hundreds of calls and emails from people who are struggling with poor health or facing financial difficulties or marriage problems. Each time we pray for the individual, we are praying for everyone who is facing those same situations.

I visualise the day in time to come, of waves of breakthrough as a result of those prayers, of our phones lighting up with listeners telling us they have been set free or healed. Prayer works and it is incredibly effective (I have seen this many times in my own life), but we do not always understand the importance of prayer or how to pray effectively. Prayer meetings at churches are usually the least attended of all services, but if we truly believed that prayer works and that through it, God can deliver and set us free, we would never miss a prayer meeting again!

• Prayer is an invitation

If we go back to Genesis, we will read that God gave man the authority to rule over the earth. He delegated the authority and His power to us. As a leader, I know that when you delegate authority to someone, you should not interfere – well, not unless you are invited to.

I believe that prayer is an invitation. We are asking God, inviting Him into the situation, into our lives, into whatever we are facing. When we invite Him in, that is when we often experience His presence most powerfully. This is the structure God has given us. But how many of us fail to invite God to manifest himself into whatever we are facing?

So today, invite Him earnestly into your own situation with prayer, with petition, and with thanksgiving and watch what He will do!

• Prayer of FAITH is a trigger for God’s grace

In many senses, prayer is like a weapon and a bullet. Prayer is the trigger to release God’s grace in our lives. If we look at how God’s grace was released in the lives of the people Jesus prayed for, there was often a step of faith, an action required. He told a disabled man to pick up his bed and walk (see John 5:8 NIV). In other parts of the Bible, people are told to stretch out their hands, to dip in a river, to do something. To see God at work, we need to take action and that action is prayer. As we step forward, let’s do something and invite God into our circumstances, and watch Him release His grace, His healing, and His provision upon our lives.

• Pray for us, as we pray for you

UCB is growing and because we believe so much in the power of prayer, sometime ago we have increased our time to pray on air. As I explained earlier, we have a weekly program called Prayer Breakthrough on UCB2 (Thursdays between 1pm and 2pm) and we are committed to praying for the needs of our nation. But as a ministry we need prayer too. We face many exciting opportunities (especially as technology advances) but we are not immune to sickness, problems or attacks from the Enemy. Just as it took 23 years for the founders of UCB to see the breakthrough of national Christian radio becoming a reality here in the UK, we know it can take time to see breakthrough in other areas, too. But we believe that for you as well as us, breakthrough comes when we pray and invite God into the problems, issues and situations we all face.

So, let’s stand together to see a breakthrough in this nation. Would you be willing to pray for UCB? Please let us known by signing up for our Prayer emails at ucb.co.uk/emailsignup or by joining our Facebook group called ‘Pray for UCB’. We will send you ministry updates with different prayer needs. Tell us too, how we can pray for you: please go to https://www.ucb.co.uk/breakthrough. Together, let’s release the power of God in our lives, by inviting Him into all our circumstances.

Bible tells us that Jesus healed 10 people who each had leprosy. After realising they were healed, only one of the them returned to thank Jesus. Jesus says, ‘where are the nine?’ (Luke 17:17 NIV).

Sometimes in life, something truly remarkable happens and we can get so caught up in the moment, that we forget to say ‘thank you’. Of course we’re grateful, but in the busyness of life, we can overlook those two simple powerful words – thank you.

We need to stop in the busyness of ministry and give thanks to our Heavenly Father:

Firstly, for the Privilege to serve

1 Peter tells us that ‘Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms’ (1 Peter 4:10-11 NIV). Serving is a form of worship, a way to express gratitude for what Jesus has done for us and to share with others this amazing message of HOPE declared in His Word, that the lives of many more people would be transformed.

So, this year we are very thankful to God for not only having called us for such a time as this, but for having equipped us by His Holy Spirit with a great diversity of gifts throughout the UCB family to overcome these challenging times and increase the ministry output to a new level by reaching, by His grace, even more people than we could imagine.

Secondly, for His Protection

We are so thankful to God for His Word that reminds us of His faithful protection. Psalm 3:3 declares: ‘But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head.’ To be under God’s shield is to have God as your protector, to trust that God will look out for you and safeguard you. But even more, to have God as your shield means that you are His, you belong to Him, you fight under His shield and He protects you as His own. It means that God has claimed you as His own.

And we can really testify that God’s shield of protection has been very evident throughout this year. That doesn’t mean that we are immune from problems and difficulties as a ministry and it is vitally important to stay faithful to our calling if we are to experience His grace of protection. That’s why we can say thank you to God for His amazing grace. If you will allow Him, God will protect you even from yourself and will assign His angel to protect you as He declared: ‘the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them’ (Psalm 34:7 NIV).

Thirdly, for His Provision 

To know about Jehovah Jireh is one thing but to experience His grace of provision is another. We thank God for every human resource that he has given us, through staff/volunteers/partners with a diversity of talents to make sure that the ministry can continue to advance in the fulfilment of its vision, and for every financial gift that has been sent throughout 2022.

We know that for many, times are really tough at the moment and because of this, we are so blessed by the many, many people who have committed to give, to pray and to share their resources to enable UCB to continue in the fulfilment of its vision.

At the moment, the world can feel like a dark place, but despite the many challenges we know that God’s Word is needed in our nation more than ever before.

So, every resource given this year allows UCB to take the light, hope and truth of the gospel all across the UK and beyond. To reach people who might never dare to walk inside a church building but might turn on a radio or pick up a copy of the Word For Today devotional. Every gift, small and large, makes a big difference. We are so thankful for each and every one of our audiences who followed God’s prompting in supporting UCB’s ministry. So thanks to our Jehovah Jireh, our ‘PROVIDER’ and you, our PARTNERS, for your obedience.

Let me conclude in declaring loudly that: ‘Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness’ (Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV) – FOR GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE throughout another very challenging year! Blessed be His name.

The Word of God is truly alive and has the power to change your life.

Did you know that the Word of God is alive? ‘How can a book be alive?’, you may ask. At first, when you start reading God’s Word, it does not seem to make any sense; and yet in Hebrews 4, we are told that what might appear to be ‘just a book’ – the Word of God – is actually ALIVE (see Hebrews 4:12 NIV).  

When I was a young teenager, I did not fully understand the power of the Word of God. Although I grew up in a Christian family (in a pastor’s home), I rebelled and ended up moving from my home in France to the UK, arriving angry and disillusioned and wanted nothing to do with ‘religion’.  

Some time later, when I encountered Jesus, I discovered that it was not about a religion but about a relationship that Jesus wanted me to discover with Him, and when I understood that my whole life changed – I discovered a great secret. When God’s spirit touches His Word, the words in the Bible become alive, breathing, living, with the power to help us discern truth from lies.  

Discovering the Bible was much more than a book filled with ancient stories was a complete revelation to me. Those same stories which I once thought were dead began to speak into my present circumstances. The same God who guided Adam, Abraham and Paul, became my daily guide.  

The words I read in Scripture today have helped me to make important decisions in my family life, in my professional life and now in the ministry I serve here at UCB. I often call God’s Word, ‘the divine instruction manual’ because the imparting of its truth has directed me, has comforted our family and held us together when we have gone through many tragedies. A dead history book could not do that, but I can assure you by personal experience the living Word of God can.

You see, when we have our own personal revelation that the Word of God (as Hebrews says), ‘is alive and active’ (Hebrews 4:12 NIV), our approach to it changes. When we discover that God can speak to us daily through His Word, that the words on those pages can give us insight and wisdom for whatever situation we may be facing, we too become alive.  

But be warned; as you open God’s living Word, it might not always be an ‘easy read’. Just as in an instruction manual sometimes the words correct and challenge us, sometimes they urge us to change direction, but in those same pages, you will also find encouragement, comfort and guidance.

If you find yourself struggling to systematically read God’s Word, can I encourage you to not give up? Keep on trying and you’ll never be disappointed. 

I am passionate for people to discover the power of God’s Word which is living and active. And to help you, I would encourage you to use a devotional such as UCB Word For Today to help you get into God’s Word. For this could be one of the vehicles God uses, to encourage you to pick up a Bible and read it for yourself and discover the value of having a daily devotional time, or as we would say here at UCB, have ‘coffee with God’.

So, when you read your Bible, look up the Scripture verses which are quoted, read them in context and allow God’s living, breathing Word to change you from the inside out. 

Should you want your free copy of the Word for Today please go to https://www.ucb.co.uk/signup and I highly recommend to you that you set time aside daily to engage with the Word of God which is alive and active, and allow your life to be transformed for ever.

‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit’ (Romans 15:13 NIV).

Last year my Christmas message was: ‘Don’t lose your JOY this Christmas!’ Well, this Christmas it is:

‘Don’t lose your PEACE this Christmas!’

Let’s understand the difference between the peace of the kingdom of this world against the peace of the kingdom of God:

First, we need to know that there is not only military war in this broken world that can steal your peace but also an economical war; a domestic war; a political war; a commercial war; and the list goes on.

Our world is craving for real peace. They talk about it, they sing about it, they dream about it and turn to all kinds of things to try to find it. What they often find, however, is the world’s deceptive peace, which is different from the everlasting peace offered by Jesus. For the peace offered by the world is an empty promise and can only bring temporary relief. However, God’s peace is an everlasting peace offered by the only One who is called the Prince of Peace and can be trusted to keep his Word when He says:

‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid’ (John 14:27 NKJV).

Also, let’s never forget that He is Jehovah Shalom, meaning ‘The Lord is Peace,’ one of many Old Testament names for God and the first used by Gideon when the Angel of the Lord appeared to him at Ophrah (see Judges 6 NIV).

Therefore, as we move towards this Christmas, I want to help you to not lose your peace – or if you have lost it to regain it, and here is how: 

1. When we make God our REFUGE AND STRENGTH

When we develop a lifestyle of making the Lord our refuge and strength, we begin to live in the peace of God as highlighted in the Psalm: ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble’ (Psalm 46:1 NIV). Here holds the secret to know how to live in the peace of God as found in the Psalm: ‘Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”‘ (Psalm 91:1-2 NIV).

That secret place in our hearts is where we go to meet with God. When we choose to abide there under His shadow, remaining in constant communion with Him, we can truly reside peacefully, even when the circumstances that we are experiencing are at their worst. When we learn to cry out to Him in times of trouble, we find that His peace really does pass all human understanding, as highlighted in Philippians 4:7.

2. When we accept from God the GIFT OF PEACE

Scripture tells us: ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid’ (John 14:27 NIV).

What a great promise! The Lord Jesus gave us His peace. Our Heavenly Father as the everlasting God of peace is our unique source of true peace, which is very different from what the world has to offer. Can I say to you that this broken world is in real turmoil and not a place where you find everlasting peace. But no matter how impossible our outward circumstances may seem, we can enjoy true and lasting peace right in the middle of our storms as I have personally experienced, even in the most tragic of circumstances.

3. When we understand that in Christ, we can be an OVERCOMER

We are reminded; ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33 NIV).

The Lord never promised a bed of roses in our lives; in fact He clearly said ‘in the world you have trouble’. Although we are saved, we are not immune from suffering, problems, and difficulties; but these words from the Lord Jesus can bring us comfort, assuring us that even in the midst of our trials we can have peace.

4. When we earnestly PRAY

‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV).

This means that as believers we can speak directly with God, the creator of heaven and earth, who has all power and authority, who is in total control of all our circumstances and instead of anxiety we are to humbly and gratefully approach God with whatever is on our minds.

How wonderful that God has given us the secret weapon of prayer! Ephesians 6 reminds us that we ‘do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places’ (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV). Therefore, we need to understand the importance of our weapon of prayer if we are to overcome the Enemy. Accept the gift of peace found in the abiding refuge that we have in Christ our Lord.

So, this Christmas, enjoy the peace of God that surpasses ALL UNDERSTANDING and remember that the key that unlocks the treasure chest of God’s peace is faith in the promises of God.

‘Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland’ (Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV).

As I pondered during this Christmas over another very challenging past year, I reflected on how 2022 was a year moving from CRISIS to CRISIS. As we started to transit into a post-COVID era, we were quickly confronted with another crisis, the sad invasion of Ukraine. Then, many other crises unfolded, such as the turmoil amongst our government leadership which led to three Prime Ministers in just one year, followed by steep inflation hitting double figures. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee brought a bit of light amongst all these crises, but soon the country was in national mourning after the announcement of the Queen’s death, which led to the appointment of a new King, King Charles III. I am sure that you will agree with me that it has not only been a challenging year, but a very eventful year to say the least. Many of these crisis were not just national but global, which in fact has given UCB the greatest opportunity to proclaim the message of HOPE louder than ever before using all its platforms.

It was in a meeting last year, after asking those present to define the word CRISIS, that everyone without exception gave a negative definition. That was when God got my attention. Leading me to research the biblical definition of the word, God really spoke to me that crisis did not have to be a negative word – in fact, I discovered that the word CRISIS meant very much the opposite. As you will see shortly, although unprecedented crisis create unprecedented problems, they can also certainly create some unprecedented opportunities. This is why I believe as we now have moved into 2023, we have entered a year of great opportunity.

One of the things that I quickly understood many years ago was that if I wanted to have a miracle manifested in my life, then I needed a crisis first. Well, I soon realised that our life journey is full of crises – therefore the good news is that I was a good candidate for a miracle and so are you! Praise God for the day I encountered the miracle-working God, hence why I love the worship song ‘Miracle-Working God’. Here are a few words from it:

‘So, when trouble comes your way
Don’t you be afraid
When sorrow comes your way
Never run away
When sickness comes your way
Don’t you ever fret
No, no, no,

My God
Is a Miracle Working God’

Never ever forget: in whatever circumstance you find yourself, our God is a ‘MIRACLE-WORKING GOD!’

The other thing that I’ve learnt is that no-one would say that the word CRISIS is a word that many relish and if the last year doesn’t represent a chain of crisis, where have we been?! As I read God’s Word, it is clear that the biggest crisis that opened the door to our broken world started right back in Genesis – that through the fall of Adam and Eve, crisis became part of mankind’s journey here on earth.

As I have already said, I have discovered that crisis doesn’t have to be a negative word, hence why I want to change your perspective on this word and introduce you to a positive outcome of crisis by looking at the biblical definition of the word. The Hebrew word for crisis means either the opening of the womb or birth-stool. In other words, it speaks of birth, new life. So, let’s flip this negative word on its side by looking at our crises as something that we go through that will bring us to something new. 

God tells us, ‘See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland’ (Isaiah 43:19 NIV). That’s why, just as Bob Gass reminded us in Word For Today some time ago, ‘The crisis you’re experiencing may be a blessing in disguise, an opportunity to experience God’s ‘unfolding grace’ and a greater degree of His power at work in your life.’

So, let’s remind ourselves of the end process that leads to the birth to a child; the contractions are a warning to the mother that birth is coming near, then the water breaks and lastly the long-waited-for child is delivered. All the pains experienced by the mother are soon forgotten once the baby is born, just as Jesus describes when talking about sorrow turning to joy. Here is what He said; ‘It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labour. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world’ (John 16:21 NLT).

Therefore, let’s now look at the crisis that led the people of Israel out of Egypt to give birth to something new. Let’s do it through the lens of the process of earthly birth to really understand what God’s people were going through.

– The 10 plagues speak of the people of Israel going through the stages of contractions

– The parting of the Red Sea was the water breaking

– And the crisis in the wilderness was the BIRTH of something new, A NEW NATION, for God brought them out (Egypt) for them to go in (Promise Land). God was birthing a new nation for the Promise Land, for before that time Israel was never called a nation.

Here is the good news: if you are in a crisis individually or we as a ministry, remember that God is a God of new beginnings and likes doing new things. When God is doing something new it will require us to step into the unknown, which may feel uncomfortable, even painful, as well as scary at first, and that is why we call it stepping out in faith. We might be tempted to hold on to the life we know where everything is familiar, just like the people in the wilderness who pleaded with Moses to lead them back to Egypt. But as they experienced leaving Egypt, they needed also to let Egypt go out of them. We, too, need to let go of the old, trust God and embrace what He is doing, otherwise we will miss out on all the new, good things God wants to do for us and through us.

Today, let’s get hold of God’s promise in Isaiah 43: ‘Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland’ (v. 18-19 ESV).

However, you may ask, what does God mean by doing a new thing? – Well, God’s new thing was something that God had never done before. He was going to make a path in the wilderness and water to spring forth in the desert. When new things occur in our lives, old things disappear. Know that God will always have better plans than you, and when he closes a door, he will pave your path towards a new way! When God gives you a new beginning, it starts with an ending. It is more like finishing off a chapter before you start a new one.

So, in closing, remember; in whatever tough crisis you may have found yourselves last year or even find yourself in the beginning of this new year, Jesus our Lord is still the same as He was yesterday and will be forever the God of miracles. For out of the crisis that we have experienced, this year, 2023, God is about to do something new in your life, and in UCB Ministry. Blessed be His name! SO GET READY FOR IT!

ARE YOU BEING TESTED?

Stephen, a man FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – Acts 6:1-9 and Acts 7:54-60 NIV

Today let’s continue to look at the life of Stephen, a man full of the Spirit and learn more about what it means to be filled with the Spirit:

1. A Spirit-filled Christian is mighty in the Word 

Acts 7:2-53 NIV

Here we have the defence that Stephen made before his persecutors. Notice that Stephen’s testimony was filled with God’s Word: 

1. He knew the Word
2. He believed the Word
3. He practiced the Word 
4. He preached the Christ of the Word
5. He allowed the Word to be manifested in and through him

So, remember that to be a Spirit-filled Christian is to be someone who is also filled with God’s Word, and by the Holy Spirit within declares it with boldness even under the worst of pressures!

2. A Spirit-filled Christian is resilient in times of trials and adversities

Acts 7 tells us of the distressing situation that led Stephen to his death (see v. 54, 57, 59 NIV). Stephen shows resilience in the mist of tremendous suffering. Did he feel sorry for himself? Did he cry out to his accusers to spare his life? NO! He showed resilience under brutal attacks, he kept his peace under God’s grace and rode his persecution triumphant right to the end.

‘But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”’ (Acts 7:55-56 NIV).

Stephen, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked upon God for strength and there he found his resilience. The Spirit within him sustained him right in the middle of his most intense trials – this is what a Spirit-filled Christian experiences when not everything goes well but when health fails, bereavement comes, when persecutions and even death comes. Only in God we can find resilience.

Being filled with the Spirit is to know to look up and see Jesus exalted, glorified. A Spirit-filled Christian is upheld in the hour of trial by the clear vision of God’s grace which he has received from the Lord. Just as Paul declared; ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV). So, if you feel weak today be encouraged, for your greatest hope is found in being filled with God’s Spirit, who gives you strength to overcome your weaknesses.

3. A Spirit-filled Christian reflects Christlikeness even in his darkest hour 

The one thing above anything else that will mark someone out as being full with the Spirit is becoming more and more like Christ. Stephen reflected the likeness of Christ right to the end in spite how difficult the situation was (see Acts 7:50-60 NIV). So, let’s declare together: ‘Oh Lord, fill me afresh so that your Holy Spirit in me will help me to reflect the light of Christ through my life in this world of darkness, just as the moon reflects in the darkness the light of the sun’.

Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit and the evidence was openly demonstrated during his lifetime. 

So, the big question for us today is: 

Are we ready to exhibit these characteristics that were found in Stephen’ life in and through our lives and make a real difference in this broken world in which we are living? 

Here is the big answer: by ‘only being continually filled with the Spirit’ as highlighted in Ephesians 5:18 which tells us to: ‘go on being filled’ or ‘keep on being filled with the Spirit’ or ‘continue to be being filled with the Spirit’ AND THEN WE CAN LIVE TRIUMPHANTLY just as Stephen experienced even in the toughest of circumstances for God’s grace is sufficient for all of us today!

Let’s learn from Stephen, a man FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – Acts 6:1-9 and Acts 7:54-60 NIV

Stephen was mentioned for the first time in Acts 6. He was a deacon and a man of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. Stephen is known for being the first Christian martyr.

Stephen was an outstanding character; he was radiant and a mighty soul winner. The secret of his life and ministry is revealed in the fact that he was a man full of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 6:5 NIV). It is important for us to understand that the Spirit-filled life is God’s plan and provision for every Christian. The fullness of the Holy Spirit is not given just to a selected few like the mature Christian, ministers, missionaries, but to all willing to receive Him.

On the day of Pentecost, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:4 NIV). Yes, the promise is for ALL and that includes us today, so over the next couple of weeks through Stephen’s experience, let’s see what a man filled with the Holy Spirit is like.

Here are the characteristics that marks a Spirit-filled Christian:

1. A Spirit-filled Christian is always available to whatever assignment the Lord gives them 

We read that Stephen was one of the seven men chosen by the early Church to be responsible for distributing food to the widows, who had been overlooked by the Church (see Acts 6:1-5 NIV). It is interesting to note that the qualifications required for this are seen in verse 3 and the names of the men are in verse 5. Stephen headed the list and is described as a man ‘full of faith and of the Holy Spirit’ (v. 5 NIV[HM1] ). These men were not wanted for their preaching or any prominent assignment, but to simply ‘serve at tables’ and all of them made themselves available for service. It is clear that a Spirit-filled person is one who makes him/herself available to the Lord for whatever assignment He will have them to do.

Here are a couple questions for all of us today:

1. Are we available to the Lord in whatever He will have us do?
2. Are we ready to do whatever He commands us to do? Just as described by David’s men in 2 Samuel 15 – and here is what they said: ‘Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses’ (v. 15 NIV).

So, let’s not just be available to the Lord but let’s be ready to do whatever he calls us to do, irrespective of what it is!

2. A Spirit-filled Christian is simply a channel for the wonderful power of God to be manifested 

Stephen, who was wholly available for God to use, became a mighty man of the Word and also demonstrated God’s manifested power in performing signs and wonders:

‘Stephen did great wonders and miracles’ (Acts 6:6 NIV).

Was it Stephen doing these things? No – it was the Holy Spirit through him. In other words, he became the channel and through it flowed the wonderful, working power of God – and whenever there is a person full of the Holy Spirit the same thing will happen, for God is not looking for ability but availability.

For when whoever is willing to be filled with the Holy Spirit, wherever they go, lives will be touched, souls will be saved and miracles will be performed. Praise God that the Holy Spirit still works today through whoever. 

3. A Spirit-filled Christian responds gracefully under provocation  

The religious people made vicious attacks upon Stephen (see Acts 6:9-14 NIV). They argued with him, accused him with false witnesses, and tried to overthrow him. Well, has anything like that happened to you? Have people spoken lies about you? Stephen had all that and much more! How did you respond under this fierce provocation? Verse 15 highlights that under pressure even his face appeared to be that of an angel – in other words he displayed the likeness of Christ. I’ve often said that when we find ourselves as Christians under pressure we need to ask ourselves how we respond: as CHRIST or as SELF? We could easily sympathise with Stephen if he had retaliated under pressure, but he did not. He was a Spirit-filled man, so he responded according to the Spirit within him and not from the flesh. Stephen responded graciously, even when he was pressed almost to the limit. His attitude and even his face displayed a likeness to Christ – what a tremendous testimony and example for us today!

May God help us today to be FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT, to be available, to become an open channel as well as to be gracious under all kinds of pressures that the Enemy throws at us, standing boldly upon God’s Word under whatever circumstances we may find ourselves in.

In our tumultuous world, what does ‘Be still, and know that I am God’ (Psalm 46:10 NIV) really mean?

Psalm 46:10 is a very well-known verse that is often used to comfort ourselves and others. Many people think that this verse means to rest or relax in who God is. As much as that is true, there is much more to this Psalm than one verse and verse 10 is actually more of a wake-up call to be in wonder of who God really is than a gentle call to rest. In fact, it’s taking time out of our day to meditate on God’s Word and be silent with listening ears towards God, as mentioned in other sections of Scripture: ‘I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word’ (Psalm 119:15 NIV). And the context of ‘Be still…’ in this Psalm was written in a real time of turmoil and war. Therefore, we should consider the verse with that context in mind.

Also, important to know the Hebrew word for ‘still’ that is used in this Psalm means to ‘sink down, relax, let go, cease striving, or withdraw.’

Therefore, the meaning in this Psalm lends itself more to ‘cease striving’ or ‘stop’ and more specifically in this context ‘stop fighting’ which is directed toward the enemies of God’s people. So, we should interpret it to read more like ‘snap out of it’, ‘wake up’, ‘stop fearing’ and acknowledge who your God is and be in wonder of it all! 

However, it is good to note that there’s nothing wrong with the words in the translation ‘Be still’ – those words are not incorrect, it is simply helpful to understand the context of the Psalm. Verse 10 speaks to both of God’s enemies as well as to God’s people, but it is for the people of God the Psalm is written for. In fact, the Psalm starts by saying, ‘God is our refuge and strength’ (Psalm 46:1 NIV). These words are also for us today to know God in similar context and therefore acknowledging and committing to the fact that God is our only refuge worth running towards, yes, the only place that will stand strong through every circumstance of life.

Therefore, whatever you are battling with today, be assured that you can find stillness in your time of trouble. For God really loves you, and cares for you, and He not only wants you to be still in His presence but desires for you to discover that He is the only one who can bring real PEACE in unprecedented times. So, STOP! and reflect on the mightiness of your God and remember He is far bigger than any of your troubles.

Never forget, our enemies will see our God exalted in all the earth. Therefore, do not fear because your God is with you and He will triumph over all circumstances that you may be facing right now.

One of the most amazing takeaways from Psalm 46, in my opinion, is that God is the defender of His own name, His people and His Word. He is our only protector; He rules and reigns and is our everlasting refuge. His actions are not deterred by our fear and concerns or our distracted minds. God is still God and will always be there and protect those who believe in His name and trust in Him.

On a practical note, here are some steps on how to ‘Be Still and Silent’ in times of trouble: 

1. Silence external distractions.

The Enemy of your soul wants you to be distracted; therefore it is vitally important to remove all distractions that preoccupy you. In this fast-paced world in which we are living, it is easy to be overwhelmed with busyness and activities. You may feel that you can’t slow down, but your busy schedule must not get in the way of having time alone with God which will allow you to discover true stillness in the middle of your busyness.

My advice to you is that you cannot afford not to find a specific time to be still with God. You need to be intentional in turning off any distracting noise in the background and make time in your busy schedule to experience God’s manifested presence. This time should not be negotiable! 

2. Silence internal distractions.

Besides removing external distractions, it is very important to silence our inner being. That is, banish all the thoughts within us that pull our attention away from being still. If something needs to be taken care of later, then write it down and forget about it for now – it will still be waiting for you later! Personally, to help me switch off from thoughts and distractions, I often start my time to be still by listening to some worship songs and that helps me to concentrate and not be distracted.

So today remember intentionality is not an option but a necessity. SO BE INTENTIONAL and be still. Know that He is God and still able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’ (Matthew 11:28 NIV)

Jesus saw as highlighted that humanity was stressed and powerless (see Matthew 9:36 NIV). The sheep of his pasture were thirsty for living water (see John 4:10 NIV). He himself promised to lead us beside still waters for stillness and peaceful rest. In this simple verse, there are some incredible truths that we need to get hold of if we are to experience this true rest; so let’s go through this statement of Jesus word by word as it is so relevant to us today, and let’s try to understand what it means for so many now experiencing post-COVID trauma.

1. ‘COME’ – this word could be an invitation, a command, or a call depending on what you are going through. Well, whatever this word is for you, remember that it is Jesus who is speaking and His desire is not to harm you but to lead you out of stress, disappointment, or overload and to give you rest. It is a verb, therefore it demands action, so do not hesitate to respond positively to Jesus and discover true rest.

2. ‘TO’ – points to someone, it is a directional word – specific, pointing to someone intentionally and that person is Jesus the Son of God.

3. ‘ME’ – reveals who He wants you to come to; that is why I would take it as an invitation and the invitation to come is from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the highest authority you could ever receive such an invitation from.

4. ‘ALL’ – speaks of no exclusion, no discrimination. Whoever you are, whatever background you come from, this invitation includes you!

5. ‘YOU’ – it’s not any kind of invitation but a personal one, addressed not to anyone else but specifically to you.

6. ‘WHO’ – this has a similar implication to ‘all’; it means ‘anybody’. Irrespective of who you are or how you may feel, you are invited.

7. ‘WEARY’ – you may be tired physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Well, why not answer the invitation now?

8. ‘BURDENED’ – weighed down, feeling crushed? That doesn’t disqualify you in any way, in fact it qualifies you!

9. ‘I’ – no one else but Jesus, your Saviour, your Redeemer, your Healer and so much more.

10. ‘WILL’ – this speaks of certainty, affirmation, without doubt.

11. ‘GIVE’ – tells us there is no cost attached, you don’t need to earn it; it’s free, it’s a Gift. 

12. ‘YOU’ – personal, specific and unique to you.

13. ‘REST’ – means peace of mind; refreshing, renewing, replenishing and only Christ can provide that inner rest.

So today:

A) ‘Come to Jesus’ – He is calling out to you to ‘come and follow’ Him (Matthew 4:19 NIV), ‘come and be his disciple.’ He wants to journey with you. The invitation is for you and you only can decide to answer and follow him. His invitation is also a request to surrender your life to Him and experience total renewal.

B) ‘all you who are weary and burdened’ – Jesus invites you to lay down your heavy load, for His ‘yoke is easy, and [his] burden is light’ (Matthew 11:30 NIV). Some carry the yoke of religion, seeking to please God by their good deeds. Well, Scripture tells us we cannot earn our salvation; it is a free gift. Others carry the heavy burden of seeking justification through some kind of achievement, for recognition. Others are simply worn out by the trials of life in a broken world. So let me encourage you; Jesus is the only answer to all of these. So don’t miss it!

C) ‘and Jesus will give you rest.’ – Rest is our divine promise. Today, many are seeking for peace, stillness, and restoration, so while the invitation is open do not delay – come to Jesus and say, ‘Yes’ to His invitation and experience total release from weariness and burden. FOR HIS YOKE IS EASY AND HIS BURDEN IS LIGHT.

Lastly, remember it is a personal invitation; you can either take it or leave it. The choice is yours to continue to carry your burdens or discover this amazing rest that only Jesus can offer.

We are living in days where people are saying that to have a successful life is becoming an impossibility. Well, let me tell you that although life can be very challenging, the reality is that if you follow and apply the instructions of the Divine Manual, then you can surely succeed.

Most people buying a new product never read the manual that comes with it. Even when forced to work with a new tool, most users will skip over the instructions and assume most of it can be figured out by using common sense. Well, the primary goal of a user manual is to give assistance to the user for safe and effective use of the product.

Last week, we looked at two of the five keys that will lead you to experience a successful life; so this week let’s continue to discover the other three keys, but let me remind you the purpose of a manual:

A Manual provides instructions or guidelines on how to perform an activity and serves as a reference book for the activity.

A manual not only helps users get started but also assists them with ongoing problems they might face. It usually contains step-by-step instructions which can help users tackle any situation that might arise with the product.

Reading the manual will reduce mistakes and improve the efficiency for the user, in other words, the manual will inform the user about how to use the product safely and warn them of any potential danger of its misuse. Therefore, it helps users to maximise the performance of the product as well as its longevity.

• Trusting and Standing on God’s promises from His Divine Manual must be your confidence. 

Scripture tells us, ‘for all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen’ (2 Corinthians 1:20 KJV). God’s Word is sprinkled with many promises, and here are some promises from the Divine Manual:

When FEAR comes – ‘Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand’ (Isaiah 41:10 NLT).

When DOUBT comes – ‘Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them’ (Mark 11:23 NIV).

When facing IMPOSSIBILITY – God is ‘able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us’ (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV). In other words, know one thing: God is not a man that He should lie. That is why you can trust in God’s promises and be confident that they will come to pass – ‘Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise’ (Hebrews 10:23 NLT).

So, get hold of and stand on God’s promises until you see their fulfilment in your own personal life.

• Depending and relying on The Holy Spirit must be your strength.

There is a big difference between God’s strength and human strength, and you will never make it by depending on your own strength alone. The Lord is the one who will stand with you and strengthen you as you seek to live by the instructions in the Divine Manual. The reality is that we can get disappointed by each other, but never by God as His desire is for us to be successful in everything we do. It’s why God wants you to know that once you invite Him into your lives, he will come to reside within you by His Holy Spirit and will be there to help you in whatever situation you will face. Of course, if you allow Him to guide you, lead you and direct you through His Divine Manual then you can experience a successful life, even when challenges come your way.

• Loving God and each other must be your priority

Loving God should be our first priority. ‘Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you’ (Matthew 6:33 NKJV).

Putting God first means that we keep the greatest commandment: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind’ (Matthew 22:37 NIV). In other words, we are to totally invest ourselves in our relationship with God. Everything we have and everything we are must be devoted to Him; we should hold nothing back.

Loving each other should be our second priority. This second priority according to Jesus is to ‘love your neighbour as yourself’ (Matthew 23:39 NIV). What does it look like to love other in this manner? Well, this is fairly simple: it means to consider and treat others with the same care and concern as you have for yourself.

Therefore, my challenge to all of us is to be diligent, to get the priorities of our own life into proper order if they are not so already, and then to remain vigilant to make sure they stay in the proper order.

Our flesh, the world, as well as the Enemy of our souls wants our selfish desires to always be at work to divert us away from God’s commands. That is part of the reason it is so important to be actively involved in the body of Christ in a local church, so that other believers can keep us encouraged and accountable even as you do the same for them.

Another important factor is that it should be our trade mark as disciples of Jesus. Here is what Jesus said in John 13:35: ‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’

So, in conclusion: remember!

– Your FOUNDATION must be reading and applying the Divine Manual

– Your PLAN must be seeking and fulfilling God’s purposes

– Your CONFIDENCE must be in trusting and standing on God’s promises from His Divine Manual

– Your STRENGTH must be in depending and relying totally on the Holy Spirit

– Your PRIORITY must be loving God and each other