Sunday Sermons – Ayatutu Reporters

Marks Of Answers From God

“By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:” ~ Psalm 65:5

When God Answers prayers, He does so in several ways. First of which you will see in Psalm 65:5 “By awesome deeds in righteousness you will answer us.”

Let me give you example of God answering His people in His righteousness. In 2 Chronicle 20:20-28, the Bible says God did the following things for them.

(a) God set ambushments against the enemies and smote them.
(b) The enemy helped to destroy one another.
(c) God gave them the wealth of the wicked that they were three days gathering the spoils.
(d) They were made to rejoice over the enemies.
(e) The fear of the Lord came upon those countries round about them.
(f) The realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet for God gave him rest round about. God gives rest all round to those who prevail in prayer.

Let me give you another example of awesome deeds of righteousness in Numbers 23:24. Three times Balak moved Balaam to curse the children of Israel so they might be smitten in battle. Without their being aware of this, God defended them for His name is Jehovah. He is the Lord our righteousness. Numbers 22:12 “And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people for they are blessed.” Despite this warning, Balaam still went and God in His righteousness defended His own.

In Numbers 23:21-23, you will see the righteousness of God delivering His people from enchantments and curses. There is no enchantment non divination against you in Christ. In Acts 26:25-31, we see how God brought His presence down to Paul and Silas in prison when they prayed and sang praises. In John 11, Jesus thanked God and called Lazarus forth out of the grave. These are just few of the awesome things God will do for you in righteousness in answer to your prayers.

Enjoying Your Time In God presence (2)

“Be not hasty to go out of His sight. Stand not in an evil thing; for He doeth whatsoever pleaseth Him. – Ecclesiastes 8:3

Psalm 91:1 says when you dwell in the secret place of the Most High, you are always under unlimited anointing; the presence of God literally follows you around. Ecclesiastes 8:3 is strange to many children of God. “Be not hasty to leave His presence.” Do not rush in and out of His presence. Learn to wait and behold His beauty and all the things in His presence will cling to you! It is as you behold His image that you are changing into the same image. 2 Corinthians 3:18.

David says in Psalm 84:10: A day spent in His presence is better and get more results than 1000 days spent trying to figure out things by your ability. A thousand days is nearly 3 years, that is to say, you will achieve more things in a whole day spent in God presence than 3 years of planning and scheming and dependence on men! That is a serious food for thought. You can come to such a place that your fellowship with God is more than anything earth can offer. There is no better way for freedom from the pull of the world.

The best way for the world to lose its pull on you is to become so lost in God that you do not have a taste for anything else. The Bible says, “to a hungry man every bitter thing is sweet but to a filled man even honey is tasteless” (Proverbs 27:7 paraphrased). You can become so filled with heaven that the best the world has to offer you is like gravel. This is prayer breakthrough per excellence! Psalm 65:4 talks of you becoming satisfied with the goodness of God House.

LET US PRAY
I take authority over every form of haste and illegal busyness in your presence in Jesus name. Amen.

Enjoying Your Time In God’s Presence

“…and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy court.” ~ Psalm 65:4

There is an aspect of prayer that many don’t know. Intimate Fellowship With God! Psalm 27:4-5 talks of you becoming a lover of God. First beholding His indescribable beauty. This is absolutely true. God longs for your close fellowship; your stay in His court id actually one of the high point of God’s day.

Men who have done the most for God; who have brought the best evidence of heaven to the earth; and who have been most like God have all been men who spent the most time enjoying His presence.

This is not about asking for things. It is about you just worshiping, adoring and basking in His light. Psalm 91:1, Psalm 84:10-11, Psalm 37:4, speaks of an area of worship and fellowship that God desires and very few have entered.

A study of Jesus life and speeches bring out the fact that He actually was longing to be united back with the Father in that sacred, unfathomable fellowship they have had and the beauty and majesty of His work is that He desires you and I to share in it.

When you start to hang around God, you start looking like Him. Do you know that a husband-wife team that has gone through so much together sometimes looks alike physically. That can happen when you become such a lover of God. Most of the time we forget that we are married to Jesus in the spirit and your spirit needs the fellowship. God need it too. That is how to get strength.

LET US PRAY:
Lord, I receive the grace to tarry and enjoy your presence in Jesus name. Amen

Come Before God As A Son

Psalm 65:4
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” ~ 1 John 4:18

There is nothing that gladdens the heart of God more than to see His sons that He redeemed with such price take their places before Him as His sons, recognising His Fatherhood and thus make their requests. A father’s chief joy is seen mostly when his children come before him with the freedom of loved ones and confidence to ask things they need of him. He is only too glad to give them because by so doing they portray him as a good and loving father.

When you trust in the love of God on your behalf and you love Him in return, you approach Him with the confidence of a son, but when you come as a beggar you dishonour Him. The blood of Jesus make you worthy and that blood is there speaking better things concerning you. The Pharisees had a proud approach, boasting in their self- righteousness and good work; but a bold approach is one that recognises that God is the One who justifies.

Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 10:18-21 and 1 John 3:19-21 are scriptures that should rejoice the heart of any man. Ephesians 3:2 is one i really love. “By union with Him and through faith in Him we have a free and confidential introduction to God.” A confidential introduction to God! A sponsorship. Our high Priest been there for us. How does it sound to you? Your approach to God determines what you will be able to ask for. Some think God will feel they are becoming too burdensome to ask Him for certain things. You are to ask for all and everything you need.

LET US PRAY:
Lord, I receive the boldness and the heart of a son that comes to the Father boldly. I rise above every form of accusation of the enemy in Jesus name. Amen.

The Power Of Walking In Redemption

Psalm 65:3, Isaiah 53:6

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” ~ Romans 6:14

Sin is the greatest barrier between men and God. God cannot hear you when there is sin in your life. When iniquities prevail against you, in the New Testament it shows that you have not learnt to walk in the redemption that belongs to you. The atonement God provided for our transgressions is our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Even under the old covenant, David knew the blessedness of the grace of God. He says in Psalm 32:1 “Blessed is he whose transgressions is forgiven whose sin is covered.” David walked in the consciousness of that. As long as you walk with the remembrance of your sin, you can never grow in grace and stand before God. The righteousness that God gives to you is an ability; the ability to stand in the presence of God as though you had never sinned.

As a son has a consciousness of his sonship, always. It is an in-born thing. He does not keep reminding the father or himself of that fact, he simply take the place of the son with confidence. You did not make yourself righteous. You do not have to feel righteous. Many people feel condemned and cannot deal with problems if they fail to pray in the morning. The fact that a son does not greet his father in the morning does not stop him from remaining his son.

Prayer is not what makes you righteous! Righteousness and your understanding of it, make you able to pray more effectively. A righteous man is, simply put, the man who knows he is a son of God and walk in prayers like it is so. That is what the redemption of Christ brought. Read more in Romans 3:21-26.

LET US PRAY:
Lord, I receive grace to walk in the victory I have obtained in Christ Jesus. I take authority over every form of fear and condemnation in Jesus name. Amen.

Three Anchors For A Prayer That God Answers

“O thou hast hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.”~Psalm 65:2

Now comes the prayer. Note that God cannot answer prayer unless it fulfils the following:
(a). It is in faith – Hebrews 11:6
(b). It is according to the will of God – 1John 5:14-15
(c). It is from the holy heart – Psalm 66:18

In fact, Once you ascertain that God will hear you, it is as good as saying you have the answer – John 5:13-14. The problem with many is that they are never sure of God’s will about them and situation they are praying about. That is why you need to get into His word. The word of God is the will of God revealed, so to find His will about anything, go to His word.

God never promise anything too good to be true neither has He promised to give you what is not in the Bible. When you see any promise in the Bible, it belongs to only one person! He that believe! That is YOU! If you dare to believe it. You are to boldly stand on His word.

Isaiah 45:19 “I publicly proclaim bold promises; I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner that no one can know whI mean. And i didn’t tell Israel to ask me for what I didn’t plan to give! No, for I Jehovah speak only truth and righteousness that’s God.”

People get into all kinds of deception because they do not get into the word of God and find what He says for them. Unless your prayer is covered by scripture, you will not receive. It is just like someone who does not pay tithe and believing God to rebuke the devourer from his labour. That is not answerable. He is not fulfilling the scripture. Likewise, a brother not doing any work and asking God to bless him is not scriptural. What would God bless?

LET US PRAY:
Lord, I receive the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of you. Help me to pray according to Your own will in Jesus name. Amen.

How Vows Affect Your Prayer Life (3)

Psalm 66;13-14

“It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, after vows to make enquiry”~Proverbs 20:25

A lot of you made vows when in desperate situation but after God brought you out, you forgot all about your vows, that is why you donot have breakthrough in prayers. Repent and pay your vows! Check Psalm 66:13-14.

FACTS ABOUT VOWS

They must be voluntary – Deuteronomy 23:21-22
They must be voice audibly before God – Deuteronomy 23:23, 5:2-6
Once made, they are binding – Psalm 56-12
Unfaithfulness with vows is regarded as sin – Ecclesiastes 5:6

When you vow, you declare before God what you want Him to do for you. That is, you actually get God to move by presenting a vow before Him. He permits Himself to be committed to the terms of the vow!

You need to know the scripture well to make a meaningful and not a rash vow. They are things already yours in Christ. When making vows-
(a) Declare plainly the help you require from God. (b) Claim that help by faith from the beginning. (c) State clearly what you will do when God does His part. (d) Begin to do your own part because God will never fail to do His.

God always takes a man’s vow very seriously. You will never see God disappoint a man’s! Don’t be frivolous with your vows! God can see your heart. Remember, vows also include promises you made to someone or God and not necessary only what you uttered when on trouble.

LET US PRAY:
God, I repent of every vow that I have broken. I pray for divine wisdom and guidance to fulfil them in Jesus name. Amen.

How Vows Affect Your Prayer Life (2)

Ecclesiastes 5:2-6

“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, given honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”~1 Peter 3:7

Some of you are married and are making your partner unhappy. That is a breach of marriage vows. When you fail to honour your wife as it is due and you make her unhappy, it amounts to a breach of the marriage vows and your prayer become hindered. Submission on the part of the wife has to be done in the light of the Bible. It is no slavish bondage and the Bible does not say the husband is the head of the spirit of the wife. So, if the husband is not born again he cannot give rules that are against the dictates of God and ask his wife to submit to such. Submission is a thing of beauty for a wife. A breach here leads to hindered prayer on the part of the wife.

Whenever you make a promise to God or people and you break it, you get break-down in prayer. Psalm 15:4 “…who swears to his own hurt and does not change;” That is a mark of the man that can stand before God and receive blessings from His hands. Now take this advice: do not run from making vows because you are afraid you might not keep them.

Vows locate where your commitment is, just like your voice locates your faith. Vows dictates your actions. If you know the solemnity of vows, you won’t run from making them. God encourage you to make vows.

The mark of the spiritual pilgrims is the making and payment of vows! Abraham in Genesis 14:22 and Jacob in Genesis 28:20-22; Jephthah in Judges 11:29-40, though he made a rash vow, he kept it and God honour him. His name entered the roll of honour in Hebrews 11. Men have been known to make vows when in tight corner and God always honours such.

LET US PRAY :

Lord, I pray for divine sensitivity to critical moments when making a vow is a key to victory and success in Jesus name. Amen.

How Vows Affect Your Prayer Life (1)

Psalm 65:1, Ecclesiastes 5:2-6

“My vows to you, O God, are binding upon me. I will pay thank offering to you.”~Psalm 56:12

One of the keys that gives birth to breakthrough in the place of prayer is performing your vows. Not fulfilling your vow can lead to failure in your prayer life. I want to show you secrets about your vows.

A vow is a promise deed. Covenants and vows are very similar and yet different. Both have been from old and not limited to Bible characters. Men from time immemorial have been cutting covenants and making vows! The two are binding on the two parties involved. Both bring men unto an entirely new relationship altogether as far as the parties are concerned. A covenant is not initiated by a man, rather God initiates it and presents it to the man. On the contrary, a vow is initiated by the man and he presents it to God.

A vow can range from a tithe to quiet time or a fast and so on. A vow will then mean any promise you have made to or before God to perform. The reasons many are prayer failures is that they have been unfaithful in their vows. In Ecclesiastes 5:2-6, the Bible says if you fail to pay a vow, it is equivalent to sin such that God get angry at your voice or your prayer. Therefore, because you have been unfaithful in paying your vow a crack is created for Satan to operate through and bring destruction. Look back over your life and see which vow you have not kept. It may be a pledge to give some money you made on the spur of the moment – it still a vow.

LET US PRAY:
Holy Spirit, bring back my remembrance every vow I have made in the past and I receive power and grace to fulfil them in Jesus name. Amen.

Cultivate The Habit Of Praise

Psalm 65:1

“Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.”~John 11:41

Most times, the order in our prayers both publicly and privately is: petition first then praise later or not at all. Very few Christians have learnt to tap the power that lies in praise. There is more power released when you praise than when you pray! Does it sound untrue? First, praise is an act of your faith in God. Secondly, praise glorifies God and recognise the sovereignty of God over all things. By praising God, you tell Him that you know He can and will do what you are asking.

Psalm 22:3 means when you praise God, He comes down and sits enthroned upon your praises. Can you imagine that? God makes your praise His throne! Notice something significant; when we pray, we go into His presence to present our petitions but when we praise Him, He comes down and sits upon our praises and things beyond our wildest imagination begin to happen.

Praise from your lips is something so beautiful that God cannot resist it. Praise and thanksgiving characterize the life of a person who is filled with the spirit and word of God – Ephesians 5:18-19, Colossians 3:16. The highest form of worship and fellowship that you can have with the Father comes when you begin to praise Him – Psalm 50:23. Begin to unashamedly Praise Him anywhere, both privately and publicly. Praise brings some of the most wonderful releases of the spirit you will ever know.

LET US PRAY:

Lord, I receive a heart and posture that praise you worthily as you deserve in Jesus name. Amen.