Take Courage, It is I

F E M I

A D E B A N J I

3.16 MINISTRIES

A Collection of Selected Works and Writings

TAKE

COURAGE,

IT IS

I.

Femi Adebanji

S T A N D F O R C H R I S T

3.16 MINISTRIES

TAKE COURAGE, IT IS I

By

Femi Adebanji

Printed in South Africa by

3:16 Ministries Publishing

41 Brand Street, Midrand. Johannesburg.

South Africa.

Cover design and Layout

by Murdock + Co.

© 2019

CONTENTS

Christ Has Overcome Pg 1

No Surprises Pg 7

Take Courage, It Is I Pg 11

Know Him, Trust Him Pg 16

Faith To Step Out Pg 21

No Comfort Zones Pg 27

Deep Waters Pg 32

A Different Level of Faith Pg 38

Christ in Our Storms Pg 43

Christ, The Final Authority Pg 49

When God Is Silent Pg 55

Is Christ In Your Boat? Pg 60

God’s Plans. Our Choice Pg 64

Our Debt Paid In Full Pg 70

Unshaken Pg 75

Saved Through Struggle Pg 81

God’s Intentions Are Good Pg 86

Point of Decision Pg 96

Next Steps Pg 106

CHRIST

HAS

OVERCOME

“

God is working behind the scenes to

transform our circumstances.

PAGE 1

“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

Christ states clearly that we will experience challenges

and tribulations in this life but in the midst of our

troubles, our only source of peace should be Him.

Sadly, because we live in a sinful and broken world,

bad things will happen to good people.

But here in lies the difference - in the midst of life's

challenges, believers in Jesus, can be assured of

Christ's presence. They also need not fear because they

know that in spite of what is happening around them,

Christ remains firmly in control, because "He has

overcome the world".

In the midst of life's challenges,

believers in Jesus, can be assured of

Christ's presence.

We can further be assured that dark times are not an

indication of God's absence. On the contrary, they are

T A K E C O U RAG E , I T I S I .

I

PAGE 2

As believers we should also take

courage knowing that God is able to

work all things - good and bad, tragic

and joyful, for our ultimate good

very often when God is working behind the scenes to

transform our circumstances. Psalm 23: 4 encourages us

and reminds us that even when we walk through the

"valley of the shadow of death", we need not be afraid

because God is with us.

Does it mean we will be spared the pain? Not always.

Does it mean that our situation will bring us heart ache

and disappointment? Very often, Yes. Does it mean God

has stopped working on our behalf? No. Does it mean

that He has left us? Never.

As believers we should also take courage knowing that

God is able to work all things - good and bad, tragic and

joyful, for our ultimate good - provided the central focus

of our lives is to seek, follow and be obedient to Him and

His purpose. And that ultimate good to shape us, mould

us and make us more Christ-like in character - very often

PAGE 3

using the difficult situations we do through in life.

Christ, the Son of God went through pain, punishment

and ridicule and was eventually crucified on a wooden

cross by the very ones He came to save.

At first sight all seemed lost, to the disciples it was a

tragedy, the devil appeared to be victorious and for two

days Christ's body lay in the tomb...

But on the third day, God stepped in...A God who makes

a way where there is no way, who works all things

together for good, a God in whose hand are power and

might, so that none can withstand Him, stepped in, and

He raised Christ's body to life again.

Life now displaced death, hope now displaced

hopelessness, victory now displaced defeat, joy

displaced tragedy and above all, a destiny of eternal

separation from God because of mankind's sin, was now

A God in whose hand are power and

might, so that none can withstand

Him


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PAGE 4

replaced with an eternal communion with God for all

those who accept Christ as Lord and Saviour...all because

God was still working behind the scenes, even when all

seemed lost and all hope was gone. And all because

Christ willingly submitted to God's will for His life. Not

His own will but God's will even to the point of death.

Finally, as the saying goes, "God might not save us from

our trials but will save us through them". Meaning that

God is far more concerned about how our experiences in

life will shape our characters, draw us closer to Him and

make us more like Christ, than the pain of the experience

itself.

God might not save us from our trials

but will save us through them

If it means that the problems, we experience will humble

us, bring us to the end of ourselves, allow us to see with

greater clarity the power of God, lead us to Christ and

secure the eternal destiny of our souls, then God may

allow such trials. He may not immediately save us from

our trials but rather save us through them.

PAGE 5

The pains of our trials will pass, but eternity is forever

and an eternity without God is infinitely worse than a

lifetime of pain and heartache.

No matter the tragedy, no matter the heartache and no

matter the pain, God had already foreseen the event and

he had already made provision for the strength to see us

through, the wisdom to guide us and peace to comfort

us.


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PAGE 6

NO

SURPRISES

“

I can trust Him to see me through

and trust that somehow, this all fits

into His greater plan and purpose for

my life.

PAGE 7

"Your eyes so my substance being yet unformed. And in

your book, they all were written the days fashioned for

me. When as yet if there were none of them." Psalm

139:16

Not a single event in our lives catches God by surprise.

Some of the things that happen to us may be sudden,

tragic and catch us by complete surprise but not our

God; because even before we were formed, all the days

fashioned for us were laid out before Him, before any

of them were...

So, every joy, happiness, pain and trials we have had,

are having and will have in future were laid out before

God even before we came into this world.

Not a single event in our lives

catches God by surprise.

Every possible experience, every possible scenario and

every possible event that will occur in our lifetime was

already seen by God, even before we were conceived.

This is both a humbling and a comforting thought.


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PAGE 8

He alone knows the full picture and

purpose of my life and the divine

destiny He has ordained for my life.

Humbling in that the wisdom of God is beyond

comprehension, and that His wisdom and help are

available to us in the midst of our trials and as we

navigate our lives, if we remained focused on Him and

seek His direction - "If any of you lacks wisdom, you

should ask God, who gives generously to all without

finding fault, and it will be given to you", James 1:5.

It is a comforting fact because if "all my days were laid

out before God before any of those days were", then it

means that He knows the beginning of my life to the end

and the end from the beginning. It means He alone

knows the full picture and purpose of my life and the

divine destiny He has ordained for my life.

It means that He alone understands how every event in

my life, significant or minor, joyful or painful, fits into

my divine destiny - a destiny only He has ordained for

my life. It means that nothing that happens in my life

PAGE 9

catches God by surprise, and therefore I can trust Him

to see me through and trust that somehow, this all fits

into His greater plan and purpose for my life.

God never promised that we would live a trouble-free

life. He never said, "come to Jesus and all your

problems will be solved". What He promises is to be

with us in the midst of our challenges and see us

through them, provided we continue to put our faith

and trust in Him and look to Him alone for strength and

wisdom. "When they call on me, I will answer; I will

be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honour

them", Psalm 91:15; And as Jeremiah 29:11 states, God

promises that when we call upon him, He will listen to

us.

Christ reminds us in John 16:33 that in this world we

will have tribulation but that we must take courage

because he has overcome the world. Also, He reminds

us in John 14: 27 that he gives us peace and not as the

world gives us peace and that we should not let our

hearts be troubled and should not be afraid.

And if Christ said it, all we need do is believe it.


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PAGE 10

TAKE

COURAGE,

IT IS I

“

Jesus has the final authority over

every circumstance, every situation,

every challenge, every worry and

every fear

PAGE 11

“But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take

courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to Him,

“Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the

water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the

boat and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and

beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took

hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why

did you doubt?” Matthew 14: 27-31

In the midst of our fears, worries, troubles and

concerns, we have a Jesus that tells us to take courage

and not be afraid.

He wants us to trust Him and not doubt; not because

our fears and worries are not real but because Jesus is

the one with final authority over every circumstance,

every situation, every challenge, every worry and every

fear.

He alone is able to make a way where there is no way

and because all authority in heaven and on earth

belongs to Him and Him alone (Matthew 28: 18)


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PAGE 12

We indeed see Christ’s limitless authority as we read

Jesus is the one with final authority

over every circumstance, every

situation, every challenge, every

worry and every fear

through the Bible – authority over sickness as he healed

all manners of ailments, diseases and afflictions.

He had the authority to bend natural laws as He fed 5000

people with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.

He had authority over the elements as He walked on

water, turned water into wine and calmed the turbulent

waves of the sea.

He had authority over the devil as He set countless free

from the bondage of demon possession and at the

utterance of a single word, a legion of demons (6000)

fled.

He had authority over death as He restores the dead little

girl to life, raises Lazarus to life after being dead for four

PAGE 13

days, and ultimately His triumphant resurrection on the

third day.

Christ has authority over everything – in heaven, in the

earth and everything else in between.

And because ONLY He has the final

say over your life, “he can make a

way where there is no way

You do not have the final say over your life, your

situation does not have the final say over your life, the

tragedy or the trials you are going through right now do

not have the final say over your life and the satan

definitely does not have the final say over your life –

only Jesus has the final say.

And because ONLY He has the final say over your life,

“he can make a way where there is no way” (Isaiah

43:19) and “he can make all things (good and bad)

work together for your good”, as long as you continue

to trust him, love him and align your life according to

His will and purpose (Romans 8:28).


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PAGE 14

For those like Peter who put their utter faith and trust in

Him, those who are willing to truly say “Lord, if it is

you, tell me to come to you on the water”, those who are

prepared not to trust in themselves, trust in human means

and instead of focusing on the “impossibility of their

situation” choose instead to depend squarely upon God,

there is no situation, no circumstance, no trial and no

tribulation that is above or beyond Christ’s authority and

power.

Like Peter who walked on water through the wind

because he trusted in Christ completely, God is able to

use impossible means to solve a problem that seems

impossible to you.

As Christ himself said in Luke 18:27, “"What is

impossible with man, is possible with God."

PAGE 15

KNOW

HIM

TRUST

HIM

“

The extent to which we place our

trust and faith in him affects how

much God is able to do in and

through our lives.


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PAGE 16






Matthew 14: 27-29

Like Peter, for us to experience Christ’s supernatural

power in the midst of our situation, there is a condition –

we need to take our eyes off ourselves, our own ability

and our own means and trust in Christ completely. We

need to set our will aside and submit utterly to will

completely and our faith in Jesus must exceed the fear of

our situation.

But for us to trust Him, we first need to know Him; and

for us to know Him, we must draw nearer to Him. We

draw nearer to Him by spending time reading His word,

we draw nearer to Him by meditating over His word and

we draw nearer to him by spending time in prayer and

meditating upon Him and His goodness; and as we read

the bible and pray, we must ask the holy spirit to give us

a deeper and clearer revelation of this Jesus – this Jesus

PAGE 17

“at whose name every knee should bow, in heaven and

on earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:10), this

Jesus that promises to “never leave nor forsake us”

(Deuteronomy 31:6), this Jesus

We need to take our eyes off

ourselves, our own ability and our

own means and trust in Christ

completely

that took our sin and filth upon himself and offered His

very own life upon the cross, so that you and I may be

reconciled back to God and be freely offered the gift of

everlasting life after we leave this world.

But you see, trust in Christ is not a once off thing. It’s a

minute by minute and day by day thing. Peter had

enough faith to step out of the boat, enough faith to step

onto the water and enough faith to take a couple of

steps towards Christ; and Peter kept his faith as long as

he focused on Christ. The minute he took his focus of

Jesus and began to focus on the wind about him, he

sank.


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PAGE 18

Like Peter the moment we cease to trust in Him, we sink.

The moment we take our focus off Jesus and begin to

focus on the “winds our situation”, we sink.

But even then, so great and tender is the mercy and

kindness of this Jesus that even as we sink, if we cry out

to him in faith and say, “Lord save me!”, we can be

assured that He will. Like He did for Peter, He will

immediately reach out his hand and catch us.

The extent to which we place our trust and faith in him

affects how much God is able to do in and through our

lives. Jesus was able to make Peter walk on water, yet the

Bible tells us in Matthew Chapter 6 that when Jesus was

in His own hometown of Nazareth, “He could not do any

miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people

and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.”

(Mark 6:5-6).

The moment we take our focus off

Jesus and begin to focus on the

“winds our situation”, we sink

Even though the people in Nazareth were amazed by

PAGE 19

Jesus’ wisdom, teaching and authority, they failed to

witness miracles in their midst because they had

refused to put their faith in Him and even took offense

at Him. You see Christ’s power

All we need do is trust, focus upon Him and step out in

faith. But for us to trust Him, we first need to know

Him.


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PAGE 20

THE

FAITH

TO STEP

OUT

“

When we come to take Jesus at His

word, what is impossible by our own

human efforts become possible

through God’s involvement.

PAGE 21


courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to Him, “Lord,

if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And

He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat and walked

on the water and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14: 27-29

Peter was well aware that as a mere human, it would be

impossible for him to walk on water, but he trusted that at

the word of Jesus, what was impossible would become

possible.

It is safe to assume that Peter must have experienced all

manners of emotions as he took the first step out of the boat.

It is safe to assume that the other disciples might have

attempted to stop him from venturing out of the boat -

telling him that it would be impossible for him to walk on

water, telling him that he would drown, urging him to come

back.

Yet something about Jesus stirred Peter to venture out in

complete faith. There was a trust in Christ that superseded

all his fears, the authority of Christ overshadowed the wind

and waves around him and the simple “Come!” that Jesus

uttered to him drowned out all the arguments, logic and

pleading of the other disciples.


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PAGE 22

It was not his own human efforts that

would make him accomplish the task

but a complete and absolute faith in

the one that stood before him and His

word.

Peter made a choice to trust and because he trusted, he

did what no other human except the Saviour ever did – he

walked on water.

Peter knew that the strength to do the impossible, the

courage to launch out into the unknown and the power

make it all happen did not lie within him but within his

Saviour, Jesus Christ.

It was not his own human efforts that would make him

accomplish the task but a complete and absolute faith in

the one that stood before him and His word.

When we come to take Jesus at His word, what is

impossible by our own human efforts become possible

through God’s involvement. Dead dreams come back to

life, life is breathed back into dead situations, our state of

spiritual weakness undergoes a rejuvenation, our hope is

PAGE 23

restored and when we look back, we realise it was all

God. Not us but God.

Peter had had this experience of “launching out” with

Christ into the unknown earlier on. In Luke Chapter 5,

verse 1-10, we read of the encounter between Peter and

Jesus where Jesus provides Peter with a miraculous catch

of fish. Jesus, after speaking to the crowd told peter to

launch out into the deep and let down his nets for a catch.

When we come to take Jesus at His

word, what is impossible by our own

human efforts become possible

through God’s involvement.

Peter first responds by telling Jesus that he and the fellow

fisherman had worked all night and didn’t catch

anything. But he then immediately follows on by telling

Jesus, “But because you say so, I will let down the nets”

(v5).

Peter’s obedience was rewarded and “they caught such a

large number of fish that their nets began to break….and

filled both boats so full that they began to sink” (v6-7).


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PAGE 24

Peter was so overwhelmed by this miracle that he fell at

the knees of Jesus and immediately

What happened between not catching any fish the night

before to having, nets breaking and two boats sinking

full of fish? Jesus happened.

What happened between being in a boat one minute and

walking on water the next? Jesus happened. What

happensed between being in a situation where all hope is

lost to one where all hope is restored? Jesus happened.

Peter’s years of experience as a fisherman, all the

assistance of the other fishermen and all their toil and

sweat the night before amounted to absolutely nothing.

But when Jesus came into the situation an impossible

situation was made possible, a dead situation was

brought to life, and what was impossible with man

became possible with God.

What could not be achieved through hours and hours of

toil and labour, was supernaturally transformed by Christ

within minutes.

PAGE 25

But when Jesus came into the

situation an impossible situation was

made possible, a dead situation was

brought to life

Peter must have remembered this event as he put out

his foot from the boat to walk towards Jesus. He must

have cast his mind to all of Christs display of

miraculous power – how Christ healed the man with

leprosy, healed the Roman Officer’s servant at, healed

Peter’s mother-in-law’s fever, how Christ freed the

demon-possessed, how He brought a dead girl back to

life, how He fed five thousand people with only 5

loaves and 2 fish and so on.

Reflecting on Christ’s goodness, power, divinity and

knowing that “those who put their trust in the Lord will

never be put to shame” (Romans 10:11) gave him the

courage to obey and venture out towards Jesus. And

when he trusted and obeyed, Jesus transformed his

experience.


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PAGE 26

NO

COMFORT

ZONES

“

The depth of our experience with

Jesus is always determined by how

much we are willing to give up for

Him

PAGE 27






Matthew 14: 27-29

Often-times in life, having a deeper and richer

experience of God will mean that we will have to move

or be moved out of our comfort zones. The truth is that

many a times, God often meets us when we have the

courage to step out of our comfort zones.

Peter would not have had the experience of walking on

water and having a deeper experience with the Saviour

unless he was willing to leave the safety of the boat,

trust Christ and risk it all.

A key lesson from this is that the depth of our

experience with Jesus is always determined by how

much we are willing to give up for Him and how far we

are willing to risk it all for His sake; and the depth of

our experience with Him, determines the depth of our

revelation of Him in our lives. But we must be willing


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PAGE 28

to launch into the deep for Him. We must be willing to

step out in faith and we must be willing like Peter, to risk

it all for His sake.

Having a deeper and richer

experience of God will mean that we

will have to move or be moved out of

our comfort zones.

Jesus’ previous miracles and Peter’s encounter with

Christ on the water had such a transformational effect on

Peter that in Chapter 16 of Matthew, when Christ asked

the disciples, “Who do people say I am?”, Peter prompted

by the Holy Spirit, answered by saying, “You are the

Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16: 15-16).

The other disciples had replied by saying some said

Christ was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the

prophets, however it was only Peter who gave the

accurate answer.

And it is safe to say that Peter was able to give this

accurate answer because he had come to a special

experience with Christ first-hand that the other disciples

PAGE 29

had not yet had; because unlike the disciples who

remained in the safety of the boat, Peter was willing to

risk it all at the word of his Saviour - Peter trusted

absolutely in the one he risked it all for.

Even though Peter did not completely walk to Christ on

the water, the few steps he took upon the waters

towards his Saviour before he began to sink, gave him a

different revelation of this all-powerful Christ.

A revelation that comes from not mere observation, as

was the case of the other disciples that remained in the

boat, and lacked the courage Peter had.

Unlike the disciples who remained in

the safety of the boat, Peter was

willing to risk it all at the word of his

Saviour

The revelation Peter had of Jesus was a revelation that

only comes when a person puts themselves completely

at God’s mercy and His providence, when they set

aside all dependence upon themselves, their resources

and others, when they launch out into the deep with


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PAGE 30

Christ and leave the “safety of the boat”, and when they

come to the point of absolute faith in God where like Job

they are able to say, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust

in him” Job 13:15.

A revelation that only comes when a

person puts themselves completely at

God’s mercy and His providence,

PAGE 31

DEEP

WATERS

“

He will give you the courage,

strength and ability not to only walk

over your challenges, but to walk

right through them


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PAGE 32

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers, they will not

sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you

will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze”.

Isaiah 43:2

Sometimes, to get us to a stronger level of faith and

deeper relationship with Him, God brings us to situations

that challenge our existing level of faith and trust; and to

achieve this purpose, we would have to move or be

moved from our comfort zones and the safety of the

“man-made boats” of our lives in order to have this

deeper revelation of Christ.

It means that during such experiences, we would have to

walk over the deep waters of life and be buffeted by the

winds and waves of trials – and such trials may come in

the form of the death of a loved one, financial crisis, ill

health, loss of a job etc.

God brings us to situations that

challenge our existing level of faith

and trust

PAGE 33

Yet God allows these situations because through them

He is able to achieve a greater purpose in our lives that

far surpasses the pain or emotional turmoil we feel in

the present. Job was a man who lost everything – his

children, his wealth and his health.

Yet he never for a second doubted God’s love for him

and that in-spite of the chaos in his life, God was still in

control and that God’s purpose would reign supreme.

At the end of it all, he says to God, “My ears had heard

of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore, I

despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:

5-6).

God ultimately used the deep waters He took Job

through to give Job a different level of revelation of

who He was as God – seeing God in the midst of his

trials represents a different level of intimacy and a

different depth of revelation.

Sometimes, we know of God but to truly come to know

Him, like Job and like Peter, we are made to vacate our

comfort zones and tread over deep waters…However,

as long as we remain focused upon the Saviour, those


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PAGE 34

deep waters will not consume us and as long as Christ

remains our anchor, and the winds and waves will not

overcome us;

And as God promises us in the book of Isaiah, “When

you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When

you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.

When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will

not be burned up; the flames will not consume you”.

(Isaiah 43:2).

The Bible makes no mention of this but merely judging

from human nature, I am convinced that as Peter stepped

out of the boat, the other disciples would have tried to

dissuade and would have done so with Peter’s safety and

best interest at heart.

God ultimately used the deep waters

He took Job through to give Job a

different level of revelation of who He

was as God

They probably would have told him that he would

drown, that it was impossible to walk on water, that even

PAGE 35

though Christ had performed countless other miracles,

surely this was one miracle that was impossible and so

on.

How am I certain of this? Because only Peter ventured

out to Christ while the others remained in the boat.

Peter did not allow the “logic and reasoning” of man to

undermine the display of the power of God in his life.

He chose to listen to the voice of Christ and not that of

man. A simple “Come” was all he needed to hear from

Jesus, and he stepped out in faith and because he was

willing to step out in faith, Jesus honoured him.

There may be times in our lives when we sense God

asking us to “come out” of our comfort zones and

venture into completely uncharted territory with him.

There will be other time when God will allow us to

experience certain situations that shake the very

foundations of our lives and shock us out of our

comfort zones.

When these events occur, the first thing we need to do

is apply wisdom, seek God’s face and make sure that it


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PAGE 36

is Him that is in fact calling us to step up and step out.

A simple “Come” was all he needed to

hear from Jesus, and he stepped out

in faith

The next thing we then need to do is to pray that He give

us the courage to go through the experience and pray that

He give us the power to submit to His will as He shapes

us and moulds us to become more Christ like as we walk

over the deep waters and through the waves and winds of

the experience.

Yes, trials will arise but like Peter, as long as you

remained focused upon Jesus, He will give you the

courage, strength and ability not to only walk over your

challenges, but to walk right through them…as long as

you remained focused upon Him.

God never promised a problem free life. What he does

promise is that when life takes away the “safety and

comfort of your boat” and when you feel like you are

walking alone over deep waters, rivers of difficulty and

fires of oppression, you are never alone.

PAGE 37

A

DIFFERENT

LEVEL OF

FAITH

“

When your faith exceeds your fear

and your trust exceeds your doubt,

Christ is able to do the impossible

through you and with you.


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PAGE 38

“For we live by faith, not by sight”, 2 Corinthians 5:7

Peter’s’ encounter with Jesus upon the water shows that

it takes a different level of faith to become a miracle

through Christ than to witness His miracle in the life of

another.

Like the other disciples, Peter had witnessed countless

extraordinary miracles performed by Jesus. However,

unlike the other disciples, he was the only one to walk on

water while the others chose to remain in the safety of

the boat.

Even though the waves beneath could swallow him up at

any time and the winds about buffeted him, as long as he

kept focused on Christ, he was able to do the impossible.

Stepping out of the boat would result in only one of two

possible outcomes – Peter would either walk on water

towards the Saviour or potentially drown.

As long as he kept focused on Christ,

he was able to do the impossible

As Peter stepped out of the boat, his fear of drowning did

PAGE 39

not automatically disappear, but the source of his

courage in the face of fear was Christ. Peter’s faith in

the Saviour and his trust in the power of the Saviour far

exceeded his fear of drowning – because his faith

exceeded his fear and his trust exceeded his doubt,

Christ was able to do the impossible through him and

with him.

Sometimes when Christ wants to make a miracle of us

and our lives, we will have to walk over deep waters

and through buffeting winds. God allows this because

He knows that the extent and depth of our faith in Him

impacts the quality of our walk and experience of Him.

Untested faith is unconfirmed faith and God in His

infinite wisdom knows that no other situation builds up

and strengthens the faith of a man like a trial does.

Pride, self-reliance and arrogance are the enemies of a

relationship of complete dependence on God. I’m by no

means inferring that all trials that occur in our lives are

a result of pride or self-reliance because sometimes life

does happen.


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What I do know is that God allows certain trials in our

lives either because He is trying to build certain things

into our character or remove certain things from our

character.

Pride and self-reliance often times prevent us from

seeing the hand of God and His providence in our lives.

Pride often times prevents us from acknowledging Him

in all of our ways and ultimately pride results in a

situation where we place ourselves on a throne in our

hearts that belongs only to God.

Because his faith exceeded his fear

and his trust exceeded his doubt,

Christ was able to do the impossible

through him and with him.

So, God in His mercy allows us to come to situations that

shake the foundations of our pride and serve as rude

reminders of our absolute insignificance in the greater

scheme of things and relative to Him.

And such acts on His part are merciful because they

often times help us to realise our foolishness, run back to

PAGE 41

God and make Him the centre of our lives again. Had

such events never occurred, we would possibly drift

farther and farther away from God, causing our hearts

to harden and put our souls at the risk of eternal

damnation and separation from God.

So, God takes us out of our comfort zones and brings

us to a place where like Peter we realise that we cannot

save ourselves and cry out, “Lord save me!”, where we

come to realise that unless Christ reaches out and

catches us we will perish, where we come to the sharp

realisation that unless God intervenes, we become

undone and where we ultimately come to acknowledge

His infinite power and our insignificance.

God in His mercy allows us to come

to situations that shake the

foundations of our pride and serve

as rude reminders of our absolute

insignificance in the greater scheme

of things and relative to Him.


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CHRIST

IN OUR

STORMS

“

In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart! I have overcome the

world

PAGE 43

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither

angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,

nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything

else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the

love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

Romans 8:38-39

Challenges are a part of life. God never promised that

we would ever have a problem-free life.

The only way we can find peace

amid our troubles is by turning to

Him.

In fact, Job 5: 7 tells us that “Yet man is born to trouble

as surely as sparks fly upward”; confirming that

troubles, challenges and problems are part of our

human experience.

Jesus is also clear on the point that problems are a part

of life and tells His disciples in John 16: 33, “I have

told you these things, so that in me you may have


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PAGE 44

peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take

heart! I have overcome the world.”

So what Christ is saying that even though we can expect

trials and challenges in this life, the only way we can find

peace amid our troubles is by turning to Him.

In the middle of the raging storm, He was at perfect

peace.

In fact, He was in such perfect peace in the storm, that

the Bible tells us that “He slept” while the disciples were

in a flat panic as the waves threatened to drown the boat.

Christ was at peace amid the storm, because Christ is

peace.

We can have peace in the middle of our struggles not

because we are trying to “fool or convince ourselves” or

have a “positive mind-set” towards our problems…We

can have peace amid our troubles because Christ has

overcome the world and everything within it – that

includes the challenges or the trials we may be going

through.

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And because Christ has overcome the world, He is in

charge of every situation, every circumstance and every

event that occurs in our lives; and because He is in

charge, we can have peace. Real peace. True peace.

Peace that surpasses all understanding.

In fact, Christ makes it clear that the peace He gives us

is not like the peace that the world offers 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

He is in charge of every situation,

every circumstance and every event

that occurs in our lives; and because

He is in charge, we can have peace

The world’s “peace” comes at a price – and often that

price is our soul.

Often times to have that peace (or assurance) we chase

careers, we chase our ambitions, we chase money, we

chase the recognition and affirmation of those around

us, we chase prosperity….often times without giving


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second thought to what happens to our souls when we

leave this world.

Christ even states that in Mark 8:36, “For what shall it

profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose

his own soul?”

The world’s peace is fleeting and

founded in temporal things that will

one day pass away.

What Jesus is saying here is this – all the wealth, success

and accomplishments of the whole world cannot

compare to a single soul, when both are placed on scales

– that is the value of a soul. That is the worth of our

souls.

A person may spend their entire life seeking success in

this world but if all of that was done at the expense of not

making God the centre of their life, that life was a wasted

life. A life without Christ is a wasted life.

The world’s peace is fleeting and founded in temporal

things that will one day pass away.

The world cannot offer us true peace in the middle of our

PAGE 47

trials, challenges and struggles.

The worlds peace only exists when everything around

us is peaceful but quickly turns to worry, panic and

hopelessness when our situation changes.

Ever wonder why people can have all the fame and

success in the world and are still depressed? Ever

wonder why they have all the money in the world and

still take their own lives? Ever wonder why they have

countless friends and followers on social media and yet,

have never felt lonelier? Ever wonder why people seem

to have it all, yet are addicted to self-destructive habits?

The reason is that the “peace” that they have is the

world’s peace and not the real peace that Christ offers.

The worlds peace will never satisfy the deepest desires

and longings of the soul; only God’s peace can do that.

Christ’s peace on the other hand is available to us so

that even as the storms of life rage around us and as the

waves of our struggles threaten to drown us, we can

have peace knowing that the creator of the universe, the

Son of God is still in control of our situation.


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CHRIST,

THE FINAL

AUTHORITY

“

All authority in heaven and on earth

has been given to me

PAGE 49

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily

form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.

He is the head over every power and authority.

Colossians 2:9-10

Christ is the head over every power and authority; and

if Christ is in control, it means that our struggles and

our challenges do not have the final say over our lives.

It means that what we are going through now does not

have the final say over the narrative of our lives.It

means that no man, woman or devil can close doors

that God wants to open or open doors that God wants to

close in our lives.

We can only derive strength and

have hope in our storms if we make

Christ the centre.

The destiny that God has ordained for us is good, His

plans and thoughts towards us are good – Jeremiah

29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,

says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give

you a future and a hope”.


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But we can only experience the fulfilment of that destiny

if we make Christ the centre. We can only derive strength

and have hope in our storms if we make Christ the

centre. The only time our tests will become testimonies is

when we make Christ the centre as we pass through

those tests.

In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus Christ tells us that - “All

authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”.

Matthew 28:18-20. So, because all authority belongs to

Jesus, He has the final say over everything

This authority that Christ speaks of is complete authority

over all creation in heaven and on earth and over all

elements of creation.

The gospels outline Christs authority over:

• Nature (calmed the waves, turned water into wine

and even walked on water),

• Sickness (countless were healed of all manners of

diseases – the blind, the deaf, the lame etc),

• Demonic forces (the demon possessed man who

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was delivered from a legion of demons)

• Death (raised Lazarus, raise the little girl and He

himself rose from the dead).

The raging waves that almost capsized the boat of the

disciples calmed down because it recognised the

authority of Jesus. It realised that it had come into

contact with a power that superseded its own. It

recognised that it had encountered its maker.

The Bible tells us in John 1:3, “Through him all things

were made; without him nothing was made that has

been made”.

Disease and sickness fled when they encountered Jesus

because they recognised His sovereign authority.

This authority that Christ speaks of

is complete authority over all

creation in heaven and on earth and

over all elements of creation.

Demonic forces and evil spirits recognised His


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authority. The possessed man of the Gadarenes had a

legion of demons When he saw Jesus, the demon said

“What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most-

High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” Luke 8:28.

Previously no one could pass through where this demon

possessed men was located in the Gadarenes.

Your current situation or challenge

does not have to determine the final

story of your life.

In fact, another account in the Bible tells us that, “This

man was violent, so that no one was strong-enough to

pass through that way”.

All Jesus had to utter was a single word, “GO” and the

man was immediately set free and the evil spirits went

into a herd of 2000 pigs.

Even death, the greatest fear for many recognised the

power of Jesus (power over death quote)

Death had no choice but to give up Lazarus and the soul

of the little girl that Christ raised from the dead.

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This is why Ephesians 1:21 tells us that “Christ is far

above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and

every name that is invoked, not only in the present age

but also in the one to come.”

Psalm 8:6 says, “You have made him to have dominion

over the works of Your hands; You have put all things

under his feet”.

Your current situation or challenge does not have to

determine the final story of your life.

Jesus has the final authority and He alone can rewrite

your story,

• Redirect you towards your divine destiny,

• Give you peace in your storms,

• Reconcile you back to God and

• Secure the eternal destiny of your soul…

BUT there is only one condition - if only you would

look to Him and not to the world or to yourself for

strength and for salvation.


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WHEN

GOD IS

SILENT

“

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are

crushed in spirit

PAGE 55

“Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that

the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping”.

Matthew 8:24

The account of the raging storms in Matthew 8:24 tells

us that the storm was “furious”.The same account in

Mark Chapter 4, tells us that the “waves nearly

swamped the boat” and in Luke Chapter 8, we are told

that “they were in great danger”.

All of this point to the fact that the disciples were in a

real and present danger. The threat to their lives was real

and the possibility of the boat capsizing was high.

Another point to bear in mind that is telling of the danger

that the disciples were in was the fact that some of the

disciples in the boat such as Peter, Andrew, James and

John were experienced fishermen.

So, if as experienced fishermen, they were afraid, it is

safe to assume that there was a very good reason to be.

Yet in the midst of the raging sea and turbulent waves,

what does the Bible say Jesus was doing?


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He was asleep.

Meaning that He had absolute zero worry about the

situation. Jesus was asleep because firstly even though

Jesus was God Himself in the flesh, He was still human,

hence He experienced everything we experienced as

human beings – hunger, tiredness, emotions etc. – Yet

Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life.

Secondly, Christ was asleep in the middle of a raging sea

because that very sea was created through Him and by

Him – so the creator cannot fear His own creation.

As already indicated - All authority belongs to Him and

everything in and outside of creation have been placed

under His feet.

Therefore, even though Jesus showed complete humility,

he was absolutely aware that everything in the universe

and every natural law in the universe was subject to Him

Colossians 1:16: For in him all things were created:

things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,

whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all

things have been created through him and for him.

PAGE 57

Similarly, as the waves threatened to drown the boat the

disciples were in, we also go through life problems that

threaten to “drown us”

How we get through our struggles is

always dependent upon us, not God

because God has already made a

way

We may have gone through or be going through right

now loss of a job, health problems, relationship

problems, financial challenges

And like the waves, that threatened to drown the boat, it

seems as if the problems of life are about to overwhelm

us -like there is no solution or a way out.

And often times as we go through these times, it seems

as if God is nowhere to be found. Like He has

abandoned us. Like He is asleep.

How we get through our struggles is always dependent

upon us, not God because God has already made a way.

All we need do is trust Him and submit to Him during

those times.


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When we continue to focus upon God and seek Him out

during those situations (not just seek a solution to our

problems but seek to know God and draw closer to

Him), when we don’t become impatient, when we

continue to put our request before God in prayer and trust

Him… those are usually the times that Christ is closest to

us.

In Psalm 34:18, the Bible says “The Lord is close to the

broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in

spirit”

The bible also issues an encouragement and a warning

when it comes to whether we are seeking God or not -

The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek

him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he

will forsake you. 2 Chronicles 15:2b

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IS

CHRIST

IN YOUR

BOAT?

“

The only thing that we can place our

faith and trust in that will endure for

all eternity is Jesus Christ


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“Anyone who believes in him will never be put to

shame.” Romans 10:11

In the account of the raging storms in Matthew 8:24 the

disciples desperately sought Christ out in the middle of

their distress and Christ restored their peace. In fact, it is

safe to assume that it was only the presence of Christ in

their boat that saved them on that faithful day.

At the end of it, the test the disciples were going through

became a testimony – not to glorify themselves, but to

glorify Jesus. It’s not the storms of life that matter. What

matters is who is in your boat when the storm hits…

Make no mistake, the storms will come. Shaking will

come. Challenges will surely come. You don’t want to be

alone in that boat when the waves come. You don’t want

to be relying on people, because they may disappoint

you. The only one you need in your boat when the waves

of life hits are Jesus Christ –

• Because only He can calm the storms of life

• Only He can grant you peace and serenity in the

midst of your trials and

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• Only Him can work all things together for God

because all authority belongs to Him.

Many people go through life, but Christ is not in their

boat – not because He doesn’t want to be but because

they don’t want Him there or see a need for Him.

It’s not the storms of life that matter.

What matters is who is in your boat

when the storm hits

Some have out-rightly pushed Him out because they

believe that their wealth, their intelligence, their

education, their networks are enough to see them

through the challenges of life.

But then life throws a curved ball, something

completely unexpected and then they come to the end of

themselves. Life brings them to a situation where their

money, their networks, their education, their resources is

unable to solve their problem. And it is during those

times that you want to have Jesus in your boat. There is

only so much that we can control in this life – if

anything at all.


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The fact is that every possible thing that we can put our

faith and trust in is either temporary or will pass away.

The only thing that we can place our faith and trust in

that will endure for all eternity is Jesus Christ.

The question we must all ask ourselves as we go through

the journey of life is this – is Christ in our boat?

Because without Him, life holds no meaning and no

purpose; without Him we will never be able to stand

before God; and without Him, our souls will be lost for

all eternity.

The question we must all ask

ourselves as we go through the

journey of life is this – is Christ in our

boat?

PAGE 63

GOD'S

PLANS

OUR

CHOICE

“

Christ came that we may have life

and have it more abundantly, while

the devil's intentions is to kill, destroy

and to seek whom he may devour.


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"For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says

the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a

future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and go

and pray to me and I listen to you." Jeremiah 29:11

We can be assured that no matter what we are going

through, God's ultimate purpose and plans for those who

love Him, are good. His plans and purpose are good,

because He loves those who fear and love Him.

But we can only experience God's intention of peace, His

intentions of a bright future and a hope, if Christ is Lord

over our lives and if His will takes precedence over every

other thing and every other aspect in our lives.

Even though God's plans for our lives

are good, He will not impose His will

upon anyone.

Even though God's plans for our lives are good, He will

not impose His will upon anyone. The extent to which

His plans are fulfilled in our lives is determined by the

PAGE 65

extent to which we are willing to submit and obey.

There is a fundamental law of sowing and reaping here.

We cannot follow the influences and the ways of the

world and then expect God's good purpose and

intentions of peace to be fulfilled in our lives.

The extent to which His plans are

fulfilled in our lives is determined by

the extent to which we are willing to

submit and obey.

Christ came that we may have life and have it more

abundantly, while the devil's intentions is to kill, destroy

and to seek whom he may devour.

When we make Christ the centre of our lives and

submit to his purpose and His, then his good intentions

lives will be fulfilled. When we reject Christ, treat Him

with indifference or outrightly rebel against him, then it

is the enemy's purpose play out in our lives.

In every man's life is a single throne and whoever sits

upon that throne will direct the course of our lives in


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this world and our destiny in eternity.

Our physical bodies are confined to this world, but our

souls will never die. Our souls will go on to exist for all

eternity either with God or separated from Him, either in

eternal light or eternal darkness.

It is because the eternal price of a man's soul is so great

that Christ had to give His own life so that no one would

ever have to pay that price, face that destiny or be in an

eternity separated from God. It all comes down to the

fact that we will all reap what we sow.

If we sow into Christ, or are "planted" in Him, then we

will reap all the benefits and spiritual blessings he

promises. But if we reject him and instead firmly "plant"

ourselves into this world, then all we reap is the

emptiness and confusion that this world brings.

In every man's life is a single throne

and whoever sits upon that throne will

direct the course of our lives in this

world and our destiny in eternity.

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PAGE 1

Enjoying the spiritual blessings that Christ promises

requires complete and total obedience to him. Not

partial obedience but complete obedience.

Complete obedience is not possible through our own

efforts or attempts. Complete obedience is only

possible through the power of the Holy Spirit.

But for the Holy Spirit to work, we ourselves must first

truly desire to obey.


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OUR

DEBT

PAID IN

FULL

“

“For the wages of sin is death; but the

gift of God is eternal life through Jesus

Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23

PAGE 69

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other

name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be

saved”. Acts 4:12

Every soul that leaves this world ultimately ends up in one

of two places – eternity with God in heaven or seperated

from Him in hell, for all eternity.

God is infinitely holy and cannot tolerate sin. Sin and God

cannot reconcile, and our sins separated us from God. The

outcome of such sin is Spiritual death – i.e. a soul is

destined to an eternity without God.

So, in order that our souls never have to be doomed to an

eternity without God, Jesus came into the world to pay for

our sins.

Sin and God cannot reconcile, and our

sins separated us from God.

Sin has to be atoned for and God knew that as humans

could not pay the price of our sins – given that the price of

sin was so great and so grave – eternal separation from

God.


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So even though we rebelled against God through the way

we live and even though we didn’t want anything to do with

Him, God made a way out so that we didn’t have to be

destined to an eternity without Him.

Because no amount of good works can make up for our sins

and because we were in absolutely no position to pay for our

sins God planned to save us because we cannot save

ourselves.

God is infinitely holy and there is no end to man’s depravity

and sinfulness. The two can never meet, unless there is a

perfect mediator.

A mediator that can perfectly represent God to man and

perfectly represent man before God. A mediator that was

both God and Man.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only

Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have

eternal life”. John 3:16

Jesus Christ, the Son of God was that mediator.

He left heaven where he was King, came into our world, as

a man and took our sins and our punishment upon Himself.

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God is infinitely holy and there is no

end to man’s depravity and sinfulness.

The two can never meet, unless there is

a perfect mediator

He made a way out by having our sins paid for while

showing us love and mercy at the same time.

Christ beaten, pierced on the side, spat on, whipped was

made to carry a heavy cross and was ultimately nailed to

the cross He carried.

As He hung upon that cross all our sins and mess were

placed upon Him.

God’s judgement which was meant for us was placed upon

Himself and in place of sin and judgement, we received the

forgiveness of sin, righteousness, and the gift of eternal life

with God.

“But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He

was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our wellbeing

fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned

to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of


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us all to fall on Him.” Isaiah 53:5-6

In fact, when Christ was upon that cross and God saw all

the vileness, shame and sinfulness of mankind upon Him,

God temporarily turned His back upon His own Son.

So much so that Jesus Cried out in a loud voice, “My

God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

But God never forsook His own Son, because 3 days

later, He glorified Jesus and raised Him from the dead.

Christ paid the full price for the sin of every human being

on this planet, so now when God looks at us, He no

longer sees our sins and failures but the righteousness of

his son.

2 Corinthians 5:21, “He made Him who knew no sin to

be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the

righteousness of God in Him”.

Sins ultimately results in a destiny of eternal separation

from God, for those that die without Jesus.

But those who by faith accept that Jesus Christ died for

them and accept Him as Saviour and King in this life -

they are not only be assured of peace in their storms in

PAGE 73

this life but have assurance of eternal life in the next.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is

eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23

Christ paid the full price for the sin of

every human being on this planet, so

now when God looks at us, He no

longer sees our sins and failures but

the righteousness of his son.


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UNSHAKEN

“

Whosoever shall call on the name of the

LORD shall be delivered

PAGE 75

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.

Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your

God will be with you wherever you go”. Joshua 1:9

There are three reasons why many people become

overwhelmed by the problems of this life: Firstly, either

they saw no need for God in their life when all was going

great.

When things suddenly turned upside down in their life,

they could not find their way back to God – either due to

pride or because they did not believe that God still loved

them.

With God, sometimes “No” or “Wait”

are also answers.

Secondly, people become overwhelmed by the struggles of

life because they have not submitted to God in the midst of

their struggles. They want God to answer their prayers the

way they want and when they want.

When things don’t happen the way they expect or by when

they expect, they give up on God’s timing and try to find

their own solution.


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They forget that with God, sometimes “No” or “Wait” are

also answers.

Thirdly, people become overwhelmed because initially they

were sold a false version of God. They have been told that

God is sort of like a Santa Claus – He is there to provide all

your material needs and wants, dreams, desires and wishes

and doesn’t really care how you live…as long as you are

sowing a seed to the church or doing some good deed.

The God of the Bible does not work like that – everything

He does, how He does it and when He does it is all for His

own glory not ours. His existence does not revolve around

us – on the contrary, He created us so that our existence

revolves around Him.

Everything He does, how He does it

and when He does it, is all for His own

glory not ours.

Now when such people go through trying times and God

does not answer their prayers quickly enough or how they

expect their prayers to be answered, they become angry at

God, turn their backs to Him – which only makes the

PAGE 77

situation worse.

People overwhelmed by the struggles of life often end up

trying to find some sort of peace in all the wrong places

they sometimes end up trapped in destructive behaviour in

an attempt to numb the pain and get some peace.

This is why many often end up turning to alcohol, drugs,

pornography etc in attempt to find some type of peace in

their storms. Some sort of peace in the midest of all the

pain. But the peace the world brings is temporary and can

in fact many times lead to bondage.

The Bible also warns in Jeremiah 17: 5-7 that “Cursed is

the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere

flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That

person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not

see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the

parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one

lives. “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose

confidence is in him”.

Peace, Freedom and Salvation can be found in Christ

alone.


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The eternal security of our souls can be found in Christ

alone because He paid the price for you and me. God is the

only solution, only way out, there is absolutely no other

way.

This is why we are reminded in Isaiah 45: 22, “Turn to me

and be saved, all you end of the earth; for I am God, and

there is no other”.

God assures us that if we turn to Him, no matter how far we

have walked away from Him, He will save us if we call

upon Him.

The Bible even tells us in Joel 2: 32 “that whosoever shall

call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered”.

Saved does not mean that you will have no problems or

struggles – it means that no matter how bad things get, God

will not allow your situation to overwhelm you – provided

you put your faith and trust in Him.

In the midst of your situation, He will work through people

or circumstances to show His grace and providence

towards you.

PAGE 79

And in the midst of your pain, He will be your comfort and

your strength.

Now He might not immediately save us from our current

situation and might even allow us to go through that

situation for some time

Sometimes God allows this if, He believes that our current

struggles will achieve and shape something within us that

will draw us closer to Him, achieve a greater knowledge

and relationship with Him and ultimately result in the

salvation of our souls.

Such was the case of Job, where after he had gone through

hardship and God later restored all he had lost said, “My

ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you”.

Job 42:5

God assures us that if we turn to Him,

no matter how far we have walked

away from Him, He will save us if we

call upon Him.


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SAVED

THROUGH

STRUGGLE

“

Ultimately in every case, God is using

our situations to create a Christ-like

character within us.

PAGE 81

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will

fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff,

they comfort me”. Psalm 23:4

God might not immediately save us from our current

struggles, because He intends to achieve something far

greater than our current struggles.

God may allow our physical bodies and minds to

experience the current struggles if it means something far

precious will be saved - our souls.

You see, God may not save us from our current struggles

because He intends to save our souls through them.

But in the midst of it all, we can be assured that He is with

us because one day when we look back, we will realise

that it was only through His strength that we were able to

get through.

God may not save us from our current

struggles because He intends to save

our souls through them.


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And in His own time, when He has achieved what He

wants to achieve through our experience, that season will

pass.

If the situations we go through compel us to seek God out,

draw closer to Him and come to a deeper knowledge of

Jesus Christ, so that our souls may be saved – then God

may allow that situation.

If the situation we are going through shape us, mould us

and make us more like Jesus in character, thought and

action – then God may allow the situation.

If the challenges we go through mean that we lose material

things but gain a real love for Jesus and come to receive

Christ’s free gift of everlasting life – then God may allow

the situation.

If the situations we are going through means that after the

season passes, God sees us through, He is glorified, and our

story encourages and strengthens someone else in their

walk with God -t hen God may allow that situation.

Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den; Shadrach, Meshack

and Abednego were thrown into the fire, Joshua had to face

PAGE 83

an army with only 300 men, Job lost everything, Christ

died upon the cross – in all cases, God was glorified and

those that witnessed this were impacted and even

transformed as a result.

If God needs to allow certain situations in our lives that

alter the course of our lives and leads to the salvation of

our souls – you can be guaranteed that God will allow that

situation.

Because the pain of this short life is nothing compared to

the pain and anguish that awaits those that spend eternity

without God.

And in His own time, when He has

achieved what He wants to achieve

through our experience, that season

will pass.

Because sometimes the things we go through are not just

for us – we are being strengthened, shaped, being made

resilient and being made more like Jesus in character and

form so that we can become of service to others.


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So that our tests, become testimonies that transform the

lives of others and turn them back to God.

Ultimately in every case, God is using our situations to

create a Christ-like character within us. As a potter

transforms a shapeless lump of clay into a beautiful vase,

God is using our experiences, as painful as they may

sometimes be, to transform us and to shape us into the

people He has predestined us to be, so that we become

equipped to fulfil the purpose for which He created us.

No matter how dark it gets, never forget that God is forever

on the throne and He alone can work all things together for

good for those that love and fear Him.

Ultimately in every case, God is using

our situations to create a Christ-like

character within us.

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HIS

INTENTIONS

ARE GOOD

“

In the midst of our challenges we can

be assured of Christ's peace and we

need not fear


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"For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the

Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future

and a hope. Then you will call upon me and go and pray to

me and I listen to you." Jeremiah 29:11

We can be assured that God's ultimate purpose for our lives

is good because his intentions and his desires for us are

good.

But we can only experience God's intention of peace and

not evil, his intentions of a bright future and a hope, if he is

lord over our lives and if His will takes precedence every

other thing and every other aspect of our lives.

There is a fundamental law of sowing and reaping here. We

cannot follow the influences and the ways of the world and

then expect God's purpose and intentions of peace to be

fulfilled in our lives.

If we reject God, if our attitude towards him is one of

indifference or outright rebellion, then in spite of his love

for us we will not fully experience his true intentions for us

and His destiny for our lives.

If we live solely for ourselves, our own pleasures, our own

PAGE 87

ambitions and permits in to dominate our lives, then we

will reap the rewards accordingly. "For the wages of sin is

death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus

our Lord." Romans 6:23

This verse expressly warns us that the wages of sin or a

sinful lifestyle is death - not nearly death in the physical

sense but death in a spiritual sense that ultimately results in

an eternal separation from God when we leave this world.

We cannot follow the influences and

the ways of the world and then expect

God's purpose and intentions of peace

to be fulfilled in our lives.

No matter how accomplished the life may be, no matter

how successful the life may have been by human

standards, no matter how pleasurable and enjoyable that

life we have been, unless Christ was at the centre of that

life, the ultimate destiny of that soul is spiritual death and

separation from God for all eternity.


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Unless we accept the gift, and accept

Christ, then we cannot partake in God's

plan of salvation

On the other hand, every one that accepts the gift of

salvation that God offers through Christ, repents of their

sinful lifestyle and accepts Christ as Lord over every aspect

of their lives will not experience spiritual death but rather

eternal communion with God in heaven.

God has offered us this gift as the ultimate manifestation

and display of his love towards us and Jesus Christ

willingly gave his life for us upon a cross even while we

were rebellious sinners wanted nothing to do with him.

This gift of salvation that Jesus Christ offers now gives us

hope of eternal life with God, when we depart from this

world.

But we can only enjoy the gift and experience the gift, if we

accept the gift. Unless we accept the gift, and accept Christ,

then we cannot partake in God's plan of salvation and

consequently have absolutely no hope when we leave this

world.

PAGE 89

If we sow into Christ, or are "planted"

in Him, then we will reap all the

benefits and spiritual blessings he

promises.

The same principle applies if we are to experience God's

purpose for our lives. His intention for our lives is not of

evil but of peace, but we can only experience that peace,

through complete submission to Christ both as saviour and

King over our lives.

Christ came that we may have life and have it more

abundantly, while the devil's intentions is to kill, destroy

and to seek whom he may devour. When we make Christ

the centre of our lives and submit to his purpose and His,

then his good intentions lives will be fulfilled.

When we reject Christ and rebel against him, then it is the

enemy's intentions will be fulfilled. It all comes down to

the fact that we will reap what we sow.

If we sow into Christ, or are "planted" in Him, then we will

reap all the benefits and spiritual blessings he promises.

But if we reject him and instead firmly "plant" ourselves


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into this world, then all we reap is the emptiness and

confusion that this world brings.

Enjoying the benefits and spiritual blessings that Christ

promises requires complete and total obedience to him. Not

partial obedience but complete obedience.

As followers of Christ, we cannot serve two masters. We

cannot live for Christ and yet live like the world does. As

we are reminded in Matthew chapter 6 verse 24, " No one

can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love

the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the

other."

We cannot claim to love Christ and then live like the world.

Besides the scriptures also expressly warn us in James

chapter 4 verse 4 that friendship with the world is enmity

against God and that anyone to be a friend of the world an

enemy of God.

We cannot claim to love Christ and

then live like the world.

Though God's thoughts towards us are of peace and not

PAGE 91

evil, does that mean that we will not have any troubles or

problems or challenges in this life? Absolutely not.

In the midst of our challenges we can

be assured of Christ's peace and we

need not fear

Christ reminds us in John 16:33 that in this world we will

have trouble but that we must take courage because he has

overcome the world. Also reminds us in John 14:27 that he

gives us peace and not as the world gives us peace and that

we should not let our hearts be troubled and should not be

afraid.

This therefore means that even as we seek to live

according to God's purpose and even though God's

intentions towards us are good, we will still experience

challenges and tribulations in this life cause we live in a

sinful and broken world.

But here in lies the difference - in the midst of our

challenges we can be assured of Christ's peace and we

need not fear because we know that in spite of what is

happening around us, Christ is in control. We can be


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assured that in spite of how things may appear, God loves

us because his intentions for us are good.

Psalm 23 verse 4 encourages us and reminds us that even

when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

we need not be afraid because God is with us and he has

promised to never leave nor forsake us.

We also know that He is able to work all things good and

bad, tragic and joyful, for our ultimate good - provided the

central focus of our lives is to seek, follow and be obedient

to his purpose. And also very important note in the 2nd part

of Jeremiah 29, verse 11, is that god promises that when we

call upon him, He will listen to us.

Christ reminds us in John 16:33 that in

this world we will have trouble but that

we must take courage because he has

overcome the world.

Finally, as we experience challenges and tribulations in our

lives, we must never forget that nothing that happens to us

catches God by surprise. If it happens, it is because He had

PAGE 93

ordained it even before we were born and if He ordained it,

it is somehow ultimately intended for our good.

"Your eyes so my substance being yet unformed. And in

your book, they all were written the days fashioned for me.

When as yet if there were none of them." Psalm 139:16

Every possible experience, every possible scenario and

every possible event that will occur in our lifetime was

already seen by God, even before we were conceived - so

nothing happening in your life right now catches God by

surprise.

No matter the tragedy, no matter the Heartache and no

matter the pain, God had already foreseen the event and he

had already made provision strengths peace to guide us

through trying times. God had also how he will use god

had also determined use that experience to achieve our

ultimate good and make us more Christlike.

It might not make sense to us at the time, we might

question and ask, "where is God?", we might wonder if He

is aware of the pain and the suffering that we are going

through might even his love for us. What you see God is


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not a man that he should lie, He saw all the days of our

lives even before we were born, and he assures us he starts

for us that his thoughts towards us how of peace and not

evil. He Loves us so much that even says each and every

hair on our head is numbered.

Nothing happening in your life right

now catches God by surprise.

Therefore if God already knows every possible event and

experience that will occur in our lives even before we were

formed or conceived, and if his thoughts towards us a good,

and if he cares so much for us that every hair on all head is

numbered (Luke 12, verse 7), then he's intention and

purpose for creating every man and woman on this planet is

good.

Whether we come to see God’s intention fulfilled in our

lives and especially in eternity all depends on our response

to Jesus, His Son, in this world.

Today, we have the opportunity. Tomorrow we might not.

PAGE 95

POINT OF

DECISION

“

Whoever believes in him is not

condemned, but whoever does not

believe stands condemned already


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“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only

Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have

eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to

condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever

does not believe stands condemned already because they

have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”,

John 3:16-18

There is a decision every human being must make before

they leave this world – to either be reconciled with God or

to reject Him, to trust in Jesus Christ for the salvation of

their soul or to reject it.

That decision in this life ultimately determines the eternal

destiny of our souls in the next - either spend eternity

(forever) with God in Heaven or spend eternity separated

from Him - Why? Because God simply carries through all

eternity our decision towards Him in this current life.

It’s an uncomfortable truth, but it’s the truth, nonetheless.

You see at the very heart of every human being is the

PAGE 97

problem of sin. Sin is rebellion against God, it is breaking

God’s laws, it is going our own way thinking we know

better and refusing to submit to God, our creator. No

matter how “good or moral” we may think we are, we all

sin. Not a single human being that has ever lived, currently

alive or will ever live is without sin and the Bible makes

this clear when it states in Romans 3:23 that, “for all have

sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

And unless something is done about our sin problem, our

sin automatically places us under the judgement of a holy

and righteous God. The Bible tells us that “the wages of sin

is death”, Romans 6:23 and this does not refer to physical

death but spiritual death - which is the separation of the

soul from God for all eternity.

Our sin separates us from God not only in this life but in

the next life as well, when our soul departs this world. - as

the Bible states, “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will

not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:

Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers

nor men who have sex with men, nor thieves nor the

greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will

inherit the kingdom of God”, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.


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If today were your last, what would be the destiny of your

soul if you had to stand before God?

However, God in His infinite love does not desire that

anyone perish, no matter the sin they might have

committed and no matter how far they may have gone. The

Bible confirms this in Ezekiel 18:32 when God says, “For I

take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the

Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!”.

God promises that if we repent of our ways and turn to

Him, He will show mercy and freely pardon – “Let the

wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their

thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy

on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon”, Isaiah

55:7

Motivated by love, God has no desire whatsoever that we

be separated from Him for all eternity because of our sin;

and as the ultimate show of this love, He gave His one and

only Son, Jesus Christ to die upon the cross for us, so that

ultimately our souls will be saved. Jesus Christ lived a

completely sinless life and gave up His life for us, who are

sinful, so that we may be reconciled back to God. As the

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Bible states, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for

us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of

God”, 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Upon that cross, Jesus, took upon Himself the sin of every

human being and in turn offers them His righteousness.

Instead of a separation from God because of our sin, Jesus

offers everyone a right standing with God and a

reconciliation back to Him. Instead of the guilt and

judgement for our sins, Jesus offers us full and complete

pardon. Instead of the emptiness, bondage and

hopelessness this world offers, Jesus offers us peace

beyond understanding, strength to stand and a hope beyond

this world. Instead of an eternity in Hell separated from

God, Jesus offers us the gift of eternal life in Heaven.

This is Salvation and it is offered to you absolutely free.

We did nothing to deserve salvation. It was motivated

purely by God’s indescribable love for every one of us.

The Bible calls salvation an act of God’s grace. The word

“grace” means gift. Salvation from our sins is freely

provided by a God who loves us despite our sinfulness.

You see, God does not hate the sinner, but He will not


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tolerate sin.

Why?

Because He is absolutely Holy, completely righteous and sin

is diametrically opposite to His nature - as the Bible states,

“God is light; in him there is no darkness at all”, 1 John 1:5

The salvation of your soul, reconciliation back to God,

pardon for your sins and the free gift of eternal life can only

be attained through Jesus Christ alone. There is no other

way, no other religion, not our good deeds, not our morality,

and not our character; and in the words of Jesus, “I am the

way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father

except through me”, John 14:6.

The Bible makes it absolutely clear that Jesus Christ alone is

the only way to salvation when it states in Acts 4:12, that

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name

under heaven given to mankind by which we must be

saved.”

This free gift of eternal life that God offers can only be

received by those who repent of their sins and receive Christ

PAGE 101

as the Saviour of their souls and the King over their lives.

If today were your last, what would be the destiny of your

soul if you had to stand before God?

Dear Friend, Salvation is available to you and it is free -

this is the Good News!

God did not send Jesus, His only Son into the world to

condemn You and me. He sent Him into the world so that

You and I can be saved. So that we can obtain full pardon

for our guilt of sin. He sent Jesus into the world because

He loves us.

He sent Jesus into the world so that we can be set free from

the power of sin over our lives. He sent Jesus into the

world so that no one would suffer the unspeakable fate of

an eternity in Hell, but instead, experience the everlasting

joy of spending all eternity with God.

No matter how far you have drifted from God, no matter

what you have done, and no matter how lost you may feel,

Jesus beckons to you in complete love, to come to Him. In

His own words, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to

save the lost”, Luke 19:10.


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He wants you to come us you are, not when you’re perfect

and have it all figured out, but as you are. He will not only

transform your life and give you peace, but He will also

save your soul and give you a hope for all eternity that

nothing and no one else can give. As the Bible boldly

declares, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be

saved”, Acts 16:31.

Before every human being lies two choices – accept the

salvation of their soul through Jesus Christ or reject it.

However, you can be confident of this - our choice in this

life will determine our destiny in the next life. As the Bible

states in John 3:18, “Whoever believes in him is not

condemned, but whoever does not believe stands

condemned already because they have not believed in the

name of God’s one and only Son”.

Here is the bottom line – if your soul is not saved in this

world, it will be lost in the next. If you reject God’s love

through His Son in this world, then you will have to face

His wrath in the next. If you do not know Christ as Saviour

in this world, then you will stand before Him as Judge in

the next - “For we must all appear before the judgment seat

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of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for

the things done while in the body, whether good or bad”, 2

Corinthians 5:10

Dear Friend, we cannot undo in eternity a decision we

made while we were in this world. Today, you have the

opportunity to make a choice that will determine your

eternal destiny. Tomorrow, you might not have that

opportunity. There are also two undeniable facts – death is

certain, and eternity is forever, and “forever”, is long time

to pay the price for making the wrong decision.

Nothing in this world is as valuable as your soul – not

money, not success, not fame, not ambition, not material

things. Absolutely Nothing! In Jesus Christ’s very own

words, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole

world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in

exchange for their soul?”, Mark 8:36-37. The soul of a

single human being is more valuable than all the wealth

and success of the whole world combined. That is the

value that God places upon your soul and that is why

Jesus, His Son, had to die, so that your soul may be saved

– an act motivated by God’s unfathomable love for us.


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If you desire to have this certainty of salvation, you can

receive Jesus Christ right now by expressing your faith

through a prayer like this: Lord Jesus, I confess that I

am a sinner and cannot save myself. With all my

heart I believe you died on the cross for my sins and

giving me the gift of eternal life. Come into my life,

Lord Jesus, and be my Saviour. Amen.

Repent of your sins, turn to Jesus Christ and accept Him

as the Saviour of your soul. Trust in Him to transform

you and submit to Him as King over your life.

Remember, it is not God's desire that anyone perish but

that all would come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9.Today

you have the opportunity to make the right decision,

tomorrow you might not.

PAGE 105

next

STEPS


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Welcome to the Family!

If you’ve recently accepted Jesus Christ gift of salvation

and accepted Him as Savior and Lord over your life,

you're probably wondering now what? What next?

If you’ve recently given your life to Christ, firstly

congratulations and welcome to the family! You’ve

made what is the most important decision of your life

because that decision determines what happens to

your soul for eternity. You are now a new person in

Christ, new identity, new beginning, and a fresh start! So

with all sincerity, congratulations and welcome to the

Family and Body of Christ! So the question is, “What

Next”?

Read Your Bible

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine

and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built

his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the

streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that

house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation

on the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25

PAGE 107

The Bible is the inspired and infallible word of God,

inspired by the Holy Spirit Himself and it is God’s

intention that we make the scriptures an integral part of

our lives. As a Christian it is important that spend time

reading and meditating over God’s word, regularly. The

scriptures contain all that we need to know about God,

His love, His grace, His plan and purpose for our lives

and how we can live a life that pleases and honours

Him.

The success of your Christian walk is largely dependent

on how much of God’s word you not only get into your

mind but how much of it you get into your heart

through meditation and the extent to which you are

obedient to the teachings and principles contained in

the Bible. Remember, its never about how much of the

Bible you get through, but how much of the Bible gets

through you.

If you are to develop an ever-closer relationship with

Jesus, remain spiritually strong, be the light of Christ to

those around you, then you must read your Bible

regularly. Ephesians 6:17 refers to the word of God as

the “sword of the spirit” - “Take the helmet of salvation

and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”

and if you are to withstand the trials and temptations


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that will come your way and remain firm in your faith,

then you must regularly meditate over the scriptures.

Always read the Bible with reverence. Read it

understanding that it is God Himself speaking to you

and as you read it, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you,

reveal what God is saying to you and give you the

strength to not merely read the words but obey the

words. A great place to start reading the Bible is the

Gospel of John or any of the other gospels as they give

great insight into who Jesus was, His deity, what He

taught and how He achieved our salvation. Its also a

great idea to use a reading plan (which are available on

the internet) to help you read the bible consistently and

daily.

Pray Without Ceasing

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed”.

Luke 5:16

Prayer is God’s own way for us to speak to Him, relate

our concerns to Him, voice our requests, thank Him for

His provision, give Him glory and also an opportunity to

hear from God. It is through prayer that God gives us

PAGE 109

deeper spiritual knowledge and understanding.

As a Christian, Christ is not only our Saviour and King

but must become the very example and template that

we fashion our own lives after. The Bible tells us in Luke

Chapter 5 that Jesus would very often withdraw to

lonely places and pray, and this was because He

understood the power of prayer and how it is during our

quiet times of prayer we are drawn closer to God.

The disciples also witnessed the profound power of

prayer in the life and ministry of Jesus and how Christ

would very often spend time in prayer communing with

His heavenly Father. If the Son of God took the time to

pray and often spend time in God’s presence, then

surely so must we if we are to follow His example and

experience the power of God in our lives.

The Bible also instructs to pray continually without

ceasing and that we must “watch and pray” because

even though our spirit is willing and desires to please

God, we will still face trials and temptations. As the

saying goes, “A prayerless Christian is a powerless

Christian”, so not only must we pray but we must pray

continuously, without ceasing and when we pray do so

with a pure and sincere heart and always ask in faith.


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Praying with other believers is also important, because

Christ reminds us that where two or three are gathered

in His name, there is He also.

Be Part of A Christ-Centred Church

An important building block for our spiritual growth is

spending time with other Christians. One of the best

ways of fellowshipping with fellow believers is by

joining a local church and playing an active role in that

church. A good church takes the word of God as the

final authority and keeps its members spiritually active

and fed from the meat of God’s word.

The church should always provide you the truth of

God’s word, create an environment where you can

worship and glorify God with others Christians, offer an

environment where fellow believers become a Family

that pray, support and encourage one another, create

opportunities to use your talent to advance God’s

kingdom and edify the body of Christ and also keep

you accountable to Church leadership and fellow

believers on your spiritual journey.

Hebrews 10:25 encourages us, “Not giving up meeting

PAGE 111

together, as some are in the habit of doing, but

encouraging one another—and all the more as you see

the Day approaching.” The Christian journey is not one

that can be walked alone, and we will need the

support, encouragement and prayers of other believers

as we embark upon this journey. Equally importantly,

other believers will also need our prayers and support

too.

Look for the type of church that encourages fellowship

with other believers in such a way that it sharpens your

own discernment, strengthens your walk with Christ

and equips and prepares you for Christ’s return. Look

for a church where the truth of God’s word is preached

and not the wisdom of man.

Look for a church where the message is preached in

love and without compromise but convicts you and

challenges you to look within yourself and desire to

walk closer to God. Also ensure that you play an active

role in your church, find out which ministries are

available, choose a ministry to serve in and support

others.


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Live In Obedience

The true evidence of a changed heart is a changed life.

Evidence of a true commitment to Christ is a life that is

obedient to His teaching, His commands and a life that

is completely submitted to His will. Charles Spurgeon,

the great British preacher also known as the ‘prince of

preachers’ once said, “Of what value is the grace I

profess to receive if it does not dramatically change the

way I live? If it doesn’t change the way I live, it will never

change my eternal destiny.”

Christ reminds us not to be merely ‘hearers of the word’

but ‘doers of the word’ and in John 14:15 tells us that if

we truly love Him, then we will obey His

commandments. Living in obedience to God means

that once we submit to Christ and He becomes our

Saviour and Lord, then we will have to give up certain

things, sinful habits, put an end to certain behaviours in

our lives and begin living in a way that glorifies and

pleases Him.

But always remember that whatever we might give up

to follow and please Christ, will always pale in

comparison to what Christ gives us in return. Paul was

so assured of this fact that He said in Philippians 3: 8,

PAGE 113

“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of

the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,

for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them

garbage, that I may gain Christ.” Paul was not only

willing to obey Christ, He was willing to give up

everything for Jesus and everything else compared to

Christ, was a loss to Him.

Live in obedience to God by recognising that you are a

new creature in Christ, “This means that anyone who

belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old

life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17,

commit to persevering and running your Christian race

to the very end so that you may receive your crown of

glory, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners

run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way

as to take the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24;

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you if there is anything in

your life that may come between you and God and

once it is revealed to you, ask the Holy Spirit to give you

the strength and the courage to act in obedience; study

the Bible, meditate over it, and let the thoughts of God

and the words of the scripture dominate your mind and

thoughts – because what we think about the most

ultimately affect our behaviours.


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Resist Temptation

The minute you become a follower of Jesus, you need

to understand that spiritual battle will be levelled

against you and even though we know how it all ends,

Jesus wins, the battles, trials and temptation you will

face will be real! Satan will attempt to tempt you and

derail your walk with Christ. He will try to tempt you to

disobey God’s word and ultimately draw you away

from Christ.

In Ephesians 6: 12, Paul warns us as followers of Christ

to be aware of the real nature of our enemy and the

nature of the battle we will face as believers,” For we

are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but

against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world,

against mighty powers in this dark world, and against

evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

However, he also reminds us that even though we

face a powerful enemy, our enemy is nothing

compared to the mighty God we serve. Not only are

we victorious to Jesus Christ but in 2 Corinthians 10:4,

Paul reminds believers that “the weapons of our

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warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to

the pulling down of strong holds.”

While the enemy will tempt us, sometimes to go

back to our old ways and old habits, we must

remember that being tempted is not a sin. Even

Jesus was tempted as described in Luke 4, 1-13, yet

He overcame the enemy. It is only when we give into

the temptation that we sin.

When faced with temptation, we must realise that it

is the enemy that is tempting us in order to draw us

away from God; When tempted to sin, we must

resist the enemy and follow Jesus’ example in Luke

chapter 4 – when He was tempted by the devil, He

often responded by first saying, “it is written…”. Jesus

overcame the enemy by basing His response and

reaction on the word of God.

So reading and meditating on scripture is absolutely

vital to fighting the attacks and temptations of the

enemy and this is why the word of God is known as

the sword of the spirit; also when faced with

temptation, we must remember that victory is ours

by faith because God will not allow us to face a

temptation beyond what we can bear and that he


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will make a way out, as 1 Corinthians 10:13 encourages

us, “And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted

beyond what you can bear. But when you are

tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you

can endure it.” And as God encouraged King

Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:15 that the battle is not

Jehoshaphat’s to fight but God’s battle to fight,

He reminds everyone who puts their faith in Christ and

trust in Him when we face trials and temptations, “This

is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or

discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle

is not yours, but God's.”

Live By the Power of the Holy Spirit

The moment you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord

and Saviour, He gave you the gift of the Holy Spirit.

God knows that by our own strength we could never

live in a way that pleases Him and that is why Christ

gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit the moment we

submit to Him as Saviour and King and we trust in Him

for our salvation.

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It is only through the Holy Spirit can we have the

power to live a life that pleases God, be obedient to

God’s word, overcome sin, become bold witnesses

for Jesus Christ, and reflect the essence of Christ to

those around us. “But you will receive power when

the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my

witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and

Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says

the LORD Almighty.” Zechariah 4:6. If we make the

mistake of depending on ourselves or our will power

and not on the power of the Holy Spirit at every step

and stage of our walk with Christ, we will soon fall

and fail.

But through the Spirit of Christ working in us and

through us, we become more than conquerors. Not

that we will not face battles, but the Holy Spirit will

strengthen us, inspire us and see us through and

above all give us the power to live for Christ boldly

and unashamedly.

Living a life that is pleasing to God also means that

the primary purpose and agenda in our lives must

become Christ and not us. We must build every


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aspect of our lives around Jesus, and not fit Jesus into

our lives when and where it is convenient. We must

seek God’s will first and foremost in in every decision

and ask Him to give us the courage to submit to His

when He does reveal His will and purpose to us.

Living a life that is pleasing to God comes down to

reading the Bible and living in obedience to God’s

word, spending time in prayer in God’s presence to

not only speak to Him but to also hear from Him and

ultimately living by faith and trusting in Him

completely in the good and bad times and in every

aspect of our lives.

Share Your Faith

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out

to fish for people." Matthew 4:19

We see in the book of Matthew that when Jesus first

called the disciples, one of the first things he said to

them was that He would show them ‘fishers of men’,

i.e how through the sharing of the gospel, the lost

might be saved and brought back from the Kingdom

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of darkness into God’s Kingdom.

Christ came to save the lost and He wants us to do

the very same by sharing our faith and be the type of

disciples that make disciples.

He wants us to proclaim unashamedly the good

news of the gospel with a world that so desperately

needs by sharing the salvation, the redemption and

hope that Christ alone offers.

In fact, so important was the mission and objective of

saving the lost and that it was the final command

that Christ gave His disciples as the ascended into

heaven. “Go therefore and make disciples of all

nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them

to observe all that I have commanded you. And

behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20

Christ’s command to go out into the world to share

the gospel and make disciples was not a suggestion

or recommendation, it was a command, a nonnegotiable

command. Jesus expects us to boldly

share the gospel with the world.


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He expects us to courageously stand for Him in a

broken world and to declare Him and Him alone as

the only way to the Father, the only truth and the only

source of life. He expects us to become disciples, take

up our cross and follow Him and also become

disciples knowing fully well that part of our “job

description” (for lack of a better term) is to make

disciples for Him.

The good news is that we need not rely on our own

strength or ability to share our faith – all that is

required is a willingness to do so and the Holy Spirit

will supply the courage, the wisdom and the boldness

to speak and share when the time comes.

You don’t need special training to share your faith. All

you need is a simple understanding of the gospel, a

willingness and a desire to see others saved, be open

to the leading of the Holy Spirit and complete reliance

on the Holy Spirit to give you boldness and courage to

share, when the time comes.

Till we come face to face with our Saviour and King, let

the words of Apostle Paul be a source of constant

encouragement to you on your daily walk with Jesus

Christ, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished

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the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store

for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord,

the righteous Judge, will award to me on that

day—and not only to me, but also to all who have

longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8


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