Blog

Speak the Word

September 6, 2017 by Yemisi Vese 1 Comment

“So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ’ ” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.” Ezekiel 37:7-10

Ezekiel went further to prophesy in obedience to the voice of God.

What has God been telling you to speak and pray His Word over? Why haven’t you done it? The Word of God is the will of God for us. His promises in the Word are for our lives and whenever we pray the word over our circumstances, our faith grows and we get our answers.

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” I John 5:14-15

The Hebrew word for “Breath” in this verse is ruach, which means “air in motion” and is used to refer to the Holy Spirit throughout the Old Testament. The same word was for Spirit of God even from Genesis 1. When we speak the Word of God over our circumstances, the Holy Spirit swings into action and there is a shaking and those dead circumstances come to life!

Are you activating the power of the Spirit over your life and circumstances? Or are you speaking death?

I challenge you today to only pray scripture over your circumstances for the next month and also pray in the Spirit to activate the work of God over your circumstances. Watch and see as the Spirit of God turns things around for your good.

Child of God, Prophesy!

September 4, 2017 by Yemisi Vese 2 Comments

“The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.”’” Ezekiel 37:1-6

What are you saying over your circumstances? The Word of the Lord or your word of unbelief?

In the passage, Ezekiel left it to God by saying “O Lord GOD, You know.” That was not a statement of faith but a statement of unbelief! Don’t we all do the same today? Negative circumstances face us and we say things like “If God wills it”, “God is in control now” and we NEVER do anything about it except cry and wallow in self-pity! We think we are being godly when we talk like that but it is actually unbelief!

If you were absolutely convinced that when you decree, it will happen, I am certain you will not leave it to God! You will speak life to that circumstance and expect a turnaround without question. Could it be because of your unbelief that you are not speaking the Word?

My message to you today is this:

Begin to speak the Word of God from your lips.

Do not speak out the dead hopes and unbelief from your mouth any longer.

Speak the truth of God’s Word in power over your life!

Prophesy the goodness of God over the dryness of your life!

My marriage broke me….for Jesus!

August 8, 2017 by Yemisi Vese 7 Comments

My wedding day was such a beautiful day! I saw everything that day through a beautiful lens and there were no shadows or clouds over it. My husband and I had a small civil ceremony with just our family and closest friends. I had met my husband at the leading of the Holy Spirit and I thought all would go perfectly for the rest of our days just because God brought me to my marriage. I was so wrong.

Barely a month into my marriage, the battles started. It began with a misunderstanding regarding a loan I had taken before the wedding and spiraled out of control. The issues started overlapping at that point until it reached a climax about a year and a half into our marriage. I felt like I was in a whirlpool that I could not crawl out of regardless of what I did. We quarreled about everything and anything, name it, we argued about it. The tension in my home was so thick most of the time, you could cut it with a knife. Truly, the devil always fights us even when you are in the middle of God’s will for you. He is a defeated foe who never stops trying to get us to miss our way.

For those difficult years, I thought my husband was the enemy and I fought him that way while expecting him to change. Well, he never did change because he was just like me, fallible and prone to mistakes. What made us cross from pain to joy? From a marriage filled with tears to laughter? It did not happen by me continuing to fight the way I knew how, I learnt to fight the way God ordained us to.

““Stop your fighting — and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”” Psalms 46:10 (HCSB)

I cried to God and asked for His help. My marriage was crumbling around me and I had no idea how to save it. My journey began with God revealing who He is to me. Let me share this with you:

God is good, always – He taught me and showed me His goodness. I started studying about this from the Word and found a lot of bible verses. He then took me through a journey through the seasons of my life in the past that He had revealed His goodness to me. He then sent people to me to remind me of Himself and also to counsel me in the right path. God is always good!

“The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.” Psalms 145:9 (NLT)

I understood that God makes all my circumstances work together for good and even all the disappointments I was having in my marriage would all work out for good. I can tell you now that all has worked out for my good!

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28

God is love – His love for me overwhelmed me during this time. In all our issues and constant fight, while licking my wounds from the arguments, I would feel His love for me like a presence. He would send words of encouragement through friends to me at just the right time. He saw the cry of my heart and answered with His love. I was not getting a lot of love from my husband but God started showing me His love.

These revelations changed the trajectory of my life completely. I just knew then that the atmosphere in my marriage was not God’s original plan and I needed to fight it God’s way. Constant bickering and pain was clearly from our flesh and from demonic voices intent on destroying the work God has planned for our marriage.

What is God’s way? Learning to rest and trust in Him to bring His good plans for me and my marriage to pass. My next question to God was, how do I learn to trust? How can I rest? How can I possibly win with not doing anything at all? (that was how I understood it).

I share more on resting in God here and here

God led me through the following steps after I learnt to understand His nature of love and goodness:

Listening for and following the leading of the Holy Spirit – I started cultivating the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life and listening for His voice. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27 (NKJV)
Doing the hard things, loving my husband through all the pain(even when i did not feel like) – I just learnt the language of love according to the Word of God and lived it by the Holy Spirit. I remember showing him love in response to unkindness just because the Holy Spirit reminded me of my pledge to obey and do whatever the Word says. Having to cook dinner for my husband on days when all I wanted to do was to pour the food on his head or having to go kiss him after terrible arguments. I did a lot of this with tears in my eyes but I learnt obedience in those things.

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 1 Corinthians 13:7

Holding on to the promise of God regarding prayer – “I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” Mark 11:24 (NLT)

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”Philippians 4:6-7

Taking authority over the devil and taking negative thoughts captive concerning my marriage – The day I realised that the devil’s plan was to keep me and my husband in constant arguments that will prevent us from seeing and acting on God’s purpose for my life, I got mad! Really mad like the character of Priscilla Shirer in The War Room movie. Trust me, I stood on the Word and told the devil where to go!

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19 (NKJV)

I silenced every negative thought concerning my marriage and took it captive for Jesus!

Click To Tweet

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” II Corinthians 10:4-5

Replaced negative thoughts with the promises of God and positive confessions. “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8

As I practised these things over time, I started changing. I responded to arguments with a smile, a kiss and my husband’s favourite meal. My tears dried up and joy was the language of my soul. What had I done? I invited God’s presence into my family and this brought with it joy and peace.

I invited God’s presence into my family and this brought with it joy and peace.

Click To Tweet

My story became what the Psalmist said:

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalms 16:11 (NKJV)

I live a life of deep love and joy in my marriage today and it is all because the Holy Spirit led me through the journey I have listed above. He led me to set aside my wishes and desires for His direction and love; the fruits of that obedience is what I am enjoying today! My home is so full of love and joy, it is unreal. An important point to remember is that the steps listed are a continuous thing and you should never rest on your oars. I am certain you would experience victory like I have!

Are you struggling with strife in any area of your life? Are you tired of constant bickering in your marriage without an end in sight? Have you found peace and joy in your marriage? I would love to hear your story! Please share in the comments below or contact me here.

God is a safe place to be – Psalm 121

August 3, 2017 by Yemisi Vese 3 Comments

“I look up to the mountains—

does my help come from there? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!”

Psalms 121:1-2 (NLT)

In these times we currently live in, we have developed so many self-help coping mechanisms all in a bid to get us to depend on our own strengths and mind. Every day, I see quotes all showing us that the “power” is in our own selves and how powerful our minds are. We are told to use our minds to achieve whatever it is that we want! Alarmingly, this is also being peddled as some form of the “gospel” to Christians and we buy it hook, line and sinker. We have created our own mountains where we seek for help and have neglected our true Helper, God.

The Holy Spirit has taught me differently, let me share with you:

“”GOD, the Master, The Holy of Israel, has this solemn counsel:

“Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.

Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me—

The very thing you’ve been unwilling to do. Isaiah 30:15 (MSG)

Psalm 121 talks about God being the source of all our help. The Christian pilgrim has been deceived into believing that they are enough in their own strength. We have been deceived into believing that we do not need to rest in God but to constantly be on the move to help ourselves. We have become like the children of Israel in the wilderness, seeking for the continuous activity that slavery in Egypt brought because of the meagre portions we got as a reward and we have chosen not to lean on the God who made heaven and earth. The One who has promised us help if we learn to rest in Him.

I recall doing life my own way for many years. Worrying, striving and constantly on the move. God was kept on the back burner of my mind and I felt that as long as I prayed when I was meant to and studied my devotionals as instructed, all would be ok with me. I was so wrong! My constant movement did not achieve anything except continuous cycles of depression and disappointment. I will let you in on the secret to my success as a believer: God is my Source 100%. I can do nothing on my own and frankly, I don’t even try to. Jesus did nothing on the earth without His Father, you should imitate Him.

“Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” John 5:19 (NKJV)

““I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 (NKJV)

Once you have learnt to make God your source and your place of refuge, He would send resources your way to help you every day of your life. I will close today with another Psalm reinforcing this:

“God, the one and only—I’ll wait as long as He says.

Everything I hope for comes from Him, so why not?

He’s solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, An impregnable castle:

I’m set for life.

My help and glory are in God—granite-strength and safe-harbour-God—

So trust Him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for Him.

God is a safe place to be.

Psalm 62:5-8 (MSG)

A prayer of distress – Psalm 120

August 2, 2017 by Yemisi Vese 1 Comment

Today, we continue our study of the first song of ascents, Psalm 120. If you missed yesterday’s topic, you can find it here.

1-2 I’m in trouble. I cry to God, desperate for an answer: “Deliver me from the liars, God! They smile so sweetly but lie through their teeth.”
3-4 Do you know what’s next, can you see what’s coming, all you barefaced liars? Pointed arrows and burning coals will be your reward.
5-7 I’m doomed to live in Meshech, cursed with a home in Kedar,
My whole life lived camping among quarreling neighbors.
I’m all for peace, but the minute I tell them so; they go to war!
Psalm 120:1-7 (MSG)

The pilgrim here is crying out to God to be saved and goes on to describe the circumstances of his life:

Asking for deliverance from the lies all around. (Verses 1-2). We live in a world that seeks to subvert the truth of God’s Word constantly. The devil keeps feeding our minds with the lies that this world is soaked with as he is the god of this world and is always trying to prevent the truth of the gospel to shine into the hearts of people.
“whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” II Corinthians 4:4

Today, cry out in prayer that the lies of the enemy would have no place in your life and only the truth of God’s Word will be found in your life and that of your family. Believe that the truth of God

• The judgement on the lies that are being propagated in the world (verses 3-4). The devil is the Father of lies (John 8:44) and the Bible has foretold the judgement on him (Revelation 20:10). Partaking in the lies of this enemy results in the pilgrim not living in the fullness of the truth of the Bible on this. The Christian needs to avoid joining deceitfulness of the enemy as this results in us not accessing the full promises of God (as captured in the truth of His Word) concerning our own lives. Believe God at His Word and do not allow the deceitfulness of the world take away your knowledge of His goodness. The truth of God’s Word can never birth the lies of the enemy in your life, allow the Holy Spirit teach you.

“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of (comes from) the truth.” I John 2:20-21 (emphasis mine)

• Dissatisfaction with living in the midst of evil people (verses 5-7). On this earth, we live among unbelievers and people living in darkness. The pilgrim here is talking about living among the pagans and the pain of it. The people live contrary to the will of God. This is the world we find ourselves in today. Where we are constantly pressured to be politically correct and not recognize sin for what it is! The world expects us as believers not only to be permissive of the sinful acts of the world but conformity is expected.

My challenge to you is that despite the evil you see all around you, remember that you carry the Holy Spirit on the inside of you and you are to shine as light in the world. Also, the Word of God has given us a promise and an instruction concerning the darkness we currently live in:

“For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the LORD will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.” Isaiah 60:2

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light”
Ephesians 5:8

Resolve to turn away from the darkness that covers the whole earth. Repent from being an active participant in the darkness of this world and turn fully to the light of God’s Word.

Psalm 120 – Distress call of the pilgrim

August 1, 2017 by Yemisi Vese 1 Comment

We are starting a study today on the song of ascents, this is the name for a collection of psalms (Psalm 120 – 134) in the Bible. The psalms are reported to be songs by the Hebrew pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem for the annual feasts. The Psalms are deep with meaning and would richly bless us.
Today, we would be studying Psalm 120:
1-2 I’m in trouble. I cry to God, desperate for an answer: “Deliver me from the liars, God! They smile so sweetly but lie through their teeth.”
3-4 Do you know what’s next, can you see what’s coming, all you barefaced liars? Pointed arrows and burning coals will be your reward.
5-7 I’m doomed to live in Meshech, cursed with a home in Kedar,
My whole life lived camping among quarreling neighbors.
I’m all for peace, but the minute I tell them so; they go to war!
Psalm 120:1-7 (MSG)

This Psalm is a cry for help for the Christian pilgrim stuck in this world of lies. It tells the story of how we are living in a generation that causes us anguish and deep distress. This Psalm shows when the Christian pilgrim comes to an understanding that he is surrounded by the lies of the enemy and lives in a world full of lies. The Bible has this to say about lies:

“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” John 8:44

I have come to understand that anything in our world and our lives that is not reflecting the truth of God’s Word is there by a lie of the devil.

Are you constantly sick instead of living in the reality of divine health as promised in the Bible? The devil is perpetuating the lie of sickness into your life. Reject it and dwell in the truth (Exodus 23:25, 1 Peter 2:24). Are you going through a season of unfruitfulness in your life with nothing to show for all your efforts? It could be in marriage or career or even your spiritual life. Focus on the truth of His Word and command your fruitfulness. (Genesis 1:28).

Whatever it is that is causing you not to live in the fullness of the truth in this world is being influenced by the lie of the enemy and is holding you in bondage. Look to the truth of God’s Word, pray it and watch your freedom come!

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.””
John 8:32

Bible Study Wednesday – The Abundant Life

July 12, 2017 by Yemisi Vese Leave a Comment

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

John 10:10

Many of you might have heard this verse in relation to material wealth and maybe for protection. That is a really small part of the verse and does not do it justice at all. This verse stands as one of my life verses along with Romans 8:32 and Psalm 91:10. It is a verse that I heard first as a child of about 9 years old and it just never left me. I have pondered for years what abundant life really meant because I refused to accept it was just about material things.

Jesus could not have come all the way just for us to have money, after all, even unbelievers have material things. I now understand what that verse is really about and I can tell you, money is way down the list. Let’s dig in and learn:

The word ‘abundantly’ used in this verse is the same used in the verse, Ephesians 3:20 and it means superabundant, superior in quality, excessive, over and above, more than is necessary.

This means that there is no limit to what we can get from God according to His promises. It means we have far more in Him than we could ever need or even think of asking.

There is no limit to what we can get from God according to His promises

Click To Tweet

The word ‘life’ used here is Zoe, the life of God! This word is used in several other places in the Bible, let’s look at some for better understanding:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16

“For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,” John 5:26

The life of God is the eternal life Jesus came to give us.

The life that God Himself carries.

The same life Jesus had on His inside while on earth as a human being.

The life that is never-ending and eternal.

Abundant life is simply a life without limitations.

Abundant life is simply a life without limitations.

Click To Tweet

For me, this blew my mind! I have the same life Jesus had and I even have it excessively and abundantly without any limits. It makes me want to break out in tongues. Powerful!

Receiving this life at salvation is the most amazing thing to happen to a person.

For too long, we have focused on the human kind of life we have. We have focused on the actions we take rather than who we have been made to be at salvation. Instead of focusing on a relationship with the Giver of the life for us to shine brighter, we have focused on our acts/behaviour to the exclusion of Him.

Let us look at some truths about abundant life:

Darkness cannot overcome it – This life is what is referred to in John 1:4-5 as the light of men, that darkness cannot overcome. That light is the life of God in us that the devil and the world cannot overcome.
Eternal life starts on this earth – The Bible used this life in all the places eternal life is mentioned. The life of God is evident in our lives from this earth and we are carriers of eternal life even in our mortal bodies. As Jesus is, so are we in this world. John 17:2-3. Romans 8:10. John 5:24. 1 John 4:17
Found only in Jesus – Jesus is not an option of many, He is the only source of the life of God. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6. Another verse that explains this is John 5:26
It is a gift – We only get this life as a gift from God. You do not deserve it and neither can you earn it. Romans 6:23

The next question is, why then do we have so many limited and subpar lives among born-again Christians? Let us look at it from the Bible in the following stages:

First, it is established that we were dead in our sins and Jesus gave us life for it.

“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)” Romans 5:17

Jesus died to give us life for our sins

Click To Tweet

Secondly, the life of Jesus can be made manifest in our human body.

“always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” 2 Corinthians 4:10-11

We carry the life of Jesus even in our bodies

Click To Tweet

Thirdly, we are to walk in the light of this life. Light is for direction and it shows us the way. We walk in light to see and do everything we need to do.

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:4

We are to walk in the light of the life of God

Click To Tweet

We have missed it clearly as most of us stop at the first point. We have only exchanged the death of our sins for God’s life and left it at that, this life is not manifested in our flesh and neither do we walk by the light of that life.

This is because we do not have the knowledge of this light. Many of us do not know the depth of God’s promises for us and you really cannot act on what you don’t know.

I resigned from a job once and did not realise that I still had unpaid tax refund. I lived my life in complete ignorance of that until a day I received a bank notification of a credit into my account. While balancing the books, I was paid my entitlement. Did I know about it? No. Did that make me any less entitled to the money? No, I was still fully entitled to it. I could not plan my life with the money either because I had no idea what was available to me. This is how a lot of us believers live our lives, without knowledge of the provisions available to us in Christ.

We would study more next week on this topic and find out what is available for us as carriers of God’s life on this earth!

Please comment below and share this post with friends!

Rest in Him

July 10, 2017 by Yemisi Vese 12 Comments

I know some of us are struggling with the fact that no matter what we do, life just seems to never work like we planned. You have tried everything and the struggle just never ends. God is calling you to rest in His promises.

“For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel:

“In returning and rest you shall be saved;

In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”

But you would not,” Isaiah 30:15

God is telling us that we need to return to Him to be saved.

We need to be quiet and have confidence in Him for strength to face life.

All the worrying and hassling you have been doing to solve all your problems alone, how well has it worked out for you?

I have gone through a lot in my life and I spent literally years trying to figure things out. I started getting answers when I learnt to just relax in my God. I learnt to just believe His Word. It really is that simple!

How can you do this? Rest in Him? See the verse below:

Instead of worrying, pray.

Instead of being afraid, thank Him.

Instead of struggling, tell Him your requests.

That is when you have the peace that no one else understands. People would wonder why you are so calm. The answer is simple; your peace comes from how big your God is and has nothing to do with the circumstances around you!

Please comment below if you would like to understand better and I will respond better!

God bless you