Machaira With Apostle Bennie

Tag: influence

  • EPISODE 540 – GOD GIVES GRACE 2

    EPISODE 540 – GOD GIVES GRACE 2

    CHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY

    The Love-Life Agency

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    Tuesday, 16th July, 2024
     

    GOD GIVES GRACE 2

    “But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 

    James 4:6 (Berean Standard Bible)

    The Grace of God is mostly known as unmerited favor. It is the quality of God or a divine inclination by which He dispenses His gift of eternal life. It is the gift of God unto salvation.

    “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” Romans 3:23-24 (NLT)

    As a born again, you are saved by the grace of God through faith (Ephesians 2:8).

    You are saved not because you worked for it. You are saved because the Grace of God is an undeserving favor.

    However, this is not all there is concerning the grace of God.

    The Grace which God gives is also an inward ability or influence and power.

    “And God is able to make every grace abound to you, so that in everything at every time having every sufficiency, you may have an abundance for every good deed” 2 Corinthians 9:8 (Legacy Standard Bible)

    The Grace of God mentioned in 2 Corinthians 9:8, is not the unmerited favor which just produces salvation, but a divine influence or ability which will cause you to have the capacity to accomplish every task.

    When you see someone consistently achieving great results in everything and at every time, you must recognize that there is sufficient abounding grace.

    What makes people accomplish extraordinary tasks, is this dimension of grace.

    By God’s operational system, He imparts men with grace, and by that impartation of grace, they attract all that is needed to do great deeds. This grace is an influence or force of the Spirit within you, which enlarges your capacity for greater works.

    It is not by some sudden means or occurrence that people get things done but by grace.

    The things you manifest are as a result of the influence and force of the Spirit working within you.

    Paul said, “By the grace of God I am what I am…” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

    It doesn’t matter how huge the target is, yours is to receive more and more grace to get it done.

    Glory to God.

    DIG DEEPER
    (2 Corinthians 12:9; Hebrews 4:16; Philippians 2:13; Habakkuk 3:19; Psalm 18:32-33)
     
    WE PRAY
    We pray that we shall receive grace for the target the Lord has set before us this day this week and this month.
     
    BIBLE READING IN THE YEAR 2024
    Isaiah 29 – 33
     
    DECLARE THESE WORDS:
    – I take more grace to do more for the Lord today.

    – It doesn’t matter the size of the assignment entrusted to me, by this dimension of grace I get it done.

    – I receive grace  to manifest.

    – I receive grace to do greater works.

    Thank you Lord Jesus!

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  • EPISODE 350 – BE IMMERSED IN THE SPIRIT 4

    EPISODE 350 – BE IMMERSED IN THE SPIRIT 4

    CHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY

    The Love-Life Agency

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    Monday, 8th January, 2024
     

    BE IMMERSED IN THE SPIRIT 4

     

    “Stop getting drunk with wine, which leads to wild living, but keep on being filled with the Spirit.” 

    Ephesians 5:18 (International Standard Version)

    This year is a glorious year with great visions. There are mighty things the Lord is inspiring you to do.

    If you have not yet received the inspiration of what to do, definitely you are going to have to set a moment to capture fresh inspirations of the Lord.

    There is nothing God tells you to do (no matter how little), that is not great. Anything God tells you to do is great.

    This is why whatever God tells you to do, He works in partnership with you to achieve it. He doesn’t instruct you to do something and then He leaves you on your own. He is the only King who sends His messengers and still goes with them to accomplish their duty.

    This is the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. The Holy Spirit in you, is God indwelling you to walk and work with you.

    It is up to you to be intentional about your partnership with the Holy Spirit.

    Don’t just wake up to embark on your divine assignment without Him; you must work with the Holy Spirit.

    Jesus said, “without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5) and this is why He decided to send another Helper (John 14:16). The Holy Spirit is here to help you.

    In the previous discussion, I established that to be baptized with the Holy Spirit is also to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

    However, from the opening verse, we see that the infilling of the Holy Spirit is not a one-time event or experience, but a continuous experience.

    “Stop getting drunk with wine, which leads to wild living, but keep on being filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18 (ISV)

    Also being filled with the Spirit as a continuous experience is hinted by the phrase “KEEP ON”.

    Did you notice the two parallel experiences of influence?

    If you want to know how you should be continuously immersed in the Spirit, see what one looks like when he is immersed in drunkenness.

    When you KEEP ON being filled with the Spirit your being is influenced and soaked with the Spirit, like how one is influenced and gets drunk by wine.

    When one gets drunk by wine, his movements, thoughts and speech are influenced by the drunkenness. The same is true with a man immersed in the Spirit.

    When you keep on being filled with or immersed in the Spirit, you come under the influence of the Spirit. The Spirit influences your movements, thoughts and speech.

    There is a way a man who is immersed in the Spirit daily, thinks and lives.

    You live according to the power of God. You demonstrate love according to the influence of the Spirit.

    The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5).

    You are not controlled by the lust of the flesh. The power of the love of Christ gains preeminence over the man who is saturated by the Spirit.

    Are you immersed in the Spirit or you are immersed in this world?

    Selah

    DIG DEEPER
    (Galatians 5:16; 1John 2:6; Matthew 3:11-12; Acts 1:4-5; Colossians 3:1-4; Ephesians 5:18-19; Ezekiel 47:1-10)
     
    WE PRAY
    That we shall continue to live under the influence of the Holy Spirit who is our great HELPER.
     
    BIBLE READING IN THE YEAR 2024
    Genesis 24 – 26
     
    DECLARE THESE WORDS:
    – My plans, ideas and desires are soaked and immersed in the Holy Spirit.
     
    – I am under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
     
    – I live a continuous saturated life of the Holy Spirit.
     
    – I am not ordinary.
     
    – I walk daily in this consciousness.
     
    Oh Thank you Lord Jesus!

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  • EPISODE 236 – SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY 2 (ARE YOU GROWING? 9)

    EPISODE 236 – SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY 2 (ARE YOU GROWING? 9)

    CHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY

    The Love-Life Agency

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    Saturday 16th, September, 2023

    SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY 2 (ARE YOU GROWING? 9)

    “Brothers and sisters, when I was with you I found it impossible to speak to you as those who are spiritually mature people, for you are still dominated by the mind-set of the flesh. And because you are immature infants in Christ,”

    1 Corinthians 3:1 (TPT)

     
    God is interested in your growth in the spirit.
     
    In as much as God doesn’t wait for you to be fully matured in the spirit to trust you with a gift of the spirit, or to put you in the ministry, He expects you to grow.
     
    He doesn’t want you to remain a babe in Christ.
     
    “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” 1 Peter 2:2 (NKJV)
    The purpose of the Word of God, and the teachers of the word is to nurture and culture you unto maturity.
    We have seen that the greatest fruit of a matured life in Christ is LOVE. And the greatest sign of an immatured life is the influence of the flesh.
     
    The more you grow in the spirit, the less you are influenced or dominated by the flesh.
     
    The flesh is a limitation to your growth in Christ. It has expressions and these expressions of the flesh are as weeds in a crop farm.
     
    Weeds are basically unwanted plants. They compete with crops for nutrients and resources which harness growth.
     
    They can interfere with harvesting operations and increase risk of spoilage.
     
    As you are planted in Christ don’t permit any effect of the flesh to germinate in your heart.
     
    Your heart is a field for the cultivation of the word of God (Mark 4:14-15).
    It is important you identify whether you are growing or not by knowing the deeds of the flesh.
    To live by the flesh is to live by your self-interest. It is to choose your own way than the way of the Spirit. The flesh does not depend on the graciousness of the spirit but the self. It is contrary to the spirit.
     
    ” I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit’s instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won’t always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to. For we naturally love to do evil things that are just the opposite from the things that the Holy Spirit tells us to do; and the good things we want to do when the Spirit has his way with us are just the opposite of our natural desires. These two forces within us are constantly fighting each other to win control over us, and our wishes are never free from their pressures. When you are guided by the Holy Spirit, you need no longer force yourself to obey Jewish laws. But when you follow your own wrong inclinations, your lives will produce these evil results: impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, spiritism (that is, encouraging the activity of demons), hatred and fighting, jealousy and anger, constant effort to get the best for yourself, complaints and criticisms, the feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in your own little group—and there will be wrong doctrine, envy, murder, drunkenness, wild parties, and all that sort of thing. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:16-21 (TLB)
     
    The activities of the flesh always compete with the Spirit in your heart, just as weeds compete with crops in a farm. They oppose and affect your growth in the spirit.
    Don’t give room for any of these things to germinate in your heart.
    Live by the influence of the Holy Spirit. 
     
    Shalom
    DIG DEEPER
    (Galatians 5:16-25; Matthew 15:19; James 1:15; 1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 22:37-40; Ephesians 3:16-18; 1 Corinthians 13; 2 Peter 3:18)
     
    WE PRAY
    We are praying and declaring that the flesh should not have a loud voice. And that we will not permit any effect of the flesh to germinate in our hearts.
     
    BIBLE READING IN THE YEAR 2023
    Day 221
    Proverbs 4 – 7
    John 11 – 12
     
    DECLARE THESE WORDS:
    – I am not dominated by the flesh.
     
    – My actions and decisions are not influenced by the desires of my flesh.
     
    – I don’t permit any effect of the flesh to germinate in my heart.
     
    – My heart is for the growth of the word of God.
     
    – The Spirit has mastery in my life.
     
    – I am dominated by the word of God.
     
    – The word of God has a free course in my heart.
     
    – The word of God has power over me.
     
    Oh Hallelujah!!! Gloreeeey!

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  • EPISODE 234 – SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY 1 (ARE YOU GROWING? 8)

    EPISODE 234 – SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY 1 (ARE YOU GROWING? 8)

    CHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY

    The Love-Life Agency

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    Thursday 14th, September, 2023

    SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL IMMATURITY 1

    (ARE YOU GROWING? 8)

     
    Just as we have FRUIT of a matured life in Christ, there are SIGNS of spiritual immaturity.
     
    Being born again for many years doesn’t make you spiritually matured. You can be attending Church meetings and be serving in a ministry or stewardship department for many years and still not be growing spiritually.
    To grow spiritually is a personal decision.
    There are certain spiritual habits and mindsets you may cultivate just by being present in an environment of the Word of grace. Because environments or some atmospheres are contagious. 
     
    To grow effectively, you don’t have to only depend on the influence of the environment of your local Church. You have to be intentional about your growth in the spirit.
     
    In previous episodes we realised that, your demonstration of the LOVE of GOD is the greatest evidence of your growth in the spirit.
    The Love of God does not satisfy the desires of the flesh.
    The true motive or intention of the love of God at work in you, is to bless or nourish others without personal interest. This brings all glory to God and not you.
    The greatest sign of an immatured life is the INFLUENCE OF THE FLESH.
    From the opening verse:
     
    “Brothers and sisters, when I was with you I found it impossible to speak to you as those who are spiritually mature people, for you are still dominated by the mind-set of the flesh. And because you are immature infants in Christ,” 1 Corinthians 3:1 (TPT)
     
     Paul, was speaking to fellow saints (believers in Christ) and not unbelievers. And some of these (if not all) were as babes or infants in Christ. 
     
    The evidence of their spiritual immaturity was how they were DOMINATED BY THE MIND-SET OF THE FLESH.
    The more you grow in the spirit, the less you are influenced or dominated by the flesh.
    Are you growing?
     
    To which extent are you dominated by the flesh?
     
    Selah.
    DIG DEEPER
    (1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 22:37-40; Ephesians 3:16-18; 1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Peter 3:18)
     
    WE PRAY
    That our love will grow and increase beyond measure, bringing us into the rich revelation of spiritual insight in all things.
     
     
    BIBLE READING IN THE YEAR 2023
    Day 219
    Psalm 145 – 150
    John 9
     
    DECLARE THESE WORDS:
    – I refuse to be dominated by the mindset of the flesh.
     
    – My actions and decisions are not influenced by the flesh.
     
    – I am a nourishment to others.
     
    – I am intentional about my growth in the spirit.
     
    – I demonstrate the love of Christ in all things.
     
    – As I receive daily nourishment and supply from the Lord, I increase in the expression of love.
     
    – I am not dull in hearing the word of God.
     
    – I make time daily to fellowship with the scriptures.
     
    Oh Hallelujah!!! Gloreeeey!!

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  • EPISODE 219 – ARE YOU PLEASING GOD OR MEN?

    EPISODE 219 – ARE YOU PLEASING GOD OR MEN?

    CHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY

    The Love-Life Agency

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    Wednesday, 30th August, 2023

    ARE YOU PLEASING GOD OR MEN?

    “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10 (KJV)

    Let me first make this clear, men are important in everyone’s success. Nobody rises or does something great without committed and loyal people.
     
    There are people who act as though they don’t need any man to help them. That is a mere assumption.
     
    Everyone will need help from a man. Have genuine love and respect for people.
     
    However, in the fulfillment of God’s plans and purposes, you don’t run your race to please men.
     
    You don’t labour to prove others wrong. Labour with the Lord to fulfill the purpose of His will.
     
    Pleasing the Lord should be the focus of your heart.
     
    “But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts” 1 Thessalonians 2:4 (KJV)
     
    Your life and ministry should not be directed by what others are doing.
     
    Do what God has called you to do. You can be inspired by what others do. However, you must do what you do not to impress anyone. You do what you do because God has inspired and affirmed that you do it.
     
    What has God called you to do? Where has God called you to be?
     
    Beloved take heed!
     
    “Tell Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfill it.” Colossians 4:17
     
    What is the Lord inspiring you to do?
     
    Are those ideas derived from your sense of competition with the brethren or what God is telling you to do?
     
    Or you are taking steps simply because your colleague ministers and friends are doing the same?
     
    Let no man force you or threaten you into doing things the Lord has not instructed you to do. 
     
    Let no man lure you to go where God has not called you to go.
     
    I remember, two years ago, I received some invitations to minister in some cities outside Africa, and this minister inviting me was part of a certain ministerial circle where they invite each other to programs and travel all around, sharing platforms.
     
    I asked why I should join his circle of friends, why I should host him. He only spoke of the importance of traveling as a minister and places he has travelled to. Sent me pictures, and even asked me to visit his Facebook page. Which I did, but didn’t experience ministry. I only saw his pictures with ‘great’ men of God. He was ready to send me the invite, afterwards, I will also host him.
     
    Thank God I have a strong word and instruction within me:
     
    It is not how far you travel around the world.
    It is how deep you grow in the Lord.
     
    At a point, it looked like I wasn’t daring enough. It looked like I was missing out on an open door and I was not ambitious enough.
     
    “Cease ye from man, whose breath [is] in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?”
    Isaiah 2:22
     
    Yes it’s good to run… It’s good to do big things, YET WE RUN IN PATIENCE!
     
    The fear of men shouldn’t influence your decisions in life. 
    The fear of men is a snare. Put your trust in the Lord. (Proverbs 29:25)
     
    You can be encouraged by the good works of other brethren.
    Be provoked unto good works ordained by God not selfish desires.
     
    Be inspired and directed by the Spirit!
     
    Spend time in prayer… 
    Handle instructions from the Lord. 
     
    Don’t be influenced merely by social media influencers.
    Don’t try to be like everybody. Don’t try to fit into the society. 
     
    Obey the Lord not the trends.
     
    “Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men” Acts 5:29
     
    Don’t be scared of the outcome of your commitment to what the Lord has instructed you to do.
     
    “Faithful is he who has called you; it is he who shall perform it” 1 Thessalonians 5:24
     
    Don’t compromise!
     
    BE INSPIRED BY THE LORD!
     
    Selah!
    DIG DEEPER
    (Ephesians 6:6; Acts 4:19-20; Acts 5:29; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11; Colossians 3:23)
     
    WE PRAY
    That we will take heed to the ministry we have received in the Lord and to fulfill it.
     
    BIBLE READING IN THE YEAR 2023
    Day 205:
    Psalms 106 -108
    Luke 8-10
     
    DECLARE THESE WORDS:
    – I am not moved by the trends.
    – I refuse to compromise my ministry.
    – I take heed to my ministry.
    – I am what God says I am and I do what God has called me to do.
    – I run my race in patience.
    – I am inspired and directed by the Holy Spirit always.
    – I don’t run with the mindset of pleasing men.
    – The focus of my heart is pleasing the Lord.
     
    OH Hallelujah, GLORY TO GOD!!!

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  • EPISODE 218 – THE HAVEN OF ALL CONCEPTIONS

    EPISODE 218 – THE HAVEN OF ALL CONCEPTIONS

    CHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY

    The Love-Life Agency

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    Tuesday 29th August, 2023

    THE HAVEN OF ALL CONCEPTIONS

    “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)

    The instruction of the Lord is always to our advantage. God knows your constitution and how you can best walk in the consummation of your divine call.
     
    And the interesting thing is, whatever God instructs man on, the adversary goes after it.
     
    So in Eden, when God instructed man concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the adversary went after it. Whatever God is interested in concerning your life, the adversary develops interest for it. 
     
    Don’t give him access!
     
    One of the crucial things the adversary takes interest in, is the heart of man.
     
    The heart of man is the seat of all thoughts and all feelings.
     
    The complexity of man’s constitution is intriguing beyond what has been accumulated. Man’s entire being is as a universe. And that is how God sees man.
     
    If eternity can be assimilated into man who lives in time, that should let you know the extent of man’s wonder.
     
     The Bible says, “….He has set eternity in the heart of man…..” Ecclesiastes 3:11
     
    It means man has the capacity to travel into “eternal future and eternal past.”
     
    So you can consider the Prophet Moses, he was inspired by God to write the book of Genesis. He articulated the creative work of God, as though he was walking with God side by side, whiles He was creating the universe.
     
    How was it possible?
     
    It was through the influence of God’s vision in his heart.
     
    In all of man’s constitution, the center of his being is THE HEART!
     
    A man’s heart is as a womb or a haven of conception.
     
    Nothing happens in a man’s life or world without first beginning as a seed in the heart of man.
     
    Thoughts are first cultivated in the heart of man.
     
    Life is predictable.
     
    There is nothing like unpredictable event in life. Anything that happens within time is as a result of a man’s thought and action. 
     
    Whatever you want to see manifest in your life, you must take conceptualized and predictable steps. That is the role of the heart.
     
    The difference between those that make great impact and those that struggle to make an impact is the condition of their heart.
     
    “Listen carefully, my dear child, to everything that I teach you, and pay attention to all that I have to say. Fill your thoughts with my words until they penetrate deep into your spirit. Then, as you unwrap my words, they will impart true life and radiant health into the very core of your being. 
    So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.  Avoid dishonest speech and pretentious words. Be free from using perverse words no matter what!”
    Proverbs 4:20-24(TPT)
     
    Beloved, the entire construction of your life is in your heart. 
     
    You must give attention to the things you construct in your heart.
     
     
    Selah.
    DIG DEEPER
    (Luke 6:45; Deuteronomy 4:9; Matthew 15:18-19)
     
    WE PRAY
    That we will keep our hearts and minds stayed on the word God as we delight deeply in it.
     
     
    BIBLE READING IN THE YEAR 2023
    Day 204:
    Psalms 103 -105
    Luke 6 – 7
     
    DECLARE THESE WORDS:
    –  I guard my heart with all diligence.
    – I don’t give room for toxic thoughts.
    – I delight my heart in the word of God.
    – I keep my heart and mind stayed on the word of God.
    – I am cultured daily by the word of God.
    – I am a doer of the word.
    – I don’t entertain the company of mockers.
     
    OH Hallelujah, GLORY TO GOD!!!

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