SPECIAL EDITION: TESTIMONIES AND PRAISE

1.0 CURED OF BRAIN CANCER!

Unto the Lord be the glory, great things he has done…
Great things he has done, greater things he will yet do The 28th May 2005 was my 42nd birthday. To the glory of God I am alive, opportune to share the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. I have survived and overcome ancient and modern covenants and curses, which had vowed I shall not live beyond 40 years of age. I have survived the effects of ancient idolatry and sins of my fore-bearers, of both parental and marital side. I have survived what had consumed many before me. God be glorified for his goodness and mercies to me!

After more than three years of pain, prayers and medical interventions (various tests, brain surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and months of admission as an in-patient), the eighth CT scan, which I did last week May 2005, reports that all traces of brain cancer- diagnosed as Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma- has finally disappeared! To God be the glory!

How many of testimonies of God’s intervention, in response to the world wide prayers of saints, can I recall here? Shall we refer to the final diagnosis of the affliction, after almost a year of visiting private and government doctors, dentists, ophthalmologists, ENT specialists, radiologists/radiographers, physiotherapists etc in four different towns/cities around Nigeria? Or of the fact that the cancer was divinely restricted to a small but strategic area in the brain, while doctors expected to find it in other parts of my body?

Shall we talk of the day my consultant had a sleepless night and changed her mind about increasing in multiple folds the dose/route of chemotherapy; and of my revival from the grave after three days unconsciousness, still taking the old dose/route? What could have happened if I had been on the new 70-fold dose?

Shall I talk of how God raised the well over a million naira I spent and spared me a similar amount by virtue of my being a staff of the parent University of the Teaching Hospital? What could have been my fate if the affliction occurred while I was on the semi-urban mission field in northern Nigeria?

What of the multitude of brethren worldwide who fasted and interceded for me? What of the divine grace to continue in my numerous ministry and secular responsibilities despite the afflictions and ill-health?

…How many can I share in such a forum as this? I can never exhaust them for the rest of my life. Great is thy faithfulness O God!
Thank you all, beloved prayers partners. I am alive because you prayed. The Lord remembers you and rewards you accordingly. He is a ready help in time of trouble...

1.1 PRAYER POINT

Please continue to pray for divine intervention for a miraculous complete healing of craniotomy defect, the full restoration of the trigeminal nerve functions, my left eyesight and all other attendant post-operation sequalea. The God of miracles is my God, and I shall yet share the testimonies to His glory.

2.0 DELIVERANCE FROM ANCIENTS AND MODERN GENERATIONAL CURSES AND COVENANTS:

“You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the LORD you God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other God! I will not leave unpunished those who hate me, but I will punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generation (Exodus 20:5 New Living Translation).

Ours is a generation of Christians who are descendants of idolatrous and/or sinful fore-bears. Many are the first generation of Christians in their family line, others second or third (whose parents or grandparents were Christians. Very rare are those of the fourth generation, whose great-grandparents were Christians.

Without the knowledge of Christ, our fore-parents were involved in idolatry. Many entered into satanic covenants which are binding on generations after. Many lived sinful lives of murder, adultery, immorality, evil sacrifices, curses etc. That one gave his/her life to the Lord does not, in itself alone, acquit one of the covenants or curses of the fore-bearers. Until we divinely recognize such demonic oaths, covenants or curses, and deal with them in genuine repentance, repudiation and reparation/restitution where applicable, we are still liable to the repercussions and effects of the activities of our fore-bearers. We remain lawful Christian captive of the satanic tyrant.

2.1 REMEMBER YOUR ANCESTRY

Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance- all who seek the LORD. Consider the quarry from which you were mined, the rock from which you were cut! Isaiah 51:1 NLT.

Many practical examples of Christians suffering from the sins and/or idolatry of their fore-bearers exist all around us. A Christian whose fore-bearer was for instance an Ogun/Ifa/Oro priest and has made evil sacrifices, committed murder and the like is not completely free from the repercussions until genuine repentance; repudiation and reparation/restitution are vicariously made by this generation. A Christian whose fore-bearer was involved in sin like immorality and the offended victim has cursed the fore-bearer’s female descendants, is still liable to such a curse, until genuine repentance, repudiation and reparation/restitution( where possible) are vicariously made by this generation. It is then that the Lord will mercifully intervene in response to prayers, and by virtue of the blood sacrificed by Christ on the cross, deliver from all repercussions of the works of the fore-bearers.

‘Who can snatch the plunder of war from the hands of a warlord? Who can demand that a tyrant let his captive go? But the Lord says, the lawful captives of the warrior shall be released, and the plunder of the tyrant shall be retrieved. For I will fight those who fight you, and I will save your children. (Isaiah 49:24-25 NLT)

2.2 YOUR CHILDREN SHALL COME BACK

Soon your descendants will come back and all who are trying to destroy you will go away. Look and see, for all your children will come to you. As surely as I live says the LORD, they will be like jewels or bridal ornaments for you to display. Isaiah 49:17-18.

Not only will the LORD deliver you, the repercussions of the sins/idolatry of your fore-bearers will end and break over your descendants. It does not matter whether you are the first or second or third generation. Once a descendant undergoes the vicarious process of genuine repentance, repudiation and reparation/restitution (where possible/applicable), the curse is broken, the covenant annulled and all who are trying to destroy you will go away. Amen

This has been my personal experience these past few years, manifested in a brain tumor which the Lord graciously and mercifully limited and healed me of. He has delivered me a lawful captive of Satan, from tyrannical plunder. He has fought the forces and verdict of death over me. And even my children after me are saved and delivered. Glory to God.

…So shall you be delivered, and your children after you. Amen

3.0 DELIVERANCE: PREDICTED, DECLARED, DONE

I am the LORD, and there is no other savior. First I predicted your deliverance, I declared that I would do, and then I did it- I saved you… (Isaiah 43:11-12. New Living Translation)

3.1 THE STIGMA OF AFFLICTION

The stigma that accompanies certain diseases and afflictions did no start with the modern day HIV/AIDS disease. The earliest book of the bible records the stigma Job faced: So Satan left the Lord’s presence, and he struck Job with a terrible case of boils from head to foot (Job 2:7)

His breath became repulsive, he was loathsome to his family and reduced to skin and bones (See Job 19:17-20) - like a typical modern day HIV/AIDS patient. Despite the stigma, Job’s declared ‘Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book. That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever (Job 19:22-23)

In the course of attending to the brain tumor, the Lord delivered me from the HIV stigma. If I had subscribed to their equivocal laboratory tests results, I would have been placed on antiretroviral treatment. Six months later, their own laboratory test results were reversed, without me taking any antiretroviral treatment. To God be the glory. If I had allowed myself to be swayed by medical reports and started antiretroviral medication, the reversal of the test result would have been attributed to the therapy. God certainly intervened to prevent me from medically or emotionally carrying the HIV/AIDS stigma.
With God all things are possible. Amen.

3.2 THE SONG OF THE REDEEMED

The Redeemed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:10, 51:11

3.3 MODERN DAY RED SEA EXPERIENCES

The divine deliverance experience of the children of Israel at the Red Sea (Exodus 14) highlights various facets of deliverance applicable to Christians in this generation. The following deliverance features of a Red Sea experience are highlighted from scriptures

• A boundary of a new beginning for God’s people Exodus 23:31
• A cross-over point from suffering, sorrow, fear and enemy pursuit (Joshua 2:10, 4:23; Nehemiah 9:9-12
• A deliverance point in response to prayer cries Exodus 14:15-18
• A manifestation of God’s goodness and faithfulness Psalm 63. 13-15
• A place where enemies are judged Exodus 14
• A place for entering into the divine displacement of ‘resident landlords’ Exodus 23;31
• A place where faith works out Hebrew 11;29
• It is a depot for dumping and sinking enemy weapons of war Exodus 10:19, 15:4
• Place of divine wisdom deeds against the enemy Acts 7:36
• Rescue and total deliverance point from enemies Psalm 106:8-11.

These features are been practically experienced by Christians even today. I personally testify to this.

3.4 BEFORE, AND AFTER THE RED SEA.

When the LORD led the children of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt, the major threat in their progress towards the Promised Land was the pursuit of the Egyptian chariots, horses and riders. The LORD intervened and completely sank the Egyptian host in the Red Sea, as lead is sunk (Exodus 14-15). Thereafter, even though there were Amalekites and other giants to be dealt with in the land, the major obstacle to the Israelites entering the Promised Land was their heart condition and disposition towards the LORD.

Unfortunately, “with many of them God was not well pleased”, with their lust, idolatry, fornication, temptation murmuring etc. (1 Corinthians 10:1-10). “Now these entire things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the word are come. Wherefore let him that thinkest he standeth take heed lest he fall (1 Corinthians 10:11-12).

Our heart and attitude towards God is important in pleasing Him than merely dealing with the satanic powers of enemies. Even when the enemies are permanently drowned in the Red Sea, the greater requirement from God is to fear and obey Him, having no other gods (including SELF) before Him. That is the only way we will not waste in the wilderness without inheriting the promise. So help me God. Amen.

3.5 TOWARDS ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND

After our Red Sea experiences, and having set our hearts aright to prevent wasting in the wilderness, we then get set to enter into the promises of God. We have to prepare to take the first step to getting our hearts and attitude circumcised. We need to consecrate self, take the step of faith and obedience to cross Jordan (Joshua chapters 3 – 4). It is only after properly circumcising or hearts that we can advance to cause the walls of Jericho, the first major institutional barrier into the entering the Promised Land for you as an individual (Joshua chapters 5-6).

The Word from the Lord below is to Build Up, Encourage and Comfort:

PUT YOUR FOOT IN THE WATER - Ras Robinson http://www.fullnessonline.org

May 28, 2005. Put your foot in the water. Make a bold first step and I will meet you. You no longer belong in Egypt. That bondage you have endured is not for you. With just a step now, you can begin a new life of milk and honey. I will fill your mouth with honey and all good things. Your words will have new power and force. And you will quickly graduate from milk to meat. I will give you the heart and appetite of a lion. Remember that the Lion of Judah lives within you. Call upon Him and let Him begin to roar through you. Satan does not have a chance against you.

Put your foot in the water.

Joshua 3:13 "And it shall come about when the soles of the feet of the
priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall
rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut
off, and the waters which are flowing down from above shall stand in one
heap."

Ras and Bev Robinson, Founders and Ministers, Fullness in Christ Ministries, Inc. (Fullness Network), P.O. Box 136117 Fort Worth, Texas, 76136 USA sent this word to:<This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>; Apostolic/Prophetic/Global "JOSHUA A/P NETWORK E-LIST" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>;, on Sunday, May 29, 2005 4:12 AM
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4.0 LESSONS FROM THE MINISTRY AND LIFE OF PROPHETESS MIRIAM

Miriam was a unique woman recorded in the scriptures. The first reference to her related to her prophetic watchfulness and vigilance as young girl, which led to the deliverance of her baby brother Moses from Egyptian male-child homicide (Exodus 2). As stated in Lampstandletters No 30 ‘Miriam The Prophetess ‘, even from a tender age Miriam had established herself as a watcher, with a word of wisdom to speak in due season, leading to the preservation of the life of her brother Moses (Exodus 2).

When next recorded (Exodus 15:20), Miriam the Prophetess was leading all the women in timbrel dancing before the Lord after the stubborn purser Pharaoh and his chariot men, the host and the rider have been drowned forever as stone/lead in the Red Sea. This was after Moses had led the whole Israel in a similar identical gesture of praise and thanksgiving.

According to Cruden’s Complete Concordance of the Bible, the meaning of Miriam is their rebellion/ star of the sea). Stars are heavenly hosts, soldiers of warfare. In Judges 5:20, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera (se also Dan. 8:10). Likewise, the sea has always being a theatre of warfare, the habitat of monsters and demonic spirits (Isaiah 27:1; Rev 13:1). To be named star of the sea from childhood was a prophetic statement on her ministry of dealing with water spirits. Little wonder she was by the Nile River to rescue Moses, and she mobilized the women to specially celebrate the dealing with the Egyptian chariot horse and riders by the Red Sea.

Was there any record associating Miriam’s lifestyle with the other meaning of her name -rebellion? Miriam was listed together with her siblings Moses and Aaron as instruments of deliverance for the Egyptians ‘For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.’ (Micah 6:4). Though co-named as deliverers, the Bible also records God’s anger against her when she got naturally puffed up and joined Aaron to despise the ministry of Moses. It took the intercession of Moses to limit her punishment to a seven day leprosy affliction. This also delayed the movement of the whole Israel (Numbers 12:1-16).

A message to modern day Miriams- we must take heed lest our lifestyle negatively affect our ministry calling. Today there is a call for ‘stars of the sea’, present day daughters of Deborah, (Judges 4-5), feminine warriors to deal with age-long ancestral curses and covenants, especially those related to water spirits. But in the discharge of this anointed calling, they should be careful not to fall into the error of Miriam, turning themselves into rebels, murmurers and complainers. They must not equate themselves with men, boasting like Miriam ‘Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath he not spoken also by us? (Numbers12:2).

Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt. Deuteronomy 24:9)

5.0 THE VASHTI SPIRIT

Esther 1:9-12. Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to King Ahasuerus…
But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment.

Queen Vashti was the biblical queen, who was organizing a parallel feast for women while the King Ahasuerus was feasting all the people. That was a step that puffed up the pride of Vashti and eventually led to her deposition as Queen, opening the door for the emergence of Esther as Queen. In organizing parallel programs, Christian sisters should also beware lest they gravitate into the Vashti spirit, and its attendant repercussion. This message applies to women ministries, women ministers, and wives of ministers.

5.1 YEAR 2005-PRESSING ON TO HIGHER GROUNDS

There is a definite promise of the Lord for the church in Nigeria and members therein, saying the same thing in similar words: 2005 is -the year or- MOVING FORWARD/UNTO HIGHER GROUNDS/ FLYING AS AN EAGLE/PRESSING FORWARD/ PRESSING HIGHER/ MOVING ON/ YEAR OF ADVANCE.
The same promise for 2005 from God since late 2004 to the church ministries and organizations such as the Christian Veterinarians Nigeria, Glory Tabernacle Ibadan, Redeemed Church of God Bayelsa, Foursquare Church Abeokuta, and the Anglican Communion. The biblical text is Philippians 3:13-14 repeated to some of the group above:

‘No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not what I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God through Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.

This is a year of seven-fold accomplishment. A year of Sabbath Jubilee. By the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we shall achieve in a year what could not be achieved over six years. Set your targets and constantly take it before the Throne of the Lord for the sevenfold anointing for the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:1 -3). You will achieve and even surpass your set targets.

Even President Olusegun Obasanjo, if re-anointed by the Church (leadership) will achieve in Nigeria that he has failed to do in six years, by the anointing of the sevenfold Holy Spirit. Even if there is a famine after, the achievements of THIS year will be bumper enough to support for at least three years (See Leviticus 25: 18-22). Whether in Goshen or Geran, you will prosper, by the anointing (See Genesis 26:1-6, 12:14; 45:10-1, 47, 4, 27). Just as the power for the moving forward of an automobile depends on the fueling of the engine room, so do we depend on the fuel of the Lord, the anointing of the sevenfold Holy Spirit. As stated in the popular song "I am moving forward... for the Lord is on the throne...I am moving forward.., it is only by enthroning the Holy Spirit in our heart- in decision making, situations, circumstances, challenges, encouragement and SERVICE-, can we effectively move forward, overcoming mountains and discouragements, receiving strength, surpassing natural abilities and attaining unto supernatural attainments.

As an individual, ask especially for the Bezalel/Oholiab type of anointing, spirit filled with the anointing of wisdom, intelligence and special skill of craftsmanship (Exodus 31:1-6; 36:1 37:29). Ask the Spirit of God to anoint your natural talent unto becoming special skills, a divine sevenfold achievement this year, a year of unimaginable creations and discoveries. With the sevenfold anointing of the Holy Spirit you will be able to achieve in one year what has been delayed for six years or will take seven years to achieve.

For the church and church ministries, the responsibility for moving forward is to attain the seven step advance of the Kingdom of God, as highlighted on the devotion of Day 29 of CELEBRATATE JESUS, MILLENNIUM COMMEMORATIVE BIBLE (Holman Bible Publishers). “First the Spirit comes, second the power, third the witness begins, fourth, Jerusalem will hear the message Judea, 6th Samaria, the global witness. No step may be left: none added. In such orderly way, the world will the flag off Jesus, one flag, one savoir, one world" (Calvin Smith). In Nigeria, the Church and members therein shall move forward, climb higher, press harder, advance and attain higher grounds in 2005, by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Make the best use of the year, for there may be a famine of years ahead.

ECCLESIASTICAL WITCHCRAFT AND MANIPULATION

1.0 BRINGING UP YOUR FIRSTBORN

1.1 Introduction

In recent times, many Christian parents, especially the mothers, have faced problems with the upbringing of their firstborn children, particularly sons and usually during the teenage years. Such problems include natural stubbornness, rebellion, disrespect, irresponsibility and the like. It also includes spiritual problems like ungodliness, immorality, backsliding/lost of interest in Christian fellowship and in some cases clear demonic possessions/activities. These problems have been a great burden, concern and distraction to parents.

The upbringing of firstborns, especially the attendant problems of their teenage years, usually coincides with the middle age crisis of parents- when career prospects and establishment takes the attention of the fathers and the coping with domestic and/or career pressures stresses the mothers. Added to this is an opposite and sometimes antagonistic perception of the situation by couples. This is simply related to the fact that it was opposite virtues that normally attract couples to get married in the first place. While some parents (or a parent) handle the problems by prayers and counsel, others (or the other parent) handle it by carnal hostility and antagonism bordering on wickedness.

The problem with raising firstborn is not limited to Christian homes. What makes it a burden to many Christian families is not even the future of the firstborn (which should be the primary concern), but the distress that a negative behavior of firstborn would give a public testimony of their ineptitude in child raising, and is a disappointment of their parental expectation of a Christian child (not minding even if their own teenage years was turbulent. And ignoring the fact that they have not gone this way before!).

1.2 Biblical examples

The Scripture is full of examples of obstreperous unruly firstborn. Esau (Genesis 25:27-34, Reuben (Genesis 49:3, 1 Chronicles 5:1), Manasseh (Genesis 48:14-17), Er (Genesis 38:7, I Chronicles 2; 3), Nadab (Numbers 2:3-4) and Amnon (2 Samuel 3:2, chapter 13) typified the let-down some parents experience today.

Characteristics of first- born son
Divine, natural and spiritual factors contribute to the unique issue of bringing up a first- born child and they need to be recognized, identified and addressed individually and appropriately. These factors could be God –given, could be inherited from parents themselves or acquired from the environment of the child’s upbringing (society, culture, school, town and even the church).

The firstborn has certain divine characteristics that must be recognized: Gen 49:3: Reuben, you are my oldest son, the child of my vigorous youth (my might and the beginning of my strength NAS). You are the head of the list in rank and in honor TLB, pre-eminent in pride and pre-eminent in power. RSV, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. NASU

Thus they should be recognized as having a divine endowment, which parents have the call/ responsibility to culture/nurture. Satan will also want to influence this divine status for his purpose and parents have the responsibility to limit and destroy such satanic intrusion.
Indeed the Lord made specific demands on parents with regard to the firstborn:

1. Consecrate them to me Ex 13:2
2. Redeem them ; Ex 13:12-13
3. Offer them to the Lord: Ex 22:29
4. A double portion of inheritance Deut. 21:17

Natural factors are dependent mainly on what firstborn acquired or inherited from both parents. A clear example of is what manifested in the Abraham-Isaac-Jacob lineage (e.g. Genesis 20/26; 1-11, 29) and in the Laban/Rebecca-Jacob (Genesis 24/ 31) pedigree. These could be either positive or negative. Unfortunately many parents are quick to disdainfully highlight the negative traits of the firstborn, which is still dwelling un-dealt with in their own lives, while taking pride of place in the positive acquired traits. Cross-traits are also acquired from both parents who normally have opposite traits. Other natural characteristics are environmentally related. Being the firstborn, he is usually over-pampered in earlier years, especially if being the only child, and before the next born comes. Other environmental traits are acquired in the society; culture, location, dwellings and even the church the child attend.

Spiritual traits are chiefly dependant on the spiritual ancestry and background of both parents. Just as the Lord stipulates a double portion inheritance, also the satanic will endeavor to endow every firstborn with a double portion of ancestral and cultural qualities, especially if the firstborn is not already dedicated and consecrated to the Lord. Additionally, both parents must clearly and forcefully break every ancestral/cultural/family covenant upon themselves and their children, particularly the firstborn. Else the devil will insist on transmitting the effects of such covenant or dedication, with the firstborn having a double portion. Irrespective of whether the parents or the child have given their lives to the Lord.

Firstborns also usually have relational problems with the next-born especially if they are of same sex. Having been the sole pampered child hitherto, the firstborn is now disenchanted with the next-born to whom attention is diverted, and who does not see the need to bow to the firstborn status. The second-born needs to be taught that he is not equal to the double portion firstborn and should defer to such.

The teenage years are usually the most problematic in raising the firstborn. First there are natural physiological changes in the teenage which expresses themselves in behavioral changes, bordering on self-assertion. The teenage is not a child but also not yet an adult. Parents still treat them as children but the teen wants an assertion as an adult which responsibility and expectation they are unable to meet up to. This is also the stage that the firstborn exert both the positive and negative qualities acquired and inherited from the parental genes and behaviors. Thus a conflict exists between the parents and the assertive Teenage firstborn. And no one has passed this way before! Parents need to understand these and act with wisdom and appreciation, rather than with unprofitable belligerence and needless fretfulness.

1.4 Parental responsibilities

Although raising up children especially the firstborn is certainly stressful, it is a divine responsibility. Unfortunately, many parents do not properly carry out this responsibility. Parents may not understand the genetic and environmental sources/causes of the firstborn syndrome; accept the liability of their contribution to the inherited and acquired traits of the firstborn or apply wisdom rather than anxiety/force. Fathers use force, mothers nag and curse. Negative and unprofitable carnal principles being applied include nagging, curses, threats, excessive canning, denial of rights, denial of food, accusations, inert witchcraft, neglect, bad publicity etc.

The Bible declares:

Eph 6:4 And now a word to you parents. Don't keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful. Rather, bring them up with the loving discipline the Lord himself approves, with suggestions and godly advice. TLB

Col 3:21 Fathers, don't scold your children so much that they become discouraged and quit trying. TLB

Positive divine principles, which parents may apply, include:

1. Brace up for this divine responsibility on this path you have not followed before.
2. Ask for wisdom and divine grace rather embark on your carnal ability.
3. Identify and understand the source/cause and contribution of genetic, ancestral and environmental factors in your child’s behavior.
4. Repent of and deal with ancestral/cultural covenants of your family background, scuttling their effects and transfer to your firstborn.
5. Desist from any of the negative principles earlier highlighted. Avoid nagging and excessive use of force/cane.
6. Use scriptures especially the book of Proverbs to teach and exhort them on what is expected of them. Could also be used to specifically correct.
7. Lay good examples in speech, conduct and relationship for your firstborn to acquire.
8. In spite of your disappointment in his behavior, forgive, exalt and love the firstborn, as the Lord said of David who became his firstborn (Psalm 89:24-37).
9. Use prayers and fasting to deal with stubborn firstborn problems. Grieve bitterly in prayers for him, not until you lose him (Zechariah 12:10).
10. By faith, regularly plead the Blood of Jesus against death and the destroyer of the firstborn (Hebrews 11:28)
11. By faith and deed strive and believe that your firstborn will enter the assembly of God’s own firstborn children, who are being made perfect (Hebrews12:23).

So help us God. Amen.

By the Lampstand. May/July 2004.

WHEN LEADERS NO LONGER LEAD…AND THE PEOPLE NO LONGER VOLUNTEER (JUGDES 5)

There was a time in Israel when leaders no longer led. Not because there were no men to lead, not because there was a lack of soldiers. Men were there aplenty, soldiers in abundance. Tens of thousands were available (Judges 4:10) forty thousand idle (Judges 5:8).

“New gods were chosen; then war was in the gates. Not a shield or a spear was seen, among forty thousand in Israel” (Judges 5:8, New American Standard Version (NAS). There were leaders who rode on fine white donkeys, Reverends sitting on fancy saddled blankets, living in prosperity. There were leaders who had chosen new gods and new gospel, gods of ease and gospel of prosperity, pastors of Pentecostal affluence.

Judges 5:15b-16: At the brooks of Reuben were great resolutions of heart. Why remain thou between the hurdles, to hear the piping of the flocks? At the brooks of Reuben were great projects of heart.

There were brave soldiers and leaders in the tribe of Reuben who knew there was a call to war. They heard the war cry. But they looked at their congregation, they thought about their flocks. They would rather stay back on the prosperity platform, listening to choir pieces from their congregation, monitoring and protecting their flock. The flock that provides them milk to drink, meat to eat and wool to clothe them the shepherds and their families. They rather do this than go to war, yet the war is at the gates. Reuben!

Reuben, you are my first-born; My might and the beginning of my strength, Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. Gen 49:3 NAS.

Yet the Reuben generation stayed at home, like their fore bearer, dishonoring their Father, flippant in the day of battle.

Judges 5:17 Gilead rests on the other side of the Jordan; And Dan...why tarries he by ships? Asher sits on the shore of the sea, And by his bays he reposes.

With the Reubenites, the Gadites remained in Gilead (Deuteronomy 4:43). So named at birth “here comes a troop” (Genesis 30:11, New King James Version), the Gadites stayed put at their camps, resting in the fortune of the luxurious pasture which produced buoyant herds and flocks for them (Numbers 32), or tendering the gigantic altars and memorial structures they have built in their ‘safe havens’ across Jordan (Joshua 22). While the armies of the enemies press hard at the city gates. Even Dan, supposed to bite the horse’s heel and throw off the Jihadist rider (Genesis 49:17), tarried by the splendor of ships, Pentecostal traders at the port of prosperity. Dan, who had the heart of the lions of Bashan, the ability to extend their number, by evangelism and missions into the tribe of the invaders. (Deuteronomy 33:22). Asher stayed at ease of fellowship, producing delicacies and rich food for pastor-kings (Genesis 49:20); rather than being preachers at the wilderness of the un-reached. Bathed with divine anointing, shod with the shoes of the gospel. Afraid to go to war that will extend his outreach, even though promised abundance of grace in trouble, and strength for the length of battle (Deuteronomy 33:24 –25).

It was in days of ease, when instead of taking the battle to the camps and dwelling of the enemy, the battle had come to the city gates. Today, those days are repeating themselves in the local church in Nigeria, as well as the International church. Instead of taking the gospel to the tents of the un-reached, the bad news of jihad war threatens to overrun the world, targeting the church. While, like Reuben, Dan, Gad and Asher, we remain by the fellowship of prosperity and the gospel of positive thinking; Islamic jihad, Voodoo, Egbesu, African traditional idolatries, and Western New Age philosophy all knock at the gates of the church.

Therefore “Thus says the LORD: "Does Israel have no sons? Or has he no heirs? Why then has Malcam taken possession of Gad? And his people settled in its cities? (Jeremiah 49:1 NAS).

If the leaders no longer lead, and the people no longer volunteer; if the Baraks of this generations are unwilling to face the Siseras of our age (Deuteronomy 4:4-8); if our Reubenites and Gadites, the first-born; the anointed might of the LORD and the beginning of his strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power, are too busy enjoying the prosperity of their pastures and are too busy to face the enemies at the gates; then the days of the daughters of Deborah has come. The days of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenites. Wailing women, interceding vessels, who will use the lightening of the Baraks, violent prayers to strike the Siseras, smash their heads, shatter and pierce their temples.

Thank God for the tribes that went to war, joining Deborah and Barak. Benjamin went confidently to war assured of Divine security (Deuteronomy 33:12). Issachars, men who understand the temper of the times and know the best course for the church to take (I Chronicles 12:32). Always in the tents of intercession and place of prophetic warfare, bearing the burdens of intercession and warfare prayers (Genesis 49:13). Providing spiritual fireworks, networking with the Zebulon field warriors (Deuteronomy 33:18). Rejoice O Zebuluns, skilled warriors, always prepared for battle (I Chronicles 12:33). In your going out for prosperous missionary expeditions abroad, to bring unbelievers and un-reached to the mountain of the house of God, that they may offer acceptable sacrifices (Deut. 33:19). For you shall grow wealthy in your missionary merchandise, extending the borders of your gospel enterprise (Genesis 49:13). Zebuluns, people who despised their lives even to death, and on the high places of the field. Judges 5:18). Naphtali also, the tribe of the Baraks, apostles of the gospel, satisfied with divine favour as they risk their lives as they take the good news to possess desert land and Islands (Deuteronomy 33:23).

For His people shall be willing in the days of His power.
"Thus let all thine enemies perish, O LORD; But let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might." Judges 5:31 NAS. Amen.

By the Lampstand. 7th July 2004. Ibadan, Nigeria.

3.0 THIS DAY WE FIGHT!

Francis Frangipane www.frangipane.org

It is time to throw off oppression and passivity and stand for your nation. I don't think I'm preaching to the choir when I write this, either. We are facing one of the most important and difficult conflicts since World War II, yet too many Christians are passively sitting on the sidelines. You see, there is a passive spirit that has attached itself to the soul of many in the church.

For many, a subtle malaise has increasingly settled, like a blanket, upon their devotional life. Yes, they remained heartsick about escalating terror in the world, but their voice of intercession has quietly diminished. Indeed, they were outraged that judges in the United States and other nations have sought to legalize gay unions, but their outrage has faded into a shrug of the shoulders and a sigh.

During the last two messages (The Bronze Bow and Breaking the Bondage of a Passive Spirit), we discussed using Christ's authority and receiving from the Lord an anointing for spiritual warfare. We considered that David did not just defeat his enemies, he "pursued" them "until they were consumed" (Ps 18:37). As a young man, while others trembled, David was ready and eager to face Goliath. However, once he killed the Philistine, he cut off the giant's head and took it to Jerusalem. David probably held the head of Goliath up before the Jebusites, who still ruled Jerusalem.

As God empowered him against the giant, so in time he would drive out the Jebusites as well. David is a powerful example of a man after God's heart, who possessed no tolerance for evil. But this study about David also provides an example for us of what happens to good people when a passive spirit immobilizes their will. For there was an occasion when David did not pursue his enemies. In fact, he allowed a passive spirit to subdue his will.

"Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem" (2 Sam 11:1).

David stayed at rest during a time of war. The king accepted a passive spirit into his soul. Soon, we find this great warrior king almost helpless to resist the unfolding spiritual attack.

"Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king's house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance" (2 Sam 11:2).

The woman was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. From the moment David accepted the influence of that passive spirit, his resistance was weakened; a paralysis of conscience occurred. The scripture says, “when evening came David arose from his bed." Perhaps it was a custom to rest in the afternoon, but it strikes me as inconsistent for David to nap while his men fought. It is possible that this nap was not a response to a bodily need, but an expression of the slumber that gripped his soul. He was in bed until "evening." This heaviness of soul resting on David was actually part of a larger, synchronized spiritual attack. The other part of that battle was the quiet, inner prompting that moved Bathsheba to bathe in a place where David could see her. Finally, unable to resist, and in defiance of all his noble characteristics, David "sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her" (2 Sam 11:4).

Dear friend, remember, this terrible moral failure was not initiated by David's lust or flagrant rebellion to God; a passive spirit introduced David to his sin. The problem was simply that, in a time when the kings went forth to war, David stayed at home.

3.1 In Our World and Times

Beloved, we are in a time of war. The Spirit of God is calling us to fight for our families, cities and nations. Indeed, God's word reveals that "The LORD will go forth like a warrior; He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes; He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies" (Isaiah 42:13). Is that fight in you? Is there a war cry in your spirit? If you are born again, that cry is within you, even if it's been muted by the lethargy of the passive spirit. You will never succeed as an overcomer without carrying in your spirit the war cry of God. We must embrace the call to prayer, to do spiritual warfare, and we must fight with all the weapons of our warfare for the sake of our children and the future of our nation. On the one hand, this war is personal. The moment you accept a passive spirit, count on the fact that a temptation appropriate to your weakness is also just around the corner. It may not be Bathsheba, it may just be pornography on the Internet, but you will find yourself wrapped up in something that can devastate you and your loved ones. (It's called the World Wide Web and many are they that Satan entangles in sin). It may be a co-worker who suddenly looks attractive; or it might be just giving in to a bitter hardening of your heart. On the other hand, the battle is also international. Let me spell it out: There is a radical element in Islam that has launched what they call the "Third Great Jihad." (The first jihad came during the life of Mohammed; the second during the Ottoman Empire). Leading this current Jihad is Osama Bin Laden. His goal, together with all radical followers of Wahhabism (a radical branch of Islam), is to drive the West from Islamic nations, replace secular heads of state in Islamic nations with religious leaders; possess the oil wealth of the Middle East, destroy Israel, and obtain nuclear (and other) weapons of mass destruction. They are willing to die for what they believe and will stop at nothing to obtain fulfillment of their dream. According to US government reports, worldwide there are approximately 20 million Wahhadbi Muslims. Not all are terrorists, but all have been indoctrinated to hate the West, to hate Israel and to be willing to die for their cause.

(See http://kyl.senate.gov/legis_center/subdocs/sc062603_alexiev.pdf)

While Islamic terrorists plot to infiltrate and conquer the non-Muslim world around them, there is another conflict being advanced from within society itself: it is a war over the moral standards of each nation. This is very serious and we need to pray and exercise spiritual
authority over the regions where God has us. You say, "I want to pray, but there is oppression on me." You might be fighting a spirit of heaviness. Isaiah 61:3 says the Lord gives us "the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" (KJV).

The NAS renders this enemy "a spirit of fainting." Whether we call this evil a spirit of heaviness, fainting or passivity, it is what keeps people from exercising their spiritual strengths. Indeed, it often sits on your upper chest, seeking to smother your spiritual energy and initiatives. This spirit gains access to our lives through a number of means.

Disappointment with loved ones will open us to this spirit. Or, it might infiltrate our souls if we repeatedly sin in a particular area. It is also an associate companion to condemnation and fear. Whatever the door through which it enters, you need to repent for any sin and then forcefully and vocally renounce it. This is not a time to pray quietly, but boldly and with your eyes open. I hear the argument, "I can't pray with my eyes open." That is not true.

You have often prayed with your eyes open when you drive. The point is that this passive spirit seeks to trap you inside yourself.
To conquer this enemy we first must submit our hearts to God. Forgive and release all areas of disappointment with people or discouragement with yourself. Renounce living with condemnation and fear. Do all this out loud as well. Since God gives you the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, aggressively recall the many blessings of God in your life. Put on that garment of praise. Pray with me,

In Jesus' name, I submit to Jesus Christ, my Redeemer King and I command this spirit of heaviness and passivity to depart from me. I also pray for it to leave my loved ones and any members of my church it has targeted as well.

3.2 The Real Battle

The conflict before our generation is no less threatening than Nazism and Soviet Imperialism. Radical Islam is a demonic power that seeks world domination. We cannot lose the war against terrorism or morality. We must not open to fear or unbelief, for we were born to fight and win the battles of our times. Again the argument arises, "I was taught that life is supposed to only grow more evil until Christ returns." Yes, such a day will come, but we must not assume that it has arrived. In every age God requires we walk as overcomers. The very fact that there are nations today that are experiencing great harvests and breakthroughs reminds us there is still time for our nations.

One of our readers sent us the following excerpt from Aragon, king of Gondor, in The Return of the King. The book's author, JRR Tolkien, an Englishman, denies his work had anything to do with the Great War. Yet, much of his manuscript was written during the height of WWII. The book is a metaphor of all the battle each generation must face to conquer evil.

’…Hopelessly outnumbered, King Aragon sought to inspire his men against what seemed like sure defeat against the swarming hordes of their hellish enemies. Riding in front of his gathered, but rather lowly army, he shouted, I see in your eyes the same fear that would break the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day. This day, we fight! .

By all you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand with me, men of the West!

Let us also put aside our fears and the burdens of a passive spirit. Let us take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And let us war on behalf of righteousness.

A day may come when the world will succumb to the forces of evil. But it is not this day. This day, we fight!

A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc. Copyright (c) 2004
All rights reserved. www.frangipane.org. Appeared on the Apostolic/Prophetic/Global JOSHUA A/P NETWORK E- LIST Saturday, July 03, 2004. To subscribe: Send a blank email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

4.0 THE MANUFACTURER AND THE MECHANICAL ENGINEER

I learnt some lessons during the brain tumour affliction I recently suffered and am yet to fully recover from, despite sustained chemotherapy, physiotherapy and high quality surgery. This is that there is a marked and great difference between the manufacturer and the mechanic/engineer, between the maker and the repairer, no matter how skilled. Not only am I yet to fully recover, each of this well-meaning and dedicated human intervention had its own side effects. Thus while I had serious reactions including a three-day unconsciousness due to chemotherapy, I had severe nervous/muscular face and sight problems due to the physiotherapy and brain surgery. The message is that no matter how skilled and well-intended human interventions are, not only will they not be able to completely solve the problems (without divine intervention); they will also have some side-effects.

In the JOSHUA A/P E-LIST<This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>; of 3rd July 2004 is an article titled ’WHY IS YOUR WORK NOT FINISHED?’ by Apostle Handley<This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>;

“…Some of you are bound to medicines that intelligent, well meaning, medical doctors have prescribed for you. If you have read any of my works on healing or health, you will know that I am NOT against doctors, medicine, or hospitals. Thank God for them! God can use them and many times does. There are, however, some cases where people are taking medicines that are keeping them from proper health. In other words, these people are NOT experiencing total healing, divine health, as a result of the side effects of the medication: even medications that were expertly prescribed. Why?

God is being put as an "option" instead of the source of healing: more trust is being put in the human physician, or the medication, than in the Divine Physician. King Asa was a prime example of this. He sought the advice of physicians... and there was nothing wrong with that...but he did NOT seek the advice of God.
"And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to his physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers, and died [two years later] in the one and fortieth year of his reign." [2 Chronicles 16:12-13] Always go to God for the final opinion and advice! “

Indeed there is a marked difference between the manufacturer and the mechanics/engineers who attend to our vehicles. Only the manufacturer has replacement parts, and can perfectly fit them in. The mechanical engineer will at best try to repair faulty parts; he scarcely can manufacture them. The bible is full of incidents and promises of divine health and healings. Not only does God deal with the medical problems, He alone can address the spiritual aspects of sicknesses –personal sins, household enemies, witchcrafts, demonic afflictions etc.

12 "This is what the LORD says:"'Your wound is incurable, your injury beyond healing. 13 There is no one to plead your cause, no remedy for your sore, no healing for you. 14 All your allies have forgotten you; they care nothing for you. I have struck you as an enemy would and punished you as would the cruel, because your guilt is so great and your sins so many. 15 Why do you cry out over your wound, your pain that has no cure? Because of your great guilt and many sins I have done these things to you. 16 "'But all who devour you will be devoured; all your enemies will go into exile. Those who plunder you will be plundered; all who make spoil of you I will despoil. 17 But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,' declares the LORD,' because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.' Jeremiah 30:12-17 NIV (Emphasis mine). So shall it be to me in Jesus Name. Amen

By the Lampstand. May 2004.

5.0 EXHORTATIONS

While I was under the satanic affliction over the past year, I got many encouragements from brethren young and old. Some of the written articles are reproduced below. May they serve you in days of trouble to the Glory of the LORD, in Jesus’ name. Amen:
CONSIDER THIS – Sanmi Falobi “Jesus was hungry and finding no fruit in it, He cursed the fig tree” Why? Jesus was hungry and became angry. He transferred the anger of his hunger to the tree… Be angry and transfer the pain in your system. Don’t be weary, get ‘an animal’ and command the ‘stranger’ in you into it. Don’t stop until you feel a release. (See Matthew 8:28-32, Mark 5:1-13 and Luke 11:14-26).

Sanmi Falobi is the Publisher of INSIGHT MEMOIRS (c) CALVARY IMPACT NETWORK INC. U.I.P.O Box 4150 Ibadan, Nigeria. Website: www.cin.faithweb.com Contact Office: Block B1, No 11, Wonderland Shopping Plaza, Behind Trans International Bank (T.I.B.), Bodija-U.I Road, Ibadan, Nigeria.

THE LORD WILL RESCUE YOU – Uzo Izuora
The Lord will rescue you
And stand on your behalf
In the presence of your enemies,
Fear not and don’t be shaken,
For he will see you through in all that happens to you,
And he will not let you down
For he has spoken
And he honours His Word
Much more than His name.

IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH – Kenechukwu Izuora

Even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Fear no evil for he is with you
Even when you are weak, He is strong
For your ashes He gives you oil of joy
And that is why you run and are not weary
And the reason you walk and do not faint
For he is before you, with you and after you,
In this race of life.
So because the keeper of Israel
Neither sleeps nor slumbers
And because you dwell in His secret place
And abide under His Mighty shadow,
He will give His angels charge over you
To keep you in going out and coming in
So even at the darkest hour
In the darkest tunnel
Where the only ray of light seems to be at infinity
Take heart and be strong
For He is with you in all your ways
And just as His plans for you are good
So also are His thoughts towards you
To bring you to an expected end
And so for this reason
Pray and do not faint
And let His joy be your strength
For the Hosts of Heaven will definitely defeat the Hordes of Hell
And then we all shall come together
In praise of our victor
That sees us through
In all that happens to us.

JOB’S STORY – Ileri Babalobi

Job was righteous to the extent that God could boast about him to Satan. Even when he was tested, he was still righteous. He did not allow his wife to cause him to sin. Job had the will to be righteous to the end but his body had not. A case of the spirit being willing but the body being weak. He even cursed the day of his birth (chapter 3). We learn from Job’s mistakes. Even though in our hearts we may want to be righteous, we should try to act right. Job’s friends accused him wrongly yet he still had the mind to be righteous. Suffering does not necessarily mean one is a sinner. Job was not a sinner but God wanted to test him. We should learn to speak as God’s Holy Spirit directs us not according to our selfish opinion. We should learn to refrain as much as possible from accusing until we are sure. We should not be quick to voice out our opinions.

Age does not matter in God’s kingdom. Elihu was the youngest (chapter 32), yet he spoke the nearest to how God wanted him to speak. Elihu offered the needed rebuke, advice and encouragement to Job. We should be like Elihu. It was because of Elihu’s contribution that Job stopped complaining.

In the end Job was compensated and got twice as much as he had before (chapter 42). God told Job’s friend to apologize. This shows that we should swallow all pride and we should apologize when we are wrong. God rewarded Job. This shows that God is just and will give to us what we deserve.

God looks at the motive. Job was not acting righteous when he cursed the day of his birth, but in his heart his resolve was to do good. Not that we should take that as an excuse for not acting right.

My God is a Miracle God (2ce)

He has never failed
He will never fail
He will do all that He says he will do
I can see Him working in my favour
I can see Him fighting all my battles
I can see Him bringing in my miracles
He will do what He says He will do

JOB’S WIFE’S UNSAID PRAYER?

Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God, and die” Job 2:9 RSV
…Did she say this so that she could be free to marry another husband..?

6.0 ‘…NOT A WIFE-MATERIAL’

The issue of ‘wife-material’ first came to my hearing one day while I waited by my car to pick my wife from her office. Three upper class students, obviously in their late twenties, walked towards where I stood, loudly discussing a colleague of theirs. “She is not a wife-material!” one of them loudly proclaimed as they passed along. That set me thinking, is there anything like a wife-material?

A few months later I was reading a newspaper the CHRISTAN AGENDA (Divine Press Limited. U.I.P.O. Box 19302 U.I. Agbowo, Ibadan). One of their ‘Life Quotes’ (page 2), a Japanese quote, is ‘ALL MARRIED WOMEN ARE NOT WIVES’!

What does the Bible says about a woman, married or not, who is not a wife-material? Someone who probably should know is the man, called the wisest man ever, who sampled one thousand women, having seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (I Kings 11:3). Here are some of his sayings about such a woman:

Prov 2:16 It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words
Prov 6:24 keeping you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.
Prov 12:4 A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.
Prov 19:13 A foolish son is his father's ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.
Prov 21:9 Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
Prov 21:19 Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.
Prov 23:27 For a prostitute is a deep pit and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
Prov 25:24 Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
Prov 27:15-16 A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day; restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.
Prov 30:21-23 For three things the earth is perturbed, yes, for four it cannot bear up:
For a servant when he reigns, A fool when he is filled with food, A hateful woman when she is married, and a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.
Prov 9:13 A foolish woman is noisy; she is wanton and knows no shame.
Prov 11:22 like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
Prov 14:1The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
Eccl 7:26 I find more bitter than death the woman, who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare.

Other issues may contribute to a woman being a ‘married but no a wife’. Obvious from the above verses is that there are two broad features that make a woman not to be a wife material- that of negative attitude/behavior/character, and that of impurity/unfaithfulness. These could be avoided and overcome if a woman grew up and lives the life of biblical purity and submission. 1 Peter 3:1-6 captures and summarizes this:

3:1 Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. NIV
See also Gen 3:16, Ps 45:10, Eph 5:22-24.

What should a man of God do to his spouse who has turned out to be married but not a wife? The natural reaction is what Hosea exclaimed: "… she is not my wife, and I am not her husband…” Hosea 2:2 NIV. But as Christians, we should do as scriptures teach and what Hosea experienced; The LORD said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes." Hosea 3:1. NIV. Amen

7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. 1 Peter 3:7 NIV.
See also I Corinthians 7:33, Ephesians 5:25 –29.

By the Lampstand. July 2004

7.0 DIVINE PRIESTHOODS FROM UNPRIESLTY BACKGROUNDS

And our Lord, of whom these things are said, belonged to a different tribe and no member of his tribe ever served as a priest. It is well known that he was born a member of the tribe of Judah and Moses did not mention this tribe when he spoke of priest” Hebrews 7:13-14

Your ancestry cannot be a limitation to attaining God’s destiny for you. You may belong to a genealogy of idolaters, yet you and your generation after may forever serve the Lord. Your family may be an outcast, a generation of slaves. Yours may be “Osu” dedicated forever to idols. Your father could be the chief headhunter, your mother from a generation of temple prostitutes. Your forbearers might have imported that foreign god (religion) unto your town; your tribe may be Islam’s main courier. Yours might be a destitute family; there never have been a wealthy person in your linage.

Beginning form you, a new divine linage will start. You shall be engrafted unto the life of Christ and generations of priest begin from you. That which has never happened in your family will begin with you, says the Lord with whom nothing is impossible. Amen.

8.0 EVIL MEN AND IMPOSTORS

Is there any hope that evil men will change for the better? 2 Tim 3:4 tell us that is a forlorn hope. Indeed the prophecy there is in these last days, evil men will go from bad to worse. Do not be deceived, an evil men cannot change from their evil just as a leopard cannot change its spots Evil is their nature. As David said in I Sam 24:13 “Wickedness proceeds from the wicked. Not only will they wicked evil not change, they will be pretenders (impostors deduces. Do not be charmed by their smiles or seduced by their embrace. Proverbs 76:6 tells us that the kisses of an enemy, like that of Judas Iscariot are deceitful. Or as the Good New Bible puts it “… When an enemy puts his arm around your shoulder - watch out!”

In these last days, evil men shall be skilled deceivers. Their strategy is to deceitful put you at ease so that they can strike with their dagger while you are complacent. Do not be taken in by their sophistry, their sweet talk or their promises. They will be covenant breakers like Ehud, they may even claim to have “a word from the Lord” (Judges 3:19-21). The may quote scriptures, aspire to teach or prophesy. They may even want to pray for you or minister deliverance. Do not be taken in do not be complacent. Nothing good can come from evil me. As Proverbs 12:10 states, even the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel! And as Jesus taught “ A good men out of the good treasures of his heart brings forth good, but an evil man out of the evil treasures of his heart brings forth evil…” Be aware of evil workers, in the church (Philippians 3:2).

The evil man is deceived and beyond redemption, because he has given his heart over to the devil, the deceiver (Rev. 2: 9). Do not be taken in by the promises or even their oath. For as many times Saul vowed not to seek to kill David, so did he intensify his murderous pursuit. Evil men are liars and covenant breakers. Like their father the devil, when they speak a lie, it comes naturally as their nature language. There is no truth in them (I John 8: 44).

Do not show kindness, or mercy to the wicked. It is a dangerous waste of time. “Let grace be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteous. Even in the midst of righteous people, they still do wrong and refuse to recognize God’s greatness (Isaiah 25: 10). Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him (Isaiah 3: 11). “There is no peace, says the LORD, for the wicked” (Isaiah 48: 22). Amen.

By the Lampstand. LampstandLetters No. 28, 2001

9.0 PRESENT DAY ALEXANDERS

“Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching.2 Tim 4:14 -15 NAS

In the church today are present day Alexanders- false brethren, fallen brethren, backslidden brethren living on old glory and anointing-, who actively and vigorously oppose the gospel and true teaching of the Lord. If any called and anointed minister or teacher of God’s word does not pass through them or is subject to them and their perverted doctrines/lifestyle, they dispatch their polluted anointing to Satan, to harm the minister physically and spiritually. They vigorously, actively and openly oppose the teaching and the teacher. They breed hatred and disdain for committed ministers of God who have not joined their bandwagon of deceitful service to God.

Evil men and imposters, they have achieved prominence and leadership but are virtually backslid. As Saul did to David, they exert private and public evil influences, just to prevail against the present callings and move of God. They care little to kill and destroy. They delight in subjugation and perversions.

Beloved, Paul experienced the satanic carnal ministry of Alexander and warned Timothy against such. Be aware that that ministry still exists today. Please pray for the Publisher of the LampstandLetters, that the present day Alexanders will do him no further harm, and that he will be alert enough to be on guard against them; as Paul exhorted Timothy. Amen

By The Lampstand. June 2004.

10.0 THE FLAMES OF WICKEDNESS

He will burn up all this wickedness, these thorns and briars; and the flames will consume the forests too, and send a vast cloud of smoke billowing up from their burning. Isaiah 9:18TLB

Wickedness, i.e., the constant thirst of evil, is a fire, which a man kindles in himself. And when the grace of God, which damps and restrains this fire, is all over, it is sure to burst forth: the wickedness bursts forth like fire (the verb is used here, as in Isaiah 30:27, with reference to the wrath of God). And this is the case with the wickedness of Israel, which now consumes first of all thorns and thistles, i.e., individual sinners who are the most ripe for judgment, upon whom the judgment commences, and then the thicket of the wood. The fire, into which the wickedness bursts out, seizes individuals first of all; and then, like a forest fire, it seizes upon the nation at large in all its ranks and members, who "whirl up (roll up) ascending of smoke," i.e., who roll up in the form of ascending smoke (hith'abbek, a synonym of hithhappeek, Judge 7:13, to curl or roll). This fire of wickedness was no other than the wrath ('ebrâh) of God: it is God's own wrath, for all sin carries this within itself as its own self-punishment. (From Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

11.0 WHEN NOT TO INTERCEDE

So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you. 17 Do you not see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire and the women knead the dough and make cakes of bread for the Queen of Heaven. They pour out drink offerings to other gods to provoke me to anger. 19 But am I the one they are provoking? declares the LORD. Are they not rather harming themselves, to their own shame?
Jeremiah 7:16-19 New International Version

As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you. Jeremiah 7:16 New American Standard Version
14 "Do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their distress.
15 "What is my beloved doing in my temple as she works out her evil schemes with many?
Can consecrated meat avert [your punishment]?
When you engage in your wickedness, then you rejoice. Jeremiah 11:14-15 New International Version

5:1 Judgment Must Come

Then the LORD said to me, "Even though Moses and Samuel were to stand before Me, My heart would not be with this people; send them away from My presence and let them go!
2 "And it shall be that when they say to you, "Where should we go?' then you are to tell them, "Thus says the LORD:
"Those destined for death, to death;
And those destined for the sword, to the sword;
And those destined for famine, to famine;
And those destined for captivity, to captivity…"
"Indeed, who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem,
Or who will mourn for you,
Or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?
6 "You who have forsaken Me," declares the LORD,
"You keep going backward.
So I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you;
I am tired of relenting!
Jeremiah 15:1-2, 5-6 New American Standard Version Updated
…Have your way O Lord!

THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING

1.0 THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING

“I will tell of the LORD’s unfailing love. I will praise the LORD for all he has done. I will rejoice in his great goodness to me, which he granted according to his mercy and love. He said ‘(you) are my very own person. Surely (you) will not be false again’. And he became my Savior. In my suffering he has also suffered, and he personally rescued me. In his love and mercy he redeemed me. He lifted me up to carry me through the years (Isaiah 63:7-9 New Living Translation NLT).

“God rescued me from the grave…so that (I) may live in the light of the living”. (Job 33:28, 30. NLT.)

“I will not die but I will live to tell what the Lord has done for me”. (Psalm 118:17 NLT)

To God be the glory. Oh! That man will praise the Lord for his goodness and his wonderful love. God has given me victory over death as a result a spiritual attack that manifested as a viral affliction/ brain tumour. God has given me a practical experience in the scriptures, what the likes of Job and David passed through at certain stages of their lives. Indeed I see the Lord’s goodness in the midst of the living (Psalm 27:13). He has seen me through the valley of the shadow of death, He who causes things to happen on earth either as a punishment or a sign of his unfailing love (Job 37:13).

As I recorded in the last edition of the Lampstand Letters titled “In the valley of the Shadow of Death”, God had allowed a cohort of paternal gods, territorial idols, household wickedness and sheer witchcraft to unleash a plethora of ailments against me, as usually done against the children of God of the black stock who have an idol worshipping ancestral background. Three approaches became available to tackle this situation – spiritual warfare/intercession, a surgical approach/chemotherapy and divine healing. In each of these options, God’s abundant grace and favour are made generously available.

2.0 INSIDE HOUSEHOLD WICKEDNESS & DOMESTIC WITCHCRAFT- page 4

2.1 SPIRITUAL WARFARE AND INTERCESSION.

When Job was busy complaining and challenging God for allowing affliction on him, God raised Elihu to explain situations to him (Job chapter 32 to 37). In Job 33:23-28), Elihu records: “But if a special messenger from heaven is there to intercede for a person, to declare that he is upright, God will be gracious and say ‘Set him free. Do not make him die, for I have found a ransom for his life.’ Then his body will become as healthy as a child’s, firm and youthful again. When he prays to God, he will be accepted. And God will receive him with joy and restore him to good standing. He will declare to his friend, ’I sinned, but it was not worth it. God rescued me from the grave and now my life is filled with light’.”(Emphasis mine).

Similarly, Job himself had wished for a mediator, an intercessor (Job 9:33-34). God certainly raised intercessors for my cause, far and near, now and then, single and corporate. There were a couple of missionaries in a rural area who had been praying over the past couple of years against my death. A couple of national intercessory leaders were in attending an international conference in Kenya last year when God gave a vision to one of them in their hotel that necessitated they intercede against my death. A national leader of the Ibadan Varsity Christian Union Alumni Fellowship to which I belong was in the United Kingdom when God repeatedly put a burden in her heart that she prays for me. The sisters in the Christian Missionary Foundation CMF Nigeria were having a national retreat a little after I had the neuro-surgery. They were to have one-hour morning devotion when two of them had unpleasant visions about me that lead to a sustained six hour corporate intercession for me. That was in the week that I virtually crossed the bridge of death due to post surgical complications.

Hebrews 11:35 talks of ‘women who received their dead to life’. The ‘Wailing Women Ministry’ (Jeremiah 9:17), of which my spouse is a zonal leader continued individually and collectively in their intercessions for me. To a Throne room cell in the north, the Lord assured them that he allowed this so that He may be glorified. Brethren and colleagues subscribed on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. & This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. continued their prayers and encouraging words. On a Sunday morning, the whole church at the Glory Tabernacle, Ibadan, possibly the largest church in Ibadan, lifted up their voice to cry out to God for my complete healing. Family members organized prayers and spiritual warfare for me. Many other brethren, known and unknown prayed and interceded for me. Oh what the goodness and the love of the house of God!

3.0 THE SURGERY

Testimonies also abound about the delicate and expensive brain surgery. First a final definite diagnosis on my condition was made after the surgery. Second it amazed the doctors that the lymphoma tumour was restricted to the brain and had not spread to other part of the nervous system and body. Thirdly the unbearable pains I had experienced for over a year waned immediately after the surgery. The valley of dry bones in my face rose to life. Then though some serious post surgical complications developed later, God truncated the satanic ploy in response to brethren and family prayers. Of testimony also is the generosity I experienced. So far I have spent well over half a million naira ($4000.00) on the condition. In fact a pharmacy shop began to give me a 5% discount on an expensive drug I regularly bought over a month while another gave me a Christmas/new year gift for my regular patronage! But the generosity of brethren, family members, in-laws, colleagues and friends was touching. Of particular note was that of the Well of Salvation (missionary) Ministry Ibadan. Likewise was the voluntary free donation of blood for the surgery by twelve Christian Medical Students of the Nigerian Christian Medical and Dental Students Fellowship (NCMDS), UCH, Ibadan Teaching Hospital.

Despite the great relief that came from the surgery which resulted in the removal of over 70% of the brain tumor, there was still the need for anticancer and antiviral chemotherapy scheduled to run over at least six months to handle the remaining and prevent further growth.
This is the first and only case of viral lymphoma ever diagnosed or attempted treated at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. It occurred to me that a reason why the Lord allowed me to have the surgery and chemotherapy is for record purposes at UCH and for us to know the cost we are saved from when we have miracles of divine healing without surgery or chemotherapy.

4.0 DIVINE HEALING

Of great significance also are the many assurances that the Lord has given that ‘this sickness is not to death’. However the lesions and their negative effects on my left face, left eye, left ear, left side of the lip/gum and general circulatory system still persists. On the first day of March, while I was still in hospital admission for chemotherapy, the Lord showed me a revelation. Still in my hospital condition, He directed me to approach two persons, which I later realized were a doctor and a nurse, for my discharge certificate. I collected it and woke up. Though I am not yet physically all right, I am spiritually discharged. As one of the interceding sister said to me ‘…situation around us may shake us, but we stand on an unshakable kingdom…our God is true and just’. I have God’s divine promise in Hebrews 2; 4 which states that ‘ God verified the message by signs and wonders and various miracles and by giving gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever He chose to do so’. Divine healing is the ultimate solution, and he will show his miracle, sign and wonder in divinely healing me of all ailments, as King Hezekiah experienced in Isaiah 38. By divine healing, I will be wholly made whole, by the power and love of him who was wounded and crushed for our sins, beaten that we may have peace, and was whipped and I am healed (Isaiah 53:9). Like Abraham, I am absolutely convinced that God is able to do anything he promised (Romans 4:21) Amen.

“I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 116:9 KJV).

By the Lampstand. March 2004.

5.0 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING HEALED AND BEING MADE WHOLE (LUKE 17:11-19)

The story of the ten lepers who were healed and the one whom the Lord declared as being made whole tells us that there is a step after divine healing. As we praise God, thank the Lord, give glory to Him and testify of his goodness in the land of the living, He shall make us whole and well again. I shall be healed and made wholly well to the glory of our Lord. Amen.
By the Lampstand. March 2004

6.0 HOUSEHOLD ENEMIES AND DOMESTIC WITCHCRAFT

Four spiritual factors have been identified to contribute to the Job-type health afflictions the Lord allowed me to undergo this past couple of years. In this edition, two of these factors are examined in general biblical light, beyond what I personally experienced. They are the issues of household enemies and domestic witchcraft. The objective is to sensitize us Christians on the need to face these factors before they ambush us.

6.1 THE ISSUE OF HOUSEHOLD ENEMIES/WICKEDNESS

“Hear this message from the Lord, and tremble at his words: ‘Your close relatives hate you and throw you out for being loyal to my name…but they will be put to shame’.”(Isaiah 66:5)

“Don’t trust anyone- your best friend or even your wife! For the son despises his father .The daughter her mother. The daughter-in-law defies her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your household” (Micah 7:5-6).

“…You will serve your brother for a time, but then you will shake loose from him
And be free” (Genesis 27:40b)

The biblical household consists of one’s parents, brothers/sisters, wife/husband, In-laws and other relatives/family members/dependants in an extended family, living with him or of his hometown (see Joshua 2:18, 6:25). Every household has a traditional religious past, which are usually idolatrous until the Lord calls a member of the family out unto himself. Abram was from an idolatrous past before he was called out (Genesis 12:1-5).

But even when some of the ancestors have been called and are with the Lord, their descendants are still influenced by their fore parent’s idolatrous background. The case of Jacob, whose household still carried idols, despite the long history of his forbearer’s covenant with the Lord, refers (Genesis 35:1-4). The LORD usually draws individual members of a household into covenant relationship with himself, as was the case of Abram. And like Gideon experienced (Judges Chapter 6), this draws a backlash of spiritual antagonism and hostility from family members and even his townsmen. The prophet Isaiah reverberates this situation across nations and people groups when he referred to people who chose their own ways of worship and hate/persecute close relatives who are loyal to God and obey him (Isaiah 66:1-5).

In fact the Lord states clearly and strongly that becoming a loyal follower of his will lead to a family division and breach of peaceful relationship with close family members. From his own personal experience, he stated that “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own HOMETOWN and among his RELATIVES and his OWN FAMILY (Mark 6:4. Emphases mine).

In Matthew 10:22, the Lord links the hatred and persecution of his loyal followers to household enemies (Matt. 10:21, 34-36; Luke 12:49-53). While this enmity may be as mild as just shunning such a believer by the household, it could be as severe as occultist limitations in life, stunting of destiny, witchcraft and disease attack and even death threat (like I faced). Unfortunately many Christians seem to discountenance this abiding situation, making us prone to endemic household enmity and crippling spiritual attacks.

6.2 DEALING WITH HOUSEHOLD ENEMIES/WICKEDNESS

In introducing the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, John the Baptist declared that He would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matt. 3:11-12, Luke 3:17). In affirming his Ministry, the Lord himself stated: “I have come to bring fire to the earth, and I wish that my task were already completed” (Luke 12:49). He was linking the acceptance of his message by believers to a repercussion of discord, division and strife from the believer’s household enemies (Luke 12:49-53).

Baptism with fire is therefore a major paraphernalia for all believers in anticipation and dealing with the household enmity that arise from their following of Christ. Such household enmity is the chaff that will be burnt with the never-ending fire we are baptized with (Matt. 3:12, Luke 3:17). In 2 Samuel 23:5-7, David contrasted his covenanted, secure family with the “Sons of Beliah” (NKJV) who are liken to thorn to
be ‘consumed with fire’. Deuteronomy 13:13 has earlier described the ‘children of Beliah’ as “certain men…from among you...saying, Let us go and serve other god, which you have not known”. These are idolatrous family members.

David was one person that had vast experience with household enmity. Among David’s last words was the stern warning that one must not treat household enemies with kid’s gloves, as they are like thorns that “tear the hand that touches them. One must be armed to chop them down; they will be utterly consumed with fire” (2 Samuel 23:6-7).
We have been armed with the Holy Ghost and fire, and as we speak the words of God in prayers and spiritual warfare against our household enemies, they will be consumed with the fire of the spirit. Believers, arm yourselves with the sword of the spirit, and unleash the Holy Ghost fire on every form of household wickedness and enmity, while we give room for mercy and repentance, snatching the repentant from the flames of judgment (Jude 23).

In Psalm 1:4, wickedness is liken to the ‘worthless chaff’, meant for fire. Thus while obedient believers are liken to fruit-bearing trees, and Holy Spirit-separated grains, the “sons of Beliah” household enemies are prickly thorns and useless chaff that are meant for burning (Matthew 3:11-12; Psalm 1:1-5).
“Therefore they will all disappear like burning straw… (Isaiah 5:24). Amen.
(N.B. The following portion on domestic witchcraft is culled from part of LampstandLetters No. 26 which dealt with the wider topic of ECCLESIASTICAL WITCHCRAFT AND MANIPULATION).

7.0 DOMESTIC WITCHCRAFT

What is witchcraft?

Witchcraft is the sinful use of carnal or demonic spirits to influence, manipulate or control/limit others, to usurp divine authority, or to maintain a status quo when God wants a change (I Sam. 15:23, 2 Kings 9:22, Nahum 3:4). It can be manifested even in God’s own people (Deut. 18:10, Gal 5:20). Words used interchangeably or closely related to witchcraft in the bible include divination, sorcery, enhancement, soothsaying and forth telling (Compare Micah 5:12 Jer. 27:9 Nahum 3:4 and Deut 18:9-14 in KJV, NKJV, NIV & GNB versions). Everyone who indulges in divination practices witchcraft. Another word that is closely associated with witchcraft in the bible is idolatry (See I Sam 15:23, 2 King 9:22 and Gal 5:20.) This is so because idolatry, like witchcraft is a form of manipulation. An idolater creates himself a god that he can manipulate and worship, not on the terms of the god but mainly on the idol-worshipper’s terms.

WHAT IS DOMESTIC WITCHCRAFT?

Domestic witchcraft is the demonic or carnal witchcraft practiced among the household, extended family members and in-laws. Typified by the form exhibited by the siblings Laban and Rebecca (Gen. 24:29) and their children Jacob and Rachael (who later married one another) are a classical example of domestic witchcraft. All four of them were related by birth, origin and marriage. Laban was a diviner (Gen. 30:27 NIV) who cheated and manipulated his nephew Jacob, first to marry Leah alongside Rachael (Gen. 29:15-30) and then reduced his wages ten (10) times while making him accountable for losses in the flock (Gen. 31:38-42). Rebecca was a manipulator who backed Jacob to supplant his elder brother Esau, and ensure he got his father Isaac’s blessing by trickery and deceit (Gen. 27). (However Rebecca exhibited a positive attitude when she volunteered to take upon herself any resultant curse that could come upon Jacob Gen. 27:11-13. Today we have even Christian mothers that habitually curse their children).

Jacob (meaning deceiver, who grasps by the heel) was a manipulator par excellence. He schemed and manipulated God and men and prevailed Gen. 32:28. His scheming however was repugnant to God who brought a charge and judgment against him and his descendants after him (Hosea 12: 2-3). Every form of witchcraft, every form of manipulation, scheming, deception or supplanting is repugnant to God, as is every form of rebellion (see I Sam 15:23). They remind him of what Lucifer did (Isaiah 14; 12-15 and Rev. 12:7-9).

Like her cousin and husband Jacob, Rachael’s life was that of contention and manipulation against her elder sister Leah and later even her husband Jacob (see Gen. 30:8:15.) She was also a nag (Gen. 30:1) who manipulated her husband to lie with a house girl (Gen. 30:3-4). She was an Idolater-diviner (Gen. 31:19) who successful tricked and deceived her father (Gen. 31:34-35). Like Rebecca, Rachael thus manifested two forms of domestic witchcraft – household and marital witchcraft.

One usual feature of domestic witchcraft and manipulation is that is it inherited, passed from one generation to another. If a parent practices witchcraft or is a manipulator, at least one of the siblings will imbibe or inherit these traits. If a man manipulates his wife, very likely his son or daughter will also want to manipulate the spouse. If a woman is rebellious or practices witchcraft, no only will the daughter grow up rebellious and manipulative, her son will likely be henpecked and weak, looking for a wife that will manipulate him as his mother did to his father!

In Hosea 12:2, the Lord says He will recompense (repay) Jacob’s descendant according to his deeds. As Laban deceived Jacob, him (Gen. 31:34-35) Jacob’s sons were also deceitful as their father (Gen. 34:13), while Rueben supplanted and defiled his father’s bed (Gen. 35:22 49:3-4)

If the first fruit is holy, the lump is also. If the root is holy, the branches are Rom. 11:16. If the root parent is unholy, then the branches (off-springs) will also be. Hence we are called to cut off the wild nature we inherited and be fully grafted into the holy olive nature of Christ (Rom 11:16-24).

What does God say of the practitioners of witchcraft? He says in Exodus 22:18 that we should not suffer a witch to live. And in Leviticus 20:27, that the man or woman who practices witchcraft shall surely be put to death by stoning outside the city, their blood shall be upon them (that is upon the slain witchcraft practitioners) themselves. In Deuteronomy 18:10-12, God groups the witch among diviners, enchanters, charmers, necromancers, those who deal with familiar spirits, etc and calls them all “an abomination unto the LORD”.
When household members use domestic witchcraft to supplant, cheat or limit your destiny, like Rebecca and Jacob did to Esau, “…You will serve your brother for a time, but then you will shake loose from him and be free”(Genesis 27:40b). Now is the time to shake loose to break the yoke and be free from every limitation. It can be seen in Exodus 22:18 and Leviticus 20:27 that a death sentence hangs over every witch and wizard. Call upon God to execute this sentence on your domestic witchcraft practitioners.

May this sentence of the scripture fall upon every practitioner of domestic witchcraft who refuses to repent. Amen.

By the Lampstand. March 2004.

8.0 ABOUT THE LAMPSTAND LETTERS

The Lampstand (also known as the candlestick) is the stand where the lamp is put to shine its light (Mark 4:21, Luke 11:33). God’s word is the lamp for our feet and light for our path (Psalm 119:105). Lampstandletters are thus written exposition of God’s word so that we may ‘Walk in the light of the Lord’ (Isaiah 2:5). In Daniel 5:5 was a divine hand-writing illuminated by the Lampstand. It took a man with the Spirit of God, a sharp excellent mind, divine knowledge and understanding, interpretation of dreams, showing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts to tell what the writing by the Lampstand was (Dan.5:12-28). Pray in this light for the publisher and contributors to LampstandLetters.
Amen.

Bro U.O. in Ibadan sponsored the printing of the last edition of the Lampstandletters.
This edition was produced on hospital bed during post-surgery chemotherapy.

IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

1.0 IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH

I spent the year 2003 in the valley of the shadow of death, literarily at the jaw of the grave. It was a year that the Yoruba will name Odunbaku (the year I should have died); a year I took drugs more than five times the quantity I had taken in my earlier 40 years on earth. It was a year I spent the greater part either infirmed or visiting hospitals. GLORY to God, the grave did not consume me, HE DID NOT ALLOW DEATH TO SWALLOW ME UP IN VICTORY. As He did concerning Job, he forbad Satan from touching my life, even though he was permitted to sore afflict me.

2.0 THE GENESIS

The immediate genesis to the present attack could be traced to the decision in 1996 by some us in my father's house to change our name from FALOBI (meaning born of Ifa, the Yoruba god of divination), to BABALOBI (meaning born of the heavenly Father). Although four out of us five males took the decision after a night vigil, the two younger ones backed out later after family pressures. The first to be attacked spiritual was my immediate younger brother who stood with me in the decision. His health was severely attacked and his career truncated. Ultimately, God gave him the victory. That was a few years ago.

The build up to mine obviously began a few years ago. From 2000, certain physical and spiritual symptoms pointed to a gradual build up. During this period, an attack on my car after a missions trips, armed robbery attack at home, drugged and robbed in a night bus while on my way to Calabar to give a missions talk, an accident at another time I was on way to Calabar to give an orientation on missions research were all indicative of a build up. I lost three precious bibles and nearly N2000000.00 to robbers and wasters during this time. These were but prelude to the satanic "operation octopus " which the satanic network unleashed on me this year (During Nigeria's recent intervention in Liberia, the then rebel leader Charles Taylor, spent months in buildup of a network of well armed and equipped rebel forces and suddenly swooped on the Nigeria forces in an operation codenamed Operation Octopus. Over eight hundred Nigeria soldiers were reportedly killed, even though the Nigerian forces successfully held out against the rebel forces).

3.0 PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS

The affliction began as numbness of the lower left lip late in 1999. This was initially thought to be dental and dental attention was sought over the years. However by late last year, headache on the left side of the head and insomnia/sleeplessness set in. This were thought to be due to domestic stress and office work, especially as I have never taken a leave (save for public holidays since I graduated in 1985) Later poor sight of the left eye and pain/discomfort in the left ear set in. The ophthalmologists and Ear-Nose-and throat specialist were consulted and intervened.

By April, my jaws became stiff and difficult to open. I developed serious facial pains, sleeplessness (especially between 12.00 and 5.00 a.m.) and lack of appetite. Gradually, I lost up to 25kgs weight. The initial diagnosis of Trigeminal Nerve Neuralgia of the left face by the dentists did not respond to prolonged therapy. By July ending, I was near the end of the ropes physically. Depression of my left occipital muscle set in. Then the neurologists came in and changed medication. This provided remarkable relief until physiotherapy lead to loss of normal functioning of my left eye. A computerized tomagraphy (CT) scan was called for which revealed a melanoma, a growth in the left medial fossa. The neurosurgeons came in and I was placed on Steroids and asked o conduct a series of test preparatory to surgery.

A routine HIV/AIDS screening first turned out to be reactive. However further confirmatory HIV/AIDS test turned out negative. By this time the generalized pains have now limited to an area around the left ear. Excessive internal sinus fluid secretions caused a lot of discomfort, including that of the left eye. For virtually the whole of the year, I dared not lie down to sleep. My bed and mattress were on holiday, in fact were removed from my room to create space for the armchair that became my sleeping mat. The little sleep I had was snatched sitting up in a chair. A second CT in December...

4.0 SPIRITUAL SYMPTOMS

More significant and important were the spiritual manifestations. The first insight to the nature of the attack was a dream I had around 12.00 midnight on one of the sleepless nights. In the dream, I was directed by some relatives I had gone out visiting, to the home of the head of the hunters in my hometown to ask for permission to return to my father’s house after midnight met me outside visiting them. Now it is known that hunters were priests and worshippers of the Ogun deity in Yoruba land. My grandfather was the headhunter in my hometown and all his children, including my late father, had one name or the other venerating the Ogun deity.

Obvious from this dream was the facts that some of my relatives wanted me to defer to the gods of my nativity (hometown), wanted me to approach the gods of my father’s to receive permission to sleep after midnight! Much later, after much prayers and warfare have been undertaken by brethren, I had another dream in which the head hunter approached me and begged that I stopped people from sending fire upon their heads since they have decided to leave me alone. However another group led by a woman disagreed with him, saying it was fight to finish. A subsequent vision to a minister in Lagos identified the women as priestesses of the local marine god of my village, the Okun (sea) goddess for which our street in the village is named after.

Other visions and revelations showed specific members of my immediate extended family involved in household wickedness against me (Micah 7:6, Matthew 10:36). Also the wasting of the muscles of my left face was attributed to the activities of eater of flesh and drinkers of blood (Psalm 27:2, Isaiah 49:26) practicing witchcraft. Thus the source of the affliction was fourfold - a network of the gods of my father, the idols of my native town, household enemies/wickedness and sheer witchcraft attack.

5.0 THE ENIGMA OF THE AFFLICTED FOWL

Late in January when the affliction was just developing, I got a gift of seven day-old cockerels. My wife was later to tell me that one of them was not eating/growing well because the jaws were mal-positioned. One day around June/July after another night of sleeplessness, I was meditating around 5.00 am when the Holy Spirit directed to take a look at the sick fowl. He told me that the afflictions that I will notice on the left side of the face of the fowl were meant for me. A subsequent look at the fowl showed that the whole of the left face, including the skull, the ear, the eye and the jaw were all smashed in and were useless. By that time I had not have the post-physiotherapy eye problems.
Certainly God had stilled the hands of the enemy and devourer, limiting his affliction. A further insight into the dimension of the enemies attack on my body and ministry was given when a number of co-minister friends came to pray with me one day. As one of them deduced the enemy intended to destroy my brain, the seat of knowledge and understanding, the ear from where I hear from the Lord, the eye for spiritual insight and vision and the jaw from speaking, declaration and ministration. Clearly, a comprehensive and strategic attack on my being and ministry was planned from the pit of hell.

6.0 THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE BRETHREN

One of the greatest experiences during my affliction was the love, care and prayerful support of the church. Many brethren I never knew of, from all over the country and beyond raised intense spiritual warfare on my behalf. Students, friends and colleagues of my wife and I, partners and members of our ministries and churches, Christian relatives and neighbors visited or raised sustained prayer backing. A group of Wailing Women embarked on a seven-day prayer and fasting period. One of my students staying wit a veteran campus Christian professor took the prayer home and every day for months prayers were said. Words of counsel and encouragement came from the two Christian yahoo groups I moderate – the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Some concerned brethren and family members brought their pastors home to minister to me (or took me to the ministers for prayers). Thus we had ministers from the Chapel of Missions/Christian Missionary Foundation CMF Ibadan, Living Spring Chapel, Gospel Faith Mission, Gethsemane Prayer Ministry, some Christ Apostolic Churches, Mountain of Fire and Miracle MFM, God-Will-Do-it Ministry, Glory Tabernacle, Anglican Churches among others. Some friends in the Catholic Church assured me that they were praying with their rosary for me! I also had to politely decline some invitation to obvious white garment ministration.

Apart from these, Christian leaders and friends such as Reverend Moses Aransiola, Yemi Ayodele, Obed Egbugara, Pastor Emmanuel Kure and Dr Oyor prayed for me at one time or the other. What came clearly to me was the rich diversity of gifts, calling and anointing available within the body of Christ. Indeed no group has the monopoly of God’s treasures but they are liberally distributed across the body. Some may be more relevant than others at one time or the other. In my experience, I found the prayers and teaching in the books of Dr Olukoya of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministry most helpful and relevant to the situation I faced.

7.0 BITTERSWEET EXPERIENCES

The period was a bittersweet experience for me. Of course the pains, anorexia, sleeplessness, discomfort and strain were severe and unbearable but for the grace of God. Then the endless visits to hospitals in four towns for tests and consultations – at times frustrating wait to see doctors and the cost. Painful also was the fact that I could not attend my Dad’s funeral, which fell through the period of the ill health.

The sweet experience begins with the overwhelming love, concern and prayers of the brethren. But the most important experience for me was the realms of spiritual warfare that I was opportune to be involved with. Also His words in the scriptures can alive in my case. I could now identify with the experience of Job, and understand the frame of mind in which the Psalmist wrote. Such Psalm like chapter 3, 10, 18, 35, 56 and 59 among countless others became practical relevant experience. Also I am now able to write and teach by His grace not only from intuition and inspiration, but also from practical experience!

8.0 LESSONS

Every Christian, especially in the black world must deliberately and purposefully address the fourfold source of affliction I faced viz.

1. The network of the gods of thy father,
2. The idols of thy native town,
3. Household wickedness i.e. the members of your family which had aligned themselves with Satan to be enemies to afflict us (Micah 7:6, Matthew 10:36).
4. Sheer witchcraft attack from within and without (Psalm 27:2, Isaiah 49:26).

Otherwise, they will either limit our lives/ ministry or truncate it at one time or the other. The devil is a patient adversary, stalking and waiting for opportune time to strike at those who dwell in safety (Psalm 10:8). …But upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. (Obadiah 17) Amen.

YOUR NATIVITY AND THE GODS OF YOUR FATHERS

1.0 PREAMBLE

In the first week of January 2003, I attended a night vigil at which the elderly prophet who ministered gave me an incredible message. Speaking to me by word of knowledge, he told me that he saw a vision of members of my father’s house in my hometown lamenting that I had chosen a different God to serve and neglected to serve Ogun, the family god. The prophet then overheard them scheming and planning how to bring me back to the worship of Ogun and the gods of my fathers. He thus counseled that I be wary and prayerful. Truly, my paternal grandfather, Logunoje Falobi, a famed hunter, was an Ogun and Ifa priest, and the head of the Ogboni cult in Ijesaland, Osun State during his lifetime. It was the miracle of restoration of her blind sight, which the Lord used the late Apostle Babatope of (The Apostolic Church/ Christ Apostolic Church), to perform on my paternal grandmother that led her scion of the Falobi clan to become Christians, a faith my father inherited and passed on. Based on a divine leading, my brother and I have changed our names from Falobi (meaning born of Ifa) to Babalobi (meaning 'born of the heavenly Father').

But is it possible that the gods of the fathers can pull back a child of God like me, who even has a ministry calling, back to idolatry if such a one is not wary? Does the spiritual history of a place/setting affect the inhabitants thereof, even after the people have given their lives to Christ? Do the ancestral gods and idols of one’s family have the potential to negatively affect one spiritually, even after you have been born gain? The answer is YES, and the example of Gideon (Judges 6/8) and Jerusalem/the Israelites (Ezekiel 16) to illustrate.

1.1 THE CASE OF GIDEON

Gideon made an idol from the gold and put it in his hometown, Oprah. All Israel abandoned God and went there to worship the idol. It was a trap for Gideon and his family (Judges 8:27)

The case of Gideon is an unfortunate example of a man who started his ministry by cutting down his father’s idolatrous altar, but who ends by setting up an idol, which became a snare to the people of Israel.

The meaning of the name Gideon is “one who cuts off iniquity”. A cognomen of the name is Jerubbaal, meaning ‘he will contend with Baal” Gideon was introduced as the one who cut down his father’s altar to the god Baal and goddess Asherah. Then he led Israel for forty (40) years. But at his end he was presented as the one who built up a golden altar, which he placed in his hometown Ophrah. All Israel abandoned God and went to worship the idol, which became a snare to Gideon and his family. At his death all Israel had gone back to worship the Baals and Asherahs which Gideon had so valiantly destroyed forty years earlier. Clearly his nativity (hometown) and the gods of his fathers caught up with him, despite his exploits. Can this also happen to a child/minister of God today?

1.2 THE CASE OF JERUSALEM

Then another message came to me from the Lord. Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her loathsome sins. Give her this message from the Sovereign LORD: You are nothing but a Canaanite! Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite! (Ezekiel 16:1-3). The city of Jerusalem was initially an Amorite city. Joshua fought against Adoni-zedek and five other Amorite kings (Joshua 10). The children of Judah also dealt with Adoni- Bezek (Judges 1:1-10), while it was the King David who finally subdued the city and made it the eternal capital of Israel (2 Samuel 5:6-13). But by the time of Joshua, even though the Jews had inhabited the city for centuries, God had to send the prophets to confront the land and her inhabitants about their detestable practices (Ezekiel 16:2). To point to the origin of their present loathsome abomination, the Lord told Ezekiel: “You must say to Jerusalem: look at your history. You were born in Canaan; your Father was an Amorite, your mother a Hittite (Ezekiel 16:3 Easy-to-Read version. Emphasis mine)

Two historical factors therefore contributed to the present situation of ‘redeemed’ Jerusalem:

1. Her Nativity (or place of birth)
2. Her ancestry

1.3 Nativity = Canaan

Canaan was the son of Ham who gave his name to the land Canaan. The Canaanites were a wicked people because they descended from a wicked Father. (Cruden’s Complete Concordance of the Bible). I was recently reading a newspaper article (Saturday Guardian, 11th January 20030, in which the writer was commenting on the vocational patterns of Nigerians in Italy. According to the writer, while Nigerians from Edo and Delta States were into prostitution, those from the Igbo -speaking areas were into hard drug courier and trade and the Yoruba were into fraud and other ‘419’ activities. Clearly their nativity followed them to even outside the sores of Nigeria!

1.4 Your Father an Amorite

Amorite meaning bitter, rebel was a generic name for the tribes inhabiting Canaan. At the time of Abraham, they are introduced as a wicked generation for whom the LORD was willing to wait for four hundred year for the iniquity to be full (Genesis 15:16). Joshua fought against five kings of the Amorites (Judges 10) and at his valedictory speech gave the Israelites the choice of worshipping the Lord or the gods of the Amorites that lived in the land (Joshua 24:15). By the time of Elijah, Ahab was recorded as having continued in the abominations of the Amorites (1 Kings 21:26), as did Manasseh after him (2 Kings 21:11). So that by the time of Ezekiel, the whole of Jerusalem/ Israel followed after the disgusting idolatry of the Amorites. Between Abraham and Moses, the Amorites had lived four hundred years of Abominations. Between Joshua (circa 1240 BC) and Ezekiel’s time (circa 592 BC), was 648 years of Israelites’ conquest of Jerusalem, Yet the sins of the original Amorite settlers still caught up with the Israelite after more than one thousand years!

1.5 Your Mother a Hittite.

The Hittites were descendants of Heth, the second son of Canaan. Like their father, they were known for their idolatrous wickedness.The first mention of the Hittite was in relation to Esau who married two Hittites girls who brought grief to Isaac and Rebecca (Genesis 26:34). The land of the Hittite was part of the land promised to the Israelite and rather than exterminate them, the Israelite settled among them, intermarried with them and worshipped their gods (Judges 3:5-6, 2 Chronicles 8: 7). The negative influence of daughters from idolatrous backgrounds has trapped men of all generations, including Solomon, acclaimed the wisest man that ever lived (1 King 11:1-8).

“Like Mother, like daughter”

“The Lord said, people will use this proverb about you, “like Mother, Like Daughter. You really are your mother’s daughter. She detested her husband and her children. You are like your sisters, who hated their husbands and their children. You and your sisters had a Hittite mother and an Amorite father (Ezekiel 16: 44-45).

Like my father used to counsel, ‘if you want to know how your wife will relate with/ behave to you, then check how her mother related with her father’ (the converse if also true for husbands).

What lessons are applicable to us today from Gideon and Jerusalem’s experiences?
It is not sufficient to denounce our ancestral roots and idols, or physically cut down their altars. Altars and covenants may be old, desolate, defunct or quiet for a session or for centuries. But they will still have a muted voice and a claim to the land, its children and inhabitants. Once a ‘son of the kingdom’ arises, puts up he grabs of a priest and offer sacrifices to such altars, they are reactivated. Once reactivated, they seek to control all those who identify with they, including all her ‘children’ serving other gods. And even those serving the true and Almighty God are vulnerable, if their heart is not fully circumcised or they desist for a moment from truly serving God.
The antidote for us is to serve God in spirit and in truth, all the days of our life. We must guard diligently our heart from out it flows the issues of life. Our heart is God’s altar, and idolatry is set up first in the heart, before it physically manifests (Ezekiel 14:3). It is not enough to be born-again or even be God’s minister. We must always maintain a sincere (not proud, insincere) heart and a sue faith, having our hearts regularly purged of an evil conscience. Why do men of God fall and build again the things, which they have cast down. One reason is the pull of their nativity and the gods of their father’s house. We therefore must be watchful and humble, receiving grace and living in the fear of the Lord, lest we end our days like Gideon, in idolatry or in their modern day manifestation in pride, self-promotion, lasciviousness, immorality etc, despite our years of service to the Lord.

Blessed be He who is able to keep to the outmost all that I committed into his hands. Blessed be the Lord who gives us victory in all things through our Lord Jesus. Amen

By the Lampstand. January 2003.

2.0 WHAT ARE THEIR NAMES?

And Moses said unto God, Behold when I come to the children of Israel and say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they say to me what is his name?…Exodus 3:13 What are the names of your father’s gods?

2.1 THE NATIVITY AND ANCESTRY OF JESUS

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times (Micah 5:2).

The earthly nativity of Jesus was Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1); his earthly ancestry was a son of David (Luke 2:4). Ephrathah, a descendant of Judah founded Bethlehem (1 Chronicles 4:1- 4). And as descendant of David, Jesus inherited the eternal covenant (Psalm 89: 34 –37). Beyond the earthly, Jesus had a spiritual Nativity and ancestry “...his origins are from old, from ancient (everlasting) times… Like Melchizedek “without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning if days or end of days” (Hebrews 7:3). Thus Jesus could declare “… I know where I came from. And I know where I am going… (John 8:14). And he then ministers, not on the basis of his ancestry, but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life (Hebrews 7:16). Amen

2.2 SUFFERED MANY THINGS OF MANY PHYSICIANS (MARK 6:26)

The story of the woman with the twelve-year issue of blood is well known. Until she met with the Lord Jesus, she had suffered much in the hands of MANY physicians, spending all that she has. In 2001, I had a difficult tooth extraction. Obviously damage was done to the nerves and blood vessels supplying that region as a result of the extraction. Since then I started developing pains on my left side of the lips, which by the end of last year developed to excruciating pains on the whole of the left side of the face which made sleep impossible It took five General Practitioners, two ophthalmologists, seven dentists in three hospitals, eight X-rays in three places, physiotherapy, different drugs and much prayers, fasting and night vigils organized by different brethren over five months to get appreciable relief, even though there are still some intermittent pains. Then I had an idea of what it means to suffer much n the hands of many physicians!

3.0 SPIRITUAL MAPPING: AN OUTLINE

3.1 a. Definition

Use of collated historical, geographical and demographic features of a place/person/ people to discern, diagnose and identify the satanic spiritual characteristics of the place/ person/people. All information got from spiritual mapping is then represented on a MAP (or a computer using Geographic Information Systems), to physically highlight the spiritual characteristics of the place. Spiritual mapping is a MEANS to a goal, the goal being informed intercessions, spiritual walks and prophetic actions to deal with the satanic powers hindering the place/people from salvation, or a person from the fullness of the life of Christ.

3.2 Other definitions

1. Spiritual mapping is a geographic understanding of spiritual things People are beings of place; we're always somewhere specific, because we're bodied beings, living in local communities © 2002 Robert Longman Jr.
2. Harold Caballeros says that what an X-ray is to a physician, spiritual mapping is to intercessors. ... www.ausprayernet.org.au/spiritual_mapping
3. Spiritual mapping allows intercessors to see the world situation with their spiritual radar the way God sees it. ... www.54thstreetsda.org/sw/swar5a
4. Spiritual mapping is the process of collating and putting spiritual information concerning a region or people on a map. The accumulated data is used in spiritual warfare to seize that region or people group from the enemy. Spiritual mapping is like having a bright light focused on an otherwise dimly lit area. It allows us to see how the enemy is strategizing and exposes Satan’s hidden agenda for that particular region or people group. (Battle Axe Brigade)
5. Spiritual mapping is an attempt to see our city (or nation or neighborhood) as it really is, not as it appears to be. It is a serious effort to discern the spiritual forces of the invisible world, which directly influence the visible, everyday world and prevent men and women from hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (www.ad2000.org/geowe95/prayer.htm)
6. A spiritual technology for completing the Great Commission in our generation" (Peter Wagner)

b. Synonyms = Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare (opposed to ground level spiritual warfare)

3.3 c. Origin

Spiritual mapping is a Pentecostal creation. It started with John Dawson's book, Taking Our Cities for God, published in 1989 by Creation House. The book's subtitle is: "How to Break Spiritual Strongholds.” John Dawson, at that time, directed Youth With A Mission in Los Angeles, California. In a quest for more effective evangelism tools, he taught that demonic forces block gospel efforts. He focused particularly on geographical areas such as cities, especially cities. His thesis: the power and influence of the "principalities and powers" over a city must be broken before the gospel will significantly advance. He said that "satanic forces manifest(ing) themselves in the culture of the city," (page 19) and will prevent conversions from occurring. Others such as Peter Wagner and George Otis Jnr, both associated with the AD 2000 Movement (www. ad2000.org/geowe95/prayer.htm) and the Church Growth Movement have further developed the theme.

3.4 d. Some Biblical Basis

Mark 4:22, Numbers 13:1-2, 17-20,29 Acts 17:16, 22-23, Proverbs 1:20-23 Jeremiah 10:10-11 I Kings 20:23 Daniel 10:13 I Kings 11:33 Jeremiah 7:18 Ezekiel 8:14 Exodus 12:12

3.5 e. Some Criticism of Spiritual Mapping

‘…A misguided focus on the demonic …Spiritual mapping is an attempt to accomplish through human effort what Christ has already done, a magical, works centered ploy, man centered… Whatever happened to the sovereign work of God?’ (Kent Philpott, Miller Avenue Baptism church/ (Leanne Payne / Pastoral Care Ministries Newsletter. Spring / Summer 2001). Other criticism borders on execution – ‘…It focuses far too much on Satan…show an obsession with method and detail…draw from extreme ideas about spiritual warfare, including 'territorial spirits'...some of these ideas border on superstition: for instance, one mapping effort marked out a museum which displayed ancient Asian artifacts that supposedly bore 'evil spirits' from their native land which were 'occultically influencing' the neighborhood...’ (Cited in SPIRITUAL MAPPING as a tool for the mission of the church in the place where you live © 2002 Robert Longman Jnr). Most criticism is from the orthodox/ evangelical church. It is usual to be suspicious of what we do not understand and be critical when we are conservative.

3.6 What is done in spiritual mapping

1. A study of the History/Origin/Founders of a land and its people as well as their culture, religion and peculiar habits
2. A geographical location of satanic strongholds e.g. altars, shrines, brothels, alcohol joints, robbery spots, area boys strongholds, occultist groups/churches, places of congregation (parks, markets, high schools etc.), and ancient landmarks like war site, first settlement, entry points/gates, war sites, massacre locations, mortuaries, riots spots, and original houses of prostitution).
3. Demography and distribution of 2 above

3.7 Components

1. Prayer and fasting
2. Bible survey
3. Library/book research
4. Interviews
5. Field surveys
6. Collation, Organization, Presentation, Summary, Analysis and Interpretation of data

3.8 Points to note.

1. Spiritual mapping is a TEAM WORK. A survey of a city or neighborhood may need ten to twelve team members working in humility, love, boldness, holiness, anointing and authority under a team leader. Each team member must have a personal conviction that he is called to be a mapper.
2. A typical mapping exercise is a long-term project of at least six to twenty four months. Team members should therefore prepare for a marathon rather than a sprint
3. Spiritual mapping can be both interesting and frustrating at different times
4. Spiritual Mapping is a spiritual intelligence/spying work that is not necessarily secret but needs wisdom and confidentiality. It may be sometimes spiritually or physically risky but has certainty of angelic cover
5. Mappers should be accountable to and operate hand in hand with pastors and local elders at the gate from whom they will need wise counsel and spiritual judgment (Proverbs 11; 14, 20; 18, 24; 6).
6. Remember that Spiritual mapping is a means to a goal and not a goal in itself. Results of spiritual mapping should thus be made available to the body of Christ to plan effective spiritual warfare and evangelists strategies.

3.9 Suggestions for further study

1. Goggle web search on spiritual mapping
2. Spiritual mapping for effective spiritual warfare. Copyright © Battle Axe Brigade www.
3. Biblical Approach to Strategic Missions Research Copyright © Tayo Babalobi. Christian Missionary Foundation Publications, Ibadan, Nigeria.

3.10 A SPIRITUAL MAPPING OF WASHINGTON DC

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Psalm 11:3

Is it enough for a Christian, a Godly man, to be on the throne for all to go well with the land? Beyond the man on the Throne, the nature of the throne, and the historical/spiritual background of the throne and its location are equally (if not more) critical. To apply these principles to the Nigerian situation, I invite you to peruse the following insight from the Intercessors for America (IFA) about the historical/spiritual background of Washington DC, America's Capital: -

As we engage in our annual National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 3 and in First Friday fasting, it seems appropriate that we focus concerted intercession on the District established to be the seat of our nation. President George Washington, empowered by Congress, in 1791 selected a site along the Potomac River for a Ten-Mile-Square Federal District. This Federal district was envisioned to be coextensive with the Capital city of the United States, Washington. Situated as a diamond between Maryland and Virginia, it was later reduced to 68 square miles, with the Potomac as its southwest border. In 1800 the federal government was transferred from Philadelphia to this federal district. It was called the City of Washington, in the territory of Columbia. Washington is a City Stamped with the Occult. French architect and engineer Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant, appointed by President Washington, drew up the original plan. Dismissed within a year during land disputes, his work was executed by Andrew Ellicott and a talented and often overlooked free black, Benjamin Banneker. L'Enfant, a visionary who successfully lay plans for a city of 800,000, was also a Freemason and incorporated Masonic symbols -the Square, the compass and the pentagram- into his street plan. Freemasonry imprints the heart of the city to this day.

The cornerstones of the Capitol, The White House and other federal buildings, many reflecting Greek temple architecture, were laid in Masonic ritual. Masonic Federal Lodge No. 1 was chartered in 1793 and held its first meeting "on the site of the present House of Representatives Office Buildings." James Hoban, Architect of the White House and Superintendent of the Capitol's construction, was installed as its first "Worshipful Master"(Seewww.federallodge.org). Master Masons helped direct the Capitol construction crews, which, as documents discovered last year show, included at least 400 slaves. Several U.S. presidents have taken the oath of office with their hand laid on a Masonic Bible dating from the founding of the nation. It is significant to note that neither President Bush nor Vice President Cheney chose to use this Masonic Bible during their Inauguration on January 21, 2001. Instead, they placed their hands on family Bibles. Some of you might have received prayer alerts initiated by Ron Campbell, author of "Free from Freemasonry," calling for intercession that the Lord might intervene in just the way described. Let us offer sincere thanksgiving. History records that the founding of our federal government as an institution, and of the federal district as the seat of government, was a spiritual "mixture." Judeo-Christian biblical truth and principles were mingled with Greco-Roman philosophy and humanism, with Masonic and occult practices, and with influences from arcane societies long associated with "the kings of the earth," aristocratic ruling classes, and international monetary systems.

Scripture warns that individuals and nations which practice idolatry and the occult will become "confused and confounded" for these "eastern ways", and that their days will be filled with futility (Isaiah 1:29-31; 2:6-8). Tragically, the 210-year history of our nation's capital is marked with just such confusion and turmoil. ...As the U.S. emerged a world power after World War II, additional spiritual forces were brought into the District by an increase in embassies, their staffs and religions and cultures from most every nation on earth. These, combined with the wounds from slavery, civil rights struggles, and the existing Masonic and occult influences worked to generate one of the most dark, turbulent and volatile spiritual atmospheres over any world-class city on the planet, except for Jerusalem, and major European cities...

Reference: WASHINGTON, DC - A PROFILE FOR PRAYER - Gary Bergel, IFA First Friday Newsletter, May 2001. Reproduction and retransmitted is permitted when IFA is credited and the IFA Web site is referenced (www.ifa-usapray.org).

4.0 CONTENTIONS ON THE WAY TO REHOBOTH.

‘He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over that. He named it Rehoboth, saying,’ Now the LORD has given us room and we shall flourish in the land’ (Genesis 26:22).

A number of life principles are embedded in the record of Isaac’s pilgrimage unto his Rehoboth, where he found a well that the enemies and adversaries did not strife over (Genesis 26:17-22). Even though his father Abraham had dug and provided wells for him a long time ago, enemies- the Philistine- had covered them up after Abraham’s death, before Isaac could inherit his lot. Isaac first attempt to reopen one of the wells was met with “Esek”, which means dispute /argument/ fight. Since the servant of God must not strife, he moved on to open the second well and the result was even worse- ‘Sitnah’, meaning opposition/hatred/enmity. What started as a dispute had degenerated into hatred and enmity.

Another person would have given up or murmured /complained to God or even turn carnal, giving it back to the Gerarites in physical warfare. After all did not his father Abraham deal with five kings with just 318 servants born in his house? (Genesis 14:14 -16). But Isaac forged ahead and dug the third well. This time there was not contention, and the Lord made a room for him to flourish. Man born of woman must meet contention and strife at many points in his life. Even the child of God for whom the heavenly father had made preparations for and has a destiny for must first have to re-dig the wells which the wicked Philistine of our age have covered up, and then deal with the Gerarites of life. Even when you are fulfilling a divine agenda and doing God’s work, like Nehemiah, you have to contend with the Sanballat and Tobiahs. Not to speak of when you have to contend with your own lot, destiny and divine portion in life. With all the evil men and seducers abound.

Beloved, the Lord is your lot and portion. He has secured your share and inheritance. The lines are fallen unto you in pleasant places. You have a Godly inheritance already. But the Philistine and Granites are on the way, stopping your wells and contending with your divine portion. You must not be deterred, press on until you get to your Rehoboth. Amen.

By The Lampstand. January 2003.

5.0 DISPUTES, ENMITY AND PARTING OF WAYS.

Beginning a quarrel is like opening a floodgate; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out (Proverbs 17:14).

What began as a mere dispute, disagreement and argument between Isaac and the shepherds of Gerar, later became enmity, opposition and hatred. It took a parting of ways, a moving ahead and abandonment before strive ceased and there was room for everyone involved (Genesis 26:19-22).
Can you know understand why couples who once really loved themselves and vowed to live the rest of their lives ‘for better, for worse’, became strangers or separated or divorced from one another? Understand how families where there were once laughter and cooperation now became embittered and dispersed one from another? It takes two to tango. Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5 is for us not to resist the evil person and turn the other cheek. It is for us to allow God to take vengeance on our behalf. It is for us to allow the advisory stew in his our stew. However there are times when the will have to be parting of ways for peace to reign (1 Corinthians 7:15), when we need to ‘cast out the scorner for contentions, strive and calling of names to cease (Proverbs 22:10). But most times what is needed is yielding and submitting, even to those less than you, like the powerful Isaac did to the contending shepherds of Gerar. ‘Follow peace with all…’ (Hebrews 12:14).

By the Lampstand. January 2003.

6.0 FOR GRUMBLERS AND MURMURERS

If you are wont to murmur and complain, it is because you have not learnt to accept instruction, according to Isaiah 29:24b:
‘…and those who constantly complain will accept instruction’ (New Living Translation).
‘…and those who are always grumbling will be glad to be taught’ (Today’s English Version).

I BESEECH YOU TO PRAY/FAST FOR THE PUBLISHER AND MINISTRY OF THE LAMPSTANDLETTERS EVERY WEDNESDAY OF THE WEEK

7.0 THE BIBLICAL NORTH

In contemporary times, the geographical north has earned notoriety as economic and political blights on nations. In Nigeria, the North is associated with political misrule, economic parasites, social backwardness, religious extremities/crisis and educational disadvantage. A recent dimension is the infiltration of foreign rebels/militia from the North- the Chadian and Nigerien infiltrations into Nigeria and the Burkinabe insurrection into Northern Cote D'Ivoire. Even during the recent Iraqi war, the US forces met their greatest resistance and casualty from the north of Iraq. Has it always being like this, even in Biblical times?

The North represented at least two features in the scriptures:

1. As the Seat of gods- the mountain of assembly, the mountain of congregation, the mountain of the gods, the mountain where the gods assemble (Isaiah 14:13, Psalm 48:2). The Hebrew word Zaphon (Isaiah 14:13, Psalm 48:2) means “north, hidden”, the heavenly mountain where the Canaanite people believed their gods lived and met together (Easy-to-Read Version). Mount Zion in contrast is described as the true mountain of God, situated on the sides of the North. Lucifer’s ambition was to preside on the mountain of the gods, far away in the North (New Living Translation).
2. The Northern Army- The North was the direction, the source from which evil invading enemy armies came in to desolate the land. The Babylonian armies and the armies from countries north and east of the nation of Israel attacked Judah and Israel from the North (Jeremiah 1:14, 4:13-15, 10:22, 46:22 – 24).

The northern army thus represented the desolating army of the aliens. It was the entry point of armies whose goal was a physical, spiritual, economic and social desolation of the land.

As it was in the beginning, so is it today…

7.1 THE LOCUST ARMY OF THE NORTH

'Out of the north, calamity shall break forth on all the inhabitants of the land’ (Jeremiah 1:14)
'For disaster appears from the North and a great destruction’ (Jeremiah 4:6, 6:1)

‘Thus says the Lord, Behold a people comes from the North country and a great nation will be raised from the farthest parts of the earth. They will lay hold on brow and spear, they are cruel and have no mercy; their voices roar like the sea. And they ride on horses, as men set in array against you O daughter of Zion’ (Jeremiah 6:22-23).

The North has always being the source of trouble to Israel in Biblical times. Enemy invasion (the Assyrian and later the Babylonians entered to plunder the land of Israel from the North. The prophet Jeremiah alluded to these in many of his prophesies. But it was the prophet Joel who in chapters 1 and 2 most vividly describes the rampaging and destructive characteristics of what he referred to as the Northern Army (Joel 2; 20). Carried into Israel by the desert wind of Arabia, the locust grew from larvae to adult. He describes four types of locust

• The chewing locust,
• The swarming locust,
• The crawling locust, and
• The consuming locust.

Each has an insatiable parasitic appetite, each destroying the greenery of the land (Joel 1:4). Wherever they touched is laid bare, nothing green or growing remained (Joel 1; 6-7, 2; 2-3). Those serving god and making offerings to him were worse off, and there was mourning in the land Joel 1:8-20, 2:5-6). Joel diagnosed the invasion of the Northern Army as being permitted by God to judge his people (Joel 2:11). He then called for genuine repentance, individually and corporately by God’s people and a plea for mercy. In response the Lord answered his people removed far from them the Northern Army and restored the land (Joel 2: 18 –27). In addition, He promised to pour His Spirit on the nations of the world. Since its inception as a country, the northern Muslim army, like rampaging locusts, has destroyed Nigeria economically, socially and politically. The continued conflagrations in the North are typical of the rampaging, destructive locust army.

It is only the Lord who has the ability to remove far from us the northern army. Ours is to turn to him in genuine repentance and righteousness, asking for his intervention. He will cast out the horns that terrify us, send his chariots and horses towards the North Country and give us rest (Zechariah 1:18-21, 6:1-8). Amen.

By the Lampstand. September 2001

8.0 THE SUDANIZATION OF NIGERIA

Isaiah Chapter 18 is a reference to the country divided by rivers (verses 2 and 7), identified as the black nation of Ethiopia (RSV, Easy-to-read Version), Sudan (Good News Bible) or Cush (NIV). This is modern day Sudan, divided by the Blue Nile and the White Nile, with the confluence at Khartoum, the capital city. Sudan is Africa's largest country in land area. The Sudanese were called swift (fast) messengers (or missionaries). The chapter ended with the prophecy that these people will one day serve the Lord, bringing offering to the Lord. The chapter dovetails into chapter 19, which describes the characteristic of the present day Africa.

It was the Lord's will that a generation of messengers (or missionaries) will arise from the black race (See also Psalm 68:31 and Romans 10:14-15). It was a race destined to serve the Lord. Unfortunately, Arab imperialists, riding upon the wings of Islam, have overrun the physical country Sudan, which was thoroughly a black nation. Today, the world's longest civil war goes on between
the Muslim north and the Christian south of Sudan. This is a satanic agenda that has effectively thwarted the divine destiny for this largest African country.

There is yet another land of black people divided by the rivers. Indeed it has the highest population/concentration of black people the world over. Nigeria, divided by the Benue and Niger rivers, has within it one out of every five black people of the world. God in its divine agenda, has destined this nation of Nigeria to be the fulfillment of the prophesy of Isaiah 18 and 19:19 - 24). Out of this nation, swift messengers (missionaries) will go forth to the entire world.

In our time, we have began to have a fulfillment of this prophesy, with Nigerian ministers pioneering the largest churches in places far-flung as Great Britain and Ukraine; and the largest congregations of Christians anywhere being in Nigeria. These are just the tip of the iceberg. In years to come, greater missionary exploits shall yet be recorded of Nigerian Christians. Sudan's loss is Nigeria's gain. But there is a present and serious danger to Nigeria fulfilling her prophetic destiny and missionary mandate. The same strategy of the Arabinization of Sudan on the wings of Islam is being zealously pursued in Nigeria. There had been massive funds inflow from Arabic countries into Nigeria for propaganda (Daawah), training of Islamic zealots and fundamentalists. The introduction of the Shariah and the recurrent attacks on Christians is part of a Sudanization agenda to make Nigeria an Islamic rather than a Moslem country. Subscribers will recall that previous bulletins viz. "The Horse and the Rider" and "The Armies of the Aliens" contained references to this situation.

Christians in Nigeria must be ready to zealously 'contend for the faith' (Jude 3). It is time to contend with the horsemen (Jeremiah 12:5). And our strength must not fail in this day of battle for the soul of Nigeria, nay the black race, indeed a divine agenda. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of satanic strongholds. What are the weapons of our warfare?
There are two:

1. Prayers/spiritual warfare (Jeremiah 1:10, Ephesians 6:12-20) and
2. The proclamation of the prevailing word of the Lord through missions and evangelism (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8).

Arab and Islamic imperialism are like the four-fold invading locust northern army of Joel chapters 1 and 2. In Exodus 10:12-19, an East wind brought invading locusts into Egypt, while a west wind swept them out of the land into the Red Sea. The wind of the Middle East has brought Islam and Arabic imperialism over Africa. But there is the west wind of the gospel and the Spirit of God, which will blow them away, if only like Moses, we intercede and lift up the rod of the everlasting gospel. Arab imperialism and Islam have swept through Black Africa, vowing to dip the Koran in the sea and have the sovereignty of all land between Egypt and Malawi). But when the enemy comes, like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift a standard (Isaiah 59:19b).

But I will remove the locust army from the north and send them far away. I will drive them back into parched wastelands, where they will die. Those in the rear will go into the Dead Sea; those at the front will go into the Mediterranean. The stench of their rotting bodies will rise over the land. Surely the Lord will do great things. Don't be afraid, my people! Be glad and rejoice because the Lord has done great things. (Joel 2:20-21). May Islam become a stench in the land in our own generation. Amen.

When in Ibadan, attend the Leadership and Discipleship Seminar every THIRD FRIDAY OF THE MONTH from 10.OOPM TILL DAWN at the EMMANUEL COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY, SAMONDA NEAR UI. MINISTERING Bro SUNDAY ISEHUNWA, Dr JACOB AKINYEMI, Dr LEKAN OSOBUKOLA AND OTHERS.

9.0 THE ELECTION RESULTS; MATTERS ARISING

9.1 1. THE FAR NORTH AND THE DANGER SIGNS

The clean sweep of the ALL the far Northern Hausa Fulani and Kanuri states by the ANPP in the recent elections, the flaws notwithstanding, is not surprising. The following quotes appeared in the articles “The Horse and the Rider” and the Coming Conflagration” which have appeared in both the print and email editions of the Lampstandletters “The political ambition of the Caliphate Fulani to rule is not dead and will not die” thus reported an intelligence report some seventy years ago. Also, the Maguni (old Bornu El-Kanemi kingdom) though scattered since 1810 from Yemen to the Atlantic have never ceased hoping to regain their Bornu kingdom. Thus the Caliphate Fulani and Bornu Kanuri up to date believe they are “born to rule” and draw active support from their kinsmen and supporters from North Africa up to Saudi Arabia. Writing in 1924, the progenitor of the Sanusi – Tarrika Islamic political propaganda sect, Sidi Ahmed wrote, “our purpose is to obtain the sovereignty of all the land between Egypt and Malawi”.

But of serious concern is Buhari’s reported vow to make Nigeria ungovernable after 29th May. Likewise is the report in the papers that the PDP in Yobe stated that FOREIGN SOLDIERS were sighted around polling booths during the governorship/presidential elections. The front page of the Nigerian Sunday Tribune 4th May 2003 reports that Northerners have started fleeing the South because of Buhari’s threat. In the article “the Armies of the Aliens” reference was made to many non-Nigerian tribes such as Zarma, Dendi, Kanuri, Mandara etc have assimilated into the northern border states of Nigeria, exerting strong political and economic influences. ‘THE NEWS Magazine Vol. 17, N0 8, 27 August 2001 titled ‘The Jihadist Invasion: How foreign fundamentalists wreck havoc in the North’ reported that “some religious fanatics want(ed) to hide under Islam to train an armed guard to take on Olusegun Obasanjo’s government’. The Head of the Shariah implementation Council in Nigeria Alhaji Datti Ahmed have also been quoted to call on Nigerian Muslims to rise against President Olusegun Obasanjo.

General Buhari is a known Islamic zealot whose loyalty is first to the Muslim whole than to Nigeria. Certainly it will not be out of his character to promote foreign Islamic insurrection across the Nigerian border from surrounding Islamic countries. During his term as Head of State, there was a vacancy for the Secretary General of the OAU. A Nigerian Ibo Christian by name Mr. Peter Onu was then the Assistant Secretary General and was acting as The Secretary General. Despite unanimous request by other African countries that Nigeria formally presented him for ratification as the substantive Secretary General, Buhari refused, preferring a Muslim from neighboring Niger Republic for the post.

Nigerian Christians must continually watch and declare peace to Nigeria’s far borders (Psalm 147:13-14). We should uphold President Obasanjo and other members of his government (Isaiah 54:14-15).

9.2 THE SOUTHERN STATES

Aside of the foreign observers’ damning report, the testimony of some Nigerians on ground in the South Eastern and South- South states is that the last election was anything but free and fair in those states. Rather it was more of an allocation of seats by the powers that be. Indeed many have compared it to the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN)‘s “landslide victory of 1983”, in execution and outcome. In its arrogance and drunkenness, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has within four years unofficially changed its slogan from ‘PDP: Power to the People” to “PDP: Power”! The people do not count again in its slogan. At this rate what will the party and her slogan transform to by 2007?

Righteousness and Justice are the foundations of God’s throne. The same may not be said of human thrones. But if the foundation were destroyed, what can the righteous do? It is not enough that a Christian has been returned to office in a manifestly marred election. Christians and especially intercessors should be vigilant and critical watchmen and prophets of the various governments in the seasons to come. As the first step, let’s pray that the election tribunals, which though have a dismay record of correcting electoral frauds, will decisively redress them this time around.

By the Lampstand. May 2003

This edition of Lampstandletters was published with a grant given by the Bread of Life Foundation, Lagos Nigeria.

10.0 UNDERSTANDING AND PRAYING FOR PRESIDENT OBASANJO

A man may rise from poverty and become king of his country or go from prison to the throne but if in his old age he is too foolish to take advise, he is not as well off as a young man who is poor but intelligent… somewhere among them is a young man who will take the king’s place” (Ecclesiastics 4; 13-15).

“Better a poor a wise youth than an old and foolish king who will not be admonished no more” (Ecclesiastics 4; 13 New King James Version)

“...he who refuses correction goes astray (Proverbs 10; 17b)

Analysis the handling of contentious State issues by President Obasanjo and listening to his utterances during visits to some states were there are feelings of neglect and marginalization (e.g. his visits to Imo and Bayelsa States); or watching him respond to questions and critical comments on national issues on Radio and TV, I have a restlessness in my spirit and a conviction that there is a problem with the President. He sounds conceited and insensitive, misguided or misadvised, overconfident and overoptimistic, appearing to treat the nation’s deep-seated wounds as if they were mere scratches (Jeremiah 8; 11). The extract below is from THE GUARDIAN of 21st June 2001, in an article
titled "Criticizing Olusegun Obasanjo", written by Edwin Madunagu. Although a Marxist, his analysis of the mindset of Mr. President I find accurately reflect the concerns and restlessness in my spirit which I mentioned above;

"Obasanjo's roles in the termination of the war and re-unification of Nigeria have largely shaped his attitudes to Nigeria (paternalism and messianic), and to eastern part of the country (contempt). Finally, President Olusegun Obasanjo, as I have said, is a born-again Christian.
He was literally snatched from the jaws of death to become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. He therefore believes that his life was spared for a particular assignment of human redemption. Flowing from this, he believes that, in the affairs of mortals, he is infallible. Beyond that, Obasanjo believes that neither his life, nor his regime can be terminated, unless God wishes. This, for Obasanjo, is not just a homily. It is a practical article of faith.

Every person is a product of his past and limited by his attitude. Elijah the man of the spirit and power was prone to depression and self-pity, which truncated his ministry. Jacob was a deceit. It took apostle Paul's rebuke of Peter and Barnabas to free them from their Jewish prejudice (Galatians 2). It took Joab's rebuke of David to deliver him from misplaced affection after the death of Absalom. Let us pray for Mr. President in this light. Let us intercede to deliver him from his feeling or infallibility, his paternalism and Messahanism towards Nigeria, contempt and patronizing attitude towards the East, deference to and mortal fear of the Caliphate, and insensitive to ethnic stirrings and agitations Nationwide.

10.1 Prayer points.

1. Intercede for the prayer of Psalm 72 and prophecies of Isaiah 11 and Jeremiah 23; 5-6 come to pass over President Obasanjo
2. Come against the Spirit of delusion (2 Thessalonians 2; 11) and of the spirit of error (Psalm 19; 12 and 1 John 4:6) over his life and actions.
3. Come against every Islamic sorcery, Balaamic manipulations and seductive spirit programmed to cause him to err (2 Chronicles 33;9)

…those also who err in spirit will come to understanding. Amen (Isaiah 29:24a).

By the Lampstand. April 2001

THE MINISTRY OF MOURNING WOMEN

1.0 INTRODUCTION

In ancient Israel were groups of professional mourners, who could be hired and paid to weep at funerals. The louder they could cry the more popular and patronized they were. Their objective was to wipe up emotions so that more people will cry. A special category of their professional mourners was known as “the women who weep for Baal” (Contemporary English Version CEV). The god Baal was believed to have died (at certain periods) and (could) come back to life. So some women would go to place for worship, and weep over the death of Baal (CEV). It was believed that by their mourning over the death, they could bring it back to life. This actually was a Canaanite fertility ritual, which they do at beginning of planting season to give back “life to the soil”. In Jeremiah’s time, judgment was inevitable over the land because of the pervading abominations of desolation ( Jer. 8;18- 9;26). The prophet saw ahead the tragic end of a spiritually sick and idolatrous nation that had stubbornly followed its own ways, in spite of prophetic warnings. The land was soon to be desolate, famine was to come on the land, the inhabitants scattered and enemy soldiers kill in the streets. For all these, Jeremiah repented, mourned and wept (Jer. 8:18, 9:1, 10 etc).

It was in this setting of impending judgment that the call for the mourning women was made in Jer. 9: 17-22. This time it was not for pretentious ‘professionally mourners’. It was to be for real, as death had already entered through the window to kill the children and husbands (Jer. 9:21). It was no time for entertaining, playing-to-the-gallery wailing women, who merely sought to stir up emotions so that all around would say ‘Oh, how much they loved the departed’ (See Matt 11:17 and John 11:28-36). Rather it was for mourners who like the widow of Zarepeth and the Shunamite women will mourn to literally receive their dead back to life (1 Kings 17:17-20; II Kings 4:20-36).

Theirs was to be heart-rending mourning for the impending judgement, a cry for mercy; peradventure God will hear and give beauty for ashes, a garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness. True heartfelt mourning, has always moved God to respond to such repentance and plea for mercy in times of judgement. Even the wicked king Ahab and the Ninevites received mercy when they cried out to God in true mourning and repentance.

The church in Nigeria is at the threshold of judgement. Abominations that bring desolation have brought the four horns that scatter arrayed against it. The fate of Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Yugoslavia beckons. Never since the last civil war has the need for mourning women become as urgent as now. The call was not for mighty men of valor, professional soldiers, prophets or even great ministers. It was for wailing, mourning women.

The call is not for novice wailers, but for skillful mourners and intercessors, ‘especially those who can cry the loudest” (Jer 9:17 CEV). Women, who like Hannah, received life to her dead womb by mourning. Like Rachael, who refused to be comforted until the Lord restrained and comforted her (Jer. 31:15-17). Like Mary Magdalene who stood weeping by Jesus’ tomb, until she literally received the Lord from the dead (John 20:11-16). Women who are adept at weeping in private, qualified for this ministry of public mourning. They must be women who are available, who can be sent for and will quickly answer the clarion call. Women who will leave every other task, to hearken to this call. Who even if they have other secular assignments, will take this as an urgent priority above everything.

1.1 THE TASK OF THE MOURNING WOMEN INCLUDES:

• Sincere heartfelt mourning, repentance and contrition (verse 17)
• Provoke/stimulate the people of the land to mourn, confess and intercede (verse 18)
• Spend time to search the scriptures to find the Word of the Lord for the now (verse 20)
• Listen and pay attention to what the Lord is saying by His Spirit and by word of prophesy (verse 20)
• Teach and mobilize others, especially their daughters and friends, also to mourn and intercede (verse 20).

1.2 CONCLUSION

In Hebrews 11:35, the Bible lists and commends women who by faith “received their dead raised to life again” (Hebrews 11:35a). Mourning women have the grace to turn judgment into mercy, turn desolation into restoration and death to life. This generation and time calls for such women now. As the mourning women arise for the occasion and do these tasks, God will have mercy on the land, turn our grief to joy, and give us beauty for ashes, the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Amen.

February 2002.

2.0 THE PROPHET AS INTERCESSOR

The prophet and the intercessor are two ends of the divine connection between God’s throne and human activity. While the prophet have access to the heavenly council meeting, hear of God and speak to men on behalf of God (Jer. 23:18,22); intercessors take the hold of earthly affairs and stand in the council of heaven to speak as priests on behalf of men to God (Ezekiel. 22:30, Jer. 18:20). But there are times when both of these ministries will have to be manifested in one person, when the prophet will have to be an intercessor. At the time God’s judgments are imminent, and the effect of judgement so frightening, then the prophet must be an intercessor.

The prophets Jeremiah and Amos were two such persons who were intercessors in the course of their prophetic ministry. Jeremiah’s many intercessions, in response to prophetic revelations, are recorded in the scriptures (see Jer. 8:18 - 9:6, 10:23-25, 14:19-22, 32:16-25). Indeed, he boldly declared in Jer. 18:20 that “I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away Your wrath from them”. Jeremiah indeed was a true loyal patriot. The prophet Amos was another intercessor prophet. May be because he was earlier a shepherd and tender of fruits, (Amos 7:14) he has learnt compassion. Twice in Amos 7:1-6, God threatened to judge the land, first with locusts and later with fire. In either case, Amos pleaded for the people, and God relented.

At such times as this, we need intercessor - prophets. As we receive from the Lord prophecies of judgement, we need immediately to stand in the gap as intercessors asking for mercy. We should not be modern day Jonahs, who will be upset when God decides to replace judgement with mercy (Jonah 4).

3.0 HORNS

Horns in the scriptures are used to symbolically or metaphorically represent strength and conquest (See I Sam 2:1, 10, Psalm 75:4-10 etc). When applied to nations, countries or tribes, they stand for enemy powers or kingdoms fighting against the people of God (See Daniel 7:21-27, Zech 1:18-21). The number four represent completeness or totality e.g. the four winds, directions or corners of the earth- North, East, South and West (See Daniel 7;2, Zech. 1:18 and Revelation 7:1). Zech. 1:21 make reference to “the horns of the nations lifted up against the land of Judah”. At this point in time, there is a host of demonic forces working against the nation Nigeria and the church therein. The resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism (Shariah, etc); of ancient tribes/ thrones resulting in increased tribal strife, conflicts and agitations; of sporadic natural disasters in different parts of the country etc. are symptomatic of frenzied demonic activities upon the country and the church.

Four horns can readily be discerned as warring against the land, and affecting in various intensity, the different parts of the land. These are:

1. THE NORTHERN ARMIES OF THE ALIENS
2. THE BEASTS/DRAGONS OF THE RIVERS AND WATERS OF NIGERIA
3. THRONES/ GODS OF TRIBES AND ETHNIC GROUPS
4. THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION IN THE CHURCH.

3.1 The Armies of the Aliens

Spiritually this refers to the contentious spirit of the bondwoman/ sons of Ishmael. (See Gen 16; 11-12). Politically this refers to the age long political ambition of the ‘born-to-rule’ caliphate, to ‘dip the Koran’ in the sea’. Reference has been made to the large bodies of Fulani Emirs, Princes and people who migrated out of Nigeria in 1902 to Sudan, Egypt, Medina etc. rather than be subject to “British/Christian infidels”, believing that one day they will lead a Jihad into Nigeria, apparently with the support of their host Arab nations (See “The Horse and the Rider”. LampstandLetters, No. 19, February 2000). Many non-Nigerian tribes such as Zarma, Dendi, Kanuri, Mandara etc. have assimilated into the Northern border states of Nigeria, exerting strong political and economic influences (See “The Armies of the Aliens, Lampstandletters Number. 21-23, April to June 2000).

Economically, this refers to the ‘locust army of the North’, alien economic interests plundering the land and its resources (see Jer. 1; 14, 4:6, 6:1, 22, 23 and Joel chapters 1 and 2). The activities of Nigerian smugglers, the unscrupulous Lebanese, Indian, Arab, Europeans, American and IMF/World Bank interest and their Nigerian collaborators on the economy of the nation and the church falls in this category. A manifestation of this is the sabotaging of essential public utility services by various interests.

3.2 The Beasts of the Sea.

This is the second of the four horns raised against Nigeria and the church. The Bible in Daniel Chapter 7 and Revelation 13 describes the blasphemous beasts from the sea. These are kingdoms that persecute and make war with the saints of the Most High (Daniel 7:17-25, Rev 13:1-7). They are also given authority over every tribe, tongue and nation (Rev.13:7). (See “Healing the Waters of Nigeria”, Lampstandletters, Nos. 4 &5, December 1998). In all ages, water spirits have played strategic roles in the battle of kingdoms. Mentioned specifically in the bible are the water spirits TANNIN (Job 7:12, Ps. 74:13, Rev. 12:3); LEVIATHAN (Job 3;8-9, 41:1, Psalm 74:14, 104:26, Isaiah 27:1); RAHAB (Job 9 :13,26;12-13, Psalm 89;9-10 and Isaiah 51:9) and BEHEMOTH (Job 40:15-24)- See the article “The ISSUE OF WATER SPIRITS” Lampstandletters No. 25, Oct.- Dec. 2000.

The Bible illustrates the fact that water spirits are behind the Thrones of Nations, with the example of Egypt (Isaiah 30;6-7, Ezekiel 29;1-3 and 32:1-8); as well as the Kingdom of Tyre (Ezekiel 27:1 to 28;1-2). In Eze.29;3, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt is referred to as ‘the great monster who lies in the midst of his rivers” and “a monster in the sea, bursting forth in your rivers, troubling the waters with your feet, fouling the rivers’ (Ezekiel 32;2). Likewise the King of Tyre says “I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, in the midst of the seas”. The Lord now replied “yet you are a man, not a god”. As applied to Nigeria, which is named after River Niger, and has up to two-thirds of its states named after one river or the other, the beasts of the waters play similar roles. The activities of the Egbesu boys (Ijaw National Congress) can be linked to the spiritual energy of water spirits. For example, Allagoa 1972:43 has stated that the priest of the Egbesu shrine among the Egbema Izon subgroup is BERE-PERE, The Lord of the waters (See the article Egbesu, Oro and Ancestral thrones, Lampstand letters No.16, November 1998). Likewise the activities of the Odua People’s Congress (OPC) can in more than one way be linked to water spirits. Gani Adams, the factional leader is from the Akoko-Ado reverie area of Ondo state. Then, the ancient Yemoja goddess is described as the mother of all waters and all orishas (See THRONES of NATIONS, Lampstandletters No. 11, June 1999 and ELIAKIM AND THE YEMOJA SPIRIT, No. 12 July 1999).Similar water beasts and dragons existing all the other waters and rivers of Nigeria, troubling the waters and causing chaos on the land. (Remember the drowning of hundreds in the Ejigbo canals as a result of the January bomb explosions.)

PRAYER POINTS.

1. Pray that the Lord will raise a standard against all enemies of Christ operating through any river of the land. (Isa.17; 12-14, 39; 19 and Rev 12; 15-16). Prophesy that the earth opens its mouth to swallow every water body used by the enemy against the church.
2. Ask the Lord to take way the breath and crush the head of all sea monsters causing trouble and destruction in the land. (Eze.29:1-6, Isaiah. 27:1, Psalm.74; 12-14,103; 25-29 etc.)
3. Prophesy that all thrones having their seat in the seas and rivers of Nigeria will fall and never rise again, like the King of Tyre (Eze.27:1- 28:19, Eze.31).
4. Pray daily that the rivers of Nigeria will turn into places of battle and judgment of the Lord’s enemies (Judges 5:19-21, 2 Kings 23:29).

3.3 Thrones (gods) of Nations.

This is the third of the four horns warring against Nigeria. The word NATIONS as used in the bible refers to tribes/ethnic groups/people groups. This is opposed to the word COUNTRY that refers to a geographical expression/land (See Gen.10:5, 20, and 31). In Rev 5:9 and 7:9, the additional concept of languages and races are used. Applied to us, the land (country) is Nigeria; we are made up of some two hundred and forty (240) tribes and some four hundred and fifty (450) languages of the black race. The Yoruba for example are a tribe with languages such as Ijesa, Egba, Ijebu, Ekiti, Kabba, Akoko-Edo, Ibadan, Anago and some even say Itshekiri.

In Matt.19:28, Jesus promised his disciples the twelve thrones of the tribes of Israel. In Deut. 32:8, the Most High God gave land to every nation and assigned a guardian angel to each of them. In Acts 17;26, it is stated that God made the nations(tribes) to live on earth and decided when and where every tribe will be at a given point in time. In Deut.32 and Dan.10:13,20, we see that while that God assigns a guardian angel over every tribe, Satan also sets princes and principalities over them. Satan’s principalities are then raised as idols /gods of the tribes. In Deut. 32;9,16-21, we see God lament that though he has chosen Israel for Himself, the people decided to reject him and choose new gods and idols which their fathers did not know or serve.

Isaiah 14:9 makes us understand that even in death; the spirits of ancient rulers are still interested and actively monitor the thrones of nations. Likewise Isaiah 19; 11 speaks of ‘sons of ancient kings’, seeking to perpetuate the spirit of occupants of tribal thrones. Every throne is thus sustained by allegiance to the gods/idols, which the fathers of the tribe have chosen to serve. Obvious from these is that every tribe has a throne and it is not by mistake that a tribe finds itself in a land or country at a point in time. Rather it is by divine design. Thus in a country like Nigeria made up of some 240 tribes, there are at least 240 tribal gods/idols exerting spiritual force and authority both to defend and expand their hold on nations (tribes). In Exodus 12:12, Jer. 43: 11-12 and 46:25, reference is made to the gods of the country Egypt with regard to God’s conflict with that land. Zephaniah 2: 11 link the gods of the earth to the nations (tribes).

Some of the specific tribal gods mentioned in the bible include AMON, the sun god of the Egyptians (Jer. 46:25), the BAALS and ASHTHEROTHS of the Canaanites (Judges 2:11-13, 10:6), CHEMOSH of the Moabites (Numbers 21; 29, Jugdes 11; 24. I Kings 11; 7-8), MILCOM (or MOLECH) of the Ammonites (I Kings 11; 33, Jer. 49; 1), MARDUK/BEL/MERODACH of the Babylonians and the HOSTS OF HEAVEN (STARS) as gods of the Assyrians (2 Kings 23; 4). Thus, actually it is the gods of nations (thrones of tribes) who provoke tribes to rise against one another in expansionist power play. The following lines are taken from the article EGBESU, ORO AND ANCESTRAL THRONES, Lampstand Letters No. 16, and November 1999;
“All over the world, and particularly in Nigeria, there is an intense spirit of ethnic nationalism, threatening to dismember geographical nations as they are presently existing. In its August 23-39-1999 edition, the BUSINESSWEEK magazine lists the spirit of nationalism as the second of twenty-one “spirit of the new millennium” that will shape events in the 21st century, (religion was number 6).

Back home in Nigeria, the Vanguard of 3rd December 1999 quoted from international Economic Intelligence Unit (E.I.U) forecast report on Nigeria for 2000, released in November 1999. Inter alia, the E.I.U. report asks Nigerians “To watch (out for) a mix of ethnic, religious and regional tensions (which) have the potentials to destabilize the (Obasanjo) government and bring the army back into play” p 14). Beyond the social, the political and the economic lays a more fundamental spiritual (historical) origin and force behind the resurgence of ancient kingdoms, and its attendant tension and violence. The BUSINESSWEEK report comes close to recognizing an historical and spiritual origin of these ethnic nationalism when it talks of “…ancient loyalties and grievances… which stirs the blood among people whose allegiances are local and tribal”; noting that “too often in 21st century, the birth of nations will be violent” (p 44). It is in this light we understand the spirit behind resurgence of ancient kingdoms. While all other thrones rise and wane, it is only the throne of David that has God’s covenant of an everlasting dynasty (Psalm 89:28-37, Jer. 33:17-21). Even when Jeroboam usurped the throne of David, David’s descendant Jeroboam still has two tribes “for the sake of David” (! King 11:29-39, 12:20). The real “Son of the Ancient King” reigns over the everlasting dynasty of David. He is the root of Jesse, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Luke 1:27-23, Daniel 7:9-14, 27).”

3.4 CONCLUSION

As Nigerian Christians called into a common spiritual nation of Christ, we must eschew and rise above our narrow tribal loyalties, forging unity across tribes, in the body of Christ. That is the hope for the country, as we bear in mind that is God Himself who brought the various tribes in Nigeria to be her at this time for His divine purpose.(Acts17;26). Amen.

May God find you to use as one of the craftsmen (blacksmith) he will use to break and scatter these tribal horns (Zech 3), so that as a country we may fulfill divine purpose. Amen

3.5 LET US PRAY

1. Set your face daily and root out, pull down, destroy and throw down, every ancient throne, spirit and kingdom causing ethnic strife in Nigeria.
2. Ask that the Lord will silence the roar and break the teeth of the fierce ethnic lions and their young (Job 4:10).
3. Prophesy that their old (ancient) lions will perish (die) for lack of prey, and all their children be scattered (Job 4:11). And that only the Lion of the tribe of Judah prevail and reign over Nigeria and her people Rev. 5:5-14, Gen 49:9-10. Amen.

3.6 BENEDICTION

And behold one like the son of man …came to the Ancient of Days…. To Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom. That all peoples nations and languages may serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion…” Daniel 7:13.

4.0 THE GOD OF MERCY

“Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnants of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because he delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our in iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham, which you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old. Micah 7:18-20. Also Psalm 103.

4.1 STATE OF THE NATION - A Prophecy

A message received on the 7th of February 2002 by Pastor Kayode Ojo, of the Gethsamane Prayer Ministry Ibadan.
The nation Nigeria is a chosen nation that should fulfil my purpose in this last generation. A nation plagued with evil and calamity because of two things:

1. Her hands are full of iniquities and sin. Her hands are full of blood and as a result, evil is determined over her. Because she has shed blood, her land shall go into captivity and become desolate unless my people cry for the abomination thereof and bring repentance before me.
2. She does not know her time of visitation. I have purposed to use her for my glory all over the world at this time. How will she be awakened from her slumber and see my move and my glory.

Let my people arise and shine for her light has come. Let my people rise from slumber. Let them awake out of their sleep and cry that the land go not into slavery and captivity and become desolate. For evil is determined over her because of her sins and abominations that lead to desolation.

Behold the plague has begun. Where are my people that will stand in the gap, where are those that will stand for my people? I the Lord delights in mercy and I will cry aloud and speak. Restrain not thyself to declare my words unto my people. I will do a new thing in the land if my people called by my name shall humble themselves and seek my face. Arise my son, declare unto Jacob her transgression and to Israel her iniquities for the sins of my people have come before me and there is a cry for judgement. Arise that your land go not into captivity and become desolate says the Spirit of the Lord.

4.2 FOR THE CHURCH

Jezebel has adored herself seeking for those she might bring down. She has adored herself. She has adored herself. Beware and watch my people, for many have already falling into her hand. Beware my ministers for you are the target of the spirit of whoredom. Cry against her my son, for she has adore herself that my people might fall and become useless for my purpose and my move. I the Lord will judge her and bring her glory down with as many have joined her and I will kill her children. Arise and cry against the abomination that speaks desolation among my people says the Lord.

4.3 FLESH EATING AND BLOOD-SUCKING PASTORS

A pastor of a local assembly in Ibadan received the prophecy below. The words are applicable to the larger body of Christ. I saw a man, a leader of men. He took a knife and began to cut some flesh from all his subjects. As he collected pieces of flesh from his subjects, he gave them to his wife who fried it (and made a meal out of them). The man also took a cup and extracted some blood from his subjects. He turned the extracted blood into thick, rich milk. The man sat down in this office, chewing the flesh (which had been turned into meat) and washing it down with the blood that had been turned into milk. He fed himself on these things until he became (very) fat.

Meanwhile, you can see suffering, pain and anguish on the faces of the (dehumanized) subjects. They were suffering and in great pains as a result of the deep cut he (the leader) had inflicted upon them. They all had blood shortage. Some were collapsing. Many were very weak and all of them were filled with pains. The man, their leader, now summoned a meeting of those he had so mistreated. He had a plate of the meat (he made from their flesh) before him. Then, he put one piece of meat in his month and kept chewing as he addressed the people. He also had a cupful of their blood he had turned into milk, from which he sipped continually to wash down the “meat” he was chewing.

Then, he said to the: “I am sorry. I have eaten your flesh. I have drunk your blood. I repent of it”. And he took another sip from the blood milk to wash down the meat in his mouth. Now, judge it. Thus says the Lord: “I made you a leader over my people, to nurture, train and strengthen them, but you have turned back, collected their flesh and have eaten the same. You have also got yourself drunk with their blood. You have pierced them with thorns and briers. You have grown (very) fat as a consequence, fatter than your appearance because you are living in pretence. And you have done more to provoke me with your Saulish repentance. I have desired your thorough repentance, but you have continued to play pranks and deception. I am about to give your flesh to them that will fry and chew as you did and your blood to them that will drink it as you have done. You did it secretly, but I will do it publicly and a great shame will come on you, like a full-grown man, mature, sensible and respected, walking naked in the daytime in the market place.
Repent, as you know it to be. Return what you have stolen. Do as Zaccheus do (Luke 19:8, Isaiah. 1:16-18 and I will accept you. Else, my anger is already hanging on you and your household”, says the Lord.

This is a text of the prophecy that was received by PASTOR SEGUN ADEDIRAN and read before the Congregation at Ibadan on Sunday, January 13, 2002.

5.0 MOLECH ON GAD’S TERRITORY

...Where are the men of Israel? Is there no one to defend his or her land? Why have they let the people who worship Molech take the territory of the tribe of Gad and settle there? (Jer. 49:1, Good News Bible).

“…Thus says the Lord” Has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then does Milcom inherit Gad and his people dwell in his cities (NKJV).

“…The people of Israel have plenty of children to inherit their lands. So why have you worshippers of the god Milcom taken over towns and land belonging to the Gad tribe?”

The tribe of Gad was one of the first 21/2 tribes that got their land east of the Jordan before they crossed over (Number 32). When Leah’s gave birth to Gad, she exclaimed “How fortunately am I, here comes a troop! (Gen. 30:11 NKJV). According to Cruden’s Concordance, Gad means a band, or happy or armed and prepared. In both of Jacob and Moses’ prophecies on the 12 tribes of Israel, Gad is referred to in combative mood, as a triumphant troop, a lion enlarging its territory (Gen. 49:19, Deut. 33:20). In I Chronicles. 12:8, reference is made to some Gadites who joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness as mighty men of valour, men trained for battle, who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains.

With these prophecies and antecedents, how come that by the time of the prophet Jeremiah, the tribe of Gad had lost its territory in the east side of Jordan to the neighboring Ammonites? The Ammonites had even set up altars to their national God Milcolm (Molech), in place of the altar of witness of the Lord God, which the children of Gad raised up earlier by the Jordan (Joshua 22:10, 34). In the quest to enlarge their territory, the Ammonite even ripped open women with child in the land of Gad, to ensure that Gad indeed had no heir (Amos 1:13).

The fate of the children of Gad is instructive to God’s children in every age. When, despite prophecies and ancestral antecedents of valour, we do not teach and train our children for battle and to war, one day we shall lament “Has Israel no sons, has he no heirs…?” The Lord’s controversy with the Ammonites over the territory of Gad, is applicable to our situation in Nigeria. For us in Nigeria, we must train our children for war and battle. Else, altars to Allah, to Egbesu, to Oodua and other imported and indigenous tribal gods, will be raised over Nigeria, in place of God, despite God’s promise and prophesy to the church.

6.0 BENIN, VOODOO AND THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN

Twice in November 2001 and once in December 2001, I was in neighboring Republic of Benin for Professional and Missionary purposes respectively. My first trip on the 1st of November coincided with All Saints Day, a catholic public holiday used to remember the dead. As reported in the press, that day is a celebration of revelry, sex and booze in many catholic nations. In Benin, All Saints Day was celebrated in a manner typical of African Ancestral Worship. Benin is known to be Africa’s Voodoo headquarters. Indeed, the promotion of Voodooism is entrenched in the country’s constitution as a state obligation. According to some authorities, Voodoo is a corruption of (an unstated) Yoruba word for god. It evolved in Haiti in the 16th century, when African (Yoruba) slaves found themselves in the tiny Island, first with Spanish catholic overlords and later French ones (See comments below).

Voodooism is described as a blend of African Traditional Religion (ATR), Roman Catholicism and a dose of Indian Mysticism (The Two-headed Dragon, Josiah Publications, USA, Page 259). Today Voodoism is the national religion of the ex-African slave countries of Haiti, Cuba and Brazil, as it is in neighboring Benin Republic. The blend of ATR and Roman Catholicism is typified in the Afro-American religion known as SANTERIA, where Yoruba idols assume names of catholic saints. Thus in Santeria, the Yoruba idol Obatala becomes St. Benedict, Ogun becomes St. Peter and the goddess Yemoja becomes Our Lady of Fatima?(See BBC Focus on Faith 6/8/99; The two-headed dragon). Judith Gleason in her book Orisha:The Gods of Yoruba land (Athenaeum Publishers, 1971 New York), describes Yemoja as the ‘mother of the water and all orishas” who gave birth to sixteen (16) orishas including Olokun, Osun, Ogun, Shango and Oya.. What Yemoja is in Yoruba mythology, the Bible in Jeremiah 7:18 and 44:17-25 calls the Queen of Heaven. The deity is likewise referred to as Ashteroth (Judges 2:13, 10:6, I Sam 7:3-4 etc), Isis (Egypt), Venus/Jupiter (Rome), Semiramis (Babylon) and Madonna, the mother-and -wife of Nimrod (Gen.10; 9). Informed opinion declare that Yemoja was formally personified as the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, by Emperor Constantinople, in his strategic move to merge church and state into one.

The French pride itself as the first daughter of the Catholic Church. Hence every catholic colony has a veneer of Roman Catholicism, underneath of which is core ATR. About 70% of Republic of Benin is ATR and some 25% Muslim (mainly indigenous Yoruba, many of whom are settlers from Nigeria). Only some 5% are born again Christian.

Republic of Benin is thus a veritable mission field that needs strategic prayer warfare, missions and evangelism. We should not wait till Satan invade Nigeria (Yoruba land) through Republic of Benin, importing ATR (Voodooist) and Islam to Nigeria while a complacent church is not vigilant or mission-minded.

The time for action is NOW.

Comments by Pastor Moses Gbenu

Voodoo did not originate from Haiti. The slaves from African coasts, especially, Dahomey (now Rep of Benin) to Haiti etc, are the ones that brought that name to Haiti. They took the word from their homeland. The actual word is ‘vodun’, pronounced /vothun/. It simply means ‘idol’. The ‘voodooism’ as is practiced in Haiti is a mixture of the African mysticism and Roman Catholic idolatry. I know the languages and culture of the Benin people very well, and I wrote to correct Mitchell who wrote THE TWO HEADED DRAGON OF AFRICA”. Its is a very serious resource book on Islam and Roman Catholism, however, which every African Christian should read. - Moses Gbenu

7.0 OCCULTIC POLITICS OF YORUBALAND

Political events in the Southwest of Nigeria over the few months indicate that there are intense activities going on in the spiritual over the southwest, and by extension Nigeria. The totality of these activities is two-fold, one an imminent judgement of the gods and political overlords of the southwest by the Almighty, and a concomitant intensified effort by satanic strongholds to maintain the spiritual and political status quo.

That the political turmoil has gravitated and centered on Ile-Ife, the ancestral spiritual headquarters of Yoruba land, and that Ige’s murder took place in Ibadan, the political headquarters of the Southwest are ominous and instructive. For long, the spiritual and political overlord of the southwest has been in the hands of personalities and principalities whose loyalty is occultist and satanic. The present and historical idolatrous renown of Ile-Ife as the worldwide source of idolatry is well documented. The recent renunciation of the title of Oluaye by the Oni could be seen as God preparing avenue for mercy when He begins His judgement.

Less emphasis is placed on the fact that Yoruba political leaders- from Awolowo and Adetokubo Ademola of old, to the Bola Iges (of the Afeniferefe) and Adewale Thompsons (of the Yoruba Council of Elders) of today are deeply immersed in occultism- Rosicrucian’s and Oogboni cult etc, despite their Christian confessions. (The touted membership of Olusegun Obasanjo in the Oogboni cult was one of the planks on which Falae’s abortive legal challenge to Obasanjo’s election as President was placed in 1999).

Tragically, the church, whether of the orthodox or Pentecostal variety, is also deeply involved in ecclesiastical occultism and witchcraft. The Pastor Chris Okotie versus Pastors Chris Oyakhilome and Joshua Temitope imbrigo only brought the matter to the public arena.

The time for the Church to break the occultist control of the politics of Yorubalnd is now. Amen.

8.0 JAAZANIAH AND PELITIAH - Ezekiel. 11:1-3

Strategically located by thrones and influencing thrones negatively and by diabolic or antichrist influences, are various men and institutions. At the Federal level, the man Chief Tony Aneneih, Minister of Works and Housing, stands out. In the East, one Emeka Offor stands out. In the west, the Awolowo-Afenifere spirit holds sway. In the North, the Caliphate and Ibrahim Babangida still pervade. Use scriptures such as Isaiah 47, Ezekiel 11:1-12 and Psalm 2 to cut off such men and influences from the thrones of Nigeria.
4th August 2001.

9.0 THE GOODNESS OF JEZEBEL

What would you say of a woman, who in the time of severe famine, got together four hundred prophets and fed/provided for them daily for three and a half years? A Missions - supporters? A generous-giver? Whatever anyone else might say of Jezebel, to the four hundred and fifty prophets of Asherah (and their families), she was God-sent, a very good, tender, loving and merciful woman. (Whatever anyone might say of Sani Abacha, to Chief Anthony Ani, Tom Ikimi, Ali Kokoma, Hamza Mustapha, Wada Nas and those that benefited from the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), Sani Abacha was God sent!). Doesn’t Prov. 19:12 admonish us that “the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel?

Every Jezebel has a “good” side. But do no not be taken in by their sophistry. Prov. 23:1-8 counsels us not to desire the delicacies and deceptive food of a miserly ruler, and not to waste our pleasant words to bless such. Watch the life and behaviour of that supporter of yours. Watch his/her home marriage and family life. Does she maintain divine order at home? She might be good to you, but watch out for what wickedness she does to others. If she can kill Naboth for his vineyard, she will not hesitate to crush you if she has to. Evil proceeds from evildoers, wickedness from the wicked. Do not deceive yourself that you are not the object of her wickedness. When she finishes with the smaller fries, even the anointed Elijah will not be spared her wickedness.

10.0 THE COMING CONFLAGRATION

For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle” I Cor. 14:8.
Two events during this week (August, 2001) spurred this letter. A brother here in Ibadan, an intercessor with a calling to the Muslim World, shared with me a word of knowledge delivered in a church last Sunday. The minister, a brother from Barbados, reportedly shared a vision of bloody attacks on Christians by Jihadists who infiltrated from the North/North Africa of Nigeria. As he shared, I remembered the advertorial of this week’s edition (Vol 17, No 8; 27 August 2001) of The News magazine titled “The Jihadists Invasion: How foreign Fundamentalists wreck Havoc in the North”. I later bought a copy. My wife also reminded me of a prophesy they had received from the Wailing Women Intercessory group asking for prayers against attacks on Christians, and Christians running helter-skelter in the month of August.

In The News Report, Moslem rebels from Chad and Niger Republic and their Nigerian pro-Shariah fighters wearing turbans and Yasset Arafat-like Kafiyehs, attacked and killed not only Christians in Tafawa Balewa LGA in Bauchi State, they even attacked a police anti-riot helicopter from the air, with machine-guns. These events took place between 7th and 13th August last year, following earlier skirmishes in June. The report stated on that “Notwithstanding the international hostility against Islamic zealot, they find refuge in Nigeria because of the cultural and religious traits they share with the people of the North”. Subscribers will remember that this issue was the topic of Bulletin no 13 “The Armies of the Aliens”

The News further reported ‘that the death of Napoleon Ovie Igbuku-Otu, a patriot environmentalist, was linked to his foray into Niger Republic where “some religions fanatics who wanted to hide under Islam to train an armed guard who would take on Olusegun Obasanjo’s government”. The Armed guards allegedly solicited the help of ex-Iraqi officers who were against President Saddam Hussein, and were experts at chemical warfare. As contained in a document written by Igbuku-Otu before his death, some Islamic Jihadists had established training camps in Northern Nigeria and were recruiting Sudanese Muslims and smuggling them through Niger Republic into Maiduguri, Kano and Kaduna for conflict. Igbuku-Otu claimed that the brain behind the movement was Sheik Omar Bakriz who was, for 10 years, the head of Hez Bothariah, an Islamic group which advocates Sharia against democracy. Sheikh Omar operated at No 305, Ashley Road, London where Igbuku-Otu visited before his death.”

In Lampstand Letters No 19 (February 2000) titled “The Horse and Its Rider,” we have attempted to traced an historical perspective to the Arab Connection of Nigerian Ishmaelite. “The political ambition of the Caliphate Fulani to rule is not dead and will not die” thus reported an intelligence report some seventy years ago. Also, the Maguni (old Bornu El-Kanemi kingdom) though scattered since 1810 from Yemen to the Atlantic have never ceased hoping to regain their Bornu kingdom. Thus the Caliphate Fulani and Bornu Kanuri up to date believe they are “born to rule” and draw active support from their kinsmen and supporters from North Africa up to Saudi Arabia.

Writing in 1924, the progenitor of the Sanusshi - Tarrika Islamic political propaganda sect, Sidi Ahmed wrote, “our purpose is to obtain the sovereignty of all the land between Egypt and Malawi”. Even though the British defeated the Caliphate in 1902, the colonialists “favoured Islam, often consciously, to the detriment of Christianity” (see Boer 1988). But the Caliphate has controlled every regime in Nigeria except the present one. That is the political aspect of the present situation.

“The Preacher” (www.thepreacher.ca) No 238 October - December 2000 also contained a bit under the section “The Sound of Battle”, citing an Internet report of the Tempo Newspapers dated September 22 2000 titled “Muslim leader calls for Anti-Obasanjo Revolt …”. At a rally at the Katsina Central Mosque grounds on August 19 2000, Alhaji Datti Ahmed called on Northern Muslims to rise up against President Olusegun Obasanjo. Speaking in Hausa (like General Buhari reportedly did recently on BBC while calling on Muslims not to vote for non-Muslims), Alhaji Datti Ahmed was quoted as urging “…from places of worship, and many other occasions, I am repeating again that we must prepare. From bush exercise to training, we must prepare fully. I swear that we are forming Islamic Suicide Squad. Wallahi…Wallahi… it is better for me to become a martyr (advising his hearers not to) refuse to die by sword in pursuance of a cause”.

Although this instigation was directed at President Olusegun Obasanjo, the target is the church. I am concerned that President Olusegun Obasanjo, Vice-President Atiku and Defense Minister Theophilus Danjuma could be hacked to death on the throne by Islamic Jihadists.
If they did a similar thing against Ironsi in 1966, they are ready to repeat it in 2001. The difference this time around is that their actions will not be in the name of the North, but in the name of Islam. And the result, like the Nigeria Civil War of 1967 - 1970, will be horrendous for Nigeria and Christians in Nigeria.

The Bible in Psalm 116: 15 declares: “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His Saints” (NKJV)’ How painful it is to the LORD when one of His people dies (GNB) ‘You are deeply concerned when one of your loyal people faces death” (Contemporary English Version) Psalm 102: 19-20 declares that “… From heaven the LORD viewed the earth… To release those appointed to death”. Let’s pray and intercede that the Lord will preserve President Obasanjo and his colleagues. Amen.

How then do we respond to the matters arising? II Cor. 10:4-5 tells us clearly that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. See also Zechariah 4:6. The following biblical principles constitute strategic warfare in dealing with the horse and its rider: -

1. Evangelism and Missions: the declaration of the Prince of Peace to all men. Zechariah 9:9-10 and Isaiah 9:2-7 link the cutting off of the chariot the horse and battle bow with the declaration of the Prince of Peace.
2. Related to above are continual prophetic prayers declaring the Lordship of Christ over the nations. Psalm 2, Psalm 24, Psalm 76, Psalm 110, and Micah Chapter 1, among others are relevant in this regards.
3. The next major strategy is to “contend with the horses” (Jer. 12:5a) in sustained prayers and intercessions to provoke God by His Spirit to rise against the horse and its riders through;
   
   1. Striking every horse with confusion and its riders with madness. Zech 12:4
   2. Dealing with them as He did to Pharaoh’s host Exodus 14:4-9, 24:25, Isaiah 43:17
   3. Breaking/Cutting off the battle bow and weapons of war by His rebuke Ps. 46:9, 76:2-6.
   4. Shaking Islam like He shook communism by natural and supernatural means Haggai 2:21-22. Amen.

10.1 CONCLUSION

Christians should not see the Muslim or the Fulani as the enemies. However, they should not be surprised that the spirit of the horse described in Job 39:19-25 and of the wild donkey (Gen. 16:12) will turn the Muslim or the Fulani into murdering and destructive arsonist when matters of the faith are involved. While government is taking legal and political measures, our response as Christians should be spiritual as we strike the underbelly (weak point) of the horse like Ehud did (Judges 5:21-22). May the feet of clay of the kingdom of Ishmael crumble in Jesus name (Dan. 2:31-35). Amen.

10.2 LET US PRAYY

1. Ask that the church in Nigeria will be like Dan: “a serpent by the way, a viper by the path that bites the horse’s heels, so that its rider falls backwards” (Gen. 49:17), as we deal with the horse and its rider in strategic prophetic prayer and evangelism.
2. Commit yourself and the Church to strategically deal with the issue at hand as highlighted in Section 7.0 above.
3. Prophesy that the gates of Northern Nigeria, North Africa, the Middle East and of Islam will lift up their heads so that the King of Glory may enter Ps. 24 and Isaiah 19:23-25. Joel 2:1 asks us to “Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound the alarm in my holy mountains”. 7

Please give this bulletin a wide circulation. Forward it and print to as many Christians as possible especially our Northern brethren.
Please read the whole of Joel chapter 2 and act on it.

“But I will remove far from you the Northern Army, and drive him away into a barren and desolate land (desert Sahara), with his face towards the Eastern (dead) sea, and his back towards the Western sea; His stench shall come up, and his foul Odor will rise, because he has done monstrous thing”. Fear not O land, be glad and rejoice, for the Lord (will do) marvelous things Amen. Joel 2: 20-21. Amen.

11.0 DEFENCE MINISTER ALERTS ON THREAT TO CHRISTIANITY IN NIGERIA.

By Lekan Otufodunrin (<This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>;) Nigeria Online Christian News (Reporting Nigerian Christian Communities)
April 23, 2002

Nigeria’s defence Minister, Theophilus Danjuma has raised an alarm on an alleged plot to wipe out Christianity in northern parts of the country. Speaking at a on-day conference on “Social, Economic and political Status of Christians in Northern states of Nigeria” last Saturday, April 20, retired General Danjuma said it is regrettable that Christianity was under a great assault in northern states of the country.

Like in most Northern African countries, where there used to be a considerable number of Christians before being overrun by Muslims, Danjuma stated that there is a gradual plan to wipe out Christianity in Nigeria.” If concerted efforts are not made by Christians, Christianity will cease to exist first in the northern states and gradually in all parts of the country” Danjuma warned. Noting that the last two years witnessed a mass exodus of non-Christians from Sharia states following religious disturbance and persecution, Danjuma suggested that courts and other constitutional means should be explored to solve the problem. He called for indigenization of clergy in the northern states by all denominations to ensure that “Christians in the Sharia states do not wither and just die”. “The solution will only come when people from interior northern states are made clergies, like the Anglican Church is doing. They will not leave their people despite any persecution or threat, but stay back in entrenching their religion” Danjuma advised. The one-day conference was organized by the Northern States Christian Elders Forum during which other leaders spoke on the challenges facing Christians in the north and how to solve the problems.

11.1 Comments by the Publisher

One has to continue to intercede for the protection of the lives of Gen. Danjuma and other Christians in government like the President himself, Prof. Jerry Gana, the Senate President Pius Anyim and the Justice Minister Agabi Kanu. I have expressed concern about the possibility of Islamic fundamentalists killing the President on the throne, (like they used Danjuma to do to Aguiyi Ironsi in 1966, under the guise of avenging Ahmadu Bello’s death in the earlier coup of 1966). See the article “The coming conflagration”

We also remember the intense witchcraft and manipulation against the same Danjuma early in this administration, which actually affected his mental balance and cause him to attempt to leave the Obasanjo government.

Secondly, we have to go back to the basic command of the scriptures for missions and indigenous disciple making of all tribes, especially the unreached tribes so prevalent in the north. There is room for prosperity etc but when the crunch of persecution comes, such concepts are of little use. As Gen Danjuma alluded to, only indigenous disciples (note not just church-goers or even ordinary converts), can stay and withstand persecution. The challenge is not only for the Anglican church, but for the whole church especially the rich and affluent Pentecostal and charismatic groups who are endowed with men, materials and money to do missions. Now is the time to act, NOW!

12.0 TESTIMONY

This edition of Lampstand Letters was already being typeset when Armed Robbers visited our street and house in the early hours of Thursday 11th April. They disposed me of nearly Seventy thousand naira (N70, 000.00) including the sum of twenty five thousand naira only (N25, 000.00) which a supporter had just sent as tithes for production of the Lampstand Letters. The leader of the Armed Robbers, an ex-convict, was caught in Lagos weeks later and paraded over Television Stations in Ibadan and the front page of The News magazine Vol. 18. No 21. 27 May 2002. From the accounts, we learnt that he released in January 2002 after nine (9) years in jail for Armed Robbery and had executed over twenty burglaries in South West Nigeria between January and April 2002, allegedly killing many policemen in the process. To God is the glory for sparing my life and those of the members of my family.

As a result of the financial loss and some other production problems, the first quarter of the Lampstand Letters could not come out. This enlarged edition thus covers January to June, 2002.

Also, the e-mail version <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>; has experienced serious spiritual and technical problems since the beginning of the year. First for about 4 weeks in January/February, and completely off since March ending. We are considering an alternative ISP. Please send your e-mail address to me if you wish to be put on the new e-mail list serve.
Dr Tayo Babalobi,
Publisher. 2nd June, 2002.

13.0 BENONI AND BENJAMIN

In allowing the incidents of Gen 35:18 to be recorded in the scriptures, the Holy Spirit teaches us that curses (cursed names) should and can be reversed by a blessing (blessed name). We see how an innocent child, born to Rachael, could have be doomed to a life of sorrow by virtue of the cursed name (Benoni = son of my sorrow) given by his mother, had the father not come in immediately to change the curse into a blessing (Benjamin = son of my favoured right hand of power).

Rachael was the beautiful daughter of the manipulative Laban, who Jacob spent another seven years of hard labour to marry, after Laban has deceived him to have the elder sister Laban. Beautiful though she was, Rachael was a nag (Gen. 30:1), contentious (Gen. 30:8), a thief/idolater (Gen. 31:19), deceptive and (Gen. 31:34-35). But worse of all, she was of such a wicked heart that at the point of death, she sentenced her innocent baby to a life of curse, naming him Benoni, a son of sorrow. Was the innocent baby responsible for Rachael’s death? I do not think so. By her words to her husband Jacob in Gen. 30:1 “…Give me children or else I die”, she had sentenced her self to death. No man can give children; only God does, so since Jacob could not have given her children, the only option remaining according to her words was to die. And so God gave her, not just a child, but children, and immediately she died! May we not be ensnared by our own words. Amen.

Thank God for Jacob who immediately reversed Rachael’s deathbed curse. Parents, when a partner curses, let the other immediately bless. Otherwise, the effects might linger on the child like it did on Jabez, before he in his adult age, cried out to God.

By the Lampstand January, 2002

14.0 JABEZ’S MOTHER

What type of mother, will look at her child and because “she bore him in pain” prophesy into his life a curse by called him Jabez i.e. “He will cause pain”? Jabez’s mother (I Chronicles. 4:9) was one, and Rachael before her (Gen. 35:18) was another. What type of pain could Jabez had caused his mother at birth. Was he conceived as a result of a rape or sexual assault? Was he always kicking in the womb? Did he not allow her to sleep well during the pregnancy? Did she spend all the pregnancy on bed rest in hospital? Did he come out in a breech presentation? Was the delivery long and tedious, like that of Benjamin (Gen 35:18). Whatever the pain he might have caused, there was no justification for the curse and the name she placed on him.

Today, Christian mothers still habitually curse their babies, infant, and adolescent children. Whatever the misbehavior of our children, we are not justified to curse them. We are called to bless not to curse, even when our children “persecute” us (Rom. 12:14, I Cor. 4:12, Matt. 5:44 etc.). Mothers (and fathers), let us be like Rebecca, who rather took upon her the curse her child was liable to (Gen. 27:12-13). Let us remember to be merciful. Amen.

By the Lampstand January, 2002

15.0 ENEMIES AND ADVERSARIES

Recently I was watching the CNN at a friend’s and heard a promotional from the Olympics Sports Movement. In the friendly but competitive spirit of the Olympics, one sportsman was saying to another something like “you are my adversary but not my enemy … you stretch me to my competitive limit” etc.

An adversary is a rival, an opponent, a competitor; one who puts obstacles on one’s way or distract without the malicious intent to harm or destroy (although some adversaries do these). An adversary therefore is someone one has to overcome, for whom one has to keep fit and be able to contend with and win against in a competitive exercise. One who keeps one on his toes, and stretches us to our competitive limit. An enemy on the other hand is one who has a destructive ill will against you. The enemy wants to kill, steal or destroy. A destroyer, not a competitor, one not bound by the rules of fair play. One who wants to finish you off?

In Numbers 22:22-32, God stood as an adversary against the apostate Balaam to stand against him and oppose. Hannah’s rival co-wife was an adversary who provoked her life to make her miserable. Jesus counseled us to make peace and agree with our adversary (or accuser/opponent) before we get to the place of judgement. Haman was both an enemy and adversary (Esther 7:6). Sanballat and Tobiah were adversaries and enemies to Nehemiah and the Jews. In Exodus 23:22, God promised His obedient servants that He would be an enemy to their enemies, and an adversary to their adversaries. He vowed in Isaiah. 1:24 to rid Himself (on be relieved) of his adversaries and take vengeance on His enemies. God allows adversaries to remain, to teach our hands to war and our fingers to battle. But he himself avenge and exact retribution on our enemies.

Man’s chief adversary is Satan, whose name simply means Adversary, the Accuser of the brethren. In Zechariah chapter 3, he opposed and accused the High Priest Joshua (and by extension the whole Israel) before God, but the Lord rebuked him. He accused Job, provoked David to sin against God tempted Jesus, misled Judas Iscariot and tested Simon Peter. He seeks to devour (I Peter 5:8). Why does God permit adversaries along our ways? Because he wants to train us for battle and war. The kingdom of God suffered violence, and one has to learn to become violent to be able to take it by force. For these reason he did not exterminate all the enemies of Israel in Canaan, so that every generation is taught to know war (Judges 3:1-4). It is given to us to learn to contend with and overcome our adversaries. But is left to God to deal with our enemies.

God does not want us to make enemies of any persons. Yes, men may decide to rise to be our enemies. But God wants to spare us the ill will and the male violence that comes from making someone an enemy. Rather he commands us to love and pray for our enemies by so doing heaping coals of fire on his head. We are called not to avenge ourselves, but rather give place for God’s wrath on our enemies. Because to God belongs vengeance, the dealing with our enemies. (Rom 12:19-21). To us who have God’s spirit’s, it is better to allow God to avenge us, rather than allowing the Satanic spirit of malevolence and ill-will take control of us, as we seek to avenge ourselves of our enemies. Amen

By the Lampstand January, 2002

16.0 THE SHULAMITE AND HER BROTHERS

Songs of Solomon 8:8-10 record a conversation between a teenage girl and her older brothers on the virtue of chastity and the vice of promiscuity; “We have a little sister, and she has no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she is spoken for. If she is a wall, we will build upon her a battlement of silver and if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar”.

A wall is built to deliberately fence out intruders and protect the occupants. A door is an entrance through which any person could enter. A wall keeps out, a door lets in. In the conversation, the brothers watched over the life of their teenage sister. They honored her for successfully keeping her chastity by resisting unworthy men who came calling to defile her in the days of her youth. If she tended to yield and give in to promiscuity, they rally round to protect and strengthen the resolve for good (verse 9).

“I am a wall...” proudly declares the Shulamite girl. Thank God the Shulamite was a wall. For maintaining her chastity and purity to the maturity of adulthood, she became in the eyes of he who married her, a pleasure, as one who finds peace and contentment (verse 10). A chaste girl is a garden enclosed, a private spring, a fountain closed to others (S.O.S. 4:12). An immoral one is like a vineyard whose hedges, are broken down, so that all who pass by the way pluck for fruits, including boars and wild beasts (Ps. 80:12-13). Like a beautiful woman without self control, a pearled sow (Pro. 11:22). What are you dear sister: a wall or a door, a private spring or a public river? And you brother, do you aspire to fence in and protect our honorable sisters, or you strive to break the wall, enter the open door or pollute the waters? “…He that breaks through a wall, a serpent shall bite” (Ecc. 10:8). Amen.

17.0 PROVIDING FOR THINGS HONEST (2 COR. 8:21)

Sometime in late January, my car had developed some engine problems after a mission field trip. I was with a Pastor friend trying to find solution to the fault when he hailed a youngman who strings for a Christian TV producing outfit based in Ibadan. As the young man made to go after the customary greetings, he gave my friend a complimentary copy of his latest 4 -page bulletin. A caption on the back page of the bulletin caught my attention, and on close examination, I discovered that it was a verbatim lifting of the introductory part of the article on Ecclesiastical Witchcraft and Manipulation which appeared in Lampstand Letters No 24 July to Sept., 2000. The bulletin promised to continue the article in next edition, without any form of acknowledgement of its source, creating a false impression that it was an original article.

I called back the young man as he made to cross the road, and asked him if he knew about the Lampstand Letters. He replied in the affirmative. I asked if the article in his bulletin was lifted from the Lampstand Letters. He replied with a nod. At this stage, my pastor friend introduced me as the Publisher of the Lampstand Letters. I did not add any word; neither did the young man who then left. I have had cause to counsel brethren who lift articles from the Lampstand Letters about how to go about it in the article “Copyright = Right to copy?” (Lampstand letters No 27 April to June 2001). Paul also counseled that to prevent men finding fault with him in the discharge of ministerial duties, he strove to “provide things honorable not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of men. (2 Cor. 8:20-21).

Reproducing a work not originally ones and presenting it as ours, without due acknowledgement, is dishonorable and both a spiritual and intellectual fraud. By all means exercise your right to copy, but for conscience and integrity sake, please acknowledge your source.
Amen

SINCERE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The Latin word, sincere, is derived from sine and cera: - without wax, honey separated from wax or pure honey. In the scriptures, sincere signifies pure or without mixture (Phil 1:10; 1Peter 2:1). Sincere is opposed to double mindedness or deceit, when sentiments of the heart are contrary to the language of the mouth (1 Cor. 5:8).

-Source:-Cruden’s complete concordance

2.0 SIMEON’S INHERITANCE (WAGES OF FIERCE ANGER)

In Joshua 19: 1, 9, we are told that the inheritance of the tribe of children of Simeon was within the inheritance of the children of Judah because the share of the children was too much for them. This seems a plausible reason especially when we read in Judges 1:3-17 that Simeon heeded his brother Judah’s invitation to “come up with me to my allotted land that we may fight against the Canaanites… And Simeon went with him”

But is that sufficient reason for a tribe to lose its identity and be absorbed in a larger one? What stopped Simeon, like Judah, to also have a large inheritance with the partnership of Judah? (Note Judges 1:17). We need to go back to Gen. 49: 5-7 and 34: 25-31 to understand more properly the real reason.

In these verses, we read that Simeon (and his brother Levi) was cursed by their father Jacob for killing Hamor and the men of Sheckem over the incident of Dinah. Specifically Gen. 49:7 states “A curse on their anger, because it is so fierce. And on their fury because it is so cruel. I will scatter them throughout the land of Israel. I will disperse them among its people “. Simeon’s lot therefore, was the wage of fierce anger and cruel fury.

Simeon’s (and Levi) resort to justify their action “should treat our sister like a harlot?” sounds reasonable. But we should remember the bible declares “man’s anger does not achieve God’s righteous purpose” (James 1:20 GNB).

The Bible tells us anger rests in the bosom of fools, while a discrete (wise) man is slow to anger and overlooks offense (Ecc. 7:9, Pro. 19:11. See also Prov. 14: 7, 15: 1, 21:19, 22: 24-25, 29:22 and Eph. 4: 26). May we not lose our inheritance to anger. May your lot not be scattered among your brethren. (Amen).

3.0 LEVI’S INHERITANCE AND AOLE’S CURSE

Levi like Simeon was cursed by his father Jacob to be divided among his brethren, scattered among his people, because of his violent anger. However, before the curse could come into effect, the sons of Levi, by their honorable stand against idolatry (Exodus. 32: 26-29), received a blessing that made the curse powerless. Thus they were, by divine commandment, given specific lots among their brethren. By the time Moses gave his prophetic blessings in Deut 33, while Simon was no longer mentioned since he was absorbed in Judah, Levi had received a divine blessing and commission, as a result of being on the Lord’s side (Deut 33: 8-11; Number 35: 2-8). Therein lays a further principle pertinent to dealing with Aole’s curse on the Yoruba’s (Lampstand Letters No. 27 April-June 2001). As Yoruba Christians come to the Lord’s side and judge idolatry in their midst like the sons Levi did (Exodus 36: 26-29), the mad curse of Aole, which scattered them and subjected their to other tribes, will be made powerless. As the Yorubas turn to the Lord, and a kingdom of Yoruba Christian priests arise all over the world to judge Yoruba idolatry (Ifa, Ogun, Osun, Sango, Oya, Saponna, Yemoja, Olokun etc) worldwide; as they teach other nations Gods precepts and laws, then God himself will bless their substance (skills), accept the works of their and, strike the loins of those who rise against the Yoruba. And those who hate them shall not rise again (Deut 33: 10-11) Amen.

4.0 PANDERING TO THE ENEMY

The story in I Kings 20 highlights the features and consequences of pandering to an opposition who knows that the territorial (political) conflict they are involved in has a spiritual nature. It is instructive for the church in his spiritual war with Islam and African Traditional Idolatry. It is specifically instructive to President Obasanjo in his tendency to pander to the Caliphate.

1. If you give in a little to an ungodly request, the enemy will ask for more (verses 1-6).
2. The opposition is an arrogant, boastful power drunk entity (verses (7-12, 16-19).
3. They realize the spiritual nature of the conflict (verse 10, 23).
4. It is made up of both a political king) and military arm (captains) verse 24. When it loses politically, it will master its military arm to battle, as the Caliphate have always done.
5. It is a stubborn spirit that will want to come back again unto power even after it has been defeated politically (verses 26-27).
6. It is always on the look out for “sign of friendship” from its foes which it will they exploit to ensnare in an anti-god peace treaty (verses 31-34).
7. As a result of such ungodly treaty, the king and his people (the church) will die in their place (verse 42).

How to deal with the enemy

1. Seek godly counsel (verse 7-8)
2. Reply back in faith (verse 11)
3. Rely on prophetic leading verse 13-14, 28.
4. Be ready and alert to confront its overwhelming forces (verse 29-30).
5. Do not Dander to, or speak kindly with them (verse 31: 34)
6. Do not disobey God out of emotion or other member consideration (verse 35-39).
7. Do not be busy with other things and let the prisoner God put in your hand escape (verse 40).
8. Repent of pandering to the enemy

“Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord deceitfully, and curse is he who keeps back his sword from blood” Jer. 48:10

5.0 JONAH

One of the most important lessons to be learnt from the book of Jonah chapter one is that whenever there is a Jonah in the boat (in a household, in the ministry, in a place, no amount of sacrifices and prayers will bring a respite until Jonah is cast out of the boat into the sea. Jonah was a hitherto a distinguished prophet and a contemporary of Isaiah. No matter how distinguished Jonah is, do not sacrifice other people, things for Jonah. Do not even waste time crying to your God, fasting or seeking his face. If you have to pray, “cast lots” that God reveal the Jonah in your midst. Once the Jonah has been identified, do not pander to emotions or unnecessary fear ‘Pick up the Jonah, throw him unto the sea, and the sea boat (your household, your ministry, your workplace, your marriage etc) will cease form its raging” (Jonah 1: 15). Or as Prove Amen.

6.0 EVIL MEN AND IMPOSTORS

Is there any hope that evil men will change for the better? 2 Tim 3:4 tells us that is a forlorn hope. Indeed the prophesy here is that in these last days, evil men will go from bad to worse. Do not be deceived, an evil men cannot change from their evil just as a leopard cannot change its spots Evil is their nature. As David said in I Sam 24:13 “Wickedness proceeds from the wicked. Not only will they wicked evil not change, they will be pretenders (impostors deduces. Do not be charmed by their smiles or seduced by their embrace. Proverbs 6:6 tells us that the kisses like that of Judahs Ischariot) are deceitful. Or as the Good New Bible puts it!!… When an enemy puts his arm around your shoulder - watch out!

In these last days, evil men shall be skilled deceivers. Their strategy is to deceitful put you at ease so that they can strike with their dagger while you are complacent. Do not be taken in by their sophistry, their sweet talk or their promises. They will be covenant breakers like Ehud, they may even claim to have “a word from the Lord (Judges 3:19-21). The may quote scriptures, aspire to teach or prophesy. They may even want to pray for you or minister deliverance. Do not be taken in do not be complacent. Nothing good can come from evil me. As Proverbs 12:10 states, even the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel! And as Jesus taught “ A good men out of the good treasures of his heart brings forth good, but an evil man out of the evil treasures of his heart brings forth evil…” Be aware of evil workers, in the church (Philippians 3:2).

The evil man is deceived and beyond redemption, because he has given his heart over to the devil, the deceiver (Rev. 2: 9). Do not be taken in by the promises or even their oath. For as many times Saul vowed not to seek to kill David, so did he intensify his murderous pursuit. Evil men are liars and covenant breakers. Like their father the devil, when they speak a lie, it comes naturally as their nature language. There is no truth in them I John 8: 44.

Do not show kindness, or mercy to the wicked. It is a dangerous waste of time. “Let grace be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteous. Even in the midst of righteous people, they still do wrong and refuse to recognize God’s greatness (Isaiah. 25: 10). Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him (Isaiah. 3: 11). “There is no peace, says the LORD, for the wicked” (Isaiah. 48: 22). Amen.

7.0 PRAYERS FOR THE WICKED

Job 18:5-21, 20:4-29, 27:13-23
Psalm 37
Psalm 94: 1-23

8.0 FOR ABACHA AND HIS CHILDREN

“All the kings of the nations lie in state, each in his tomb. But you are cast out of your tomb, like a rejected branch; you are covered with the slain, with those pierced by the sword, those who descend to the stones of the pit. Like a corpse trampled underfoot, you will not join, them in burial, for you have destroyed you land and killed your people. The offspring of the wicked shall not be mentioned again.

Prepare a place to slaughter his sons for the sins of their forefathers they are not to rise to inherit the land and cover the earth with their cities. I will rise up against them, declare, the LORD Almighty. I will cut off … her name and a survivor, her offspring and descendants, declares the LORD”. Amen (Isaiah 14:18-22 NIV)

9.0 PARTNERSHIP

I Chro 19: 10-13
Judges 1:3, 17
Ecclesiastics 4: 9-12
“…Woe to him who is alone

10.0 CHENANIAH (I Chro 15:22)

Because of his skill in music, Chenaniah was chosen to be in charge of (his fellow) Levitical musicians (GNB).
Keaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it (NIV).
Chenanah, leader of the Levites, was instructor in charge of the music, because he was skillful (NKJAV).

11.0 THE ENEMY AS THE GATEMAN

Shall a man set an enemy as sentry? Shall he pay the children of the enemy to be his watchman at day or by night?
A read a report of a newspaper columnist on the recent Jos religious/ethnic crisis in which the columnist stated that it was the watchman of a neighbor who led fanatics to loot and burn the house the watchman was paid to guard. Who are your gatemen? Who are your watchmen? Are they not children of the bondwomen? Are they not aliens from higher or Chad…? Beware. Let not you gates be in the hands of the enemy. Put not your strength in the hands of aliens. Amen.

HEBREWS 7: 13-14

And our Lord, of whom these things are said, belonged to a different tribe and no member f his tribe ever served as a priest. It is well known that he was born a member of the tribe of Judah and Moses did not mention this tribe when he spoke of priest”.

Your ancestry cannot be a limitation to attaining God’s destiny for you. You may belong to a genealogy of idolaters, yet you and your generation after may forever serve the Lord. Your family may be an outcast, a generation of slaves. Yours may be “Osu” dedicated forever to idols. Your father could be the chief headhunter, your mother from a generation of temple prostitutes. Your forbearers might have imported that foreign god (religion) unto your town; your tribe may be Islam’s main courier. Yours might be a destitute family; there never have been a wealthy person in your linage.

Beginning from you, a new divine linage will start. You shall be engrafted unto the life of Christ and a generation of priest begins from you. That which have never happened in your family will begin with you, says the Lord with whom nothing is impossible Amen.

12.0 JUDAH

Yet Judah perverted over his brothers, and from him came a ruler … I Cor. 5:2.

I wonder what qualified Judah to receive the scepter of ruler ship of the tribes of Israel, the privilege of producing David and the Lord Jesus. It is not enough that Reuben, Simon and Levi were disqualified. Didn’t Judah also mess up in the matter of Tamar his daughter-in-law (Gen 38)?

May be the reason could be found in Hosea 11:12 (NKJV) “(While) Ephraim has encircled me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit; But Judah still walks with God, Even with the Holy One who is faithful.

13.0 WHAT BECAME OF SHELAH?

Shelah was Judah’s third child by Shua the Canaanite, who Judah refused to allow to go into her to raise seed (a grandchild) for him by her. (Gen 38). Humanity speaking, Judah was justified in refusing to give him to her, lest he died on top of Tamar like this two brothers did.

But the problem was not with Tamar, it was with the half-caste children of Shua, the Canaanite whom married against God’s wish. Tamar was a full-blooded Israelite, from the town of Timnah of Judah (gen. 38:1; Joshua 15: 10, 57). So indeed, she was more noble that half caste children Judah and Shua. But there was a more critical factor. God had decided that the scepter will not depart from Judah. And here we here we have a case of the first born and second born killed without seed and the third born unwilling to perform. And so God in His sovereignty had to d a divine engineering, the result of which was Judah himself directly procreating Perez the ancestor of David and Jesus, through Tamar. What could have been his grand child became his child, and the linage of Shua the Canaanite was effectively cut off.

But what became of Shelah? The only other record of him was in I Chro 4: 21-23, where his descendents became linen workers and the king’s potter (rather than being the king). Like the unnamed kinsman of Boaz who refused to marry Ruth in a similar case later, Shelah’s name became called in Israel “the house of him who had his sandal removed (Deut 25:5).

14.0 SELEH (Pause and Pray)

Selah is a Hebrew word found severity one times in the book on Psalms and three times in Habakkuk. The traditional view is that it means pause (and pray). Do you pause and pray after reading (an) article(s) in the Lampstand Letters? Selah!

15.0 WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM?

In Acts 23: 12, 13, we read of forty Jews who banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. That was around A.D. 58. We know from scriptures that Paul lived for at least 4 years 3 months after that Act 24: 27, 28:11 and 28:30). In fact some authorities believe that Paul was killed in AD 64. So what happened to these forty Jews under oath not to eat or drink till Paul was killed. Did they go without food and drink for four whole years.

Do not fear their vain. Conspiracy a curse causeless shall not come to pass. Surely in vain the not is spread in the sight of any bird. If God be with you, who can be against you? Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of me, whoever assemblies against you shall fall for your sake says the Lord Amen.

16.0 THE PROPHET AS HISTORIAN

Today's prophesy is tomorrow’s history “Now the acts of King David, first and last, indeed they are written n the book (words) of Samuel the seer, in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer. With all his reign and his might, and the events that happened to him, to Israel and to all the kingdoms of the lands” I Chronicles 29:29. See also 2 chronicles 9:29 and 12:15.

May God raise writing prophets in our generation who will chronicle to day tomorrow’s history. Amen.

16.1 THE PROPHET’S DILIGENT SEARCH AND INVESTIGATION

The account of I Peter 11: 10-12 indicates that beyond having the spirit of God in them and receiving revelations from God, prophets have the additional responsibility to make careful search and investigation of the Word of God, so that they could understand what was belong revealed to them, and be able to teach, make their hearers understand same.

God old testament prophets knew by revelations that salvation and a savior was coming to the world. But they were not privileged to understand more than that, even though the diligent sought the face of the Lord and His world to understand more (about the means and person that will bring salvation to mankind).

It is then given to New Testament prophets to report/present announce the Good News to this generation. They wrote of and declared/announced the fullness of the World of life, which existed from the beginning, which they heard, which they saw, which they handled…in order that our joy/salvation may be full (I John 1:1).

Luke highlights the usual features of well reported revelation (Luke 1: 1-4)

1. It is written
2. It is factual
3. Based on eye witness report
4. It is reliable sourced
5. It is historical
6. Based on careful study
7. It is accurate
8. It is orderly
9. It is truthful
10. It causes understanding and faith

Revelation and inspiration are no substitute for careful diligent study and seeking of the face and word of God, even for prophets.

17.0 SOUR WINE IN NEW BOTTLES

There is a scourge afflicting the body of Christ today, especially the Pentecostal variety. It is a virus imported from American Christianity; I call it the Coca-Cola Spirit. It is an adversarial sprit, a promotional spirit. A Laodicean sprit. In its commonest form, it involves packaging ministries and men of God, usually in deceptively flamboyant teams. It is manifested in the maddening poster and flyer riot that is not associated with Christian programmes and activities. The louder, the more flamboyant, the better for the competitive ago.

Apart from the usually one-liner JESUS IS LORD a the bottom of the poster/flyer/banner, what you see is a blazing portrait of the “MAN of God" (with or without his wife) at the background and shouting proclamation of what he can do or what you expect when you come to the MAN of God.

It’s most virulent form is the packaging of backslidden men of God in business-as-usual garbs. Un-repented men, actively in sin and disobedience like Soul, involved in sorcery and witch are fit, men, who lie Joshua the High Priest are wearing filthy garments, actively being resisted by sate (Zech chapter 4), are packaged in shining garbs and blazing amour. Sour wine are packaged in new bottles. Activities and promotional now take the place of genuine repentance.

Ministers of God have become cunning commercial Canaanites (Hosea 12:8), traders and merchants. As in every commerce, advertisement has begotten a prime place. Like Coca-Cola adverts.

The Lord's word to the Laodicean church is pertinent to us today: “…I know your works… because you say, “I am rich, have become wealthy and have need of nothing” - and do not know you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked - I counsel you to buy form Me Gold refined & in the fire, that you may be rich, and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of you nakedness may not be revealed and anoint you eyes with eye salve that you may see (Rev. 3: 14-18). Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to the Lord of host. In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite (merchant/trader) in the house of the LORD of hosts. Amen Zech14: 21.

18.0 THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION

The abominations that cause desolation (Dan 9: 27, 12:11, Micah, 24: 15) refers to actions and practices that will cause Gods face to be turned away from his temple(or from his minister) resulting in bareness, neglect and wretchedness of the ministry, church or a man of God,

In Ezekiel chapters 8-11, we see a pictorial representation of judgement and desolation that befell Jerusalem and the temple, as a result of the elders’ abominations. Earlier in Ezekiel 5:11-17, God promised to make Jerusalem “a reproach, a taut, a lesson and an astonishment t the nations that are all around because (they) have defiled man sanctuary with all the detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will diminish you”

Idolatry and the lewdness that accompanies it was the chief is abomination in the bible. Deut 18: 9-14, 32:15-17, Ezekiel 5: 9-17 are highlights such abominable acts and practices by God’s people (and the attendants’ effects).

There are two parts to the abomination of desolation - the abominations committed by God’s people and the desolation which God permits to result from such abomination. Sometimes when the abominations of Gods people become severe, God permits the enemy to set up desolation where such abominations are committed.

Today there is so much abominations freely reported in the house of God, committed by ministers and children of God idolatry (idolatry and promotion of men above the Lord), Pentecostal witchcraft, sorcery, habitual adultery, regular fornication embezzlement, church politics, blatant lies, lack of integrity, use of black magic, abortions etc are recurrent abomination, in the church today.

Proverbs 6: 12-19 lists the characterization of the wicked and seven things that are an abomination to the Lord while Pro. 26:23-26 warns the wicked that has ‘seven abominations in his heart’ that his wickedness shall be revealed before the assembly”.

The church of God and his ministers tend towards desolation because of their wickedness and abomination. He is turning is turning his face away may God in His mercy not allow our enemies (Islam, African Traditional Religion) be the instrument of desolation of the church. Amen!

19.0 LAODICEAN ABOMINATION

According to Crudens complete concordance of the bible, Laodicean means “A just people”, if the Laodiceans were such a just people, why then did the LORD threaten to vomit them out of his mouth in Revelations 3: 14-22. I believe the reason was because the Laodiceans were a proud self-justified people. As he stated in Luke 16: 15: “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows yours hearts. For what is honored by men is an abomination in the sight of God”

The Abomination that makes desolate (RSV) also known as the Awful horror (GNB) has already found fulfillment at least twice in history. Between BC 175 and 164, Antiochus Ephiphanes (Antiochus IV) ruled over a region which included Palestine. Around 171 BC, he attacked Jerusalem and desecrated the temple. They blaspheme God by setting up a pagan image, a Greek idol and a Greek altar in the Jewish temple, and then sacrificed animals that the Jews considered unclean. Then in AD 70, the Romans invaded Jerusalem, massacred people, burnt the temple and destroyed the city. The seven branched candle stock (Lampstand) was taken from the temple, and the Emperor Titus’ image on the ensign carried by the Roman soldiers was triumphantly carried around.

The book of revelations, written after the destruction of Jerusalem, also contained symbolism drawn from Daniel about the awful horror (see Rev. 11:1-2, 13: 6-8). In our age, the awful horror, the abomination that cause desolation, is manifested in the various abominations and self-promoting idolatry in the body of Christ today. The church is inviting the antichrist to desecrate it by desecrating the church itself.

As noted by Don Fleming (Bridge commentary p 336, whatever the era and whoever the anti-Christ “he who endures the end will be saved (Micah 24: 13, Rev. 12:11, 13: 10, 20: 4). We must keep our hearts and our heads and not follow the bandwagon of compromising Christians. We must resist self-idolatry, promotion of self in the temple place. We must keep away from sins and iniquities, so blatant and rampant among Gods people today.

“but the people who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits. And those of the people who understand shall instruct many… Dan 11: 32-33.

Let him that reads understand. (Matt 24: 15). Blessed is he who waits Amen.

20.0 HE THAT HAS AN EAR

You do not need two ears to hear and obey God, if your heart is prepared and ready to obey. Once have I heard… saith the Psalmists. It is when you heart is not ready and prepared to obey that you say “I can not sure it is God speaking to me, let me hear again”. My sheep hears my voice and know me, says the shepherd. He that hath AN ear let him hear what the Lord is saying…

20.1 ‘YOU DON’T KNOW MY DADDY’

I was privy to a conversation between two (2) brothers who wanted to make a request to their father. Don’t disturb daddy, said one to the other. “You don’t know my daddy, (if he can), he will give us our request replied the other. Can you boast of your (heavenly) Daddy?

OUR STEWARDSHIP OCTOBER 2000 - SEPTEMBER 2001

1. Publications: By His grace, we have been able to keep up the production of three thousand copies of Lampstand letters every quarter and distributed same all over Nigeria.
2. Financial statement: Total receipt between October 2000 and September 2001 was fifteen thousand, six hundred and twenty five naira (N15, 625) made up of thirteen thousand five hundred naira (N13, 500.00) cash and two thousand one hundred and twenty five naira (N2, 215.00) worth of stamps. Total expenditure to date (less this education) was forty six thousand two hundred naira (N46, 200.00) only in cash and a tithe of one thousand five hundred naira. Apart from the sister who supported from Nsukka, the cash were sent by the same four supporters who supported during same period last year i.e. the ministry in Port Harcourt and three sisters in Ibadan. May grace and mercy be multiplied onto all our partners and supporters (financial, in kind or prayers) Amen. May their number increase in Jesus name. The Lord gives the word, may the company of those who contribute to its dissemination be great according to Psalm 68:11. Amen.

Dr. Tayo Babalobi. 30th September 2001.

21.0 ACCUSATIONS

“For the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before God day and night, has been cast down….” (Rev 12:10.
“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan (the Adversary) standing at his right hand to oppose him” Zech 3:1.
“For they do not speak peace, but they device deceitful matters against the quiet ones in the land. They also opened their month wide against me and said “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it” Ps 35:20-21.
“Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, from the mountain of the east. Come curse Jacob for me, and come denounce Israel”- Balaam (Num 23:7.

In these four questions, we ate two examples each of accusations of Gods people by Satan and by man.

The account of Zech. 3:1-5, live that of Job chapter 1 and 2 clearly highlight the accusations children of God are charged with the Satan the adversary indeed. Rev. 12:10-12 clearly labels Satan as the accuser of the brethren, who accuse us day and night before our God i.e. on a daily continual basis.

Ordinary believers, like Job, are targets of accusations just as church leaders are similarly strategically subjected to accusations. In Zech. 3, it was the High Priest, Joshua the son of Jehozadek that borne the butt of Satanic accusation. In his case, we see high level Satanic (occultist) accusation trying to turn God against man after human accusations and manipulations have failed to achieve same purpose.

Joshua the high priest, together with Zerubabbel the governor were the governor were the dud, who galvanized by the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah , started the rebuilding of the temple during king Darius second year (see Ezra 4: 24-5:2, Haggai 1:1-15 and Zech 1:1). Seven years earlier during the region of Ahagenes, the adversaries of the Jews had opposed the building, successful brought accusations against the Jews before human authorities and succeeded in stopping the work on the temple (read Ezra chapter 4). Now the work had restarted under prophetic encouragement and Satan himself the Adversary and accuser of the brethren, took the battle to the courts of heaven.

The objective of Satan in bringing charges and accusations was to oppose and frustrate our work for God (Zech 3:1). Joshua the high priest was (obviously unknowingly) wearing filthy garments. The scripture have stated that all our righteousness is like flighty rags (Isaiah 64:6), and if the Lord will judge iniquity, who can stand (Ps. 130: 3-4. Also I John 1:10). Thus, the accuser was, as it were, justified in accusing the High Priest before God.

But blessed be God, we have an Advocate before God, who forever likes to make Intercession for us in God’s presence, Jesus Christ himself (I John 2:1, Heb. 7: 25, 9: 24). As the angel of the Lord, He rebuked Satan the Adversary; concerning Joshua the high priest (Zech 3:2). Then he changed Joshua’s filthy garments, putting upon him the righteousness of Christ (Zech 3: 3-5. Also I Cor 1: 30, 2 Cor).

The agency of human accusation is a cohort of the satanic. It shares same purpose as the Adversary’s, to oppose and frustrate human labors that will serve divine purpose. It tries to thwart divine destiny in an individual or even the church. Ezra 4: typically illustrates the process and purpose of human accusations:

1. Like Satan, the accusers are referred to as adversaries (Ezra 4:11).
2. They are deceitfully friendly, wishing to frustrate work from within by volunteering to help God’s people. (Ezra 4:2).
3. Then they try to discourage those building for God Ezra 4:4.
4. They trouble (i.e. frighten or intimidate) God’s laborers (Ezra 4:4)
5. They hired counselors (i.e. bribe or enlist people, to work against Gods people.
6. They ultimate goal is to frustrate or stop divine building or destiny (Ezekiel 4:5).
7. Ultimately the rail all sought of false accusations (verbal and written) against “the quiet in the (and) Ezra 4: 6-16, Psalm 35: 20-21.
8. They will gladly use force of arms, intimidation or office to stop or delay God’s work for as long as possible (Ezra 4: 23-24).

21.1 DEALING WITH ACCUSATIONS

There are two levels of dealing with human or Satanic accusations.

Firstly, at the heavenly (divine) level, we have an Advocate who forever lives to make intercessions for us. He has not observed iniquity in Jacob nor has he seen wickedness in Israel (Numbers 23: 19-21). He says there is no sorcery, no magic charm, no divination, no witchcraft or accusation can stand against his people (children) Numbers 23:23. He says no weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants (workers, laborers, builders with) of God, and their righteousness is from me; says the Lord Isaiah 54: 17.

Secondly at the human level, accusations can be dealt with by two complementary ways. One is by the (use of the) prophetic word of god i.e. using the work (promises declarations) of God in prophetic prayers, declarations and actions. Be galvanized and embolden by God’s words when faced with accusations, oppositions and frustrations of men and demons to the work God as committed into your hands. Be not intimidated or distracted by their malicious words or provocations. Fear him who gave you the work and rather obey Him. “then Zerubabbel … and Joshua… with all the … people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, the words of Haggai the prophet as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people feared the presence of the Lord… So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubabbel… and Joshua… and… all the people, and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God” (Haggai 1:12-15)./let your spirit be stirred up within you by His prophetic words, and do his work, in spite of the enemies.

Plead his blood against every accusation, He is your righteousness you are his servant Isa.54: 17 etc.

Do not love your life so much, be ready if need be to bear every shame. He that loves his live shall loss it, he that ‘loses’ his life shall keep it. Fear not they that can kill the body but not the soul, fear him rather who commissioned you, who can kill body and cast soul to hell.

“And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony, and them did not love their lives to death. “Rev. 12:11. Amen.

22.0 PROPHETIC EVANGELISM

Among all the mode of evangelism available today, the only way by which the 21st century evangelist can make much head way in reaching lost soul with the Babylon wish cultural is evangelism by prophetic gifts of revelation. We are living in a highly sophisticated cultic and new age prone society, the only way of reaching their hearts and wining them into the kingdom is by divine appointment and revelation. A careful study of the New Testament showed that among the coverts of the Lord, the most zealous, disciples are those won through revelation, either of their past or present situations.

22.1 CONVERSIONS THROUGH REVELATION

The story of Jesus and Nathaniel in John 1:47-49 is one of the conversions that came by revelatory utterance as to the past. This revelation which is convincing of the presence and power of God in the life Christian removed the most difficult hindrance to conversion to date - RELIGIOUS SPIRIT. A school of thought believed that Christ saw by revelation the incidence at the time of birth of Nathaniel who happened to be born around the time of the birth of Christ. The story is that because a decree went forth to kill all children around the birth of Christ, the parent of Nathaniel escaped with the boy. While resting under a fig tree they saw people coming along their route, with the fear that they thought be exposed and eventually die, left baby Nathaniel under a fig tree. The travelers carried him away and raised him to adulthood before he returned to Israel.

The other school of thought believed that while Phillip was calling Nathaniel, he was under a fig tree in another part of the town, a situation that was revealed to Christ of where he was coming from. It is however important to note that which ever story is true among the two schools of thought, the fact remains that by revelation Jesus knew something significant in the life of Nathaniel that gave him the confidence of submitting to follow Christ all his life.

Mathew 2:16-19.

22.2 #2 Jesus and the woman at the well.

In the gospel of John chapter four is the remarkable conversion of a biased woman who thought Jesus was just one of her religious customers.

John 4: 7:19
The conversation that started casually turned into a serious dimension when Jesus uttered a word f revelation vs. 18. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is true” (NIV). She then said sir; I can see that you are a prophet. What was the end result? Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did” vs. 39, 40.

22.3 #3. Another example of prophetic evangelism is found in Acts 8: 26-30.

We were authoritatively told in verse 36 that “As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized? This is the summary of the story. Philip was given an open vision of an angel that gave him instruction to go to the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza. His following the revelation brought the good news to Africa.

THE MINISTRY OF THE TEACHER

1.0 THE MINISTRY OF THE TEACHER

The ministry of the teacher is one of the five (5) ministry offices (see Ephesians 4:11). The basic responsibility of a teacher is to espouse and teach doctrine ? instructions, principles and regulation of God. The word “doctrine? is from the word doctor (Latin ? docere which means to teach, or a learned man). In the New King James Version, the word doctrine is rendered teaching in the margin of new testament verses (see Matt. 16:12, Acts 2:42). In other versions (e.g. GNB and NIV) the word doctrine is translated teaching (see Matt 7:28, 16:12, John 18:19, Acts 2:42, 5:28). I Tim. 1:3 talks of teaching doctrine while Rev. 2:4 talks of the doctrine (or teaching) of Balaam. There is nothing like a “new? doctrine (see Eccl. 1:9). Every biblical doctrine is a truth already embedded in the scriptures. It is by the stirring of the spirit that the truth is espoused and made relevant to times and dispensations. There is nothing new under the heavens.

Depending on calling, grace and anointing, a teacher may just be a teaching priest (2 Chronicles... 15: 3, Malachi 2:7), a pastor ? teacher (Eph. 4:11) or a prophetic teacher (Acts 13:1). A teacher may also be a writing (scribal) teacher like Ezra (Neh. 8: 1-9, Ps. 119) or itinerant preaching teacher like Barnabas and Paul (Acts 11:22-26, 12:25). The Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul operated all theses diversities.

A teacher must necessarily be an intercessor. He must have a regular place by the Lampstand, studying and understanding the scriptures by the illumination of the Holy Spirit. He should be able to receive illumination and inspiration and pass on the revelation to the audience, so that they may run with it. Thus a teacher must be an intercessor, and at least a praying watching Christian. But not every intercessor is a teacher. Because Teachers espouse doctrines in the name and the authority of the Lord, Teachers will be judged severely for every false or misleading doctrine James 3:1. Thus every teacher must operate within the limit of his/her calling. As Jeremiah counsels, “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream. He, who has a word, let him speak my word faithfully. What the chaff to the wheat? Says the Lord (Jer. 23:28).

Pastor-Teachers normally have a local congregation they minister to, for a time or for all times. Prophetic teachers may also have a local calling but their calling is usually to the wider body of Christ (Acts 13). Scribal (writing) Teachers normally have a ministry that is wider and cosmopolitan, not just to a local congregation (e.g. Colossians 4:16, 1 Thess.5:27).

Teachers cannot operate in isolation of other ministry offices and gifts in the body. They only contribute their quota within the context of the body. Their teaching and doctrines must be judged and approved by other ministry offices ? Apostles, Prophets, Pastors and Evangelists; as well elders. Amen.

By the Lampstand. 13th Feb. 2001.

2.0 THE WISEMAN AND THE TEACHER ECCL.. 12:9-10

The doctrine of the Nicolaitans
Words fitly spoken
The ministry of the teacher 1 Timothy13

2.1 THREE WAYS OF TEACHING

1. By the Spirit (by prophesying)
2. By the word (by preaching)
3. By Letters (by writing)

2.2 EZRA THE TEACHER

Ezra is one of the most phenomenal characters in the bible, even though his exploits are recorded in only a few verses of the scriptures. He was a priest, an intercessor, a scribe and a writing teacher. He wrote the book of Ezra, and some bible scholars believe also he wrote the longest chapter in the bible, Psalm 119.

He was a captive in Babylon, but maintained his fidelity and call. He was one of the trios credited with restoring the Jews back to Jerusalem. While Zerubabbel restored the temple by the inspiration of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, Ezra restored the worship of God and Nehemiah restored the city of Jerusalem.

In the four-(4) chapters where Ezra’s exploits were recorded (i.e. Ezra 7 and 10, Nehemiah 8 and 12). The bible carefully distinguished him. He is described as “Ezra the priest the scribe, a skilled scribe, expert in the words of the LORD and of His statutes who had prepared his heart to seek the LAW of the Lord and to do it and to teach status and ordinances to Israel?. Note the order; he first prepared his heart, then he sought the law, then did (practiced) it, before he began to teach ? a divine order for anyone who teaches (or preaches) the word of the LORD.

Even the heathen king Artexerxes recognized him as a priest and scribe of the Law of the God of heaven (Ezra 7:12). So did all Israel, gathering as one man before Ezra to hear the book of the Law (Neh. 8:1). Together with fellow priests and some Levites, they read distinctly from the book of the law of the LORD, and they gave the sense, and helped the people understand the reading (Neh. 8:5-8). Or as the Good News Bible records 'They gave an oral translation of it' (Neh. 8:8). And all the people rejoiced greatly, “because they understood the words that were declared to them?

O LORD, make me an Ezra to my generation that you may be worshiped in spirit and truth. Amen.

By the Lampstand. May 2001.

3.0 THE WISEMAN AND THE TEACHER

Ecclesiastes 12: 9-10 brings together the two complementary but distinct ministries of wisdom and teaching:-"Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright? (NIV).

It is more tedious to be a teacher than to be a Wiseman. The teacher will need to collect, ponder (i.e. carefully study), search out (or research and honestly test the truth) and then set in order (i.e. carefully arranged) these truth. Then He will then seek to find just the rights words to explain these things in the best and most accurate way that will make the truths to be acceptable, delightful and comforting to the listener/ hearer ? without distracting from the truth and honesty of the word.

It is not enough to be wise. Neither is it sufficient to be a Teacher (or Preacher). We must diligently aspire to be that kind of wise Teacher described in Eccl.12: 9-10. So help me God. Amen.

By the Lampstand. May 2001.

4.0 CULTURAL/HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND CHRISTIANITY

Does the social cultural, historical or even the political background of a people (or place) affect their practice of Christianity? Yes, it does, and we use the church in Crete, Ephesus and Athens to illustrate.

The Church in Crete

The Island of Crete (also known as Caphtor) was the original homeland of the ancestor of the Philistines (see Amos 9:7, Jer. 47:4, Gen. 10:14). There were Jews from Crete on the crowd that listened to Peter on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:11). However by the time Apostle Paul visited the Island of Crete, he found the churches there in serious disorder due to lack of right leadership (pastor and elders) and to wrong teaching. For this reason, he left Titus in Crete as the pastor that he should “set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as commended” (Titus 1:5).

Paul goes on further to lists the temperament and cultural behaviour of the Cretans: - they were insubordinate, belligerent, idle and smooth talkers, argumentative, uncontrolled, subversive, money-mongers, liars, greedy, lazy gluttons, behave like wild animals, resentful of authority, drunkards, pilfering/thieving, slanders, gossips, irreverent, false, rebellious, unruly, evil speakers, misleading teachers, unkind, non-peaceable, proud etc (See Titus 1: 10 – 2: 10, 3:1-2, 9).

Clearly, the Philistine ancestry of Cretans affected both the indigenous Cretans and the Jewish settlers. And this Philistine behaviour was still manifesting even after they became Christians and in the church. Indeed, Paul quoted the testimony of one of the own, the post Epimenides (who Paul referred to as a Prophet), as stating: “The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons” (Titus 1: 12-13). It was to the Cretans Christians manifesting this cultural temperament, that Paul sent the young Greek disciple, Titus as a Pastor – Teacher to “set in order the things that are lacking, appoint elders (spiritual leaders) and to rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in faith” (Titus 1, 5, 13).

4.2 The Church in Ephesus

Just as Titus was left in Crete to put things in order, so did Paul urge Timothy to “remain in Ephesus that (he) may charge some that they teach no other doctrine … (I Timothy 1:2-4). As was the case in Crete, false teaching based on myths, legends, laws and genealogies was prevalent in the Ephesians churches (I Timothy 1:4-7, 4:1-3, 6: 3-5).

Ephesus (meaning city of the moon, sacred to Artemis) was a city devoted to the worship of the Asian fertility goddess Diana, called Artemis by the Greeks (Acts 19:35). It was a costal city and a bridgehead between the East and the West, the commercial, political and religious center of Western Asia. Paul labored in Ephesus for three (3) years (Acts 20:31, 19:8-10), a great many Christian groups sprang up, and Paul laid the foundation of the strongest church of the first century. Conscious of the cultural, historical and religious background of Ephesus, as he was leaving Paul had warned the elders to expect the problem of false teaching (Acts 20:28-30).

Ten years later, his fears had materialized. Apocryphal Jewish legends and family trees were being made the basis of strange teaching (I Timothy. 1:4). The superior knowledge –gnosis- (I Timothy. 6:20) claimed by these false teachers soon grew into full-scale heresy of Gnosticism, whose initiates felt free to discard some cardinal, Christian truths (Eerdmann’s Bible Commentary). Since Ephesus was a center for some of the pagan religions of the region, Christian converts came from a society where superstition and false religious ideas were widespread. Also, a society with false religious beliefs usually had low moral standards. Thus while Paul left Timothy at Ephesus to correct the false teaching and Gnosticism, he wrote an epistle to the Ephesians (and nearby Colossians) churches to deal with these issues (Bridge Bible Commentary).

The choice of the Pastor was also strategic bearing in mind the cultural, historical and spiritual conditions of the place/church. Like Titus who was Greek, Timothy was half Greek and half Jew. Paul himself was cosmopolitan - Jew by birth, Greek by the pervading Hellenistic cultural influence and Roman by citizenship (Acts 22:3, 25-29). Thus he appreciated the cultural, historical, religious and spiritual background of the diverse peoples of his age, and was “singularly fitted to communicate the gospel across racial and cultural barriers” (Bridge Bible Commentary).

4.3 Paul at Athens (Acts 17)

By the time Paul came to Athens, Athens was a city with 1000 years of history, glorifying in past greatness – Athens, the founder of democracy; was the home of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Thucydides, Plato and Socrates. It had the greatest University of the world, was center of philosophy, literature, science and art, – bit a hard ground for the gospel (Eerdmann’s Bible Commentary).

Athens means fountain of fire i.e. the sun, was a city devoted to the worship of the sun, and always with cruel rites (Crudens Concordance). As the chief center of learning in the Roman Empire, philosophy, religion and politics were taught and discussed freely in public places (Acts 17:17) and The Areopagus (Act 17:19). The Areopagus was an ancient court of great prestige with its ancient council of philosophers who exercise control on, and licensed those who could lecture publicly in Athens. Luke declared, “All Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing (Acts 17:21). The Areopagus was made up of two schools of philosophical thoughts – the Epicureans and the Stoics (Acts 17:18) - both of which rejected Paul’s well-researched address at the Areopagus (Acts 17: 22-32). A few however believed, including an Areopagite called Dionysus, whose name meant “the bright God i.e. the sun”. From his name, he was obviously a pagan sun worshipper, who was “divinely touched” (an alternative meaning of his name (see Crudens Complete Concordance).

4.4 Contemporary Nigerian Christianity

As it was in Paul’s day, so it is today: - our cultural, historical, religious, political and spiritual background influences our Christianity. As Nigerian Christians, we came from a socio-culturally pagan religious and spiritual background. The gospel brought by the Catholics had/has a Roman influence. That brought by protestant had an Imperial English (European) influence. The Evangelical, Charismatic and Pentecostal Christianity had American influence in varying degrees of extremities. Today we have a pre-dominantly Pentecostal Christianity in Nigeria, with all the marks of American marketing strategies, hero-worship, permissiveness and loose morality. The prosperity message reportedly has a Gnostic background through the influence of Kenyon, Hagin and Copeland. In the atmosphere of these matrixes of non-Christian cultural influences, false and extreme teachings are bound to flourish, as they are today.

As antidote to imminent false teaching, Paul commended the Ephesians elders “to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build up and give an inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:28-32). He charged Timothy for same purpose to “take heed to self and to the doctrine” (I Timothy. 4:16), and charged Titus to “rebuke sharply, that they many be sound in faith” (Titus 1:13). He wrote to the Ephesians portraying the model “Church of Christ” and to the Colossians lifting up and highlights the “Christ of the church”. We do well to take heed to these patterns, in this age of an onslaught of extreme western culturally influenced misleading teachings. May God help us to maintain a Christ-centered balance. Amen.

By the Lampstand, 13th June 2001.

5.0 THE DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANS

In Revelation chapter two are two references to the Nicolaitans ? the deeds of the Nicolaitans in the letter to Ephesians (verse 5) and the doctrine (or teaching) of the Nicolaitans in the letter to the church at Pergamos. Who are the Nicolaitans?

According to the margin of the Contemporary English Version CEV of the bible, the Nicolaitans possibly claimed to be followers of Nicolaus, one of the seven deacons chosen by the brethren in Acts chapter 6. The bible is careful to note that Nicolas was a proselyte i.e. a Gentile who had accepted the Jewish religion. Nicolas therefore was product of three (3) cultures and three (3) religions ?

• Greek (Gentile) by birth,
• Jew (Judaism) by conversion, and then
• Christianity.

Obviously, Nicolaus was affected by these three cultures in his world view and religious beliefs. Every Christian is a product of his/her culture, religious and spiritual background. Even Peter, the first head of church, had great problems dealing with his religion-cultural past and it took a midday vision (Acts 10: 9-16) the assurance of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10: 17-20), and the Holy Spirit falling on the gentiles, when the Holy Spirit got tired of Peter’s long sermon (Acts 10:44-45), before Peter could accept that his world view was narrow Acts10:46-48. Later in Galatians 2: 11-14, Paul still had to rebuke Peter and Barnabas on same issue.

It appears then, that because of their licentious Greek background, and taking the liberty they now had in Christ to extreme, the Nicolaitans thought that a Christians could join in idolatrous feast and practice immorality. This was akin to the doctrine of Balaam (Rev. 2:14-15). While the church in Ephesus resisted this teaching (Rev 2:6), it was compromising the faithful church in Pergamos (Rev. 2: 14-15).

It is instructive that Nicolaus qualified to be among the seven that were of “good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6: 3-5). How come then, that shameful deeds and false doctrine will be associated with such a Christian?

That your favorite pastor, preacher or teacher is charismatic, winsome, insightful etc does not guarantee that false teaching will not emanate or be attributed to him. Peter talked of “our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written, speaking in them some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction; as they do also the rest of the scriptures” (2 Peter 3:15-16).

Today in Nigeria we have two extremes of Gospel ? the Gospel of the white garment (spiritual) churches heavily influenced by African Traditional Religions and the prosperity Gospel, heavily influenced by Western psychology and philosophy, and actively promoted by American style marketing strategies.

The antidote to false doctrine is a CHRIST-CENTERED message. Any teaching to adds to or distracts from what Christ taught and did is false ? incomplete or extreme. Paul wrote many epistles against false doctrines. In the book of Colossians, he highlighted the “Christ of the church?. While Colossians chapter 2 highlights the principles of a Christ centered message, Colossians chapter 3 points the way to a Christ -Centered lifestyle, which we do good to imbibe that “Christ (be) all and in all? (Col. 3:11d). Amen. See 1 Timothy 4:10.

By the Lampstand. May 2001.

6.0 OF FALSE DEEDS AND DOCTRINE

“But this you have, that you hate the DEEDS of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate? Thus you also have those who hold the DOCTRINE of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate?. (Rev. 2:6, 15).

6.1 URIM AND THUMMIN

The Urim and Thummin were two small objects worn on the breast plate of the High Priest. They were used by the High Priest to obtain perfect judgment, decisions, directions, answers and counsel according to the will of God, for the King (leader) and the Israelites (Exodus 28: 30, Number 27:21). It was one of the three (3) ways God used to speak to his people, the others being through dreams/visions and through the prophets (Number 12:6, I Sam. 28:16).

The word Urim means lights, the shinning (Hebrew), doctrine or teaching (Jerome) and declaration (manifestation (LXX). It is related to the name Uriel, meaning light of God (I Chronicles. 6:24, 15; 5, 11 etc). Thuminin on the other hand means perfections, the perfect, judgment (Jerome) or truth (LXX). Put together then, the Urim and Thummin give the meaning “perfect illumination (of the High Priest) for judgment and the declaration (manifestation) of the doctrine and truth of the LORD”. Deut 33: 8-10 illuminates why the Levites qualified to be priests to bear the Urim and Thummin. They were tested and proved faithful. Protecting and upholding God’s covenant was more important than even the lives of their family members. They were unbiased, blind to favoritism and hence had the imputed perfection of a judge. Thus the true instruction of the Law of God was committed into their hands (see Malachi 2:4-7).

Today we have Jesus Christ as the perfect High Priest (Heb. 5:5-10) who is the Truth and the Light (John 1:1-9). Then we have the Holy Spirit as our URIM, the Spirit of Truth to illuminate our paths into all truth (John 16:13). Then we have His Word, the Bible as our Thummin, the perfect law judgment and truth of God. Amen.

By the Lampstand. June 2001.

7.0 WORDS FITLY SPOKEN BY GBILE AKANNI

Words fitly spoken are like apples of Gold in pictures of silver Pro. 25:11

Men that are in leadership must learn to speak accurate, pungent, relevant words. A leader that does not communicate clearly cannot cause a definite change that will displace people from their lethargic situation. If you’re a preacher, you need to plead with God to give you the tongue of the learned that you’ll be able to speak words in seasons to those that are particularly in need.

Now only the Holy Spirit can give a man the tongue of the learned. Isaiah said He wakes me up morning by morning. He pulls me by the ear that I may hear. That’s the first thing we need to ask God for, not men with babbling tongues.

Men have not appreciated the word of the Lord with gravity. Do you know that one of the preconditions of a teacher is that he must be grave? The point of intake of spiritual truth is usually a point of serious consideration. If we are going to cause conviction to come on the hearts of our hearers, we must be men that subdue the heart of people and subject them to continuous progressive thoughts will you be able to carry the presence of God into the midst of the people. You must prepare your heart so that you can speak accurately.
“As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprove upon an obedient ear” Pro. 25:12.

For a teacher to be correct, he must have been an obedient ear. James says one thing that is very important “Be swift to hear, but be slow to speak and slow to wrath, because the wrath of God worketh not the righteousness of God. If you want to be an effective teacher, an effective minister, your hearing must be sharp. Don’t be sluggish in hearing God. Don’t allow God to shout before you hear. The moment God had to keep shouting before you hear, it reduces your sensitivity to hearing divine whispers.

“Once he has spoken, how many times have I heard? Twice. That’s means a hearing so sensitive that when He speaks once, this ear that has heard re-echoes it to the second ear immediately, and its like double speaking.

Be slow to speak. Too many people are eager to speak. Some are eager to write books. Anybody who has grown a little with Jesus will know that every time God begin, to speak to your life, the moment you begin to speak about it, that’s the end of it. That’s the end. Hearing and speaking are mutually exclusive. You cannot be hearing and speaking at the same time.

A vision can only become progressive if we keep hearing from the Lord. Every moment, every time, in every way. But the hearing I am talking about must be obedient hearing.

"Whosoever boasts himself of a false gift is like clouds and winds without rain. Pro 25:14
As a leader you need not have an exaggerated sense of your importance. Do you name a child that has not been born. Do you do naming ceremony for a pregnancy? These are things if you want to last as a servant of God you must watch. He who boasts of a gift that is not there is like a cloud without rain.

Do not boast yourself of a false gift. The gift of a man makes a way for him. You do not need to boast. A genuine anointing does not need publicity. When God has deposited an anointing in your life, even when you are in a hole, He’ll bring you out. It doesn’t need struggle. Anointing is not competitive. Amen.

The above is a synopsis of a talk delivered by Bro. Gbile Akanni at the Ibadan Varsity Christian Union Re-Union Fellowship (IVCUAF) in November 2000. Appreciation to Bro. Hadiza of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Ibadan, for the transcript that provided the synopsis.

8.0 THE SPIRIT OF TYRE AND SIDON

Tyre (meaning Rock) and Sidon (meaning plenty of fish/fishing) were the cities of Phoenicia and were prosperous seaports. Commerce was the chief source of their power and prosperity. Like the Canaanite (traders, merchants), they were famed traders. Her traders traveled far and wide to other seaports. The richest people of that age where Phoenicians and they even tried to influence Israelite kings with their gifts (Psalm 45:12).

But because of its prosperity and commerce, greed and corruption soon set in. They soon corrupted even the children of Israel, bringing fish and goods to sell even on the Sabbath (Neh. 13:16). Isaiah 23 is thus a judgement of Tyre and Sidon for her merchandise, her pride, her harlotry and her fornication.

There is a Spirit of Tyre and Sidon in the church today. There are Canaanite (traders, merchants), in the house of God (see Zech. 14:21). In the name of building His church upon a rock (Tyre) and soul winning (fishing) the plenty of fish (Sidon), servants of God has turned the house of God into a house of merchandise (John 2:16). As in the time of Nehemiah, trading is done even to the Sabbath (Neh. 13:16). All in the name of “prosperity".

But thus saith the word of the Lord “Now it shall come to pass that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king and it shall be that at the end of those seventy years, the LORD will let Tyre get back into business. Her gain and her pay will be set apart for the LORD; it will not be treasured or laid up, for her gain will be for those who dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently and for fine clothing Isaiah 23:15-18. In that day there shall no longer be any Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts. Zech. 14:20-21. Amen.

By the Lampstand. May 2001

9.0 BETHEL

Bethel (meaning house of God, Gen.28:16-19) is a pathetic story of a place which in its latter days became referred to by the prophets as Beth-Aven (house of sin or house of nothing, Hosea4:15). It was a place of divine visitation, consecrated by one man Jacob, and desecrated by another man Jeroboam. It began a s a place of worshiping God, and ended up as a place of worshiping idols devised after the heart of men (1 Kings 12:28-29, Hosea 10:5). At one time it was a place of obedience, later a byword for disobedience. Once priests like Samuel sat to minister there (1 Sam. 7:16), later priest who were not even Levites ministered (1 Kings 12:31) Once there was a traffic of angels, later it became a place for devouring she- bears and lions (2 Kings 2:23-24). To return to Bethel, Jacob asked all has household to put away the foreign gods, to call people to Bethel, Jeroboam set up golden calves as idols. In Genesis 35:1 God Himself asked that an altar to him be built. In Amos 3:14, God Himself said he will destroy the altars of Bethel, even to the horns. In Gen. 35:13-15, God talked to Jacob at Bethel. In Amos 5:5, He forbade Israel to go Bethel to seek Him, because Bethel shall come to nothing?.

What was responsible for this bad latter end? One word IDOLATRY. Hosea chapter 4 summarized their situation. The Good News Bible renders the first two verses of Hosea chapter ten thus: The people of Israel were like a grapevine that was full of grapes. The more prosperous they were, the more altars they built. The more productive their land was, the more beautiful they made the sacred pillar they worshiped. The people whose hearts are deceitful must now suffer for their sins. God will break down their altars and destroy their sacred pillars.

“O thou anointed man of God, how many Jeroboamic altars are you raising to ensnare the people of God. As the ministry prospers in your hand, what altars are you raising that have become idols, turning people away from Christ? Is the people’s faith still in Christ or the altars for prosperity, altars for visa/passport, altars for breakthrough? As you become more productive ? producing results and miracles ? what beautiful sacred pillars are you making for worship? ?

Now the time to repent and retrace your steps, making Christ alone your cornerstone. Thus saith the Lord to the altars of Baal in Bethel “O altar, altar, hear the word of the Lord. I will visit destruction on the altars of Bethel. And the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground”. (see 1 Kings 13:2, Amos 3:14).

And thus say the Lord of the house of Israel: seek me and live. But do not seek Bethel for Bethel shall come to nothing. Seek the Lord and live, lest He break out like fire in the House of Joseph and devour it, with no one to quench it in Bethel. Amen. (See Amos 5:4-6).

By the Lampstand. 30/5/2001

10.0 JONAH, NINEVEH AND TARSHISH

The story of Jonah is a very popular biblical story. He was told to “arise, go to Nineveh that great city and cry out against for their wickedness has come up before me. But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD? (Jonah 1:1-3).

According to Cruden's Complete Concordance, Nineveh is probably the oldest city in the world, and was founded by Nimrod (Gen. 10:11) Nimrod (meaning rebellious), was the first rebel on earth in audacity and idolatrous wickedness against God. In other words, Nineveh was an ancient spiritual stronghold that was thick in wickedness and idolatry. To these people, Jonah was sent as a missionary, to preach the gospel, because the LORD wanted them saved (Jonah Chapter 3).

Instead, Jonah chose to enter a ship going to Tarshish. He chose to be a missionary to Tarshish. Tarshish means “subjection of enemies?. Obviously, it was a city where much spiritual warfare has been done, where idolatrous altars have been pulled down where the heavens have been cleared of principalities, powers and rulers of darkness and it was easy to harvest souls. In addition, Tarshish was a Phoenician city, prosperous because of its merchandise and sea going ships (Isaiah 2:16, 23:1, Ezek. 27:25). It was a city where one could preach a “prosperity message? and have his offering bags filled with tens and hundreds of thousands. It was a convenient place to preach the gospel.

While Nineveh was in the Northeast, Tarshish was in the west. Today there are many ministers of God like Jonah called to be missionaries to the unreached strongholds and get nations saved. Instead they have entered ships to Tarshish, preaching prosperity messages. It may be that the turbulence in your life is because you are sent to Nineveh but you are on your way to Tarshish. Maybe you are the one causing turbulence in your fellowship, ministry or church, because you are a Jonah on the way to Tarshish instead of Nineveh. You may sacrifice every thing in the boat, and others may even help you sacrifice, in prayer and fasting. But there will be no peace until you are thrown out of the ship to Tarshish, and retrace your steps back to Nineveh. Hundred of thousands are awaiting you and your message of salvation? and many livestock too (Jonah 4:11).

By the Lampstand. 27/5/2001

11.0 FEAR NOT THE CHARIOTS

In Judges 4:7 Barak was deployed against “Sisera, the commander of Jabin?s Army with his chariots and his multitude??. In verse 13, “Sisera gathered together all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people with him?. In verse 15, “the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army with the edge of the sword before Barak AND SISERA ALIGHTED FROM HIS CHARIOT AND FLED AWAY ON FOOT. In verse 21, the peg of Jeal finished off Sisera. Beloved, fear not the chariot. The LORD will rout the adversaries before you. Like Sisera, they will alight from the chariots and flee away from your presence on foot. Those you cannot catch and destroy will be killed be the peg of Jael. Amen! Alleluia!

By the Lampstand. May 2001

12.0 GOD’S SEVENTY THOUSAND AND ONE

How significant is one out of seventy thousand and one? How indispensable? Well God make clear in I Kings 19 10-17 to Elijah , and to all of us, how insignificant and indispensable such one is, when he quickly dispensed of the complaining and overzealous?

12.1 Elijah of his call and mantle.

Never for once think that you are very special, very unique or indispensable in God’s order of things. And never for once allow men, situations or circumstances make you think you are. Jesus has given us the proper attitude to doing one own individual bits in the kingdom, “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded. Say, we are unprofitable servants, we have done what was our duty to do? Luke 17:10. Amen

13.0 WHAT IS YOUR SURNAME?

I came across a little discovery recently that may explain why, despite being spirit filled; you still behave the way you do. John whose surname was Mark Acts 12:12, 12:25,15:37 was the young cousin of Barnabas that caused much contention between Barnabas and Paul because John Mark had departed from them in Pamphylia (land of many people/races), and had not gone with them to the work (Acts 15:36-40). According to Cruden’s Complete Concordance of the bible, the name Mark means indolent, the same as Marcus (Latin) from Marceo, to be languid, to be lazy. Little wonder, John Mark lazily departed and did not go with them to the work.

What is your surname? Is there any relationship between your erratic behavior and your surname?

By the Lampstand. 19th May 2001.

14.0 FAULTS, ERRORS AND SINS

Psalm 19:12-13 records three conditions of man which every child of God should pray to be delivered from.

“Who can understand his error? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins.

Errors are the mistakes we unintentionally make, but which we find difficult to accept. Faults are flaws in our lives and character which we desperately want to hide so that we may continue to have a good reputation. Sins are our carnal willful or deliberate breaking of God’s regulations and laws. Thus while it is our pride and blindness that makes us err, it is our humanity that makes us to have faults and our carnality to consciously break God’s law.

We need deliverance from all these ? others to tell us our errors and we to be gracious to accept them; asking God to cleanse and deliver us from our imperfections that cause us to fault, and allowing the Holy Spirit to restrain us from willful sins.

“? then shall I be blameless, and I shall be innocent (perfect) of much (great) transgressions"! Amen.

15.0 COPYRIGHT = RIGHT TO COPY

Is there anything like Christian copyright? Yes there are statutory national and international laws giving copyright to an author. But law aside, is a Christian author, especially a teacher, who receives illuminations, inspirations and revelations by the grace of the Holy Spirit, entitled to a copyright? Didn’t the scripture say freely give, for freely you receive?

Our disposition at the Lampstand Ministries is that the copyrights for the Lampstand Letters are your RIGHT to copy. Everyone and anyone are free to copy in part or in whole, any and every issue of the Lampstand Letters. The Lord gave the word; great was the company of those who published it.

However for ethical purposes, and as the bible puts it “for conscience sake? we require anyone exerting his/her right to copy the Lampstand Letters, to do either or both of the following:-

1. For non-commercial production/copying, kindly cite/ reference article and edition of the Lampstand Letters you are copying. E.g. The Issue of Water Spirits. Lampstand Letters, No. 24. September to October 2000. Published by Lampstand Ministries, U.I. P.O. Box 4150. Ibadan, Nigeria.
2. For commercial copying, in addition to citing the reference in (a) above, please send a token of your proceeds to Lampstand Letters for continued production so that you can have more materials to copy! To date less than 15% of our annual production costs are from partners and subscribers. We bear the cost of the balance. We are aware that there are some publications that have quoted word for word, paragraphs or sections of past Lampstand Letters. Some of the authors have personally brought the quotation to my knowledge. But except for one known case, none of these publishers have cited or referenced Lampstand Letters as the source. We will appreciate if this oversight is corrected in the future - for conscience sake and to prevent what is legally known as plagiarism.

Acknowledgment: The term copyright = Right to copy was first mentioned to my hearing by The Preacher Ministry, Box 10974 Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

16.0 BIBLICAL BASIS FOR DEALING WITH AOLE’S CURSE ON THE YORUBAS

In 1817, Afonja of Ilorin was the Are-Ona Kakanfo - the head of the army of the empire, under the Alaafin of Oyo - Aole (The King). That year, Afonja sent an empty calabash to the Alaafin Aole, thereby signifying that he no longer acknowledged the authority of the Alaafin. Aole had no choice but to accept and in the traditional fashion, he committed suicide, but not before Alaafin Aole uttered his famous curse on Yoruba land recorded by Samuel Johnson on page 192 of his “History of the Yorubas, 1921:-

‘From Alaafin’s palace forecourt, Aole shot three arrows, one to the north, one to the south, and one to the west, saying: “My curse will carry you to the sea and beyond the seas, slaves will rule over you, and you, their masters, will become slaves”. Then, smashing an earthenware dish, he shouted, ‘Broken calabash can be mended, but not a broken dish; so let my words be irrevocable’.

The curse seemed to take immediate affect and there had been neither unity nor peace in Yoruba land from then till today.

Aole was obviously a madman throwing arrows around (Pro. 26:17). But contrary to his words, a broken dish can be mended by the Potter, the Creator of heaven and earth. The Yoruba race before their creator is as clay in the hands of the Potter, and He can do as it seemed good to Him (See Jeremiah 18:1-6).

16.1 Neutralizing Curses

Curses can not be taken back; but it can be made powerless by a blessing. In Judges 17:1-2 Micah was under a curse from His mother for stealing her money (unknown to her). When he confessed, the mother rendered the curse powerless by a blessing. After Jacob deceived Isaac and got placed over his brother Esau, Isaac later blessed Esau and limited that curse till when Esau becomes “restless and break Jacob’s yoke from his neck” (Gen. 27:29, 38-40). This was later fulfilled in Genesis chapters 23 and 33. Applying been cursed by the mouth of the wicked, it shall be exalted by the blessing of upright Yoruba intercessors.

16.2 Arrows in God’s Hands

As children of God, we are Arrows in the hand of the Warrior God (Ps. 127:4). Aole shot three arrows to the north, south and west. By prophetic action, God shall use you to ‘Open the East window’ and shoot “The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance” and “the arrow of deliverance” from Aole’s curse (see 2 Kings 13: 14-19). Like Jonathan, we shall shoot extra arrows beyond the three that Aole shot (see I Sam. 20: 20-22, 36-3). And the glory of God from the East will swallow Aole’s arrows (Ezekiel. 11:23; Zech 14: 3-4); an East wind will remove his curse (see Gen 41:6-7; Isaiah 27:8).

16.3 A Call for a Holy Convocation

Therefore let all upright Yoruba sons and daughter call for holy convocations in their localities.

1. Let us invoke the LORD Almighty the Maker and the Potter concerning the works of his hand according to Isaiah 45:8-11.
2. Let us neutralize Aole’s curse and exalt the Yoruba race by the blessings of our mouth (Pro. 11:11).
3. Let us use Isaiah 49:1-6 to restore the Yoruba race to their place of honour.
4. Let our prophetic mouth be like pointed arrows of the hands of the Lord. (Isaiah 49: 2; Ps. 127:4) to shoot the Arrow of the Lord’s deliverance from the mountain of the Lord’s strength.
5. Let pray Psalm 62, 76, 120 and 144 for the deliverance of Yoruba race from Aole’s curse. Then, the LORD will be seen over them, His Arrow like lightening, The LORD of host will defend them, The LORD their God will save them in that day. Amen (Zech 9: 11-17).

By the Lampstand. 13th June 2001.

O House of Jacob, Come let us walk in the light of the Lord. Isaiah 2:15

17.0 A TIME TO CAST AWAY STONES Eccl.3: a

Then a mighty angel took upon a stone like a great milestone and threw it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be THROWN DOWN and shall not be found anymore? Rev. 18:21.

Stones are the building blocks of edifices and solid structures. A house built of stones, or upon a foundation of stones (rock) is expected to last for ever (see Jesus? parable of the house built on a rock Matt. 7: 24-27). Christians are referred to “as living stones being built up to a spiritual house? (I Peter 2:5).

To cast away stones is to pull down, to root out, to destroy, to scatter and to throw edifices which were meant to last for a long time (or for ever). It means to apply (spiritual) force like that of a bulldozer or caterpillar, to hack down fortresses and dominions.

In Mark 13: 1-2, one of Jesus? disciples called his attention to the temple, exalting and admiring “what manner of stones and what buildings? it was made up of. And Jesus answered him “Do you see these great buildings. Not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be THROWN DOWN? (see also Luke 19: 44, 21:6). And in Rev. 18:21, we see a mighty angel of God, prophetically throwing into the sea a stone indicating how WITH VIOLENCE the great city BABYLON (and all it stands for) shall be THROWN DOWN, and shall be found no more.

17.1 IT IS TIME TO CAST AWAY STONES

The Spirit of God is saying to the prophetic, interceding and praying church that this is the time to begin to pull down every edifice, every argument, every high thing, every imagination, every throne, every tree that stands against the knowledge of God; using every weapon of our spiritual warfare that is mighty through God for pulling down strongholds.

In Jeremiah 1:10 is a six fold prophetic mandate given to the praying church, over the nations and over the kingdoms of men and Satan:-

To root out,
To pull down,
To destroy,
To throw down,
(Then) to build and to plant.

It is instructive that we are called to do four destructive actions before we are called to build and to plant. Alas, today we rush to plant among thorns, building towers of Babel with bricks for stone and asphalt for mortar. There are many nations (tribes) and kingdoms that still remain strongholds of biding the strongman. We are called to come upon him in the stronger might of the spirit, and overcome him, take away all his amour in which he trusted, and plunder his kingdom (Luke 11: 21-22).

I list some of the strongholds and edifices whose stones we are called to cast away and level to the ground:-

1. Jezebel, her witchcraft and all she represents like, Jesus did. “Then he said, throw her down. So they threw her down (2 Kings 9:33).
2. Demonic and idolatrous altars in our families, villages and localities, like Gideon did (Judges 6:25-32).
3. The worship of Baal and every like false (traditional or imported) religious practices in the House of God like Elijah and Jesus did (1 Kings 18:20-40, 2 Kings 10: 18-28).
4. The unreached kingdoms and nations of men (Exodus 34:24, Daniel 4, Matthew 28:18-19, Rev. 11:15), like Jeremiah did (Jer.1:10).
5. The kingdoms of Islam and of the horse and its rider (Psalm 68, Isaiah 21:16-17).

May the spirit of God’s soldier of Psalm 18: 28-48 come upon you, to beat them fine as the dust before the wind (and) cast them out like dirt in the streets. Amen.

By the Lampstand. May 2001.

ECCLESIASTICAL WITCHCRAFT AND MANIPULATION

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Ecclesiastical witchcraft and manipulation refer to the operation and manifestation of the spirit of witchcraft and satanic manipulation by clergymen and the laity in the church. Conscious that this is a sensitive albeit true topic, our approach is strictly scripture - based, citing and elaborating on biblical instances where God's people and ministers, exhibited, manifested or were subjected to the spirit of witchcraft and satanic manipulation.

2.0 WHAT IS WITCHCRAFT?

Witchcraft is the use of carnal or demonic spirits to influence, manipulate or control others; to usurp divine authority, or to maintain a status quo when God wants a change. Biblical references to witchcraft make us understand that.

1. Witchcraft is a sin I Sam. 15:23
2. Is carnal i.e. manifestation of the work of the flesh Gal 5:20
3. Can be practiced by God's own people Deut. 18:10

Words used interchangeably or closely related to witchcraft in the bible include divination, sorcery, enhancement, soothsaying and forth telling (Compare Micah 5:12 Jer. 27:9 Nahum 3:4 and Deut 18:9-14 in KJV, NKJV, NIV & GNB). Everyone who indulges in divination practices witchcraft. Another word that is closely associated with witchcraft in the bible is idolatry (See I Sam 15:23 and Gal 5:20.) This is so because idolatry, like witchcraft is a form of manipulation. An idolater creates himself a god that he can manipulate and worship, not on the terms of the god but mainly on the idol-worshipper's terms.

3.0 MANIPULATION

To manipulate is to craftily influence or control another person to one's advantage/purpose, usually by means of unfair (usually) ungodly methods. Every form of manipulation is a manifestation of the spirit of witchcraft. One could manipulate one's bosses/leaders just as one could manipulate followers/those under him. A spouse could manipulate his/her partner just as he/she can manipulate the children or servants. A pastor can manipulate his congregation, just as a church member can manipulate his pastor. The goal of manipulation is always same - have someone who one would otherwise have no fair control on under one's control, usually by unfair or ungodly methods. Most times a manipulator will want to coerce or seduce the manipulated to do a wrong, unfair or ungodly action, which he otherwise would not have. The examples of Herodias (Matt 14:3-11) and Delilah (Judges 14:15-18) readily comes to mind.

4.0 MANIPULATING GOD

Men even attempt to manipulate God and God sternly warns against this in Exodus 20:7: -"Do not use my name for evil purposes, for I, the Lord your God will punish anyone who misuses my name". The Contemporary English Version of the bible explain this verse in its margin as ' using God's names as a curse word or magic formula and trying to control the LORD by using his name". Many Christians, after clearly knowing God's will on a matter, try to manipulate God to change His will by selfish carnal intercession and quoting scriptures to subvert God's will. Many preachers use Jesus' names as a magic formula, to perform miracles and breakthrough and pocket not only the offering, but the glory as well. Even Muslims and occultist know how to use the scriptures and Jesus' name for their selfish or diabolic purposes, while remaining as renegade as ever.

Every form of deceit and supplanting is a manifestation of witchcraft.

5.0 THE DIVINE EQUATION

A key verse to understanding the phenomenon of witchcraft is 2 Sam 15:22-23 GNB, NIV, and NKJV) - what The Preacher (No. 193 July 1996) calls The Divine Equation:
Disobedience = witchcraft;
Stubbornness = idolatry;
Rebellion = divination = witchcraft = abomination = death (physical and eternal).
Arrogance = pride (Lucifer) = destruction =idolatry (talisman, magic rings, idols, libation etc.) = abomination = a curse = death.
As The Preacher puts it if you are living in arrogance and proud stubbornness, against parents, husband, constituted authority in church or wherever, you are like those who carry about talisman. The practitioner of stubbornness and rebellion, before God, is like the worshipper of idols.

6.0 FORMS OF ECCLESIASTICAL WITCHCRAFT

Various forms of witchcraft and manipulation are stated in the bible. The mildest forms are disobedience, rebellion, arrogance and stubbornness in individual Christians. Advanced forms include: -

1. Domestic witchcraft and manipulation as practiced by Laban/Rebecca and Jacob/Rachael.
2. Marital witchcraft and manipulation (as practiced by Delilah, Jezebel and Herodias)
3. Congregational (laity) witchcraft and manipulation.
4. Ministerial witchcraft and manipulation as practiced by Simeon the Sorcerer Acts 8: 9-24 and Elymas (Acts 13: 6-12).
5. Prophetic witchcraft and manipulation practiced by Balaam
6. Institutional / Apostolic (or political) witchcraft and manipulation (as practiced by Kings Saul and Mannaseh and the false apostles of 1Cor. 1:13 and Phil. 1:15-17).

Let examine some biblical manifestation of witchcraft and satanic manipulation.

6.1 Domestic Witchcraft

A common form of ecclesiastical witchcraft and manipulation practiced by Christians is the form exhibited by the siblings Laban and Rebecca (Gen. 24:29) and their children Jacob and Rachael (who later married one another). All four of them were manipulators.

Laban was a diviner (Gen. 30:27 NIV) who cheated and manipulated his nephew Jacob, first to marry Leah alongside Rachael (Gen. 29:15-30) and then reduced his wages ten (10) times while making him accountable for losses in the flock (Gen. 31:38-42).

Rebecca was a manipulator who backed Jacob to supplant his elder brother Esau, and ensure he got his father Isaac's blessing by trickery and deceit (Gen. 27).

Jacob (meaning deceiver, who grasps by the heel) was a manipulator par excellence. He schemed and manipulated God and men and prevailed Gen. 32:28. His scheming however was repugnant to God who brought a charge and judgment against him and his descendants after him (Hosea 12: 2-3). Every form of witchcraft, every form of manipulation, scheming, deception or supplanting is repugnant to God, as is every form of rebellion (see I Sam 15:23). They remind him of what Lucifer did (Isaiah 14; 12-15 and Rev. 12:7-9).

Like her cousin and husband Jacob, Rachael's life was that of contention and manipulation against her elder sister Leah, and later her husband Jacob (see Gen. 30:8:15.) She was also a nag (Gen. 30:1) who manipulated her husband to lie with a house girl (Gen. 30:3). She was an Idolater-diviner (Gen. 31:19) who successful tricked and deceived her father (Gen. 31:34-35).

One usual feature of domestic witchcraft and manipulation is that is it inherited, passed from one generation to another. If a parent practices witchcraft or is a manipulator, at least one of the siblings will imbibe or inherit these traits. If a man manipulates his wife, very likely his son or daughter will also want to manipulate the spouse. If a woman is rebellious or practices witchcraft, not only will the daughter grow up rebellious and manipulative, her son will likely be henpecked and weak, looking for a wife that will manipulate him as his mother did to his father!

In Hosea 12:2, the Lord says He will recompense (repay) Jacob's descendant according to his deeds. As Laban deceived Jacob, him (Gen. 31:34-35) Jacob's sons were also deceitful as their father (Gen. 34:13), while Rueben supplanted and defiled his father’s bed (Gen. 35:22 49:3-4)

If the first fruit is holy, the lump is also. If the root is holy, the branches are Rom. 11:16. If the root parent is unholy, then the branches (offspring) will also be. Hence we are called to cut off the wild nature we inherited and be fully grafted into the holy olive nature of Christ (Rom 11:16-24).

6.2 Marital Witchcraft and Manipulation

Closely related to, and actually part of domestic witchcraft, is marital witchcraft and manipulation. The examples of Rebecca and Rachael have been referred to above. Two other women in the bible who exhibited this form of witchcraft were Delilah (Judges 16) and Herodias (Mark 6: 11-28). Let us try to highlight the characteristics of one indulging in this form of witchcraft:-

1. Her loyalty is not to God or her husband but to herself and the interests she represents Judges 16:4-6
2. She is a persistent nag Judges 16:16
3. She is patient, does not give up until she has her way Judges16: 10, Mark 6:19-25
4. The foundation of her marriage is ungodly or based on manipulation Judges 14: 1-3, Mark 6:17-18
5. Manipulates children against spouse and carries them along in her manipulation. Prompts them to evil Mark 6:24.
6. Knows how to corner and arm twist spouse, especially by playing on his reputation Mark 6: 26-27, Judge 14: 16-17
7. Manipulates and makes spouse feel guilty by accusing him of not showing enough public love Judges 16:15, 14:16.
8. Does not care if heavens fall or even if her husband dies as long as she has her way Judge 16:17-21. Mark 6:19-28.

Today there are many orthodox and Pentecostal Delilah’s' and Herodias in the church and Christian household. Many are ministers' wives, some Pastor's secretary, others church workers, serving the interest of Satan in the church.

6.3 Ministerial Witchcraft And Manipulation

Another form of ecclesiastical witchcraft is of the clergy- sorcery, witchcraft, divinations and manipulations from the pulpit. One could call this anointed witchcraft and manipulations. These may range from sheer deception and ministerial falsehood, to those manifested by fallen or backslider ministers. Biblical examples of the former are Apostle Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:9-24), Prophet Elymas Bar-Jesus (Acts 13:6-12) and the lady Evangelist in Acts 16:16-18. The most cogent example of fallen ministers who turn to witchcraft and divination is Prophet Balaam. Let us highlight the features of each of these:

Apostle Simon the Sorcerer (Acts. 8:9-24)

• Performs wonders using magic, sorcery and divination Acts. 8:9
• Amazes and astonishes people who feels he his great man of God.
• People, great and small, pay great attention to his words and teaching and he has a great following
• Remains an unbeliever despite all his miracles Acts 8:13, 22-23
• Interested only in power and thinks he can purchase power verse 18-20
• His heart not right in Gods sight verse 21
• His motives are ungodly and verse 22
• Envious, full of bitterness and bound by sin and iniquities verse 23.

Thus that an acclaimed "man of God" performs miracles and lying wonders does not make him a minister of God, even if he has a great follower ship. He will only minister poison and sin along with his miracles and lying wonders.

Prophet Elymas Bar-Jesus Act 13:6-12

Elymas is an Arabic word signifying a magician or sorcerer. Bar Jesus means 'son of Jesus or son of Joshua'. Hence literally this mans name was Prophet-Magician Joshua (or Prophet-Magician Jesus)-with Jesus/Joshua as his surname. (Does that remind you of a Lagos-based Prophet Joshua making waves in Nigeria to as far as South Africa and America? Recall his introduction as Emmanuel (God-with-us)?

From Act 13:6-12, we highlight the following feature of this prophet witch

1. Was a sorcerer magician.
2. Was a false prophet.
3. Was a Jew ("born again churchgoer").
4. Has a biblically surname (son of Jesus/ Son of Joshua)
5. Withstand men from the truth.
6. Seeks to turn men away from faith in Christ.
7. One needs the fullness of the Holy Spirit to discern and judge
8. Full of deceit
9. Fraudulent/trickish
10. Son/messenger of the devil
11. Enemy of righteousness; lascivious, immoral
12. Seeks to pervert men from Godliness.

Such men need to be judged prophetically by the power of God. Like Paul did in Acts 13:9-11, we invoke God's Hand on judgment on them, and cut them off from the sun, stars and moon which they manipulate to pursue their wizardry and sorcery. Only then can men be cut off and set free from their antichrist influence to belief in the saving grace of Christ. Until they are judged, men will continue to be deluded and perverted from the truth Act 13:12.

The Lady - Evangelist Diviner -Prophetess.

Acts 16:16-19 records another example of a false minister or church worker. The slave girl, possessed by a demonic prophetic divination spirit began to prophesy loudly and evangelize alongside Paul, Silas, Mark, Timothy and others. The bible says she did it for many days until Paul detected her distressing spirit was divination which he cast out.

How many of those who prophesy in our churches are doing so by a spirit of divination? Many are still slave to sin, possessed by evil spirit, motivated by hope of profit, serving other masters and yet minister publicly alongside genuine men of God. How many of our praise and choir leaders are still ministering under the satanic anointing they had while in the world? Are these not the ones who lead the congregation in praise and worship before the real men of God begin to minister? How many of those in the ministry of helps and support services are agents of other masters, or are in the ministry for the hope of profit, promotion or office? These are ministerial witches and wizards, distressing the spirit of God in His sanctuary. Yet these are the people we anoint and promote, who usher in the King and his servants into his sanctuary. May God open our eyes of the spirit to discern such in our midst in Jesus name.

6.4 Balaamic (Prophetic) Witchcraft and Manipulation

If the foregoing were false unbeliever regenerate priests serving as ministers of the Gospel, Balaam was a pathetic case of a true prophet and minister of God who fell into error and turned to sorcery, divination, witchcraft and manipulation in a backslider state, for the love of money and prominence. The following features of Balaamic witchcraft and manipulation are evident in the scriptures:-

1. Unbelievers and the enemies of God's people recognized the anointing on such people (Numbers 22: 1-6)
2. Such people pray, prophesy and consult for unbelievers and those in authority if the price (the diviners fee) is right Numbers 22:5-7, 15-17,37, Deut 23:4 Joshua 24:9 They can be hired by anyone.
3. Such ministers do not seek the face of the Lord again since the anointing is there (Note that it was God who took the initiative to come to Balaam Numbers 22:20 etc. See also Numbers 24:1-2)
4. The lure of filthy lucre (money, position prevents such men from doing Gods will and they seek to "use God's name to manipulate him" Num 24: 19-20 34-37. See also Exodus20:7 Contemporary English Version margin referred to earlier.
5. They work in the permissive will of God Num. 22:20. When a man of God walks in God's permissive will, God's anger is aroused against him, and he does so with the Lord's sword of slaughter drawn against him Number 22:22-33. God stands as an adversary to oppose him in a journey (path) that he should not be making (taking) Numbers 22:22-34 (NIV, GNB, and NKJV).
6. Even donkeys see and discern the spiritual better than such people 22:23-33.
7. Such men of God serve the purpose of the enemy against God's people Numbers 22:44-25. Instead of being called to bless, they are hired to cursed enemies Num 22:6, 23:11, 25 24:10 etc.
8. A most potent form of witchcraft is manifested when they side and counsel the enemy of God's people on ways to make God's people become God's enemies -as Balaam did in Numbers 31:16, Also Num 23:29-30 Num 25 etc.
9. They still speak as prophetic oracles of God even in their backslider erroneous state Num. 23:2:18, 24:15 and 20 (NKJV, NIV, GNB)
10. They now use sorcery, divination, enchantment and omen to minister, rather than the Spirit of God Num 24: 1.
11. Such men end up killed in warfare Num 31:6, Jos. 13:22.
12. They end their ministry not as true prophets but known as soothsayers, fortune tellers and diviners Joshua 13:22 (NIV, NKJV, GNB)
13. God no longer listen to such people Deut 23:5 Num. 13:2. Rather they continue to minister and manifest ungodly anointing.
14. Such ministers have gone astray, become money- mongers, live in sin, lost their right senses and become insane 2 Pet 2:15-16
15. Become greedy and live in error as a result Jude 11
16.  Propagate a doctrine (teaching) that becomes a stumbling block that enhance God's people to sin, commit immorality, become idolaters.

Like the church in Perganum, there is a call for repentance for being a compromising church that eulogizes and hold to the teaching of fallen backslider Balaams of our generation. "Come O Lord and fight against our Balaam with the sword of your mouth. For our generation is not yet ready to repent from compromise and man-worship". Amen (See Rev 2: 12-16.)

6.5 Institutional (Apostolic) Witchcraft And Manipulation

A more advanced and dangerous form of ministerial form of witchcraft is institutional (or apostolic) witchcraft. This is the form manifested by church leaders, founder owners, Apostles and the like after they have become to live in disobedience and rebellion to God and have been rejected by Him. This is a form of witchcraft and manipulation that wants to retain the status quo after God has rejected such, to maintain control and influence over God's people, after God has replaced them with another man 'after His heart". King Saul typifies this form.

Features of ministers walking in such Spirit of Saul include:

1. At the beginning such is a distinguished, humble, valiant warrior chosen by Him to be a leader of God's people I Sam 9:15-10,26. He was submissive to his father, a hard-working preserving man who sought the face of the Lord concerning any matter I Sam 9:2-14. He was patient and forgiving (I Sam 10:27-11:15)
2. At his consecration, God's commandments were clearly spelt out I Sam 12. No sooner that he got to the throne, that he could no longer wait for God and became presumptuous and impulsive, taking upon himself an office not his own I Sam 13 Thus he fell out with God and God with him I Sam 13: 13-14.
3. The people became improvised under his leadership and such a minister begins to personalize ministry property and anointing, making it a family affair I Sam 13: 15-22; "On the day of battle, there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son " I Sam 13: 22. Due to the rash oaths, rules, regulations, policies and guidelines of such a one, only "his sons" could taste a little of the honey and thus be anointed for war (I Sam Chapter 14). Ultimately the people begin to rise to rescue men from his tyranny (I Sam 14:45)
4. Despite the Lord's declaration that the Kingdom has been taken from him, he continues to fight, win battles and do exploits in his rejected state I Sam 14: 47-48. He continues to recruit strong, valiant and zealous men into his personal ministry (I Sam 14:52).
5. God still gives him chances to redeem himself, but he prefers sacrificing for God (activities, busyness, programmes etc) than fully obeying God (I Sam 15). His rebellion to God became as witchcraft, is stubbornness as sin and idolatry. He wishes to serve God on his own terms and sets up monuments for himself (I Sam 15:12).
6. At this stage, even intercessions or tears cannot change God's mind and decision concerning Saul (I Sam 15: 11, 26-27; 35).
7. Such men, who have now built monuments in their own honor (I Sam 15:12), are more concerned with 'saving face" and being honored before men than in repentance and being right with God and His people (I Sam 15: 30).
8. God chooses and anoints with the Holy Spirit people in their place, even though they are still on the throne. A distressing spirit from the Lord begins to trouble such men of God (I Sam 16:7). Such ministers of God become envious, murderous, and resentful, madden and begin to persecute God's newly anointed replacement.
9. The replacement now does the exploits such should have done, making Saul envious, jealous, angry and resentful of the new ones (I Sam 17 hence).
10. He begins to murder priests (I Sam 22) and breaks covenant (2 Sam 21: 1-2). These will later have grievous consequences for the people and his descendants even after his demise (2 Sam 21:1-14)
11. When God no longer answer him by dreams, by Urims or by prophets, he contact and consult mediums and satanic sources of power (I Sam 28)
12. Ultimately, he ends his life and ministry tragically, going down under with guiltless faithful "sons" and followers who remained in the same boat with him until such a one sinks I Sam 31

Today there are many Sauls still leading the church in Nigeria and elsewhere, even though God has raised David to replace them. Concerned more with keeping their honour and prominence before men than repentance, they use all kind of witchcraft spirit and manipulations to maintain the status quo against the will of God. They fight God's new anointed ones with everything they could muster. They are ready to kill physically, psychologically or spiritually; to preserve the monuments they have raised for themselves and their families. Short of repenting, tears or intercessions cannot restore such men, for God is not a man to lie or relent. Except they submit and yield to the will of God, their end, like Saul's, will be tragic. Pitifully many of their sons, loyalists and followers, who here not discerned God's new move, will out of blind human loyalty, perish with them. He who has an ear let his hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. May the Lord be merciful and gracious to his servants? Amen.

7.0 WITCH- PASTORS AND WITCH-SHEPHERDS

It is possible to be a Pastor (or Shepherd) and still be a manipulating witch or wizard. Zech. 11:4-7 talks of pastors who feed their flock for slaughter, whose founder-owner slaughter them and feel no guilt, which sell their meat and say "Praise the Lord. I am rich". Pastors who prey on their congregation, who as Zech 11:7 states "fed the flock for slaughtering".

Ezekiel 34 declare woes on pastors who fed themselves and not the sheep, who eat the fit and clothe self with the wool but does not fed the flock. Pastors who "do not strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bind up the broken, bring back those driven away nor sought the lost; but rather rule then flock with force, cruelty, harshness and rigor". (See also Zech 11:16-17).

Woe to you wizard-pastors and witch- shepherds! The Lord is against you. He will break the stick of favor you have over the flock, Zech 11:10. The Lord is against you and will require the flock at your hand. He will cause you to cease feeding the sheep and you shall feed yourselves no longer. He will deliver His flock from your mouths, that they no longer be food for you. Amen (See Ezekiel 34:10). He will establish one shepherd over them, His servant David, who shall feed the flock and be their pastor. Amen (See Ezekiel 34:23)

8.0 CONGREGATIONAL (LAITY) WITCHCRAFT

Another form of ecclesiastical witchcraft and manipulation exists among the congregation (or Laity). The first category of this type was manifested among the carnal Galatians churches where brethren began to "bite and devour and be consumed by one another" Gal 5:15. Further down in same chapter, Paul lists the carnal works of the flesh to include… idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambition, dissension, heresies… and such like (Gal 5: 19-21)- easily associated with persons like King Saul. Evidently, witchcraft (like other works of the flesh) is a means by which carnal Christians bite, devour and consume one another in the church.

The second category of congregational witchcraft is directed towards the clergy. Influential members of the laity involved in power struggle with church leaders, usually manifest this like Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses (2 Tim. 3:8). Note that these men were wise men, sorcerers, magicians, used enchantments and soothsaying, and practiced secret arts of witchcraft and manipulations see Exodus 7:11, 22; 8:7. Another example was Diotrephes who loved to have prominence among the church (3 John 9). He was domineering and self-assertive, refused to accept John's instruction, malign them with falsehood, refused to receive missionaries to the church, forbid others from receiving them, expelling those who oppose him out of the church.

Many churches have such "local champions" opposing and frustrating Apostles and missionary work. Overbearing and malevolent, they keep such congregations in bondage. They need to be dealt with by apostolic authority.

The Lord himself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep, all who have pushed with the side and shoulder, butted the weak with their horns and scattered them abroad. Amen. (See Ezekiel. 34:21-22).

9.0 CONCLUSION

We have seen that the witch and wizard and idolater are not only the person flying at night to attend meetings at covens, suck blood, bow down to graven images or kill people by diabolic spiritual means. Anyone living in disobedience and stubborn rebellion to constituted authority is a witch/ wizard or idolater. Anyone manipulating those over or under him/her is a witch/wizard - whether at home or in the church. Both the clergy and members of the congregation can manifest this carnal/satanic behaviour.

The way out of Ecclesiastical witchcraft and manipulation is repentance and obedience (I Sam 15:22). The result of persistence in such witchcraft and manipulation is death “Thou shall not suffer a witch to live" Exodus 22:18

The choice is yours

10.0 BALAAMIC WITCHCRAFT STRATEGIES

How do people use witchcraft to control and manipulate others? We can garner some principles from the example of Balaam.

1. The use of curses and denunciations Num 22:6, 1 etc. Num 23:7-8 etc. A Christian leader who keeps his congregation in bondage by frightening them with curses, or habitually curses is using witchcraft to defeat and overcome.
   When Goliath was busy cursing and defying the Israelites, he was using witchcraft to control them (I Sam 17 10-11) Even though he attempted to control David by same spirit, he was unsuccessful (I Sam 17:43-50)
2. Accusing men before God, causing God to observe/take notice of iniquities offences or wrongdoing in a person (Number 23:21). Satan is the accuser of the brethren who wishes that God turn his back on a person (See Job 1:6-12, 12:1-8; Zech 3:1-7, Rev 12:10). A major strategy of witches and spiritualists is to spiritually rail up all kinds of accusations against godly men, who as mortal men will have their failings. We need constantly to pray for grace and mercy, asking God to clothe us with his righteousness as he clothed Joshua (Zech 3:1-5). See also Isaiah 54:11-17... every tongue which raises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the sons of God, and their righteousness is from me says the Lord. Amen. Also Numbers 23:8-10, 19-23 Hallelujah!
3. Seducing or enticing men to sin against God- either in words thoughts or deeds. When Balaam could not get God's people cursed by God or have God observe iniquity in them, to justify his pay, he taught the Moabites to send their beautiful girls to seduce the Israelite (See Num. 24:14:31:16 Rev 2:14). The result was God's anger and the death of 24,000 Israelites (Numbers 25 1 Cor. 10: 6-8).Delilah also used seduction/enticement to finish Samson (Judges 16:5.20). Likewise Satan move David to sin against God and the result was 40,000 dead from plagues (1 Chronicles 21:1-30).
   Provoking or seducing a righteous person to sin against God is another major satanic strategy of witchcraft and manipulation. Let us war against every sin of thought, speech or body. Let us not be impulsive, forward or complacent in the things of God. Let us watch out for every lust, temptation or murmuring (I Cor. 10:6-8)
4. Raising of Satanic altars, serviced with expensive sacrifice against a person or God's people. Read Numbers 22:40-23:3, 13-15, 27-30 etc. Note that they went to the high places or Baal (Satanic altars) to observe (spiritually monitor) the extent (power righteousness, spiritually) etc of the people (22:40 23:13, 23:27 etc). Note also the expensive sacrifices they offered. In Num. 23:3, 15, Balak raised altars in progressively higher places. Some like Mannaseh even sacrificed their own children (2 Kings 21; 1-6). Satanists, spiritualists and those using witchcraft could do lots of fasting, night vigils, alms giving sacrifices in progressively higher dimensions to see if "perhaps it will please God to curse his people for them from there" Num. 23:27. Blessed be God who is God is not a man that He should lie or a son of man to change his mind concerning us. He is our righteousness. He cannot deny himself, faithful even when we are unfaithful (Num 23:19, 27 no 2:13).
5. The strategy of intimidation. Jezebel used this strategy against Elijah and Elijah fled (1 Kings 19). She also used it to hold the whole of Israel in bondage (2 Kings 9:22). Goliath also used it successfully against Israel (2 Sam 17:8-11) but unsuccessfully against David (verse 26-50). A major form of ecclesiastical witchcraft in the church today is the strategy of intimidation. Church leaders, church members, spouses and even children use this form of witchcraft a lot to intimidate fellow Christian, paralyze them will fear, truncate their call/ministry and frustrate/ turn them away from God's purpose. Like Jezebel did to Elijah. Like David let us refuse to be intimidated. Be strong and be of good courage. Quit like men and fulfill your ministry. Even in the church, a man's enemies/detractors may be members of his own household. The Lord will judge his people. Amen.

THE DEATH SENTENCE

BY ‘THE PREACHER (VOL 193, JULY 19960 P.O. BOX 10974 PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA)

(Reproduced with permission)

What does God say of the practitioners of witchcraft? He says in Exodus 2:18 that we should not suffer a witch to live. And in Leviticus 20:27, that the man or woman who practices witchcraft shall surely be put to death by stoning outside the city, their blood shall be upon them (that is upon the slain witchcraft practitioners) themselves. In Deuteronomy 18:10-12, God groups the witch among diviners, enchanters, charmers, necromancers, those who deal with familiar spirits, etc and calls them all "an abomination unto the LORD"

It can be seen in Exodus 22:18 and Leviticus 20:27 that a death sentence hangs over every witch and wizard. Same for the practitioners of ecclesiastical witchcraft. Death is at work in them. In some of them, death works more slowly than in others. They slowly pine (or die) away. Others get suddenly afflicted with incurable and nameless sicknesses and they die. Other still do not seem so sick, but death is at work in them all the same. Some of these special witches and wizards have even died sudden deaths that have made the rest of us ignorant laity to wonder. But how could such an unfortunate thing happen to such a faithful mighty man of God who is always praying?" We didn't know that he had been a wizard in the last two years of his anointed ministry, that he had been doing something God had not told him to do, or which God had even warned him to discontinue. Or even that he had not been doing something that God had been waiting for him to do. In his disobedience, then he had aligned with Satan in ecclesiastical witchcraft. This is by means of which, those he could have blessed or saved had he obeyed God, been carried away by Satan into perdition. Those people thus undone and ruined, as far as God's plan was concerned, could have been enjoying bliss. By refusing to obey the Lord, however, our brother became a wizard, and fitted himself into Satan's plans against the purpose of God and the welfare of men.

In several homes, the wives are not only witches but idol- worshippers. They are witches by living in disobedience to their husbands, may be because they consider themselves also (or more) spiritual and because they also help to win bread for the family. They are also idolaters because they are stubborn. They are always right. They have sensitive rights to protect and no man is going to enslave them in the name of scriptural submission Idolatrous witches.
Witchcraft is bad enough. But when idolatry adds to it... Only God knows...

You wonder why several wives, in spite of their possessing in their homes all the gadgets that heart may ever desire, are dying in misery? You wonder why others have all the cooks and stewards, and eat all the best food, yet look hardly well fed? It is because death is at work in them, because they are witches: ecclesiastical witches, tongue-taking witches, 'choristered' witches ordained witches Sunday school witches. Imagine such a stubborn Rev. Mrs. Stubborn Witch, ministering (Perhaps with her husband) on Sunday, what kind of spirit will she impart...?
There would be several in the congregation who would contract her rebelliously stubborn spirit of ecclesiastical witchcraft and idolatry. No wonder the Bible warns against just anybody laying hands suddenly on just anyone (1 Timothy 5:22), and no wonder we have lost not a few women in our churches, some even 'understandably' through childbirth, others through endless sicknesses, and so on.

Acknowledgment:

The Preacher Volume 193, July 1996. Box 10974, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Website: www.thepreacher.info; E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Reproduced with permission)

DISCERNING AHAB AND JEZEBEL IN POST-MODERN TIMES
BY GARY BERGEL/JINI BAUSSH/ BRADLEY STUART
Intercessors for America Vol. 26, N0 718
July/August 1999. Address P.O, Box 4477 Leciberg VA 201777
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website www.ifa-usa.org

"Now Ahab the son of Omro did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam... that he took as wife Jezebel ... and he went and serve Baal and worshipped him." -1 Kings 16:30-32 NKJV
"Jesus answered and said to them" Take heed that no one deceives you" -Mt 24:4 NKJV
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of his world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Eph 6:12 KJV
"'Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and beguile my servants...Rev 2:20 NJKV

Scripture shows that the close of the church age will be marked by great spiritual mixture and collisions between systems of light and darkness. The Church will be energetically working to complete the Great Commission and bring in the last, great harvest. Satan, with his ranks stretched thin and time literally running out, will frantically resort to diabolical inventions, seductive luxuries, entertainments, global deceptions, false signs and wonders, and the promotion of tyranny through increased ethnic warfare, famine and pestilence. Lucifer, fallen yet deceived, will craftily set the stage for his final attempt at counterfeiting God and controlling mankind-the Antichrist. (Mt. 24:6-14).

Multitudes will be taken captive by delusions and deception, and influenced by demonic powers. Yet through it all, God will still be Sovereign and His prophetic agenda will be coming to consummation. The nations will be as "pots boiling" but the "almond branch" of God foreordained purposes will bud and blossom (Jer. 1:11-13). The spiritual atmosphere in the world will be turbulent, dense and dark, "able to be felt," as in Egypt on the night of Passover. Supernatural light and liberty will be in the community and households of the redeemed, the believing Church, as they gather, keep covenant and partake of Christ, the Passover Lamb of God, the One slain to take them out on the night when "all the gods of Egypt are judged." (Ex 10:21; 12:3-13; Mt 24:31; 1 Cor.15:52).
A harlot Babylonish system will be in place worldwide and will flourish for a season, with the "king of the earth" drunk with spiritual fornication and the "merchants of the earth", rich through trafficking in luxuries, iniquitous pursuits, and the merchandising of the "bodies and souls of men" (Rev 18:3, 13). The seed of Lucifer will come to a final ripening. Jezebelic men and women in self-strength and vain glory will declare, "I sit as queen, and am no widow and will not see sorrow." The types represented by the biblical figures of Ahab and Jezebel (a frenzied Baal and Asherah religious orchestration) will play-act, strut and pontificate-but only for an appointed season, and then will be judged, paid back double, and receive torment and sorrow in the same measure that he or "she glorified herself." (Rev 18:6-8).
The "twinning" of Ahabs (morally weak men) with Jezebels (domineering ambitious women) will be rampant. This will be the final partnership of rebellion and stubbornness or, witchcraft and idolatry. (1Sam 15:23) We are presently witnessing an "empowerment" of the Jezebelic. To avoid deception, we must become informed and practice discernment.
The spirit of Jezebel (which literally means "unmarried, without cohabitation, unhusbanded") existed before Queen Jezebel and it may influence either gender. This spirit influenced and assumed the name of the rebellious and manipulative wife of King Ahab. (1 Kings 16-22; 2Kings 9) Even though this spirit may individuals acting under this spirit as a "she merely because the spirit chose a female name, and scripture incorporates this pattern.
Laban, Isaac's brother in law, operated under the influence of the jezebel spirit as he controlled and manipulated Jacob for 14 years. (Gen 29-31) John warned us (Rev 2:18-24) that in the last days "the church of Thyatira" will tolerate the spirit of Jezebel (historically referencing in this passage the corrupt wife of a bishop in Thyatira, and symbolically referencing the woman Jezebel in 1 and II Kings). Such a church will permit (rather than properly Judge and silence) those operating under this spirit's influence; those who themselves prophets but give forth what the noted bible commentators Jamieson, Fausset and Brown term "pretended utterances of inspiration to libertinism," They also teach, beguile and seduce members into fornication/adultery, false worship and even open idolatry. Scripture deems this jezebel spirit dangerous, and it is a major obstruction to restoration, revival, good order and authentic faith in the Church today.
The working of the jezebel spirit a system of intimidation, manipulation and control can be likened to a spider that spins an elaborate web to catch and hold its prey. This web is the spider'' home and it draws security from it. Once entangled in the web, the prey becomes a hostage of for a period of time, but its ultimate goal is to consume and destroy.
Before either the hostage or the one operating under the influence of jezebel can escape from such a web, scales must be removed from their eyes so they can see the true situation. Each must then chosen and be willing to fight their way out of the web through revelation, discernment, intercession, repentance, deliverance, taking counsel and willfully changing their habits. It may take months and even years to totally break free of jezebel's web, and to again enjoy one's liberty in Christ.

AHABS. These individuals are rebellious towards the God of the Bible, His fatherhood and His standards. Morally weak and lacking integrity, their affections are wrongly place on lustful or vain pursuits. A "Baalish" false alter is built. Vast amounts of energy and resources are often expended, but God appointed destiny is not sought after, nor achieved. Lawless connivance and greed often drive Ahab type individuals. Competitive "swordplay" and fun are preferred over faith, family life, a proper work ethic and stewardship. Such lives are often flashy on the surface, but are spiritual voids on the inside. It is into this vacuum and weakness that Jezebel enters.
In 1 and 11 Kings, Jezebel (who acted as reigning queen, although the Bible is careful not to refer to her by that title) used fear to manipulate and control her husband Ahab and to frighten God's prophet Elijah. Ahab was Jezebel's hostage. A hostage submits, usually out of fear, to the manipulation and control of another individual. Without a hostage, jezebel has no power. Jezebel seeks hostage candidates who are tolerant, teachable, spiritually discerning, in positions of authority, peacemakers, obedient, submissive, strong, wimpish, servants, leaders, educated, secure, successful, seducible, rebellious, weak, emotionally wounded, tolerant insecure, and compromisers. In short, every-type of person is a candidate for becoming a hostage.

INDICATORS OF JEZEBEL'S PRESENCE. The jezebel spirit thrives in an atmosphere of fear, confusion, strife, instability, broken relationships, discouragement, depression, intimidation, prolonged frustration an increased tolerance, toward sexual sins, chaos, or nihilism and destruction. It is often difficult to discern if a person is acting out of sin and personal habits, or with the influence or control of an evil spirit. Whether an evil spirit is in, on, or around a person is not relevant. The real issue is whether a person is living under the oppression of an evil spirit. The person is often, though not always, charismatic, a winsome personality, perhaps good looking, outgoing, bouncy, intelligent, educated, respected, successful, may hold a high office or position, can appear happy, etc.

CHARACTER TRAITS All of us as fallen/redeemed human beings have some of these character traits. When multiple indicators are present, or they increase in frequency, intensity, or become extreme, the possibility increase that the person is acting under the influence of the spirit of jezebel. Normally, the individual believers her behavior is normal and has no idea what she is really doing to others. A few of the trails that may be exhibited are:

• Derives power and authority through intimidation and fear.
• Raw strength from manipulating and controlling others.
• Must dominate and control one or more hostages before she can operate in power and authority.
• Demands obedience and perfection.*Drives those she controls to exhaustion and beyond.
• Never satisfied with performance of those she controls.
• Demands recognition.
• Master of persuasion
• Deceptive
• Strong-willed, religious and often very gifted
• Fierce competitor
• Warrior, and will not hesitate to fight
• Territorial.
• Defensive-always right.
• Contends with those who oppose her; can be vicious. Always "wins" one way or another. Provokes those around her, Nitpicks on minor things, .Fiercely independent and ambitious.
• Not a team player
• Fearful of losing friends due to past experiences.
• Disrespectful
• Hatred for male/female authority in our society.
• Resists and fights true authority-especially Spiritual Authority*Despises voice of the Lord-prophets.*Wants to be served
• Teacher; seducer; back stabber
• Wants to live in a palace
• Full of pride, but claims to be humble
• Selfish, but verbally claims she is not Often covets and lusts after things, but will deny doing so. Obsessed with the "truth". Always checking to ensure you are not talking behind her back
• Lust for attention and promotion.
• Resents credible Men/women.
• May be involved in sexual sins - Fantasy and imaginations leading to perversion; pornography; child molestation; fornication; adultery; sexual abuse; homosexuality; and other types of perversity
• Sensual look of the eyes and seductive voice.

PLAYS RELIGIOUS GAMES. The spirit of Jezebel often teams up with a religious spirit. Christians operating under the Jezebel spirit are often vicious, exhibiting some of the following trait:
*Hides from true repentance. *Frequently claims to have heard directly from God, calls herself a prophet. * Has a favorite seat in church. * Actually serves God when it is convenient or as an inroad to establish relationships and gain control. * Searches church for allies. * Relentlessly point out problem in churches and leaders, often exaggerates. * Insists upon recognition, manipulates or entirely disregards male leadership in the church. * Often authenticates herself through church "membership" rather than character and fruit. * Other individuals are never good enough for God. *Strives to place guilt on you and convince you that you have disappointed God. *Often knows the scriptures very well, but may manipulate or misquote scripture to prove point. * Judges individuals by quoting scripture and condemns and disciplines them in the name of God. * Camouflages desire for dogmatic control with doctrines.
WEB SPINNING STRATEGIES The individual, operating under the jezebel spirit, begins to secretly spin her web by winning the trust and confidence of those she wants to control. She works undercover and does not want to be exposed. Once acceptance is established, she beings to use truth, seasoned with well placed lies, to clandestinely spin a web of deception and entanglement. Clever methods induce fear in others. She then draws power and authority from their fear. Such individuals have mastered a sophisticated ability to manipulate and control without physical force. A jezebel person:
* May appear loyal and might volunteer for special service. *Seeks teaching/leadership positions to gain position in organizations * Probes people's character to locate weak areas and identify breaches that she can exploit. * Exaggerate her own problems to flush out others. *Betrays leadership through knowledge of their personal lives and blackmails them into compromise *Uses either thrush or lies to destroy reputations. *Uses or asserts another's authority *Gains power by making political alliances, often in a seemingly submissive and demeaning manner * Wears individuals down to usurp their authority *Labels God's prophets as false prophets *Orchestrates highs and lows in self and those she manipulates. *Builds up and then tears down; stirs up or pacifies; is very positive or very negative depending on the situation. *May be loud and bold, or quiet and cunning, depending on situation. *Works friends against friends and destroys relationships *Mingle truth with lies and occasionally contradicts self-when challenged claims to have been misunderstood. *Changed opinions according to situation and will compromise when necessary *Often manipulates several at one time *Plays one person/group against another *Will enlist false witnesses to testify against other *Talks and pulls strings behind people's backs. *Undermines self worth and confidence in others *Will attack anyone who gets between her, her goals, and those she controls *Sets people up and springs ambushes/traps *Sometimes pretends submission to gain a strategic advantage *Stimulates, seduces, entices, persuades, provokes, sets up, stirs up. *Uses masculine/feminine charms which are deceitful or enticing to manipulate or sexually harass. *Dramatic and freely uses emotions to advantage *May use silent treatment at times or pout. *Becomes rejected and depressed to gain an advantage *May repent verbally, but not from the heart *Those around her never know how to take her *Presumes God will not judge them-the fear of the Lord is absent opening the door to their own destruction *When two people under the jezebel spirit are together they usually contend with each other unless it is to their advantage to form an alliance to attain personal goals.

JEZEBEL'S ENEMIES: Jezebel's greatest enemies are God's authentic leaders and prophets who reveal her and speak out against her. When she wars, it is to stir people against the message of the professing and prophetic church.

1. Her real enemy is the spoken Word of God. She hates the words prophets speak more than the prophets.
2. Her worst feat is that the people will embrace repentance. She knows true repentance brings the presence of Jesus, cleanses the church, and establishes it in purity and power, thereby defeating her effort to control.
3. Intercessory prayer pries her fingers off the hearts and souls of individuals; helps set people free; binds her; cripples her.
4. Ultimate hatred is against God Himself. She hates the
(a) Grace He lavishes upon His bond-servants even after they sin;
(b) Fact that God will use the weakest and lowliest ones to bring her down;
(c) Holiness and purity of heart that comes from God and surrounds those who serve in His courts.
5. Hates worship; humility, blood of Jesus; names of Jesus and truth that sets people free.

GOD'S PROMISE TO OVERCOMERS (Rev 2:26-28) "And he that overcomes, and keeps my words unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations;" (27) "And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my father." (28) "And I will give him the morning star."

OUR RESPONSE Be compassionate toward people operating under the influence of jezebel, do practical acts of love and kindness as the Lord directs, pray for their eyes to be opened, and for strength to enable them to stand against this spirit and repent. But have no mercy, no compromise or sympathy toward the jezebel spirit itself. Do not tolerate the spirit of jezebel in any way!
If you challenge Jezebel, she will fight you. If you confront jezebel, she will "erupt" and often flee in a rage, but later may either forgive you because she knows that you had a bad day and did not realize what you said, or attack a weak area of your life.

HOW TO OVERCOME: If you feel hostage or that you may be exhibiting some of the Jezebelic traits, grace is available for you overcome through repentance and prayer, changing your habits and resisting and warring against any spirit that is preventing you from changing.
1. Avoidance of or ending a relationship is the simplest method for an hostage to break loose of jezebel's control and manipulation, but this not always possible especially if she/he is a spouse, family member, boss, or employee. Furthermore, the hostage is still vulnerable to becoming a victim of the spirit of jezebel in another person.
2. A better offense is to discern and know jezebel's tactics, then wisely and quietly side step them. This frustrates and confuses jezebel. If this occurs often enough, the person operating under the influence of jezebel, will either give up on you, or she may realize there is something wrong.
3. Stand firm and do not tolerate jezebel, submit or compromise in any way. Do not let her get he hooks into you. Stick to your guns, yet show the love of Christ as He directs.
4. Overcoming jezebel requires zeal and tenacity. Be militant in your faith.
5. You must be well equipped spiritually. Develop a deeper prayer life and intimacy with Christ. Seek to know God in ever-greater ways. Draw night to God and He will draw night to you.
6. Submit yourself to God and be obedient to His Word- Be not just a hearer of His Word.
7. Cleanse your hands and purify your heart; receive pastoral care and counseling as needed.
8. Seek the Lord for your unique identity and service in Christ your appointed destiny and the "works prepared before hand that (you) should walk in them". (Eph 2:10)
9. Set and maintain divine order in the family, honour husband as head, and husband, love, cherish and serve your wives.
10. Respect divine order in the church, pray for and honour leaders, serve as the Lord directs.
11. Resist and the Ahab/jezebel spirit will flee. (James 4:7-8)
12. Hold fast to the Head, Jesus Christ. (Col 2:19).

Special credit must be given to Lt.-Col Jini Baush (Ret) who patiently reviewed many materials, authored the article and compiled the checklists. Jini served 27 years with the U.S. Army Reserves and is now a Communications Specialists with the U.S Army Department of Defense. She resides in McClean, Va. Thanks too to Bradley Sturuat of South Africa for his #21 Footprints of Jezebel" notes, Lars Widerburg of Sweden, and to Ray Michell and Jim McNally for their thoughts on Ahab.

THE ANOINTING

1.0 INTRODUCTION

This month’s letter is an expansion of the topic discussed/examined during the Lampstand Lecture for March, 2000 which took place on the 4th March. Persuaded that it is topical for the body, this month’s letter is the first of three to four editions focusing on the nature of the anointing which the Lord instituted for the body. As the Lord grants grace and inspiration, Lampstand Letters will develop this theme in subsequent editions Amen.

2.0 THE LAMPSTAND AND TWO OLIVE TREES

In Zechariah chapter 4 is the vision of a seven-headed Lampstand standing between two olive trees. The two olive trees pour their oil into a central bowl on top of the Lampstand. The oil from this central bowl then feeds the seven lamps that provide the light. The lamps do not need anyone to look after them as light is provided supernaturally, through the constant supply of oil from the trees.

The Lampstand (also known as the candlestick) represents God’s witness to the world and refers either to the physical nation of Israel or to the church (Rev. 1:20). The Lord lists one of the main functions of the body of believers (the church) as being the “light of the world...set on a Lampstand to give light to all” (Matt 5:14-16). In the tabernacle of the Old Testament, the arrangement of the lamps on the Lampstand was to ensure the lamps gave light in front of the Lampstand (Numbers 8:2, Exo 25:37)

The olive oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. It is a major component of the holy anointing oil (Exo 30:22-25) used in the symbolic anointing of kings and priests (Lev 8:12). The two olive trees in Zech. 4 according to most bible commentators refer to the historical anointed team of the Davidic prince Zerubabbel and the high priest Joshua. It is through these two offices - the office of the king and that of the priest - that God’s people are fuelled and supplied with spiritual power, to enable the church send forth the light, presence and power of God throughout the world.

3.0 SONS OF FRESH OIL

• A renderation of Zech. 4:14 in a number of translations bring out more clearly the meaning of this verse and the ministry of the king and priest:
• ”Two sons of fresh oil who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth” (New King James
• Version, margin)
• ...Two who bring oil and serve the Lord of all the earth” (NIV margin)
• “...Two men who God has chosen and anointed to serve Him, the Lord of the whole earth” (Today’s English Version)
• Two anointed ones who assist the Lord of all the earth” (Living Bible).

These talk of their calling (anointing) and their functions (ministry). Their twofold aspects are:

1. Calling: - “sons of fresh oil”, “who bring oil”, “chosen and anointed”, “anointed ones” - all referring basically to their consecration, ordination and appointment as divine representatives vessels of the light, presence and power of God.
2. Ministry Function: - to stand beside the Lord”, “and serve the Lord of all the earth”, “to serve Him, the Lord” to “assist the Lord of all the earth”. While the king represents God among men (Rom 13:1-4, Eccl. 8:2-4), the priests present men before God and teach men the requirements of God (Hebrew 10:11, Malachi 2:7).

These two functions are complementary, and in Christ both are fulfilled. The body of believers (the church), like the physical Israel, is called to be a royal priesthood, a kingdom of priests (Exo 19:6, I Pet 2:9). By His death and resurrection, we are made kings and priests (or a kingdom and priests) to His God and Father (Rev. 1:5-6). I Sam 2:35 tells us priests are given the role of ministering besides (before, or to) the anointed king. Zech. 6:13 states that the priest will stand by the throne, and they will walk together in harmony (TEV). In the symbolic crowing of the High Priest Joshua, the future combined role of Jesus Christ the branch was typified (Zech. 6:11-13), after the pattern of Melchizedek, who was both King of Salem, and Priest of the most High God (Hebrews 7:1, Gen 14:18-20).

4.0 THE ANOINTING AND ITS PURPOSES

The anointing refers to the consecration, dedication and setting apart of a person or things to serve God in one office or the other. In the Old Testament times, this is by the symbolic pouring of oil on the person (I Sam 10:1, 16:12-13 etc.). In New Testament times it refers to the (invisible) anointing by the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:16, Acts 10:38, 2 Cor. 1:21, 1 John 2:20:27). The following are some of the purposes of the anointing, of being sons of fresh oil:

1. The anointing separates, sets apart, dedicates and consecrates one to God’s service (Exo 28:41, 29:1-9, 30:30 etc.)
2. It invites the Holy Spirit and His empowerment into one’s life (2 Sam 16:13, John 14:16-17, I John 2:27)
3. Allows one to rule in the midst of his enemies (Ps 2, 23:4-5, 92:8-11, 89: 19-22, 105:14-15 etc.).
4. Honors a person (I Sam 2:10d, Psalm 45:7, Luke 7:46 etc.)
5. Calls into a position of authority I Sam 9:16, 15:1, I King 1:34-40)
6. Sanctifies and makes holy. Exo 29:36,30:22-33
7. Commissions into a service, makes one chosen Ps 89:51, 84:9 etc.
8. Endows with kingly attributes and empowers Ps 89:20-29.
9. Binds one into personal relationship with God and makes one an altar to whom the heavenly is opened and God’s power given Ps. 89:20-29, 20:1-6, Gen 28:10-11.
10. Opens a person to divine mercies (2 Sam 22:51, Ps 18:50, 105:14-151)
11. Defends and serves the anointed Psalm 28:8
12. Exalts a man, gladdens his heart Ps.92:10, 45:6-7 Deut. 33:24-25)
13. Supplies a man with light (power) to dispel the works of darkness. Exo 27:20, Acts 10:38
14. Enables a man to break yokes. Isaiah 10:27, Act 10:38
15. Qualifies a man for priesthood. Exo 40:12-16, Lev 16:32-33
16. Ordains a person into office Lev. 16:32, Judge 9:8
17. Is precious, sacred and infectious (Ps 133:2, I Sam 10:9-11, 19:20-24).

5.0 CYRUS THE ANOINTED

One man who typifies and encapsulates the calling, privileges and purposes of the anointing was the pagan king Cyrus (Isaiah 45). In Cyrus (meaning the sun), the Lord demonstrated His Sovereignty, His divine choice, His style of using the most unqualified to do great things, His anointing of mere men to perform are things. In Isaiah 45:11 (which the Living Bible and Good News renders more correctly than the King James Version), the Lord expresses His Sovereignty of choice and call “...what right do you have to question what I do ? Who are you to command me concerning the works of my hand? (Living Bible). He states in verse 13 “I myself raise Cyrus up to fulfill my righteous purpose, I will direct his paths. He will restore my city and free my captive people - and not for a reward! How many “anointed men of God” today realize and walk in the principle that the anointing is not for a reward...?

There are three aspects to the call and ministry of Cyrus which is applicable to every anointed servant of God.

1. His Calling (verses 1,3-5,13) Cyrus was (i) chosen, (ii) appointed, (iii) anointed, (iv) sent/commissioned, (v) empowered/girded with strength (vi) called/named, (vii) praised and stirred into action to fulfill God’s purpose
2. His commission (ministry and purpose of the anointing verses 1, 4, 6, 13,-16)
3. His ministry functions were to:
   1. Conquer (subdue) many lands. vrs. 1b
   2. Strips kings and principalities of their power vrs. 1c
   3. Possess the gates of many cities of the enemy vrs. 1d
   4. Help the church possess its possession. Vrs. 4
   5. Rebuild Jerusalem and restore the proper worship of God vrs. 13c
   6. Sets God’s people free from every captivity of Satan verse 13d
   7. Give the wealth of the nations to God’s people verse 14a
   8. Cause tribes, nations and peoples to acknowledge the Lordship of Christ vrs. 14b
   9. Destroy altars, Idols and Idolatry vrs. 16
   10. That all the world from East to West acknowledge the Lordship of Christ v 22-23

God's part in making the anointed Cyrus fulfill His purpose include:-

1. Opening gates of the enemies for him (See Ps 24)
2. Go before him to prepare the way Deut.7:1-2
3. Level strongholds, mountains, hills, bronze gates and iron bars (Gen 22:17, Ps 107:16, 17 Judges 5:5)
4. Give him treasures and hidden riches of secret places (Ps 68:18-19)
5. Honor him vrs. 4, Ps. 23:5, 92:10
6. Strengthens and gives victory vrs. 5, Ps 18:32-42
7. Commands the heavens to fight on his behalf, and the earth to open up and bring forth his salvation & righteousness vrs. 8:12, Judges 5:20-21, Ps 85:9-13.
8. Cause tribes, peoples and nations to be subject to him and bring their riches to fulfill Gods purposes verse 14. Ps 68:31, 72:10-11, 149:7-9 etc.
9. Bring woe on his adversaries and all that resist him verses 9-10.
10. Direct his path and make his ways straight verse 13.

Every anointed child of God is privileged to have these 3 fold aspects open to him - the calling, the ministry and the divine supplies/unction of the anointed. David was another man like Cyrus who was privileged to be anointed for divine purposes. A study of Psalms 18 and 68 reveals the threefold aspects of the anointing which refers.

7.0 THE PRIESTHOOD AND PROPHETIC

The other leg of the two olive trees (in addition to the kingly anointing) is the priestly - prophetic anointing. Infact, while the two olive trees of Zechariah 4 refers to the kingly and priestly anointing of Zerubabbel and Joshua respectively, the two witnesses/olive trees/lamps of Revelations Chapter 11 is generally acknowledged to refer to the prophetic anointing of Moses and Elijah (or Enoch and Elijah). The first mention of the priesthood was in Genesis 14:18 where Melchizedek was introduced as both a king and a priest. But when Moses declined to combine the functions in Exodus Chapter 4, the roles were separated with Moses becoming Leader-King-Prophet and an Aaronic priesthood created from Aaron and his descendants (Exo 4:14-16, 46:12-15). Today we are called to be a kingdom of priests to the Lord (I Peter 2:9, Rev 1:6). It appears the prophetic gained ascendancy with the failure of faithful priesthood, starting from the failure of Eli and his sons ( 1 Sam 2:27-36) and the ascendancy of Samuel as priest - prophet (I Sam 3:1, 19-21); to the season of reprobate kings (see I Kings 12:31-13:3, 2 Chro. 15:3). As the Lord grants grace and insight, this theme will be pursed in future editions of the Lampstand Letters. Amen.

8.0 CONCLUSION

What are the purposes of the fresh oil, the anointing? Contrary to the connation of the widespread abuse of the words “anointing” and “anointed”, the anointing is not for show, extravagance or public acclaim/display. It is for service - to serve God, to enable sanctified men be witnesses of the power of God on earth, to assist God to administer the whole earth, that His will be done on earth as is in heaven. As Isaiah 45:22-23 states “Look unto me and be saved, all you ends of the earth... That to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. Amen.

9.0 LET US PRAY

1. Meditate on Psalm 18 and ask God to make you an anointed son of fresh oil like David.
2. Ask God to make you a faithful priest unto Himself according to I Sam 2:35.
3. Pray that the kingly (Apostolic) and Priestly (Prophetic) anointing in the church today will work together in harmony and peace according to Zech. 6:13.

10.0 BENEDICTION

May the anointing defend your call. May it open you to all of God’s provisions. May it enable you fulfill your ministry. May it protect your portion and make rule in the midst of your enemies. Amen.

REFERENCES for further reading

1. Don Fleming Bridge Bible Commentary. Bridgeway Publications. Brisbane, Australia. 1994
2. Willmington’s guide to the Bible. Tyndale house Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois. 1984.
3. Eerderman’s Concise Bible Handbook Worldwide. A ministry of Billy Graham Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403.
4. The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV)
5. The Holy Bible. New King James Version (NKJV)
6. The Holy Bible. Today’s English Version. (TEV)
7. The Living Bible