David speaks of “the rod of thy strength”. It is by this that Christ rules. The “rod” in Scriptures is the mark of a ruler’s authority. When Moses stretched out his rod, the plagues of God came upon Egypt and later the waters of the Red Sea parted before Israel (Exodus Chapters 7 14). As high priest and head over the tribe of Levi, Aaron had a rod upon which his name was inscribed (numbers 17:3). The same applies to Christ. His authority is made effective by the use of His name.
In the scene painted by David, the rod is not stretched forth by Christ’s own hand, but is sent forth “out of Zion”. All through Scripture Zion denotes the place of Assembly of God’s people. Speaking to Christians, the writer of Hebrews says: “But ye are come unto mount Zion…to the general assembly and church of the firstborn which are [enrolled] in heaven…”a (Hebrews 12:22 23). By right of our heavenly citizenship we take our place in this assembly that is gathered in Zion. Here we play our part in the double ministry of Christ. As kings, we rule with Him. As priest, we share His ministry of prayer and intercession. We must never seek to separate these two functions from each other. It we would rule as kings, we must serve as priest. The practice of our priestly ministry is the key to the exercise of our kingly authority. It is through prayer and intercession that we administer the authority that is ours in the name of Jesus. How wonderfully David’s picture illustrates the church’s ministry of prayer! In the world the forces of evil are rampant on every hand, rejecting the authority of Christ and opposing the work of His kingdom. But “in the midst’ the Christians assemble in divine order as kings and priest. Out of their assembly the rod of Christ’s authority, exercised in His name, is “sent forth” through their prayers. In every direction that the rod is extended, the forces of evil are compelled to yield, and Christ in turn is exalted and His kingdom advanced. All Christians look forward to the day when Christ’s enemies shall have been finally and completely subdued, and He shall be openly manifested and universally acknowledged as King. The Bible promises that; that day will come. But we must not let the promised glory of the future blind us to the reality of Christ’s present position at God’s right hand. Christ rules even now “in the midst of His enemies”, and we rule with Him. It is our responsibility to exercise the authority that is ours through His name and in face of all the forces of evil to demonstrate that Christ is already “Kings of kings and Lord of lords”.
We rule by the preaching of the Word: Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek’. 1 Corinthians, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe”. The Word of God preached to the hearing of people save lives that believe and brings eternal condemnation to the unbelieve (Mk.16:15-16, Jn.3:36). Through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, destinies of individuals as well as nations are determined. So in summary, Christian believers, pastors and prophets should stop politicking running around politicians. A lot of Ministers has lost their authority to enforce this authority and mandate to rule by prayer and preaching through making themselves errand prayer and prophecy contractors to politicians that the politicians no longer respect the office of the priest. Enforcing our authority through instrumentality of prayer and preaching we give direction to politicians as priest in their domain of authority not in government houses where you are invited to officiate or pray and see vision for them when they are in trouble. (Resource: Shaping history through prayer and fasting by Derek Prince)
Seven Ways to Stop the Adultery Epidemic
Why is there an epidemic of moral failure in the church? Because holiness has become a foreign concept. It happened again. For the third time in six months, the pastor of a large church in Orlando, Fla., has resigned from his pulpit because of adultery. I’m sad. I’m sick. I’m sorry for the pastors, and sorrier for the congregations that are having to deal with the fallout caused by bad choices.
I’m also cringing because an increasingly hostile public sees these train wrecks as evidence that Christians are hypocrites who preach one thing and live another. We stand for biblical marriage between one man and one woman, but in many cases those marriages are failing. No wonder the gay community hates our flimsy platitudes. Why are we witnessing this epidemic of moral failure? Many factors could be cited (easy access to pornography, sex-saturated entertainment, the devil and his demons, etc.)but I don’t think we need a list of excuses today. I’m tired of excuses. The devil does not make us do this. It is totally possible for Christian men and women to live in holiness today. The power of His grace is not affected by social trends or hell’s attacks.
Maybe we’ve made this too complicated. Let’s go back to some basic ways we can stay pure:
1. Practice regular “fire drills.” Paul told Timothy to “flee” from youthful lusts (2 Tim. 2:22). But you can’t flee a burning building if you don’t know where the exits are. If you don’t map out your plan of escape, you won’t run when you are confronted with a lustful glance, an X-rated website or a brazen proposition. When faced with temptation, don’t play with it, talk to it, stroke it, analyze it or revisit it in an hour. Just bolt for the door!
2. Don’t live in isolation. Many people are vulnerable to moral compromise because they spend so much time alone. God designed us to live in community. If King David had not left his brothers on the battlefield and returned home, he would not have seen Bathsheba skinny-dipping on the roof. You are less likely to succumb to temptation if you are surrounded by family or Christian friends.
3. Stay faithful in spiritual disciplines. Nothing makes the heart colder than a lack of quiet time with God. Charles Spurgeon said, “Prayer will make you leave off sinning, or sinning will make you leave off praying.” If you have spent time with Jesus in the morning, you are not going to invite Delilah to cut your hair off that evening. If you are too busy with your work to pray and read the Bible, you are already headed for a spiritual train wreck.
4. Be ruthless with temptation. Today’s wimpish Christian culture encourages us to be soft toward sin. Yet the apostle Paul used athletic imagery when he taught about the strenuous effort of resisting sin. He wrote, “I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified” (1 Cor. 9:27, NASB). If you can’t resist looking at a pornographic website, you are a spiritual baby. If you can’t run when Potiphar’s wife turns on her charm, you need to get your jellyfish spine in shape. Grow up and quit making excuses for your weak morals.
5. Confess your sins regularly. Last weekend during a men’s conference in Philadelphia, one brave brother shared openly how he had been molested as a childand how the trauma of abuse led him into a pattern of fornication. After he shared his weakness, dozens of men felt the freedom to come to the altar and confess their sexual sins. Transparency is the path to sexual purity. You cannot expect to be pure if your inner life is a cesspool of ugly secrets. Tell somebody. Get the monkey off your back.
6. Keep the home fires burning. I’ve met many Christian men who struggle with all kinds of sexual temptation. But after talking with them, I learn that they have no regular intimacy with their wives. The apostle Paul taught that husbands and wives have an equal responsibility to fulfill each other sexually (1 Cor. 7:3). If the fires have gone out in your marriage, find a counselor or enroll in a marriage course in your church. God can rekindle romance and repair your communication breakdown before your chilly marriage freezes beyond repair.
7. Get regular spiritual checkups. Adults are supposed to see a doctor annually to prevent heart ailments, cancer and other problems. Yet many of us never open our lives to input from pastors or mentors. (And many pastors have no one to examine them!) Learn to ask for prayer and counsel. Share your struggles and weaknesses. If you detect a weak spot in your armor, don’t wait until the devil blows you out of the water to ask someone for help. (Adapted from the writings of J. Lee Grady, the former editor of Charisma and the director of the Mordecai Project).
How Do We Wage War And Pray With The Stars?
This series is an excerpt of the teachings of Dr. Steve Ogan in his books: “Mobilizing the stars to fight your battles and the battle of nations” and “Triumphing at the Gate of the Stars in their seasons”. This teachings he delivered at the just concluded Men/Women on Assignment Empowerment Conference held from 22-24 April 2013 organized by the Apostolic Prophetic Renaissance & Dimensions Fellowship hosted by Apostle Ezekiel Emmanuel Duke, the Commandant, Holy Ghost Cantonment Exceeding Glory Temple, 195 NTA Road, Mgbuoba, Port Harcourt, Nigeria attended by Ministers of the Gospel, Pastors, Bishops and Christian leaders from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Imo and Enugu States among others. Speaking on “What are the military credentials and warfare capabilities of stars” Dr. Steve Ogan said, on THE PROPHETIC PATTERNS FOR PRAYING AT MIDNIGHT IN THE FIFTH MONTH SEASON OF LEO (3) “…The children of Issachar…were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do…and all their brethren were at their commandment” 1 Chronicles 12:32. Praying in the fifth month season of grace, when the stars in the constellation of Leo are preaching the message of the consummated triumph of the Messiah the Lion of the Tribe of Judah over the devil and all of his agents, demands that you:
1. COMPELL THE HEAVENS TO DECLARE THE GLORY OF DENEBOLA “THE JUDGE THAT COMETH” AND DENEB ALECED “THE JUDGE THAT SHALL REIGN”: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handwork. Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun” Psalm 19:1-4. 2. INVOKE THE MINISTRY OF REGULUS TO TREAD GOD’S ENEMIES UNDER FOOT: “Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord” Psalm 149:5-9. 3. ENFORCE THE PRONOUNCEMENT THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHALL BE UPON THE MESSIAH’S SHOULDER IN ALL NATIONS: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” Isaiah 9:6-7. 4. PROCLAIM THE CAPACITY OF THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH TO PREVAIL AGAINST ALL ODDS: “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders says unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof” Revelation 5:2-5. 5. ENFORCE THE END-TIME DOMINION MANDATE OF THE SAINTS BASED ON PROPHECY: “But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him” Daniel 7:26-27.
On THE FINANCIAL TIMES OF GOD’S WORD IN THE SEASON OF IYAR (1) KEY PRAYER FOCUS: 1. DECLARE THAT THE MANNA OF GOD’S WISDOM WILL BE RELEASED TO YOU JUST AS MANNA IN THE FORM OF PHYSICAL FOOD WAS GIVEN TO ISRAEL. “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee” (Proverbs 4:7-9). 2. PRAY FOR THE GRACE OF SPRING TIME IN YOUR BUSINESS IN THE SEASON OF IYAR. “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water… That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it” (Isaiah 41:17-18, 20). “Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart” (Job 22:21-22).
Dr. Lewis Akpogena
08055059656
E-mail: akpogena@yahoo.com
