WHO HAS BEWITCHED CHRISTIANS? | THURSDAY 01-06-2023

 WHO HAS BEWITCHED CHRISTIANS? | THURSDAY 01-06-2023

● The Kingdom of God is the Kingdom of responsibility.

● When Jesus said to Peter, "I will give you the keys of the Kingdom”, please understand that giving the key refers to responsibility.

● You don’t give the key to anyone unless you trust them. You don’t give the key to anyone unless you expect from them taking responsibility.

● Gal 3:1*  O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

● I am tempted to ask the same questions to Christians, "Oh Christians, who had bewitched you?"

Who has bewitched the Christians that they should not obey the truth?

You don't obey.  Meaning you don't take responsibility. 

● The Church of Christ has been kind of bewitched by teachings telling/saying you don’t need and have to do anything. God will do everything for you.

● Act 8:9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

● Act 8:11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

● I pray today that in the Word Of Life Church, such bewitchment is rendered powerless in the Name Of Jesus Christ !

Today I’d like to challenge the Church.

● Show me one single miracle God did/performed since man exists on the earth without the engagement of human’s responsibility.

Show me one.

● I have here with me a list of some miracles in the Old Testament. I have gone through them and I did not see one.

Study case 1 :THE RED SEA

● It is God who opened the Red Sea but only after Moses obeyed by lifting up the rod as instructed. Unless Moses lifts the rod, the Red Sea could not open.

● Exo 14:16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 

● Exo 14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 

YOU SEE? God instructed and Moses complied. The supernatural happened.

● Show me one single miracle God did/performed since man exists on the earth without the engagement of human’s responsibility.

● Application  | There is always a specific instruction you need to comply with in the natural to provoke the happening of the supernatural.

Show me one single miracle God did/performed since man exists on the earth without the engagement of human’s responsibility.

Study case 2 : THE ROD

● Remember. God asked Moses, “What do you have in your hand?” Moses said, “A rod”. 

● God told him in Exo 4:17 ”And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs."

● Exo 4:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand 

● YOU SEE? Before God starts using the rod in the hands of Moses, Moses had to take responsibility to be aware of what he had and change his attitude toward it by taking it and changing the way he was looking at it.

● So, it is you to take responsibility. It is you to take the rod in your hand (appropriate it). it is you to see it as a wonder (treasure it). As a matter of fact, as you use it as instructed, it would turn as a wonder.

Show me one single miracle God did/performed since man exists on the earth without the engagement of human’s responsibility.

● Application  | Until you change the way you look at what God has put in your hand, it will never benefit you in any way.

● Until you see what God has deposited in your hand as a wonder, it will never produce wonders in your life. 

● Unfortunately, many look at what they have as a trash, not as a treasure. No wonder they despise it and it never blessed them at all.

● Look around. How many people treasure what they have? How many people despise their job? How many people despise their ministry? How many people despise their gifts? 

●  Application  | Until you come in compliance with the demand of taking your rod and treasuring your rod, no matter how you cry, there will be nothing from God for you. 

Show me one single miracle God did/performed since man exists on the earth without the engagement of human’s responsibility.

Study case 3 : THE RIVER JORDAN

● For the River Jordan to open, God instructed the priests to go before the people, trample their feet on the water first, then the River Jordan would part

● Jos 3:13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. 

● Jos 3:15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) 

● Jos 3:16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. 

● Application | Do you know that in order for you to see God working in the businesses of your life his ordained priests have to step for you to experience breakthrough?

● I have seen it many times and many of you can testify that the moment the man of God stepped, breakthrough started happening. 

Show me one single miracle God did/performed since man exists on the earth without the engagement of human’s responsibility.

Study case 4 : THE WALLS OF JERICHO 

● For the walls of Jericho to fall down, there was another instruction. The people had to turn around Jericho silently for 7 days and turn around Jericho 7 times the 7th day.

● Jos 6:1  Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 

● Jos 6:15  And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. 

● Jos 6:16  And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city. 

● Jos 6:20  So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. 

● Application | Do you know that there are Jericho miracles you will experience in your life if you learn to take responsibility to shut your mouth up and work behind the scene silently without making noise or without advertising it?

● Do you know that there are Jericho miracles you will experience in your life if you take responsibility to continue to trust God until the end even when you don’t see anything happening?

● If you are not ready to take responsibility, but rather choose to give up because you see nothing, nothing indeed will happen.

● Do you know that there are Jericho miracles you will experience in your life only if you take responsibility to shout praise unto God with understanding and faith as instructed?

● If you are not ready to take responsibility, but choose to murmur, complain and grumble, don’t expect anything to happen.

● Do you know that there are Jericho miracles you will experience in your life only if you take responsibility to look ridiculous/stupid in the eyes of God for God to show forth his wisdom through it? 

● If you are not ready to take responsibility, nothing will happen.

Show me one single miracle God did/performed since man exists on the earth without the engagement of human’s responsibility.

Study case 5 : THE BROOK OF KERITH/THE WIDOW

● Elijah was instructed to go to Kerith and expect to be fed by ravens there.

● Application | Yes there is a place ordained by God to meet your needs. But until you take responsibility to be led by God and locate it, you will struggle forever since divine provision will never locate you everywhere.

● When the provision ended, Elijah received further instruction to go to a very unlike person to provide for him : a widow.

● Application : At the brook of Kerith, the ravens were coming to feed him there. But that season was over. 

● It is important for you to know that God is the God of times and seasons. 

● Therefore it is your responsibility to acquire the knowledge of times and seasons like the children of Issachar. (1 Chronicles 12:32)

● Because the Kerith season was over, He had to shift to another season not by himself of course but by divine direction.

● In the previous season, the ravens were coming to him. But in this season, it was Elijah to go to the widow to be fed. Food was not to come to him anymore like beforetime.

Show me one single miracle God did/performed since man exists on the earth without the engagement of human’s responsibility.

FRIEND. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW THE TIMES AND SEASON OF YOUR LIFE !!!!!!!!!!!!

● Israel failed to know the time of their visitation, it passed them by and Jesus lamented over them for not knowing. 

● Luk 19:41  And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, … Luk 19:44  And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. 

Study case 6 : THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH

● She experienced a supernatural 3 years endless provision in the midst of famine. But she had to take responsibility to trust God and give the man of God  first her last meal.

● YOU SEE? The supernatural provision was available. But she had to trust God by giving what was in her hand for God to give to her what was in his hand.

● Application | Until you take responsibility to trust God in the midst of your finances by giving back first to Him what is due to Him, the blessing of the Lord without sorrow will be a daydream.

Show me one single miracle God did/performed since man exists on the earth without the engagement of human’s responsibility.

Study case 7 : THE SHUNAMITE WOMAN

● She was receiving the man of God, providing for him and so on. But nothing was showing in her life.

● What did she do? She took responsibility to stretch her giving to the next level by doing so with revelation and understanding. 

● 2Ki 4:9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. 

● 2Ki 4:10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. 

● Then, heaven opened and she conceived.

● Application : Until you take responsibility to stretch by/with revelation what you are currently doing to the next level you cannot and should not expect a next level blessing/grace/power.

ONLY FOOLS DO THE SAME THING THE SAME WAY AND EXPECT DIFFERENT RESULTS

MAY GOD OPEN THE EYES OF YOUR SPIRIT TO SEE NEW WAY OF DOING THINGS FOR OUTSTANDING RESULTS.

● Until you take responsibility to change the way you see the man of God in the house, you might give and give and give but not get the dividend of your giving.

THE CONQUEST OF THE PROMISE LAND

● God gave Israel the promise land, but it was them to take responsibility to drive out the out the giants. 

● Anytime they failed to do so, God didn’t do it for them. 

● Deu 2:24  Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle. 

● Num 33:55  But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. 

LET US GO TO NE NEW TESTAMENT

Show me one single miracle God did/performed since man exists on the earth without the engagement of human’s responsibility.

Study case 8 : THE VIRGIN MARY

● She conceived supernaturally by the virtue of the Holy Spirit, but it was not possible until she surrendered to the will of God.

● She could have said, “What will people say about me if they see me pregnant without a man? Will I not be disgraced? What will Joseph say about me?…”

● She surrendered. She took responsibility. She took the risk of faith.She did not try to explain anything to Joseph. She was ready.

● Guess what? The Holy Spirit did not speak to Joseph until the pregnancy became visible. 

● Application | Until you take responsibility to surrender. Until you take responsibility to trust God even when your brain cannot understand. Until then, the supernatural will be far away from you.

Study case 9 : BARTIMAEUS  

● He took the responsibility of faith to shout alone in the crowd and shout louder to silence the opposition. Then, he got back his sight.

● Application | How loud are you willing to shout loud to God for your miracle to happen? 

● How persistent/violent in your faith are you willing to be for your miracle to happen?

Study case 10 : LAZARUS IN THE GRAVE

● The sisters had to take away the stone even if he was stinking for the miracle to take place.

● Application | Do you take responsibility to seek God and identify the stones hindering you access to your miracle? Unforgiveness? Unconfessed sin? Prayerlessness? Doubt?

Study case 11 : THE PENTECOST

● Before the pentecost happened, the disciples were given clear instructions.

● The Spirit was to come eventually but not without them taking responsibility to fill the cloud.

● Ecc 11:3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. 

● Act 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 

● Act 1:13  And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 

● Act 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. 

1-They waited at the place ordained by Jesus for them

2-They waited with the right company 

3-They prayed continually 

4-They prayed in one accord

5-They waited under the right governmental/apostolic order 

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY TOOK RESPONSIBILITY?

1-Their day came and found them at the right place

● Act 2:1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 

2-It was sudden

● Act 2:2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 

3-The sound, the wind, the fire, the tongues

a)The sound to advertise Christ

b)The wind to move to Christ

c)The fire to keep in Christ

d)The tongues to witness Christ

● TAKE RESPONSIBILITY … THE PROMISE IS FOR YOU … THE SAME SPIRIT THAT DESCENDED UPON THEM IS THE SAME … BUT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

● Act 2:39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

PRAYER GUIDELINES

● Lord, help me to take responsibility over my life, over my ministry, over my destiny, over my family, over my parenting.

● Lord, deliver me from bewitchment. Help me to surrender.

● Lord, help me to increase my giving, 

● Lord, help me to be persistent until the end, to take responsibility for my miracles and breakthrough,  to comply with the instructions from the scriptures so that the change of level will be evident. 

● Lord, help me never to blame anybody so that I will not remain a lame, to take responsibility for the outcome of my life. 

● Lord, help me to be a responsible believer. Holy spirit come and help me to make it possible. To do my part so that God will do his.

NOTHING WILL CHANGE UNTIL YOU CHANGE

NOTHING WILL MOVE UNTIL YOU MOVE

Pastor TD Kasuku