RHAPSODY OF REALITIES WEDNESDAY, 8TH APRIL. ...IN CONTROL AND IN CHARGE!

For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17).

The portion of our opening verse refers to God's people that are operating from the mountaintop, from the realm of limitless possibilities and perpetual victories, because they've taken advantage of God's grace. The Apostle Paul said such folks "king" (reign) in life; they're in control and in charge!

They exercise dominion over circumstances, and are able to tame the forces of nature! They live a different kind of life - the transcendent life.

This was what Paul meant when he told Timothy, "...be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 2:1). That means, "Take advantage of the grace". Receive grace and reign! Take as much of it as you require for a life of reigning; rule and be in charge by grace. You're not going to reign in heaven, because there's nothing to reign over in heaven. You're to reign as a king in this world; you're to function with authority in the earth.

God has made you superior to Satan, his demons, sickness, disease and infirmity. You're seated together with Christ, far above all principalities, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come (Ephesians 1:21).

Therefore, rule over circumstances; exercise dominion over fear, hell, lack, poverty, and death!
Manifest the glory of God everywhere; that's your calling; that's your life; that's your heritage! You're the seed of Abraham, which means despite global economic meltdowns, recessions, and inflation, the grace of God puts you ahead, in charge and in control.

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES WEDNESDAY, 4TH MARCH. HE'S YOUR REFUGE... DECLARE IT!

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust (Psalm 91:2).

Often times, we think about things that happen around us, like when something unpleasant happens to people we consider to be very “good” people, and we say, “If that happened to so-and-so, what about me? That fellow was better than I am!” Well, you have to understand that it’s got nothing to do with who’s better than whom. It’s got to do with our walk with God; our faith in His Word. It’s about our confession.

Our opening scripture conveys the anointed words of the psalmist, David. He said, “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” This was David’s confession. It’s got to become your confession as well. Declare that the Lord is your Refuge and your Fortress, your God, on whom you lean and rely, and in whom you confidently trust! Let this be your confession and contemplation; personalize it!

If your confession is wrong, then things will go wrong. Our confessions rule us; remember that. The Bible says, “Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth” (Proverbs 6:2). Notice it didn’t say you’re snared by your enemies, or by the wickedness outside. He said you’re snared by the words of your mouth.

Keep the word of faith in your mouth always. Hebrews 13:5-6 says, “...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say....” Keep declaring what the Word says about you. He’s your refuge, and your strength. Walk through life with confidence and refuse to fear! No matter what you face, or who chooses to plot against you, know that you’re divinely protected!
Greater is He that’s in you, than he that’s in the world (1 John 4:4).

CONFESSION
The Lord is the strength of my life! Even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I’ll fear no evil, for He’s with me; His rod and His staff comfort me. He takes hold of my right hand and says to me, “Do not fear; I will help you.” Therefore, I’m strong in Him, and in the power of His might!

FURTHER STUDY:
Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times; yepeople, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Psalm 94:22 But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Mark 10:32-52 Numbers 14-15
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Matthew 20:1-16 Exodus 13
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RHAPSODY OF REALITIES WEDNESDAY, 18TH FEBRUARY. PECULIAR, SUPERNATURAL, AND EXTRAORDINARY!

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17).

Being born again, you’re a new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17), having the life and nature of God in your spirit. See His description of you in 1 Peter 2:9: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” You’re peculiar, chosen, royal, supernatural,and one of a kind! See yourself in this light.

The Word of God is God’s mirror, which He gave to you, so you can look and see who you really are. For example, in His prayer to the Father, Jesus said “...the glory which thou gavest me I have given them...” (John 17:22); that’s God holding up His mirror for you to see that you’re a partaker of His glory. You’ve been glorified with Jesus.

Ponder again on His description of you in 1 Peter 2:9: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” You’re chosen, royal and peculiar; you’re unique and special. You’re the most celebrated of all God’s creation; you’re born of His Word, and full of the Holy Ghost. He chose you to be the one to show forth His praises and manifest His glory in the earth. What a calling!

When the Lord Jesus walked this earth, even though He laid aside His glory, He walked gloriously. He lived and manifested the supernatural. He walked on water, talked to the wind and the waves, unstopped deaf ears, opened blind eyes, healed lame legs, restored maimed limbs, and even raised the dead. He was extraordinary. He did all that He did to let us know that we have the same ability within us to function likewise.

The same Holy Spirit that was the power and essence of Jesus lives in you today. That means you can think, talk, walk, and act like Jesus. What a life!

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES WEDNESDAY, 11TH FEBRUARY. PLEASING THE FATHER.

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5). The Bible says, “ And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). That tells you the kind of man he was. He was a prophet of God; he was the prophet that saw the vision of the Lord’s coming with ten thousands of His saints: “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (Jude 1:14-15).

How could someone have such a vision? We read in our theme verse that before his translation into heaven, he had the testimony that he pleased God. In other words, Enoch knew that he pleased God with his life. That lets you know that when you’re pleasing God with your life, you can know it; it’s not a guess work. It takes faith to please Him: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

When someone says, “O, God, I don’t know whether you’re pleased with me or not; please have mercy on me and be pleased with me,” that person is walking in ignorance; that’s not the way. Are you walking in love, and living by faith? If you are, then rest assured that you’re pleasing the Father. Faith walks by love (Galatians 5:6). Moreover, Romans 14:23 tells us that whatsoever is not of faith is sin. In other words, God isn’t pleased with anything done outside of faith.
When you’re walking by faith, and manifesting the love of God, you’ll know it in your spirit that your life is pleasing to Him. The Holy Spirit will bear witness with your spirit that you’re pleasing the Father; you’ll know! Halleluiah. Learn to walk with God by walking in love and faith in His Word!

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES WEDNESDAY, 4TH FEBRUARY. SUPERNATURAL ENABLEMENT

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Before Jesus’ ascension, He said to His disciples, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Then, in our opening verse, He said to them, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you....” Why is this important? It’s because there’s no Christianity without the power of the Holy Spirit! What is power?

The word translated “power” in Acts 1:8 is the Greek, “dunamis,” which means inherent power; the dynamic ability to effect changes. It also means wonder-working ability or miracle-working ability. It refers to the ability to do the impossible. If you’re born again and have received the Holy Spirit, you’ve received the ability to do the impossible—a supernatural ability! It’s the creative ability of God, for the Bible says He created all things by the power of the Holy Spirit. Now, that same Holy Spirit lives in you. Therefore, you have the divine enablement to accomplish any task, and change hopeless situations.

With the Holy Spirit, you can never be defeated or disadvantaged. If you want the glory of God in your life, if you want to walk in dominion over devils, sickness, disease, infirmities and death, then the Holy Spirit is all you need. His presence in your life makes you indomitable! Like Paul, be bold to say, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).
Never say or think that you’re helpless or ordinary; not when the Holy Spirit lives in you! He’s the power of God, and the power-giver. Walk with Him, and it’ll be glory, victory, success, excellence and miracles for you all the way!

RHAPSODY OF REALITIES WEDNESDAY, 7TH JANUARY.

NEUTRALIZE THE ADVERSARY!


For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Sometimes in our walk of faith, we encounter circumstances that pose some serious challenges to our faith. It could be in the area of church growth. For instance, may be as a pastor, you’ve done everything you thought you should do and applied all the strategies you know of, yet your church is not growing. Now, you’re thinking what next to do.

At such a time, it’s important to look at things from the spiritual perspective and realize that there’s an adversary who is all out to oppose the Gospel and God’s children. Ephesians 6:10-11 says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” The wiles of the devil refer to the stratagems of the devil, the “lying in wait” of the devil. The Apostle Paul, here, wants you to know that there’s an enemy that’s lying in wait, strategizing against you, and against the Church.

But to counter this enemy, he tells you to put on the whole armour of God. Why? It’s because he knows that if you don’t put on the whole armour of God, you’ll be vulnerable. Verse 12 of the same chapter goes on to say, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Now, something about this wrestling is that it’s not just a fight as in physical combat; rather, it’s the adversary trying to sway you from the right path through deception. The only way you win in this kind of battle is to do what the Word says. Resist him.

James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Revelation 12:11 also shows us how to resist, neutralize, and put the adversary to flight. It says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” So, no matter what the enemy throws at you, neutralize him by standing strong on your faith in the blood of Jesus and by the word of your testimony. That blood reconciled us to God, gave us life, cleanses us from all sin, and it’s on the mercy seat before God in heaven. The word of your testimony, which refers to your testimony of God, is really your faith’s proclamation of the Word at work.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I give you thanks for the opportunity to blessed by your precious Word today. I’m not ignorant of Satan’s devices, and I refuse to fall prey to them. Through my faith in the precious blood of Jesus and by the word of my testimony, I put Satan and all his cohorts of hell where they belong—under my feet—in Jesus’ mighty Name. Amen.