Beyond Fear

Apostle Grace Lubega

2 Timothy 1:7(KJV); For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

One of the hows of prayer is to never pray in fear.

Sometimes the temptation to do so is strong, especially when you find yourself trapped in a situation with no immediate way out. Fear may provoke you to speak in tongues and to call on God.

When you pray with fear, you frustrate your liberties.

When your liberties are frustrated, the wisdoms of eternity cannot make sense to assemble enough faith on the earth for you to produce results.

For example, rest is a wisdom of eternity. It is a strategy in the art of divine warfare. When you allow fear to settle in your spirit, this wisdom cannot work in you. The inevitable result is that you cannot ‘part the sea to create dry ground’ even with the Egyptian army right behind you.

If you ever find yourself in fear, worship until the fear leaves. Deal with the fear and then pray.

God’s name be praised!

FURTHER STUDY: Proverbs 29:25, 1 John 4:18

GOLDEN NUGGET:

When you pray with fear, you frustrate your liberties. When your liberties are frustrated, the wisdoms of eternity cannot make sense to assemble enough faith on the earth for you to produce results.

PRAYER: Father, thank you because I have not been given a Spirit of fear but of love, boldness and of a sound mind. You are with me everywhere that I am, my ever present help in time of need. In all circumstances, I choose faith over fear. I am too persuaded of your love to be afraid of anything. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Basis Of Prayer

Apostle Grace Lubega

1 John 5:14-15(KJV); And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

There are many kinds of prayer. That is what the Bible means when it speaks of praying with ALL prayer and supplications (Ephesians 6:18). However, regardless of the kind of prayer you are making, it is very critical to know the basis of prayer.

The basis of any prayer is the freedom of access and the liberties of answered prayer. Anytime, anywhere, you can approach the throne of grace and receive whatsoever you ask for. That is the complete and absolute confidence we have in prayer.

Some Christians make their petitions to God and stand back to observe if at all they will be heard. That is their attitude in prayer. There is never any certainty as to whether God is even listening to them.

Every time you pray, you must know with absolute certainty  that you have been heard and that what you desire has been given.

Take the example of Christ when He declared that Lazarus’ sickness was not unto death. He knew that God always hears Him. Even if Lazarus died, that did not move him because He had prayed. He knew the liberties of answered prayer.

These liberties are what will cause you to disregard any symptoms of continued illness after you have prayed for healing. These liberties are what will make you ignore the absence of money in your pocket or your account after praying for a financial breakthrough.

These liberties cause you to walk out of your prayer closet like a man with the answer you seek because you know that when you prayed, you did not stand before a man but before God, the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Praise God!

FURTHER STUDY: John 14:13-14, Hebrews 11:6

GOLDEN NUGGET:

The basis of any prayer is the freedom of access and the liberties of answered prayer.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank you for this truth. Whatsoever I ask in your name, I know that I receive. I am bold in prayer, knowing that no good thing can you withhold from me. It doesn’t matter what the physical circumstances say, I hold onto the confidence that you are a God who answers prayer. You hear me, you care, you intervene, you break through barriers, you cause axes to float, you deliver and you save! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Perfect Praise And Worship

Apostle Grace Lubega

Revelation 5:12 (KJV); Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

There is a difference between a Christian who praises and worships God from the heavens and one who does so from the earth.

When a man’s conversation is in the heavens (Philippians 3:20), his praise and worship is perfect before God.

Our theme scripture demonstrates this perfect praise. When the elders, the beasts and the angels around the throne worshipped in heaven, they sung, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive POWER and RICHES, and WISDOM, and STRENGTH, and HONOUR, and GLORY, and BLESSING.’ They sung of seven things. 

The number seven in biblical numerology represents perfection.

This is in contrast to praise on the earth. In Revelation 5:13, the Bible speaks of the praise of the creatures on the earth, under the earth and in the sea and says, ‘And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, BLESSING, and HONOUR, and GLORY, and POWER, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.’

Those on the earth could speak of those four things. For example, they could not speak of wisdom because wisdom [creative wisdom], that with which the earth was framed is from above (James 3:17). 

Perfect praise and worship can only happen when your spirit is conscious and alive to the heavens.  

FURTHER STUDY: Philippians 3:20, John 4:24

GOLDEN NUGGET:

When a man’s conversation is in the heavens, his praise and worship is perfect before God.

PRAYER: Father, you are worthy of all praise and adoration. I worship in spirit and in truth because I understand that my conversation is in heaven. In worship, I carry heavenly vision. I behold the greatness of your power, the beauty of your holiness and the heights of your magnificence. I join with the elders and the angels in awe and adoration, to declare your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The God Before Us

Apostle Grace Lubega

Isaiah 45:2(KJV); I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron

In all that we do, our God goes before us.

Look at the experience of Abraham in Genesis 24 when he needed to choose a wife for his son Isaac. 

He told his servant, ‘The Lord God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.’ (Genesis 24:7).

God sent an angel before the servant, tasked with doing everything possible to ensure that the right wife was chosen for Isaac.

In Exodus 23:20-21, the Lord tells the children of Israel, ‘Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.’

God deliberately goes ahead of us in all things to make the atmosphere right for the things we desire to accomplish, to ensure that the people we need are available, and to set the stage for all our plans to work perfectly.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Romans 8:14). Before you get to your work place, He was there before you. Before you enter into that examination room, He is there before you. Before you get into that interview room, He is there, setting the pace for your excellence.

You are not alone, child of God! Live life in the blessed assurance that before you get into any place, God was there and made every condition favourable for your success.

Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: Romans 8:14, Exodus 23:20-21

GOLDEN NUGGET:

God deliberately goes ahead of us in all things to make the atmosphere right for the things we desire to accomplish, to ensure that the people we need are available, and to set the stage for all our plans to work perfectly.

PRAYER: Loving Father, I thank you for this knowledge. What a comfort! Nothing can intimidate me because I know that you go before me in all things. How can I fail, when the Lord of heaven and earth has gone ahead of me? I approach life with boldness because I know that my God is for me and is with me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Privileges Of A Believer: The Earnest Of The Spirit

Apostle Grace Lubega

 2 Corinthians 1:20‭-‬22 (KJV); For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.  Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

The Greek word for ‘earnest’ in our theme scripture is ‘arrhabōn’ which is translated to mean a security deposit used as a guarantee for  the fulfilment of a promise. 

It is the concept used in trade when a buyer deposits a particular amount of money to convince a seller that he is serious about a purchase. 

The Spirit of God was given to us as a guarantee that every promise made to us by God shall be fulfilled. 

That is how far God has gone to eliminate any doubt from our hearts. It is the extent of his persuasion to allow us operate in the liberties of faith. 

The Spirit of God is ever present. There is no second, minute or hour of the day that He is absent from you.

This means that in every second, minute or hour of the day, you are assured that what God said He will do, what He promised, He will perform!

This has nothing to do with whether the pain has left your body to confirm that you are healed. He says, think only of the fact that His Spirit is in you, that is enough confirmation that healing is yours. 

It has nothing to do with whether your business deal came through, whether you got that job to confirm that He has made you rich. Think only of the fact that His Spirit is in you. 

That is all the confirmation you need.

Praise the LORD!

FURTHER STUDY: Ephesians 1:13-14, 2 Corinthians 5:5

GOLDEN NUGGET:

The Spirit of God is ever present. There is no second, minute or hour of the day that He is absent from you. This means that in every second, minute or hour of the day, you are assured that what God said He will do, what He promised, He will perform! 

PRAYER: My Lord, I rejoice at your Word! I thank you for the love gift of the Holy Spirit; the fulfillment of your promises in my life which are yes and amen. My life is an overload of blessings and I am a blessing to others. I am persuaded of greater things to come and my end is full of glory. In Jesus name, amen.

The Confidence Of The Mature

Apostle Grace Lubega

2 Timothy 2:15(KJV); Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The essence of maturity is that conviction that you shall not be put to shame touching your labours in the gospel.

Every man who is approved of God can never be ashamed because the Spirit of God validates his actions and decisions.

If a mature Christian prays for the presence of God in a meeting, God will turn up even before the meeting starts because He wants to vindicate His child.

Maturity is what brings answers even before a man prays because God is eager to perform on his behalf.

The work of a mature man cannot mock him because before God approves of him, he teaches him to count the cost of every work.

When such a one declares that the Spirit of God is going to move mightily in a place, it moves.

When he says the sick shall be healed, all manners of sickness obeys.

When he says he is going upward, his progress is evident to all because God cannot allow him to suffer the shame of decline or regression.

That is your portion and story, child of God.

FURTHER STUDY: 1 Timothy 4:15, Ephesians 3:20

GOLDEN NUGGET:

The essence of maturity is that conviction that you shall not be put to shame touching your labours in the gospel.

PRAYER: My Lord, I thank you for this Word. I know that you are working in me every day, building my spirit and strengthening me in the inner man. You are shaping and moulding me for greatness. I eagerly receive every instruction that grows me. I live in the confidence that when I speak, I establish and when I purpose, I fulfil because you can never allow me to be ashamed. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

The Revelation Of Christ

Apostle Grace Lubega

Ephesians 1:17(KJV); That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

The gospel is a revelation.

If you do not receive it as a revelation, you will do so with human understanding.
Receiving the gospel with human understanding means that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will always be viewed as merely a good man who walked the surface of the earth. You will never understand the Spirit of Christ.

This is the reason why some regard the life of Jesus as a good story and the Lord as an outstanding moral and charismatic character whose virtues are to be emulated.

He loved children, so we should love children. He despised greed so we should also despise greed. There is more to Him than that!

It is a good thing to understand the ministry of the Christ in the flesh but there is a reason why He told His disciples that it was expedient for Him to return to the father.

In 2 Corinthians 5:16, the Bible says, ‘Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.’

Christ in the flesh is no more. Now, we regard the Spirit of Christ and His Spirit can only be known through revelation because revelation is the eyes of the Spirit.

In revelation, we understand the riches of His glory. In revelation, we understand His mighty power that works in us to do things beyond human comprehension.

In revelation, we understand our ministry through Him in the heavenly places.

Glory to God!

FURTHER STUDY: 2 Corinthians 5:16, Ephesians 1:18

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Christ in the flesh is no more. Now, we regard the Spirit of Christ and His Spirit can only be known through revelation because revelation is the eyes of the Spirit.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank you for this Word. I receive it in wisdom and understanding.  I understand that I am a continuation of the life of Christ in the flesh. My eyes are opened to the realities of the Christ in the Spirit. These realities launch me into a victorious life, to do that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard and has not entered into the hearts of men. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
 

The Privileges Of A Believer: Sealed

Apostle Grace Lubega

2 Corinthians 1:‬21-22 (KJV); Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.‬‬‬‬

A seal is usually used as a mark of confirmation and authenticity. As a believer, God has confirmed you as His own with the seal of His Spirit.

By this, He placed a high value upon you as His beloved possession. It is a testimony to the fact that you are a true and genuine original and not a cheap copy of a great original. You are the real deal, fearfully and wonderfully made.

The seal of His spirit upon you is the guarantee that you cannot be lost. That is why our LORD Jesus boldly said, ‘My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand’ (John 10:29). 

His seal is a mark of distinction that sets you apart from the common crowd. By that seal, you have a new name which no man knows except he that receives it, (Revelation  2:17).

Never think any less of yourself. You carry the seal of God.

Live your life in the boldness of one who is different, unique, peculiar and firmly held in the bold grip of the Father.

Glory to God! 

FURTHER STUDY: Ephesians 1:13 (NIV),  John 6:27

GOLDEN NUGGET:
By His seal, God placed a high value upon you as His beloved possession. It is a testimony to the fact that you are a true and genuine original and not a cheap copy of a great original. You are the real deal, fearfully and wonderfully made.

PRAYER: Loving Father, I thank you for your seal of ownership on me. My life is not my own. Because of your unconditional love and generous grace towards me, my life is marked for greatness. I stand out in my family, among my peers, and in my generation. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.

The Privileges Of A Believer : The Anointing

Apostle Grace Lubega

2 Corinthians 1:‬21-22 (KJV); Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.‬‬‬‬

The anointing is a privilege of every believer.

The Greek Word for anointed in our theme scripture is ‘chrio’ which is translated to mean “consecration”; as was done to Jesus for the Messianic office, furnishing him with the necessary powers for its administration.’

What you ought to understand as a child of God is that whatsoever was bestowed on Christ was also bestowed upon you by virtue of the anointing.

Christ was the anointed one of God, you too are the anointed one of God. In Psalms 105:15, God calls you His anointed.

Christ was anointed as king and high priest, the believer was also anointed as a priest and king unto God (Revelation 1:6).

Christ was so heavily anointed by God that He went about doing good everywhere He went. Likewise, God anointed the believer to walk in good works (Ephesians 2:10).

What Christ accomplished under the anointing, you too can do and so much more.

What a truth!

This is what makes you bold in the face of adversity, you are anointed!

This is what makes you different from any man in this world, you are anointed!

Live life in the confidence that the oil of heaven flows from the crown of your head to the soles of your feet, causing your countenance to shine, drawing gentiles to your light and evil to tremble in your presence .

FURTHER STUDY: 1 John 2:27 (AMP), 1 Peter 2:9

GOLDEN NUGGET:
Whatsoever was bestowed on Christ was also bestowed upon you by virtue of the anointing. What Christ accomplished under the anointing, you too can do and so much more.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you. I affirm that I am the anointed of God. He has given me the extraordinary influences of His Spirit. I have an unction from the Holy one; I know and preach the truth to those in my world, this anointing that I received preserves me.I fulfil my God-given assignment and purpose. To the glory of your name, Amen.

To Remember Your Place

Apostle Grace Lubega

Ephesians 2:6(KJV); And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Often times, when men speak of falling, it is in the context of sin or departing from the faith.
There is more to it than that, child of God.

God has clearly demarcated the place and position of the believer in the realm of the spirit.

To fall is when one forgets that he is seated in Christ, far above all principalities and powers and moans about being ‘under’ demonic attack.

To fall is when one confesses being sick when the Bible says that in Zion, none shall say I am sick. (Isaiah 33:24).

To fall is when one gets embroiled in a battle for a piece of land and forgets the God who said, ‘Ask me of nations.’ (Psalms 2:8).

To fall is when one struggles endlessly with finances and forgets the God who calls us to buy without money (Isaiah 55:1).

A righteous man falls seven times and seven times he rises up again (Proverbs 24:16). He rises on the wings of the Word.

Every time you respond to circumstances with the Word of God, it is a remembrance of your place in God. The Word of God keeps us in the boundaries of our habitation.

Glory to God!

FURTHER STUDY: Acts 17:26, Proverbs 24:16

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Every time you respond to circumstances with the Word of God, it is a remembrance of your place in God. The Word of God keeps us in the boundaries of our habitation.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you because I know who I am, what I have and who is in me. I live life in the confidence that I am seated in Christ far above all principalities and powers. I am constantly conscious of where I am in you. This is my seat of victory. It is from this place that I view all things in life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

For Your Profit

Apostle Grace Lubega

1 Corinthians 12:7(KJV); But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

The anointing upon your life firstly must benefit you before it benefits anyone else. You are the primary beneficiary of every grace, gift and anointing that God has bestowed upon you.

While I was growing up, it was often said that the anointing that you receive is for the world and not necessarily for you. Thus, it was okay for one to heal the sick but struggle with disease. It was justifiable for one to cast out demons yet be tormented by them.

That is not godly and neither is it the teaching of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. The primary reason for this is because the graces upon our lives are not only so they can be demonstrated but they are also for inspiration.

If what you share with the world cannot work for you, how can you inspire?

In Job 32:8, the Bible says, ‘But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.’

Inspiration is in the very nature of God because it provokes desire in the spirits of men for divine things. It is inspiration that gives understanding.

Reject any testimony of a grace that works through you and not for you. Claim its benefits for you too.

God’s name be praised!

FURTHER STUDY: Job 32:8, Philippians 2:13

GOLDEN NUGGET:

Inspiration is in the very nature of God because it provokes desire in the spirits of men for divine things. It is inspiration that gives understanding.

PRAYER: My God, I thank you for what you have placed in me and for the graces operating in my life. They bear fruit in me which is evident to all. I demonstrate through my life the very message that I teach. My life is a pattern and inspires many for your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Who Is Your Teacher – 2?

Apostle Grace Lubega

Ephesians 2:6(KJV); And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

God expects you to know more about heavenly things than earthly things.

It is often said that the things of the world teach us the heavenly things. However, this statement disregards the fact that you are seated with Christ in heavenly places.

How then do the things of the earth teach a man whose dwelling is in heaven?

The Bible says in Matthew 16:19 AMP, ‘…and whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth will have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth will have [already] been loosed in heaven.’

What is bound on earth is ALREADY bound in heaven. What is loosed on earth is ALREADY loosed in heaven.

A man who dwells in heaven and is taught by the things of the earth only compares what is already established in heaven to what he finds on the earth and if what is on the earth does not resonate with what he found in the heavens, he understands that what is on the earth has a problem. That is how he is taught.

That is what gives him the wisdom to get into the spiritual realm to fix what is on the earth but does not align with what he saw in the spirit.

This was the gist of Christ’s words in prayer, ‘your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’ (Matthew 6:10).
God’s will is already settled in heaven. We observe what is in heaven and do the same on the earth.

The greater your acquaintance with heavenly things, the greater the grace to fix things on the earth because what is in heaven defines the order of what ought to be on the earth.

FURTHER STUDY: Matthew 6:10, Matthew 16:19

GOLDEN NUGGET:

The greater your acquaintance with heavenly things, the greater the grace to fix things on the earth because what is in heaven defines the order of what ought to be on the earth.

PRAYER: Loving Father, thank you for this knowledge. What a blessed assurance that my dwelling is in heaven. It is my world and I am intimately acquainted with its streets and bulwarks. It is from there that I draw my lessons and paint my reality on the earth. It is from those streets that I draw wisdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.