Winning With Your Lips - Pastor Ekpenyong

2 Corinthians 4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak.

Few realize that our words dominate us. 

Your mouth was not primarily given to you to eat; it was first given to you to speak.

Genesis 2:19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

Jesus said what defiles a man is what comes out of him – words. 

Your words will either be a snare or a spring. 

Learn to use words so they will work for you and be your servants.

Learn that your lips can make you a billionaire or a pauper, wanted or despised, victor or captive.

Our opening text was referenced from David. He knew how important it was to speak what one believes. David defeated Goliath through words. 

Battles are won by words.

Goliath cursed David in the name of his gods.

 1 Samuel 17:43 He said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

David also came against him in the name of the LORD of hosts.

1 Samuel 17:45 David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

Your words can become what you wish them to be. 

It is worse to say a thing than to think it.

Thoughts may come and persist, but if you refuse to put them into words they will die unborn.

Cultivate the habit of thinking BIG things and then learn to use words that will react upon your spirit and make you a conqueror.

Allowing His love rule your lips will enable you to continually enjoy what you are in Christ.

The use of your tongue is the distinguishing factor between two people of equal potential and exposure.

Use your tongue to alter the outcomes in your favor every time and in every situation. 

That the Father has willed it is not enough. You must say it to see the manifestation.

A sister had an accident and was incapacitated. In her frustration, she began wishing that she'll die. One day, as she was praying, the Holy Spirit said to her that it would take a long time to effect her desire because she had so programmed life and spoken life that it will take a long time to undo it.

It took Adam 930 years before death could physically take him. 

He had been programmed in life.

Now the devil has programmed his language into the human race, until people can kill themselves in about 70 years or less, by speaking his words.

Proverbs 10:11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Your mouth is a well of life! Hallelujah!

Choose to SPEAK LIFE!

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Your world is framed by words 

Control your words by speaking the WORD OF GOD. 

You control yourself with your mouth.

All the weight loss programs will not be effective until you control your tongue.

Remember, your words will either put you over or hold you in bondage. 

YOUR CASUAL CONVERSATIONS are as important as your prayers.

The LORD listens and hears our conversations.

Malachi 3:16 Then those whose lives honored God got together and talked it over. God saw what they were doing and listened in. A book was opened in God’s presence and minutes were taken of the meeting, with the names of the God-fearers written down, all the names of those who honored God’s name.

TO SEE YOUR DAY FILL UP WITH GOOD say nothing evil or hurtful.

1 Peter 3:10 Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here's what you do: Say nothing evil or hurtful

Mark 11:23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

Rather than talking to their mountains, most are talking to God about their mountains.

It’s not enough to be prayed for, you must talk to your mountains.

Whatever is wrong or a challenge to you is your mountain. SPEAK TO IT!

Speak to your body that it’s functioning in the perfection it was created.

Speak to the tumor to dry up and pass out in Jesus name!

Right now, talk your mountains in Jesus name.

SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN!

Matthew 21:21-22 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

Ignore the mockery of those who call us "the name it and claim it" bunch. 

You shall have what you say.

You will always win as you do as He has prescribed.

Proverbs 12:14 Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards.

CALL THE THINGS AS THOUGH THEY WERE

God speaks of future events with as much certainty as though they were already past.

Romans 4:17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

Speak to the mountain of debt and pile of bills to be paid in full and canceled in Jesus name!

I remember telling a group they could talk to their bodies and even if there was a cut, you could command the blood flow to cease. A brother afterwards was attacked by kidnappers who opened fire at his vehicle while on a road trip and suffered a gun shot wound. He spoke to his body and commanded the blood flow to cease and it did. Several hours later, when medical attention was available, the doctors in emergency ward were shocked that he didn't lose blood like one that had just experienced a gun shot injury. Glory be to God!

God wants His children to learn to talk, to learn to speak to mountains in their lives and tell them to be removed, to curse the roots of diseases so they will die. To speak things into existence just as He does.

2 Corinthians 1:20  For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

You have a divine YES!

Brothers and Sisters rejoice!

John 15:11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

Your joy overflows! Glory to God!

Once you learn how to talk, you will have the victory and live the abundant life that is available to us in Christ.

Rejoice in the LORD and give Him glory!

Fulfilling The Law of Christ In Your Relationships – Pastor Ekpenyong

Luke 17:3-5 So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister[a] sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

LORD increase our faith? What has faith got to do with having good relationships? EVERYTHING!!!

Our faith walk is not exclusive to only having needs met. It is necessary for dealing with all the affairs of life including THOSE we have to deal with: your spouse, children, friends, neighbors, colleagues, co-travelers in life's journey, and much more.

It is especially necessary because for the most, we respond and react to people based on HOW WE FEEL.

How we feel can be subjective, especially because of personal preference, exposure, experience, education or just the season of life you're in.

One thing that mars our relationship with others the most is offenses. There are rules governing every relationship type so that the expectations are different.

However, offense can come by the attitude or actions of the parties involved. Some you can do something about, others you may not.

James 3:2 says we stumble in many ways. We can hurt people with our words and actions or  vice versa.

However, when we overlook a fault, we are showing who we truly are. 

Proverbs 19:11 A person with good sense is patient, and it is to his credit that he overlooks an offense.

Jesus said in our opening text, that if you're mistreated by your brother or friend, bring it to the person's attention.

Some of us don't know how to speak up when we've been mistreated; rather we bottle it up or tell others about it.

First lesson - let YOUR FRIEND KNOW he has offended you. This first lesson is for those who NEVER speak up.

There are those who don't have a  problem with speaking up. In this context, thumbs up for you!

Second lesson Jesus gives us is to forgive as much as 7 times in a day if the same person offends you.

Another situation, Jesus said 70 times 7. It was this statement that made the disciples say ‘LORD increase our faith!’

It truly takes faith to forgive especially because your feelings will react to letting go and forgiving a SERIAL offender.

Our relationships will bloom if we CHOOSE to forgive.

How else can you turn the other cheek when someone hurts you?

It takes faith to ALWAYS UNCONDITIONALLY love and forgive your spouse, colleagues, children, parents and your neighbors.

There are some people who don't have as much a problem as letting go and forgiving unconditionally. However, there are others who even keep records for every suffered wrong and mistreatment.

We all must come to that place as we renew our minds to truly forgive as we've been forgiven.

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.  It is quite true that some may not even acknowledge the ill-treatment meted out to you. BUT we forgive as we've been forgiven!

Bear with one another in love i.e. make allowance for each other's faults because of your love.

Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

The objective and mandate as believers is to keep the unity of the spirit. Do you know the implication of this?

1. Nothing will ever be impossible to you.

Genesis 11:6 And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.

Do you see one very important reason why you ought to maintain peace and unity in your relationships?

2. It will also be an evidence to the world of Jesus and the Father's love.

John 17:23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

This is the height of evangelism!

3. We will see the Father's greater works on the earth.

Matthew 18:19 “Again[a] I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.

Be content with putting yourself second

Colossians 3:12-13 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

 Something very important I must share on this issue is we must train ourselves to 

RESPOND IN MERCY.

James 2:12-13 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.  For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

At every point in time, how you choose to respond to another's missteps will to a large extent determine how you'll be treated in a similar situation. 

Remember, after David had the affair with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband, Uriah's execution, Nathan came with a riddle about a rich man that deprived a poor man of the only lamb he owned. This narrative provoked David who immediately pronounced judgement on the man.

I believe it was a scenario the LORD in His mercy had given David to determine His judgement. Rather than mercy, David demanded justice. And justice is what David got!

Galatians 6:1-2 Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law.

It's time you began fulfilling Christ's law in your relationships. There's so much we will gain effortlessly if we fulfill the law of Christ.

This struggling in life isn't God's plan for His children. SELF must be put aside. A lot of believers think that you'll be termed a fool when you walk in this light. However, in this light is your protection and preservation.

The burden you're carrying is unnecessary.

Matthew 11:29-30 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. 

For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”

Go ahead and thank God in the spirit for your relationships.

Let go of every unforgiveness and bitterness. We're walking in the fullness of life.

Receive healing for hurt and heartache.

Thank you Jesus!

Dealing With Regrets - Pastor Ekpenyong

Philippians 3:13-14  “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing [I do,] forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

2 Corinthians 5:17  “Therefore, if anyone [is] in Christ, [he is] a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new”

Everybody has got to deal with regrets because many stay trapped in the past. Sometimes, it's not the result of a sin committed. It can be a person you didn't rightly discern.

John 4:10 “Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

It can be an instruction neglected or not properly carried out.

2 Kings 13:18-19  “Then he said, "Take the arrows"; so he took [them.] And he said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground"; so he struck three times, and stopped. And the man of God was angry with him, and said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed [it!] But now you will strike Syria [only] three times." 

It can be a season you didn't maximize.

Luke 19:44 “ They will level you to the ground and kill your people. One stone will not be left on top of another, because you didn’t recognize the time when God came to help you.”

The only connection you have with the past is your memory - FORGET IT!

Let the past loose it's hold on you. 

It's preventing you from enjoying today and taking bold steps tomorrow. 

Regret STEALS NOW! 

When you make a mistake, receive forgiveness and move on. That's the only way you take the valuable lessons in that experience and be the better for it.

Refuse the temptation to spend the rest of your life regretting your actions of the past. Your past has been taken care of by the Father. Therefore, refuse to live in regret.

You deal with regret by walking in faith.

2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Faith operates NOW!

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Regret steals now!

Remember the devil's weapons are discouragement and depression. Regret leads to both.

IN DEALING WITH REGRETS:

1. Acknowledge that the situation will work for your good. You must realize that God is intentional and dynamic. 

Therefore, He works everything to suit His purpose. To you it was a mistake, to Him it was necessary for purpose to be accomplished.

1 Corinthians 2:7-8  “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God [a]ordained before the ages for our glory,  which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” 

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Genesis 45:5  “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”

2. Be of good cheer 

Be encouraged! Cheer up! Put in good spirits!

Acts 27:21-25  “But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, "Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.' Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.”

 It is very important that you encourage yourself in the LORD.

1 Samuel 30:6 “Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.”

Self pity will keep you immobilized so that your future is no different than your past. Stop beating yourself for a mistake that has passed.

You're forgiven, forgive yourself.

The difference between Judas Iscariot and Simon Peter is that Peter received forgiveness and forgave himself whereas Judas didn't.

3. Believe God.

 His word does not change because of a mistake you made. What we call coincidence, is God choosing to remain anonymous in our lives. 

That means, He orchestrates events in our favour without our knowledge.

Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, to say what is false; or the son of man, that his purpose may be changed: what he has said, will he not do? and will he not give effect to the words of his mouth? 

 4. Shake off the Beast.

Acts 28:4-5 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 

It is true I made a mistake but I refuse to be the mistake! There may be scars but choose to turn them to stars.

Gratitude, in my personal experience, has helped me to deal with scars.

Psalms 124:6-7 “Blessed be the LORD, Who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; The snare is broken, and we have escaped.”

- A king once had a slave who, in all circumstances said: "My king do not be discouraged because everything God does is perfect, no mistakes..."

One day, they went hunting and a wild animal attacked the king, the slave managed to kill the animal but couldn't prevent his majesty from losing a finger. Furious and without showing gratitude, the king said; "If God was good, I would not have been attacked and lost one finger!" The slave replied: "Despite all these things, I can only tell you that God is good and everything he does is perfect, He is never wrong!" Outraged by the response, the king ordered the arrest of his slave.

Later, he left for another hunt and was captured by savages who made human sacrifices. On the altar, the savages found out that the king didn't have one finger in place so he was released because he was considered "not complete" to be offered to their gods.

On his return to the palace, he authorized the release of his slave saying; "My dear, God was really good to me! I was almost killed but for lack of a single finger I was let go! But I have a question: if God is so good, why did he allow me to put you in jail?" His reply: " My king, if I had gone with you, I would have been sacrificed for you because I have no missing finger."

Stand in your place of authority and shake off the beast.

Refuse Condemnation.

Romans 8:1-2 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Refuse Accusations.

Romans 8:33 “Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.”

Revelation 12:10‮-‬11 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

Refuse Fear.

 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear,but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Turn the mess into a message.

Help somebody with your story.

 5. Enjoy NOW.

Walk by faith - your convictions and not by how you feel.

Your victory is NOW!

Regret steals now!

Psalms 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Demand restoration.

Joel 2:23-27 “Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you— The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am  in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.”

Rejoice in the spirit for you're enjoying restoration!

You are the resurrection and life!

Hallelujah!

Glory be to God!

Walk fearlessly in love!

Be Supply Conscious - Pastor Ekpenyong

2 Peter 1:3 As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.

It is very important that everyone comes into the experiential knowledge of the realities inherent in our spirit that we are in Christ.

Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Refuse to pattern your life after the world. Lack and scarcity is alien to the New Creation.

 Deuteronomy 8:7-9 For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.”

Lack and scarcity should not have a hold on your thoughts. The reason believers are not liberal and withhold more than necessary is because of a lack and scarcity mentality.

We have tolerated conversations of lack and scarcity that as New Creations we have failed to realize that:

IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE NEW CREATION TO BE SUBJECT TO THE ECONOMY OF THE WORLD!

We're already in this land in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah!

John 10:9-10 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” 

‘Pasture’ in the Greek rendering implies "he shall not want the needful supplies for the true life".

Where LIFE is at work there is no cessation only QUICKENING AND MULTIPLICATION.

1KINGS 17:14-16 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.”

The widow's flour and oil was always sufficient for every time they were to eat. 

The force of LIFE was at work in her store house. Hallelujah!

John 6:12-13 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

Where did the over and above come from?

THE FORCE OF LIFE!

 It is the same LIFE at work in you

2Kings 4:42-44 One day a man arrived from Baal Shalishah. He brought the man of God twenty loaves of fresh-baked bread from the early harvest, along with a few apples from the orchard. Elisha said, “Pass it around to the people to eat.” His servant said, “For a hundred men? There’s not nearly enough!” Elisha said, “Just go ahead and do it. God says there’s plenty.” And sure enough,there was. He passed around what he had—they not only ate, but had leftovers.

GOD SAYS THERE'S PLENTY!

Be supply conscious!

Philippians 4:19 And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

My God shall supply - according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Remember that these are divine state truths already at work in you.

You are the influence that multiplies money, resources, food or any one that comes by you. 

That's the effect of your nature on all things.

Stop thinking food will finish!

Stop thinking money will finish!

Stop thinking your health may deteriorate!

Stop allowing your mind to think that something will finish!

THE POWER OF AN ENDLESS LIFE IS AT WORK IN YOU!

Hebrews 7:16 who has become a priest, not on the basis of a physical and legal requirement in the Law [concerning his ancestry as a descendant of Levi], but on the basis of the power of an indestructible and endless life.

The thought of lack and scarcity stems from death.

Romans 8:6 Following after the Holy Spirit leads to life and peace, but following after the old nature leads to death.

Think supply and abundance until your consciousness and imagination is submerged in it.

This consciousness will greatly enlarge your capacity for action and transit your experiences from those of mortals to those of divine beings that you are.

What you received is what you ARE and this divine state affects everything else.

Ezekiel 47:9 & 12 Everything touching the water of this river shall live. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will be healed. Wherever this water flows, everything will live. All kinds of fruit trees will grow along the riverbanks. The leaves will never turn brown and fall, and there will always be fruit. There will be a new crop every month—without fail! For they are watered by the river flowing from the Temple. The fruit will be for food and the leaves for medicine.”

John 7:38  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

You are the river that flows, bringing life and multiplication and healing everywhere you go

1 Corinthians 6 : 17 But if you join yourself to the Lord, you are one with Him in spirit.

Look inwards and bring abundance from your essence.

You're the joy of the world.

The yeast that grows start-ups to multinationals.

You're the source that cannot finish.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.

You are self sufficient.

You are ready.

You are up to the international task.

You can never lack and you don't lack.

Meditate on these several times daily consistently and see how your experiences change for the better.

We're a city set on a hill; 

Nations are beating paths to our doorstep.

As one spirit with Him, you have become 

THE BEAUTIFUL ONE!

THE ABUNDANCE! 

THE ENDLESS! 

THE VICTORY !

THE SUPPLY!

Go ahead and rejoice in the spirit. 

Hallelujah!

Welcome to your new world.

It's your real world says the LORD.

This is where you belong.

This is what I prepared for you.

 Show the world that there is more in Me than anyone has ever scratched.

Please meditate on these that your profiting may appear to all.

You are kept by the power of God.

Have an amazing and fruitful week!

You're loved and celebrated!