Opening Prayer Homily

DAY 1: CREATED TO LIVE VICTORIOUSLY

SCRIPTURAL READING: PSALM 139:13-16

DATE: 14^TH JANUARY, 2017

We have begun our opening year prayer which will span for 9days and will come to close with a thanksgiving on Sunday 22^nd of January, 2017. Let me quickly cheap this in as a message that will carry us through-“if you sincerely search for him-you will find him”. I will encourage us to be very serious during these days of prayer as it will usher us fully into the activities of the year. Don’t allow anything, not even your child, wife or husband or work or friend to prevent you from participating actively in the prayers. You will pray with your heart, and when you do, you will find him. It is my prayer that this year becomes a year of victory for us in the name of Jesus.

Beloved in Christ, the year 2017 is pregnant, we are very unsure of what the year holds for us, but we are very sure that the year is bright and beautiful because it is the Lord who has made it and has permitted us to see it and it is worthy of praise. It is not by our powers but by the grace of the Lord and we are very grateful for this and shall experience the good things this year brings in the name of Jesus.

Beloved in Christ, as we have begun this year, the theme for this year is “I am created to live victoriously.” I ask how many of us want to live a victorious life in 2017. Not just one month, but throughout the entire year and even beyond? I will ask the band to lead us in the song we have prepared for this year’s prayers.

My dear brother, my dear sister, living victoriously is not just found in the declaration but in doing what makes it possible for you to live victoriously. The word of God in psalm 139: 13-16 reminds us that we were not just created by mistake, but that every inch of the way from conception to birth the Lord knew and he has plans for me. Plans to make me experience abundance, blessings, to do his will always, to trample under foot weapons and plans of the enemy, to turn stumbling blocks into steeping stones, armed with strength and authority to excel, doing things through Christ who strengthens me.

Beloved before you begin to live victoriously, you must master the tactics, the plans and the strategy of the spirit to live victoriously. You must know that the lord has armed you with strength and authority and you have to exercise it wisely in order to come to victory not just for one day, but every day purposefully.

The one who is called victorious is the one who has won wars and returned to share with his household his experience in the battlefield. For us children of the lord, we are not fighting any physical battle but spiritual battles, against vultures spirits and creepy demons that seek to destroy our plans and the ones that the lord has for us, creepy demons waiting to terminate our joy which may either come when we are expecting a big contract, disappointments after sealing a deal, monitoring principalities scheming to cause pain and sorrow every day to the children of the lord, make them miserable and impossible to achieve what God has in stock for them but tonight as you raise your voice in prayer, you shall ride victoriously over them in the name of Jesus.

Child of God for you to be victorious, you must know the battle you are in and that which you are fighting and who you are fighting, you must learn to know how your enemy thinks and advances against you and you must constantly produce a counter attack against the enemy so that you may be victorious.

Been a victor depends on 1. How much you are willing to obey and follow the Lord.

2. It depends on how much faith you have in the Lord and what you want to achieve.

3. It depends on how willing you are to make the lord take the lead and you follow.

4. It depends on how willing you are to comply with those things the lord will ask you to do even when it appears humanly possible; for example the 1000 naira we asked women to donate in renovating the chapel. It has attracted favours round the clock, it has attracted even a donation of a brand new 30KVA Generator. My dear it means doing that which is senseless in human language and understanding-senseless but not so in the sight of God because he is the one who gives the lead.

5. It depends on how you are willing to stand on the side of God and not on the side of men.

6. It depends on how willing you are not to listen to what people say or how discouraging they may sound and how many times they criticise you and condemn and judge you either on your past mistakes and failures but to remain steadfast in the Lord.

7. It depends on how willing you are not to allow doubt flood your mind but how you are willing to exercise that audacity of faith and exercise your power of hope over that situation even when people walk out of your project or disbelieve in your vision, even when you stand alone. Know that you are not standing alone but with the Lord as the word of God.

8. Been victorious is believe in what God has placed in your hand, use it with confidence and get the result no matter what the world is saying or how much they oppose you. David used his sling shot to bring down goliath who came with bow, arrows and javelin. He didn’t look at the size of goliath, he didn’t look at the weapons of goliath, he didn’t look at how goliath was dressed, he simply looked at the size of his God, he looked at the size of what God has placed in his arm, he looked at the name of God which was bigger and mightier than the name of Goliath and he charged against goliath and brought goliath down. This year, as you believe in God and use your talent, there shall be food for you to eat, you shall accomplish that project, you will rise to great heights, if you have made one step of progress in 2016, in 2017 you will make a greater step and accomplish more in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

9. Been victorious is remaining positive and speaking positive even in the midst of so much doubt, when men and women around you remain negative. Eph. 3: 20 “to him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more than we can ever ask for, or even think of.” Luke 1:37 “for there is nothing that God cannot do.”

Numbers 14:1-4 the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron and said, “it would have been better to die in Egypt or even here in the wilderness! Why is the Lord taking us into that Land? We will be killed in battle, and children will be captured. Wouldn’t it be better to go back to Egypt?” So they said to one another, “Let’s choose a leader and go back to Egypt!”

Church, Joshua and Caleb had a different opinion. They tore their clothes in sorrow and said to the people, “The land we explored is an excellent land. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will take us there and give us that rich and fertile land. Do not rebel against the Lord and don’t be afraid of the people who live there. We will conquer them easily. The Lord is with us and has defeated the gods who protected them; so don’t be afraid.”

Despite this positive word, the whole community was threatening to stone them to death, but suddenly the people saw the dazzling light of the Lord’s presence appear over the tent.

This year that will be your story in the name of Jesus.

This year those who conspire to tamper with your life and destiny, shall suddenly see the light of the lord over you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

This year every failure waiting for you, the light of the lord will appear and banish it in the name of Jesus. Amen.

10. been victorious implies that you are aware that God is not moved by numbers, he is moved by your faith. In the book of Joshua 6:1-27 talks about the fall of Jericho.

8. When trials come our way the first to do is to go to God in prayer and ask him this question: what am I to learn from and through this trial? And you know what? You must keep asking and keep trusting the lord until you get an answer.

It might be betrayal, satanic oppression, manipulations, disappointments, criticisms, unnecessary fault finding and the likes. You must sit back silently and ask the lord to open your eyes to the lessons he wants you to learn.

You must not go around venting your anger and frustrations but to sit calmly, quietly and listen like Mary the sister of Martha did to what the lord is saying to you even if your spirit is rioting within you-you must practice that ability to listen to the lord by engaging yourself in meditations daily.

The word of God in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says: “for this reason we never become discouraged. Even though our physical being is gradually decaying, yet our spiritual being is renewed day after day. And this small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the trouble. For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts for ever.”

9. The second thing we must do in the midst of trials and temptation is to always be in the right frame of mind to win the battle. You must not allow sentiment, negativity and wrong association as well as advice to cloud your thoughts. Rise above the cloud of trials and temptations by withdrawal into the mountain of the Lord, with prayers and fasting and constantly declaring victory over that issue.

The tactics of the enemy is to cloud your mind with self-pity but you can rise above that cloud by using some scriptural passages to help yourself such as psalm 20:7-8 “some trust in their war-chariots and others in their horses, but I trust in the power of the lord my God. Such people will stumble and fall, but I will rise and stand firm.”

Psalm 18:39- you give me strength for the battle and victory over my enemies-so I have victory over this situation.

Psalm 27:1-3 “the Lord is my light and my salvation; I will fear no one. The Lord protects me from all danger; I will never be afraid. When evil men attack me and try to kill me, they stumble and fall. Even if a whole army surrounds me, I will not be afraid; even if enemies attack me, I will still trust God.”

11. Don’t rationalize with the instructions of the lord or seek to do it your way or go ahead of the lord but seek to surrender yourself to the lord every minute, every day and every time to the lord. You must know, the battle is not yours but it is of the lord. 2 Chronicles 20:15. Elisha answered his boy who was afraid of the Syrian army in 2 kings 6:16-17 “don’t be afraid, we have more on our side than they have on theirs. Then he prayed, O Lord, open his eyes and let him see! The Lord answered his prayer, and Elisha’s servant looked up and saw the hillside covered with horses and chariots of fire all round Elisha.”

12. Make up your mind to follow the lord: this entails obeying the commandment of the lord, if you are a law breaker you stand guilty and exposed to satanic accusation. But the more you keep the commandments of the lord, the more confident you become, the freer you are able to come into the presence of the lord and the more you will be able to exercise your authority over the situation.

13. Don’t joke with the Holy Mass-at mass you present your petition and sacrifice and receive the spiritual nourishment for your soul. The mass is the highest sacrifice of thanksgiving we can offer to God. Pay attention to the word of God, participate in everything been said to you at mass and practice it and you will see that every spiritual seed you sow at mass, you will reap a million times over. Make a firm resolution to start your day with the Holy Mass and see how the lord will help you overcome those challenges you face daily.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Almighty father, as I begin to pray, baggage of frustrations, bitterness, sorrow, anger, pain, tension, anxieties caused by the enemy ended last year, this year abundance of joy shall be my lot for ever and ever in the name of Jesus. Amen.
2. Father, as I stand in your presence and pray, please father, recognise my voice, presence and be merciful to me and my family, do not allow your blessings pass me by, visit me this year in a special way in the name of Jesus. Amen.
3. This year almighty father, victory is my portion, I shall be victorious over every problem, challenge in the name of Jesus. Amen.
4. Almighty father that dream, vision and purpose you have created me for, this year I will accomplish it in the name of Jesus. Amen.
5. Powers that will try or attempt or plan to frustrate this dream, vision, and purpose you have for me, may the sword of thy hand destroy and scatter them for ever in the name of Jesus. Amen.
6. Father, what you say I will be, I will be in the name of Jesus. Amen.
7. Almighty father, as I begin to pray, men and women who have boasted to themselves that I your son/daughter will not be what you have said I will be or achieve what you said I will be, father, as they sit to conspire and strategize, throw confusion into their midst, may they begin to fight themselves, may they never agree among themselves and may they come on their own to reveal their secret desires and plans in the name of Jesus. Amen.
8. Walls of Jericho, walls of hindrance, walls of delay, walls of postponement before my very face, spiritually or physically, Jesus the son of the living God, scatter it, send your armies, your warriors to pull them down in the name of Jesus. Amen.
9. Father, as I begin to pray, every creepy demon waiting for me at my promotion, or joy in order to destroy, mighty warriors of the lord, arise with blazing sword to destroy them in the name of Jesus. Amen.
10. Almighty father, may no shame and disgrace come to me this year, every secret plan of the devil and its agents to cause sorrow, shame and disgrace, arise oh lord and scatter in the name of Jesus. Amen.
11. My father, my father, as I pray tonight, those who announce my name at any evil altar or T-Junction and say to themselves that this year will not be a good year for me, father, let shame and disgrace and disappointment be their perpetual lot as they see I and my family successful in the name of Jesus. Amen.
12. Wicked men and women who plot and grind their teeth at me or any member of my family and wish us bad, this year, constant shame and disgrace and disappointment will be theirs in the name of Jesus. Amen.
13. Father, every door of favour, opportunity and blessings that is waiting for me this year, I will not miss it, with your power and direction I will walk into it in the name of Jesus. Amen.