1 John 3:1See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Starts with New Birth

John 3:3

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^a ”

Through faith

John 1 11-13

11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Adopted

Rom 8 14-17

14For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba,^g Father.” 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Responsibilities of being a child of God

Col 1 9-14

We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,^e 10so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you^f to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Phil 2:14-16

14Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”^c Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16as you hold firmly to the word of life.

HOW TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD

PRAYER MEETING 30/11/2015 
 HOW TO KNOW THE WILL OF GOD

When Jesus was baptised in the river Jordan, a voice from heaven spoke and said this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Matthew 3:17 “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Doing God’s word is doing His will. Is God pleased with you and me today? Can it be said of us by God Almighty as it was said of Jesus? The word says as He is so are we in this world.

God’s Word is His will. God was pleased with Jesus because He did the will of the Father, John 6:38 for I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. Do we make decisions about our daily lives, careers, family issues according to God’s will? Is it the will of the Father or just our own decisions? Is God involved in the decisions? Is Jesus the centre of it all? Does God really care about the choices we make? Jeremiah 29:11 – very familiar verse to all of us.  11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper  you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Nothing fails if you are operating in the will of the Father. It does not matter which devil, how big or small; it does not matter which power it may be if you are in the will of the Father, you will never have any fear. The truth of the will of God will set you free and make you as bold as a lion. Total dependency on God- have no plan before you ask God.

Never make decisions without inquiring from God. In a lot of cases, most of us are suffering today because of the poor choices we made before we inquired from God whether it was God’s will. Most of us make decisions and then go to God when we have already decided what we want to do. E.g. buy a ticket to travel some where and then go to God and say is it your will that I should travel? That is plan B. When you do the will of the Father there is no plan B. 

Prior to you making any decisions let God give you the green light first. David is a good example of seeking the face and will of God when all was lost  

1 Samuel 30:8. And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And He answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. God‘s will was for David to pursue, overtake and recover all. Because this was of God, guess what that’s exactly what happened. Can this be said of us? Can we total depend on the will of God? Know God’s will for that particular issue or matter before you hear from aunt, pastor, prophet, counsellor, etc. These are men and not God. 

Will of God.

1. The Sovereign will of God. --- no matter what happens it always comes to pass.   

Matthew 26:39 - Going a little farther, Jesus fell with His face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 

Acts 4: 27-28  --²⁷ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. ²⁸ They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. If it is the will of God for your victory no one can stop it no matter how they try. 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.

Daniel 4:35 ------And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest thou? All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with
the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold.

2.   God’s way of command

Matthew 7 :21

²¹ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. So you can choose to do this will or not to.

The will of God is the word of God. Nothing that contradicts the word of God can be the will of God. ---e.g going with someone s wife or husband and say you heard from God. Never!

The Lord’s Prayer says let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Today we are going to spend some time praying for God’s will in our lives, careers, children, ministries. Let only the counsel of God stand. Just because it worked for your friend does not mean that it will also work for you especially if it is not the will of God. 

We shall spend some time praying that only God’s sovereign will be done in our lives, families and where we have missed the mark to repent before God asking for His mercies that are new every morning.

Doreen Kersey

“My times are in Your hands” Psalm 31.15 The Providence of God

 Ps 135:5-7

⁵I know that the Lord is great,
    that our Lord is greater than all gods.
⁶ The Lord does whatever pleases him,
    in the heavens and on the earth,
    in the seas and all their depths.
⁷ He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
    he sends lightning with the rain
    and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

Compare

Job 37:6-13 (NIVUK)

⁶ He says to the snow, “Fall on the earth,”
    and to the rain shower, “Be a mighty downpour.”
⁷ So that everyone he has made may know his work,
    he stops all people from their labour.^[a]
8 The animals take cover;
    they remain in their dens.
⁹ The tempest comes out from its chamber,
    the cold from the driving winds.
¹⁰ The breath of God produces ice,
    and the broad waters become frozen.
¹¹ He loads the clouds with moisture;
    he scatters his lightning through them.
¹² At his direction they swirl around
    over the face of the whole earth
    to do whatever he commands them.
¹³ He brings the clouds to punish people,
    or to water his earth and show his love.

Done with love

Matt 5:45 He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

He knows He sees.

Matt10:29 ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.^[a]
Acts 17:24-28 ²⁴ ‘The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. ²⁵ And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. ²⁶ From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. ²⁷ God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ²⁸ “For in him we live and move and have our being.”^[b] As some of your own poets have said, “We are his offspring.


Our Response then
Prov 3:5,6

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

A message from Lillian- Have Faith not Fear

BE DELIVERED from the spirit & agents of fear tormenting and intimidating you in JESUS CHRIST NAME. AMEN

The only one we are allowed to fear is GOD.

So anything or anyone making you & I to fear him/her is idolising themselves in our lives , Henceforth they are stripped of their power, influence, authority, and their sits and thrones aremade desolate and empty forthwith.

You & I are free, rescue and at liberty to livein peace in sound mind and great power to do good in the land of the living:

1. Psalm 27:1The LORD is my light and my salvation... whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life...of whom shall I be afraid?
2. Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me
3. Psalm 118:6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
4. Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
5. 1 Chronicles 28:20 "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.
6. Psalm 56:3-4 When I am afraid, I will trust in you.  In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
7. Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
8. Isaiah 41:13 For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
9. Isaiah 54:4"Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
10. Matthew 10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
11. 1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
12. 1 Peter 3:13-14 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?  But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened."
13. Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
14. 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.

Have FAITH not FEAR.

HIS MERCIES ENDURETH FOR EVER

1. Psalm 62:12 – Mercy belongs to God (2 Chronicle 7:3)
2. Hebrews 4:16 - Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
3. Psalms 90:14 Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
4. Psalm 102:13 - You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come.
5. EZRA 9:9 - For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
6. Psalm 123:3: Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
7. In trouble – Psalm 4:1, 6:2, 9:13.
8. As a leader – Psalm 21:7
9. 2 Samuel 24:14 And David said to Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.
10. Psalms 86:5 For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy to all them that call on you.
11. Psalms 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.