7 Powerful Sacrifices that Insulate and Put You in Charge!

What 7 powerful sacrifices can you offer to insulate you from evil and put you in charge in life?

Whether you like it or not; whether you know it or not; there are always people who are intimidated by your testimonies and success. There are always people who are seeking your failure and downfall because they are intimidated by your success and victory. There are people known and unknown to you who are working assiduously and orchestrating your downfall.

The Bible tells us that when Israel began to journey from Egypt to Canaan to possess their promise; Balak the king of Moab become intimidated by their testimony and began to scheme against them.

[Numbers 22:1‭-‬6 KJV] “And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho. And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.”

“And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.”

“He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me: Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.”

There are people who are scheming against you both spiritually and tactically. There are people who wish you never lift your head. They wish that you fail in your endeavours so that they can rule you. Many of us are often too asleep and ignorant to understand this.

While Balak was scheming, Israel was ignorant. They did not even know that someone was enchanting and divining against them. However, they had raised the right altars and offered the right sacrifices which insulated them from curses and satanic schemes.

In Numbers 23, we understand that Balaam made Balak erect seven altars and offered sacrifices upon them on the mountains. It is important to understand that each altar was erected against each of the seven mountains that Israel was to possess. (See Deuteronomy 7)

I want to teach on seven (7) powerful sacrifices that put you in charge. These are sacrifices we must offer continually.

1. The Passover sacrifice
2. The sacrifice of repentance
3. The sacrifice of righteousness and obedience
4. The sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving
5. The sacrifice of giving
6. The sacrifice of lifting hands
7. The sacrifice of service

If you want to be in charge, you must learn to offer these sacrifices continually. It is, however, important to under the spiritual protocols in offering these sacrifices under the new testament.

1. Passover Sacrifice:

It is important to understand that under the New Testament, Jesus Christ is the Passover lamb that was offered for us.

We don’t need to slaughter any lamb or bull; all we have to do is to partake of the sacrifice by drinking of the cup of blessing. (See 1 Corinthians 10:20-21).

Any time we serve and partake of the communion, we are offering a sacrifice that insulates us against the curses, divination, and enchantment of the wicked.

2. Sacrifice of Repentance:

The Bible says “the sacrifice of the Lord is a contrite heart.” (Psalm 51:16-17) “Yea! The sacrifice of the Lord is a broken spirit and a contrite heart, the Lord will not despise.” There is no better sacrifice to offer than to repent. This is the second sacrifice that puts you in charge.

3. Righteousness and Obedience:

The third sacrifice that puts you in charge is the sacrifice of obedience. (See Hebrews 13:10-17).

Indeed, this is the mother of all sacrifices. “To obey is better than to sacrifice”. To do exactly what your pastor tells you is better than any sacrifice you can offer. Balaam could not curse Israel because God had not found iniquity in her. This sacrifice of obedience will insulate you.

4. Praise and Thanksgiving:

The fourth sacrifice that puts you in charge is the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Jonah said in Jonah 2:9 that he will “offer the sacrifice with a voice of thanksgiving.”

Hebrews 13:10-17 teaches that this is the fruit of the lips. When we learn to lift our voices in singing, worship, and praise; we are offering a sacrifice that will insulate us against evil. The shout of the king must be among us.

5. The Sacrifice of Giving:

The fifth sacrifice that will insulate and put you in charge is the sacrifice of giving. Hebrews 13:10-17 says “God is well pleased with such sacrifices”. Philippians 4:18-19 teaches that such sacrifices are fragrant. It smells good in heaven.

6. The Sacrifice of Lifting up Holy Hands:

The sixth sacrifice that puts you in charge is the sacrifice of lifting holy hands. Psalm 141:1-2 teaches that the lifting up of your hands is as the evening sacrifice and your prayer as incense.

This is why Apostle Paul teaches that “men ought to pray every where lifting up holy hands.” For women your dressing and appearance is a sacrifice (See 1 Timothy 2:1-8).

Remember that the first sign of pride and arrogance and resentment is reluctant to lift your hands in church. Anytime you find it difficult to lift your hand in the church to God, there are pride and arrogance in your heart.

7. Sacrifice of Service:

The last sacrifice that puts you in charge is the sacrifice of service; to yield your members as instruments of righteousness. This is offering your bodies as a living sacrifice; holy and acceptable unto the Lord. (See Romans 12:1-3).

As you sweep the church, clean the glasses, decorate the house, teach Sunday School, sing in the choir, go for evangelism, and serve the brethren; you are offering a living sacrifice. You just have to do it willingly and in holiness.

I do not doubt that these sacrifices can put any man in charge. May the Lord insulate you from demonic harassment and put you in charge.

I love you!

Originally published at highcity.org

You are Destined to Make a Difference

[Matthew 5:13-16 KJV] “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. [14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. [15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. [16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”.

We are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We are not just named as salt of the world and light of the earth, but we are, and must function to make a difference in our world and circles of influence.

The Bible tells us that no man will honour you or glorify God if you are not making a difference. The world does not care how much you are on fire for God; the world around you does not care how much you know; the world around us does not care how much we are filled with the Holy Spirit; the world around you want to feel your impact. The world want to see and experience the difference we are making.

As salt is not honoured unless it maintains its saltines, the church will not be honoured unless we maintain our savour. The world around you will neither honour you nor your faith, until they feel the difference it is making on their socio-spiritual life.

When men light a candle, they put it on a candlestick to shine, you must therefore shine to give light. We must have good works to show, if we want to be honoured and God glorified by all men. We cannot continue to be ordinary men and women. We cannot carry on with business as usual. We cannot live our lives as if it is just another day.

Therefore,  the simple secrets to make a difference are;

1. Be ignited:

You must be illuminated by divine light. Your spirit man must be enlightened by truth and divine inspiration. There is a spirit in every man, and the inspiration of the Lord gives that spirit understanding.

[Job 32:7-9 KJV] “I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. [8] But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. [9] Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment”.

2. Take roots where you are planted:

When men light a candle, they put it on a candlestick. You are saved to belong. You are saved to be planted in the House of God, so that you will be nurtured into the image of God. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord flourish in the courts of the Almighty. They bring forth fruits in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; to show that the Lord is upright.

[Psalm 92:13-15 KJV] “Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. [14] They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; [15] To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him”.

3. Be willing to sacrifice and burn to give light to others:

Just as Christ died for you, you must sacrifice for others too. The truth remains that except a corn of wheat falls into the ground and die, it abides alone, but when it die, it brings forth much fruit. He that loves his life cannot make a great difference in life. If any man will follow Christ, let him lose his life; let him follow Christ to lose his life.

[John 12:24-26 KJV] “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. [25] He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. [26] If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour”.

The world does not care about how much you know; they care only about what difference our knowledge makes on their lives. What difference are you making on your world? The world wants to see that difference. Be blessed.

I love you.

Noah Simpe Bediako

Originally published at highcity.org

Forward Ever, Keep Shining!

[Proverbs 4:18 KJV] “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day”.

The path of the just is as the shinning light, that shines more and more unto a perfect day. Therefore, the will of God for His children is for us to live as luminaries. God wants our path to shine brighter and brighter until we really begin to shine and give more light. Your life must therefore see constant progress upwards and never retrogress.

The problem with many of us is that instead of making a constant and consistent journey to the top, we slack after every little success. When we marry, we stay home till we are struggling with childbirth; when we buy a car we stay at the washing bay till we need fuel. So our lives do not see a steady progress. We spend the blessing till we need more before we begin to seek for God.

In this year 2019, we want to seek God in prayer till He makes each of us a praise in the land. The prophet teaches that those who call upon the Lord should give Him no rest until He makes them a praise in the land.

There are times when we get discouraged and give up after asking for a while. Many get discouraged when the answers to their prayers seems not to be forthcoming. The apostle therefore admonishes us to keep our confidence.

The Bible says, “Cast not way your confidence”; you know why? Your confidence has a great recompense of reward. Indeed we have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.

[Hebrews 10:35‭-‬39 KJV] “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

[36]   For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

[37]   For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

[38]   Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

[39]   But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul”.

Soon and very soon, if you don’t become weary in doing the will of God, your confidence in God will begin to pay off. This is why we need patience, and a lot of it. The Lord takes no delight in those who turn back, but we are not of them that draw back to perdition. The Lord is coming and coming again. We must wait earnestly and wait in hope and confidently.

The simple keys to shinning more and more are:

1. Be just:

Choose to live a just life. Choose to live a righteous life. When you make the decision to live a just life, your path becomes clearer and begins to shine brighter and brighter.

2. Be willing to sacrifice:

No candle can shine except it is willing to burn. Candles shine when they burn. A candle can only give light when it chooses to burn and glow.

3. Press on, be consistent and ever march forward:

We cannot retreat; we cannot draw back. We must press on and press forward. May the Lord help you. May He keep you.

This year, none of us will backslide. You will press forward and forward until you begin to shine. I see you pressing forward with vim and steam. You will win and advance like never before. The Lord will sustain and keep you. Be blessed.

I love you.

Noah Simpe Bediako

Originally published at highcity.org

4 Things that Lead to a Healthy Walk with God

[Colossians 1:9‭-‬12 KJV] “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:”

Four simple things that lead to a healthy walk with God, after you have found unfeigned faith in His Son. You will be able to walk with divinity and enjoy it if you get:

Filled with knowledge

It is my prayer that you will be “filled with the knowledge of the will of God in all wisdom and spiritual understanding”. I pray that you will not be confused about what the will of God for your life is. Once you know the will of God for your life and focus, you’ll have great light and clarity of vision. You must know the will of God in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. This happens when you;

1. Reject and despise the pattern and standards of the world.
2. Renew your mind according to the word of God you hear.
3. Offer your body as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God (See Romans 12:1-3)

Until you reject and despise worldly standards, renew your mind, and offer your body as a sacrifice, you can never know the will of God in wisdom and spiritual understanding. The Lord reveals His will to those who are willing to offer their bodies as a holy sacrifice, while despising the patterns and standards of the world.

Walk worthy of the Lord

I pray that you will walk worthy of the the Lord in all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in knowledge.

You can walk worthy of the Lord when you focus on;

1. Pleasing the Lord in all things
2. Being fruitful in every good work
3. Increasing in knowledge

This is the desire of the Lord. John 15:16 teaches that He has chosen us that we should go and bear fruits and that our fruits might remain. The Lord wants us to be fruitful unto every good work and increase in knowledge. All of us must increase in knowledge. We must “give attendance to reading, exhortation and doctrine” (See 1 Timothy 4:13).

Be strengthened with might

I pray that you will be strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; this is one of the secrets to victory over satanic powers. Ephesians 6: 10-18 teaches us to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might”.

Give thanks always

Your final and fourth key is to learn to “giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light”. We must thank God because He has made us to be partakers with the saints in light. If you are born again then you are a partaker of the inheritance of the saints. You are now in the family of God and qualify for a supernatural lifestyle. You will not do well until you are thankful for the faith.

These are the four things that helps us to live a life pleasing to God. You will be the delight and the joy of the Lord. You will grow healthily.

Be blessed, I love you!

Noah Simpe Bediako

Originally published at highcity.org

Overturning the Outcome of Battles by Burnt Offerings

The book of 2 Kings chapter 3 tells about how the king of Moab rebelled against Jehoram, the king of Israel after the death of Ahab, his father. Now the king of Israel spoke to Jehosaphat, the king of Judah, and then to the king of Edom; together these three kings array a battle against? Moab after consulting with the prophet and oracle in the land, the prophet Elisha.

“And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not. Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land”. [2 Kings 3:26‭-‬27 KJV]

The Bible teaches that, following the counsel of the prophet, the three kings dug trenches and filled it with water; and at the time of the meat sacrifice, the water turns bloody and when the king of Moab and his army saw it, they thought the three kings had fought and killed each other, so they stepped out to gather the spoil. On the contrary, the battle turned against the Moabites.

According to the Bible when the King of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him and could not break through with 700 men even to the king of Edom, he did something that overturned the prophetic verdict. This is a prophetic step to be yielded under the mighty hand of God.

He took his eldest son who should reign in his stead and offered him as a burnt offering upon the walls and there was great indignation against Israel. His offering opened the bowels of mercy of the Lord towards him. Your offering can turn indignation against the armies of the enemy. If the burnt offering of a pagan king could touch the heart of God, then yours will move God to act quickly.

I am sharing on the power of offering your special offerings as burnt offerings upon the wall. You and your sons must not die in battle. It is time to vex the oppressor by your offering and seeds. Say Amen to that!

I believe with all of my heart that you must learn the secrets of preparing special offerings for the Lord in special meetings. You can win and overturn the verdict of battles by offering your burnt offering.

I see how King David stayed the anger and wrath of God when he bought the threshing floor of Onan and there offered his burnt offerings and sacrifices. You must learn how to offer sacrifices to the Lord when you see the supernatural movings of the Spirit and angels.

The grace of giving and presenting offerings even beyond your power and means is the grace all the churches must abound in. We must learn to first of all offer ourselves to God, then to the apostles by the will of God, and then thirdly, we must offer our substance as an offering to the Lord. (2 Corinthians 8:1-9)

It is not enough to abound in the grace of faith, the grace of knowledge, the grace of utterance, the grace of your love towards us, the grace of in all diligence; you must also abound in the grace of giving.

Your giving proves the sincerity of your love towards us, the saints, and the Lord. Remember your giving will not just overturn the tables and turn the drift of the battle in your favour, but givers never lack. Givers never lack because;

1. The God of the receiver supplies all their needs according to His riches in glory. (Phillippians 4:18-19)

2. Your giving opens the windows of heaven and God rebukes the devourer for your sake. (Malachi 3:10)

3. The liberal soul shall be made fat. (Proverbs 11:24-25)

4. Their giving honours God and He fills their barns with plenty.

I speak over your life that as you learn to give your seeds as burnt offerings may the good Lord favour you in all the battles of life. May you win over your enemies in the mighty name of Jesus!

Stay blessed, I love you!

Noah Simpe Bediako

Originally published at highcity.org

Following the Faith of Abel

[Hebrews 11:4 KJV] “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh”.

The life of Abel teaches that those who offer their sacrifices by faith offer a more excellent sacrifice and obtain a witness that they are righteous. God testifies of their gift and even in the dead they will still speak.

It is impossible to offer a more excellent sacrifice if you operate by sight. The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes that “He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap” [Ecclesiastes 11:4 KJV]. Your faith enables you to give as God will have you. Your economy and cash flows may suggest and minister doubt but faith will lead to obedience.

“And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord . And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord . And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell”.

“If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him” [Genesis 4:1‭-‬5‭, ‬7 KJV]

What does it mean to sacrifice by faith? To sacrifice by faith is to surrender a possession as an offering to God as the word of God suggest.

There are five types of sacrifice we want to discuss:

1. The sacrifice of praise which is the fruits of our lips. (See Hebrews 13:15)
2. The sacrifice of thankgiving and the declaration of the works of the Lord with rejoicing. (See Psalm 107:22)
3. The sacrifices of righteousness. (See Psalm 4:5)
4. The sacrifice of yourself. (See Romans 12:1-2)
5. The sacrifice substance in worship. (See 2 Chronicles 7:4-7)

We also learn in the early church that the church at Macedonia did not just give their offerings but they gave themselves first.

“Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.[2 Corinthians 8:1‭-‬12 KJV]

Four simple steps to sacrifice by faith are:

1. Purpose ahead of time
2. Plan your giving
3. Come with a willing mind
4. Offer cheerfully

Stay blessed; I love you!

Noah Simpe Bediako 

Originally published at highcity.org

It’s Time to Take that Step of Faith!

“​Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,  Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.  So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.” (Esther 4:15‭-‬17 KJV)

Esther is a little slave girl who became queen in a foreign land; shortly after she became the queen, the enemies of Israel began to afflict them. There came a time when the people of God faced a near extinction. Their enemies hatched a plan to finish them off, so she being a Jew and the queen as well, needed to step in. Then the real problems began to confront her; the laws of the land forbade anybody from coming to the presence of the king without his invitation.

Many things and decisions in life are neither black nor white; many of the things are shades of grey. They are neither here nor there.  Therefore, there always comes a times when we must step out into the waters in faith. You must just take the risk and act by the word of God.

Today, I came to exhort you to take the risk and step out in faith. Step out on the word of God in favour of the kingdom of God and the people of God. Esther finally fulfilled her destiny when she decide to go all out for the people of God. She did not seek her own; she sought to serve the people of God by representing them before the king not fearing what might happen.

She stepped out admitting that she might fail or succeed but she was willing to both live and die for what she believed was right. You must also decide now and move out to obey and re-present God. We must take the risk of obeying the word of God in this crooked and perverse generation.

It is time to step out in faith. It is time to open full gear action. There should be no room for half hearted obedience. We should be ready to take that step of faith. The step of faith is full of unsure foundations but it is taking God at His word. Queen Esther took God at His word, though she did not know Him much.

Queen Esther stepped out in faith; she took the step of faith but not frivolously; she took the steps seriously. She requested for fasting and prayer; and  she fasted and prayed herself. This is the time; you cannot continue to scratch as chicks; we must soar as eagles. This is the time to dare God and give outrageous offerings and sow seeds. This is the season to start living as kings and serve as priest.

I don’t know what ideas the Lord is dropping in your heart. Please follow the word. Follow your dream. Take that step in faith. Act wisely and walk into more. God is with you; only if you are acting on His word. Take that step of faith. May the Lord take any chicken heart out of you! May He give you the Spirit of Courage and Strength to step out into the unknown by faith.

That little idea could turn out to bring great deliverance to others. That little idea could prosper into millions. That little idea could result in the planting of 100 churches. This is the time. It is time to step out and fight forward.  It is time to go all out. God is up to something. This is the time to stand and be counted. This is the time to drink deep or taste none. No lagging behind, step out and step up your game.

Stay blessed; I love you

It’s Time to Take that Step of Faith! was originally published on HighCity Church