THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 4, No. 29 – Monday, 29th July, 2019
(Psalm 102:26-28, Hebrews 1:11-12, John 20:6-7)
THE MYSTERIES ABOUT THE ‘FOLDED NAPKIN’

The two very powerful and most persuasive verses of John chapter 20 verses 6 and 7 are apparently obvious in understanding. But however, the mysteries therein contained express vital lessons about Christ that must not be missed by any Christian.
For one, these two verses connect the past to the present and inform us about the future. Indeed, when these two verses are given indepth spiritual analysis, we will understand that the mysteries contained in them combine the duo of wisdom and revelation.
As such, a revelational understanding of these two verses will achieve two successes:

(1) stir up faith in the Christian to enjoy the benefits of Christ’s suffering and death and fully grasp the reality of the power of Christ to reverse negative situations to joyful and positive ones.

And (2) the two verses stir up eternal hope in the christen that Christ has risen from the dead and that Christ is coming back again.
These two verses read as follows:
‘6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,
7 And the napkin that had been wrapped around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself’.
Let the fact be unequivocally settled that Christ arose from the dead on the third day and He, Christ folded those napkins together. The question is why? This question is pivotal because it unravels the hidden mystery behind this action of Christ and leaves Christians with a most powerful and persuasive message.
Understand dearly beloved that in the Jewish tradition, the act of leaving the napkins folded is common. Why? Because the Jewish tradition uses it as a medium of information to the one who sees the folded napkins.
Usually, in the land of Israel (and as a custom of the Jews), when a wife or a house maid brings food to the table for the husband or master (as the case may be), such food is always accompanied by napkins. Should the husband or master eat the food, he leaves the napkins in roughened form or shape. If that husband or master is yet to eat, he will then neatly fold the napkins and leave it on the table. Should his wife or the house maid come around to clear the table and she finds the napkins in a folded form or shape, then she understands that the husband or the master is coming back to eat the food later.
Folded napkins is thus a statement saying ‘not yet done, I am coming back’. As such, that wife or house maid keeps watch and diligently waiting for his return to eat after which she goes on to clear the table having seen the roughened napkins.
What then is the connection here? When Christ arose from the dead, no one was present. But Christ needed to leave a message behind for His disciples who will remember what He had told them about His resurrection and who will come rushing to meet Him on the third day.
Thus by leaving the napkins behind in the tomb and in folded form, Christ was saying that ‘I have risen, but this napkins remain folded because I am returning a second time not as a Saviour to die a second time, but as a husband to take my bride home and as a master-judge to judge the wicked’.
When Christ returns in glory the second time, will He meet you ready as bride-wife or as wicked. Who are you envying? Who are you nursing evil ambitions against? Who have you maligned with evil words and aspirations? Are you preparing for Christ’s second coming? How close are you to your Bible and to prayer?
If this revelational knowledge is the first of the two mysteries about the ‘folded napkins’, what then is the second? This will take us into the prophetic statements of the Psalmist in Psalm 102:26-28. These three verses were further espoused by Paul the Apostle in his letter to the Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 1:11-12.
To start with, Psalm 102:26-28 reads:
’26 They shall perish, but thou wilt endure; yea, they shall all grow old like a garment; like a vesture thou wilt change them, and they shall be changed.
27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.
28 The children of thy servants shall continue, and their descendants shalt be established before thee’.
Hebrews 1:11-12 on the other hand reads:
’11 They shall perish, but thou wilt remain; and they will all grown old like a garment;
12 Like a vesture thou wilt fold them up, and they will be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail’.
Understand the somewhat semantic differences but uniformity of meanings and application in the foregoing verses. Juxtaposing John chapter 20 verses 6-7, Psalm 102:26-28 and indeed Hebrews 1:11-12 together, there emerges certain very compelling facts. First, Christ did not perish in the tomb. But His enemies do perish and will continue to perish until they will eventually perish eternally in the lake of fire after His second coming. Or did not the Holy Scripture state in Psalm 16:10 (referring to Christ) that ‘for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor will thou suffer thy holy One to see corruption’? This is a verse of the Scripture corroborating the fact that Christ cannot perish as was enunciated in Psalm 102:26-28 and Hebrews 1:11-12.
Secondly, the reference to ‘vesture’ in the prophetic Psalm, its reiteration in the Epistle to the Hebrews and the ‘napkins’ in the gospel of John, all point to cloths which are ‘folded up’ or ‘changed’ from the wrapped form or shape into a folded position.
The facts of one being ‘vesture’ and the other ‘napkins’ or one being folded interchanged with the word ‘changed’ is merely semantic usage only. It really doesn’t matter.
What matters are the all-important questions of: Who folded or changed the ‘napkins’ or the ‘vesture’ from their original wrapped form and their original positions? Why were they being folded or changed?
The answer to the first question is by no means a mystery. The simple answer is that Christ arose from the dead and folded them up. As to the second question why (referring to the purpose for folding them up), there are two answers.
First is mystery 1 elucidated above (that is, His second coming). Part b of the purpose for folding them up refers to the second mystery. The ‘vesture’ or the ‘napkins’ wrapped around Christ’s head were wrapped for the purpose of the reality of His death and to finally conceal His head and fully confine His head (which is the symbol of His life) in the tomb.
The ‘napkins’ or the ‘vesture’ therefore signified an enemy of His prevention from resurrection. For if he resurrected still with the weakness of death in Him, how would He be able to breathe since the ‘napkins’ or the ‘vesture’ were still in tact?
The message in the mystery of folding up the ‘vesture’ or the ‘napkins’ by Christ is to say, ‘I died for your sins. But I have now risen; and risen in strength, and I have conquered all the enemies of your rising and greatness.
The content of both Psalms 102:26-28 and Hebrews 1:11-12 are to the effect that all storms and situations of life posing themselves to be problems and enemies to the followers of Christ shall be ‘changed’ to glorious ones by the power of the risen Christ.
The question is where do you stand in all of these? Are you on the side of Christ? Or do you have other powers that you depend on? Have greatness been promised to you by Satan, occult or even that witchcraft group?
Remember that only Christ cannot lie and cannot fail. And when it matters most those other powers will not be there to save or succour you.

IN THE END, CHRIST IS TRULY RISEN; AND NO MAN’S UNBELIEF WILL REVERSE THIS REALITY. CHRIST HAVING BEEN CHANGED FROM DEAD TO LIFE NOW HAS THE POWER OF RESURRECTION TO RESURRECT ALL THE DEAD THINGS THAT BELONG TO MAN. YOUR MARRIAGE, DESTINY AND FINANCES SHALL RECEIVE THE DIVINE VISITATION OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION AND YOU KNOW WHAT! IT WILL BE YOUR TURN AND TIME TO SMILE SOONEST.

Question and Answer Section:
Question: What is the current state of your life, body, marriage, destiny and finances? Can the power of Christ’s resurrection do anything to alter, change or even fold them thereby confining them into the waste bin of history so that you can henceforth live a fulfilled life?
Answer: YES!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Counseling, Prayers and Appointments: Please contact contactus@expressimageglory.com or 08098198155.

Donations and Financial Supports – Please support the Kingdom of God through Christ Jesus by paying your hard-earned money to only this one account and no other: Express Image Glory Ministry, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Account number – 0020881228.

Further information: Be informed that this Ministry has only one Facebook page and no other. Any other Facebook page or bank account is counterfeit. Any Concerns or questions about this facebook page or bank account should be directed to the Administrator of this Ministry, the Assistive Technology Adviser or the Resident Pastor. The Superintendent Minister and Pastor of this Ministry therefore pleads and urges you to desist from all such fake and ungodly Facebook pages or accounts. Be informed also that there is only one medium for soliciting donations and that medium is via our weekly magazine – The Message Now through our Facebook page or website: www.expressimageglory.com

ALTAR CALL:
Backslidden – living in sin – needing fresh recommitment (say):
Christ Jesus, You are the Anointed One of the Most High. I come to you today as I am. In your mercy, help me out of my situation. Heal my soul, my spirit, my body, my life and my destiny. I acknowledge you as the only true lover of my soul. Please, deliver me on every side and save me through and through. I promise from the depth of my soul to be yours from henceforth, in Jesus name. Help me now O God. Be my Lord, my Saviour and my all in all from this day. Thank you Lord (read Psalm 54 in closing and pray more).

HYMN: What A Friend We Have In Jesus! Near The Cross
PRAY NOW:
1. O power of the cross of Christ, arise upon my destiny.
2. Where have I missed or about to miss the mark of divine calling, thou power of resurrection, intervene for me today.
3. What virtues have died, stolen, ceased or being delayed in my life from manifesting, O power of Christ’s resurrection, arise upon them and bring them back to life.
4. My turn and time of greatness, appear.

PEACE.

Copyright 2019 Express Image Glory Ministries. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, or rewritten or redistributed without the written permission of the author.

THE MESSAGE NOW

Vol. 4  No. 28 Monday 22nd July, 2019

THE DRIVING FORCE FOR EXISTENCE

Exodus 31: 1-11, Gen 41:1-41, John 4:31-34

THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 4, No. 27 – Monday, 15th July, 2019
(Ps. 74:20, Jn.8:32, Gen.9:20-27, Ps.106:21-22, Gen.16:1-16, Gen.19:30-38)
THEIR ERRORS PUT US IN OUR PRESENT SITUATION – WHAT ERRORS WILL YOU MAKE THAT WILL AFFECT THE UNBORN GENERATIONS?
(Part 3)

If anyone is looking for an argument, such a person will always find one. So whatever argument anyone may concort against the coming statement, understand that such argument simply contributes to reasoning or such argument simply assaults reasoning and no more.
Believe me, such argument no matter how irritating or bizarre will not be seen by me in the light of an insult. For only myopic students of knowledge consider contrary arguments as such. The coming statement is this: Africa has been a slave to the white man by itself; therefore, Africa shall never be free.
More minds seeing this statement will immediately raise the inquisition: ‘is this supposed to be a stupendous joke?’ Yet, many more minds will instantly conclude that ‘this is nothing else but a statement emanating from an uncommon fool’. Yet, far fewer minds will simply ask, ‘but why?’

He who asks why is a researcher who wants to learn more. The reason most men are where they are sometimes is because of their inability to ask that important question why at the right time. To every why question, there is and must be a corresponding answer.

That Africa shall never be free is a conclusion creditable to an unchanging and most fundamental principle. This is the most fundamental principle of respect for covenants. Psalm 74:20 reads: ‘have respect onto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty’.
There is a statement of staggering concern in the foregoing verse of the Scripture. It is fragrantly disconcerting. What! ‘have respect onto the covenant!?’ What can this mean? Only two meanings. There is no legal, philosophical, religious or grammatical interpretation to this statement that can stand at variance.
What the statement simply means is obvious. First, covenants must be respected. It is a statement of spiritual soundness backed up by divine legal force and power. Second, the failure to ‘respect’ covenants will attract severe penalties of sometimes unending consequences.

It was Schmid A.P. who quipped in his 1988 book titled ‘Political Terrorism’ that ‘the price of parsimony should not be a lack of precision’. In avoiding both ‘the price of parsimony’ and at the same time in order to avoid ‘a lack of precision’, let it be said that there are varying types of covenant within the confines of humanity.
One foremost one is the blood covenant. Of all covenants found within the realms of existence, the blood covenant stands as the strongest force. Its potency is sometimes so enduring and of such force that until the terms of the covenant are agreed to, there cannot be any remedy in existence.

Blood covenants come in diverse forms: through sex, through sacrilegious sacrifice of human ritual or through inter-transfusion of blood. In all of these three cases, five things are undeniable and universally unchanging. These five things are the fact that blood covenant always involves spiritually-binding legal force and effects, rights and possible wrongs, unencumbered peace or damnable consequences.
Many times arguments and conclusions are made and on the face of it, such arguments and conclusions usually sound very appealing. But a close scrutiny will more often than not reveal that some of those arguments and conclusions are no more than emotive outbursts lacking strong basis. At other times oversensitivity, hypersensitivity and “shambulous” sentiments are simply the foundation of most conclusions and arguments.

But intelligent minds take the uncommon moment to ask the uncommonly common question why? Why, how, what, when and where are the languages of the wise, the researcher and the intelligent. Why? Because the words why, how, what, when and where are tools of learning; those words oftentimes widen the horizon of knowledge. And Knowledge and the truth gained from knowledge, the Holy Scripture has informed us that they have the unchallengeable potent force and power to set anyone free (John 8:32). So, I repeat: Africa has been a slave to the white man by itself; therefore, Africa shall never be free.

An inquisitive and intelligent mind is therefore asking me: ‘why will this be so? There are certain conforming facts worthy of serious attention when one is entering into covenants especially that of blood. Among the so many of those conforming facts, few of them warn us that: (1) it is great wisdom to be aware of what covenant is and what the impact can be if violated, (2) that blood is life, (3) that according to Henry Clay Thrumbull, ‘the heart, as the blood-fountain, is the very soul of every personality, (4) that blood-transfer is soul-transfer, (5) that blood-sharing, human, or divine-human, secures an inter-union of natures, (6) that a union of the human nature with the divine is the highest ultimate attainment reached out after by the most primitive, as well as by the most enlightened mind of humanity’ and (7) that when two or more blood mix, there cannot be a separation forever except by the unusual action of God.

Such is the strength and unbroken force of blood covenant. It was an Arabic poet El-A’asha who exhausted serious energy in a study and came up with the poem which concluded that there was serious soul-tie and covenant between two or more siblings for the mere fact that they all sucked milk from the same breast. Thus El-A’asha penned the following memorable (already translated) lines to the effect that: ‘two foster-brothers by the sucking of the breast of one mother, swore together by dark blood, into which they dipped their hands, that they should not ever become separated’.
The question is if a bond was made by two brothers who were not born by the same mother but who came under a binding bond simply because they sucked from the same breasts, how much stronger will that bond be when the brothers from the same mother and who sucked from that same mother?

Alternatively, how unbroken will the bond be when it involved sex between a man and a woman even though they are now divorced? Understand this fact that blood covenant knows no divorce. In as much as there has been sexual relationship, blood has been transfused. Whether one of the two parties travelled to the north pole while the other is now resident at the south pole, nevertheless, the two parties are still carriers of each other’s life. All the failures and all the success resident in one is equally resident in the other. The promises they made to each other remains binding.
Do you think God is a fool O man when He commanded against divorce? (Zech.2:16). The power of blood covenant is generational. A study conducted and concluded in 1885 (which was years after the Abolition Act against Slave Trade entered into the Statute books on 25 March, 1807) gave us certain startling revelations about the reason Africa remains in perpetual bondage.

Mungo Park, the Lander brothers, Hugh Claperton, McGregor Laird, Stanley and many other white explorers), especially Commander Cameron who, while in charge of the Livingstone Search Expedition, was the first European traveller to cross the whole breadth of the African continent in its central latitudes, gave several illustrations of the observance of this rite. In June, 1874, at the westward of Lake Tanganyika, Syde, a guide of Cameron, entered into this covenant of blood with Pakwanya, a local chief.
” After a certain amount of palaver,” says Cameron, ” Syde and Pakwanya exchanged presents, much to the advantage of the former [for in the Last, the person of higher rank is supposed to give the more costly gifts in any such exchange] ; more especially [in this case] as he [Syde] borrowed the beads of me and afterwards forgot to repay me.

Pakwanya then performed a tune on his harmonium, or whatever the instrument [which he had] might be called, and the business of fraternizing was proceeded with. Pakwanya’s head man acted as his sponsor, and one of my askari assumed the like office for Syde.
“The first operation consisted of making an incision 011 each of their right wrists, just sufficient to draw blood ; a little of which was scraped off and smeared on the other’s cut; after which gunpowder was rubbed in [thereby securing a permanent token on the arm]. The concluding part of the ceremony was performed by Pakwanya’s sponsor holding a sword resting on his shoulder, while he who acted [as sponsor] for Syde went through the motions of sharpening a knife upon it. Both sponsors meanwhile made a speech, calling down implications on Pakwanya and all his relations, past, present, and future, and prayed that their graves might be defiled by pigs if he broke the brotherhood in word, thought, or deed. The same form having been gone through with, [with] respect to Syde, the sponsors changing duties, the brother- making was complete”.

It was gathered that there was often a pronouncement during that blood ceremony that each party would say, ‘what belongs to you is mine from henceforth; and what belong to me is yours from henceforth’ and then terrible curses were invoked should one party disappoint the other. Those curses are till today plaguing Africa because years down the line, children of African chiefs began to demand for independence of their African nations.
They did not remember that both the nations, the lands and their natural resources contained in the lands and nations ought to be equally shared between the white who were to be equal citizens alongside with their black African partners. Thus by requesting for independence and driving the whites out of the lands that was now partly theirs, Africans broke the terms of the blood covenants signed by their forefathers.
Interestingly and sadly too, in many white nations till today, Africans are given equal treatment as soon as they attain certain status. That is the whiteman fulfilling his own part of the bargain. But Africa refused till date to perform its covenanted obligation. Therefore, Africa shall forever remain perpetually backward, bankrupt and bedeviled by all sorts of negativities until the right thing is done.

On his release from 27 years of imprisonment on 11 February, 1990, Nelson Mandela refused to carry on with the former agenda of the ANC party. Why? Because Mandela at that time knew that a covenant was in place which shared South Africa equally between blacks and Whites owing to a signed, sealed and delivered blood covenant. Since South Africa agreed to co-exist peacefully with its white minority, bloodshed ceased, prosperity increased and today, there is no better country in Africa like countries where whites have been allowed to co-exist peacefully.
Study the economies of nations like South Africa, Mauritius, Seychelles, Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia, etc in comparison with many other African countries, and you will know that Africa is the poorest of the poor, a cursed continent, feeding on crumbs. Do you know that the nation of Zimbabwe was once the best in terms of education? Do you know that Zimbabwe was once a thriving economy? The moment Mr Robert Mugabe forced the whites out of the nation and ceased their lands, the terms of the blood covenant was enforced against Zimbabwe and that nation has not recovered till this moment of writing.

Seriously speaking, blood covenant between a lady and her former boy-friend whom she did not marry eventually is the sole reason why her marriage lacks peace, is laden with poverty and sometimes void of children. In fact, do you know that some ladies out there in the world have not married because of the action of blood covenant between them and their former suitors?
If you collected any thing from a man whom you did not eventually marry, now is the time to return those things otherwise your marriage will continue to struggle and the prospect of reaching divine heights will always elude that marriage.
Very serious ladies never give out their lips for kissing to a man who has not yet paid their dowry. Do you? If yes, know this that by that singular act, you have formed a blood covenant with him. For what tragedies do you know are present in his life as at the time of the kissing? Just think about some foolish ladies out there. Do you know that some of them give out their God-given virginity so cheaply, sometimes on the altar of a few notes of money? What a shame!

There is so much to say about this topic but time is not a friend. Do you know that every land where there has been bloodshed, and no genuine reconciliations have been made, such lands cannot experience what progress is in its essence? After Nelson Mandela’s return, he set up what was known as the ‘Truth Commission’ for genuine reconciliation and genuine apologies. During that process, South Africans told the truth and begged each other. And for that reason, they are thriving now.
A type of the ‘Truth Commission’ was set up in Nigeria known as Oputa Panel. The truth was that the truth was not told and genuine apologies were not made. As a result, Nigeria missed the road towards greatness from that point. That was supposed to be a watershed moment but for Nigeria’s depraved nature which raised its ugly head again.

IN THE END FOR THE NATION OF NIGERIA: UNTIL GENUINE REPENTANCE IS MADE TO GOD AND GENUINE APOLOGIES MADE TO THE IGBOS, NIGERIA SHALL NEVER MAKE PROGRESS NOR PROSPER. IN THE END FOR AFRICA: UNLESS THE WHITE MAN IS ALLOWED TO RETURN NOT TO RECOLONISE AFRICA BUT TO SETTLE AND ENJOY RESOURCES EQUALLY WITH BLACKS IN AFRICA, THE FUTURE OF AFRICA IS BLEAKER THAN THE THICKEST DARKNESS. THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE IS THAT AFRICA CALLS FOR A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION WITH THE WHITE MAN APOLOGISING FOR PAST WRONGS DONE TO IT BY REASON OF BREACH OF THE TERMS OF THE BLOOD AGREEMENT, IF THEN THE WHITE MAN FORGIVES AND RELEASES AFRICA FROM THE BURDEN OF THE COVENANT, THEN AFRICA MAY BE FREE. IN THE END FOR THE INDIVIDUAL: HMMM! CRY LAMENTABLY TO THE CROSS OF CHRIST FOR REDEMPTION.

Question and Answer Section:
Question: What did you do with your life and especially your body between ages 12 to the present?
Answer: Hmmm!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Counselling, Prayers and Appointments: Please contact contactus@expressimageglory.com or 08098198155.

Donations and Financial Supports – Please support the Kingdom of God through Christ Jesus by paying your hard-earned money to only this one account and no other: Express Image Glory Ministry, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Account number – 0020881228.

Further information: Be informed that this Ministry has only one Facebook page and no other. Any other Facebook page or bank account is counterfeit. Any Concerns or questions about this facebook page or bank account should be directed to the Administrator of this Ministry, the Assistive Technology Adviser or the Resident Pastor. The Superintendent Minister and Pastor of this Ministry therefore pleads and urges you to desist from all such fake and ungodly Facebook pages or accounts. Be informed also that there is only one medium for soliciting donations and that medium is via our weekly magazine – The Message Now through our Facebook page or website: www.expressimageglory.com

ALTAR CALL:
Backslidden – living in sin – needing fresh recommitment (say):
Christ Jesus, You are the Anointed One of the Most High. I come to you today as I am. In your mercy, help me out of my situation. Heal my soul, my spirit, my body, my life and my destiny. I acknowledge you as the only true lover of my soul. Please, deliver me on every side and save me through and through. I promise from the depth of my soul to be yours from henceforth, in Jesus name. Help me now O God. Be my Lord, my Saviour and my all in all from this day. Thank you Lord (read Ps.54 in closing and pray more).

HYMN: Near The Cross
PRAY NOW:
1. Do you think that you are at that point where the Lord wants you to be at the moment? If not, cry to God for a change of status.
2. O blood of Jesus, remove every generational blood from my soul, spirit and body.
3. Blood of Jesus, flow into my foundation now and cause divine repairs to take place.
4. Pray against wicked spirits and forces warring against Express Image.

Copyright 2019 Express Image Glory Ministries. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, or rewritten or redistributed without the written permission of the author.

THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 4, No. 26 – Monday, 8th July, 2019
(Exodus.14:1-31, Joshua 3:1-13, Psalm 114:1-8, 2 Kings 7:1-20)
THE MYSTERY OF THE RED SEA EXPERIENCE
(Part 2)

‘There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all’ (1 Cor.12:4-6).
Ah! See a mystery here! The manifest truth of the Blessed Holy Trinity:the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit all in a succession of three succeeding verses. And If it is the same Holy Spirit working all things in all children of God, and that one Holy Spirit is all in all, then the Spirit of God in one child of God knows the questions and intents in the heart of another, and He knows the answers to give and the right word of encouragement for that right moment (1 Cor.12:7-11).

Then the time has come that I must ask him about the mystery of the four lepers in 2 Kings chapter 7 from verses 1-20, and how that mystery aligns in any way with the mystery of the Red Sea.
And why not ask him? Is it not the same Spirit of God in me that is resident in this great Man of God also? And why not ask him? For is he not an elder? Elders certainly have deeper and wider experiences than young people. And is he not gone ahead into the heavens? Having gone into the heavens before me, it means that he, no longer sees things darkly as I still do. It means therefore that he will answer my questions as clear as the clearest crystal.

So, I said, Sir, may I know how the Red Sea experience runs in tandem with that of the four lepers in the days of Elisha? Sir, how does that mystery relate with me that I may learn and teach it to my generation?
Then he said to me: ‘understand young man that I, Moses was a prophet as Elisha was. Understand also this mystery that prophets are raised up to preserve life. As for me, I preserved them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt where there was much suffering. As for my brother, Elisha, he preserved them by making sustenance for body and soul available to them. So, you see, different ministries, different gifts, different functions but one God fulfilling one purpose of preserving life. Have you not read that by a prophet God brought them out of the land of affliction, and by a prophet did He, God preserve them? (Hos.12:13).

And, young man, if the rod which parted the Red Sea was a representation of the Word of God as I had earlier told you in the first part, the word spoken by Elisha saying, ‘the Elisha said, hear ye the Word of the Lord; thus saith the LORD, tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria’, was equally the Word of God put into action’.
Hmmm! ‘The word of God put into action?’ Sir, what does that mean?’Young man, the Holy Scripture says: ‘beware of false prophets’. But that is a lesson for another day’s meeting between me and you.

For today, the lesson is be careful of prophets. Why? All children of God anointed to be prophets have the Word and the authority of God in their mouth and when they speak, it is as though God Himself has spoken.
Again, haven’t you read the Scriptures that He, Himself stated that He confirms the words of His servants and performs the counsel of His messengers? (Is.44:26). Still not fully grasped young man? Here now is the connection.
When Elisha spoke the word into the atmosphere like I, Moses, stretched the rod into the atmosphere over the Red Sea, an air of anointing like the east wind in my own case was immediately released to perform the spoken word.

That air of anointing fell on the four lepers because they were ready and willing to receive it although the whole mystery was unknown to them. The weight of that air of anointing was so great that it made the footsteps of the four lepers sound like the footsteps of thousands of men. The footsteps were hitting the ground so heavily and so hard that the enemies’ hearts pounded with great fear and enormous trepidation. They therefore fled leaving their sustenance behind that the lives of God’s children may be preserved.
Two more mysteries and then I must go for the moment. First, didn’t I tell you to be careful of prophets?’ Yes Sir, but why? ‘do not let a prophet out of all people to issue out a curse over your life. You will need God alone to break that curse.

And what if that prophet has justification for issuing the curse? Or what if that prophet issued that curse out of righteous anger? You will need repentance before God and genuine restitution before that prophet and that prophet’s prayer before your freedom and emancipation can come. Does that sound like a surprise? If it is then you have not read the account of Genesis chapter 20:1-18.

Second, young man, I told you about the air of anointing locating the four lepers because they were ready for divine use and you didn’t ask any questions? Now, listen. Marriage is a matter that concerns God more than ministry and even more than the greatest message by the greatest pastor. Do you know also that a successful marriage is the greatest miracle after the miracle of salvation because it is a perfect miracle in itself. Why?
Marriage gives birth to ministry. A successful marriage is a perfect message in itself. Understand O young man that before the Lord of all flesh that is, the Prince of Peace preached one message and even before His earthly ministry began, the first thing He did was to attend a marriage ceremony. Also, young man, it was at that marriage ceremony that the first miracle was performed at Cana of Galilee’.

What then is the mystery here Sir? ‘Young man, to one brother, or to one sister, five sisters or five brothers can be anointed for marriage. Will they all marry that brother or that sister? NO! Every brother and every sister is permitted to have only one.
So many are anointed for the same purpose because that marriage anointing will only rest on and work for the only one that is ready and willing in and from the heart. Are you a bride ready for Christ’s coming?
Remember that the day you got saved, there were many others who were equally called that day. But few were chosen. I am on my way for another assignment; peace be with your soul and spirit, Amen’.

IN THE END, CHOICE IS THE FOUNDATION OF CHANGE WHETHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE. WOULD YOU RATHER REQUEST FOR AN AIR OF PROPHETIC ANOINTING TO BE SPOKEN OVER YOUR LIFE TODAY? IF YOU ARE GENUINELY SAVED, DO YOU KNOW YOU CAN DO SAME YOURSELF? IT IS ALL A MATTER OF CHOICE; IT IS CERTAIN TO BRING ABOUT THAT DESIRED CHANGE.

Question and Answer Section:
Question: How many lepers brought deliverance in Elisha’s days?
Answer: Four.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Counselling, Prayers and Appointments: Please contact contactus@expressimageglory.com or 08098198155.
Donations and Financial Supports – Please support the Kingdom of God through Christ Jesus by paying your hard-earned money to only this one account and no other: Express Image Glory Ministry, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Account number – 0020881228.
Further information: Be informed that this Ministry has only one Facebook page and no other. Any other Facebook page or bank account is counterfeit. Any Concerns or questions about this facebook page or bank account should be directed to the Administrator of this Ministry, the Assistive Technology Adviser or the Resident Pastor. The Superintendent Minister and Pastor of this Ministry therefore pleads and urges you to desist from all such fake and ungodly Facebook pages or accounts. Be informed also that there is only one medium for soliciting donations and that medium is via our weekly magazine – The Message Now through our Facebook page or website: www.expressimageglory.com

ALTAR CALL:
Backslidden – living in sin – needing fresh recommitment (say):
Christ Jesus, You are the Anointed One of the Most High. I come to you today as I am. In your mercy, help me out of my situation. Heal my soul, my spirit, my body, my life and my destiny. I acknowledge you as the only true lover of my soul. Please, deliver me on every side and save me through and through. I promise from the depth of my soul to be yours from henceforth, in Jesus name. Help me now O God. Be my Lord, my Saviour and my all in all from this day. Thank you Lord (read Ps.54 in closing and pray more).

HYMN: Near The Cross
PRAY NOW:
1. Do you perceive there is a curse working against you? Repent genuinely now on your behalf and on behalf of your generation.
2. Do you have need for any restitution? Do it today; repentance is never enough when a curse is in the equation.
3. Ask the air of anointing of God to appear against that rough situation of your life now.
4. Ask divine air of anointing to bring down the judgement of God upon those evil women warring against the rise and goodness of Express Image Glory Ministries.
5. Spend some time more immediately after service to deal with those negative issues in your life through prayer.

Copyright 2019 Express Image Glory Ministries. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, or rewritten or redistributed without the written permission of the author

THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 4, No. 25 – Monday, 1st July, 2019
(Exodus.14:1-31, Josh.3:1-13, Psalm 114:1-8, 2 Kings.7:1-20)
THE MYSTERY OF THE RED SEA EXPERIENCE

Welcome to another edition of The Message Now. Before the spiritual lectures of this edition, shall we establish certain facts.
There is a marked difference between humanity and divinity. Man is subject to surprises. On the contrary, divinity cannot be taken aback by a single stroke of surprise.
It is equally within the realm of humanity that the idea of mysteries do exist. Again, all things are in full and perfect glare before God. What this clearly evinces is the fact that divinity is all knowing but humanity is limited in knowledge.

The limitation of man’s knowledge is what brings about the compulsive need to constantly study the Scriptures (John 5:39, Acts 17:19-12) and search the mind of the Spirit for what lies ahead on the spiritual horizon (1 Cor.2:16).
For example, Have we ever taken out some moment to find out what is ahead of us as individuals far ahead in five to ten years time? Why do we allow situations of life to take us by surprise all the time?
For instance, did we pray to such an extent that revelations given to us in our courtship days are pawns evidently playing out now? Or was our courtship days all rosy, full of pomp and pageantry that there was less concern for earnest prayers that centred on futuristic concerns? Did you ask God for what your spouse would contribute to the spiritual growth and success of your marriage?

Oh! How I wish the majority of the children of Israel did all these before their departure from the land of Egypt. Then there would have been no mystery about their contact with the Red Sea. Indeed, if they did, the sight of the Red Sea would have simply been the sight of a novel pathway.
But instead, their failure to search the mind of God made them see the Red Sea as a giant mountain, an impossibility that could not be succumbed. More concerning to them, their leader (who constantly searched the mind of God) gave them a surprising surprise by instructing them to ‘go forward’.
Such instruction could certainly not be comprehensible by the natural mind but only that of the spiritual. To the natural mind, that instruction meant taking a walk into the Red Sea and commit suicide. But there was a great mystery behind that instruction.
What! ‘tell the people to go forward’? O Man of God, prophet Moses! You mean you didn’t doubt that instruction? You mean you went ahead and gave that instruction to the people of God?

O Man of God, prophet Moses! Why didn’t you challenge God? Sir, great Man of God, prophet Moses! Didn’t that instruction sound to you as being idiotic?
But now I hear the voice of the great Man of God, prophet Moses addressing me as young man in a spiritual interview and saying to me: ‘young man, since I meant God on the backside of the desert with the experience of the burning bush, I learnt a lesson of my life that if I must walk right with God I must look by faith and not by sight’ (2 Cor.5:7).
Now, I see and understand O great Man of God, prophet Moses that although an instruction or counselling from God may sound idiotic nevertheless, it contains perfect sense because it is not an instruction or counselling emanating from an idiot but instead from the Author of knowledge and understanding Himself.

So O great Man of God, prophet Moses, I want to conclude that looking at that divine instruction through the eyes of faith, you could no longer see the Red Sea but mere pathway full of sand in front of you, is that correct?
‘Yes, I saw it exactly that way through the eyes of faith. But more than that I saw greater mysteries’. Please tell me O great Man of God, prophet Moses, what were these great mysteries?
‘Young man, did you notice that it was not until I gave them God’s instruction and they obeyed that I was given the next instruction? Did you also notice that following that next instruction, the Red Sea parted and dry pathway appeared?’
Yes Sir, I understand all of these from the account of the Holy Scriptures. But please Sir, can you break down these mysteries into simpler understanding for me and those people who will sometime hear from me?
‘O yes young man. To start with, in the spiritual arena, instructions come step by step. Note this very importantly that no second instruction will come except the first has been complied with.

Understand O young man that as soon as the children of Israel agreed ‘to go forward’ by faith following that first instruction, their human feet were all changed into divine feet for the sea to hear and to understand. For all inanimate objects like the Red Sea recognise and answer to divine presence only, not the greatest noise of a million human feet or cry.
Young man, do you remember also that the next instruction was that I, Moses should stretch the rod in my hand over the sea (not into the sea) and divide it?’
Yes Sir, I remember that. But what does this mean, and what difference does this make to any rational mind? Doesn’t it again sound idiotic to divide a whole expanse of water as the Red Sea by simply stretching a mere rod over it?

‘Listen,young man. Remember that by stretching the rod over the sea and not into it, it means that the rod was stretched forth into the atmosphere and therefore, it was not lowered down towards the earth crust. By so doing, the rod which symbolises the Word of God was being made to perform two instant miracles.
First, whilst the rod was stretched forth into the atmosphere, it spoke to the air that is, the east wind, calling it into immediate action. Second, that rod which is the Word of God opened up the ears, the eyes and the mind of the sea to see, to hear and comprehend the presence of the divine feet of its Maker who was now walking towards it’.

What! That is unbelievable! Do seas have ears, eyes and minds? ‘Listen, young man, have you not read what the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 114 about this same Red Sea and its encounter with the nation of Israel? Let me bring back to your memory those eternal words by the Psalmist.
Psalm 114 reads:
1 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;
2 Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.
The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.
5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? Thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
6 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;
8 Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters’.

O yes Sir, I understand now that just as the presence of God made the waters of the Red Sea and the River Jordan stand as a heap on either side, so also the presence of God does turn the rock of any problem of life into a quiet, still and standing water for coolness.
‘Very good young man. Understand further that was this not the same experience by Joshua in the River Jordan? Notice that as soon as the feet of those priests carrying the ark of the Lord touch down into the River Jordan, Jordan was cut off from its flowing source and dry land appeared for smooth passage’ (Josh.3:1-13).

O Man of God, I have read the Holy Scriptures. I have listened to you through this interview. But How do I apply this to my life as one journeying from this present world?
‘Young man, it is a sad mystery that not many men request for the presence of God in their company through life and against their problems. So, many men journey as orphans or sheep without a guide. Young man, these are the days of better promises informed by better covenant; therefore, that you will do much better than I, Moses, the great Man of God did, is an unchallengeable fact.
Young man, I have got more mysteries to expose to you, mysteries especially the mystery about the four lepers as contained in 2 Kings.7.But that will wait until my next meeting with you. (TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK).

Question and Answer Section:
Question: How many Levitical priests stood in the River Jordan carrying the Ark of the Lord?
Answer: Twelve.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Counselling, Prayers and Appointments: Please contact contactus@expressimageglory.com or 08098198155.

Donations and Financial Supports – Please support the Kingdom of God through Christ Jesus by paying your hard-earned money to only this one account and no other: Express Image Glory Ministry, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Account number – 0020881228.

Further information: Be informed that this Ministry has only one Facebook page and no other. Any other Facebook page or bank account is counterfeit. Any Concerns or questions about this facebook page or bank account should be directed to the Administrator of this Ministry, the Assistive Technology Adviser or the Resident Pastor. The Superintendent Minister and Pastor of this Ministry therefore pleads and urges you to desist from all such fake and ungodly Facebook pages or accounts. Be informed also that there is only one medium for soliciting donations and that medium is via our weekly magazine – The Message Now through our Facebook page or website: www.expressimageglory.com

ALTAR CALL:
Backslidden – living in sin – needing fresh recommitment (say):
Christ Jesus, You are the Anointed One of the Most High. I come to you today as I am. In your mercy, help me out of my situation. Heal my soul, my spirit, my body, my life and my destiny. I acknowledge you as the only true lover of my soul. Please, deliver me on every side and save me through and through. I promise from the depth of my soul to be yours from henceforth, in Jesus name. Help me now O God. Be my Lord, my Saviour and my all in all from this day. Thank you Lord (read Ps.54 in closing and pray more).

HYMN: Jesus Keep Me Near The Cross

PRAY NOW:
Ask the presence of God to appear against that rough situation of your life now.

Copyright 2019 Express Image Glory Ministries. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, or rewritten or redistributed without the written permission of the author.