EXPRESS IMAGE GLORY MINISTRIES

THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 5, No. 44 – Sunday 8th November, 2020
(Acts.9:8-19, Acts.6:1-8, 1 Sam.31:1-6, 2 Sam.1:4-10)
HEY! WHAT ARE THESE MYSTERIES ALL ABOUT?

Nothing and no one can astound the intellect of man more than the things of God and God Himself. It is undoubtedly a terse statement that His ways are beyond human research and intellectual abilities. But it is equally true that God expects His children to be deep thinkers and untiring researchers at least for the purpose of searching out His mind and His interests on all matters of life.
Have you ever dear sister inquired of God – searched out His mind concerning that delay being experienced, knowing fullwell that that situation of delay is unpleasing to Him? How do you react to dreams that you don’t understand? Pray enquiry prayers about them or simply seek men for interpretation? How sure are you that men’s interpretations will always be true? Understand dearly beloved that seeking and searching out the mind of the Almighty is the key-solution to all of life’s challenges.
There are three mysteries before us in today’s edition of The Message Now. First is what the content of Acts chapter 6:8 is all about? Second, why is it that brother Ananias in Acts chapter 9 had only one assignment from the Lord? In addition, why is it that that assignment was given by the Lord to a mere brother – a mere floor member of the church and not the great Apostles and great Evangelists at the time? Third, why is it that despite the fact that king Saul was grievously injured by the archers, yet his life remained in him?
Beginning with the first mystery, the content of Acts chapter 6:8 reads: ‘and Stephen, full of faith and power, did great miracles and wonders among the people’. Hmmm! According to the same chapter reading from verses 5-7, Stephen, ‘full of faith and the Holy Ghost’, was merely a deacon in the church. Though merely a deacon, Stephen did greater than what many General Overseers and Superintendents of many modern and great ministries of today can and would do.
By human standard then, this man Stephen qualified to be a founder of his own ministries where signs and wonders would even have been the order of the day. But he did not. Rather, Stephen preferred to serve God in the capacity of a food sharer. The question is what is God saying here?
Every man will be great, accomplish divine destiny and have his requests easily turned to testimonies so long as he remains within the right spiritual atmosphere ordered by God. Did you get that? Not only remaining under the right spiritual atmosphere but such spiritual atmosphere that is ordered by God. Do you understand dearly beloved that the answering of your prayers equally depends on the covenant, the direct spiritual leader and the spiritual atmosphere under which your prayers are being offered?
Indeed, one’s attitude to his spiritual leaders determines his progress, the timeliness of his breakthrough and whether or not his prayers will be speedily answered.
The man, Stephen, ‘full of faith and the Holy Ghost’ was selected to a low position of being a mere deacon without any objection from him. Hmmm! Please understand that the state of his heart at the point of perceived demotion gave him instant promotion.
Have you been asked by your pastor to wash the lavatory of the church? How did you feel about that and what was your heart’s reaction? The point of human demotion is always the same point of divine promotion. Did you get that again? That Pastor is the representative of God over you. Calling you into that low office is indirectly calling you into God’s full presence. Do you know that in that lowly position of divine assignment the Lord will always be present with you?
Oh! How I wish that men understand that prayers are easily answered when God is present. Do you know that the prayers you offer whilst in that duty post are bound to be answered? Remember deacon Stephen. He did what the many General Overseers of today cannot do and would not do. Again, the question is why? The truth is this? The fact that God answered one’s prayer in healing one headache does not mean that that is a sign of call into ministry.
Many pastors of today have either been called by themselves, by God, by the devil or even by God but they rushed before time into pastoral service. But take note of this that even when it is by God, the state of the heart and God Himself remain the judge. Dearly beloved, I pray for you and for myself that in the journey and in the divine assignment apportioned to our destiny, we shall not miss the track, we shall not crash and we shall not fail our Master who called us, in Jesus name.
Second, why is it that brother Ananias in Acts chapter 9 had only one assignment from the Lord? Why is it that that assignment was given by the Lord to a mere brother – a mere floor member of the church and not the great Apostles and great Evangelists at the time?
The Lord knows everyone at every given time and for every given situation. The Lord is aware of what assignment to give to who and why. But in the case of our brother, Ananias, commitment and readiness for service is the key. The Lord is constantly walking through His church, constantly looking for the prepared one (Deut.23:14)
Brother Ananias was a disciple, not Apostle. But He was found worthier for the assignment. Do you seek to please Pastor, and not God? The value and appreciation one accords to God and the things of God gives one the worth, the weight and the approval of the Almighty for service and for greatness. Never forget that great saying that ‘it is a man’s service onto God that recommends him onto greatness’.
Do you know that there are mere church members who occupy greater position of worth, weight and approval before God than their pastors? But do you also know that there are worthy and weighty children of God approved onto greatness by God but who do nothing to advance their gift? Such worthy and weighty children of God will end up like brother Ananias.
Brother Ananias was used of God for only one assignment. And the chapter of his life ended there. The simple truth is if one does not seek to develop his God-given talent, such a person will pass on without reckon, without further record and unsung.
Evidently, Brother Ananias was a great Man of God though unrecognized by the church but duly approved by God. This brother had the gift of instant healing, the working of miracles and of course this our special brother knew the captain of our salvation so well. But when God triggered on his gift, he himself did not further it because of dormancy. Dormancy is the antimony of activism.
Having seen his gift manifest, the next step was to make a recourse to Proverbs chapter 25:2 and Proverbs 22:29. Our brother would have become more honourable, standing before kings and not mean men if only he took the extra step of praying his gift through to the realm of announcing him and his God and celebrating the same. Or is it not the gift of a man that maketh room for him? (Prov.18:16).
Ah! Alas! Our brother, great Man of God – brother Ananias, died with the gift and the grace of God in his life. Ah! Our darling brother, Brother Ananias enriched the cemetery, not the souls of humanity and the kingdom of God. Brother-sister, would you die with the gift and the grace of God richly lying dormant in you? Who will enjoy that gift and grace in the region of the dead? How many souls do you think you have enriched with your sonerous voice?
I entered Express Image Glory Ministry a few years ago and I heard a sister singing. I was so moved by God. But hmmm! I must hold the rest of the story back in my belly. It was because that little stream of water developed itself through consistent flow and through coastal enlargement, that was why over time it became an ocean of reckon.
The Annual National Conference of Express Image Glory Ministry is around the corner, how would you use your gift and the grace of God on you to move God into action for you and humanity? Think about it my sister; think about it my brother.
Third, why is it that despite the fact that king Saul was grievously injured by the archers, yet his life remained in him? By men’s consideration, the wicked must die and die instantly. But by God, the souls of men are so precious that God will fight to the last second for any departing soul to make it to heaven irrespective of his sins and wickedness.
King Saul was in great anguish; the archers had hit him, the Philistines followed hard after him, he was already grievously wounded but his soul/life refused to depart from his system. Why? The answer to that puzzle is not far fetched. The answer is contained in Ezekiel chapter 33:11.
It reads: ‘say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from evil ways; for why will you die O house of Israel?’
Here is the secret O brother O sister! Have you seen anyone who is deeply so sick and at the point of death? And are you praying so fervently for that person’s healing? That’s good! But please realise that such moment is also the right moment to introduce Christ to that sick person so that should the body be lost to dust the soul will not be lost to hell.
My biological father was a moslem for probably over 70 years of his 103 years, having previously been a clear idol worshiper. According to my sister, about 30 minutes before he passed on he gave his life to the Lord Jesus. It was during his last moment in tormentous sickness that my sister introduced Christ to him. And thank God, he accepted Christ at that hour. Why was he so tormentously ill at that time? Why did that illness drag for not less than five months? Why did he not simply die being an old man already?
His body was in anguish but his life remained in him so that the agenda of God may be accomplished. But in the case of king Saul, he missed his opportunity so badly. O dear Evangelist, dearest brother and dearest sister, get the secret; life in Christ is better than the grievous pain of losing a dearly beloved who is heading in the direction of hell. So, let us not be carried away by the pain of loss of person and personalty and in the process forget the eternal loss of that person’s soul.
Whether king Saul committed suicide or indeed, he was killed by the lying Amalekite man is not a fact in issue. The most important fact in issue is king Saul did not grab his golden opportunity. The damnable consequence was and still is that king Saul’s soul was eternally lost.
Remember Acts chapter 7:59-60. Anguish from the stoning made Deacon Stephen to cry to God to receive his spirit/soul quickly. But was that request granted instantly? The unequivocal answer is no. Why? Because until the human heart is perfectly ready, it cannot be received into heaven. The scourge of stoning at that moment had most likely affected the state of heart of this great Man of God – Deacon Stephen. Until he prayed that the Lord holds not their actions against them thereby freeing his heart from any iota of bitterness, his soul/spirit remained in him. Understand then that as soon as he made use of the opportunity, his spirit/soul was received into glory.

IN THE END, WHAT WE DO WITH OUR TIME WILL BE TOLD BY TIME ITSELF. AND IT IS ON THIS BASIS THAT OUR CREDIT SCORE WILL BE GIVEN TO US. HUMAN GREATNESS WILL NOT STAND BEFORE THE TALE TO BE TOLD BY TIME IF IT EXCLUDES GREATNESS FOR DIVINITY.

Question and Answer Section
Question: The great questions again! When was the last time that you preached to any soul? Do you serve God with joyful heart or with reluctance? How much hurt is in your soul against that fellow? Won’t rather forgive them and forget their mischief so that you can rightly serve your loving Father? When was the last time you smiled genuinely and truly from your heart about yourself bearing in mind the bright days to come? when was the last time you heard a force praying within your belly without your consciousness? When was the last time you gave something to support God’s work apart from your tithes and offerings? When was the last time you supported any man to fulfill a divine or a personal agenda? When was the last time you put smile on the face of someone?
Answer: Hmmm!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Counseling, Prayers and Appointments: Please contact contactus@expressimageglory.com. Alternatively, meet us every Sunday at the address below:
Suite 26, 2nd Floor, Nikky Africana Plaza, 70C Allen Avenue, Opposite UBA/MTN Office, Ikeja, Lagos.

Further information: Be informed that this Ministry has only one Facebook page and no other. Any other Facebook page is counterfeit. Any Concerns or questions about this Facebook page should be directed to: contactus@expressimageglory.com
The General Superintendent Minister of this Ministry therefore pleads and urges you to desist from all such fake and ungodly Facebook pages. Our website is: 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: Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah
PRAY NOW:
1. O God, I repent for every time I wasted so far.
2. I rededicate my life to serve you and humanity through you.
3. O waster of time and effort, I sack you from my life by the name and the strength of God.
4. O my gift and grace from God, spring alive and announce God through me.
5. I am progressing in a new year, I live behind every regression to die with this old and outgoing year .
6. Present your personal petition.

EXPRESS IMAGE GLORY MINISTRIES
THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 5, No. 43 – Sunday 1st November, 2020
(Acts.24:16, 1 Sam.12:1-3,)
A LIVING OR A DEAD CONSCIENCE

Frankly and most sincerely speaking, I have not found much wickedness elsewhere except such wickedness being perpetrated by christians. The sort of behaviours put up by Christians, the level of abuse and the non-respect for the principles of integrity makes one to think whether some church-going Christians really have any living conscience living in them.
It is mainly Christians who find it difficult to repay debts. When promises are made by them, living up to their word is always a deliberate uphill task. In business engagements, some Christians buy products for say, N1000 and interestingly, they want to sell that product for N15,000. Christians are the swiftest in expressing detrimental judgment on other people.

Ah! I cannot but make this reference to A. Tozer. The great A. Tozer stated, ‘a Pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself. But a spiritual man is easy on others and hard on himself’. I cannot understand it. Christians! What has brought us to this lowest ebb?
The Bible and the doctrines of Christ are no doubt very refining. Change of character is a major sine qua non immediately after salvation. What then is the problem? Are we not saved? Or have we lost our salvation? Or have we stopped growing, and now experiencing stunted growth?
I cannot think of any other thing other than the fact that the moment a man loses his vision, his focus drowns and his pursuit is redirected or totally lost. No wonder! Blaise Pascal quipped, ‘the best way to kill a man’s vision is to give him another vision’. The truth is satan has given us another vision – a problem orchestrated by worries, anxieties, cares and concerns of life so that the vision of heaven and the focus of the love for God which we had at the start has now either dwindled or completely lost.

Here is no great mystery but simple truth that heaven is the pursuit for those who are journey-bound. It is ‘a continuing city whose builder and Maker is God’. The moment our focus shifts, then we begin to live like residents on the earth who have no home above to go one day.
Ah! Alas! Hear Adrian’s thoughtful admonision. Adrian Rogers said that ‘we ought to be living as if Jesus died yesterday, rose this morning, and He is coming back this afternoon’. If this realisation is not in us, then Adrian’s statement to us will remain a farcical one.
The truth is this: there is no other key for unlocking heaven and for journeying in the end to heaven other than continuous holy living. Continuous holy living is the lone fuel which powers the engine for that spiritual rocket bound for heaven. The flipside of the aforesaid is simply this: if there will be any focus for heaven, it must be by way of holiness.
Here is a further truth that anyone living in the light of another is simply unreal, a counterfeit, fake and artificial. Artificiality is the same as hypocrisy. By the contents of Job.8:16, 13:16, 15:34, Lk.12, etc, the home of the hypocrite is the polar direction from heaven. Please realise O Christian that Christians have but only one common interest and one common enemy. Our ultimate interest is heaven and our commonest enemy is not fellow Christians or even other human beings, it is rather satan.

Heaven is important to a Christian to the extent that if anyone is not desiring to go to heaven and work assiduously to get there, there is really no need to give one’s life to Christ in the first instance. When holiness and heaven are no longer the foremost focus, deadness of conscience becomes the obvious result. The issue of heaven is so germaine and so vitally important to the extent that it can require change in friends and friendships, modification of family affliation, etc.
The pertinent question is why? The answer is not far fetched. It is an answer existing between the differential border line between priority and option. Whilst every other thing may exist within the realm of option, heaven is without doubt an uncontestable priority. The final question is the question of determining where we will all end up in the end of the very end. It is the question: where do you stand in all of these?

IN THE END, THE LIFE NOW IS THE DETERMINER OF THE LIFE NEXT AFTER DEATH. BUT WHERE DO YOU STAND NOW?

Question and Answer Section
Question: The great questions again! When was the last time that you preached to any soul? Do you serve God with joyful heart or with reluctance? How much hurt is in your soul against that fellow? Won’t rather forgive them and forget their mischief so that you can rightly serve your loving Father? When was the last time you smiled genuinely and truly from your heart about yourself bearing in mind the bright days to come? when was the last time you heard a force praying within your belly without your consciousness? When was the last time you gave some thing to support God’s work apart from your tithes and offerings? When was the last time you supported any man to fulfill a divine or a personal agenda? When was the last time you put smile on the face of someone?
Answer: Hmmm!.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Counseling, Prayers and Appointments: Please contact contactus@expressimageglory.com Alternatively, meet us every Sunday at the address below:
Suit 26, 2nd Floor, Nikky Africana Plaza, 70C Allen Avenue, Opposite UBA/MTN Office, Ikeja, Lagos.
Further information: Be informed that this Ministry has only one Facebook page and no other. Any other Facebook page is counterfeit. Any Concerns or questions about this facebook page should be directed to: contactus@expressimageglory.com
The General Superintendent Minister of this Ministry therefore pleads and urges you to desist from all such fake and ungodly Facebook pages. Our website is: 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: Come Onto Holiness Church Of The Lord
PRAY NOW:
1. Repent and redeicate your life afresh to God (if need be).
2. O God, please reawaken my conscience to your Spirit and to sound holiness.
3. Problems of life determined to take heaven from me, you are a failure. I receive divine strength to conquer you and to possess my possessions.
4. O sweet hour of prayers, please begin afresh in my life and form an unending time table in my soul and life.
5. Earth things that shift my focus, O God, give me solutions to them.
6. Present your personal petitions.

 THE MESSAGE NOW

SUSTAINING LIVELIHOOD THROUGH SPIRITUAL FOOD

Vol. 4 No. 46 – Monday 25th November, 2019

 (Deut 8:3, Joshua 1:8)

EXPRESS IMAGE GLORY MINISTRY

THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 4, No. 45 – Monday, 18th November 2019
(Matt.13:25, Job.38:12-13)
UNCOVERING THE SECRET OF VICTORY OVER NIGHT RAIDERS, NIGHT TRADERS, NIGHT CATERERS AND THE GENERAL POWERS OF THE NIGHT
(Part 1)

Unarguably, as far as humanity is concerned, sleep is a perfect medium for rest. It is equally a statement of perfect truth that sleep puts all humanity in a state of unconsciousness to a very great extent.
Thus sleep can be countenanced as a most dangerous moment for all humanity for the reasons that we shall yet see. Hold this point also that man is at his weakest moment while in the period of sleep.
There is nevertheless a statement of congruence lying side by side with the foregoing statement. It is the congruent statement that man can equally be extremely strong at the moment of sleep which is considered to be his weakest moment. These two statements are what I call the congruent lines of truth without a meeting point.
Let us dissect these matters through the lens of deep spirituality. The content of Matthew chapter 13:25 states: ‘but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way’.
There are too many mysteries of great concern in this seventeen-worded verse of the Scripture. First, notice how the verse was worded. It was worded in the personal sense. Personal in the sense that there appears to be a relationship between the sleeping man and ‘his enemy’ who came to harm him.
It is a sound spiritual fact that no enemy will afflict a man except that enemy has some affinity with that man or that enemy has some knowledge about that man. Consider the words of the holy Scripture in Matthew chapter 10:36.
It states: ‘and a man’s foes shall be they of his own household’. ‘Household’ in this context clearly symbolizes a close relationship of some sort. The question is what then is the application of these two Scriptues (Matt.13:25 and Matt.10:36) to all living but equally sleeping men?
Understand that to every man there is a familiar spirit who understands virtually every detail about the man. These familiar spirit does not just have requisite information but equally knows the right moment for every attack to strike that man such as the moment of sleep.
Second, if the affinity between man and his familiar enemies are reference points in the tragedies of man, sleep is that terrain for the ease of operation of those familiar spirits. Sleep is important no doubt. But as much as it is so important, sleep nevertheless requires management.
The management of sleep begins from the consistent practice of ever preceding every sleep with a word of prayer. Why? Because every sleep is a journey. And who embarks on a journey without preparation. The engagement of prayer prior to every sleep invites God into the equation.
Since ‘God is light and in Him is no darkness’, therefore inviting God into the equation means the expulsion of darkness. No enemy thrives except the avenue is carved out for it to thrive. And no enemy can thrive except the avenue of darkness is thriving.
When prayer is made to God thereby inviting God into anything, light is called upon into that situation, event or thing. It is not possible for darkness and light to exist side by side at the same time. One must bend and bow for the other. And it cannot be the Light who bends and bows.
The instrumentality of sleep is an effective tool in the hands of the enemy. But the enemy finds sleep so useful because man permits it. It is a statement of known fact that man engages in sleep at any time. But the night is the most obvious time of man’s sleep.
The same night is the major medium of the enemy’s parade up and down the realms of existence. Psalm 13:3 reawakens humanity to a certain knowledge and a certain reality. It tells us that certain form of sleep are no more than the sleep of death. Ah! Why do men sleep the sleep of death? The sleep of death is the sleep of a fool. Why do men sleep when it is not necessary?
Ordinarily, questions will be raised for making this last enquiry. For instance, because the enemy is constantly evil, should this be the reason for refraining from sleep especially at night?
Anyone doing this is risking his life in serious danger. Sleep is good and should be enjoyed too. But at least twenty minutes in prayer at every night will do any living man the greatest good of his life and the lives of the generations from him will eventually experience and enjoy.
Listen to one of the astounding instructions in human history. The instruction reads:
’Job.38:12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?’
What does the Scripture mean by this unavoidable and life-chaging instruction contained in the foregoing verses? (TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK).
IN THE END, EXCEPT THE EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES AND MECHANISMS ARE PUT IN PLACE AND PRACTISED, THE EXTRAORDINARY GROUNDS OF MIRACLES CANNOT BE RECORDED AND ENJOYED.

Question and Answer Section
Question: How do you manage your night sleep?
Answer: Hmmm!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Counseling, Prayers and Appointments: Please contact contactus@expressimageglory.com Alternatively, meet us every Sunday at the address below:
Suit 26, 2nd Floor, Nikky Africana Plaza, 70C Allen Avenue, Opposite UBA/MTN Office, Ikeja, Lagos.

Donations and Financial Supports – Please support the Kingdom of God through Christ Jesus in this Ministry 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: contactus@expressimageglory.com The General Superintendent Minister 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: The Great Physician
PRAY NOW:
1. By the strength of the Lord, I arrest all sponsors of evil sleep in my life.
2. O operations and operators of evil activities against me during the night, let your wickedness turn back upon you.
3. Every power and force draining me of spiritual energy, I terminate your power and existence.
4. Evil contracts signed between near enemy and distant ones over my life and progress, be frustrated.
5. O God, release upon me the Spirit of grace and of supplication.
6. I recover by force and by fire all my blessings carted away through the medium of sleep.
7. I break every embargo placed over my documents and my destiny.

THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 4, No. 44 – Monday, 11th November 2019
(Job.2:1-7, 38:12-13, Acts.6, Acts.7)
THE COURTS OF WICKEDNESS

Understand that every ongoing activity of the day is a replica of the undergone actions and verdicts previously decided and subsequently decreed by the forces of the night. So, in a sense, there is no falsity in the conclusion that the night is the commander and the controller of the day. Inversely speaking then, it is a statement of spiritual fact that the day is a subject and a mere stugee of the night.

Argued from the sphere of the art of theatre and creativity, it must be unarguably said that no cinematographic movie can be argued to amount to a reality. No! all cinematographic pictures are mere mirrors reflecting previous realities. Put simply in the context of the powerful influence of the night, all activities of the day are mere displays; their actuality were prepared and perfected during the previous night or nights ever before.
Meetings of dark spiritual substance hold in crevices, covens, grottos, graveyards, roads (especially where three, four or more footpaths meet), in the depth of the seas and in oceans, the underneath of trees, shores, offices, churches, entrances, eve of weddings and wedding nights, in the second heaven, etc.
These meetings hold in order to decide the outcomes of global events, world soccer, national and international elections, super-christian gatherings, the attainment of certificates and awards, the attainment and retention of key positions, how prosperous organisations can be, successes and failures, sales and promotions, the falling apart of especially Christian marriages, who becomes the leading overseers of religious institutions, who becomes what and how and when such and such things happen.

Just as meetings do not hold in the physical realm without leaders in hierarchical order, in the dark arena meetings are held with presiding authorities taken decisive decisions. Salient other highlights remain the attendant functions of meetings in the dark spiritual arena.
In the courts of wickedness for example, there must exist the function of at least one reporter. The reporter is the one who levies the allegations for deliberation. There must equally be in attendance witness who substantiates the details of the allegations levied by the reporter.

There are two strange mysteries about the courts of wickedness. First, despite the fact that the setting of these courts is the dark realm and mainly composed of dark forces, nevertheless, sometimes personalities of light are occasionally present especially in circumstances where the subject matter for deliberation involves a Christian. These forces of light could include ministering Spirits sent to rescue such Christian, the spiritual personalty of that Christian himself or even Christ Himself.
Second, it is worth noting that dark forces could also be present in the arena where forces of light are gathered. A clear example of this instance is well documented in Job chapter 2 from 1 to 7. Here, the Almighty God and His sons were in deliberation. Shockingly, Satan too was there.

When light shines, it shines in order to expose darkness and to dispel it. On the contrary, when darkness pervades around the light, it does so in order to pick information—information for the purpose of furthering evil intentions into wreckless havoc.
So, Satan’s presence in such arena is not unobvious. Indeed, the Lord sees through the hearts of all. And Satan was not an exception to God’s divine antenna’s detection. Notice that the questions thrown at Satan by God were clearly direct.
So then, the questions ‘where have you been?’ and ‘have you considered my servant Job?’ were questions designed to pull out from Satan the intention for his presence at the uninvited meeting. The thematic message of those questions were supposed to teach us some thing unique about the Almighty.

The unique fact that God knows the end even before the beginning (Isaiah 46:1) is one of the foremost attributes of God. Listen, dearly beloved. Courts of wickedness where matters of men are discussed and decisions swiftly taken are real.
Believe this also that no matter how darkness can be, it is still as clear as crystal before the light. So God is always aware of all things ongoing in the darkest realm. Note also that there is no denying the fact that discussions about you are constantly ongoing in the unseen world.
Note further that there is at least a day of the week in which the dark household forces of every living man meet for deliberation. Have you found out that day of the week attached to your own lineage? Note still that the most senior authority in the dark realm gives final judgment and his judgment is binding.

But note additionally that there is a cataclysmic error that dark forces make in the courts of wickedness especially where the subject matter of deliberations concerns a Christian. It is the error of forgetting the content of Col.2:10.
The forces of darkness always forget the fact that the most senior between light and darkness is light. So even in their dark gathering in the dark realm, Christ alone has the final word for He, Christ ‘is the head of all principalities and powers.
But in order to gain Christ’s support during satanic litigation in the courts of wickedness, the first paragraph of Col.2:10 must have been fulfilled. It reads: ‘and ye are complete in Him.
The word ‘complete’ in this context means belonging to Christ in all ramifications. Notice that this is the same condition attached to being able to gain victory in 2 Cor.10:6. It reads: ‘having in a readiness to visit all disobedience when your obedience is complete’.

In short, salvation and continuity in righteous living is the sole currency which purchases the jurisprudential erudition of Christ to stand for one as one’s advocate in the courts of wickedness. Are you expert in sin: sin through evil speaking and the rough handling of people with your mouth, evil desires against others, lusts, and any other kind of sin, then you are making your case in the hands of Christ so difficult to defend.
The only reason that made Satan to rise up against Deacon Stephen in Acts chapters 6 and 7 is because he wanted him to offend God and lose heaven just as he wanted Job to sin against God. But thank God that at the nick of time Christ rose up and defended His interest in the life of that Spirit-filled Deacon.
Marriage manipulations, delays and retardations are the results of the verdicts of the courts of wickedness. Have you been manipulated in any way? What bus-stop of life are you currently being held up? Go back to God and reverse those verdicts that have been taken against you in dark courts of wickedness.

IN THE END, EVERY STRUGGLE AND SUFFERING THAT A MAN GOES THROUGH IN LIFE IS A FUNCTION OF EITHER THE VERDICTS OF DARK SPIRITUAL COURTS, THE WICKEDNESS OF MEN AND SPIRITUAL FORCES, THE TRIAL OF GOD OR SELF-INFLICTED PROBLEMS. THINK ABOUT IT AND TELL YOURSELF WHICH YOU BELONG TO.

Question and Answer Section
Question: What day of the week do the forces of your father and mother’s household meet?
Answer: Hmmm!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Counseling, Prayers and Appointments: Please contact contactus@expressimageglory.com Alternatively, meet us every Sunday at the address below:

Suit 26, 2nd Floor, Nikky Africana Plaza, 70C Allen Avenue, Opposite UBA/MTN Office, Ikeja, Lagos.

Donations and Financial Supports – Please support the Kingdom of God through Christ Jesus in this Ministry 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: contactus@expressimageglory.com The General Superintendent Minister 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: Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah
PRAY NOW:
1. Every arena where my matter is being discussed for evil, catch fire right now.
2. Almighty God, arise and rescue me from the forces of my father and mother’s household.
3. Evil shadow following me in the spirit realm or in reality, I rain down the raw liquid fire of God upon you.
4. Who stopped the people that were before me shall not stop me by the power of God Almighty.
5. Treasures of the Lord and treasures of my lineage, locate me by force and by fire.
6. I will not bury my children by my own self.
7. O God, who has charged me and Express Image before any dark judge in any dark courts, I scatter their gathering and I withdraw my case from them.
8. Every evil file opened up in my name, catch fire.

THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 3, No. 48 – Monday, 26th November, 2018
(Jn.11:1-46)
THE MYSTERY AND THE MIRACLES OF BETHANY (PART 3)

Let the question be re-echoed; why did the Helper of humanity weep? (Jn.11:35). Why wouldn’t the Lord weep? Wasn’t the unbelief exhibited by Lazarus’ family enough to trigger the Lord’s sympathy which led to Him weeping.

For where faith has failed in anyone’s heart, what more was left? One answer is mercy. But is mercy so common as faith? For the exercise of mercy is discretionary. Besides, the exercise of mercy does not lie with him/her who needs the mercy.

Rather, it is always a second or third party disbursement. Mercy is wield at the kind disposition and sole prerogative of His sovereignty. To attempt to determine what triggers divine mercy is to attempt to tie air inside one’s handkerchief. For mercy is obtained, not earned (Heb.4:16).

Understand that this exegesis is not an attempt to demonise God. NO! The point is faith is more easily common and attainable than mercy. I pray that the mercy of God shall locate everyone reading this piece, in Jesus name, Amen.

Why wouldn’t the Lord weep? The foundational problem of Lazarus’ family and the miasma of sleas that surrounded the names of the three in Lazarus’ family were all no doubt very concerning.

Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus means ‘bitterness’ or ‘rebellion’. The meaning of Martha could not be qualified by any adjective but it simply meant ‘lady’. What sort of lady by the very meaning of her name could not be told. A useless lady or useful lady was altogether left in abeyance.

Of course, completing the tricycle of the three in Lazarus’ triangular family, the name Lazarus could not take any other meaning but such awkward meaning as ‘without help’. No wonder, none came to his rescue even after the Lord had raised him from the dead after four days.

Continue reading →

THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 3, No. 47 – Monday, 19th November, 2018
PROPHETIC PRAYERS

What prophetic prayers can do is more than enormous. But to achieve the enormous effects of prayer, we must understand certain facts about prayer especially prophetic warfare prayers.

In the main, prophetic prayers can and should:
Be made in the power of the Spirit of God.
Prayers preceeded and accompanied by the word of God produces unspeakable effects.
Until any man arrives at that point when his/her prayers are seasoned with heavenly language, such prayers are less potent, ineffective and nonprophetic.
Just as a man can be anointed, so prayers too can be anointed. Seek to know about anointing your prayers to become anointed.

Prayers not commenced by praises, re-echoed midway and re-engineered at the end will not shake the heavens and the heavenlees.

When prayers made do not have a conviction from within that such prayers have hit the target, such prayers is yet a child’s play.
Except prayers affect the individual making the prayers visibly and the environment where such prayers have been offered, any such prayers is yet to begin.

Continue reading →

THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 3, No. 46 – Monday, 12th November, 2018
(Jn.11:1-46)
MIRACLES AND THE MYSTERY OF BETHANY
(Part 2)

Welcome to ANOTHER section of the message which commenced last week on the Miracles and the Mystery of Bethany. Since God is in the business of teaching us through this magazine, The Message Now, it is our wish that our readers will spread the good news of the Bible being dispensed through this magazine. Take note however that this magazine is not a substitute for the Bible and must not be allowed to replace the bible.

Recall that only one out of five questions was answered last week. The task at hand in this edition therefore is to unravel by salient and subtle means the mystery behind the events at Bethany. This unravelling without doubt will provide answers to the posed questions.

The questions once again are as follows: (1) why did the Lord wait until Lazarus was four days in the grave before turning an eye of attention to his plight?

(2) Why couldn’t anyone come to assist Lazarus remove the grave clothes he was yet putting on until the Lord requested that to be done for him?

(3) Why couldn’t the Lord take off those grave clothes Himself?

(4) The Lord stood at Lazarus’ grave and wept, why?

In addition, in the overall, what lessons may be learnt from the Bethany account? What antidotes are spiritually available for healing and for solving bad situations of life when they arise?

To begin with, understand that there is none as compassionate as the Lord. Understand also that of all things created by the Lord, only man is saddled with the duty of giving reverence, worship and praise. So then why would it interest the Lord in any instance to fail to keep alive him/her that was created to give him praise? By the way, for whom is the Lord so compassionate? For angels? Absolutely not. It is strictly for man. Why? Man is the object and the subject of God’s love. He loves man so much that He allowed Jesus Christ of Nazareth, God’s ONLY BEGOTTEN SON to pay the price for man’s iniquity.

Continue reading →

THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol. 3, No. 45 – Monday, 5th November, 2018
(John 11:1-44)
MIRACLES AND THE MYSTERY OF BETHANY

A careful read through the gospel according to Saint John chapter 11 reveals both salient and subtle lessons. Salient, because some lessons contained therein are obvious. Subtle, because mere surface interpretation will not be sufficient to understand certain lessons subtly embedded therein.

Why?Because those lessons are encoded in mysteries. A glance through this chapter tells us about a family of three: Mary, Martha and their brother, Lazarus living in a city called Bethany. It is possible for the Bible to tell us about these three without a reference to their place of abode.

But it did. Remember that God who penned the Bible will refer to nothing in His word except there is a reason. After all, Christ said: ‘heaven and earth will pass away, but not a jot or little from God’s word will pass away without its fulfilment (Matt.5:18).

So then, the question arises: why the reference to Bethany? One answer is to say that referring to the family of three without the mention of their hometown would have left a vacuum in the story line. I contend that such answer would not have done justice to the question. So what is the reason?

We see another mystery in the attitude of the Lord to the news about His friend, Lazarus who was reported to be sick. We are further informed that despite this news, the Helper of humanity (that is the Son of the Living God) shifted no foot in the direction of Bethany. Again, Why?

Eventually, this friend of the Lord was reported dead. And yet, it appeared that the Lord simply made light of the situation by refusing to agree that His friend was now dead. The Lord rather said: ‘Lazarus our friend is sleeping’.

Sleeping! One who has already been buried! Indeed, he was four days in the grave. I mean, already four days beneath the heated earth crust! And yet Lord, you say that Lazarus is merely sleeping! No Lord, your friend is not just dead but very dead.

A further read through the text of John chapter 11 tells us that after Lazarus’ return to the region of the living through the restoring grace in the life, blood and body of the Lord, no one came to assist him to remove the grave clothes he yet had on.

Why? Why couldn’t this man Lazarus simply get simple help? Common sense would inform that one who has been dead, and now alive, would easily obtain the sympathy of all. But why was this man’s case different?

Continue reading →