Month: April 2015

Hello friends, hope you are well. There is a lot going on in recent times on all levels and it is a time to be more spiritually vigilant than ever and be pro-active in the way we do things too. Perhaps in your own life you are facing a personal battle you can’t seem to wrap your mind  around; in your life assignment, health, academic or financial stand etc, you may not be where you want to be. Don’t lose heart. Perhaps in your community and nation– as in recent times– there may be all sorts of pandemonium brewing.  But….

….The Good News is Jesus reminds us in John 16:33 that “I have told you these things, so that in me (Christ) you may have PEACE. In this world you will have trouble. BUT take heart! I have overcome the world!”

Jesus promises us PEACE before he goes on to warn of the TROUBLE in this world.The fact that Jesus promises peace before warning of trouble is good news for you and me because it means that the trouble is not so much the issue (because it’s going to come anyway lol) but rather, the way in which we navigate the “trouble” in order to walk in the peace he promised, is what is crucial to appropriating our victory!

There is a way to navigate life and circumstances wisely….

Navigating the same “troubles of life” (e.g. seemingly-impossible tasks & situations) with divine, spirit-led strategy and wisdom is the secret of thriving, excellence and rest! We can be at a level in the Lord where we can have the same circumstances everyone experiences, and yet  STILL navigate it successfully and victoriously because we get peace and are still fruitful!

It is not the load that breaks you. It is not the stress that breaks you. It is not your financially-low state that breaks you. It is not the ramifications of your single or married disposition that breaks you. It is not the attack of the enemy on your life that breaks you. It is not the low grades you get thats breaks you. It is not the small outcomes of your efforts, poor attendance at your programs that breaks you. It is not the unexplainable commotion in your family that breaks you.Rather, It is the way (the HOW) you maneuver these same circumstance, your disposition towards it and the strategy you use to make it through successfully! And mind you, I am not exempt to the “troubles” of the world. O no! I face them daily my friends! But we still make it victoriously because there is a “more excellent way” even through the valley! How do we navigate this course of life? It is paramount for you to be spiritually and physically whole as you navigate life. Don’t put your life on hold just to get through life because the circumstances of life are not going on vacation. Instead, navigate your way strategically and victoriously through it!

• Be emotionally intelligent (Prov 4:23)
• Be financially wise (Prov. 21: 17), Prov 22:7, Luke 14: 28-30, Proverb 24:27)
• Be spiritually alert and vigilant ( 1 Peter 5:8-9)
• Be unapologetically fearless ( 2 Timothy 1:7)
• Be mentally sound (Colossians 3:2)
• Be wise and leverage your efforts ( Prov 29:18, Proverbs 16:3,Jeremiah 1:5)
• Be subject to wise counsel( Proverbs 12:5, Proverbs 13:10, 1 John 4:1, Rev 3:19, 1 Sam 25:1-44)
• Be humble enough to ask for good help (Psalm 121:2, John 14:26, Prov. 18:24, 2 Chronicles 10:6)

As for prayer, it is navigation strategy by default because of 1 Thess 5:17.

I really felt a strong inclination to dig up these scriptures and write this message and I hope you can take time to meditate on these scriptures because they are loaded with life and wisdom which will equip you to navigate this same ” valley of life” that all walk through. Even now, in Christ you will find peace so don’t lose heart!

Agape,

R.

A Vision in prayer reported…..

It is refreshingly amazing how the Lord speaks to us everyday in many ways and part of living victoriously is to be sensitive to the ways in which the Lord is speaking to you. Perhaps the very little “answers” we are ever seeking are revealed in subtle ways in his word, through the body, through the symbolic representations of what the Lord shows you in dreams, visions and the unfolding revelation of prophetic utterance. Tune in to the frequency of the heavenly outpour, don’t underestimate or overestimate but receive that which the spirit speaks, the very heart of the father. Amen. Also, a minister sent a message to PillBox today about a vision she saw in prayer. she saw a vivid imagery of a “pill bottle” (its a bottle in which a patient stores medications/pills). she says she was confused at first so she went in further asking the Lord what it meant and she says holy spirit told her “we should use the “word of the Lord as our ‘medication’ to everything wrong in us“

By the message, I am reminded of these scriptures:

2 Tim 3:16– All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness

Psalm 107:20: He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.

Psalm 119:103-104: How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.

Perhaps, like this woman said “Its time to take out pills!” Its time to be compliant“! In Pharmacy, the most difficult problem is when a patient actually has the medication but is not compliant in taking it. Here, its not a “medicine problem” but a problem of “poor patient adherence” and in this case, no health care provider can help but the patient themselves. They have to make a conscious effort and utilize resources such as reminders etc to help them I don’t know about you but I have literally had to just lean on Gods word to anchor me throughout seasons and by his unfailing word, we appropriate the victorious inheritance in Christ. Perhaps its time to take our pills!

Tell the world how you feel after taking your “pill”- The WORD….One a day….or several times a day is recommended! You are blessed!

-R.

Praise the Lord!

Through a series of unexpected recent challenges, the Lord used these precious occasions to give me insight into a common scripture from the book of Acts and equip me to appropriate a glorious provision he has made. Last weekend, I was at a friends place studying for a big exam and she brewed some spiced tea for me (pictured up). The water for the tea was extremely hot but I realized that the tea bag brewed strongly BECAUSE the water was hot. It was in the heat of the water that the fragrant aroma from the tea bag started emanating and I tell you that tea was good! Now this “tea brewing” experience is synonymous to the “roaring waters” we believers pass through when challenges surface. However, the “heat” of any situation should be brewing forth the overcoming substance in us! Of course, challenges like these are not unique to me , neither are they the first nor the last we have seen or will ever see, BUT rather it is what God revealed to me in Acts 16:24-26, the process and the outcome that I want to use to challenge your faith.

This is the anchor scripture the Lord led me to:

 …He(the prison guard) put them  into the INNER PRISON and FASTENED their feet. But about MIDNIGHT, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the [other] prisoners were listening to them, SUDDENLY, there was a great earthquake, so that the very foundations of the prison were shaken; and at once ALL the doors were opened and everyone’s shackles were unfastened.”— Acts 16: 24-26

At the MIDNIGHT HOUR of LIFE, PRAY & MINISTER TO GOD:

Technically, Midnight is when it is 1. “Late” 2. Dark. Perhaps, Paul and Silas actually woke up at midnight to pray which is fine; in fact I even encourage you to do that because I actually regularly do that. But my main point here is that we sometimes hit life’s “midnights” and a “midnight” can be literally in the afternoon, morning, summer, winter, fall, in school, at work, at a meeting, in a developed country, in a developing country, in a homeless shelter, in an 8-bedroom mansion, in the north, in the south, you get the point. So instead of praying circumstantially, I want to challenge you to cultivate a lifestyle of “keeping watch around the clock” (i.e. praying at all times 1 Thes 5:17, Luke 21:36) as we are commanded to do. Have you have found yourself at a “midnight”? (i.e. 1. a Late situation 2.a Dark hour), that is exactly what came up against me recently and the Lord did a great merciful work and  he still is working. So like Paul, still go ahead and pray and minister to the Lord even in your “midnight” hour because he hears and answers even now as you pray!

YOUR PRAYER AND PRAISE IS NOT ONLY SETTING YOU FREE BUT MANY OTHERS ALSO:

 Hear this good news: in that scripture in Acts 16:24-26, when Paul and Silas were praising and praying at the “midnight” (dark times), SUDDENLY EVERY OTHER prisoners chains also fell off! Please Re-read the scripture, last weekend i anchored on it and I understood that God is preparing his people for a generational breakthrough and that is why the process feels heavy for many at times, perhaps you feel it too sometimes! Holy spirit helped me understand that anytime I hit a challenge, it is an opportunity to war through not only for my breakthrough but for those connected to me be it family, friends etc. In other words his anointing is upon you to set captives free! Tarry on, soldier because by the power of God every barrier will break! Amen. See as much as we have our unique individuality, the Lord also sees us in the light of his cooperate body. As Gods children, we are innately wired to release power through our prayer and praise. If you believe you are a disciple of the Lord (Mark 16:15) being beckoned  to tell of his good news to all people out there, then you need to understand that like Paul, your prayer and praise is a weapon to shake ancient foundations and command gates – financial, academic, relational, spiritual, communal, national- to open so that your siblings,guardians, parents, mates, friends, loved ones etc can be free too!

And this this is exactly what the Lord is doing even as you….

“…pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people”— Ephesians 6:18

ARE WE GOING TO USE THE “HEAT” OF THE “WATER” TO PROVOKE THE OVERCOMING SUBSTANCE IN US?

If you are determined to live out this victorious Christ-life in the face of the antagonism from the enemy—which I’m sure you are—then you need to recognize that challenges are a part of the everyday walk BUT the overcoming nature is the innate enablement of the spirit-led believer. You are actually designed to manifest the overcoming nature by recognizing that God has made a provision out of every circumstance you face; Focus on Him, minister to him in praise; Pray to him and when you have no words know that Christ himself is interceding for you (Romans 8:24).

Listen, I am reminded that we are supernaturally enabled with the power of God to break every barrier! Praise and pray on!  I felt this word really strong and thats why i felt to release it before i resume the Fruit series. Pray and praise on okay.

-R.

DISTRACTIONS: There is a lot of distraction in the world today in many shapes and forms and sometimes at strategic time points set by the enemy to dominate your mind and thoughts and lure you into self-pity and sudden fear, but as a believer with the enabling of the holy spirit, you should always watch and discern at all times and not give in lest you get distracted and lose focus. Sometimes you may hear an alarming news, see a disturbing incident, experience an unexpected mishap or even hear something potentially harmless which could still be an access point to your the realm of your soul and throw you off an emotional balance. These are strategic orchestrations by the enemy at times and if we are not spiritually discerning, focused on the Lords word or emotionally intelligent we will lose focus easily. I have learned and am still learning in the midst of sudden turmoils and challenges at school, home, personal life, family etc to:

WHEN THERE IS A SUDDEN PROBLEM: > Be Calm ( Isaiah 7:4 Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid.) >> Be Focused ( Isaiah 26:3: You will keep perfectly peaceful the one whose mind remains focused on you, because he remains in you) >>> Be Determined ( 2 Timothy 4:7 :  I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith) BE INTENTIONALLY FOCUSED: If I don’t learn to be intentional about keeping my mind on the Lord and his infallible promises of restoration and blessing to me ( and to you. Do you know them? If not, continue continue continue to talk to him), then guess what? Our minds will be a nice playground for the enemy and his agents to have a field day and guess what the enemy will do with free access? Exploit your mind as much as he can establishing false ideologies, “strongholds” and thoughts patterns to distract you be it in at work, on a task, in the process of discovering yourself, in business, at school, in a relationship, with family, in church, i mean everything and everywhere! Talk about full-blown exploitation BUT the GOOD NEWS is This:

God has given US the enablement by the help of the oly spirit to RESIST the enemy whenever he presents a thought, information, sight or any manner of bait.  Which is so perfectly described in James 4:7 when the word says “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

AN EXPERIENCE THAT NEARLY THREW ME OFF FOCUS….…..As I was up late doing some work and a couple things, literally the enemy tried to attack my thoughts with a reminder of a past situation through the words of someone which was actually very harmless but because I was almost allowing the enemy to manipulate my thoughts,   I had to immediately SHUT the portals of my soul to his bait and focus back on the Lord!! and rather open the portals of my soul to:

>> 1. Reminding myself of the victories God has given me in the past, wether “small” or “big” whatever that even means.

>> 2. Rebuking the enemy and confessing the word of the Lord upon my life in a simple prayer of faith

>> 3. Repositioning: going to my sermon message selections: Now this is just a personal thing that has become part of me. Consider this like the way the ministry of exhortation (uplift, encourage, edify) functions My friend,the above is not some “fast check list” or anything but it just encompasses my everyday nature in christ and that is how you should like as a believer equipped with the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT ; that i am governed and led by his word, his promises, his good thoughts, fascinated by his glorious restorative work in me and for me for his glory and so all that the enemy is doing is relentlessly seeking to antagonize this work of christ in me and you. But remember James 4:7 again, which says SUBMIT to GOD, RESIST the devil and he will flee….flee flee fleeeee…when no one is pursuing him lol! Come on, get the last laugh on the enemy and don’t let him have a free ride in your soul and mind. You can overcome, You have OVERCOME in Christ! Just Submit to God and RESIST the devil…..

Will continue with the rest this week…..Stay anchored in Christ FOCUSED on Him. You have already won in him

This is the first ~30minutes video recording of the message posted yesterday in text:

> https://youtu.be/8FZXPmg3a1c

the full ~1hr message is only available in audio:

> https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/Manifesting%20the%20Fruit%20of%20the%20Resurrected%20Life.m4a?_subject_uid=210802439&w=AACvGg34D_8MeC0r-akloKI2DrC7nNUKi-JoRlpCHxVJdA

As we recognize the death and resurrection of Jesus who died and became the FIRSTFRUIT ( 1 Cor. 12:20), it is important to assess what his death means to US: The death of the natural man so that the spiritual man might come forth. We are to emulate the life and character of Christ but manifesting that nature cannot come unless we die (not literally) to ourselves in order to let the spirit of the Lord reign in us. And note that by the grace of the Lord, like Paul, we can actually bear fruit. We are to assess our own lives introspectively by identifying wether we are bearing the FRUIT of the SPIRIT that is described in:

> Galations 5:22 ( Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meakness, Temperance/Self-Control)

God desires for us to be Fruit bearers even as we have received the seed of his spirit. But then again bible said unless a wheat FALLS (to abase one self) down to the ground AND dies (yield to the Lord), it abides alone but if it dies (dies in its carnal human nature and yields it’s all to the Lord) then it brings forth much fruit! (John 12:24)

Jesus himself died and became the FIRST FRUIT. it is the FIRSTFRUIT that sanctifies the rest of the harvest. In the old testament, the first fruit was an offering to the Lord. (Deuteronomy 26:1) Essentially Christ has become an offering to the Lord for us. Because the Lord is appeased with christ as the perfect offering, we then glorify Christ by being like him, coming to an experiential knowledge of him and manifesting his very character of love, gentleness, meekness, self/control, long-suffering etc. Remember the whole purpose of the “pruning” so that we may become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:13)

Bearing Fruit is so important for any believer so much that once Jesus was looking for fruit on a fig tree covered with leaves (on the fig tree leaves appear at the same time as fruit- Amplified version Mark 11:13) but on this particular tree it had leaves but NO fruit. Many of us carry the Name of Jesus but not the NATURE of Jesus but we cannot confess christ and not be like him: To say one thing and Be one that thing are two different things. But thanks be to God who has enabled us by the help of the holy spirit to bear fruit in Christ! Remember it is he who causes the increase! But we have to die and yield to him otherwise we abide alone. Actually, think about this: fruit is a sign that the “sacrifice of death (of the seed)” has been received by the earth; it is almost counter-intuitive that the seed has to die to come alive but the way of the Kingdom is as such: To be exalted, one must actually humble themselves. To receive, one gives etc. Fruit of the spirit is the product or should be the product of the truly resurrected life! But the seed must die to self to bear this fruit else it abides alone!

TWO Kinds of FRUIT EXIST

Romans 7:4-6 says “In the SAME way, my friends, you have DIED to the law (self and carnality) through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that WE may bear FRUIT for God! While we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law , were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.

(Wow, so it means we can bear fruit all right but it could be a wrong fruit! Revenge feels like a “nice fruit” from the seed of anger. Manipulation and contention feels like a “nice fruit” from the seed of egotism. But remember this is not the fruit that glorifies God! We need discernment because the tricky thing is, all kind of seed seem to be growing in the “garden of the earth”- both good and bad seed and it is because God is patient hoping all would turn to him. But eventually there will be an “assessment of fruit” That is why Jesus says in the parable that let all seed (both good and bad grow together but at the TIME of the HARVEST, the TRUE FRUIT will be separated from the FALSE FRUIT.

What Fruit Am i Bearing in my Christ-life? What Fruit are you Bearing in your christ- life? #Re-AssessingFruit

Had the opportunity to preach this message I’ve summarized  at the National PIWC Easter Convention @ Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, PA (Young Adults Session) under the Leadership of my District Pastor and his wife. The full message is about 1 hr long but only half an hours worth could be taped. The full message is on audio

FULL AUDIO MESSAGE HERE:

https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/Manifesting%20the%20Fruit%20of%20the%20Resurrected%20Life.m4a?_subject_uid=210802439&w=AACvGg34D_8MeC0r-akloKI2DrC7nNUKi-JoRlpCHxVJdA

The Power of the holy spirit will enable you to bear much fruit. Will continue the #Re-AssessingFruit series later….Be blessed always

Last night i went to the mall to run some errands and didn’t have a means to get back because it was late and i didn’t have a bus pass and i had some other complications. While i was running the errand though, i decided to just focus on why i came there and get my errands done. We have a national convention this weekend we are preparing for. As I was wrapping up, i said a prayer to God “Father, by the time i am done with my errands here, please send someone to meet me to drive me home”. How demanding! You may probably be wondering if it is a “legitimate prayer” to talk to God about such a “basic” need. And yeah it is: see, God wants us to see him as a father and not a “master” or dictator trying to oppress us. God cares about our daily lives even to minute details so much that I am realizing that if i cant see him and trust him with my everyday life then its such self deception for me to hold back and trust him for some big mysterious thing coming down from the sky at some mystical time in the future: And interestingly, this is exactly what we do and how we see God! Our mind has to be renewed. Now I must confess, after I prayed that prayer I was sort of wondering how exactly it was going to work because it was late and where i went is not frequented at that time. But part of seeing God as a father is letting the father do his work.

About 1 hour later, a young girl about 12y walked to me and said “Hi Aunty Raheal!” and i was taken aback wondering who it was. Guess what? It was the daughter of one of the leaders at our local fellowship and this is the interesting part of it: Her mum was shopping in one store and she(the child) decided to come into the building right across from where her mum  was and thats how she ran into me. As to whether she saw me from the other store or what I don’t know and I didn’t even care actually because all i was thinking was, Thank You Lord! She came in, hugged me and said my mum is in the store across the shop and of course you can imagine how thankful I was, i have never walked so fast in my life!lol! I said wait, Im coming with you and your mum! This might not seem like a “big” thing but when you are in the situation you will understand how it feels and if you are trusting God for millions and can’t trust him for tens and hundreds now, then there is something questionable about your belief system. And thats really the crux of this whole experience. Renew your mind by seeing God as a father who cares about your needs even the seemingly small and basics ones and make your requests known to him and his peace will be your portion, Amen!

I will be starting the #Re-assessingFruit Series this weekend Godwilling 🙂 . Holy spirit has been teaching me some humbling stuff over the past couple days which I will be sharing right here on PillBox

“Sing unto the Lord a new song; Sing unto the Lord all the earth, sing to the Lord praise his name and proclaim his salvation (not only receiving christ but the fullness of life in him) day after day”- Psalm 96:1-2 My name is Raheal B., a young woman who loves the Lord and desires to see us come to the saving grace and delivering power of Jesus Christ and to live out the fullness of who God fashioned us to be! I am also a Pharmacy grad student in Upstate NY but originally from Accra,Ghana and a Today April 1st 2015 is the official launch of my blog- PillBox 🙂

(Give Thanks Image Taken from R.I.T.W)

. Its a new month and I hope you are excited for what the rest of the year holds! Its April 1 and this month and day means so much to me in terms of my surrounding to the Lord. Im excited to start this Blog and I hope it blesses lives. there are several resources on here so be sure to check out the tabs. We are in April already, the second quarter of the year already! Hope the first quarter was fulfilling. The beginning of the year is always a good time to set the tone and the agenda for the remaining months but if the first quarter of the year did not go as planned, still give thanks and pen down a strategy  for the remaining months because God can make the years and the days count even if it looks like you “lost” time, whatever that means. Psalm 96:1-2 says we should actually praise God day after day; I bet then that within each day someway somehow there is something for which to thank the Lord for if only we will come to acknowledge that. Stay anchored in the Lord and consider using this first day of April- for real , no jokes- to really pen down your strategy, your dreams, your hopes and actively follow them through even as you praise your way through! -Rah.