Bishop Prof. Julius O. Soyinka

Breaking the Barriers of Bewitchment Study Text: Acts 8: 9 - 13 Introduction: Bewitchment is one of  the common  Satanic barriers used against people from fulfilling their God-given purpose and destiny in life. To bewitch is to charm a person and spiritually control him using Satanic powers.   Evil powers like witchcrafts or sorceries are used to charm, to enslave, or to mislead a person. This evil power can be used on a person, a place or a property. Many people now are behaving just like the Samaritans in the scriptures above. The people of Samaria were under so much suffering but they never realised it. They were under blindness and Satanic elusion but they didn’t know. They were praising the very man who was destroying them.  They did not really know who Simon was. He was sapping them dry but they believed he was delivering them. It is the same thing with a lot of people today. Simon was destroying them properly and thoroughly but Satan was ensuring that they were blinded to it. Th

Power for Living: Volume 5 Number 1  Connecting to His Grace for Continual Victories. Focus Text: 1 Peter 5: 8 - 11  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.   This is a letter that was written to Christians who were suffering under some degree of persecution and hostility for their faith. Like them, we too are living in a time in which it is growing harder and harder to live for Jesus Christ. Like them, we feel some measure of cultural pressure against our faith. And like them, we find that we are  being called upon increasingly to stand faithfully and sacrifi

The Ways of the Lord are Right Study Text: Hosea 14:8 - 9 Introduction: The Bible in the book of Hosea urges anyone reading it to live wisely by obeying God’s precepts because they are completely true, and will lead those who follow His ways to be well pleasing unto God. The ways of God is the path to our greatest possible fulfillment, and anyone who chooses to walk in it wholeheartedly is described as a wise person.  The biblical idea of righteousness is to live in accordance with God's design. God designed the world to be good. This is to be achieved by humans working in harmony with God,  in terms of loving God and loving others (Matthew 22:37-39).  When we walk in God's design, it leads to our greatest fulfillment. To know God gains us the greatest experience of life.  It is the path not only to our own fulfillment, but it also brings life to those around us. The reason for seeking to understand the things laid out in the Word of God is because the ways of the Lord are righ

Power for Living: Volume 4 Number 4 Who is on the Lord's Side Focus Text: Exodus 32: 25 - 28   And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. This is the measure of the grace and mercy of the LORD.  The LORD does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. Psalms 103:10  Moses gave an opportunity for the people to repent and return to the LORD: who is on the

Power for Living: Volume 4 Number 1 Once I was Blind, but Now I can See: Focus Text: John 9: 1 - 25 Introduction:   -   We find in our text  an account of our Lord touching the eyes of a blind man. He was hopeless and helpless until  Jesus came by his way.  -  The situation of this man was the true situation with everyone before having an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ.  -  You may never  have  suffered from physical blindness, but there was a day when you were blinded to the things of  God. We are all born in sin, blinded to the Lord.  -   As we  look at these verses, we shall be discussing on three subheadings: 1.  The Condition of the Man. 2.  The Compassion of the Master. 3.  The Conversation of the Multitude. 1.   The Condition of the Man: -   In this man we see a picture of all men. He stands as a  representation and a reminder to us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3: 23.  -  This man was blind from birth.  He was helpless and hopeless.  That

Power for Living: Volume 3 Number 1 Trusting and Acknowledging God in all your Ways: Focus Text: Proverbs 3: 5 - 8 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Whatever the situation, the greatest strength a man has is to be able to trust God for help, and to acknowledge that God has a solution to every situation.   At what point in time do you most need God in your life?  Certainly, we need God in our lives every second of every day.   We need God when things seem just right in our lives.  We especially need God in our lives when we are going through those valleys of the shadow of death.  Beloved, I want you to take a look at those times when you are going through those valleys.  I want you to look at what you seek during those dark, gloomy, weary, and troubled

Seeking God in your Situation Study Text: 2 Kings 1: 1 - 4 Introduction: Ahaziah was in a difficult situation, but rather than seeking God for solution, he secretly sends to consult the god of Eckron. Worries and fears of the unknown weakens his trust in God, and went outside the will of God to seek solution. God is not happy when His people forsake Him to go after other gods and His Words says that the troubles of such people shall be multiplied. Life is not predictable, but full of ups and downs along the way.  It is easier to trust God when times are good, but when times are difficult, only few people can really hold on unto God, even though it is  more important to trust God in difficult situations. Whatever the situation, we must put our hopes in God, and trust Him to handle our situations in a way that pleases Him, knowing fully well that He wants the best for us. Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28  God’s unchanging character can give us a firm foundation when things feel unsteady and u