The Holy Spirit our Helper

Genesis 2: 18 says: “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

After creating man and giving him a mission,God saw that it was not fitting for him to be alone. God decided to make him a suitable helper. In the New Testament, we see Jesus telling his disciples, that He will not leave them alone. He said: "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever" (John 14:16). 

As we celebrate the day of Pentecost, we remember the day that the church began. Jesus after dying and shedding his blood, he paid the dowry for us, and redeemed us with his blood. We became His.

It is on the day of Pentecost, that the disciples were changed and clothed with power. In Acts 2: 1-4, the bible says that: "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."

In the old testament, we see that the day of Pentecost, was one of the Jewish feast days. Jews celebrated this day and gave offerings to God on this day- that is 50 days after the Passover ceremony (Leviticus 23:15-22). It is on this day that the Holy Spirit chose to come. Although Jesus had breathed on the disciples and said "Receive the Holy Spirit", they had not yet been baptized into His power. Their bodies had not yet become the temple of the Holy Spirit.

It is only when you are baptized with the Holy Spirit that you are able to serve in a supernatural dimension. John the Baptist said: "I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Luke 3:16). You cannot serve God in your strength alone. You need the Holy Spirit. He is the one who changed Peter and all the other disciples who were so fearful, locked in the upper room. They became so bold and started witnessing for the Lord.

Today, some may think that it is ridiculous to speak in tongues. They do it hiding, in such a conservative way. It shouldn't be like that. We should let it flow! It is the right of all those who believe in Christ to speak in tongues! It is the Holy Spirit that will enable you to overcome things that used to have power over you.

God's call involves your family!

Dear friends! As you know June is a month dedicated to homes and families at Oasis.  We believe that strong and blessed families results in strong and blessed church and nation, so we invite you to partake of this month's teaching.

In tonight's exhortation, Pastor Christophe shared from the bible stories of Abraham, Gideon and Joseph to show how God is inclusive of families even at the time when He calls anyone to Himself for specific ministry or calling.

Genesis 12:

1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

2 “I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.[a]
3 I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.”[b]

4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.(NIV)

In genesis 12:1-4 , one can read the promise made to Abram and the command to leave his father's household to somewhere else where Abram's only choice would be to depend on the God who called him.

We know that later on Abraham had to be separated with his relative, Lot, much like some us have to continuously surrender things and people as we move forward in the things that God has called us. The promise attached to the calling is great, but the journey involves letting-go of the things that slow us on the journey and ever embrace dependence on Him.

The call of Abram revealed God's heart towards families,  where we see that obedience to God's call leads Abram to not be alone as circumstances first suggested, but become a great nation! Furthermore, the call of God does not neglect the family that is bloodily related to you; it in fact uses your family through the many challenges faced along the journey and eventually provides a way for them to enjoy the fruit of your promise as it happened in Joseph's life.

Like Joseph, understand that the wounds inflicted by your family members are not ones to be held against them, but there ones that have propelled you further along the journey of God's personal call on your life.
Whatever the calling on your life may be, vow to be prayerful about your family by always confessing God's powerful word over each member of your family.  And be assured that the Lord who cares and honors families holds out a promise to you that is meant to bless you and your family.

As tough as the journey may get, with having to lay down many things even in the times when nothing better is in sight, stay in your calling. Surely will come a time where you will have a new family of ones who are called to serve alongside you, but also a time where even your family members will have joined into your promise land.

Thus, do not fear surrendering and destroying the altars built to idols in you and your family's life, be sure to remain on the journey and by that, become a blessing channel in your family.

From Wednesday May 4th,2014

By pastor Christophe R.

image from www.gettyimages.com 

A Good family is the Hope of the church and the country

Scripture References

Genesis 6:9-12: "This is the account of Noah and his family.Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways."

Hebrews 11:7 "By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith."

God Honors families. Before you seek to know the will of God for your church, you need to seek Him first for your family. The church and the country cannot exist without families. Every person comes from a given family. The family is the basis of any institution. If it is not functioning well, then even all the other institutions will not function properly.

We see in the bible that God told Noah to enter with his family in the arch, because God chose to save Noah's family. The bible testifies that Noah was a righteous person. We don't know much about the rest of his family members, whether or not they were equally righteous as He was. But God chose to save Noah's family because of the way Noah honored Him.  Even today, God needs people who stand in families and who honor Him. Through them, God is going to change things and do great things. He doesn't need everybody to be saved in order to change things. He does not need to use the majority. God only needs you alone. 

We also read in the bible that God told Noah to take in the arch all sorts of animals and things. He knew what was fitting for his family. This also applies to to us today. He also knows what is necessary for our families to live well. 

As one who knows God, you need to know the spirits that are fighting your family. In the time of Noah, we see that God destroyed the world because of the way it had become so corrupt. This is what we are also seeing today and this is why you need to be a preacher and intercessor in your family. You might have been giving people prayer requests concerning your family because you do not know the power that you have. You have to stand and command. Just like God used Ezekiel to bring back life to the dry bones, even in your family, you are the one God wants to use today. Remember, the promise to be filled with the Holy Spirit belongs to you and your family. 

Extract of the sermon preached by Pastor Christophe on 

Sunday 1/06/201