THE SOLUTION OF ENVY

We’ve spent this week looking at the subtle and destructive disease called ENVY. However, the cure to this virus is something so simple anyone can have it: GRATITUDE!

The solution is being grateful for yourself; AND also for that fellow that life has made your contemporary in one form or the other. Because it is difficult, almost impossible, to be grateful and envious at the same time.

Be Grateful For Your Life

Envy wants you to be bitter and resentful because of what you don’t have and blinds you to all that you do have. If you’re constantly conscious of the many blessings and graces you have, it’ll be more difficult for the Devil to lure you into his snare of Envy.

Believe me, you are much more endowed than you will ever know, whether it be in terms of resources, opportunities or relationships. There’s absolutely nothing you need to fulfil your glorious destiny that you don’t already have right now. Indeed, you’re meant to be the object of envy and not the other way round.

Be Grateful For Your Fellow

If you look around, you’ll see that there’s a lot of pain, poverty and sin in this world. So for every successful person in your circle: every intelligent, beautiful, rich, talented, anointed or otherwise endowed person close to you, know that that is one less person for you to worry about.

Thank God for them.

The dictionary antonym (opposite) of envy is GOODWILL. While envy is listed among the “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5, kindness (goodwill) is listed as the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal 5:19-23). To always be on the ‘Spirit’ side of the line, an attitude of GRATITUDE for what we have, and GOODWILL to others who are just as blessed is all we need.

AMEN.

I appreciate all the feedback and comments sent throughout the week.

May the LORD continue to bless and prosper all that concerns you in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

THE BLINDNESS OF ENVY

Envy is often called the green-eyed monster; but I feel it should more properly be called the blind-eyed monster: because of its blind, self-destructive nature.

Envy focuses you on what you don’t have and blinds you to what you DO have. Take the case of Saul and David.

And the women sang to one another as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. (1Sa 18:7)

First of all, observe the ill-advised wordings of the women’s song. Don’t they know that such comparison would irritate the king? This is something we need to watch out for. Even though you live your life minding your own business, you still have to watch out for the odd misplaced comment here and there that unnecessarily compares you with another companion. Saul fell for this trap because he wasn’t expecting such crude comparison between a king and his servant.

Secondly, this comparison blinded him to the fact that he was just as much a successful warrior as David was. Up to that time, he had not lost a single battle, but he allowed envy blind him to that fact.

Blind envy will lead a person to commit the unthinkable... and in the extreme case of the Pharisees in Jesus’ day, the Unpardonable! Being more intimate with the scriptures than the people, they knew who Jesus was, but moved with envy (Jn 11:47) they opposed his miracles, and ended up in damnation (Mk 3:28-30).

Indeed, the rejection of the Gospel by the Jewish leaders, (which resulted in the wholesale shift of focus to us Gentiles), wasn’t – as many presume – because they were zealous about the Old Covenant of Moses, but because they were envious of the popularity of the Apostles, (Acts 13: 13- 52; 17:5).

But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you be not consumed one of another, (Gal 5:15).

May we be sensitive to this evil so that we do not become blinded by it and inflict damage on ourselves, our families and our destinies.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

THE FOLLY OF ENVY

One of the Israelite men said, “Did you see that man? ... Whoever kills him will get rich. King Saul will give him a lot of money... He will also make that man's family free from taxes in Israel.” – 1Sa 17:25 (ERV)

We learnt yesterday that people usually envy only those close to them. This was why Jesus’ brothers and sisters thought little of Him when He was on earth. And to think He was biologically older than them. What do you think would have happened if he were the lastborn? The derision would have been much worse.

They had the position that others would give an arm and a leg for, and treated it with scorn. Have you ever wondered what it’d be like to be the sibling of the president, or a billionaire, or an Academy Award winner? It’ll surprise you to know that the real siblings of those persons don’t share your fantasy.

I once read of a Nobel Prize winner whose mother was heard still insisting he made a wrong career choice. How sad: to reach the very highest pinnacle of your field and still be put down by your kin.

It’s time we realized that the president was once a teenage boy in the neighbourhood; that billionaire once attended a school with dozens of friends; that soccer star you revere today once played with others in the dirt. How they react to those friends now is greatly hinged on how they were treated during their period of ascendance.

When David’s moment of national emergence came, all the soldiers in the field supported him to fight Goliath, except his brothers. Check this out: Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard David talking to the men. Then Eliab became angry with David. “Why did you come here,” he asked him, “and with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how overconfident and headstrong you are. You came here just to see the battle.” (1Sa 17:28 GW)

This was harsh treatment of one who was about to be the breadwinner of the family. When David killed Goliath, it was they, not the other soldiers who were encouraging him, that were exempted from taxes, (1Sa 17:25). Yet they had no input in the victory, if anything, they hampered it.

There will always be billionaires on this planet, there will always be great leaders, there’ll always be raving successes in various fields of life. Wouldn’t it be all the more sweeter if they turn out to be people you encouraged (rather than try to pull down) during their early days?

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

THE IMPLICATION OF ENVY

And when he came into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, From where has this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brothers, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? from where then has this man all these things? And they were offended in him.  – Mat 13:54-57.

Musicians don’t care who wins the Nobel Prize for Chemistry, and doctors won’t be perturbed if Kanye West buys a 3^rd island.  Generally speaking, people don’t mind how successful you are and will even celebrate with you – as long as you’re not in the same category as them.

When Jesus was on earth, He got the coldest welcome from His own people, NOT because He wasn’t anointed but because He was one of them. they saw His wisdom, they saw His miracles, but because he grew up in their neighbourhood, they were offended.

When young David enquired from the Israelite soldiers about Goliath, he got courteous responses, but his brothers there scolded him for meddling.

The reason why people are threatened by the successes of those close to them is that they feel it leaves them without excuse. They had the same upbringing, the same limitations, the same challenges, the same education, etc. So they can’t afford to see you outshine them.

Rather than see the advancement of our fellows as a knock on our excuses, let’s see it as irrefutable proof that we, too, can make it. If they can overcome the odds, so can we.

That outlook is all the more refreshing and all the more freeing. It also opens our eyes to see opportunities that we would otherwise have failed to see because of the blindness of envy.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

BATTLING THE GREEN-EYED MONSTER

A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. – Pro 14:30

ENVY (aka jealousy, aka resentment, aka spite) is the resentful or unhappy feeling of wanting somebody else's success, good fortune, qualities, or possessions. It is also the hidden wish that something evil happens to said better-off persons.

Envy is a subtle yet extremely destructive spirit that can lurk in the hearts of even the most devout of Believers. Unlike overt evils like lust and rage, envy can manifest itself while still concealed in our lives. This is why we need to watch out for it.

Envy is a ravaging virus that destroys its host. Job 5:2 says “wrath kills the foolish man, and envy slays the simple one.”

Envy was the first sin outside the Garden of Eden. After it entered and destroyed the heart of Cain, every evil became committable – even MURDER.

Envy will destroy a blossoming relationship. Envy is responsible for the implosion of once thriving organisations. Envy in families has left wounds that lasted for generations. Envy in the heart of a Believer will lead them to commit sins that they normally would consider unthinkable.

Envy is the evil we must destroy before it destroys us.  But here’s the problem: it’s not easy to detect once it has embedded itself.

I’ve seen envious people do calamitous things without any feeling of wrongdoing. They may give their reasons: that brother is too proud, that sister is too flirtatious, that man is stingy, etc. there will always be a rationale for our ill will against another, but the reason lies much closer to the heart.

The best way to catch Envy is before it enters. Acknowledge to yourself that there will ALWAYS be people better than you in some area of your life: financial, physical, ministerial, etc. So, when the Devil comes with his evil suggestions, you’re already aware of where he’s going to.

 “Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” (Gal 5:26, Jas 3:16).

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

STAY IN THE MIDDLE (TENSION 5)

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. – Php 4:5

The problem of Theological Tensions is not so much their contradictory nature as much as it is the embracing of one aspect to the exclusion of the other. Extremism has been the cause of much of the Church’s problems. Even as individuals, the penchant for immoderation can be our bane.

I have come to realise that just about everything can be taken to the extreme. Whether it be prayer, faith, evangelism, grace, holiness... even PRAISE.

I used to think that that was the exception; at least, you can’t go wrong with being hyper about praise for God.

Then I found out that, if one is not careful, their zealous pursuit for worship may lead them to look down on other believers who are not so passionate. It may lead to a feeling of super-spirituality and pride. A pastor once boasted that, “As you see me like this, I can praise God for 5 hours!”

How unfortunate. Now that’s a passion that has lost its purity.

Beloved, Satan will always look for a way to corrupt whatever positive exercise or revelation that we have in order to blunt its edge.

So what is the cure for extreme error? The Apostle Paul gives us an idea. He says, “Let your moderation be known unto all men...” (Php 4:5). “Moderation” here means, to be mild, patient, yielding, gentle, clement and unwilling to litigate or contend.

That should be our reputation, not pugnacity or confrontation. If we get these right, then the so-called “Tensions” will only be in name, and not a source of strife in the Body of Christ and among Believers.

“The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” (Jas 3:17).

AMEN.

Thank you for the encouraging feedback and blessings throughout the week.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

BODILY TENSIONS

“Churches that preach a ‘Holiness’ message are legalistic and place women in bondage.”

“‘Prosperity’ Churches are shallow and are mostly carnal.”

Pastors who emphasise ‘Grace’ in their messages are just telling people to go out as sin as they like.”

“All Mega Churches are business corporations, run primarily for profit and not for the interest of souls.”

Ever heard of the phrase, “give a dog a bad name and then hang him”? You probably must have heard all these aspersions made on various groups of churches (mostly made by members of each group with respect to the others), and you must be wondering which church is now the perfect church.

Amazingly, there’re still Christians today who believe that ONLY members of their church will be going to Heaven. But while the Bible accepts the reality of multiple churches (e.g. Rev 2,3), it still maintains that there’s actually only one CHURCH, which is the collective body of Believers worldwide.

There’s no such thing as an “Independent” church. We are all part of the same Body: the Body of Christ, which is explicitly defined as “THE church” in scripture (Eph 1:22-23; Col 1:24). (A church that forbids interaction with other Believers outside them has already become a CULT).

Let me define a church as any congregation of people who hold that salvation is attained by the Blood of Jesus AND NOTHING ELSE (very important). If there’s such a group, the fact that they commune with each other differently from your church doesn’t automatically make them evil.

Each sinner has a message that appeals to them, some are attracted by the message of prosperity while others are convicted by the spectre of Divine Judgment, etc. You cannot catch them all with your one style.

Like we learnt yesterday, there’ll always be satanically commissioned extremes of all the various church groups. There’re ‘Holiness’ churches who  teach sisters will go to hell for putting on trousers, “even if it’s under the skirt”, ‘Prosperity’ churches who milk the members dry for the Pastor’s lavish lifestyle  and ‘Grace’ churches that condone immorality. No matter the kind of church you attend now, there’s another one somewhere twisting the same message to keep people outside of Christ but still in “church”. They also exist to smear the reputation of each legitimate church group.

Therefore, as Believers and legitimate members of the Body of Christ, we must learn not to help the enemy in bringing down our sister churches. Of course, just as Paul confronted Peter in Gal 2:12-14, we still have the duty to correct each other in love when we see certain excesses, but we mustn’t forget that “though we are many, we are one Body in Christ”.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

ABOUT LAWS AND LIBERTIES (TENSIONS 3)

But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty... – Jas 1:25

When it comes to “Tensions”, it probably doesn’t get more heated than the GRACE vs LAW controversy.  One ‘side’ says, “Salvation is by grace and grace alone” while the other contends you cannot claim to be saved if there’s still sin in your life.

There’re 3 ways to react to this:

1) Refuse to be bothered because you’re neither a Pastor nor a Theologian.

2) Draw the line on the sand, fortify your defences and get set to do battle because your understanding of the concept is right and the other persons’ are completely wrong.

3) Admit that this is a classic example of a TENSION and as such, embrace it with all humility and spiritual wisdom.

Embracing The Tension

It’s easy to appreciate the tension here when you consider the implications of each side. ‘Grace’ teaches that the blood of Jesus, which cleanses the sins of the Believer, is the sole prerequisite for Heaven. While this is scripturally true, it does seem to unwittingly imply that the Believer can sin as much as they want to without jeopardizing their salvation (see Rom 6:1).

The other ‘side’ counters this apparent loophole by stating that unless your life is cleaned up from sin, you’re not really saved. Again, while this is scripturally valid, it’s tacitly creating a behavioural condition for salvation – which is, of course, unscriptural.

The point of our focus today is this: while both proponents – genuine and God-loving Believers that they are – are shouting out their positions over the airwaves, internet and books, unscrupulous persons are using their very words to cause much harm to themselves and others.

Lustful persons who want to perpetuate their sinful lifestyles while still remaining in the Church setting would readily quote that “the blood of Jesus cleanses us from ALL sins”.

On the other hand, leaders who want to foist their selfish ambitions and control on their members will use the counterargument to keep their followers in bondage – endlessly working to ‘prove’ their salvation, and constantly living under guilt and condemnation.

Both sides need to humbly come together and admit that supplying fodder to deviant doctrines is ultimately not in their collective interests.

The basis of the Believer’s stand before God is, and will always be, the imputed righteousness of Christ, (2Cor 5:21; 1 Pt 3:18; Heb 9:15). Once saved, however, God desires to glorify Himself through our good works (Mat 5:16; Eph 2:10). Good works follow salvation; they do not precede it, though.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

SISTER FAITH AND DEACONESS PATIENCE

Polygamy is a no-no in the New Covenant. However, the Bible says if we’re to produce any spiritual fruit, we’ll need to be concurrently married to these two ‘ladies’ – FAITH and PATIENCE.

You see, ‘Tensions’ are not only for theologians and seminarians; when it comes to practical Christianity, you need to know how to keep these two ‘ladies’ in your house without causing conflict.

Are you praying for a miracle? Sister Faith insists it must be NOW! Deaconess Patience, on the other hand, says impetuousness is a sign of carnality and spiritual immaturity; she says you must be willing to wait!

Heb 11:6 says “Without faith, it is impossible to please God”. That means God is turned off by those who approach Him without any expectation of His intervention. Our Lord said in Mk 11:24, “Whatever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you shall have them.” He’s saying that you shouldn’t expect to get anything from God if you come with a this-is-my-need-but-you-can-solve-it-at-your-own-convenience mindset. You must be earnest and importunate in your prayer.

Now, the same Hebrews that tells us “Without faith, it is impossible to please God” also tells us that, “You have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise” (Heb 10:36).

What gives?

To receive the promise, I need to be both importunate AND patient? Isn’t that a contradiction?

Well, not really. You need Faith to birth the seed of the miracle, but at the same time you need Patience (like a surrogate mom) to carry the miracle to full time delivery.

Many Believers have much faith, but their lack of patience keeps killing the miracle mid-term. On the other hand, many feel that their not ‘disturbing’ God about their problem is proof of patience. That’s an empty womb that’s not going to birth anything whatsoever.

You need both. Heb 6:12 admonishes us to be “followers of them who through faith AND patience inherit the promises.

Receive whatever you have desired among those promises NOW in Jesus’ name.

AMEN.

GREG ELKAN

TENSIONAL HUMILITY

“What a blessing/The mysteries of God is so inter-resting

Like how I got freewill, but still pre-destined...”

– Andy Mineo (Whatever Comes)

In Theology, a ‘TENSION’ refers to two scriptural concepts that appear to function in conflict with one another. There’re several of these. Some are doctrinally profound, like Jesus being 100% God, yet also 100% Man (has the meaning of “100%” changed overnight?). Others may seem somewhat pedantic, like the true nature of children in Ps 127:3 (are they an undeserved “heritage” or are they a “reward” for service?)

Some so-called Tensions are only superficial, and quickly disappear upon conscientious study, (like the abovementioned two). But some are too stark to be meshed up.

‘Tensions’ have not only being the source of deep divisions in the history of the Church, they have also been the source of strife between close brethren and in some cases, the source of personal conflict in the heart of Believers.

The correct attitude towards Tensions should generally be humility. It would be prideful of us to presume we somehow hold an exclusive insight into the true meaning of a particular issue and every contrary thought by other Believers are automatically incorrect. While there’s nothing wrong with being persuaded with what we believe, a simple attitude of humility will leave the door open for correction and better insight on an issue.

An attitude of humility also opens the door to dialogue. After all, the point is not to win an argument, but to win a Brother or Sister who may innocently be holding a wrong view of scripture. Hostility only hardens the hearts of those on the other ‘side’.

In all, having a spirit of BALANCE will keep us away from strife and error. The central message of the Gospel is simple and clear, nevertheless humility and maturity requires that we accept that there’re many details and specific teachings of scripture that have challenged the sharpest minds and most disciplined lives throughout history.

#For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face;

#Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. (1Cor.13:12; Php 4:5).

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

THE CONTRASTING CONJUNCTION (HOLY GRAMMAR V)

The book of Psalms contains some of the most candid expressions of the human heart to God. As a matter of fact, the psalmists are sometimes so bluntly morose about their experience, that we would consider it as faithlessness if we heard it from the lips of a brother or sister.

In grammar, Conjunctions are connecting words used to link sentences, clauses, phrases, or words, e.g. “and,” “but,” or “if”. Our focus today is on an important spiritual conjunction: the word ‘BUT.’

The ‘BUT’ is a grammatical word used in the middle of or at the beginning of a sentence to introduce something that is true in spite of either being or SEEMING CONTRARY to what has just been said

This ‘BUT’ is what distinguishes the psalmists from faithless Christians on the one hand, and fake, churchy Believers on the other. When a Psalmist bares his mind to God, he tells it like it is; he doesn’t pretend not to feel the hurt or act like he’s above pain. Anointed people suffer, too, Prophets do go hungry, and Believers do go through seasons of loss.

The key to being REAL like the Psalmist is to know that there must be a “BUT” (expressed or implied) included along with the tirade or wailing. Observe the pattern of their prayer gripes:

 “LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me. Many there be who say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. BUT YOU, O LORD, ARE A SHIELD FOR ME...” – Ps 3:1-3.

 “O you sons of men, how long will you turn my glory into shame?...BUT KNOW THAT ...THE LORD WILL HEAR WHEN I CALL UNTO HIM.” (Ps 4:2,3)

 “How long will you forget me, O LORD? forever? ...BUT I have trusted in your mercy... I will sing unto the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” Ps 13:1-6.

It’s important for us to know that Believers, too, sometimes go through bad times. They’re not signs of a lack of faith, or punishment for sin, or evidence that God doesn’t care anymore; but a natural course of things in this fallen world we live in.

When we go through these seasons, we’re free to express our hurt to God. However, (and most importantly), we mustn’t allow our tears to cloud our eyes. God is still a good God, He still loves us and He has promised that He will NEVER leave us nor forsake us.

So, don’t bottle up your pain: express yourself before your Heavenly Father; but make sure your Holy Grammar is correct by inserting the ‘BUT’ before you finish.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

ORDER (HOLY GRAMMAR IV)

 “Let all things be done decently and in order.” – 1Co 14:40.

In many languages, adjectives denoting attributes usually occur in a specific ORDER. Generally, the adjective order in English is: Quantity > Quality > Size > Age > Shape >Colour > Origin > Qualifier

You cannot say “I saw red some really beautiful roses” (It’s “I saw some really beautiful red roses”)

PRAYER is the spiritual language that God, in His infinite wisdom, made available to us to bring all the resources of Heaven to bear in the affairs of the Earth. And like all languages, it also has its own ‘grammatical’ order.

As outlined in scriptures: We are to pray:

To the Father (Eph 1:15-17; 3:14; Phi 1:3,4; Col 1:3; etc.);

In the Name of Jesus (Jn. 14:13-14; 15:16; Acts 3:6,16; 4:7; etc.);

With the help of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:26; Gal 4:6; Eph 2:18; etc.)

While this may sound pedantic, but this divine order is reflective of God’s relationship with us. Jesus specifically said to His disciples, “And in that day you shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever you shall ASK THE FATHER in my name, he will give it to you;” (Jn 16:23).

Some Believers have a warped image of the Father, seeing Him as austere, severe and unwilling to oblige us. Hence, when they pray, they feel they have to approach Him vicariously. Though they may not stoop as low as praying through the Virgin Mary or some “Saint”, that mindset still reflects itself in the feeling that God is closer to certain special Christians  (read “Pastor”, “Bishop”, “Apostle”, “Evangelist”, etc.), than He is to them. Therefore, when praying, they hold more faith when they declare “The God of (insert title of Man-of-God) will hear me today!”

While this is supposed to be a reflection of the regard they hold for the grace of God on that Minister’s life, it can be symptomatic of an underlying misconception of the God they serve. Note that even our Lord Jesus said, “I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you,” (Jn 16:26). We’re to pray to Him directly.

So, let our prayer be in order: by the help of the Holy Spirit, in the name of

Jesus, to the Father. Why?

Our Lord explains why: “For the Father Himself loves you...” (Jn 16:26).

He wants you to know that “The God of (insert-your-name-here)” is just as powerful enough to move every mountain and work any miracle.

“After this manner therefore pray: Our Father...” – Mat 6:9.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

PAST TENSE (HOLY GRAMMAR III)

 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new,” –2Co 5:17.

The concept of “Holy Grammar” requires that Believers should have accurate knowledge of the tenses of their reality. A major hindrance to victorious Christian living is the wrong mixture of spiritual tenses.

Today, we’ll focus on the bad grammar (spiritually speaking) of mixing our past and present tenses. As a Believer who is now in Christ Jesus, several things MUST be expressed in the past tense and spoken of as already done.

And one of the most important area is SIN. When Jesus died on the Cross, we DIED to sin with Him so that we can resurrect as the New Man in Him. This is a core message of the Apostle Paul. 

In Rom 6:6 (CEV)  he says “We know that the persons we used to be WERE nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, SO THAT our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin.” And in Gal 5:24 he says “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have CRUCIFIED {past tense} their corrupt nature along with its passions and desires” (GW).

So, as long as one has accepted Jesus into their heart, it is not PROPER GRAMMAR to ask God to help you crucify your sinful desires. You ALREADY did that at the point of salvation (people don’t read the ‘fine print’ of contracts, even if their lives depended on it).

This explains why Paul finds it incredible, even scandalous, that Believers could still allow sin to rule over them. “God forbid”, he exclaims in Rom 6:2, “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer in it?”

That is also why he repeatedly asks us to “KILL every desire” or “put to death the deeds of your flesh” (Rom 8:13; Col 3:5; etc.); but not we ourselves, because we are ALREADY dead through the Cross.

Now, to a Believer currently battling with a particular sin, saying that the SIN problem is in the PAST may sound like “there is no spoon” philosophy, or even a belittling of their struggle. But this is biblical, holy grammar.

Like bogus “ancestral curses”, Sin will always try to act as if nothing changed when you went to the Cross. Working through the memory of the flesh and mind, it will always try to perpetuate its dominance in us. But Our victory begins the day we tell it that we’re more educated than that.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

ETERNAL IDIOMS (HOLY GRAMMAR II)

Martha said unto him, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said unto her, “I AM the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” – Joh 11:24-25.

In grammar, an IDIOM is an expression with nonliteral meaning; i.e. it’s a fixed collection of words whose meaning cannot be deduced from the combined meanings of its actual words.

The New Testament has one of such; it’s called ETERNAL LIFE.

It is spiritual grammatical error to assume the meaning of Eternal (or Everlasting) Life is simply “living forever”. Human beings by virtue of their spiritual nature do not cease to exist at death; so, everyone, technically, will live forever, (Dan 12:2).

But not everyone has everlasting life.

In the New Testament, Eternal Life is an idiomatic phrase used to denote the inseparable union we have with God the Father through Jesus Christ. It is quantitative as well as qualitative in nature.

Most people see only the quantitative aspect of it, the part that deals with living forever in heaven after they die. But the New Testament severally describes Eternal Life as something that the Believer is meant to experience here and now as well, (John 3:36; 5:25; 6:47; 1Jn 5:13).

Just as our Lord corrected Martha (John 11:24,25), Believers shouldn’t be looking forward to “Resurrection Day”  when they already have Him with them right now.

So, if Eternal Life is a spiritual idiom that means more than the meaning of “Eternal” + “Life”, what does it then mean?

The best person to answer that is the “Resurrection and the Life” Himself. He said in John 17:3 “And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

This is God’s definition of Eternal Life. Not mere conscious and unending existence, not playing harps with angels for a million billion years, but having a personal, intimate relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ.

So Beloved, do you have eternal life now? Or is it something you expect to get some time later?

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

HOLY GRAMMAR

And that from a child you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. –2Ti 3:15

A large proportion of the words of the English language are gotten from Greek; mostly indirectly via Latin or Latin-French routes. Their original denotations do not always remain however.

One of such words is GRAMMA from which our English Grammar is descended. The Greek Gramma is used severally in the New Testament, most notably in 2 Tim 3:15 where it appears in conjunction with “hieros” as Holy Gramma (“Holy Scriptures” in the KJV).

 “Holy Grammar” of course has a different meaning back then, (it actually meant “holy writings”), but I couldn’t help being fascinated with the prospect of the concept of its meaning in contemporary English: the concept of having a set of rules for speaking or writing the Faith Language we use as believers.

GRAMMAR is a branch of linguistics that deals with the form and structure of words and their interrelation in sentences. It is not just knowing the words of a language, but the PROPER ways to create, combine and use them in sentences in order to accurately express one’s self and not breach etiquette.

For example, to say “I has a red ball big on the backyard” is completely English, but BAD English. In the same way, many believers may know of several Bible-ish things to say and do, but as a result of a lack of Holy Grammar they end up misspeaking or even wishing the exact opposite of what they had in mind upon themselves. (A trivial example is the act by some Christians of Binding AND LOOSING demonic spirits in a place).

2Ti 2:15 says we should “Study to show yourself approved unto God... RIGHTLY dividing the word of truth.”

Praying and confessing the Bible is good, but sometimes a little “Holy Grammar” will do us a lot of good and spare us the use of much energy in the spiritual battles we face.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

SIGNS WE ARE MAGNIFYING THE DEVIL

“Neither give place to the devil.” – Eph 4:27.

We are beginning to magnify the devil when: 

·         We spend 3/4 of our prayer time binding demons and witches instead of fellowshipping with Jesus.

·         We stock up on books about the Kingdom of darkness but have little or none concerning the Holy Spirit, the Christian life, the Cross, etc.

·         During a baby's naming ceremony, we spend the majority of the service binding every witchcraft, evil eye, black mind, wicked agenda, etc. present; and not rather in thanksgiving and faithful prophecy.

·         Upon entering a new place we're only conscious of the demons present, without acknowledging the angels that we came there with.

·         We believe deliverance sessions should be dramatic and filled with confessions of ‘hidden’ things.

·         We feel the Bible doesn’t say enough about the kingdom of darkness and how it operates.

·         We shake our heads at believers who just go to church, pray and read ‘normal’ books totally oblivious of the secret operations of the kingdom of darkness.

·         Etc.

I know this may not be comfortable reading, but it’s high time believers realised that the universe does not revolve around the devil. When we allow the devil and his issues use up our spiritual bandwidths, we’ll not have time to explore the unfathomable depths of the riches of Christ.

Christ is the centre of the Universe. As we conclude this week’s meditations on the errors of Satan-fixation, it’s only apt that we end with a passage that speaks of Christ’s majesty and glory.

AMEN!

Col 1:16-18 ERV

Through his power all things were made: things in heaven and on earth, seen and not seen –  all spiritual rulers, lords, powers, and authorities. Everything was made through him and for him.

The Son was there before anything was made. And all things continue because of him.

He is the head of the body, which is the church. He is the beginning of everything else. And he is the first among all who will be raised from death. So in everything he is most important.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

DEALING WITH HIGHER-RANKING DEMONS

 “Demon” is a generic term in the Bible for evil spirits aligned with Satan against God and His people. Like godly angels, they too exist in a hierarchy based on their powers and levels of authority that culminates with Satan at the ‘top’.

Demons are a concrete spiritual reality; and being angelic as they are, even the lowliest one has enough power to cause massive destruction.

However, these levels of authority and power are only relative to each other, NOT to the Believer. In Eph 2:6, the Apostle says God has “raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”

And Eph 1:21 describes the position of where Christ is seated as “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come”

So, we’re not simply above those principalities and powers, we are “Far above” them.

In an army barrack, there are different levels of authority between a Corporal, a Sergeant and a Warrant Officer. However, all these differences are meaningless to a Major General, they only factor in the type of command he can give to each one.

I’m painting this picture because of the wrong notion many Believers have of demons that some are harder to cast out than others because they are of a ‘higher’ rank.  Yes, in the occult world, the Queen of the Coast may possess very high powers, but if you’re a believer, what has her rank got to do with the price of tea in China?

The scripture never gives us the notion that a Believer is limited to the type of demons that they can command, it only talks of different ways of dealing with each one.

Just like the army General, you may need spiritual wisdom to know how to deal with each spirit, (because of the permissions they have obtained from other human beings through convoluted trickery and manipulations), but that has nothing to do with whether you have the right or power as a believer to command them.

A 1-day-old Christian has a higher authority than Satan himself, (Luk 10:19; Mk 16:18; Eph 2:4-6, etc.). And that means he or she is obviously higher than the Queen of the Coast, Prince of Persia, Beelzebul, ‘An’ or whatever title any demon decides to concoct up.

 “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” –1Jn 4:4.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

BEWARE, THOSE ‘DELIVERANCE’ CONFESSIONS

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his cunning, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. – 2Co 11:3.

Our meditations this week are about the massive full-scale PR campaign that Satan runs to launder and bloat his image.

One of such means is through so-called “deliverance Confessions” by people who claim to have served Satan as witches, occult grandmasters, etc.

Somehow, we generally hold the impression that a former witch knows much more about spiritual realities than we do. Just imagine with me, a 15-year-old girl, recently delivered from witchcraft, giving a speech about the goings on in the spirit-world. Huddled among the audience are her Pastor, deacons, and elders: all entrapped in her narrative. She speaks with an air of authority and confidence. This is, after all, her area of expertise, she has been doing this for years, she should know what she’s talking about.

She is also only 2 weeks in the Faith.

I find it absurd that we would presume a 2-week-old convert to be suddenly more knowledgeable than our pastor who has been studying the Bible for years.

While I’m not questioning the genuineness of the salvation of such former workers of darkness, or the sincerity of their experience, but even common wisdom tells us that evil masterminds do not reveal their ways to the lowly pawns that work for them. Jn 8:44 says lying is the native tongue of the Devil and calls him “The Father of Lies”. What modicum of truth can we then expect to get from persons who spent their lifetime with him?

Many of these testimonies end up simply glorifying the Devil, filling us with fear and reducing the power of the Finished work of Christ on the Cross.

Testimonies are good; at the very least, they’re indications that a soul has been won to Christ; but let us not forget our PRIMARY source of revelation: the very Bible in our hands.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

THE SECRET THINGS

The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. – Deu 29:29

I’ve heard several Christians, even ministers, lament on the paucity of information the Bible has on Satan and his kingdom. They keep harping on things they learnt from one occult convert, deliverance minister, or mystic book they read somewhere.

Beloved, once we enter that mindset, we have fallen into the snare of the sly serpent. Because now, we have left the sure words of Scripture to the subjective, shifting, and (admittedly) fantastic world of human imagination. The Devil has also made us to fall for the very first temptation of mankind, which is the impression that God is not telling us EVERYTHING.

We must learn to be content with what God has revealed. Our opening verse states that what we have in scripture are written, NOT for our mental stimulation or intellectual satisfaction, but to enable us “do all the words of this law”. This is the first indication that those “revelations” many of us crave for have no real edifying power.

People usually love to flock to meetings where a recently converted witch, occult grandmaster, ogbanje, etc. is billed to deliver their testimony. They love to be enthralled by the exciting escapades of the dark world; how these “agents” go about the world wreaking havoc, etc.

The crave for forbidden knowledge is a symptom of the fallen nature. When you couple this with a Devil who is more than willing to satisfy that appetite, then we have a recipe for total deception.

Mystic books, “Lost” Gospels, hidden wisdoms, ‘unrecorded’ miracles and sayings of Jesus, plus the odd weird “revelation from the dead”, are all examples of the Serpent’s answer to mankind’s dissatisfaction with “that which is written” (1 Cor 4:6).

We should take heed to the last words of our Lord in His story of “the Rich Man and Lazarus”: “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone were to rise from death.” (Lk 16:31 GNB).

That which is written is sufficient for salvation, for edification, and for deliverance.

AMEN.
More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.
GREG ELKAN

GLORIFYING THE DEVIL

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his cunning, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. – 2Co 11:3.

The Devil goes by several titles in scripture: Adversary, Beelzebub, Belial, Great Red Dragon, the tempter, Satan, etc. But the first introduction we have of him is in the Garden of Eden: as a sleek, beguiling Serpent.

Satan is a defeated foe. When our Lord Jesus died on the Cross and resurrected, he destroyed all the works of the devil (1Jn 3:8). Col 2:15 says that Jesus “ defeated the rulers and powers of the spiritual world. With the cross he won the victory over them and led them away, as defeated and powerless prisoners for the whole world to see.” (ERV).

He, however, is a sore loser. Defeated and vanquished as he is, he still manages to run a massive and successful PR campaign from his infernal headquarters that launders his image and magnifies his powers.

There’re many impressions that even believers have of the Devil that have no basis in scripture but have come through centuries of distortions of the truth.

One of these is the thought that Jesus died for our sins to pay the devil our debt! Another way it reads is that, if Jesus didn’t take our punishment, the devil would cry foul if God allowed us to enter heaven.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The Cross transaction was solely between Jesus and the Father on our behalf. It has nothing to do with any perceived squabble of the devil.

The Debt Jesus paid on the Cross was the sin-debt that we owe TO GOD and not to the devil.

Our sin indebtedness is to God; and Jesus most definitely did not go to Hell to be tortured by the devil for our sins. Many Christians hold this opinion even its origins are outside of Scripture.

Okay, so the Bible says that Jesus went to Hell to STRIP the devil of all his powers and make a public spectacle out of him, ( Luk 10:18; Joh 12:31; Col 2:15; Heb 2:14). But somehow, the devil has managed to change that picture to him TORTURING Jesus in Hell (ostensibly) for our sins! Talk about a PR facelift.

Beloved, if the Apostle Paul was concerned the Early Church was susceptible to Satan’s deception, then we too need to be on guard and “Put on the whole armour of God, that (we) may be able to stand against THE WILES of the devil”, (Eph 6:11).  

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN