Pastor Chris Oyakhilome DSc DSc DD And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils…(Mark 16:17). When it comes to exercising your authority in Christ, it’s important to understand that you’re not doing it in your name but in the Name of Jesus. The focus is on Jesus. He didn’t say, “These signs shall follow them that believe they can do it”; no! Rather, He said it will “follow them that believe”; believe what? The And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils…(Mark 16:17).! As a christian, you’re qualified, empowered, authorized and accredited to cast out devils, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers and raise the dead. So, it’s not about your ability but the authority of the one who designated you to do it. His Name is Jesus, and He has all power in heaven and in the earth. He said in Matthew 28:18, ..All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Hallelujah! On the basis of that authority, He said to us in the ensuing verse 19, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations….You represent Him. He’s given you the legal authority, the power of attorney, to act in His stead. When you speak, when you make demands or issue decrees to demons and circumstances in the Name of Jesus, they hear and obey you as though Jesus Himself were speaking. Because you’re the “believing” one, and Jesus Christ is Lord of your life and you’ve received eternal life into your spirit, you don’t need to exercise any more believing or faith to cast out devils. Just exercise the authority Christ has given you. Don’t try to believe; you already believe. It often helps to use the traffic police officer at the road junction to explain this. All he does is motion to oncoming vehicles to stop and they grind to a halt. If they don’t, they’d face the wrath of the law. That officer doesn’t have to first “believe” he can get the vehicles to stop. By his physical ability or personal power, he can’t. But as long as he’s in that uniform, he has the authority of the state that he represents. You sit on Jesus’ seat; that means you act in and by His authority. All creation—animate and inanimate—according to God’s sovereign decree have been commanded to hear and obey Jesus: .and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom l am well pleased; hear ye him”*_ (Matthew 17:5). This applies to you because the Bible says, …as he is, so are we in this world_ (1 John 4:17), and we do all things in His Name. Blessed be God! *CONFESSION**I’ve been qualified, empowered, authorized and accredited to cast out devils, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers and raise the dead. My dominion over Satan and the principalities of darkness is absolute because I live in and by the authority of the Name of Jesus. I’m a victor now and always. Amen.* FURTHER STUDY: Matthew 28:18-20And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.| Luke 10:19Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. John 14:13-14And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do [it]. READ ALSO: Daily Affirmations: I have the wisdom of the just, which propels me to function in God’s perfect will. The wisdom of God is in my heart and in my mouth today, and I deal excellently in all my affairs. I am full of God’s might! I function by His power and glory today, full of the Spirit in wisdom. I have a perfect understanding of all things! Victory is my heritage and my life! I was born to be triumphant always and in every place. Regardless of the challenges that I may face, I will always win. It makes no difference what happens, where I find myself or who’s against me; I am more than a conqueror! I can never be disadvantaged. God has given me everything it takes to live victoriously every day. I know who I am: chosen, royal, and peculiar! I experience the supernatural in my body every day by the power of God’s Spirit. I am in Christ! I reign in righteousness; thus, no weapon formed against me shall prosper. I dwell in the secret place of the Most High God, and I function with the ability of the Spirit always. I’m living in health 24hrs a day, 7 days a week. My body is the temple of the Holy Ghost; therefore, every organ, tissue and cell in my body complies with the Word of God. My body is not sustained by blood, but by the vitalizing power of the Holy Spirit in me. I declare that the Holy Spirit is at work in me. I have sound knowledge and understanding. I have strength, might, and power. I speak excellent and princely things. I have an understanding heart. The opening of my lips is for the right things. My words are all righteous. I speak the truth always. God has given me wisdom. There is nothing I cannot accomplish. I have a wise and discerning heart. Christ is my excellent wisdom. Every day of my life is full of God’s glory, beauty, excellence, and grace. Every day God loads me with
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome DSc DSc DD For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come (1 Corinthians 11:26). There are those who ask if it is right to partake of the Holy Communion when you’re not water-baptized. First, in Christianity, we have sacraments like the Holy Communion and Water Baptism. In Mark 16:15-16, the Lord Jesus charged the disciples to spread the Gospel to every corner of the earth and to every person, emphasizing the importance of Water Baptism: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16). In Matthew 28:19, He said, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.Then, in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Paul shares an important revelation he received from the Lord. He recounts the events of the night the Lord Jesus was betrayed, highlighting the profound significance of the Holy Communion. In consequence, Water Baptism and the Holy Communion are not dependent on each other; you can partake in the Holy Communion even if you’ve not been baptized in water. The Bible doesn’t stipulate that you can only take the Holy Communion if you’ve been baptized in water.However, in many churches, the Communion is often reserved for those who are baptized members. There’s nothing wrong with this practice. The reason many follow this guideline is that baptism is viewed as a sign of one’s full belief and commitment to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It signifies a complete acceptance of the Gospel.In the Early Church, during the great persecution, if individuals were asked about their faith and they denied it, their baptism was used as evidence of their true commitment to Christ, often leading to their persecution.Churches typically do not baptize non-believers. This is why many churches believe that true Christians should be baptized and therefore may only serve Communion to those who have been baptized. The practice is commendable and aligns with the church’s desire to honour the significance of baptism in the Christian faith. *CONFESSION* Dear Father, I recognize the significance of the Holy Communion and Water Baptism as symbols of my faith and commitment to you. Every opportunity to partake in the Holy Communion is my declaration of my victory over Satan, the world and its elements; a declaration that the Lord Jesus bequeathed His wealth, rights, and privileges to me, a will which is now in force. I have eternal victory and dominion over sin, sickness, disease, death and the devil, in Jesus’ Name. Amen. *FURTHER STUDY: Matthew 28:19-20* Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen. *Acts 2:41-42* Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added [unto them] about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. *1 Corinthians 11:23-25* For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the [same] night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me. I live a life of faith. I’m not moved by what I feel, see, or hear. I am only moved by God’s Word. The presence of the Holy Ghost in my life gives strength to my spirit, soul, and body. I am replenished and built up by the Word. I walk in the full benefits of the salvation that Jesus Christ wrought for me, including health, peace, prosperity, and all-round success. Every day of my life is full of God’s glory, beauty, excellence, and grace. Every day God loads me with great benefits. In His favor my horn is exalted. I live above infirmities and the harsh elements of this world because the One who lives in me is greater than he that’s in this world. Nothing and no one can hurt or come against me successfully, for I have the unconquerable life of God. Satan and the powers of darkness are under my feet; therefore, I have nothing to fear. The impulses of fear have been completely disabled from my life. Irrespective of the situation, I’m bold and courageous, speaking the Word in faith. Everything connected to me is infused with eternal life and divine energy. Everything about me exudes the life of Christ; therefore, my health does not fail, rather, it is ever radiant and ever flourishing. There is no failure in my body systems; no heart failure, no kidney failure, no lung failure, no liver failure. All the organs and systems of my body are functioning perfectly well. There is perfect soundness in my body. I’m seated with Christ, far above all principality, power, might, dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come! I’m exalted with Him in glory; I know who I am: chosen, royal and peculiar! My life is the expression and manifestation of the glory and righteousness of Christ. Therefore, I am superhuman! I have the life of Christ at work in my spirit, soul, and body. I walk in supernatural strength, supernatural health, supernatural supply, and supernatural abilities every day. My progress is unstoppable because I cannot be limited by sickness,
