Self-Sabotage

Nearly twenty years ago, my pastor (in South Africa) asked me to prepare to take the Word that Sunday. My first reaction was horror. “I cannot. I am not ready," were the first words out of my mouth. Bless him, he gently rebuked me and said, “You are ready’. I nearly self-sabotaged even before the ministry Christ has committed into my hands saw the light of the day.

Over the years, I still see self-sabotage raise its ugly head. Those negative thoughts and even action that is contrary to what I want to achieve. But I have realised that Self-sabotage is one of the most powerful destiny killers.

It happens when our own thoughts, habits, actions, or behaviors undermine or interfere with our gifts, purpose, goals, or well-being—even when we genuinely desire progress. Often it’s unconscious. We want to succeed, yet our patterns block us, and the cycle repeats.

Common Ways to Self-Sabotage

* Procrastination: Delaying important tasks even when deadlines are close.
* Negative Self-Talk: Telling ourself we are not good enough.
* Unrealistic Standards: Setting the bar too high, then quitting when we fall short.

Why do we Self-Sabotage?

• Fear of Failure or Success
• Low Self-Esteem
• Comfort in Familiar Patterns
• Unresolved Past Experiences
• What is your reason?

Biblical Pictures of Self-Sabotage

Samson
He was chosen and gifted, yet his impulsive desires—especially his entanglement with Delilah—led him to betray his own calling. His downfall shows how ignoring boundaries can sabotage destiny.

King Saul
Anointed as Israel’s first king, yet insecurity, disobedience, and jealousy caused him to lose God’s favor and ultimately his kingdom.

Lesson: Even with divine calling, unmastered impulses and fears can derail purpose.

Biblical Pictures of Overcoming Self-Sabotage

Peter
He denied Jesus out of fear, but Jesus restored him. Peter became a bold leader—proof that failure can refine, not define.

Moses
He doubted himself and felt unqualified, but God reassured him. Moses stepped into his assignment and became Israel’s great deliverer.

Jonah
He ran from God’s instruction, but repentance restored him. His obedience led Nineveh to repentance.

Lesson: Self-sabotage doesn’t have to be the end of our story. With humility and obedience, we can rise again.

Breaking the Cycle

It is possible for us to break free.
- [ ] Prayer: Pray without ceasing
- [ ] Increase Self-Awareness: I notice patterns that block progress.
- [ ] Challenge Negative Beliefs: Replace “I can’t” with “I’m learning.”
- [ ] Set Realistic Goals: Break big tasks into steps.
- [ ] Seek Support: Accountability helps me reframe my thinking.
- [ ] Practice Self-Compassion: I treat myself with patience.

Key Takeaway

Self-sabotage is not a permanent trait—it’s a pattern I can change. When we recognize the signs and address the fears beneath them, we stop undermining ourself and move closer to our God-given purpose.

🙏 Prayer Points

1. Renewed Mindset
Lord, transform my mind and remove every negative thought pattern that causes me to doubt myself or sabotage my progress.

2. Discipline and Focus
Father, strengthen me to overcome procrastination, distraction, and laziness.

3. Freedom From Fear and Insecurity
Lord, break the hold of fear, insecurity, and self-doubt. Fill me with boldness and confidence.

4. Obedience and Humility
Heavenly Father, keep me from pride and disobedience. Teach me to walk in Your will.

5. Restoration and Purpose

Lord, restore every area where I have sabotaged myself. Redirect my steps toward Your purpose and let my story reveal Your grace.

Adeola Akintoye

Súrù Lèrè — Patience Is Profitable

Recently, I was driving through Ojota in Lagos, Nigeria. I was exiting from one motorway into another when I suddenly found myself sandwiched between two trucks. I believed I was already ahead of them, so I continued driving, expecting both drivers to slow down.

But in a split second, the truck on my right clipped the back of my car. The impact scraped the side and pulled out the edge of my rear bumper. His own front bumper was also damaged.

In that moment, a Yoruba adage rose sharply in my mind:

Súrù Lèrè — Patience is Profitable.

If either of us had exercised just a little patience—one extra second, one small pause—both vehicles would have passed through without damage. No repairs. No inconvenience. No unnecessary loss.

Life is like that.

A moment of impatience can cost far more than we expect.
A moment of patience can save far more than we imagine.

Where Patience Matters Most

Patience is not weakness; it is wisdom. It is strength under control. It is the quiet discipline that prevents unnecessary battles and preserves what truly matters.

Here are some areas of life where patience becomes a shield, a teacher, and a lifeline:

1. As a Parent

Children grow in stages. They test boundaries, learn slowly, repeat mistakes, and stretch our capacity.
Patience teaches us to guide rather than react, to nurture rather than explode, to model the calm we want them to embody.
A patient parent raises a secure child.

2. With a Spouse

Marriage is a union of two imperfect people learning to love each other daily.
Patience softens conflicts, slows down harsh words, and gives room for understanding.
Sometimes the greatest gift you can give your spouse is time—time to process, time to grow, time to heal.

3. In Friendships and Relationships

People disappoint. People change. People evolve.
Patience helps us hold space for others without forcing them into our expectations.
It keeps relationships from breaking under the weight of assumptions and quick judgments.

4. In Career and Business

Not every opportunity matures immediately.
Patience keeps you from rushing into wrong partnerships, premature decisions, or shortcuts that cost more later.
Growth takes time—real, sustainable growth even more so.

5. In Personal Growth

Be patient with yourself.
Transformation is not instant. Healing is not linear. Becoming who God designed you to be is a journey, not a sprint.

Biblical Wisdom on Patience

Scripture consistently presents patience as a virtue, a fruit, and a mark of spiritual maturity.
* “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” — James 1:4

Patience completes us. It shapes character.
* “Love is patient, love is kind…” — 1 Corinthians 13:4

The first description of love is patience. Without patience, love cannot stand.
* “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” — Psalm 37:7

Patience is an act of trust—trusting God’s timing over our urgency.
* “The fruit of the Spirit is… patience…” — Galatians 5:22

Patience is evidence of the Spirit at work in us.

The Bible doesn’t treat patience as optional. It is foundational to wisdom, relationships, and spiritual growth.

The Heart of the Matter

Impatience is expensive.
Patience is profitable.

Whether on the road, in the home, in relationships, or in the quiet corners of our personal journey, patience protects us from unnecessary losses and positions us for lasting gain.

In life, a little patience can prevent a lifetime of regret.

Súrù Lèrè. Patience truly pays.

Adeola Akintoye

Rest

And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:12-14 NKJV

Rest is something we take for granted. We enjoy it only fleetingly. It is not everyone that has a day off or takes days off work that have rest. You can even sleep and not be rested. Why is rest not a sustained state?

 

Rest can be defined as when there is a cease of work or movement to relax, sleep, or recover strength. This is characterised by minimal functional and metabolic activities. It could also be characterised by freedom from activity or labor.

 

Why is rest important? We can get some insights from the creation story. 

“So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.” Genesis 2:1-3 NLT

 

Rest comes after work, without work there is no rest. Jehovah God instituted rest, blessed the day of rest, and declared it holy. This means rest is not just going to work, sleeping, or taking holiday. The day of rest is blessed and holy.

 

When Jehovah was shaping the nation of Israel in the wilderness, he gave them a commandment to observe the day of rest. This was a commandment of blessing. They were to rest on day seven after working for six days. Isn’t this amazing?

 

“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days, the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day, he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.” Exodus 20:8-11 NLT

 

The day of rest was to be dedicated to the Lord not our pleasure. Because it is a holy day it must be kept holy. 

 

Rest is a gift from the Lord as Jesus invited, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 NLT

 

Rest comes from the Lord, and it is sustained by Him. Moses got this nugget of wisdom when he refused to move unless Jehovah goes with him because, without the presence of the Lord, there is no true rest.

“Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up these people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ Now, therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:12-14 NKJV

 

Rest requires an active action. Because it is a gift, it requires faith and obedience. “Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. Let us, therefore, be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:1, 11 NKJV

 

Many people desire a rest that will bring peace of mind, health to the body and hope to the spirit. This type of rest is from the presence of Jehovah to those who are in a relationship with Him. His Son, Jesus Christ is the way to Jehovah. And He is inviting you today to “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 NLT

 

Why not open your heart to Jesus today. Believe in your heart that Yeshua Christ Jesus is the Son of God. Repent and ask forgiveness for your sins, for we are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of Jehovah. Prayerfully look for a bible teaching fellowship near you to fellowship with other brethren and study the word of Elohim. Dedicate or rededicate your life to him. The Spirit of Truth will come and dwell in you and lead you in all things.

 

Prayerfortheweek: Almighty Father, give me the grace to diligently enter into your rest.

 

Thank you for joining me today on this journey of spiritual maturity.  You can also check my videos on YouTube and my bite-size podcast on Anchor Practical Christianity with Adeola Akintoye. 

 

Remain Blessed.

 

If you accept Jesus or turn back to him, please get in touch. I am so excited! You give me hope and joy and are my proud reward and crown when I stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns. Yes, you are our pride and joy (1Thessalonians 2:19-20 NLT).

Inbox me, email me, just get in touch. I want to join you in prayers every day

My email is info@adeolaakintoye.com

 

I pray that this inspires you to reflect on your relationship with Elohim and be determined to be more and do more for Him each day. 

#AdeolaAkintoye©

#ajourneytospiritualmaturity2022

WordfortheWeek Week 1 Stress

“Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.” Matthew 20:29-34 NKJV

 

At the beginning of January, many people set their goals and plans for the year. It is a period of visioning for the new year. To have a vision, one need sight. 

 

The two blind men in our passage today were without vision because they had no sight because they were blind. They were limited and were aware of this. When they heard about Jesus, they understood who He was, by the way, they cried out, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

 

Although they were discouraged by the multitude yet, they persisted, crying out even louder. There was a humility in them, that made them cry out to Christ for mercy first rather than for their sight.

 

Jesus stood still at their cry and asked them what they wanted. It was not about their works but their heart. They knew their limitations, and they knew who had the power to remove them. They received their sight and followed Jesus, from then on their situation and circumstances changed radically.

 

To receive your miracle, you first need to know your limitation and seek the mercy of the Lord, Christ Jesus. Cry out even louder until He hears. This year, seek the Lord and ignore the multitude.

 

What do you want the Lord to do for you?

 

To have access to Yeshua, you need to have a relationship with him first. Why not open your heart to Jesus today. Believe in your heart that Yeshua Christ Jesus is the Son of God. Repent and ask forgiveness for your sins, for we are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of Jehovah. Prayerfully look for a bible teaching fellowship near you to fellowship with other brethren and study the word of Elohim. Dedicate or rededicate your life to him. The Spirit of Truth will come and dwell in you and lead you in all things.

 

PrayerfortheWeek

“Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”. Amen

 

If you accept Jesus or turn back to him, please get in touch. I am so excited! You give me hope and joy and are my proud reward and crown when I stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns. Yes, you are our pride and joy (1Thessalonians 2:19-20 NLT).

Inbox me, email me, just get in touch. I want to join you in prayers every day My email is info@adeolaakintoye.com

 

I pray that this inspires you to reflect on your relationship with Elohim and be determined to be more and do more for Him each day. 

Listen to the podcast of this blog here.

#AdeolaAkintoye©

#ajourneytospiritualmaturity2022

 

Wordfortheweek Week 38 - Gifts (part 4 of 4)

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;” Ephesians 4:11-13 NKJV.

For completeness, a church should have these fivefold offices in place. The principle guiding all however is consistency. They are ‘Gifts’, not ‘works’. It is not because you go to theological school to step into any of the offices. Or that you inherit it from your natural father. They are to be received in humility and exercised graciously, in love

 

The purpose of these spiritual offices is to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. The goal is the maturity of saints for the work of the work:

-       we all come to the unity of the faith, 

-       knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

The Spiritual Offices

We are going to use the early Church as an example so that we understand the original intent and approach of the Spiritual offices.

 

Apostles: messenger, one sent with a message, a representative of another person.

And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them, He chose twelve whom He also named apostles (Luke 6:13). In Mark 3:¹³ And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. ¹⁴ Then He appointed twelve, ^[d]that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, ¹⁵ and to have ^[e]power ^[f]to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: ^16 [g]Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; ¹⁷ James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”; ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.

 

The twelve became the leadership. Apostles are leaders in the body of Christ. They gave themselves continually prayer and the ministry of the word. They developed, sustained, and set in order.

 

We saw in Acts, the early Apostles act: they would pray for new converts, lay hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15), set rules of fellowship, healing and miracles too but this was not limited to Apostles. Other called Apostles: Barnabas and Paul (Acts 14:14). They were sent out by the Holy Spirit from Antioch (Acts 13:2, 3). They went on missionary joining, preaching, evangelising, setting up believers – appointing elders in every church (Acts 14:23), setting order/rules of fellowship (Acts 15) – the dispute about gentile circumcision. 

 

Prophets, 

It is Yeshua who appoints some to be Prophets, not human beings.  The gift of the prophet will speak for them. They will prophesy and it shall come to pass. People are obsessed with knowing the future, especially when they have problems. They will go seeking a prophet to tell them, to reveal things etc. And many are duped. Because of what Yeshua did, we have direct access to the Father. We can come boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy. We have the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth in us to reveal the heart of Yeshua. Prophets declare the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). They seek Elohim God first through prayer. Yeshua is our number one Prophet

 

Examples of prophets are Noah, Moses, all the Old Testament prophets. When you understand the books of the Prophet, the fear of the Lord will rise in your heart. The heart of Elohim they revealed about His people, is scary, and it is encouraging.

 

In the New Testament, Acts 13 :1 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ² As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.

 

Another example was Agabus in Acts11:²⁷ And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. ²⁹ Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. ³⁰ This they also did and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. And in Acts 21 ¹⁰ And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ 

 

We can understand this office by studying about these people in the Bible:

• They were called by Jehovah 
• The source of their revelation was Jehovah
• They lived their lives consecrated to Jehovah
• Their audiences (Individuals, leaders, whole nation even gentile nations e.g. Jonah to Nineveh) was as instructed by Jehovah.
• They made a prophetic declaration and Jehovah backed them up. 
• They also did signs, miracles and wonders

We see those in these offices spoke the mind of Yeshua by the Holy Spirit

 

Evangelists.

All saints are called to do evangelism, but there are those with unique gifts and zeal for evangelism. They are concerned mostly with preaching the gospel, not about religious organisation, administration etc

 

Pastors head or shepherd a church congregation. They are responsible for the spiritual well-being of the saint. Jesus, was the perfect shepherd and pastors are under-shepherds, to feed the saints. Pastors have gifts of caring heart, encouragement, compassion. They feed and tend to the sheep as Jesus instructed Simon. It is interesting to note that in the early church, it was a council of elders that oversee the church, not an individual, From Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church… ²⁸ Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church ^[g]of God which He purchased with His own blood. (Acts 20: 17, 28)

 

Teachers receive a deeper revelation of both the Spirit and letter of the Word and use the same to teach others and instruct them in righteousness. Teachers have this deep hunger and thirst to dig deep and wider, to understand what, why, how and when. They will link from genesis to revelation. They see the dots and the connection. They do not stay on the surface but go deep. They take the word precept upon precept. Teachers are important for grounding the saints in the word not just to call for salvation but to grow them into maturity.

 

We can see the manifestation of spiritual gifts in each office. I find it difficult to put the gifts in a box and apply it to specific offices. However, some gifts are very evident in the office. Example

• Apostles – the gift of leadership
• Prophets – the gift of prophecy
• Evangelists – gifts of healings, miracles
• Pastors – the gift of exhortation
• Teachers – gifts of teaching

These gifts are not just limited to the offices. The Holy Spirit gives to everyone as he decides.

 

How do I know which office I am called to?

There are different ways including directly from God, the disciples were selected and made Apostles by Christ, same as Paul. One can be ordained as Apostles under the direction of the Holy Spirit by other Apostles. Your spiritual gifts would also make your office very clear.

 

Can I move from one office to another?

It is possible to operate in more than one office. Apostle Paul is a perfect example. In Acts 13, he was counted among the prophets and teachers. Then after being sent out, he was referred to as an Apostle. From my practical observation, even if you are an Apostle, you will still see some leaning in the gift of other offices e.g. evangelism or teaching. That would not put you in the office of a teacher or an evangelist. This is where the subtle difference between an office and a spiritual gift.  

 

Your gifts and the office will be perfectly aligned. Making a human decision will misalign the two. The pastor office is one of the five offices, not the only one. Some evangelists are wrongly called pastors. Your gift will always speak for you.

 

Conclusion

Did you recognise any of these gifts in you? Your gift has been given to you by grace. You are to use them. If you have not recognised your gift, start praying today for the revelation of the Holy Spirit. However, you must have a relationship with Yeshua Christ Jesus first, this is simple to do: 

Acknowledge: you have sinned and come short of the glory of God

Repent: of your sins and be determined to turn away from them

Confess: and declare Jesus as the Son of God, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9)

Accept him as your Lord and Saviour

Declare openly your faith and become a new creature in Christ, old things have passed away

Follow: Jesus in all areas of your life

And start that wonderful journey with Him immediately. I encourage you to search for a bible teaching fellowship near you to support your spiritual growth.

 

PrayerfortheWeek

Almighty Father, thank you for the gift of my life. May we stir up our spiritual gifts and use them for the glory of Yeshua Christ Jesus. Amen

 

If you accept Jesus or turn back to him, please get in touch. I am so excited! You give me hope and joy and are my proud reward and crown when I stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns. Yes, you are our pride and joy (1Thessalonians 2:19-20 NLT).

Inbox me, email me, just get in touch. I want to join you in prayers every day

My email is info@adeolaakintoye.com

 

I pray that this inspires you to reflect on your relationship with Elohim and be determined to be more and do more for Him each day. 

#AdeolaAkintoye©

#ajourneytospiritualmaturity2021

Wordfortheweek Week 37 - Gifts (part 3 of 4)

“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another, the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NLT

 

These next sets of gifts are so powerful they change lives. These gifts impact, change and transforms lives. Unfortunately, as a result, some people seek those with these gifts and make them their demi-gods. These gifts can lead to pride. It can be counterfeited. Some people would do anything to get it.

 

An example was the girl with the spirit of divination; “and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days. Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.” Acts 16:12, 16-19 NKJV

 

And also, Simon the Sorcerer; “But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practised sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.”Acts 8:9-11 NKJV

 

The gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 enable saints to demonstrate the reality of being Ambassadors sent by and representing Yeshua, Jesus to those who encounter them whether in day to day life or in ministry. In a clear sense, a manifestation of the enabling spiritual gifts and indeed all spiritual gifts confirm the principle of Acts 1:8 which is to make the saint a clear witness for Yeshua, Jesus.

 

The following explanation is extracted from the Global School of Ministry Course 113 Spiritual Gifts:

 

WISDOM: This is the supernatural utterance of the mind of Elohim concerning the direction to go on a matter through the saint who has been so gifted. Holy Spirit uses the saint He chooses to reveal what is to happen or provide clear solutions to protracted problems. It is a gift of insight into the mind of Elohim who alone is the wellspring of wisdom. Word of wisdom can come forth within the context of a church service, in a business meeting, in government and everyday life, including the home, at school or indeed everywhere. This implies the gift is not the property of the saint.

 

WORD OF KNOWLEDGE: this is the revelation of present realities that are hidden from natural minds. The mind of man is limited in understanding and often clouded from various degrees of reality. Holy Spirit however chooses some saints, of His own volition, as channels for revealing what is hidden. If a brother or sister seeks counsel from a Pastor concerning a complicated matter but receives a simple word that cuts through the mass to reveal the way forward which resonates in the heart and causes joy to break forth, a word of wisdom has been experienced. If in a business or government meeting there is a complex problem and everyone is at a loss of what is the best way forward or when best to initiate a project and a saint comes forth with a clear and precise solution either orally or in writing without any burning of midnight candles or tossing about with many ideas, the word of wisdom has been manifested

 

FAITH: The gift of faith is the supernatural ability to know what Elohim can do, what He will do and to stand and declare the same with all confidence. This gift is sorely needed in demonstrating the reality of the Kingdom in all spheres of endeavour. Elijah exhibited the dual gifts of the word of wisdom and faith when he declared with certainty to the woman of Zarephath that Elohim will supply all her needs in 1 Kings 17: 8 – 16. The gift of Faith is beyond the normal grace of faith every saint is called to have in Elohim.

 

HEALINGS: Yeshua, Jesus and the early disciples demonstrated the use of this gift mix at various times in ministry. There were some people He healed from a distance such as the servant of the Centurion. There are those He healed by merely touching them such as the lepers who were cleansed. Others received healing by touching and drawing the virtue in Him to touch and take away their infirmities such as the woman with the issue of blood. In yet another instance, Yeshua, Jesus used His spittle and soil as points of contact. This gift is are the prompting of the Holy Spirit not that of the believer’s will or mindset 

 

WORKING OF MIRACLES:  It is the supernatural ability to be used by Holy Spirit to cause the supernatural to manifest in the natural. Miracles can occur in various forms and ways. In the case of Joshua, the gift caused a major shift in weather conditions when the Sun and Moon stood still while he completed the divine assignment. In the case of Yeshua, Jesus, Elisha and Paul, the dead were raised. Extraordinary promotions and financial breakthroughs also qualify as miracles. Miracles are also manifested in gifts of healing and can encompass every area of life. 

 

PROPHECY: A prophecy takes place whenever Elohim communicates to His people through a chosen vessel. According to 1 Corinthians 14:3, the purpose of Prophecy is to Edify, Exhort and Encourage the saints. This gift is manifested so that the saints will have the peace and comfort which Yeshua promised them even in the face of adverse conditions created by the world and its human governments or systems. 

 

DISCERNING OF SPIRITS: This is the supernatural ability to rightly identify the nature, source and capacity of the spirits at work in the life of people. It is also the ability to discern the motive behind what someone is saying, even if the words appear nice and sound right. Paul the Apostle demonstrated this gift to great effect at Ephesus when he identified the spirit of divination at work in the life of the young slave girl who correctly called him and his team as servants of Elohim. Her description of Paul and his companions was true. However, Paul rightly discerned the demon which possessed and used her vessel to speak. Acts 16:16-18(KJV)This gift will help local congregations to identify infiltrators who, like the Gibeonites in the days of Joshua, will sneak into the fold having all outward forms of conformity but with clear agendas to destroy fellowship for selfish purposes.

 

TONGUES: This gift should be properly called communicating messages with Elohim in other tongues that are not known by the vessel through whom utterance is made. It is different from the general sign of the infilling in the Holy Spirit which is accompanied by utterance in other tongues as in Acts 2: 1- 6. Here in 1 Corinthians 12:10, speaks of the ability to receive and communicate to saints in any setting, a message from the Lord but in an ‘unknown’ tongue. Not every saint is blessed with this gift as 1 Corinthians 12:28-30 shows. Those who try to pretend that they have it are guilty of lying and passing off under false pretence! 

 

INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES: This is the supernatural ability to interpret messages that are conveyed through the gift of tongues. This is not the same as the translation of languages which is an academic/intellectual activity. Those who translate are skilled to interpret words for accurate meaning. The gift of interpreting tongues simply conveys in understandable language with clarity, the message uttered in tongues. 1 Corinthians 14: 6-13 reveal that Elohim does not want His people to be in the dark concerning what He says to them. 

 

These gifts were manifested in the early Church. Apostle Paul: wisdom, faith, word of knowledge (the books he wrote) miracles, tongues, healings, visions, discerning of spirits. Apostle Peter demonstrated wisdom, faith, word of knowledge (Ananias and sapphire), miracles, healings, visions, discerning of spirits. Other examples are not written down explicitly but you can discern from the stories e.g. Phillip, the evangelist, “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed, and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city.” Acts 8:4-8 NKJV

 

 

To be continued.

 

Did you recognise any of these gifts in you?  Your gift has been given to you by grace. You are to use them. If not, start praying today for the revelation of the Holy Spirit. However, you must have a relationship with Yeshua Christ Jesus first,

 

This is simple to do: 

Acknowledge: you have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Repent: of your sins and be determined to turn away from them.

Confess: and declare Jesus as the Son of God, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9).

Accept him as your Lord and Saviour.

Declare openly your faith and become a new creature in Christ, old things have passed away.

Follow Jesus in all areas of your life.

 

And start that wonderful journey with Him immediately. I encourage you to search for a bible teaching fellowship near you to support your spiritual growth.

 

PrayerfortheWeek

Almighty Father, thank you for the gift of my life. May we stir up our spiritual gifts and use them for the glory of Yeshua Christ Jesus. Amen

 

If you accept Jesus or turn back to him, please get in touch. I am so excited! You give me hope and joy and are my proud reward and crown when I stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns. Yes, you are our pride and joy (1Thessalonians 2:19-20 NLT).

Inbox me, email me, just get in touch. I want to join you in prayers every day

My email is info@adeolaakintoye.com

 

I pray that this inspires you to reflect on your relationship with Elohim and be determined to be more and do more for Him each day. 

#AdeolaAkintoye©

#ajourneytospiritualmaturity2021