Emeka Anslem

TAKE CARE OF THE HOUSE! "Take care of the house"; that's what the master told his housekeeper before he went for a wedding party. But the word "Take care" didn't sound appealing to the housekeeper. He preferred to "take charge" since the master was not around. He felt his master's absence was a moment of pleasure for him. His master got to the wedding reception successfully, except that he forgot his golden pen, which he needed to sign an important document. He quickly sent one of his guards to get his pen from the house. But unfortunately, the housekeeper couldn't hear the guard knocking, because the sound from the music he was playing was louder than every other sound. He couldn't even hear the master's baby crying behind him. The master was curious, and this time, he sent his driver. The driver got there faster, but his quick arrival didn't help him. He joined the guard, and they both knocked and knocked, until they got tired. People were waiting for the master to sign so that the wedding could continue, but he had no pen. And so he decided to rush down by himself. To his amazement, he met his driver and his guard at the gate. Though he was their master, but he had to join the "knock". The housekeeper finally heard the baby's cry. He tuned down the volume of the sound system, and suddenly, he heard the knock. The master came into the house, nothing had been done, his baby was soaked with tears, imagine a two hour cry for hunger. The house was completely cluttered. His master sacked him, because he was a housekeeper who didn't keep the house. Although this is a fiction, but like the housekeeper, we are also Kingdom keepers, ordained to keep the kingdom of God till Jesus comes again. But are we really keeping God's kingdom? Jesus has gone for a "wedding", and we don't know when He'd return. But whenever He comes, will He find us doing what He had assigned to us? Let me conclude with this; find your purpose, and keep advancing the kingdom with it. Don't get distracted by worldly cares, those things will make you lose your place. May God give us understanding! God bless you, I love you, and don't forget to share! #EmekaAnslem

"Pastor, I was getting addicted to social media, so I removed all the social media applications on my phone. I don't want my spirit man to get corrupted" Oh wow! I guess heaven must be proud of you right now. The fact that you are heaven-conscious makes you a good Christian. However, you may need to re-install all those applications on your phone and deal with the lust of the eyes in a more matured way. The bible already prepared our mind towards the kind of things to expect in this world, let's see how scriptures put it: 1 John 2: 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Did you see that? The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Those are three major strategies that the devil uses to weaken Christians and lure them into sin. So if you sit down on Tiktok and Instagram all day - watching things that aren't really adding any spiritual value to you, lust in working in you. And the reason why that lust is able to work in you is simply because you love the world. Yeah, you may argue that you don't love the world, but you can't love God and still be lusting after worldly things. None of these social media platforms are evil. While there are people who use it to propagate the works of the devil, there are also people who use it to promote the works of the kingdom. All you needed to do was to filter what comes to your feed. The software may recommend, but it's left to you to discipline yourself to only feed on what you need. Just because they served lime juice in a buffet doesn't mean you have to drink it. In a buffet, you feed on what you need and leave the rest. That's how you should treat the news feed on your social media platforms. If we all uninstall social media on our phones, then Satan's agenda to rule the world would become easier to accomplish. Think about it, a few years ago believers didn't want anything to do with politics and political parties because they felt it would corrupt their Christian faith. Yet, it is the same political parties that decide the fate of the nation where Christians live. Now Christians are doing all they can to participate in politics just to change the situation in the country. Imagine if they had always been part of it? I think many believers misunderstood Jesus when he said, "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out...". Jesus simply meant that we should seperate ourselves from anything that forces us to sin. For instance, if your boss forces you to do something wrong, you can resign. If your husband wants you to commit adultery, you can divorce him. Seperate yourself from anything that "forces" you to sin. So if it's not a force, then you still have some level of control. This misconception has really affected the body of Christ. For the full article, visit www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, I struggle to read the Bible. After reading one chapter, I get tired. What can I do?" I'm pretty sure this isn't peculiar to reading the Bible, you probably get tired while reading anything long or not likely to be completed in the shortest time. What I mean is, if it would require that you commit more of your time to it, then you'd most likely get tired of reading it - especially if there are more pressing things on your mind. There are quite a number of possible reasons for this situation, but let's touch a few: 1. RELATIVITY There are times when you may be interested in what you're reading, but because the author or writer hasn't been able to relate his message to your personality, you may get tired even before completing the first chapter. I remember how I got the push to write my first book in 2012, I just acquired a book titled "PUT YOUR TALENT TO WORK". I tried really hard to read that book but I just couldn't relate. The more I tried, the more I got exhausted. It was after several attempts that I heard the Holy Spirit say "You can do better". That was the day I began to write the book titled "Maximizing Your Intellect". Unfortunately, I lost the manuscript, and it was never published. That experience taught me that just because a book has a title I may need doesn't mean I'd be able to relate with the mode of writing. This is also why I don't feel bad when some people tell me that my articles are always too long to read, I understand the situation. If they find a writing that relates to them, they'd finish a book without knowing. For the full article, please visit www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, how do I know that my faith is really working? Because I'm tired of how people keep making mockery of me" When it comes to the operations of faith in our life, our measurement shouldn't be what isn't working around us, but what the word of God is doing for us. I've shared before that faith is simply the results of our convictions from God's word, and these results reflect within, through, and around our lives. If you think your faith isn't working just because you're not seeing results around your life, then you clearly do not understand the operations of faith. The day you refused to steal because God's word warns against it, then God's word worked through you, and that's faith. The day you decided to maintain your joy even after you lost your source of income, God's word worked in you, and that's faith. Likewise, the day you bought a car and perhaps a house, God's word worked around you, and that's faith too. If you observe those three levels, the first two can easily attract mockery, while the third will always attract celebrations. However, everyone who wants to embark on the journey of faith with God must go through the first two levels before arriving at the third level. God's word has to be working in you and through you before it begins to work around you. So your ability to endure the mockery from the first two levels will elevate you to the third level. Let me show you a few scriptures; SCRIPTURE 1: Romans 4: 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Did you see that? Abraham was already in a state of mockery, yet faith was working within him. At that age, he was fully persuaded that what God promised would come to pass in his life. The mockeries or obvious facts against him didn't deter him in any way. This is something to learn from. If the mockery affects your inner peace or your joy, or even causes you to doubt in any way, then maybe you haven't believed God's word enough. Like Abraham, if you believe God's word, you'd be fully persuaded, despite the odds. A certain woman had been barren for many years and decided to start engaging in morning cries - evangelizing to people about Jesus. One angry neighbor called her one day and complained that her noise disturbed them alot, and that if her Jesus was that good, why hasn't He given her a child? For someone else, that would have been the end of her evangelism, but not this woman, she was fully persuaded. As God would have it, she conceived and gave birth nine months after that encounter. SCRIPTURE 2: Acts 3: 6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Remember the blind leper at the Beautiful Gate? I guess you do. Peter unashamedly told him that he didn't have money to give him; however, he gave him what he had. That's right! Something was working through Peter even though it had not began to reflect around him, financially. For the full article, please visit www.com.ng

"Pastor, I do everything a Christian should do to remain on fire, but I keep getting demonic attacks. What else can I do?" Let me guess, you've prayed, fasted, declared the word of God regarding your situation, acted in faith severally, yet it feels like all your efforts are in vain. The truth is, redemption didn't really exempt us from getting oppositions, it only guarantees us victory - if we fight the good fight of faith. The bible speaks of a great door that is opened unto us, yet there are many adversaries that won't let us pass through so easily. Whether the demonic attack is because of an altar that was raised before you became born again or just a regular attack to frighten you, the response is the same, fight the good fight of faith! Some people behave as though Jesus needs to die again and shed a fresh blood to resolve their problems. They feel their case is so peculiar that only a fresh blood can resolve it. Well here's a shocker, Hebrews 10:26 says "there is no more sacrifice for sin". Consequently, that leaves you with one option, fight the good fight of faith. Just because you had demonic attacks doesn't mean your life would be influenced by them. The only way demonic attacks can influence your life is if you express fear because of the attack. The Psalmist says, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for God is with me". That's the mindset you should maintain despite attacks. Remember that Job feared, and what he feared came upon him. You're in a battle which Christ has already guaranteed you victory. For the full article, please visit www.com.ng

"Pastor, why do some people accuse pastors of taking advantage of church members and their money?" I'm not going to pretend as though I do not understand what those people mean, many fraudsters have adopted ministry as a business in the name of collecting tithes and offerings, and it's not hard to discern that such "pastors" are not called by Jesus. By their fruits, you shall know them. However, the fact that there are fakes simply tells us that there are also originals, those who are genuinely called by Jesus. From experience, those who are genuinely called have no interest in material possessions, let alone that which belongs to those they are called to serve. They strive to be financially independent while they serve the purposes of God. Apostle Paul explains this better; let's read from scriptures: 2 Corinthians 12: 13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. 14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. 16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. 17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? Notice in verse 13 that it was a system of the church back then to carry the material burdens of their man of God, which explains why Apostle Paul had to apologize to them for not allowing them meet his material needs. For the full article, please visit www.emekaanslem.com

"Pastor, why did God create some people poor and some others rich?" I think you may have misunderstood Proverbs 22:2. That scripture says, "The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all". Notice that it didn't say "the Lord made them so", it says "the Lord made them all. Clearly, that scripture was referring to their humanity, not their financial status. God made both the man who became rich and the man who became poor. God made man, but what the man became was totally up to the man. We understand from scriptures that God's agenda for man has always been wealth and abundance, not poverty. Genesis 1:28 says, "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth". That's the agenda! So anywhere you see poverty, know that it's Satan at work. Dr Isaiah Wealth defined poverty as an agenda of the devil, propagated by hell, sponsored by ignorance, promoted by demons, for the purpose of stealing, killing and destroying those who are in Christ. When you see a believer that is poor both in his mind and in his bank account, then he's suffering ignorance of the truth that makes for wealth. It is this ignorance that Satan takes advantage of to keep believers impoverished. Satan cannot keep you in poverty as long as you're walking in the light. When you see a Christian who says things like "Prosperity is not for all" or even quotes the bible saying "The poor shall not cease in the land" just to justify his poverty, then you should know that that Christian is under the influence of demons. That's right, only demons promote poverty. In fact, you have my permission to run away from anyone who doesn't see anything wrong in being poor. For the full article, please visit www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, why has God continued to allow wicked people rule our nation?" I honestly don't think that's the case. It's not about God allowing wicked people rule, but about man exercising or not being able to exercise his dominion. Our dominion is expressed by the choices we make, and our choices are either evil or good. When a candidate begins to bribe people to vote in his favour, he's simply exercising his dominion, even though his motive would clearly be evil. Anybody who has good intentions would not bribe his way to power. Likewise, anybody who takes a bribe to vote in a leader would get more suffering than good when that leader emerges. However, taking a bribe to vote is also an exercise of dominion. If a man decides to manipulate his way to power, that's an exercise of dominion. Praying to God to kill such a man may not be a valid prayer point. He didn't put himself there, he manipulated the system that supported his enthronement. Nobody can make himself president, a system has to put him in that position. How would God kill someone who didn't put himself in power? As Christians, our prayer point shouldn't be against the evil person who is leading or the evil person who intends to lead, but against the system that sponsors them. Once the system fails or disappoints them, they won't be able to perform their evil intentions. Job 5:12 says, "He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise". That's right! Their hands cannot perform evil if the system no longer supports them. So our problem is the system, not the people. If we can deal with the system by the Spirit of God, then we'd stop evil people from ruling. Jesus cursed systems; we read how He cursed the fig tree that refused to bear fruit when He was hungry. By the next day, the disciples confirmed that the fig tree had dried up. That's how it's supposed to be, Christians are supposed to curse the evil systems that wicked rulers have continued to use to manipulate our nations. Buying votes or taking a bribe to vote is an illegal act that is punishable by not less than one year inprisonment. Yet, we've never heard that a person was arrested for selling or buying votes. That's because the system has been manipulated. Today, something that was supposed to be illegal is now a norm. To show you how bad it is in my country, instead of the government to enforce that law, they've been doing all sorts of things to ensure that candidates do not have access to cash before the election. Since they cannot stop them from buying votes, they want to frustrate the system. The only challenge is that their action is greatly affecting the wellbeing of our people. Dear Christians in Nigeria, our greatest prayer now should be that God should dissapoint the corrupt systems that put wicked people in power. We may not have dominion over people, but we have dominion over systems. If we rely on our PVC alone, then I'm afraid that the system is too corrupt to allow our PVCs decide. If we pray against the system, then our PVC will work. As I conclude, Jesus cursed the fig tree and it dried up. Nobody was able to eat fruit from it ever again. When you curse the corrupt systems in prayer, have that in mind, nobody should be able to use those corrupt systems again. My prayer is that God will dissapoint the devices of the crafty in Nigeria so that they will not be able to perform their enterprises. I hope this has brought enlightenment to someone. Remain ever blessed, in Jesus precious name!

"Pastor, I've always said it that this country has nothing good to offer me, I wish I had travelled when I had the chance" Oh really? If you've always said that, how then do you expect something good from the same country. Perhaps you haven't realized that the things we say with our mouth can greatly influence how the world treats us. Let me show you a few scriptures: SCRIPTURE 1: Deuteronomy 30: 19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live. This scripture has always scared me, heaven and earth are witnesses to the choices I make. Which means they'd always be in alignment with my choice. If I choose death or a curse, they're not going to try to give me life. Likewise, if I choose life, they're not going to try to give me a curse. So if it seems like you've been experiencing disfavor all your life, then it most likely has something to do with your choice. You may be putting in the effort to change the situation, but the situation would not change except you change your choice. For the full article, please visit: www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, I make good money, but why is it that I hardly do anything good with the money?" The fact that you're worried about the situation simply tells me that you're not a foolish spender as mentioned in Proverbs 21:20. That scripture says, "There is a store of great value in the house of the wise, but it is wasted by the foolish man". A wise man saves his money and invests in valuable things, the foolish man doesn't just spend, he wastes his money, which literally means that he uses his money to acquire or do things that may be pleasurable, but not valuable. The wise spender goes for value first, the foolish spender goes for pleasure first. Clearly, you're not a foolish spender. However, you may not be a wise investor either. That's right! You may not be a foolish spender, but you may be neglecting a very important investment, one that has capacity to sustain your wealth. Let me show you a scripture: Matthew 6: 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. You see, as Christians, God expects us to live a life that gives priority to His kingdom. The moment we gave our lives to Christ, we became ambassadors of the kingdom of heaven, not just people who live on earth. And as ambassadors, we are expected to invest, project, and protect the interest of the kingdom. Being an ambassador isn't limited to going to church services, because the whole idea of church services is to release blessings upon you so that you can in turn invest those blessings into the kingdom. For the full article, please visit www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, I've been praying to God to show me His purpose for my life, but He has not responded. What do I do?" Every equipment has a purpose. As a matter of fact, before the equipment was created, its purpose had been established. Before a microphone was created, the purpose in the heart of the inventor was to create something that can amplify the voice of a person. Before a car was invented, a faster means of transportation must have been conceived in the heart of the inventor. Over the years, means of transportation has evolved from animals to automobiles. Back in the days, it was Camels and horses, then bycicles, motorbikes, and then cars. Cars took longer time to travel long distances, so aeroplanes were invented. Today, we even have faster aeroplanes called jets. Now, instead of worrying about God showing you your purpose, isn't it better to learn from the mystery of the equipment? Just as every equipment serves a purpose, every equipped man would definitely serve a purpose in God's kingdom. What I'm saying is, if God hasn't giving you an assignment or a purpose, then it's probably because you've not equipped yourself for His use. Let's see a few scriptures: Jude 1: 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. Did you see that? "Building up yourself". That's what you should focus on doing. Jesus kept building himself until he found where his purpose was written in scriptures. He went to the temple to read just as he usually did, and as He was reading the book of Isaiah the Prophet, he suddenly saw where his purpose was written. Let's read from scriptures: For the full article, please visit www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, everything God promised me about my business was working until recently when things became really difficult. What could have happened?" I'm not sure, but scriptures points us to a number of things that may disconnect us from the help of God. Let's touch a few: 1. VISION Prov 29:18 tells us that "where there is no vision, people perish". This includes people with purpose, passion, callings and assignments from God. Vision is the ability to see into the future of a thing in order to advance it. Vision is a must if progress must be recorded. Though God may have given you the business idea, but you'd need the mind of a visionary to succeed in it. Vision is not something you wait for God to show you; it's a tool you engage to impact the world with your calling or ideas. A good idea without a great vision would not stand the test of time. What you start with a good idea can only be sustained with a good vision. The Bible talks about people who "having sights, but they cannot see". God gave us eyes for sighting, but created vision for seeing. Your eyes may sight what is within, but it is vision that sees what is beyond. Vision makes you futuristic in your approach and strategies. For the full article, visit www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, no matter how much I prepare for an exam, I end up failing. What could be the problem?" Oh wow! Sorry about that. But just so I don't assume that it's a spiritual thing, let's touch a few possible causes: 1. MODE OF ASSIMILATION One of the greatest things I discovered about myself after my secondary school education was that learning through theoretical explanations was difficult for me. At that time, I enrolled for a professional computer course, and I had failed about nine exams before I realized this. I would read and prepare for exams like every normal student, only to get to the exam and feel as though I didn't prepare at all. At first I thought the course was too much for me, but then I realized that it was the mode of assimilation. Months later, I pleaded with the school engineer - who at the time gets external projects, to take me along to project sites so that I could have hands-on experience. The more I interacted with real life scenarios, the better I got in assimilating the theories that was taught both in class and the handouts. With time, I began to redo the exams I failed. And yes, I passed. As at the time I re-sat for the exams, I wasn't trying to analyze the theories in my head, I knew exactly what the questions were referring to because I had interacted with them in real life. Because I had already gathered real life experiences before we completed the 9 months course, I was retained as an IT assistant in that school after the program. It wasn't long before I was assigned to a class to teach new students. For the full article please visit www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, my salary is so small, I doubt if I'd ever have enough to promote the kingdom. What do I do?" One of the greatest secrets you'd learn about this kingdom is that God grants us access to the riches in this world to test our faithfulness. No matter how much or how little you get, the test is the same for all. Let's see how scriptures put it: Luke 16: 11. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? So there's something called true riches, and from that scripture, it is not the kind of riches that we have in this world, but the kind that is bestowed upon us by the blessings of God. The bible says "the blessings of God makes rich and adds no sorrow to it". The fact that you're worried about insufficiency already tells me that you've not gained access to true riches yet. You can't have access to true riches and still be worried. True riches is not sponsored by money, it is sponsored by the blessings of God. So even if you lose all the money in your account, you'd still be rich. If they can't take the blessing, then they can't take the riches. God's agenda is to grant us access to true riches, but the condition is that we must be faithful in using unrighteous mammon, especially to the advantage of His kingdom. The Amplified version of that scripture says "Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of earthly wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?". So, it's not about how much you earn, but how you use what you earn to the advantage of God's kingdom. As earlier remarked, whether you earn little or much, the test of faithfulness is the same. For the full article, please visit www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, I made a vow to God that I could not fulfill. Do you think it may be the cause of my challenges?" A lucid answer to this question isn't a short note at all, so I hope you're ready to have a long read😂. There are very few things God takes very seriously when it comes to His relationship with man, and one of them is a vow. Let's see how scriptures put it: Deuteronomy 23: 21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. Did you see that? If you don't fulfill a vow you made to God, it would be a sin against Him. In Matthew 5:34-37, Jesus referred to this very scripture and told them that making a vow invites Satan to tempt you, and so it's better not to engage in it at all. Let's see how He put it: Matthew 5: 33 Again, you have knowledge that it was said in old times, Do not take false oaths, but give effect to your oaths to the Lord: 34 But I say to you, Take no oaths at all: not by the heaven, because it is the seat of God; 35 Or by the earth, because it is the resting-place for his foot; or by Jerusalem, because it is the town of the great King. 36 You may not take an oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. 37 But let your words be simply, Yes or No: and whatever is more than these is of the Evil One. Even though making a vow to God is a risk, many important people in the Bible made vows to God and God responded positively to some of them. Hannah made a vow and God responded positively by giving her what she requested. Jacob made two vows and God reminded him of the vows he made to Him. David made vows to God and confirmed that God heard his vows. Apostle Paul made vows. For the full article, go to www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, someone placed a curse on me for a mistake I sincerely apologized for. Do you think I should be worried about what the person said?" 🤣Oh wow! If you're this worried about curses, then don't come to Lagos, because you may get a curse for mistakes as little as stepping on someone. In traffic, even after trafficating, you'd still get a curse for changing your lane. The fact that they say it in Yoruba makes it even more hilarious. However, since you asked, let's touch a few things. There are quite a number of scriptural principles that should be considered when dealing with the subject of curses. So let's look at a few. 1. A curse cannot work if the person that placed the curse is lesser than the authority over your life. For instance, the devil cannot curse believers. Instead, if he has an issue against a believer, he'd take that believer to the court of God to argue his case. If he wins, then he'd be given a legal right to oppress you in any way he deems fit, including placing a curse on you. If the devil cannot place a curse on a believer without a court ruling, then none of his agents can place a curse on a believer without a ruling. We see a picture of this in an event that happened between King Balak, Balaam, and Jacob. Balak declared Jacob and Isreal as a enemy and hired Balaam to curse them. Let's read from scriptures: Numbers 23: 5 And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak. 6 And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab. 7 And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel. 8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied? 11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether. It's important to mention that Balaam wasn't exactly a prophet of God, he was a soothsayer who also believed in the God of Israel. This would also help us understand why King Balak could consult him to curse Jacob and Israel. Unfortunately for King Balak, Balaam understood that the authority over Isreal would make his curse ineffective, hence his reply. He couldn't curse who God had not cursed, neither could he defile who God had not defiled. In other words, his curse can only work on them if God curses them. If you'd recall, this thing began with Abraham. God promised him that He'd bless anyone that blesses him and curse anyone that curses him. In a nutshell, if the person who cursed you is an unbeliever, then you don't have a reason to worry. Come to think of it, it was a mistake you were genuinely sorry for. 2. A curse cannot work on you except you deserve it. Proverbs 26: 2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse will not land on its intended victim. Having established that an unbeliever cannot curse who God has blessed, it's important that I talk about the curse attached to disobedience to God's laws. Christ didn't redeem us from the law, He redeemed us from the curse of the law. The consequences of breaking the law in the old testament was grievous, many of those who violated were even sentenced to death. When Christ died for our sins, He took the place of the consequences or curses attached to breaking God's laws, so that when the consequence tries to rise against us for breaking the law, Christ rises against it with His grace. That's why the bible says, "Shall we continue to sin that grace may abound? God forbid!(Rom 6:1)". Jesus will always rise up to intercede for our negligence to the law, but according to Romans 1:28, rebellious people would have to carry their cross after a while. For the full article go to www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, my business partner is always afraid to take giant steps. What do I do?" Oh wow! While I'm tempted to give you a straight motivational talk, there's really no straight answer to this situation. For instance, if your business partner is a financial partner, then you may have to endure with the small steps till you've gathered enough to finance big opportunities on your own. In business, he who has the financial power often call the shots. In Ecclesiastes 9, King Solomon shared a disturbing story about a wise man who was despised because he was poor. Let's see how scripture puts it: Ecclesiastes 9: 14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it: 15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. 16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. Did you see that? Your partner would probably not be afraid if you were going to sponsor the idea with your own money. As a matter of fact, he'd be motivated to contribute once he sees your financial commitment to the idea. I know you've probably prayed that God should touch his heart. Well, if you didn't get an answer, then it's probably because God isn't going to force anybody to invest in something they are not sure of. That would make Him a controller, not a God. So, until your financial partner is convinced about the giant steps, keep taking the small steps. But ensure you don't quit the relationship, especially if you don't have another stream of income. On another thought, if he's not a financial partner, then find out the reason for his fears. Most likely, it would be because of the bigger brands you'd have to compete with when you establish that idea. The fear of competition has discouraged and driven many potential business owners back into their shells. So, if it's a case of discouragement, do your best to encourage him, especially in the Lord. For the full article, please visit www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, I prayed to God about something and I was so sure of the answer. Unfortunately, God did not answer. What could have been the problem?" God answers us when we pray in faith; however, a lack of understanding of how He answers has been the challenge for many believers. Let me show you a scripture: Hebrews 10: 35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. I often hear believers say things like, "I was believing God for... But...". That's a clear indication that they don't understand what it means to believe God for something. So that scripture tells us, it says "don't cast away your confidence in God, because it will be compensated with a reward". This means that under no circumstances should you stop having faith in God regarding that which you are asking from him, and although it may not come exactly as you requested at first, but your faith will be compensated with something that will initiate the manifestation of that which you requested. Lets assume you asked God to give you a good wife, and the very next thing that happens is that they sacked you from your place of employment. Someone else may start complaining, unknowing to him that it was the prayer he prayed that initiated that process. Perhaps God has checked you and realized that as long as you have your job, you're never going to consider the poor young lady that lives in the next street. Meanwhile, that lady is capable of making a good wife. You're probably wondering why God couldn't just tell you to marry the lady instead of taking your job, right? Well, sometimes, God doesn't tell us what to do, He trains and restrains us so that we can know what to do. Human beings are naturally stubborn, that's why one of the most effective ways to transmit knowledge to man is by experience. A man hardly forgets the things he learnt by experience. It couldn't have been a coincidence that you lost your job just after you prayed for a good wife. It couldn't have been a coincidence that your boss suddenly hates you after you prayed to God to give you your own business. It couldn't have been a coincidence that your child is sick after you prayed for the healing anointing. There are some requests we make to God that comes with a curriculum that needs to be completed. Verse 36 of that scripture says, "we have need of patience, after we have done the will of God, we might receive the promise". For the full article, please visit www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, my life is a struggle. The salary I earn finishes even before I collect it. Please help me" Oh wow! I'm so sorry about your situation, but I'm sure that God will come through for you if you don't give up on Him. However, just so we don't assume anything, let's touch some foundational matters that exempts man from perpetual struggle. 1. REDEMPTION Genesis 3: 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. I'm sure you remember the story of Adam and Eve, how they transgressed against the commandment of God and got punished for it. Among the punishments that came upon man is stated in the scripture above. So it says, "cursed is the ground for your sake; you shall eat in sorrow all the days of your life". This means that one of the ways you'd know you may be under that curse is that you'd be eating in sorrow. To eat in sorrow can mean that you work really hard yet cannot afford a comfortable life, and the worse part is that there's no hope that the situation will change. That scripture says, "you shall eat in sorrow ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE". That's a very hopeless situation; no matter what is done, the situation cannot change. That's a lot to take in, but that also explains the position of anyone who is not redeemed. Jesus died to redeem us from the curse of disobedience to the law, which means the moment you receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour, your ground is no longer cursed. Although God cursed the ground because man sinned, but a program was created that exempts certain category of people from the curse, and that program is redemption. One of the signs that shows if you are redeemed is that your hope will be alive - no matter what is happening to or around you. God cursed man's hope for success because of sin, but He reactivated that hope by redemption. Let's see how scriptures put it: 1 Peter 1: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Clearly, man had a living hope before sin corrupted the relationship between God and man, so God restored that hope through the resurrection of Christ. This means that anybody who hasn't received Jesus is operating on a dead hope. He may live to chance, but definitely not hope. No man can be sure of a better tomorrow except a man who is in Christ. One of the ways you'd know people who live to chance is that they can't boast of tomorrow. They may make plans, but they also know that their plans only succeed by chance. Anyone who boasts among them pay darely for it. King Nebuchadnezzar learnt this truth the hard way; he didn't know that God only gave him a chance to succeed. Daniel chapter 4 has that story. To get the full article, please visit my website:www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, things are getting out of hand, how do I get rid of this depression?". You don't get rid of depression, you simply press towards something else, something not depressing. It's true that the devil does not have the power to impose anything on us, however, our choices usually determine our mental and emotional state. Phillipian 3:14 says, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus". In other words, you cannot get the prize or blessing without reaching the set mark, and you cannot reach the set mark without pressing. If you are not pressing towards the set mark then you would cheaply get oppressed by the devil, and the devil's oppression is what leads to depression. To press means to continue doing everything prescribed in order to get the blessings prepared. Continue in studying, praying, fasting, and "faithing", until you receive the blessing or prize you need. Depression blames an external force for its condition. It is like when an athlete decides to sit on a race track because the other competitors took off before him. If that's the case, then question the reason for your depression. Perhaps you're depressed because your parents didn't pay your school fees, but who told you that your school fees has to come from your parents? Perhaps you blame the government for your joblessness, who told you that the government is the reason why you don't have a job? Read more: www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, you won't believe that despite my ten years of experience in my field, I still don't have a good job" Ofcourse I would believe. Your experience is not a substitute for power. Moses had experienced God in different dimensions, but he could not cross the red sea until he engaged power from God. Many people are stagnated in life, not because they are not experienced, but because they ignorantly use their experience where they should have engaged power. Many experienced employees have been laid off from their place of work, not because the company no longer cherishes their experience, but because they cannot afford to keep them any longer. Shockingly, they retain those who although may not be as experienced, but have some level of spiritual authority. When you have power plus experience, organizations will keep you for as long as you decide to work with them. Laban was ready to keep Jacob for as long as possible, that's why he compromised the marriage between Jacob and his second daughter. When it was obvious that Jacob had to go, he still made efforts to keep him back by trying to manipulating his reward. If his plan was successful, Jacob would probably have no choice but to continue serving Laban until he had enough possessions. Honestly, it's a hard thing to let go a person with power and experience, even if it's a personal decision. Read more: www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, I've been fasting and praying for some days now, yet I still get demonic attacks in the night. Does it mean my prayer isn't enough?"    Well, it depends on what you're praying for. For instance, if you're fasting and praying for a house, or a car, or a job, a life partner, or any natural or material thing, the possibility of sending demons away is very slim, and that's because demons are not scared of natural things, they are scared of power.  Demons won't stop attacking you just because God gave you a house, or a car, or even a spouse. As a matter of experience, the more material things you receive from God, the more attack you attract. This is actually one of the reasons why God will not give prosperity to people who have not received the power to get wealth.    In my opinion, fasting and praying for material things is sublime displacement; you should fast and pray for wisdom that would make you a commander in all things. That's right! Man was given dominion over the earth in the beginning, it's just unfortunate that he lost it to Satan. But now that Jesus has become the propitiation for our sin, we have a responsibility to work our way back to that place of dominion and authority. Read more: www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, why is it that people are never happy when fasting and prayer is announced?" Isn't it obvious? Nobody likes to feel pain. The only challenge is, since the fall of the first man, pain became a vital instrument for accessing God. According to scriptures, the flesh is an enemy of God, and it will continue to be so until the end of time. When we were kids, we know how our parents would restrain us from even greeting anybody they have a dispute with. If you greet them by mistake, you won't forget the beating you'd get in a hurry. That's how it is with man, the flesh hates God, and so any attempt to reach the Spirit of God would be contested. That's why if a man in the flesh needs to reach God who is a Spirit, he'd need to afflict his flesh with the pain and discomfort of fasting to be able to accomplish that. I wish I were joking, but even God isn't silent about this subject. In Joel chapter 2, the bible unveils an agenda to advance God's people. From verse 1 all the way to verse 11, diverse potential blessings were listed. God was ready to bless them, but their hearts wasn't right with God. And just so they could receive the blessing, God prescribed a solution for them. Let's read how scriptures put it: Joel 2: 12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Just last Sunday, a woman met me to extend a new year felicity. Coincidentally, one of the things she said was, "Happy Fasting". My mind quickly ran through the bits I knew about fasting, and the next question that came out of my mouth was, "What is happy about fasting?" Read more at www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, God told me many things that He wants to do for me, but it's been many years now, yet it doesn't feel like any of them will happen. What do I do?"  Let me begin by saying, one of the reasons why we receive revelations like that is because God wants us to know what's in His mind, or rather, what He is thinking towards us. Perhaps you saw yourself in a dream driving big cars and living in mansions, you saw yourself having a beautiful family alongside a flourishing business. As beautiful as they may have appeared in your dreams or visions, they are the thoughts that God has towards you. Let's see how scriptures put it: Jeremiah 29: 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.  13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.  14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. Imagine that someone is thinking of buying you a car. You both probably work together and see each other everyday, yet, you'd never know he's been nursing a thought to buy you a car or even send you abroad. In so Read more at www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, I know I've made many mistakes in my life, but do I have to fast to correct them? Can't I just pray?"  Oh wow! Didn't you pray before you made those mistakes?🙄... I'm guessing you did.  One of the greatest secrets you'd learn about God is that He deals with us from our spirit, not our flesh. It's from the inside-out, not outside-in. And the reason why many Christians continue to make costly mistakes is because their choices are based on a fleshly desire. What they don't know is, the more they make choices in the flesh, the more they silence their spirit man.  Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong in having fleshly desires, but we must filter and edit those desires by our spirit. Let's see how scriptures put it: Read more at www.emekaanslem.com.ng

It depends on what you're fasting for. For instance, Matthew 5:6 says, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled". What that means is that your hunger and thirst is not necessarily towards physical food and water, but towards harnessing the full potential of your righteous nature.  That could also mean that even if you are offered physical food and water, there's a ninety percent chance that you will refuse. I remember many years ago when I just started practicing a fasted life, days came when I hated food or anything that gave unnecessary energy to my physical senses. My spiritual senses were much active and I loved it that way. Whenever I saw people who were eating, I'd be so upset with them🤣. I'd say things like, "must you eat everyday? Can't you at least fast for one day?". I understood how Jesus felt when He asked His disciples if they couldn't pray for one hour.  My hunger and thirst had yielded towards prayer and the study of the word. I was always hungry to pray and always thirsty for the revelation of God's word. I just wanted to experience the fullness of my righteousness in Christ. Read more at www.emekaanslem.com.ng

It's basically the type of fasting most Christians do today. Yeah, your regular fast where you skip two meals to break by 6:00PM. The only challenge is that most Christians do not understand why Daniel had to eat something during the fast. It's weird to see a believer break his fast with heaps of Eba and all the meat he skipped for breakfast and lunch. Eating that volume of food to break a fast can as well mean restarting the journey the next day.  According to scriptures, Daniel deprived himself of pleasing food, meat and drink for 3 weeks. This tells me that during a fast, if you eat till you are pleased, then you're not actually fasting. During the fast, you can eat and drink in minute volumes only when you need strenght to continue praying or doing what needs to be done. This means that if you still have strenght after 24 hours, you don't have to eat or drink anything. Whoever told us that breaking the fast intermittently must be mistaken a medical fast and a spiritual fast. Read up on my website www.emekaanslem.com.ng

Pastor, my church has started fasting and prayer today, but how do I fast when I go to work everyday?"  Firstly, fasting is work on its own, and mixing it with any other form of work may render it ineffective. Have you ever tried to do two jobs at the same time? Most of the references on fasting we'd find in scriptures are mostly described as a season of seperation, especially from anything that distracts.   However, considering the fact that we live in a very busy world - where needs pile up every moment, one may not have the liberty to seperate himself from his job, especially if he's under someone else's employment.  Don't get me wrong, seperate yourself or take a leave if you can, but in cases where you can not, there are quite a number of things you can do to maximize the fasting season.   One of the greatest hindrance to the operation of man's spirit is physical food. The more you feed your flesh, the less operational or the less active your spirit man will be. We're told from scriptures that the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God; in other words, our manifestations as sons of God can only be possible through our spirit. Unfortunately, many Christians haven't felt their spirit in a long time. And that's because they are more alive in their body than in their spirit. Read more: www.emekaanslem.com.ng

"Pastor, why is fasting so difficult? Is there a secret to being able to fast?" So yesterday I mentioned that hunger is a visitor, and just like other visitors, it can leave when not attended to. While fasting, hunger would certainly come, but understand that it is a visitor that seeks attention. If you don't pay attention to it, it would leave after a while. I know I made that sound so easy, because to be candid, not attending to this visitor called hunger is a difficult thing. For some people, you'd not only feel the symptoms in your stomach, you'd also feel it in your head and every other part of your body. However, all those symptoms will dissappear if you will endure a little bit longer. I also mentioned that physical food is an enemy to the manifestation of the spirit of man. The more you feed your stomach, the less sensitive you'd be to spiritual things. Hunger is the border between the physical man and the spirit man, and just as you'd need valid documents to cross a border, you'd need a desperate desire to cross the border of hunger to your spirit man. This is why fasting does not start in the morning, it starts when you cross the border of hunger. If you fast till 12 noon and you've not crossed hunger, then fasting has not started. The whole idea of fasting is for our spirit man to be more sensitive to the Spirit of God. The bible says the Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit that we are sons of God. Our manifestation as sons of God is dependent on how much we can receive from the Holy Spirit. If your manifestation is small, blame it on your level of sensitivity. So yes, fasting is difficult, but so also is crossing any border across the world. The next time you feel hunger while fasting, just remember that you're crossing the border, and your endurance is the only legitimate way to cross it. Once you've crossed, then your spirit man takes charge of your body. One of the signs you'd notice when you cross the border is that you'd begin to worship God from within you. Perhaps you've even experienced this before. At that point, there's no barrier between you and God. It's amazing how man is humbled when he crosses that hunger border just to seek God. You who use to be proud will suddenly be humble. You who didn't respect anybody will suddenly learn respect. And that's because by deciding to seek God through a fast, you restricted the operations of your flesh. The reason why people can tell a lie to save their neck is because they are in the flesh, the spirit man doesn't consider any consequences before it tells the truth. If you find yourself struggling to forgive someone, it's not because of the gravity of the offense, but because you are too much in the flesh, a spirit takes no offense for a wrong done against it. Feelings and emotions are expressions of the soul and body, not the spirit. People who are always in the spirit are hardly emotional about things. That's why when one of the disciples of Jesus told Him that he was going to bury his dead father, His response was, "let the dead bury the dead". That's not a good thing to say to someone who just lost a father. However, we won't blame Him, emotions are not available in the spirit where He operated from. Living in the flesh kills the operation of the spirit man faster than you can think of. Romans 8:13 says, "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live". I told you earlier that most of the actions of our body are feeling or emotion-sponsored, this scripture buttresses the fact that if you control your body from the spirit, you will live. Feelings can lead you into trouble, but your spirit will not. You don't have to fast everyday for your spirit man to be active, however according to Apostle Paul, you have to fast often. Often can be once, twice or thrice a week. As Christians, we must practice the habit of being in the spirit, and this may not be