The Audience Of One! By Apostle Adonis Khupe-Ayema “Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.” (Matthew 12:14)KJV
Jesus had just healed a man with a withered hand on the sabbath when the pharisees decided to hold a meeting to plan his destruction. He was going about doing good and healing all those that were oppressed by the devil because God was with him (Acts 10:38). The sick were being healed, the blind were receiving their sight, the lame were walking and many miracles were being performed. All these were good things that were going on, things that were worth celebration and brought joy to many except the Pharisees and the Sadducees (the religious people). When you begin to walk into your purpose and start to fulfill your assignment, you will face opposition and sometimes it will come from within the church. When God uses you to step out into the world and deliver the gospel in a different way or begin to love people in a way that is extra ordinary, the “religious” people may oppose you but be strong, stay the course and make sure that you have obey the will of God and fulfill your purpose. 2 Timothy 3:8 says that in the last days, there will be people who will resist the truth. There will be men of corrupt minds which are reprobate concerning the faith. Not everyone is going to receive the word of God as you share it, not everybody is going to celebrate the gift and anointing that God places on your life but do not be intimidated or discouraged. Every one loved Jesus except the religious people. When you step out in faith and begin to give towards the kingdom in a big way as the Lord leads you, some people within the church may tell you that you are doing too much. Maybe God is growing you in the prophetic and the Lord is using you mightily, or you are on another level of worship. Don’t worry if your church elders, your pastor or those who have been in a ministry for a while are the ones who are out to destroy your gift rather than encourage and nurture it. Do not despair and do not be afraid but be bold and courageous and know that He who began a good work in you is faithful to see it to completion(Philippians 1:6). Do not despise the religious people around you that do not encourage you or celebrate the goodness of God in your life because of their personal agendas. Dealing with opposition even from within the house of God will help you to grow in love and forgiveness, especially if you follow the example that Jesus displayed. Your opposition may actually be the avenue that God will use to accelerate your promotion to the next level. Do not desire the approval of men or get caught up in the accolades given to you. Seek to be approved and pleasing to God and not man. The same people who waved palms and worshiped Jesus saying “hosanna, hosanna in the highest” were the same people who were shouting “crucify him” a few days later. Do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your mission and assignment so that the heavenly Father my say to you ” well done my good and faithful servant”(Matthew 25:21). Scripture to meditate on : “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)NIV
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Walk With God!
close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.” (Genesis 5 :24) NLT Enoch was one of the descendants of Adam he is
Walk With God! By Pastor Adonis Ayema Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.” (Genesis 5 :24) NLT Enoch was one of the descendants of Adam he is listed among many others in the genealogy of Adam but there was something notable about Enoch and it was the fact that Enoch “walked with God”. Some versions of the Bible state that Enoch “habitually” walked with God. This means that he was consistent about his walk with God and that he stayed in fellowship and in step with God all of his life. He had a relationship with God that was intentional, and he was dedicated to pleasing God by aligning his life to God’s will.” Do you desire to walk with God in this new year? Would you want to be known as a person who pleases God? Most of us will answer yes to these but the challenge is how to do it and understanding what it really means. Walking with God involves a total surrender to God and yielding of your will to God’s will. Jesus echoes the same sentiments and says that if you want to follow him then you need to take up your cross and deny yourself (Matthew 16: 24-26). Walking with God means giving up selfish desires. It means crucifying the flesh in order to be pleasing to God, “For as many as are led by the Spirit, they are the sons of God”(Romans 8:14). It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying, he disappeared, because God took him. ”For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.”(Hebrews 11:5). It takes faith to walk with God because without faith it is impossible to please God. In order to have the testimony that you walked with God by the end this year, it is going to require that you believe that God is who he says he is, that he exists and that he can be trusted. Storms will come ,disappointments will come but if you believe that God carries you and that he will keep his promises to you, you will find peace during the storms of life. (Jeremiah 29:11). Walking with God also requires obedience and reliance on God such as that which Noah had, Noah is also recorded to have “walked with God” but not only that but Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations”(Genesis 5:9). To walk with God in 2019, it is imperative not to be conformed to the patterns of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). Dare to be different and change your way of thinking. When you walk with someone, you must be in agreement with that person otherwise the walk will not go very well. “Can two walk together without agreeing on the direction? (Amos 3:3) To walk with God your life must agree with God’s word and plan. This means that you need consistent communication with God through his word and prayer. Set a consistent time of prayer and reading the word. You may need to check with God and see if you are still going the same direction. I encourage you to walk with God in 2019. Make the necessary adjustments and allow him to lead and guide your steps so that you are in alignment with his will. Scripture to meditate on: ” He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)NKJV Have a blessed week and prosperous new year! Apostle Adonis Khupe-Ayema
On behalf of Women of Dominion International Tinotenda, Siyabonga! Thank you all for attending our 6th Annual conference which was held at the Belmont University, Nashville, TN, 6 – 9 July 2017.
A lot of hard work and dedication went into making this conference a great success. Our tireless hosts, Team Tennessee did an excellent job organizing and managing the conference.
To the WOD guest speaker and all speakers; Had it not been your willingness and obedience to be used by the Lord, such a glorious conference would not have been possible.
To all our workshop presenters, we appreciate your willingness to share your expertise and experience with us. It was very well received. We apologize for cutting the programs short due to unforeseen circumstances but as per our survey results this was one of our best programs!
Finally, thank you board members for taking the time to govern our organization appropriately. Thank you for participating in the early Saturday morning conference calls. Thank you for teaching me, counseling me, and for holding me accountable. Most of all thank you for your love, support and prayers.
Last but not least, our delegates both local and international. Without you, there is no conference. So once again thank you so much for your attendance.
Please join the discussions for the 2018 event on our Facebook group.
Please contribute your suggestion for speakers and the 2018 Theme. You can also email your Speaker recommendation and theme suggestion to [email protected].
If you would like to become a member of Women of Dominion International, please fill in your details in the Membership Registration Form.
Pastor Marvelous Ndhlovu
Rom 8:28
“And as (the women)were frightened and were bowing their faces to the ground, the men said to them, Why do you look for the living among(those who are) dead.”(Luke 24:5)AMP
The women who had ministered to Jesus and love him dearly had risen up early to go to the tomb after the Sabbath with spices to embalm the body of Jesus, the Lord. Among the women who went to the tomb was Mary Magdalene who had been delivered from bondage by Jesus and come to love him deeply and had now come to anoint his body and make sure that He would get a decent burial. Jesus had told them that the Son of man would die and rise on the third day but they did not understand what he meant. They had seen Jesus perform many miracles and even in their own lives but they did not quite understand that Jesus really had power over death.
They went to look for him at the tomb because according to the laws of nature that is where he was supposed to be. Maybe you have dealt with or are dealing with a situation that has been pronounced “dead” or concluded and in the natural there does not seem to be away for a turn around. Maybe you have given up because it just seems so impossible and there is just no other way, at least according to you and or others. Remember that the same power that resurrected Jesus is available to resurrect any dead situation in your life. The power that resurrected Jesus is available to resurrect your dead spiritual growth, your marriage, your job, or to bring back your children who have abandoned the faith. The apostle Paul says “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection…..” (Philippians 3:10). You may have seen the hand of God in other areas of your life or in the lives of others just like the women who had seen Jesus perform many miracles and had witnessed miracles in their own lives but they did not quite understand Jesus’s power over death.
Jesus said that he had come so that we could have abundant life so death can not stand in the presence of the one who gives life. Martha said to Jesus “Master, if you had been here, my brother would not have died”. She recognized that Jesus was the healer and she believe that He would have healed her brother Lazarus but even she did not fully understand that Jesus was more than just the healer but he was the giver of life. Jesus then reveals it to her and says ” I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.”. Jesus is more than your healer, your provider or your protector, He is the giver of life and the only way to eternal life.
This week, take time to speak life into every dead situation in your life and prophesy to the dry bones to live because of resurrection power of Christ that is available to you. The grave was where Jesus was expected to be or rather was supposed to be according to the world but the grave could not hold him down so He rose again and conquered the grave. You or others may have buried your hopes, dreams and promises that God made to you because in the natural it seemed like it was all over. Be encouraged because you have a risen Savior who has power over death and any negative situation in your life.
Scripture to meditate on: “Forever, O Lord, your word is settled in heaven(stands firm as the heavens). (Psalm
Pastor Adonis Khupe-Ayema
Check your connection! by Pastor Adonis Khupe-Ayema
“Remain in me as, I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself ; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”(John 15:4)NIV
These are the words of Jesus in one of the “I am” discourses found in the book of John.
These are the words of Jesus in one of the “I am” discourses found in the book of John. The discourse begins by Jesus saying that He is the true Vine and the Father is the Vine dresser. This excerpt of scripture emphasizes the importance of staying connected to Christ. In order to be fruitful and to bear fruit we are to stay connected to Christ because apart from Him, we can do NOTHING(John15:5). Without the connection to the source of our strength, we are ineffective and can not bear fruit. We cannot please God in our own strength or grow in our Christian walk if we do not stay connected to Christ. The condition of fruitfulness in our Christian walk and service is the vital contact with Christ.
Total reliance and dependence on Christ adds the “super” to the natural and the “extra” to the ordinary resulting in supernatural and extraordinary breakthroughs and accomplishments. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. “(John 15:7). Staying connected to Christ will guarantee victory because once connected to Him, you no longer have to rely on your strength but on His. You can boldly confess like the apostle Paul “I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
I read a story once about a man who bought a refrigerator and stocked it up with meat, dairy products, vegetables and all the groceries that needed to be kept in the refrigerator. After a while, a pungent smell started coming out of the refrigerator, the drinks were not cold, the milk had gone bad and the man concluded that something was wrong with the refrigerator. He called the store where he had bought the fridge and they sent out a technician to look at it because they were sure that they had sold him a fridge that was in good working condition. The technician arrived only to find out that the fridge was not connected to the power source. The man had been too excited about his purchase and he forgot to check the connection to the power source.
Our lives are much the same way in that sometimes we can get carried away with many things in our lives and forget to check our connection with the power source which is Jesus Christ. When we forget to check our connection to the power source, our inner man dies, the spirit man is corrupted and we cannot bear good fruit. When we have connected to Christ, we have to constantly check our connection. Anytime that you detect a malfunction, check the connection. Tighten the connection by spending time with God in prayer and communion with him, in reading his word and in fellowshipping with others and sharing his love because there is no greater love than this that a man would lay down his life for his friends(John 15:13).
I encourage you to check your connection constantly and stay connected with the source. Many people begin the year with prayer and fasting and feel a really strong connection with God but by the time we get to June, prayer becomes a mealtime and maybe a bedtime routine and that’s it. Let this year be a different year and determine to work on strengthening your connection to the true Vine.
Scripture to meditate on: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)
Have a blessed week!
Pastor Adonis Khupe-Ayema
“But entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following you. For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.” (Ruth 1:16-17)
WHERE ARE THE NAOMI’S? by Pastor Marvelous Ndhlovu
These were words not simply said by someone who wanted to please, but out of the depth of Ruth’s heart. The message was profound then and even to this very day. Ruth was a Moabite who was married to one of Naomi’s sons, Mahlon. Naomi’s husband Elimelech and his two sons died while they were living in the country of Moab. Naomi then decided to go back to Bethlehem in Judah. As she bid farewell to her daughters-in- law, Ruth and Orpah, Ruth refused to go back to her people and said those words. Widowed and childless, Ruth was willing to leave her country of Moab, her people, her family, her friends, her religion & her faith and accompany her mother-in-law, Naomi back to Bethlehem. All that she knew all her life & her comfort zone meant nothing to her anymore.
Why would someone be willing to leave everything behind and follow a foreigner that she knew as her mother-in-law only? I know very few of us will be ready to do that. This then tells us that there is something that Ruth saw in Naomi that she did not want to lose all her life. She was willing to lose everything in order to grab that. Ruth’s commitment was rooted in the understanding of the living God, of whom she had learned from Naomi. Naomi was not merely her mother-in-law, but she had become her mentor or spiritual mother.
Hence, the title of the book, “Where are the Naomi’s of our generation?”. I think they are becoming extinct or very few in number, especially looking at state of the church and our society in general. This book is out of a heart that is crying out to the Lord to restore the Naomi’s or spiritual mothers in our generation. It is my hope that if Jesus tarries, we shall see a new generation of Naomi’s rising and taking their position to teach, train and model godliness to the younger women and girls that will be willing to abandon their old way of life and religion, be mentored to be the future mothers and leaders.
What are the qualities that Naomi exhibited as a spiritual mother or mentor that made Ruth to forsake everything and follow her? And as a spiritual daughter or mentee, what qualities did Ruth possess that made her to blessed and prosperous in the foreign land of Israel? We will take a look at those in the next chapters!