Run to Jesus

Dear Precious Ladies

February is already moving forward and we thank God for all that He did for us in January.

How are you all doing and are you keeping up with your resolutions if you had any? If not how has your year been so far? Here is another opportunity to start again and make sure you glean valuable lessons from January. Remember not to carry over what is not beneficial to you in this new month. Many of you have been on different fasting and seeking the Lord programmes. Rest assured that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled, Jesus meant it when He spoke those words. I have since realised that I cannot seek after God or serve Him with all my heart without His help. I cannot achieve any of my goals without Him either. I want to encourage you to continue to depend on Him, run to Him and you will be safe.

Recently I have been reading from the book of Luke 4 during the time Jesus was fasting and praying and I saw something that opened my eyes to some of the tactics of Satan. I saw how Satan had the audacity to approach Jesus during the time when Jesus had separated Himself to seek the Lord. He tried to distract Jesus from his time of sanctification by making Him many offers including wanting Jesus to stop fasting and eat. I saw how Satan was twisting the scriptures to make them say what he wanted in order to deceive Jesus. I was startled by how he offered Jesus power and fame i.e. authority and splendour. He went on to say, “I give authority and splendour to anyone I want to." This he would give in exchange for being worshipped!! My dear sisters, let us not be distracted by him and focus on our love and service for God. We must not accept any of his offers! Influence and wealth that come from Satan will enslave you in the long run. If you accept any of his goods he will come viciously and aggressively after them.

Luke 4:13 states that “When the devil had finished all this tempting he left him until an opportune time.” To tempt means to lure someone to do evil or to pull towards doing what is not right. Satan’s agenda was to try and stop Jesus from doing what was right. He will try to stop us and to pull us towards doing what is wrong whether in our thoughts, actions or attitudes. We must not give him room (Ephesians 4:27).The word opportune means: convenient, suitable, favourable, appropriate and a golden moment. He left Jesus temporarily and waited for a convenient moment to come back. My sisters, Satan is looking for a convenient time to pounce on us, our families, churches, workplaces and our nations. He is looking for a suitable time that is favourable for his attacks. As we proceed with the month let us not open the door or create room for him to pull us towards doing what is wrong. Let him have nothing in us in any area of our lives.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13 we are assured that “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” My prayer is that we do not give Satan room and that when we are tempted we see the way of escape that the Lord has provided for us. May we continue to pursue Him with all our hearts and the Lord will help us. Have a fantastic fabulous February.

Again I invite you to our annual Celebrating Womanhood Conference 2015 on the 6th and 7th of March. It will be held at our church, so you can write us if you need more information about the conference. Grace to overcome temptations in the month of February and beyond be multiplied to you all.

Much love and blessings,

Pastor Fatima Sibanda
CHAIRPERSON