Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke once shared a story about a man who told him that he also was a “spiritual counsellor.” However, the man did not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, nor that the Bible is the Word of God. Reinhard wondered how this “counsellor” counselled anybody, so he asked, “Do they come to you, and then go away with broken hearts?” “Oh no,” the man assured him, “I just calm them down.” Reinhard looked him in the eye and said, “Mister, a man on a sinking ship needs more than a tranquilliser. Don’t calm him down. He is going down already! When Jesus comes to a man in a shipwreck, He doesn’t throw him a Valium pill and say, ‘Perish in peace.’ He reaches down His nail-scarred hand, grips him, lifts him, and says to him, ‘Because I live, you will live also!’” (John 14:19). This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that must be preached! Jesus is the Saviour of our world. He alone is the calm to all fears! His message is life, peace, hope, and health for the spirit, soul, and body! The Gospel is the remedy!
The book of Luke, chapter 4 describes the day that Jesus stood up in a synagogue full of people, to read from the book of Isaiah. He said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favourable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:16-19). This is “the favourable year of the Lord.”
In every nation, the enslaved abound—slaves to every contemptible habit, slaves to fear, slaves to doubt, slaves to depression. The devil never lets anyone out on parole. Everywhere people are failure-prone, sin-prone, morally defective, and spiritually bound. But the Jubilee trumpet has already sounded! The price of their freedom has been paid. This is what we must preach, because people have forgotten it. They have forgotten that Christ has come, and what that actually means for us.
This is not the pre-Christian era. We are not waiting for Christ to come and conquer. The war is already over! Freedom is ours! Jesus opened the kingdom of liberty and blew the trumpet of emancipation when He cried on the cross, “It is finished!” People who should know better are calling this the “post-Christian” era. As if the work of Christ was only for a past age! That certainly is not true. Christ opened prison doors forever, not just for a certain period in the past. The work of Jesus cannot be exhausted or undone. It is the greatest redemptive force at work on the earth today. Never again can prison doors be bolted on human beings. When Jesus opens a door, no man can shut it. “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). So why do millions needlessly languish in the devil’s concentration camp? Today is the day of pardon. The Conqueror has crashed through the gates; relief has arrived.
The most famous escape artist of all was Houdini, a show business notable. Police would lock him up in a cell, and as they walked away, he would follow them—already loose within seconds. Except once. Half an hour went by and Houdini still was fuming over the lock. Then a policeman came and simply pushed the door open. The door had never been locked! Houdini was fooled trying to unlock a door that had already been unlocked.
Christ has gone right through the castle of giant despair. He has the keys of death and hell, and He has opened the gates. So why are millions sweating, trying every trick to get out of their bondages? They join new cults or old heathen religions, hear new theories, and go to psychiatrists. But why? Jesus sets men free. He does it all the time. That is the Gospel! You do not preach about it or offer its contents for discussion. The Gospel is not a discussion point. It is a proclamation of deliverance. The Gospel is not open to modification. It is a mandatory, royal, and divine edict. Some systems and theories of deliverance are bondages in themselves, full of lifelong duties and demands. Only Jesus saves! We need to let the world know.
If you are depressed, the worst thing you could do is concentrate on your depression. If you are lonely, the worst thing you can do is focus on your loneliness. And if you are afraid, the worst thing you can do is focus on your fear. Instead of looking inward, begin to look outward to a world that needs a cure for their depression, loneliness and fear – and YOU have the answer! It is not a mere tranquilliser. The Gospel is God’s remedy for the problems the world is so acutely aware of in this moment. Don’t keep it to yourself! Now is the time to shine!
This bible study was adapted from 'Evangelism by Fire' by Reinhard Bonnke. "The evangelist is a man (or woman) with a driving urgency, not a man with two minds. The Gospel and nothing else on earth matters: neither fame, money, earthly pleasures nor life itself." - Reinhard Bonnke
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9. The Remedy
Reinhard Bonnke
1. Getting Stronger!
Daniel Kolenda
We are living in a remarkable time. I have never seen the entire world so gripped by fear and uncertainty. The pundits and prophets are all weighing in on what this means, why it is happening and how long it will last. I don’t know all the answers, but there are some things we can know for sure. As Children of God we have access to a peace that passes understanding – that is, it is not natural or carnal. It is supernatural, surpassing what the mind and intellect can comprehend. That is important because what we need right now is not more information – we are being bombarded with news. What we need is something that goes straight into the core of our being and fortifies us from within. That is what the Word of God does. Over the next 60-days, I am going to bombard your heart and mind with timeless, unchangeable truth from God’s Word that will act like a heavenly vaccine, inoculating you against fear, anxiety and worry. These words were true before the virus came along and they will be true long after it is gone. But in moments like these, we need to remind ourselves of these truths more than ever before. Some people begin to waver in times like these. Some question God, His Word, His love and His faithfulness. But this is the time we need to cling to Him as never before. I remember an exchange Reinhard Bonnke once had with a man who was sick and suffering. The man said he was having “a crisis of faith.” Reinhard said, “My brother, when you are drowning, that is the worst time to let go of the lifeline.” If you are struggling, grab a hold of God’s Word and His truth with all your might – it is your lifeline! Jesus says in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” The Lord made a clear contrast between His mission and the devil’s mission. Satan’s plans for us are in complete opposition to God’s plans for us! It is paramount we believe this foundational truth: Jesus came that we may have life and have it abundantly! We see the declarations of His love for mankind all over the scriptures, both in His words and in His actions— and most profoundly, when He laid down His life for us on the cross. Jesus loves us! He is for us! He gave us His word as our solid rock to stand on, so that when the thief comes to attack, we can stand in unwavering trust on God’s faithful promises. Often, what makes people susceptible to an attack of the enemy, is the onset of doubt and unbelief in the goodness of God and the truth of His word. Immunity, on the other hand, is the lack of susceptibility, especially to something unwelcome or harmful. Satan knows He has no legal right to steal, kill, and destroy you, unless he can persuade you, to hand over to him, your God given power and authority as sons and daughters of God. The devil plots and schemes to deceive the masses by planting false accusations, twisting the truth, and most often, by employing fear tactics. He uses fear because it tends to work so well on the wavering. Ultimately, those who succumb to unbelief help him accomplish his mission. Once Satan has convinced a person to misplace their trust in the Lord, then they become susceptible to the contagions of fear, doubt, and unbelief. The way to become immune to these attacks from the enemy, is to holdfast in unwavering faith in Jesus and his word! In the days ahead, we are going to press into the truth, so that we can stand firm against all attacks, securely fortified in the victory we have in Jesus! When a person is exposed to a pathogen and they survive, their bodies learn how to fight that contagion and they become immune to it from then on. This is where we get the old cliché “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” I believe it is very similar with our spirits. As we go through life, overcoming trials and difficulties, emerging victorious, walking hand-in-hand with Jesus, we become stronger, spiritually tougher and more resilient in faith. That is why a season like the one we are in now is so important. It can be a training ground for the more significant battles to come in the future. Jeremiah asked, “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?” (Jer. 12:5) Join me for the next 60-days as we confront the pathogen of fear head on and eradicate it with the antidote of God’s Word. May God use this season in all of our lives to build unwavering trust in our hearts for Him as never before. This bible study was adapted from my new book 'Slaying Dragons'. This book will take a deep look into the following subjects: Angels and Demons in the Bible, Where the Dragon Gets His Power, The Cosmic Battle, Spiritual Warfare Demystified, How to Kill Your Pet Dragon & Casting Out Dragons and more. See link above to order your copy!
2. "It Is Written"
Daniel Kolenda
Do you ever notice that sometimes it seems as if you’re on a spiritual high? You’re tangibly feeling the presence of God, receiving fresh revelation, the anointing is flowing like oil, and you’re clearly hearing the Lord speaking to your spirit. Then other times, it seems as though the heavens are brass, the oil has run dry, and if the anointing is there—you certainly can’t tell! You didn’t get a single goose bump during praise and worship. Not one tear dropped, not one hair raised. During those moments when the thrills of His glory have lifted, and you find yourself in a spiritual valley, you may be tempted to question what you encountered when you were on the mountaintop. You may be tempted by the devil to fear that what you experienced previously wasn’t real. You see, if we base our faith in our feelings, then our faith will fluctuate whenever they do. When Satan came to tempt Jesus in the desert (Matthew Chapter 4:1-11) he said, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” The word, “if” is so subtle and so small, yet such a huge stumbling block to many, because in that one little word, one’s entire belief system can be shaken. This is why we must follow the Lord’s example and refuse to rely on our feelings or current experiences, especially when facing the temptation of doubt. Jesus responded, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4) Every time Jesus responded to the devil, He said, “It is written…” Jesus stood on the word of God, and we must do the same. It’s our sure foundation! It doesn’t matter what the circumstances are, or what the ‘ifs’ are, or how we are feeling in any given moment—the word of God must have the final say in every season of our lives. The following is a list of Scriptures that I would encourage you to read aloud and to confess over yourself and your family. Read them again and again until you sense faith and courage arising in your heart. This was the ammunition Jesus used against Satan in the wilderness ("it is written”) and it will be your strength as well: IT IS WRITTEN: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). IT IS WRITTEN: “He will call on me, and I will answer him” (Ps. 91:15). IT IS WRITTEN: “The one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward” (Prov. 11:18). IT IS WRITTEN: “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?” (Matt. 6:30). IT IS WRITTEN: “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you” (Luke 10:19). IT IS WRITTEN: “No harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent” (Ps. 91:10). IT IS WRITTEN: “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all” (Ps. 34:19). IT IS WRITTEN: “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up” (Jas. 5:15). IT IS WRITTEN: “Cast your cares on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken” (Ps. 55:22). IT IS WRITTEN: “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them” (Ps. 34:7). IT IS WRITTEN: “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this” (Ps. 37:5). IT IS WRITTEN: “He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children” (Ps. 113:9). IT IS WRITTEN: “His mercy endures forever” (Ps. 136:1). IT IS WRITTEN: “We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:8–9). This bible study was adapted from my new book 'Slaying Dragons'. This book will take a deep look into the following subjects: Angels and Demons in the Bible, Where the Dragon Gets His Power, The Cosmic Battle, Spiritual Warfare Demystified, How to Kill Your Pet Dragon & Casting Out Dragons and more. Click link above to order 'Slaying Dragons' Today!
3. The Victory that has Overcome the World!
Reinhard Bonnke
The bible says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) This scripture makes it clear that the spirit of fear is not from God. When danger threatens us, fear tries to latch onto us. Even our body chemistry changes when we sense impending disaster, when our circumstances are doom and gloom, or when pain becomes overwhelming, and our natural response is to be alarmed and fearful. So, what does a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind do in the face of fear? It removes fear’s death grip that tries to paralyse us. Fear can come, but it cannot stay and bind those who belong to the Lord because we are overcomers! “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (1 John 5:4) “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 40:10) Jesus said, "Do not be afraid; only believe” (Luke 8:50). The Bible’s greatest illustration of fear and unbelief lasted forty years with the tribes of Israel who were camping out in the wilderness. Even though their wanderings took them close to the border of the Promised Land, they did not actually believe they could cross over because they had already succumbed to fear. They knew it was their right to possess the land, because God had given the land to them, but their faith had a fatal flaw—the disease of fear had enveloped what little faith was in their hearts. Their faith was useless for as long as they feared, which is why most of them never reached the Promised Land. They complained about their situation, but did not have enough faith to change it. They whined when they could have dined. Moses sent twelve spies from each head of the tribes of Israel to spy out the land of Canaan as the Lord had commanded (Numbers, Chapter 13). There were two very different reports from the spies when they returned. This resulted in ten of them falling prey to unbelief and discouragement, and two full of faith with courage to move forward and possess the land. This is probably a normal average—two out of twelve believe and get what God has for them. The rest only wish for it and die, never taking hold of it. There will always be more of those who are full of fear than those who are full of faith… which will you choose to be? This bible study was adapted from 'Faith the Link' by Reinhard Bonnke. Some believe that simply having faith is an entitlement to blessing and prosperity. Others believe that faith in oneself is all that is needed in life. Order your copy of 'Faith the Link' using the link above!