April Rejoice Essential 2018 by Kimberly Moses

REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018

CONTENT Page 12 Testimonies Page 17 The Gift Page 26 Apostle Karen Pina Page 32 Tron’s Fashion

Page 41 The Subtlety of Self-Pride Page 44 Trust Walk Page 58 Apostle Marlon D. Hester Sr. Page 65 Don’t Give UP Show UP Page 69 Spirit Filled Page 71 The Fleshly Person: Life According To The Flesh Page 73 The Bereans; Gospel Gangsters Page 77 Never Give Up Hope For Your Unbelieving Husband

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REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018

CONTRIBUTORS

Kimberly Moses Founder And Editor Effingham, South Carolina www.kimberlyhargraves.com

Tron Moses Photographer, Designer, Marketer Effingham, South Carolina www.tronmoses.org

Taylur Holland Writer Dallas, Texas thescribesheart@gmail.com

Reynaldo Rodriguez Writer Chicago, Illinois reyrod1970@gmail.com

Mae Blooms Writer Fort Lauderdale, FL info@thebetterwifeproject.com www.thebetterwifeproject.com

Melinda Roberts Writer Baton Rouge, Louisiana robertsmel2015@gmail.com

Shirley Ann Cooper Writer Kissimmee, Florida praise write@gmail.com From Heaven ablog

Amber Brown Writer Poplar Bluff, Missouri UnityofSoulsMinistry@gmail.com

Keiyia Jackson-George Writer And Chief Editor Cane Garden Bay, Tortola Virgin Islands www.rkgconsultinggroup.com www.justmekjg.com

REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018

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REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018

TESTIMONIES: LET’S GIVE THE DEVIL A BLACK EYE! When we share our testimonies, our faith increases! We start to believe God for the Impossible! We can see the power and the hand of God in any situation. God can turn any test into a testimony! We know if God did it before, he can do it again. Our Testimonies glorify God!

Everything you prophesied for me has come true. You prayed for me on the prayer line back around 8 months ago about me getting married with a dream wedding and traveling with my husband everywhere. That has surely happened. Good evening Prophetess K, grace and peace to you and your family. For sometime now you’ve been prophesying to me that I’d have Angelic encounters and for months even over a year nothing happened. I kept reminding God of what was spoken. Truth is, I experienced more demonic

attacks than ever! They just wouldn’t go away and I’m like, “Where are the angels?” This evening a sister from my church invited me to her house for dinner and I went. While she was preparing dinner, I laid on her lazy boy chair and fell asleep. I had a dream. In the dream, I helped her my church sister’s mother-in-law by switching on the light for her and when I turned around, I saw this silhouette of a man. He was cloudy white and said, “Hello Sharon.” I immediately knew it was an

angel because there was a strong Holy presence. It moved towards my right and I reached out as if to grab hold of him and he overshadowed me. I was done! I don’t know what happened after that, I just know that something happened to me. My mouth was tingling, and I felt the Lord’s presence so strongly. When I woke up from the dream, I was shivering, still feeling the presence and tears running down my face and the tingling in my mouth. Then the scripture came to me about the prophet Isaiah when the Lord

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touched his lips with the live coal. I also did a quick bible reference to anything pertaining to the touching of the lips or mouth and found out that Daniel and Jeremiah had a similar experience. I’m just so in awe right now! I believe this is the beginning of many encounters. Thank you for releasing that word over a year ago and even this year January as well. It is definitely happening! Good morning Prophetess! I know you don’t remember this but it was on a Monday prayer call you had the last Monday in February and you prophesied to me. You prophesied to me and part of the prophecy was that you saw me working with hospice patients and I just took a job about an hour ago for that. Hello Prophetess Kim, I just finished watching the replay of your last periscope. All I can say is wow! The anointing is so strong, I felt electricity in my hands. I’ve been feeling stagnate in my spiritual life. But your word today and watching you flow in the anointing really encouraged me to get back on track, do my part, and trust God for the rest. I bless God for you. Prophetess, you are a true blessing to the body of Christ. You prophesied awhile back to me being a creative director in the modeling industry. Guess what I’m doing right now?? Sitting at my home office space, looking through fashion model’s applications to send out a “welcome packet” because they have been

chosen to walk for a HUGE international fashion show and I am creative director. God is good. Mrs. Kimberly Moses. I want to thank you for holding out on faith and obedience and writing your books. I attend Faith In The Word Christian Center and we are reading another one of your books, “Conquering The Mind.” I was able to use the prayers and what’s written in your book both at home and at work. This year we have talked about the “struggle is real,” handling other’s in their mindset, and that we have around 50,000 thoughts in one day. Knowing this and reading your book helps to take hold of the thoughts and route them to their appropriate areas. Your experience that you have put into this book is not only helping me but also people that I might share this with. I know for sure that God is using you to speak into our spirits on what we need to do to grow closer to Him. Thank you for letting God use you. Dear Prophetess Moses, I’m writing you today to say, thank you! Thank you for overcoming all you had to go through to write, “Conquering The Mind.” This book gives me something to look forward to daily. Our church is reading this book and we are already a month into it, only one more month to go. So far, I have gained more control over my thoughts and I am learning to walk in the victory of being free in my mind. De-

pression, fear, and doubt are constantly trying to overtake me. This book is a great tool to get me closer to God, free and my mind and victorious over the traps of the enemy. Each devotion is right on time and shows me how amazing and perfect our God truly is! Our thoughts play such a vital role in how we live each day, some people are still oppressed and bound in their mind. This book is the key to getting free! Its very powerful. Your realness and transparency helps put it into reality. My pastor says this book was specifically written for me, for this season of my life, don’t tell him but I think he’s right. Lol. I am forever grateful and forever changed. I appreciate your obedience and allowing God to use you for his kingdom. You are making a difference even all the way out here in a small town in California. Keep fighting the good fight! Prophetess Moses, Thank you so much for obeying God and writing “Conquering The Mind.” It has blessed me in every way imaginable. Being able to read something daily that deals with a personal situation that I am facing and praying on how to combat it is just so amazing. I have been incredibly blessed. Thank you again. (Faith in the Word Christian Center Member)

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THE GIFT Taylur Holland Because the eyes that behold its beauty Don’t see. There is dark that is seeking to consume And swallow it whole. Quiet it And steer it away from God’s control.

Gift. Beautiful. Precious. Given without repentance. If only it was enough On its own, But it isn’t. The Gift. Standing atop stages, Lights blazing In the background. Not bright enough to outshine the gift. Much too dim to expose the dark. Much too dim. The Gift. The People. Their eyes are misty with tears. They are in awe.

Their hearts are swelled. They are entertained And blinded all the same. The Gift. Standing on stages With thousands of eyes beholding its breathtaking nature. The gift is in love with this favor, But simultaneously ravaged between two places: Comfort and The Fear of Man. The gift is afraid The love of the people could waver If it doesn’t perform And give them their just due – If it doesn’t fall in line with the heart of the People’s pursuits. The Gift. It can’t help but to cry in agony

The People. They are madly in love with the Gift. Their eyes are mesmerized, And their discernment is broken. Their ears refuse to hear the red flags That bellow loud and clear, Pointing to the reality that the carrier of the Gift And the Gift-Giver do not dwell in the same sphere. The Gift. Given without repentance. If only, If only That was enough.

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REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018

APOSTLE KAREN PINA How did you get started on this 29-year quest for the glory? The pastor of the church my husband and I attended asked me to minister at the first service. She asked me to minister from Isaiah 6:1. In my flesh, I thought, “Why is she telling me what scripture to teach from?” However, I’d walked with her and God long enough to simply obey. As I prepped to minister, Father began to tell me that the King Uzziah’s in my life needed to die. I wept and wept and wept. I could not adequately prepare anything. I was caught up in glory (Kabowd – the weighty presence) for hours. The next morning as I ministered I found myself preaching to the single women about the King Uzziah’s that needed to die in order for them to receive the man God wanted to bring into their lives. Even in the moment, I was caught up in glory. As I looked out into the crowd, a friend looked at me quizzically as if to say, “Do you hear yourself right now?” Next, a vision opened up right in front of me. In the vision, I saw my husband’s spiritual gifts on one side of a chart and my spiritual gifts on the other side. God spoke to me from the vision. He said, “You

are incomplete in how much of my glory you can manifest by yourself. However, with whom I have for you, you will be able to more accurately reflect my glory. Do you want what you want for you or do you want who I have for you?” I’ll never forget when God revealed Stanley as my Boaz because almost immediately He started revealing how He sees him. At that time, I wasn’t practicing ascending into realms of glory, and I did not really know my heavenly mark, authority, and honor. With that being said, the revelation of who my husband is has ushered me into a new place of security. I thought to myself, “Wow, if God is bringing this type of man to me, what does that say about how He sees me?” Holy Spirit opened up an entirely new understanding to me. He revealed that, both naturally and spiritually, I am my husband’s glory. Anything my husband has the authority, power, glory, and dominion to be and do in the earth, so do I! The quest began with a desire to experience the Bible in modern times. Consequently, He made me into a modern-day Ruth. The preparation to becoming a bride was one of my first glory encounters.

What have you noticed about how people respond to the glory? Answer: I have noticed that the way people respond to the glory can be divided into three categories. The first is the attract category. The people in this category are attracted to the glory. In some instances, they are ministry leaders who are curious and interested in the glory, but typically, they remain naked. In other words, they listen to messages about the glory, but they do not do not embark on a personal journey to becoming clothed with glory (Matthew 22:11, Psalm 104:2, Revelation 21:24-26). The second is the repel category. The people in this category are not interested in the glory. Indeed, they reject it. I have noticed that most often these are business people and people in the marketplace who are consumed with making a living. They are more focused on the material things than they are on spiritual things (Matthew 22:5). The third is the glory romantic. A glory romantic is one who is initially on fire and appears to be extremely hungry for the glory. He or she may the first one to learn how to release glory. This

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to trust Him instead of the way I’d grown accustomed to making money. I found myself at a dry brook with no income. When He dried up the brook of income for me, He birthed the King’s Decrees. He told me to work for Him daily by simply issuing these decrees. He said this, “Work for me daily, and I’ll pay you daily in signs, wonders, miracles, and money.” In other words, this was going to be my new line of work and only this. He did what He said! Father birthed these decrees and our sales increased 5,161% in 2017 in comparison to 2016 as He dried up the brook. Father used this time to teach me that there is an economy in glory.

is a good attribute of the glory romantic. The area for growth and development relative to the glory for the romantic is to keep the same passion and hunger burning while being refined. We know that riches and wealth are an aspect of glory. What have you experienced in this area? I always possessed favor in the area of employment. I have 30 years of experience in the corporate arena. I have done every-

thing from marketing to project management to workspace ergonomics to technical consulting. When the last consulting gig ended, Father told me to go back to school for a doctorate degree. After I finished school, He did not release me to go back into the marketplace. Instead, He led my husband and I to host an event to help business and ministry leaders transition into their calling full time. Little did I know that this was a setup. I found myself being challenged

Next, He released a prophecy to our Glory School Community that included a strategy. Father told me to begin to teach what I’d learned. When I received these instructions, He revealed that He baptized me in glory to make millionaires. I am now teaching these millionaires in the making how to break strongholds in their minds, how to break the power of false mantles and demonic mantles of wealth because there is ungodly wealth and godly wealth, and how to get in position to create wealth versus make money. The Take 8 Wealth Strategy is hinged on the premise of decreeing and opening your mouth (tohuw in Hebrew) to create wealth. Deuteronomy 8:18 reveals we have the power and divine ability to create wealth. This power is in our mouths, and the ability is in

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our hands. While we say we are created in our Father’s image, many of us do not know how to accurately reflect His image. It’s not just about saying that we are created in His image, it’s about becoming, being, and demonstrating it. Psalm 33:6, 11 tells us this. If God created everything from nothing but shapeless, chaos, if He commanded what He desired, if His breath set all the hosts in place, then we can speak

our wealthy place into the now. In glory, we can command ourselves to be wealthy because it’s one of His promises. These are some of the ways glory can usher the Body into wealth. We are living in a time when the Godhead of Glory desires to awaken the body in the area of finances. For example, getting out of debt, getting free from poor stewardship of God’s finances, and getting out of the posture of sitting back waiting for the great wealth transfer, but failing to ever do anything to receive it. If we can

get people in glory, everything they need is there. Every answer, and money is an answer, to all of mankind’s problems is found in the glory. #GetMeToTheGlory because the glory is the answer for all mankind! What are some of the things we as the Body need to know about this season of glory? This is the season where God wants to reveal His glory to all of creation. Additionally, He wants

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to cover the earthen vessels of His children with the knowledge of His glory (Habakkuk 2:14). Presently, we can see this by the many voices and conferences centered around the glory. At the same time, we need to recognize and embrace three things. The first is that this season is less about preaching and teaching on the glory and more about creating an atmosphere that provokes the Godhead of Glory to come into the midst of His people. In other words, He wants to release His glory into our gatherings. We need to embrace this present-day truth. Also, we need to recognize that if preaching and teaching on the glory takes place, the fruit of the messages must be an encounter with His glory. If not, it may be a counterfeit glory. It’s not uncommon for the devil to attempt to mimic a true move of God. We need to discern whether the outcome is an atmosphere filled with glory or merely talk. The second thing we need to recognize is that glory is a covering. Earlier I briefly mentioned that one category of people will remain naked. It’s a choice. Many are invited into glory, but few will choose to allow glory to cover their earthen vessel. One way to look at it is like this. We wear clothes to cover our bodies, and the scripture tells us to put on Christ. Christ is glory. Hence, we are being instructed to wear Christ as we wear clothes. We are being admonished to wear God’s splendor and majesty like a robe (Psalm 104:2). Holy

Spirit is inviting us to be mantled with glory so that we no longer remain naked. Stated differently, Holy Spirit is saying, “Get dressed because you do not have on any clothes.” In this season, the Body must embrace being clothed not just romanticizing about the blessings of glory. Being clothed is a process. This is the third thing we need to recognize. The glorification process is like pulling a tooth. Remember the first time you went to the dentist to have a tooth removed? I do. I was shaking in my boots because everyone told me how much it was going to hurt. I was afraid. When I sat in the chair, I looked around and I noticed all the tools that resembled things

that should be in my daddy’s toolbox. I thought, “The dentist is going to put these things in my mouth?” Being afraid, I began to kick my feet, scream, and squirm around in the seat. The dentist told me to be still. My parents told me to be still. The dental assistant told me to be still. Despite everyone telling me to be still, I persisted to move, scream, and kick. As a result, the dentist reached in with the appropriate tool, grabbed the tooth, and pulled it out quickly. I was still carrying on. The dentist looked at me and said, “It’s over!” Many people act like children when it comes to being glorified. They run, they hide, and they play peek-a-boo with God. In other words, they keep peek-

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ing their heads in and out of the secret place to see if He’s done refining them. Instead of staying there and staying still, they keep moving. They stay busy. They stay on the run from service to service, event to event, and conference to conference. If the people of God would only practice Psalm 46:10, they could be glorified quickly. The body needs to embrace being still so that He

can make us into an accurate reflection of Christ. This is how the glorification process is like pulling a tooth, and these are the things we, the Body, need to know about this season of glory. Why do you believe the body coined the phrase glory carrier? I believe we have coined this phrase from a place of pride. It

puffs me up to be able to say, “I’m carrying God’s glory!” It makes me look good, important, and anointed when I signify that I am able to carry God’s glory. On the other hand, it takes humility to rely upon Him to release His glory through you. Recently, Father told me that it was time for the body to stop merely carrying glory. For example, I can carry groceries from the car to the house and put them on the counter, but never cook anything. Therefore, carrying the groceries into the house does not allow anyone’s hunger need to be met. The same holds true for being a glory carrier. The power isn’t found in carrying the glory. The power lies in the ability to release glory into God’s hungry people thereby enabling His will to be done. The power can be found in being a vessel He can use to usher in glory encounters into the lives of His people. Carrying the glory is a given, but the ultimate purpose of glory is to be released. What is the difference between the manifestation and the release of the glory? Father gave me another distinction, in the form of a revelation, about the difference between the manifestation and the release of the glory. He gave me this distinction because MANifestation can be about man boasting of accomplishments in the glory. The truth is, we are not manifesting anything. The foundation scripture for this revelation is Psalm 24. The heart of this dis-

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tinction is that the King of Glory is in control of the release of His glory to us and through us. He is the One that determines whether our hands are clean. He is the One that determines if our hearts are pure to ascend into glory. He determines who is and who is not walking in deception. The King of Glory determines if one possesses the mind of Christ. Also, He determines whether one’s heart is lifted up in pride and if one operates independently of His commands and depends on his or her strength instead of His. Thus, God releases glory to you. Then, He releases you to release His glory. It’s a double entendre! We need to discern when He’s calling us to release His glory. It’s not to be released just when we decide to manifest it. Sometimes we are not even aware that we are releasing glory because He’s the King of Glory. He rules over it. He determines what happens. Indeed, there are times when we can be inactive participants. My prayer is that the body of Christ puts the King of Glory back in His rightful place as we are move into the season of latter-day rain. If we do not, surely, He knows how to humble us. How can people connect with you and what does Father have you up to in glory right now? First, my husband and I have been mandated to bring the glory to TX, TN, AZ, NC, and GA. These are the five tour stops He has us focused on right now.

Go to gloryteacher.com to sign up for information on each stop for the tour. Second, I’m teaching our exclusive Release the Glory 12-week class starting on a regular basis. The magazine readers can go to www.bit.ly/ RegisterReleasetheGlory by to learn more. Lastly, anyone that is hungry for glory and wants to stay close to other fiery vessels can join our intimate, private

social media group. Go to www. bit.ly/Glory School Community to join.

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3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY By Shirley Cooper Wow!! Three years!! Where do I begin? This Kingdom tool has blessed me so much in ways that I cannot even explain with one breath. My dream has always been to write. To put my heart on paper. But then God......oh how He truly brings out the beauty of every vision. I never realized how important my writing would be until God held that pen. It was then that I truly grasped the favor He had over my life. It’s so funny how I look at this situation and how vividly I can see God’s very hands at work. He used an unlikely resource to connect me with a beautiful soul. Kimberly Moses became an incredibly vital piece in my writing. A vessel that was sent to my side for many more reasons than the obvious one of paper and pen. This magazine became my outlet in a place where I thought I was hidden. Moving my family to a large 20 acres of land, I became secluded and cried out to God. I remember one day screaming out, “How can you use me here in the middle of nowhere!?” Not a day later God’s promise of deliverance would come through a title all too familiar: “Rejoice!”

Rejoice Essential Magazine would be the tool God would use to show me that anything is possible, on 20 acres, no transportation, no friends, and so far from civilization that I really felt lost and alone. Writing for Rejoice Essential Magazine helped me draw closer to the faith I thought abandoned me. When I felt sad, I would write. When I got angry, I would write. When I was excited, I would write. God never left my side. Since those days, I have written faithfully for Rejoice Essential. I have supported this incredible ministry as much as I could and will continue to do even more as God leads. People reach for the stars all the time. But I didn’t have to reach at all. God brought the stars to me. He made everything possible through social media of all things. I traveled right from my living room and His word dispensed right where He needed it to be. Watching this magazine take stronger steps was amazing. Going from small to larger and larger and larger. Reaching the masses. There is no doubt that

God can touch souls globally. The proof is right here in between these beautiful, colorful pages that have embraced so many lives. It’s easy to get lost in this world. But when God promises victory, He’s already there. This walk has been an amazing and blessed walk. I am forever grateful for God’s choice in guiding me to this ministry. It’s a very powerful ministry. It’s much more than a magazine sitting on an end table in a doctor’s office. It’s filled with life, incredible stories, healthy recipes, style, professional pictures by our very own Tron Moses and writers who grip to their vision of walking so many to Christ. This is where it all started for me, and this is where God will continue to plant the seeds needed to expand a ministry that has truly been helpful to so many, glorifying The Almighty God who makes all things possible. Pastor Shirley Cooper

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3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY Taylur Holland

…I [just] want to just tell you, “Thank you.” Thank you for sticking with it. Thank you for not giving up. Thank you for producing a work of excellence month after month -- and trusting a team of people to help you carry the vision forward. I am grateful for a publication that dares to reach the heart of people to uplift, encourage, and empower their lives. More so, I am grateful to work alongside a team of people who just won’t quit. So again, thank you for your resilience and heart to see the vision through. God bless you. All the best, Taylur

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3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY By Keiyia J. George

From its humble beginnings to now, this magazine continues to grow. In the short three years of its life, it has touched thousands of lives on several continents and in the Caribbean. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s filled with prophetic writings and testimonies of prophesies revealed and manifested healings. The writings are heartfelt and God blessed. Prophetess, thank you for seeing this assignment through. I know it hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always been easy, but through prayer and faith, God continues to send you the resources needed to ensure this magazine is produced by its deadline every month. Happy third birthday Rejoice Essential Magazine! - Regards, Keiyia J. George

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THE SUBTLETY OF SELF-PRIDE By Melinda Roberts

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[For] These are the ways of [All that is in/associated with] the world: wanting to please our sinful selves [the desire/lust of the flesh], wanting the sinful things we see [the desire/lust of the eyes], and being too proud of what we have [ the pride of life/possessions]. None of these come from the Father, but all of them come from the world. -1 John 2:16 (Expanded Bible, EXB) “It’s self-pride”…is the statement that shook me to the core, as I never thought that it could happen to me. I am one who gives to others and highly esteems others, as I know all to well what it feels like to be teased, shunned, abandoned, and rejected throughout the many cycles of processing in my life that God aptly used to make me who I am today. Because my heart so desires to see the manifestation of God in the earth in every aspect, I have purposed to position myself to be used, providing God ever needs me. I make it a point to examine my life by the standards of the Word and have taken an aggressive approach to ensure that I am steadily becoming what He needs me to be by dying to myself, mortifying the deeds of the flesh, and denying myself so that my spirit is permitted to gain ascendancy over my flesh. My desire is to be more sensitive to the spirit realm and what God wants me to say and do in every instance. I am in no way fanatical as I seek God for balance continuously, but it is certainly not an easy endeavor.

With regards to the gifts that God has given me, each one is a “forefront gift”. Of each of them, I only do one with notable ease…writing. Writing in a journal many years ago, as God initially started my grooming process, caused me to recognize the effectiveness and healing component attached to writing. Naturally, as I wrote increasingly, I became exceptionally comfortable in my gift. Little did I know that this comfort level would eventually cause me to become overly confident and ultimately reliant upon myself. I recently received a poor grade in a literary course that I am taking online. I have never earned anything less than a “B” on any writing assignment in my life. The issue, however, was not my ability to write, but my inability to interpret the assignment in totality, causing me to not fully address, in my paper, what the assignment required. Even though I realized where I faltered, it did not make the situation any better. Holy Spirit immediately brought comfort the night that I discovered the grade, but He saved the most devasting truth for the next morning. I guess He thought it was best to allow me to sleep on it and decided to break the fullness of the truth a bit later. Even in my sleep, I tossed a bit, still perturbed even though I had received and bore witness with what the Holy Spirit impressed upon my soul. The agony that I felt over a poor grade was more than I needed to

feel, because, as the Holy Spirit reminded me…at the end of the day, the grade had no bearing on my spiritual progression. It was the natural side of the matter that was troubling to overcome. I, for one, could not believe that I could ever receive such a poor grade…math maybe, but not in writing,. Additionally, I kept thinking of what my professor must have thought of me. Why? I have never met her personally and probably never will. I had to ask myself, “Why does this bother you so much?” I heard inwardly, ‘It’s pride.’ I proceeded to explain to God that I did not set myself above or look down on people. I know that I am not any better or worse than anyone else. We are all equal in His eyes, and that is my overall perception. The Spirit of God very carefully brought to my remembrance 1 John 2:16…all that is in the world…the lust of the flesh… the lust of the eyes…and the pride of life. He applauded me for how I was allowing Him to help me master subduing my flesh by consciously watching what I eat (not giving into every appetite), guarding my eye gates (not watching movies or scenes in movies that will cause unnecessary arousal), and how I guard my ear gates (not listening to anything that will provoke unnecessary emotion). Likewise, the Holy Spirit inwardly applauded me, for I had learned to be like Paul and consider all things dung, nothing, so that I may obtain Christ. The pride

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of life is where I faltered. First, Holy Spirit reminded me why I had begun the online program initially…to get a better position and earn more money. Also, He helped me understand that my shock about earning a poor grade was pride in myself. Finally He alluded to the confidence that I have whenever I write anything, never even consulting God anymore…pride in my ability. To sum it all up, the diagnosis was…self-pride. All that I could do was thank God for revealing it to me, repent, and ask Him to help me get rid of it, because the presence of pride in myself is certainly contradictory to what I want to do for God, and what I want Him to do in me. I immediately was impressed to fast and pray. There are many things so deeply rooted in our DNA until fasting and praying for deliverance is the only way to get free. Jesus even told the disciples, with regards to certain demons attached to certain conditions, they can only be remedied by fasting and praying (Matthew 17:21). I am so adamant about aligning myself with the Word and will of God until I am ready to afflict my soul; I’d rather deal with the pain of hunger that is going to eventually produce a far greater good than to allow one ounce of pride to remain rooted in my soul. I have chosen to take on an Isaiah 58 fast…to loose bonds of the wicked (Isaiah 58:6). Pride comes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall

(Proverbs 16:18). God, however, gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5-6). I need as much grace as I can get to live every single day of my life, so I would be foolish to allow pride to rob me of anything that God has for me or wants to do through me. As of late God has been pointing out everything in me that is displeasing to Him. It is the small foxes that spoil the vine, and a little leaven that leavens the whole lump (Song of Solomon 2:15, Galatians 5:9). The Word of God has much to say about the detrimental effects of pride, and none of us can afford to allow it to linger unchecked. He distinctively identified it as a work of the flesh, which is totally contradictory to the fruit of the Spirit. Many scriptures speak of the pitfalls of allowing pride to linger in our souls. The Word of God admonishes us to endure hardness as a good soldier, and oftentimes, hearing truthful criticism about ourselves can be hard (2 Timothy 2:3). However, we must decide to let our feelings hurt, and allow our pride to be completely dismantled, so that God can get the glory out of these earthen vessels. If we suffer with Him, we well reign with Him (Romans 8:17). Though we be tried in the fire, we shall come forth as pure gold (Job 23:10). Who the Father love, He chastens (Hebrews 12:6). Let us all be willing to do what is required of us in order to be all that God desires. Subtlety makes truth unrecognizable, but the Spirit of God sees and reveals

with precision. He searches the spirit of man and knows the mind of God concerning every aspect of our lives (Romans 8:27). I am so grateful that Jesus makes intercession to the Father on our behalf and the Spirit of God leads and guides us into all truth...good, bad, and ugly.

REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018

TRUST WALK: DAY 1 By Keiyia J. George

Day 1: I trust you, Lord. You will fight for me if I will stand still. Exodus 14 describes the scene when Moses parted the sea and the Egyptians were drowned. Pharaoh decided to change his mind about letting his slaves free. To get glory from it and triumph over Pharaoh, God told Moses He would harden Pharaoh’s heart so that Pharaoh would definitely come after Moses and the Israelites. The people grew worrisome as they watched the Egyptians come towards them. They grew frightened, dreading their death in the dessert, wishing they’d stayed enslaved in Egypt. Moses reminded the people that God will fight for them if they only stood still. God then told Moses to lift

his walking stick and divide the sea that was before them. He assured Moses that the Egyptians would follow them across but not make it out. The great cloud that was in front of the Israelites came between the Egyptians and the Israelites. It provided light for the Israelites but darkness for the Egyptians. As Moses reached out his hand, the sea parted and the people crossed on dry land. Sure enough, Pharaoh and his men pursued them once they could see without the cloud blocking them. In an almost comical manner, the Lord God caused confusion among the Egyptians. Their chariot wheels were all of a sudden jammed or removed. Pharaoh wisely realized that God fought for these people and began to call his people back. Before they could get back to the other side, God had Moses stretch his hand out again

and the waters closed in on the Egyptians. These acts caused the people of God to believe in Him and know that He is who He said He is. Hear the promise again: I will fight for you if you stand still. Standing still means doing nothing and allowing God to handle the situation. Too often we want to assist the great I Am in situations and it causes us to get out of alignment with not only His Word, but His Will. We have to learn to stand still. When things get tough and you want to do something, plant your feet firmly on ground and shove your hands in your pockets. Until you hear from God, don’t do anything! Stand still. Leave the situation alone. God will fight your battle. He’s got your back. It may not feel good right now, but it will all work for your benefit if you stand still. Just like the Israelites. They could’ve ran towards the Egyptians and begged them for mercy, but they stood still. When it was all said and done, they triumphed over the Egyptians and not one of Pharaoh’s men was left alive. Not one Israelite was harmed. One last thing, if you find it difficult to keep your hands in your pocket, do like Moses did and simply lift them up. While they are up, surrender your will to God and reaffirm: I trust you God. Trusting in Him, Keiyia JOYet George Trust Walk: Walking in His Steps coming soon!

REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018

COMING

G SOON

REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018

APOSTLE MARLON D. HESTER Interviewed By Kimberly Moses Interviewer: Greetings Apostle Hester. Tron and I love your ministry. We have been following for a while now. We have seen the transition of you preparing for marriage and building your credit. We have seen your house and your beautiful wife. Now you guys have a new addition. Thank you so much for allowing us to interview you today. Apostle Marlon Hester: Amen. I am honored to be a part of this magazine. Interviewer: How did you get started in ministry? Apostle Marlon Hester: I started in my mother’s church. I was a PK kid. I ended up branching off after nine years of pastoring with my mom. The Lord spoke to me about ministry and I was doing a lot of ministry online. Before I started Greater Works, my church, I talked to my mom and said, “Listen, God told me that I needed to be doing this on a larger scale.” She released me to start my ministry. Interviewer: Amen. That’s powerful. What was it like being a pastor’s kid?

Apostle Marlon Hester: Oh wow (laughing). You already know. There is a lot of expectation. Because of that, we weren’t allowed to do a lot of things at all. It was a life full of pressure and having to be an example at a young age. Interviewer: I can imagine. How did you know that you were called as an apostle? Apostle Marlon Hester: Twelve years before I actually accepted that call, I received a prophetic word saying that I was an apostle. The prophetic word was that I needed to get a bible and engrave “Apostle Marlon D. Hester” on it. I believe from that moment that my training actually started. I was training for twelve years. Interviewer: Wow. I remember you talked about how you were traveling and depression tried to overtake you. How did you overcome that? Apostle Marlon Hester: I was traveling and being unmarried in ministry is very hard. I was taking on a lot. The anointing is something that needs support because you are human still once you are done functioning under

the power of God. I learned to start balancing myself although I was doing what God wanted me to do and pleasing Him. I learned to balance my natural life. I loved what was happening at those churches - the spiritual things - but my natural life was not matching. It was the complete opposite. I was not prosperous. I was financially bound. I didn’t have my own home. It was things that I had to face and address and change in my own personal life so that what I was seeing about myself spiritually, I could have that same joy naturally. Interviewer: Amen. I also battled with depression for years. I lost everything and hit rock bottom. I thank God that he made a way. It’s tough but God is so good. Apostle Marlon Hester: Yes. Interviewer: How did you know that your wife was the one? Apostle Marlon Hester: I was on this road to restoration and wanted to apologize to any and everyone that I ever hurt. A young lady that was part of my church years ago had a prayer breakfast and I went. I apolo-

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gized to her and some of the people there that used to be my members. I got up and made this big apology and I saw my wife there with the guest speaker that night. Deep down inside I wanted to get to know her. Unfortunately, she was still married but separated and I didn’t know that. When I asked the pastor about the young lady, they said that she was their armor bearer and that she was married. That’s all they told me. I ended up leaving her alone and a year later I got engaged to another young lady. That didn’t work. So, I gave myself another year of being by myself. Then one day I notice that she had added me on Facebook. I said forget this I am going to find out for myself. Then I found out that she was not just separated but she was divorced. We started talking. We talked all that day. We courted for a whole year before we got married. Interviewer: That’s beautiful. There are so many people that are waiting for marriage and lonely. What advice would you give someone that’s single and waiting to get married? Apostle Marlon Hester: I would tell them especially with the loneliness that they really have to become okay with having a strong relationship with God. Just allow Him to heal those areas because loneliness often starts before it has to do with anything to do with a relationship. We get lonely having certain responsibilities. We get lonely being in a certain position on your job

or school. That spirit just comes upon you. Then you start looking for company, wanting help or the support. It comes in a form of a lonely spirit. I always tell people to become whole being by yourself or being with God before entering any type of relationship. It extremely important that you don’t have someone to try to bring you happiness but you already being happy yourself. Interviewer: That’s really good. You are right because a lot of people feel like another person will make them complete. We need to be whole first. That’s really important. What inspired the iPioneer brand? Apostle Marlon Hester: I do a lot of ministry about pioneering. I learned a lot about the pioneer movement and being a pioneer as I started studying about the apostle. I was on periscope once and I was doing this whole series about being a pioneer and how to have a pioneering spirit. Someone on there said that it needed to be on a t-shirt. I told everyone to type iPioneer. It went from being a t-shirt to being an apparel, shoes, and it went crazy. Everyone knows me for iPioneer. Interviewer: So what exactly is pioneering? Apostle Marlon Hester: Pioneering is being an individual that’s tired of the status quo. You see places that are desolate or run down. When you look at it, you

see something brand new. My motto is planting a new world for new generations. I have this thing that I believe that any generation coming after us should have a way that was paved from them started by us; something that we initiated or invented. I always use Noah as an example. Noah started a movement by making a boat for a time they had never seen. That’s a pioneer. It never rained, but he told these people that it was going to rain. They had never seen a boat, but he told these people he was building an ark. God gave him that. A pioneer is basically someone that is starting or creating a movement or creating something for a time that hasn’t come or maybe something that hasn’t been seen. But other generations should be able to ride or walk on the success and take it even deeper or make it even better. What is a starter? A person who starts things up or a trailblazer. They make paths for other people. Interviewer: Amen. Powerful revelation. How did you get in the credit repair business and how can people connect? Apostle Marlon Hester: I got into the credit repair a year and a few months ago. I had a score that was extremely low. This was before I got married. I didn’t want to get married with that negative score. I was with a company that didn’t do a good job. My spiritual son introduced me to financial education services. Upon connecting with them it was also a

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career opportunity. My score the first five months of being in the business went from a 482 to 761. I was able to do the things that I wasn’t able to do. I got married. My name was pretty good, and I got us a new place. I got us a 4,072 square foot home. I went from a 1,900 square foot home to a 4,000 square foot home. My income increased tremendously. I did six figures in nine months. I was rewarded. Once I hit a certain level, I received a new Audi that they paid for. I got an Audi A8. To connect with me go to my site www.ipioneercredit.com Interviewer: That’s awesome because a lot of God’s people are broke with jacked up credit and they need these services. Apostle Marlon Hester: I didn’t want to be a pastor who was looking for a building. I was tired of being that pastor that could preach, prophesy, and cast out devils but couldn’t get a new car, a new house, jewelry, you know? Interviewer: You are such a great role model and inspiration. I really see what God has done through you and what He is doing through you. Why aren’t the majority of the church seeing the supernatural? Apostle Marlon Hester: Amen. One of the major things is not just the lack of faith but a lot of people aren’t really believers of the supernatural. There is a system to the supernatural. The expectation that Jesus had with

those he did supernatural things with is do you believe? People are not full of faith. They have faith but fear is there as well. If there is fear, the enemy is still able to interfere. Then we aren’t really able to see miracles the way we need to see miracles. A lot of people aren’t really believers. The church is also becoming like a social club; its more commercial. People are coming but not really experiencing the power of God or the move of God. It’s like they have the personalities of their pastors. God really wants us to get back to a place where we are coming after Him and we are expecting. In Luke chapter 4, Jesus is ministering from the synagogue and he walks up to Simon Peter’s home. The mother-in-law had a fever. He heals her, and she gets up and starts ministering to other people. Because of that, they went out and brought the sick, diseased and they became believers. They brought all these people back to him. Jesus laid hands on all of them and healed them all. I believe it’s really a belief problem. Interviewer: Amen. Can you share a supernatural encounter you had? Apostle Marlon Hester: I was born with a sickle cell blood disease. From birth to the age of seventeen I had pain crisis and pneumonia. My mom had to lose jobs because she was in the emergency room with us, going back and forth. At seventeen, I said, “God I believe you can heal

me. I would rather be dead if I have to go through this pain for the rest of my life.” Doctors told my mom that I would not live past 22, I wouldn’t be past 5’7”, I wouldn’t weigh over 175 lbs., and that I wouldn’t have a spleen past the age of 12. I am 43. I am 6’1” instead of 5’7”. I definitely can lose some weight. I am about 315 lbs. I still have my spleen. I haven’t had a pain crisis since the age of seventeen. Because of that, I believe that God has given me the power to be used to help other people in the supernatural to experience miracles. Interviewer: Hallelujah. That’s an awesome testimony. Thank you for awesome interview. Apostle Marlon Hester: You’re welcome. God bless you.

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DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T GIVE UP SHOW UP By Amber Marie Brown

REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018

Bob Goff once said, “Embrace uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters in our lives won’t have a title until much later.” As we take a moment and look at the picture above we ignite the inner child within us. Remembering the days when we could look ahead with only hope and laughter. As we traveled along the journey called life, many have let go of our hand, many have grabbed unto it, and many we have yet to meet. We have matured in certain areas of our lives and we have failed, but we have also found success. We have loved, and we have lost, but see that is the journey on the road of uncertainty. We never truly know what’s going to take place along our walk, but as we walk with God by our side, instead of giving up and sitting down in fear of the unknown, just like the children in the picture, we must choose to walk forward even if we can’t see our destination. As we have grown, we have realized that in order to get things done, we must SHOW UP and keep moving regardless of what it looks like or how we feel. It’s not as easy as it used to be and in this day in age, we must be prepared for anything. In the gospel of Luke, we are shown that if God has a plan for our lives (and He does) and we walk in obedience to that plan, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! It is not because of our doing, but it is all a part of Gods plan and vision for your life! Look at Mary

for example. The Word of God says in Luke 1:30-33, “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Now, right now if we were Mary we would be like, “What in the world is this guy talking about?” We wouldn’t understand, nor would we believe that we were going to have a baby and that this baby would be the son of God. The thing I like about Mary is the fact that she asked questions. Many of us just assume things and take things for face value, not using the gift of communication to learn and understand. But then Mary, being confused, asked the question. How? (v. 34) “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” We know that in order to conceive you must first be intimate with the opposite sex and she and Joseph were waiting for marriage. So, there was no way she could get pregnant being that she was still a virgin. But Then in (v. 35)

“the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold they cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” Mary showed up and submitted herself completely to the will of God. What I mean by showed up is that many times people are counting on us and we are nowhere to be found, but here, God was counting on her to trust him and walk out her purpose. Therefore, she showed up and made the decision to grab his hand and walk with him just as the little boy and the little girl are in the picture above. Mary was a woman of action! To act out the will of God, it always takes two: God’s spirit and your faith! With the Holy Ghost and faith, the bible says, “faith the size of a mustard seed,” we can walk down the road of uncertainty with courage knowing that through God, nothing shall be impossible. We know that even through hardships and troubles, uncertainty and disappointment, God’s plan will work according to his word and according to the power that worketh in us.

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Mary’s journey wasn’t easy, and she didn’t have all the money in the world, a nice house, or a car to drive during her walk-in faith and pregnancy as many of us do today. Even in her lack of material things and support, she had God and that proved to be all she needed. Do you realize that all you need is God by your side? You may want a million different things, but God is in charge and controls all those million different things, so really what you need first and foremost is Him! Many of us, and I have been guilty of this myself, have thought that things weren’t going to work out just because the situations around me didn’t look good or didn’t look like how things played out for others! Come on, let’s be real. Sometimes God tells us to do things or to walk out something but in the natural it looks like a big disaster or it looks like we have been somehow forgotten along the way and God just gave up on us. But really, God is working behind the scenes. Mary was strengthened in her faith and also in her relationship with God. The road was dark at times, but God always made a way. There were many times when it didn’t look good and she had to be hidden from the world on many different occasions, but at the end of the day she was still carrying her gift! A gift that was to be shared with the world! “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 Mary continued walking in purpose despite what was going on in the natural. She had to learn to press forward in the spirit! She had a purpose that would change everything to come. AND SO DO YOU! She was still preparing for her future while trusting God’s word! AND SO SHALL YOU. A future that could only be possible if she carried out the plan of God! AND SO WILL YOU. It is your job to wait on the Lord’s timing and walk in patience. Even though all you can see is a long stretch of pavement, the hills are coming! It may take away for something to happen, but it will happen if you keep moving in the right direction. Many times, Mary experienced the unfairness of life, but she kept walking. The light may have gone dim at times, but her faith didn’t waiver because she knew how important what she was carrying was to not just her, but to all! As she continued walking, even without understanding, God’s light continued to shine among her and before her. It made way to her future! She knew that if God said it, it was to come to pass and nothing shall be impossible to those who believe. Mary

had to Show Up and be accountable before anything could happen AND SO DO YOU! She had to purposefully carry out the Lord’s plans, and it is up to us to do the same. “But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.” NLT So, as you walk the road of uncertainty it’s important to remember some key points in the scriptures today. 1. God sent an angel to tell her what was to come. The Holy Spirit is your helper and your deliverer of God’s Word and Revelation. The Holy Spirit will speak to you regarding your future. God also sends others to do the same. But the question is, are you listening? Are you willing to be obedient to his instruction even if you don’t know the outcome? 2. God does not want you to fear the unknown but instead, to understand who you are and what you carry! It’s your job to find out what He has created you for and why. You will be asked to do some crazy things and endure many things that are not going to be to your benefit, but it’s only to prepare you for what you must become. You are to fulfill His plan, your purpose, and carry out the mission of the gospel for His glory in anything that you do on this earth. 3. You must realize that the plan of God is not going to be

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given to you on a silver platter but instead one instruction at a time. Pay attention to prophecy and what is spoken over your life. Remember, you must first believe to receive! 4. You are able to do all things with God that is in his will for your life. If it is his plan understand that you will be prepared and ready no matter what happens or what tries to stop you, the key is to continue moving forward. When you do that, all will come to pass. 5. God likes to give you examples in others lives to show you that it can be done. Testimonies are very powerful. The bible says that we are made overcomers by the blood of the lamb and the words of our testimony, so why aren’t we sharing what God is doing in our lives with others? Where is our joy to be a piece of hope for others? It’s time to SHOW UP and SUIT UP! Every day we walk on the battlefield and we must prepare and teach all who come whether they are suited up or not. You must choose to be the one that will always be counted on! 6. The Word of God is true and is alive and active. God’s Word always comes to pass, but it’s your job to Rise UP and proceed with caution along the road of uncertainty. The Road of Uncertainty will not always have signs or signals to follow, but if you keep following the pavement of peace, love, and

faith, you can never go wrong. The spirit that lives inside of you must be ready to listen when God speaks. If you stay humble and continue seeking him, He will lead you through the unknown into places that only you can find. Even if you trip in holes along the way or lose your sight and mess up or sit to take a break, choose to continue to Rise above the now and don’t give up on your future! Resting is needed but don’t stay down. Even if you mess up, rise up, and choose NOT to give up! Remember, Mary didn’t know what the future held but because she showed up and didn’t give up, she birthed a son who ended up changing everything in this world and after this world! Don’t hold up the change that we need to see! We need a right now kind of spirit. Not tomorrow, but today I choose to rise and walk this road of uncertainty with faith and longevity! You have many counting on you, and yourself being one of them! Until next time, Be blessed and Be a Blessing to others in Jesus Name, Amen! Amber Marie Brown is the Author of “Rise To The Mission.” She is an Evangelist and Motivational Speaker out of Poplar Bluff, Missouri. She speaks at conferences, youth groups, and recovery groups. She is also a mother of two and a full-time student at the International College of Bible Theology in pursuit of gaining her degree. You can reach her by email at riseto-

themission@gmail.com or follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

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SPIRIT FILLED By Reynaldo Rodriguez

When it comes to walking according to the flesh and walking in the Spirit, our wills are like toggle switches. The wills of new Christians seem to be spring— loaded toward fleshly behavior. New believers are going to live according to what they know, and they don’t know very much about the Spirit-filled life. The wills of mature Christians are spring loaded toward the Spirit. They make occasional poor choices, but they are daily learning to crucify the flesh and walk by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit. Walking by the Spirit is relationship, not regimentation.

To illustrate more in this concept, if you are married, think about your marriage. You may have started your marriage by relying on rules for effective communication, meeting each other’s sexual needs and so on. If after several years you can’t even talk to each other or make love without following an outline or list of steps, your marriage relationship is still in infancy. In a mature marriage, communication flows naturally from two who love each other.

Another example is prayer. Perhaps you learned to pray using the simple acrostic ACTS: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication. If, however, you have been a Christian for years and your prayer life is no deeper than an acrostic, you have never learned to pray by the Spirit, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6: 18). Prayer is a two-way communication with God that requires listening as well as petitioning: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33: 3). Paul defines what it means to walk by the Spirit: “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.” (Galatians 5: 16 – 18). Actually, this passage mainly tells us what walking by the Spirit is not, but that is helpful because it

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gives us two parameters within which we can freely live. First, Paul said that walking according to the Spirit is not a license. License is a disregard for rules and regulations constituting an abuse of privilege. Some Christians wrongly assert that walking by the Spirit and living under grace means, “I can do whatever I want to do.” Walking by the Spirit means, “You may not do the things that you please.” Living by the Spirit doesn’t mean you are free to do whatever you want to do. That would be a license. It means you are free to live a responsible, moral life— something you were incapable of doing when you were a bond servant of sin. What some people think is freedom is nothing more than a license that leads to bondage. Freedom doesn’t just lie in the exercise of choice; it ultimately lies in the consequences of those choices. The Spirit of Truth will always lead us to freedom, but the desires of the flesh will lead us to sin and bondage. The commandments of God are not restrictive, they are protective. Our real freedom is in the ability to choose to live responsibly within the context of the protective guidelines God has established for our lives. Second, walking by the Spirit is also not legalism. “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law”. (Galatians 5: 18). If you want to relate to God purely on the basis of moral law, then you need listen to Paul’s words in Galatians 3: 10: “for as many

as are of the works of the Law are under a curse.” You will be a driven person or a guilt-ridden dropout. “Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.” (Galatians 3: 21). The law is powerless to give life. Telling people that what they are doing is wrong does not give them the power to stop doing it. Christians have been notorious at trying to legislate spiritually with don’ts: Christians don’t drink, don’t smoke, doesn’t dance, don’t attend movies, don’t play cards, don’t wear makeup and so on. Others may claim not to be legalistic, but all they have done is gone from negative legalism (don’t do this and do that) to positive legalism (do this and don’t do that). “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3: 6) The law also has the capacity to stimulate the desire to do what it intended to prohibit, “For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have

known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.” (Romans 7: 5 – 8). Let me illustrate. What happens when you tell a child, “You can go here, but you can’t go there”? The moment you say that, where does the child want to go? There! He probably didn’t even want to go there until you told him he couldn’t go. A Christian school published a list of movies the students could not see. Guess which ones they all wanted to see? Why is the forbidden fruit the most desirable? Apparently it was in the Garden of Eden as well. Christianity is a relationship, not a ritual or a religious code of ethics. We could not keep the commandments by human efforts living under the law. “But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3: 22 – 24) In Christ we can actually live by faith according to the righteous laws of God in the power of the Holy Spirit.

REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018

THE FLESHLY PERSON: LIFE ACCORDING TO THE FLESH By Reynaldo Rodriguez

Notice that the spirit of the fleshly person is identical to that of the spiritual person. The fleshly person is a Christian, spiritually alive in Christ and declared righteous by God, but that is where the similarity ends. Instead of being directed by the Spirit, this believing man chooses to follow the impulses of his flesh. As a result, his mind is occupied by carnal thoughts and his emotions are plagued by negative feelings. Though he is free to choose to walk after the Spirit and produce the fruit of the Spirit, he continues to in-

volve himself in sinful activity by willfully walking after the flesh. The fleshly man’s physical body is the temple of God, but it is being corrupted. He often exhibits the same troubling physical symptoms experienced by the natural person because he is not operating in the manner God created him to operate. He is not “presenting his body to God as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12: 1), but indulging his physical appetites at the whim of his sin— trained flesh. Because he is yielding to the

flesh instead of crucifying it, the fleshly man is also subject to feelings of inferiority, inadequacy, guilt, worry and doubt. How many of the following characteristics describe your life: inferiority, insecurity, inadequacy, guilt, worry and doubt? I imagine that many of you would admit that some or all of these six traits describe you. It is evident to me that a staggering number of believers don’t know how to live their lives by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit. Are you struggling with feelings of inferiority? To whom or to what

REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018

are you inferior? If you are a believer in Christ, the following refers to you: “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,” (Ephesians 2: 6). Well then, what are you feeling inferior about? Remember, we don’t walk according to our own understanding, but rather by the power of what Almighty God said about us, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2: 9) Do you feel insecure? Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13: 5). Inadequate? “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4: 13). Guilty? “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” (Romans 8: 1). Worried? You can have the peace of God and learn to cast your anxiety upon Christ: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14: 27). “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your

minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4: 6 – 9). “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5: 7). Doubt? God provides wisdom for the asking, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1: 5). Why is there often such great disparity between these two kinds of Christians: spiritual and fleshly? Why are so few of us enjoying the abundant, productive life we have already inherited? We should be able to say every year, “I am more loving, peaceful, joyful, patient, kind and gentle than I was last year.” If we can’t honestly say that, then we are not spiritually growing and maturing in our relationship with Christ. “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1: 3). Countless numbers of Christians have been born again for years - even decades - and have yet to experience significant measures of victory over sin. Ignorance,

lack of repentance and faith in God, and unresolved conflicts keep people from growing. The world and the flesh are not the only enemies of our sanctification. We have a living personal enemy - Satan - who attempts to accuse, tempt and to deceive God’s children. Paul wrote about Satan: “in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2: 11). Walking by the Spirit is relationship, not regimentation. Perhaps Paul and the Corinthians weren’t ignorant, but a lot of present-day Christians surely are. We live as though the kingdom of darkness does not exist. Our innocence in this area is exacting a crippling toll that keeps many Christians from experiencing their freedom in Christ. When we first became Christians, we were similar to one third horsepower lawn mower engines. We could accomplish something but not very much because we were not very mature. Our goal as Christians is to become DC9 Caterpillars engines - real powerhouses for the Lord. Without gas, though, neither a lawn mower nor a bulldozer can accomplish anything. Neither can we accomplish anything apart from Christ (see John 15: 5). No matter how mature you are, you can never be productive unless you are walking by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit.

REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018

THE BEREANS; GOSPEL GANGSTERS By Shirley Cooper

Who were the Bereans? They were residents of the city of Berea in Macedonia. Paul and Silas preached to them during Paul’s second missionary journey. The account of Paul and Silas in this location is recorded in Acts 17:10-15. The Bereans exhibited several positive characteristics that marked their response to

the gospel message. They were “more noble” because of their willing reception of the Word of God. Unlike the unbelieving (Thessalonian Jews), the Bereans were eager to hear the teaching of Paul and Silas. They examined what they heard, as well, by comparing it to the Old Testament Scriptures.

The fact that they honestly listened and conducted further personal research, led many Bereans to faith in Jesus as the Messiah. These Bereans guarded Paul’s safety. When Paul’s enemies arrived from nearby Thessalonica, the Berean believers protected Paul by getting him out of the region. They did not turn him over

REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018

to his enemies nor disassociate from him. These warriors on fire continued to grow in their faith, in numbers. Later in the book of Acts, there’s further insight into the faithfulness of at least one Berean man, when Paul decides to return for additional ministry in Macedonia despite the tremendous persecution he had recently faced. The man that stood side by side with Paul was from Berea (Acts 20:3-4). Take note that the Bereans have long been seen as a positive example of how we as believers should respond to biblical teaching. There is so much to learn on biblical truths and at times it causes us to go into different outlets to actually search what we may feel as a more in depth answer. However, we are called to learn from God’s Word and, no matter who is teaching, we are to investigate all in comparison with the Bible. The ancient Bereans should become a great example for all who desire to grow spiritually today. Yet, we seem to have fallen short of that. We find ourselves dipping so deep in books and Google that we lose sight of reality. We constantly fill our minds with new age faith and ancient drama that we have never had to face. Now don’t get it twisted. I’m not saying that we can’t research

educational books or Google answers. I’m saying that [WHATEVER] we do, do it with God’s word. Go back every time. There’s a tremendous amount of skeptics surrounding biblical truths, and there’s a huge chance that you may not come up with an answer, or you may not be able to comprehend even how to ask the question. Mind you, it’s not because you’re dumb or have no education. It’s simply because our answers aren’t of this world. Us trying to understand God, is like an infant trying to put an engine together. He is God and therefore infinite with an infinite mind, and infinite answers. We could never understand God completely or we’d be God. The best lesson I give you today is to stay focused on biblical truths. Because there are so many strange and unbiblical teachings being preached “in the Name of Jesus Christ.” I encourage believers to be like the Bereans and compare everything to scripture. We must study to show ourselves approved!

REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018

NEVER GIVE UP HOPE FOR YOUR UNBELIEVING HUSBAND By Mae Blooms way. Simply cry out to the Father who knows all things and then get back to work! There is something about a wife that just won’t give up on her husband that pleases God and He will surely reward you in His way and in His perfect timing.

Are you a wife in an unequally yoked marriage? Then you have more than likely heard a lot of negativity in your ear that comes with being in an unequally yoked marriage. I want to encourage you that God has not forgotten you neither has he abandoned you. There is hope for your marriage, so don’t ever stop petitioning God on your husband’s behalf. I don’t know your story, but I do know God and I know He works ALL things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. You can be certain that your marriage is not beyond God’s power to transform it! You may have just gotten married or you might have been

married for decades, but somewhere along the journey, you lost hope. Wherever you are today, I encourage you to seek God and press into His word because that’s where you find all you need. It’s easy to get caught up in what your husband isn’t and what he is not doing, but I challenge you to change your perspective on things. Philippians 4:8 encourages us to think on those things which are is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable; if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, then let’s think about such things! This is not always easy to do especially when you are fighting what seems like hell’s army for your husband’s salvation, but please do not feel defeated or get weary along the

If you are reading this, I do not believe you found this article by chance. I believe this is your divine appointment. I encourage you to forget what lies behind you and press forward in becoming a better wife to your husband despite what you currently see and feel. Let us move forward with the expectation that God will do great things in your marriage- exceedingly, abundantly, immeasurably, and more than you could ever ask think or imagine! Let’s PrayFather God, we come before You humbly as we know how asking You for Your help and Your wisdom in our marriages. We cannot be the wives You desire us to be unless You help us all the way. This is the start of something extraordinary and we thank You for using us to bless our husbands in Jesus name. Amen!

REJOICE ESSENTIAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2018