OUR MESSAGE FOR TODAY’S SUNDAY SERVICE ON AUGUST 23, 2015 IS ACTS 20:1-24 DIVINE ENCOURAGEMENT THAT GRANTS PEACE & JOY:

OUR MESSAGE FOR TODAY’S SUNDAY SERVICE IS ACTS 20:1-24 DIVINE ENCOURAGEMENT THAT GRANTS PEACE & JOY: 1. I will appreciate it if you will pay attention to one of the keys that breaks and destroys the yokes of restlessness, worries, anxiety, stress, and frustrations is the key of divine words of encouragement. Have you been in a troubled waters before in your family, place of work, business or career frustrations? If yes you can understand what I am about to say here, and suddenly somebody filled with the spirit of God came in and chip in one word and the whole fire in the place just quenched, and everywhere was calm again. There is power in divine words of encouragement to restore peace and joy when the enemy of confusion sneaks in, use it always and the joy of the Lord will be your strength. See verses 1-6 2. I want to exhort you today to be calm in times of crises, trust in God even when it looks unrealistic and impossible, and believe that there is nothing God cannot do, when you positioned your frame of mind in who God is and what he can do, and that he cannot fail, whatever challenge that come your way you will defeat it and have your peace. Here are the strategies Apostle Paul applied to raise the death: a) He used the falling of Eutychus from three story building, pronounced dead to prove to them that God is God. b) He was calm, went ahead and break bread, the power of communion for life c) Applied the power of laying an anointed hands to make a difference d) Applied the power of positive words that he is alive when others said he is dead e) Exercise the authority that Jesus has given to us through his death on the cross f) Eutychus came back to life and peace and joy reigned in that home. How do you managed your crisis, challenges, trying times, pains etc? Is it with fear or faith in God? See verses 7-12 3. Sometimes it is difficult to part from what you love or cherish, but you must be prepared to choose between what God called you to do and what your flesh is desiring, the two are always in conflicts in our lives but Apostle Paul handled it here so intelligent through the power of the Holy Spirit, his flesh was afraid of the trouble he will encounter where he was going but his spirit was ready to do what God called him to do for him. How do you manage your conflicting situations in your life between your flesh and your spirit? Learn from him below for your peace: a) He silenced his fleshly desires by listening to God than his flesh b) He will not allow anything to hinder him from the Pentecost service c) He told the elders of the Church about the importance of humility d) He asked them to put God first above all things for their peace and joy e) He told them that they must be tested even with their lives for Gods name f) He encouraged them never to give up no matter what because Jesus did not g) He told the elders in Ephesus the importance of repentance for their peace h) He taught the Elders as well never to differentiate on race or culture because we are all from one God and to have faith in Jesus for Peace. See verses 13-21. 4. Finally I want us to imitate the actions of Paul in this message, every minute of his life with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, he was faced with sufferings and death, his life was not secured by flesh because of his past activities which still haunts him where ever he goes, but he did not give up on what our Lord Jesus called him to do. How are you doing what you are called by God to do? Are you running with your Gods given vision? Or are you dancing to the tune of your flesh and listening to mortals instead of the immortal God? Learn from Paul today who said that he is not moved by the bumpers, challenges, and man’s inhumanity to man because of the love of Jesus Christ, but he is concerned to finish what he has started. Are you concerned to finish what God has trusted in your hands? If not think again today and correct your ways to walk in peace and joy. See verses 22-23. 5. My prayer for you today is to receive the Anointing power of Divine Encouraging that will grant Peace and Joy to you and your household in Jesus name Amen. Acts 20:1-24New International Version (NIV) Through Macedonia and Greece 20 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. 2 He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, 3 where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. 4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5 These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6 But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days. Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas 7 On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted. Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders 13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15 The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost. 17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. Watch out for our AUGUST 2015 daily words of Exhortations on “EMPOWERMENT FROM THE LORD OF PEACE WITH US" TOMORROW AUGUST 24, 2015. Be blessed as you receive THE EMPOWERMENT FOR THE MONTH OF THE LORD OF PEACE WITH YOU ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE. For updates join our conversation on tweeter @lwfmpower and like us on Facebook at Living Water Foundation Ministries (LWFM), you can also contact us at info@lwfm.us or www.lwfw.org