Emmanuel Okoro (aka MrLift)

"That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;" (Eph.3.16) Proverbs tell us that the strong spirit of a man sustains him. "The strong spirit of a man sustains him in bodily pain or trouble, but a weak and broken spirit who can raise up or bear?" (Prov.18.14) This passage helps us see what it means to have strength in your inner man. By your inner man, we mean your spirit. Your spirit is that part of you that makes a connection with God. You are primarily a spirit having a bodily experience. And in our walk in this bodily experience, if our spirit is weak, our body is easily accessible and defeated. Two bible characters will help us see this. The Bible speaking of Joseph in slavery says "And the Lord was with him..." "And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian." (Gen.39.2) God was with h...

'Only what we do for Christ will last' is the way the songwriter puts it. That means only things with eternal purposes should be weighty enough to sustain your focus. The Psalmist talks about how God knew the beginning and the ending of his life. And that God has an eternal agenda spelt out even before he was born and that God has an agenda for each day. "Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book, all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape when as yet there was none of them." (Ps.139.16 Amp) God has an agenda spelt out for each of your days. But not until you buy into God's eternal purpose, you may not find that agenda. "According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:" (Eph.3.11) So the Apostle Paul says here that there is an eternal purpose and that this purpose is "according to the eternal purpose which was purposed in Christ. Your purpose can only be found and fulfi...

"[The purpose is] that through the church the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere." (Eph.3.10 Amp) This verse talks about the manifold wisdom of God. That the many-sided wisdom of God may be made known to the angelic host. God is counting on the church to make this many-sided wisdom of God known. For the church to be able to make this many-sided wisdom known to others, she must first know and experience it and walk in it experientially. God is many-sided in his wisdom. From one dispensation to another He reveals Himself. The Bible says He showed Himself to Abraham as El-Shaddai, a little wonder that Isaac haven seen God in this expression in the life of his father, live in the supernatural supply. "I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty [El-Shaddai], but by My name the...

My task is to do what the day demands" a wise man once said. Tasks are an everyday challenge, well challenge may not be the right word but it will suffice. The task is the chores that cumulate into what the total of our lives become. Therefore, take your task seriously, attend to the most important task first, second most important ones next, keeping first things first. Before the task is carried out in the open, very wise people know that there is first a behind the scene plan that takes place. It is not surprising then we first see God working behind the scenes. "My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along."(Eph.3.9) This was a tag-team between God and the Apostle Paul. He was bringing out in the open what God was doing or did secretly behind the scenes. What God has been doing behind the scenes in the first place - so behind the scenes come...

Paul the Apostle, one of the most used by God considers himself the least. What is it about the greatness that makes one see the best in others? He exemplifies the saying so succinctly, God uses the least likely to do the most mighty. Our God uses the least likely You may be in a place where you feel you do not qualify to be used by God. But the good news is you are just where God needs you to be. God can use you just as you are. He does not only use the qualified, He qualifies the called. "To me, though I am the very least of all the saints (God 's consecrated people), this grace (favor, privilege) was granted and graciously entrusted: to proclaim to the Gentiles the unending (boundless, fathomless, incalculable, and exhaustless) riches of Christ [wealth which no human being could have searched out]" (Eph.3.8 Amp.) His assignment was to proclaim the unending, boundless, fathomless, incalculable, and exhaustless riches of Christ. Little wonder God has to us...

A gift is always given. Ephesians tells us that when he ascended he gave gifts to men. ( see Eph:4:8-11) Once God gives a gift, what you do with that gift is up to you. The Bible tells a story of gifts given to three categories of recipients and what each dId with what each had received was up to each of them. One buried his gift, the others worked their gifts to their maximum and received a maximum return on their gifts. What you do with your gift is up to you. "Of this [Gospel] I was made a minister according to the gift of God 's free grace (undeserved favor) which was bestowed on me by the exercise (the working in all its effectiveness) of His power." (Eph.3.7) Paul here tells us how the gift was bestowed on him, how he was given a gift, and how he worked his gift to the point that his gift achieved all its gift's effectiveness. Have you gotten out of that gift all you could possibly get out of it? A friend told me a story of a young man who had wr...

It's been said that there are three possible outcomes in every negotiation, viz-a-viz win-lose, lose-lose and win-win. The best is the win-win option. In this case, everyone gets what they want. Think win-win at all times And this is always possible if we all learn to concede for the greater good every once in a while and think not only of the other person but also the overall good. If we learn to look past just ourselves, then think of the other person. "The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I've been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board". (Eph.3.6 MSG) Once there were insiders and outsiders but with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, He bridged the gap so that everyone wins. Now there are no insiders, neith...

When you read, you will understand Reading makes a man. I know a lot of people see reading as a skill one engages to pass the examination but reading is much more than that. When you read, especially the word of God your life is transformed. Here in our text, the Apostle Paul says understanding comes through reading. He says when you read 'you will understand my knowledge'. This is very instructive. It means knowledge is transferred through reading. "Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ" (Eph.3.4) Reading is one of the skills that brought about the deliverance of the children of Israel from slavery in Babylon. Daniel gained understanding from reading and then this understanding helped him engage God in the place of intercessory prayers. "In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish se...

Everyone is given something to be of service to humanity. We are all put here to serve a cause. What are you steward over? What caused do you serve? The eyes were made to see, the ear to hear, the hands to handle and the feet to walk. So everyone serves a purpose. Not everyone finds this purpose on time. Some have missed their timing, others have misused theirs, yet others are in the center of their stewardship. "Assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God 's grace (His unmerited favor) that was entrusted to me [to dispense to you] for your benefit," (Eph.3.2 Amp.) The Apostle Paul says his own was the stewardship of Grace. He is blessed to distribute the grace of God. Little wonder it was the Apostle Paul that exposed to the church the workings of the grace of God. When you look at his life you see exemplary representations of the grace of God. This was entrusted to him. I am not going to ask if God can trust you with something but I'd rath...

"For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles," (Eph.3.1) Ever wondered why the Apostle Paul accomplished so much? The answer is very simple, "he was a prisoner to the cause of our Lord Jesus Christ". Lord let your cause imprison me. Again in chapter 4 verse one, he says: "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called" (Eph.4.1) Don't stay idle, do something for the Lord. Don't trust your judgment, yes what you intend to do you may fail at, but trust God's judgment who has asked you to get on your feet and not just walk but run. Every athlete who succeeded was once a prisoner of their dream. What does it mean to be a prisoner to a cause? It means you will do whatever is required to make that dream a possibility. I like The Message rendition of this verse. It reads: "In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm l...

He sat down on a bench in front of his compound, looking forlorn, and watched as the human and vehicular traffic trudges through. What he longs for is conversation but none it seems will break from a busy schedule to 'indulge' him. Just the regular hi's and hellos but these just scratch the surface, not getting to where it matters. We grow by fellowship. We were created for communion, for one another. We were not meant to live in isolation. Genesis says it was not good for man to be alone. This referral has been made to marriage but in truth, it is meant for communal living. The more sin prevails the more isolated we become. Isaiah tells that as sheep we have all gone astray and as such, everyone has gone his own way. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa.53.6) The Apostle Paul tells us that in Him and fellowship with one another we grow. "In Hi...

She sat with her hands placed on her cheek as though she was receiving a call, lost in thought and oblivious of her immediate surrounding. What is the matter I asked, jolting her back to the present? "I am thinking about my life", she said. God has got a plan for your life and He is working it out for your good. "That's plain enough, isn't it? You're no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You're no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He's using us all--irrespective of how we got here--in what he is building. (Eph.2.19 MSG) The above text begins with a question: "That's plain enough, isn't it? What is plain enough you may want to ask? The previous verse had told us that we have equal access to the Father. And the Apostle Paul is saying that is plain enough but it did not end there. It says furthermor...

Equality is never about gender, neither is it about strength nor weakness but always about a level playing field. And equality is different from equity as well as inequality. While inequality is the opposite of equality and equity is based on a person's contribution, what one brings to the table; equality, as it relates to our discus, is dependent on God - what God brings to the table. And He says "equally access" "He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father."(Eph.2.18 msg) After Jesus made a "new kind of human being" (see Eph.2.15 msg) God granted everyone equal access. He treats everyone equally but much more than equal treatment, He gave equal access to everyone. No one has more access to the Father than any other. This is encouraging because that means I do not need anyone to be able to gain access to the Father. If you remember when Jesus breathed hi...

I thought the axiom, 'two shall become one" only applied to married couples. But I saw the reality of this truth in our text for today. We know before now that there were two races before God - the Jews and the Gentiles, you are either one or the other. The one was a people that were close to God, chosen. And the other, those that were far from God. But when Jesus Christ came, He took of these two races and then created one race before God. "He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody." (Eph.2.15 MSG) "Instead of continuing with two groups of people...he created a new kind of human being". And guess what - you are that new kind of human being if you have accepted His sacrifice on the...

There are different kinds of peace one can experience. There is the peace of God, the peace with God, and the peace from God. All these are embodied in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hence, the Apostle Paul tells us that peace is a person. He says that "He is our peace". That means peace is not about the state of one's mind nor is it a place or an idea but peace is a person. "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us" (Eph.2.14) The peace of God: Jesus declared my peace I give unto you. This is the peace that settles your mind. That gives you rest and puts your mind at ease. This is the peace that takes care of worries. "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus".(Phil.4.7) The peace with God: this is the peace that assures one of a future with God. This peace says God is no longer angry with you. Wha...

There was a time when nothing seem to make sense. You seem to have been swallowed up and you were just drifting by. But that was then. So the Bible says "remember". "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands(Eph.2.11) And at this time we did not know God nor His plan. But even though we didn't know Him He had a plan that included us "had no idea of any of this, didn't know the first thing about the way God works, hadn't the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God's covenants and promises in Israel, hadn't a clue about what God was doing in the world at large." (Eph.2.12MSG) God has a worldwide agenda and you were not in on it then but He had His eyes on you "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." (Eph.2.11) ...

God is a master strategist and we are the ace in the Master's master plan. This plan He had in place before the foundation of the world. "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Eph.2.10 NLT) Now I want you to take out a few minutes and think about that. You are God's masterpiece - what that means is that you are the center of His plan. He made the universe revolve around you because without you the plan will be undone. He says the reason you are God's masterpiece is so that you can do the good things God has planned for you long ago. In other words, God has good things planned for you to accomplish. So do not write yourself off. You have got worth. You are important. There is an agenda, God's agenda and you are not here for nothing. Stay on God and His plans concerning you will come to pass. Did He not say He knows the plans He has concerning you,...

When a man works, he is not rewarded with a salary, he is entitled to it. When you do good works, you get rewarded for that good work. But salvation is not a reward because it is not based on anything you have done or could do. Salvation is a gift from God through our Lord Jesus Christ. "Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." (Eph.2.9 NLT) A reward is defined as a thing given in recognition for service, effort, or achievement. But salvation is a free gift of God. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom.6.23) The only work you are required to do is to believe. When you believe God gifted you salvation. "God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. (Eph.2.8) This is very important. It shows us that there is nothing we can do or not do.  that can invalidate ...

The expression 'hand in glove' comes to mind when I think of Grace and faith. They work hand in hand. Grace is a very important component in the Christian walk but it is almost not profitable without faith. Grace is the faculty that makes salvation available while faith is the vehicle through which it manifests. Faith takes what grace provides. Christ died and made salvation possible by grace but except you have faith to receive it, you will not get it. "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Eph.2.8) By grace, you are saved through faith. With the heart, men believe but with the mouth, confession is made. Your mouth is a veritable tool that appropriates the provisions of grace. Grace made salvation available but you need faith to make it a reality in your life. . It was a wise man that said people will not go to hell because they are sinners, but because they did not receive the saving grace of the Lo...

Have you ever wondered if you were at the right place?  Do you worry about positioning yourself so that you can gain that promotion, or position yourself so you can attract that business or that "Mr. Right" or “Miss Right“? I have good news for you: God's got right where He wants you "Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus." (Eph.2.7 MSG) He has you where He wants you. It may not be a pleasant place right now but know that He always has your best interest no matter what. I can imagine Joseph in prison after he had interpreted the butler's dream and was looking forward to being released. (See Gen:40) But God has other plans. He has Joseph just where He wanted him. What about the three Hebrew boys? (see Dan:3) About to be cast into the furnace of fire. I imagine other believers standing in the gap interceding that they are released. But God says not be...