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Curse is like cancer, it destroys, it kills. When a man is under a curse his heaven is closed, his earth will be hard. He will labor like an elephant and be eating like ants.
When curses are in place they are very effective. Remember, the fig tree that was cursed withered – may your life not wither.

REALITY OF CURSES
I want to give you a timeline for the Kennedy family. In 1944 Joseph Kennedy, Jr., oldest Kennedy son, died in a plane crash over the English Channel during W.W. II. He was 29 at the time. In 1948, Cathleen Kennedy died in a plane crash in Europe at the age of 28. In 1963, Patrick Kennedy, 2nd son of President Kennedy, died after 2 days of life. In that same year, his father, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on November 23rd. He was 46 years old. In 1964, Edward M. Kennedy, the youngest of the Kennedy sons, escaped death in a plane crash as did his aide. In 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated on June 5th in Los Angeles. He was 42 years old. In 1969, Edward M. Kennedy, the well-respected U.S. Senator who just passed recently, drove off a bridge at Massachusetts Chappaquiddick Island killing Mary Jo Kopechne. In 1973, Edward Kennedy, Jr. senator’s son, lost his leg to cancer. In 1984, David Kennedy, son of Robert, died of a drug overdose in Palm Beach, Florida, at the age of 28. In 1986, Patrick Kennedy, youngest son of Senator Edward Kennedy, undergoes treatment for cocaine addiction. In 1991, William Kennedy Smith, the son of June Kennedy, is accused of raping a woman in Palm Beach, Florida. He was tried and acquitted. In 1994, Rose Marie Kennedy, who was born mentally ill, was institutionalized following a failed lobotomy and died there. In 1997, Michael Kennedy, son of Robert Kennedy, dies in a skiing accident in Aspen, Colorado. In 1999, John F. Kennedy, Jr., dies in a plane crash 7-1/2 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, killing his wife and her sister. You may look at these tragedies and just chalk it up to a big family and with such a big family, tragedy will happen. Well, that’s true. However, who knows? it could be a curse upon that family! We don’t know. BUT, one thing we do know: Curses are for real. *And HERE’S A FACT: Every curse has a cause and every curse has a cure.

SOME SILENT SOURCES OF CURSES
Trusting in man (Isaiah 31:1,3)
The reason why things are not working for you is because of where you are looking. When you look at men, you are into idolatry and idolatry is an evil trap (Deut 7: 25)
God will use men for you, but you are to focus on the source not the channel. If you delight in trusting in man, God will simply make sure that things go wrong .
Jer 17:5,6 He is permanently in a cursed ground if his heart depart from God. His devilling place will lack adequate refreshing. He will be blind to golden opportunities that are passing daily.
*The glory of God can not be shared with mortal men, therefore choose ye this day whom you in tend to trust— God or Man.

Deceitful Work (Jer 48:10)
As a child of God nobody may be able to monitor you or withdraw your monthly salary.
But there is a biblical punishment. Look there is no joke in this kingdom. Imagine a member of the choir not singing because he wants the group to fumble. It is better not to work for Him than to do it with a divided heart. It is risky.
You"ll loose your reward and get a curse as a bonus.
Now these are curses from heaven, no one on earth can break it except obedience!

Judges 5:23 – Abandoning responsibility attract bitter curse. Indifference attract double curse, just as serving God attracts double honour.

Rebellion 2Sam.15:6,18:6-9,14
Absalom stole the hearts of the Israelites. God fought against him and killed him personally. Whenever you rebel,you are cutting off from your source.
Psalm 68:6
To be in a dry ground is to be fruitless and hopeless. Anything in a dry land always wither.
In the church, don’t be involved in rebellion
In your working place, play safe when people are gathering against constituted authority
If you are wise, what destroyed the people of old should not destroy you. (Num.16:1-3,9,28,29)

Wrong use of the Tongue
Speaking against fellow Christian and God’s servants can attract terrible curses
In Numbers 12:1-2, Miriam became accursed because of her tongue.
If you curse others, you are sowing a seed which you must reap. Angels will confirm it and fulfill it.
Apart from this,Negative confession is bad [Num.14:1-2,28-29]
As a result of the confession of the children of Israelthey were delayed for forty years in the wilderness!If you are not disciplined your tongue can keep you on the same spot for years so they will die. Prov. 6:2 says "Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. ..."


OTHER HIDDEN CAUSES OF CURSES ARE
1.Laziness
2.Incest
3.Refusal to pay tithes
4.Dishonouring your parent
5.Repaying Good with Evil

If you will endeavour to get rid of the cause by perfect obedience and restitution(correcting the wrongs )I see God blessing you without measure in Jesus name.

In the first study under this topic we considered how God personally protected Moses and the believer’s right to divine protection. In this study we will continue our journey through the life of Moses.

B. DANGEROUS ZEAL
i. WHAT IS ZEAL: zeal is the invisible force in the inner man that pushes one toward accomplishment in life. It is a necessary ingredient for achievement.
It is what makes your mission t become your meat (John 4:34). It is that thing that made Jesus an achiever (John 2:14,15,16). Even god could do nothing without zeal (Isaiah 9:6-7).
ii TYPES OF ZEAL
(a) ZEAL FOR POWER: Acts8:9-20
To be thirst for power of god is good but to strive after it at all cost is suicidal. We must fist be thirsty to know him, and then we will know his power.
If you are serving god and desiring power over people, you have a wrong motive and your service is rejected.
(b) ZEAL FOR WORDS 2Tim.2:14,16,17. Titus3:9-11, Eph. 4:29
This is a type of zeal that God is not pleased with. Many Christians spend many hours arguing over anything and everything.
At the end, there will be winner and they become enemies of one another.
(c) ZEAL IN JUDGMENT
Christians have a bad habit of judging one another, looking for faults and highlighting them. God has not made you a guardian angel, we must mind our business. (Luke 9:52-55, matthew7:1-2) many will say they are trying to correct others but instead they crush, kill and destroy. They judge publicly to inflict shame and punishment. (Gal.6:1)
(d) ZEAL FOR POSSESSION
God wants us to prosper, but to zealously pursue possessions to the detriment of kingdom, business is devilish. A man’s life cannot be measured through the abundance of his possessions. (Luke21:15, 16:13). Zeal for possession is another name for covetousness. This is destructive, remember the case of Balaam.
(e) ZEAL FOR POSITION Mark10:35-37.
The sons of Zebedee were met with rebuke as they displayed zeal for position. To desire a good position is good (1timotheu 3:1), but to strive for it is bad.3john 9-11.
(f) ZEAL OF THE FLESH (zeal without knowledge) Romans10:2.
This was the zeal displayed by Moses when he was residing in Egypt (Exodus 2:11-15) as a result of it after narrowly escaping death he spent 40years in the bush.
Peter also displayed such zeal in Gethsemane garden when Jesus was arrested. (Matthew26:52, 53).

Moses is referred to as a man of God for up to three times in the scripture, in these series of studies we will see the positive and negative aspect of his life. In fact we will try to look at everything that will make him a man of God.

A. DIVINE PROTECTION (Ex. 2:1-10)
God had a comprehensive big plan for Moses; therefore he could not be killed like others. Those murdered, no one can kill you. For you to permanently secure god’s protection there are some facts you must know:

• You are covered by the blood of Jesus Exo. 12:13
• When evil things are happening, God will personally cover you because of the blood of Jesus.
• You must not fear death.
• Fear is the police of the devil; if you are afraid then what you fear will happen to you. Job 3:25, Psalm 91:5, 6; 2Tim 1:7.
• You must speak positively, even when physical symptoms are saying contrary things. Num14:28, Prov18:20-21, Joel3:10.
• There are guardian angels with the assignment of protecting you. Psalms34:7, Psalm91:10-11, Dan6:22.
• You cannot be wounded; weapons of men (either celestial or terrestrial) cannot harm you. (Rev7:2-3, Isaiah54:17) Jesus has been wounded for you, and 2 people cannot be punished for the same offence (Luke10:19)
• Long life is your eternal heritage (Psalm 91:16, Exodus23:26, Job5:26, Isaiah 65:22)
• The fact that disaster befell someone doesn’t imply it will befall you.

Moses in the old covenant was mysteriously preserved. You and I are under a better covenant. There is therefore a mysterious protection for everyone in Christ. (Prov18:10)

This world is not a playground, it is a battleground. Col.1:12-14 tells us that we have been rescued from darkness to the kingdom of light. However the struggle still continues, because the kingdom of darkness is not ready to give up.
Paul the Apostle said by the Holy Ghost that we are constantly wrestling against spiritual forces. Actually this mortal warfare goes on every moment of the day, and it is coming to its climax in our day as this age comes to a close.

1. Scriptural Evidences of constant warfare
I Tim.1:18 We are to war a good war
Eph.6:11-12 Only mad men will put on battledress without a war
Joel 2:1-5,7,11 The believers of the last days who will usher in the day of the Lord are referred to as an army.
2 Cor.10:4 There is a direct reference to warfare
Luke 10:19 Serpents and scorpions represent powers of darkness, the believer will encounter them and they will attempt to hurt him.

2. Examples of Ignorance
a. Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5:1-2, Acts 5:3 They thought they were wise not knowing it was satan toying with them.
b. David and Joab in Numbering Israel
IISam.24:3 David felt like numbering Israel, Joab disagreed initially but later succumbed to the word of the king. None of them knew that Satan was hatching a fatal plan through them. In IChr.21:1 - We later understood that it was Satan who provoked David against God’s will.
c. Job
All through his trials he couldn’t discern the hand of the adversary little wonder he remained long in the problem (Job1:6-12,21). He thought the calamities came from the Lord!.

3. Dangers of ignorance
The most dangerous thing that could happen to a man is to be in the midst of a war and not know! He can be slain at anytime.
According to 2Cor.2:11 ignorance gives the enemy an overwhelming advantage and upper-hand.

1. Eve (Gen. 3:1-6)
Eve never knew that Satan was after their dominion and that he was out to displace them. It was after the deed was done, that in verse 13 she recognized what transpired between her and serpent as “classical deceit”. The ignorance of Eve led to the fall of mankind.
2. Sisera (Judges 4:15-21)
Because of temporary relief, Sisera assumed he has escaped and gave himself to pleasure, drinking milk and sleeping off. The man that both “stars” (Judges 5:20) and “men” could not conquer fell cheaply because he never knew he was still in the territory of the enemy. He stayed in a wrong place. Where are you? Whom are you staying with? Who is feeding you? The one who fed Sisera was the same person that killed him!
3. Matthew 13:24-25
Men slept off, became unaware of the plan of the enemy, and his labour was corrupted. Ignorance will lead to carelessness and this will allow the devil to frustrate us.
4. Judges 16:4-21 (Samson)
Samson was busy talking and making love, he never knew he was in the midst of the last battle of his life. If he knew Delilah was out to entice and sell him to the enemies, he would have been more careful.
Ignorance in spiritual warfare is of fatal consequence.

Prayers: Lord I receive open eyes

The importance of doing God’s will after salvation cannot be overemphasized. It is the sole purpose of christian teachings(Mt. 6:9-10 ). The word translated “will” in our main text is from the GK word “THELEMA” meaning-desire, volition, determination, inclination, pleasure, choice
Doing God’s will means doing that which pleases God. In day to day living man has three major choices.
Doing. -
1.His own will (mind and flesh)
2.The will of the Devil
3.The will of God.

Your own will and the will of the devil belong to the same class-they are not the will of God. When you get saved, your relationship with God can only be maintained as you walk in the will of God (Mt12:50)

IMPLICATIONS OF NOT DOING GOD’S WILL
 You will not be able to experience God’s presence. Adam and Eve were driven out of Eden where they have regular fellowship with God and hear his voice
 Closed heaven and fruitlessness and sadness Lev.26:15-20
 Your prayers may not receive attention. Prov1:25-31
Saul was not answered by God and he began to run after people with familiar spirits.
 You have joined the devil to them together and frustrate God’s plan

Friends there is no alternative to God’s will. It may be tough and
trying, but the end thereof shall gladden your heart. Recall that Israel had 2 ways to the promised land.
But God chose the longer route. Why
 To humble the people
 To impart His laws and communicate His commandments
 To show signs and wonders to the people and establish them
 To avoid early war with Philistines
 To teach total reliance on God

PERMISSIVE WILL Gen19:15-22,30
Lot was arguing with the angel and giving him alternatives. He who says escape to the mountain knows you need grace and protection. He can’t leave you a lone. But Lot settled for the PERMISSIVE WILL Later fear gripped him and restlessness overtook his spirit.
There is a way seemeth good, but the end thereof is…

Permissive will – is what you want to do and God says go ahead (Ex.14:3-5).Balaam’s case is also an example of permissive will: Num22:12,20,22 2Pet2:15-16

Not doing God’s will is madness, its folly.


YOUR ATTITUDE TO GODS WILL
 Seek it (John 5:30)
 Understand it (Eph 5:17) God has good thought toward you they can’t harm you
 Do it (Eph 6:6) Joseph pursued God’s will, he fled fornication and he was eternally exalted.

There is blessing in doing God’s will. Receive grace in Jesus name.

One of the major reasons for backwardness among believers (born to reign and lead) is not the powerlessness of God, it is the inability of man to use his brain.
Until you grasp some truth of God’s word, you may die a potential success. Eccl. 10:5-7, 15.
A mentally passive believer is bound to be stagnant, he will labour in vain.

You are not saved to stink. You are saved to shine. You are not redeemed to rot away, you are redeemed to reign on earth. You’ve been washed in His blood to win through His name. Anything short of this is abnormal. The conqueror is in you, you can not remain defeated.
Your present condition is not the best. It is not His best for you. Be motivated, let something stir you.

Dr. McFarland narrated a story often.
A man used to close from work 12 midnight and one moon-lighted day he decided to take a short-cut through the cemetery, because it was shorter. Soon, even when the moon disappeared, it became his regular path. One day, a grave was dug along his path and he didn’t know, while going he fell.
For many minutes he tried but couldn’t get out. And he decided to relax and sleep in the grave till daylight when he was sure of help.
After sometime a drunken man staggered and fell into the same pit. And he started trying also, the sleeping man woke up and took the leg of the drunkard and said, friend no way, you can’t get out here. The man’s alcohol disappeared; he thought a dead man was speaking, in a short while he got out. Something in him, a desire for survival, drove him out.
That man jumped out of his pit. Look,you have to do the same.You must force yourself out of that pit!
Don’t sleep inside your pit
Never stop trying
Let something drive you out of your pit.
Don’ expect outside help.Declare to yourself and say: I’m getting out of the pit.


Prov. 24:3,4
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

Common sense is in your power, many think this head is for decoration, no. Your head is to tell you where are heading to. A wise man’s eye’s are in his head!
Prov. 16:9
A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

A man’s heart/brain devises his way. If your heart is dull, your way will never be distinguished. It takes a sharp mind to secure an excellent way.
According to Prov. 4:18,19: the path of the just is to be shining daily. If this is not happening, the just must take heed.

Adam was so sharp that he named all animals. Your time is here today. The Lord must touch your “brain cells”. YOUR BRAIN MUST BE TOUCHED.
Those cells can come back to life. Jesus touched a blind man twice, now it is your eyes of understanding He will touch.
Jesus was never stranded as to what to do, He always had an answer.
At the age of twelve years, let’s see what happened to him in
Luke 2:41-47 (Note: We have the mind of Christ).

The understanding of Jesus dazed them. As a student: Your lecturers should be dazed when they see your scripts and award marks continuously until you score above hundred. They will then be looking for you to congratulate you.
Look, somebody somewhere must take note of you this year.
There is an idea lurking around in the air. If you grasp it, it can take to the topmost height in destiny.
Strange ideas that generate strange results.
In Ezekiel 37(…you know the story): The Holy Ghost wind blew over those dead and dry bones and life came. You need life in your skull. (James 5:13-15)

WHAT TO DO

1. Know that you are entitled to
2.  Accept your foolishness
3.  Ask for the touch of the Most High
4.  Move in the consciousness of your new nature.
5.  Practice brainstorming regularly.

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee” Isaiah60:1-2

You are saved to shine; you are justified to be glorified. Darkness may cover the earth, gross darkness may cover the nations but your God cannot abandon you. His plan is to make you an eternal Excellency and a joy of generations to come.
According to our text however, you must ‘arise’ before you shine. What does it means to arise:
(a) Come out of the dead.
Eph.5;14
Wherefore he saith, awake thou that sleepeth, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

When you remain in sin, you are dead. When you refuse to abandon iniquities, you are dead. If you ever want to shine and manifest, you must arise out of your sin and put on the righteousness of God. There is a power in God available to all who surrenders to Him. It is the power to overcome sin.
Are you backslidden and the devil is keeping you on the ground? It’s your turn to wake up!

(b) Come out of Depression
1 Kings 19:5
And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold then an angel touched him and said unto him, Arise and eat.

Never allow failure to keep you on the ground. Elijah was depressed, down and almost out before the angel of the Lord told him point blank: arise .
Friends, you are not a failure until you said you are. In the words of William A. Ward, ‘failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end street”. You therefore have no reason to start mourning. ‘Where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present”. Stop hiding inside the caves of life, arise and continue the journey. Problems are not express routes into paralysis. Rather they are
P – Pathways unto better things
R – Repairers of destinies
O – Opportunities to grow and succeed
B – Blessings in disguise
L – Lessons to learn
E- Ever present tests for assessment
M- Multivitamins for the soul
S- Stepping stones unto glory

If all you desire is to live without problems, you are doomed to go into extinction without progress.
Proverbs 24:10
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

Days of adversity will come, so that your strength could be assessed. God cannot trust you with His glory until you have been tested! And the tougher the test, the higher the promotion. If you get depressed and discouraged because of one small challenge, you are not fit for His glory.
Jeremiah 12:5
If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how can thou contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how will thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

Arise, stand on your problems. Put yourself over your mountain. Put that horrible past behind and forge ahead with the strength of God.
If we open up a quarrel between today and yesterday, we will not live to see our tomorrow. Yesterday is gone, all you have now is today; arise and make the best out of it.

(c) Stop sleeping, start fighting
You have slept enough; it’s time to rise up! Your destiny can’t be decaying while you are busy slumbering! Stop sleeping the sleep of death; you must rise up to fight in prayer.
Psalm 13:3
Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.
Jonah 1:6
….Arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us…

It is time to cry and call and pray. Speak against your mountains in prayers; call upon God the very present help in hours of troubles! You are appointed to rise and shine, but still you need to pray. The only way to access divine blessings is through prayer. Your glory is sure, your fulfillment is guaranteed, but you must wrestle in prayer.
Deuteronomy 2:24
Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Armon: behold, I have given into thy hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon,and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.

The word says, I have given you victory but you must fight, you must contend with the enemy in battle!

(d) Start moving
To arise also means to take a step. Beloved, you are long due for some steps. The place where you are is not the place of your rest. Until you take some steps, you can’t see your desired signs!
When the prodigal son fulfilled his vow to ‘arise and go’, his destiny was re-arranged for better.
No movement, no achievement. No steps, no signs. No motion, no manifestation
God told Abraham: arise, walk through the land…” He told Jacob, “arise go to Bethel”. He told Jonah, “arise go to Nineveh”. He said unto Joshua, “arise go over this Jordan’
What He said unto them, he is saying unto you now: GO, MOVE, CHANGE YOUR POSITION!
When your position does not change, your situation cannot be altered.
Many followed Jesus, many struggled to see him and could not, but when Zacchaeus changed his position, his glory came and he became a shinning star.

Friends, stop following the crowd, get out of the midst of the multitude, change your position, take a strange step and you will be the focus of men!

“The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow worers; you are God’s field, God’s building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds” —1 Corinthians 3:8-10, NIV
Church planting is a needed and challenging Christian ministry. Through the new church plant, a community is impacted by the witness of Christ’s righteousness and truth. There are many tangible reasons why new churches should be planted

1. Church planting is the most effective evangelism tool (see Acts 6:7).
Across Nigeria, the local church owes its existence to Christians that pioneered unreached areas.

2. Church planting is a Great Commission mandate.
Multiplication is at the heart of Jesus’ commission to believers, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20, NIV). Many individuals live out this call as church planters.
Church planting is a supernatural work that only God can do. Joining God in Great Commission work means planting new churches. In Colossians 1:29 (NKJV), Paul writes, “To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.” Church planting is a demonstration of a passionate love for God, a priority for lost souls, and a place of specific service. The Great Commission provides the biblical motivation for the work of church starting.

3. There is a longing to establish new life and to break new ground.
In John 4:35 (NKJV), Jesus states, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” The ground is rich and ready for harvesting. For those called to plant churches, an overwhelming conviction comes from the Lord to overcome complacency and enable believers to seize the opportunities that are available.
Throughout Acts, there are numerous admonitions to break new ground, gather people, transform lives, and develop leaders. New churches have a great opportunity to do all three as they establish an evangelistic presence in an unreached community. Planters love to see God raise new leaders from the harvest fields.

4. New churches grow much faster than established churches.
If the field is fertile, abundant fruit will be produced, because increase is imminent whenever God is involved. God desires to bless the work that is done in obedience and will give the increase whenever believers follow His leading (see Deut. 7:13).

5. It is a privilege for believers to exercise their gifts through growing new churches.
Paul depicts church planting as breaking new ground. Any call to church planting must begin with the clear understanding that new life will be established. Church planters are seen as gardeners and cultivators of spiritual life. Like a gardener, the church planter sows the seed of God’s Word into the soil of people’s hearts. The truth of the Word begins to take root, and, after a season, a beautiful new life buds forth (see Ps. 126:5).

6. New churches produce more ministry leaders (see Acts 16:5).
Paul preached the gospel to everyone he came in contact with, and as soon as they received Jesus Christ, he put them to work. When Paul and Silas visited Lystra, they met a young man named Timothy and added him to the team.
New churches must welcome young converts into the work of the ministry. As a result, leaders will benefit when they train and disciple these young, willing ministry partners. Far too often, new believers are expected to be as mature in the faith as Paul. Instead of rejecting them for their faults, church planters should help young believers grow into strong leaders.

7. Lost people matter to God.
God is motivating and inspiring His people to plant churches that will reach the lost. Lost people matter to God, and He allow believers to join Him in the important mission of bringing the lost into a saving relationship with Him.

8. Church planting gives life to the vision that God gives believers.
Church planting requires sensitivity to the will of God. Planting must be supervised and handled in a timely manner. That is why Paul visited the churches—he wanted to make sure that they were healthy, well-nourished, and reproducing. He also wanted to rejoice in the growth of the churches.
Ecclesiastes reminds believers that timing is essential and planting is seasonal. It is exciting to watch as the Holy Spirit directs His servants (see Acts 16:6-8). Sometimes a planter’s way will seam blocked.
However, that does not mean that God is not leading and guiding the planter. It may mean that He is preparing the planter for another tremendous task, or that He is preparing the way for the vision to really bloom.

9. Church planters have more fun.
Church planting is so much fun that it is amazing that people get paid to do such great things for God!There is a unique joy that comes from fulfilling God’s will and seeing God’s power at work. Church planters have the privilege of experiencing this joy, and of seeing God do miraculous things through them.

10. The family’s faith will grow.
Because of the unique challenges that arise from church planting, faith is constantly being exercised. God grows the planter’s faith, and his or her family experiences how good God is.

11. Church planting is relational and enables planters to make many new friends for Christ. Planters should love people and be effective in forming good relationships. They will have amazing opportunities to impact people’s lives for Christ.

12. Planters have people praying for them.
Planters always have people praying for the new work and their families. It is wonderful to know that people are lifting one’s name and needs up to God in prayer.

13. Church planting is complete evangelism.
Why did the apostle Paul plant and water the harvest field? It was because he desired to obey and please the Lord. The title of church planter means nothing unless lives are changed and God is glorified.
Church planting is complete evangelism because almost all of its growth comes from reaching lost people with the gospel. Church planters who do not save souls and start other new works are like farmers who never produce a crop.

14. Future planters and pastors are called to ministry through the church planter’s investment (see Prov. 11:24).
As church planters care for the harvest field, they nourish and sustain that which was planted. Using the Word of God, they water the fields and skillfully teach precepts that produce faith and lead to growth. After a time, God calls others from the harvest.
Isaiah 55:10 (NKJV) states, “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater.” It is exciting to see new leaders emerge from the church to become church planters. It is natural for the original church plant to provide the finances necessary for the new leaders to begin new work efforts.

15. There is no clean up necessary when one starts from scratch.
“Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted” (Matt. 15:13, NKJV). As the Lord of the harvest, Jesus is not obligated to bless anything He has not initiated. Though it may seem easier to begin a ministry at an established church, often the ministry is limited by the opinions and preconceptions of others.
Many believers sense God’s call to go and start something new because of how difficult it is to get an existing church to grow and move forward. They prefer obeying God by launching a new work.

16. Church planters are not afraid of hard work (see Prov. 13:11).
Hard work is wonderful when it is rewarding. When a church planter works hard, they lead others to Christ. The hours are long, but the joy of the work helps them pass quickly. Whenever the apostles moved out in faith, there were always victories (see Acts 16:5). Likewise, when the believer grows in his or her personal faith, God blesses that faith by showing how He is working through them.
It is the believers who are ready to roll up their sleeves and reach the lost that will grow the kingdom of God. As God demonstrates His life-changing power, apostolic individuals labor together to draw lost people to God, and will receive their great reward.

17. New churches are open for creative planning.
When planting a new church, a planter can be creative in planning and structuring it. That is far more enjoyable than inheriting another person’s design, which will not necessarily fit the church planter’s gifts and vision.

18. A person can live his or her dreams right now.
When a believer invests everything he or she has into a new plant, God blesses the effort by making their dreams become reality. Like Paul and other apostles that invested their lives, when a Christian obeys God, there will be abundant fruit (see Prov. 11:24).
Believers should never settle for the wisdom of man, which often suggests that a person’s dreams are impossible to achieve. They should only seek the wisdom of God. When God is actively involved in a person’s life and ministry, nothing is impossible. And when a believer trusts God to plant a church, the new work comes together in harmony and growth.

19.The perceived “competition” of new congregations encourages existing congregations forward toward spiritual vitality
While competition does not at the outset sound very spiritual it has proven to be an effective motivator for existing congregations as they are compelled to examine themselves in light of the spiritual growth of new congregations in their community. This can lead to a spirit of resentment and bitterness toward the new group and even the Lord (for “blessing them and not us”) but it can also be impetus for change and awakening. C. Peter Wagner said

“Some are reluctant to start new churches for fear of harming those churches that are currently located in the target community. They feel that doing so could create undesirable competition between brothers and sisters in Christ. I mention here that in more cases than not, a new church in the community tends to raise the religious interest of the people in general and if handled properly can be a benefit to existing churches. That which blesses the kingdom of God as a whole also blesses the churches that truly are a part of the Kingdom”

If you a pastor or you have the call of God on your life:I want to encourage you to forge ahead and plant that church,especially if the Lord has been laying it on your heart.

Pastors are God ordained channel for the edification and stability of His church.However there are some common mistakes that can hinder a pastor from fulfilling this God ordained role.

1. Starting a church with a wrong motive. Some of these wrong motives are:
Church work will better my financial standing. “if he can do it, I can also do it” manifest.I have no job, therefore God’s work is my only alternative. I am too big to work under anyone.

2. Pastoring a church without a distinct call into the office of a pastor (Heb. 5:4).
3. Starting a church because someone suggested it and you think you can do it.
4. Co-founding a church with some other pastors. A man with two head is a monster; a ministry with more than one head will end in confusion.
A lot of churches are daily dividing, scattering the sheep and wounding the souls because the foundation was faulty.
There cannot be two set-men, there will always be one set-man and many vision helpers (Ezekiel 22:30)
5. Hunting for straying believers to serve as foundation members for the new church. This is very destructive, unless the foundation is sure on the house will collapse.
You shouldn’t use broken blocks to set your foundation. When starting your ministry, seek after the lost and disciple them. If you see a man changing church 4 times a year, he is a problem, he will burn down your work!
6. Thinking that any church that is growing rapidly must either be compromising or be using charms.
Everyone must be careful at this junction! Your work is big enough to occupy you, don’t be a busy-body in other men’s affairs.
7. Bringing other pastors down so the members can come to you.
If you do your work well, your sheep will come to you. Only Jesus needed to go down so you can climb up. There are many stars in the sky and all of them shine. The shinning of one does not hinder the brightness of the other!
8. Lack of specific vision. Ministries without vision will scatter in confusion. Vision is the precise definition of your destination. A church without vision will only be duplicating other churches’ mission.
9. Living hypocritical life. When you don’t live what you are preaching, your church will be dying gradually.
10. Trying to do everything by yourself. Rome was not built on a day. People must grow, opportunities to good, opportunities to make mistakes and he be corrected. Those who will not delegate will suffocate.
11. Getting entangled in secret moral scandals. There is nothing secret that will not be made open. You are involved in God’s work, and nothing is hidden from his sight.
12. Thinking that God is not interested in numbers.
13. Believing that quality is better than quantity, forgetting that good biblical quality must multiply and become quality.
14. Stylishly sending away sinners from the church, thinking that the church is only for the saints. Meanwhile as far as God is concerned the sheep and the goat must grow together, until the time of harvest when the two will be separated from one another. the church is an hospital.
15. Doing God’s work in the energy of the flesh. Pastoral work is a spiritual assignment, unless the spirit leads you, you can’t experience the desired lifting.
16. Running around without genuine effective prayers.
The work of the ministry cannot be done in the energy of the flesh. We are not fighting against flesh and blood. As a Pastor, you are in the forefront of a spiritual battle and you cannot afford to be prayerless.
17. Using all your time to pray and expecting heaven to do the rest. God answers prayers, but men take steps. And until steps are taken, signs will be absent.
18. Refusal of reward committed members with what eyes can see. Christian literature, certificate of merit, special dinner etc will go a long way. You can even organize a yearly award right.
19. Continuing a dying program even when it is no longer productive or making the necessary impact.
20. Refusal to improve your speaking ability which can be done by listening to your own tape, doing some English exercises and listening to other people.
21. Thinking that big programme can only be initiated when there is big money on the ground.
22. Pursuing money instead of pursuing souls.
If you have enough souls money will come. God is not keeping the record of your money but He is keeping the record of the souls you are winning!
23. Pursuit of tradition saying “we must continue the way we’ve always done it, nothing must change”
24. Refusal to use new people in church services.
25. Allowing the rich in the church to influence his day to day decisions.
26. Treating everybody equally. This looks like a virtue but the truth is that not everybody is equal, and they cannot be treated equally.
27. Treating some people as sacred cow, talking with prejudice and judging with sentiments.
28. Refusal to discipline some people because of their usefulness in the church and their perceived indispensability.
29. Forgetting that the church is a voluntary organization where people can come and go at will.
This is why you must not be talking to your members as if they are slaves or nonentities. Don’t use corporal punishment as a form of discipline: when people are well instructed, they will perform well.
30. Complaining of sheep stealing when members leave for another church. It should be noted that sheep will always go for greener pastures. However there are goat-like sheep who loves wandering about from one prophet to another, collecting prayers like basket and not retaining any.
The Pastor should (i) Impact confidence into them
(ii) Let them be involved in service
(iii) Pray for them not to enter into trap of the enemy.
31. Using position to tie people down in the church with no regard for their maturity in God and understanding.
People are easy to hire and difficult to fire, you must therefore be careful so you don’t initiate a civil war against yourself.
32. Not releasing those who want to leave the church unto their destiny and callings. There are people who are with you presently for training and exposure. At the right time they must leave, if you try to keep than you are keeping trouble!
33. Not realizing that the church is made up of different kind of people: Judas, Thomas, Absalom, Peter, John etc. Expecting everyone to be behaving in the same way!
34. Blaming the people, the church members for lack of progress. This should not be so. Whenever a vehicle is not performing up to the expected standard, you don’t blame the passengers but the driver.
35. Not training the members or the workers but expecting them to be productive and perform excellently well.
36. Sharing responsibility according to charisma and not character, forgetting that God does not look as man looketh.
37. Getting angry publicly and showing it to such an extent that church members will begin to beg them.
38. Disallowing women from becoming their best in God. Remember, in the upper room, women were there!
39. Preaching as moved by the Holy Spirit without specific outline / preparation … which would have been useful for record purposes.
40. Not recording your messages. Every unrecorded message is a pitiable loss of part of tomorrow.
41. Door-step harvest. Not going out for souls but expecting them to come in into the church. Pulpit preaching is no alternative to outreaching.
42. Exposing yourself to HIV of ministry. HIV means Having Insufficient Vision. Once there is nothing to pursue people become flabby and slothful. And ultimately there will be no energy, no zeal, no achievement.
43. Developing Hold The Forth mentality. When a Pastor has decided to hold the forth it is assumed that he is under heavy attack. Meanwhile we are supposed to be on the offensive.
44. Sticking to old methods and desiring to climb new heights.
Old methodology will rarely produce new result. You must seek divine wisdom in order to get distinct results.
45. Overlooking some units in the churches not been too significant forgetting that different things attract different people.
46. Struggling with church diseases that could be tackled and subdued with some simple steps e.g.
Sociological strangulation
Hyper-cooperatism
Old Age
47. Patching with sin and corruption on the altar.
The altar is a dignified place and should be kept sanctified. When you notice “workers of iniquity” deal with them decisively or your effectiveness will be undermined!
48. Complaining about limited growth instead of appreciating God for the present state, so He could do more.
49. Excessive use of committees, which though encourages participation, could precipitate inefficiency & wasting of time.
50. Not trusting subordinates, thinking always that there may be break-away.
Despite the frequency of break-away, you will still need to trust your subordinates. You only need to be careful not to put all the burden of the ministry around one person.
Handle you Aaron appropriately and teach your people the power of loyalty.