I OWE YOU NO APOLOGY, DEVIL

 *I owe you no apology, Satan!*

PNUR Global Day of Fasting and Prayers 01/02/2024

_Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." She kept this up for many days. Finally, Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her Acts 16:16-18NIV_

Glory to master Jesus Christ for another wonderful opportunity to appear before our God. Every Thursday our God has graciously granted all members of PNUR all over the world access into His presence. Our God says that we could come. We are on a special appointment and by His special grace, we don’t take it for granted. We have come to know that prayer is the opportunity that God has given to us to say something about our lives and to respond to all the arguments going on against us. Failure to pray at the time of prayer is like surrendering ourselves to the conclusion other people would make about us. We are too wise for us.

The devil, the enemy of our souls and who also hates the fulfillment of our divine destiny would want to put obstacles on our paths; he would want to make it look like we are doing something wrong if we serve our God the way we should. Hence, today we declare to him that we owe him no apology.

Taking a look at our main text, it is important to observe that the slave girl was able to accurately tell people what the future held for them, but she did it through a spirit of divination. She was also able to decode the identity and mission of Paul’s team, and that was still through the operations of a demon spirit. This should blow an alarm for every genuine child of God who erroneously believed that if the prediction is accurate, then it is from God.

Many people have been misled by this kind of thing but before long, they found themselves in circumstances set up to achieve satan’s purpose for them; to steal, to kill and to destroy John 10:10. Let me state here that fact is not truth. Satan and his agents can tell you the fact but the truth only comes from God. Fact can change with time but truth remains truth even if we refuse to recognize it.

The discomfort that Apostle Paul felt was the agitation of the Holy Spirit within him. We cannot overemphasize the importance of listening to the Holy Spirit in every moment and circumstances. There are people who are currently “enjoying” themselves where they are now and they cannot understand why they feel discomfort despite everything seeming alright on the outside. It could be that the Holy Spirit is trying to warn them of danger.

It could be in a budding relationship or a kind of a job or even membership in a particular church; there is this inexplicable discomfort. That was the way Paul felt and he decided to try something. He addressed the “friendly spirit” in the name of Jesus Christ. It is possible that he did not know it was a demon. Perhaps he thought it was the gift of prophecy but it turned out to be a demon. Here we come again to something I have been hammering on over the years; learn to do warfare prayers as often as you can. Conclude your Thanksgiving with warfare prayers; conclude your confession of sins with warfare; conclude your requests and petitions with warfare prayers. Demons and agents of darkness lurk around every corner and we ought to know how to bind and cast them out of our space. That was how the Apostle found out. Fire and smoke will often drive out hidden animal enemies. He addressed it by the power in the name of Jesus Christ, and Bam! It was a demon because the spirit flew away.

Some reading this now are in a relationship where they are not permitted to pray and they don’t ask, Why.

Some are promised marriage if they are willing to stay in the relationship and keep the Church out of their home. They have not asked, Why.

Some are employed in places where they are warned not to mention the name of Jesus Christ or even try to show their bible on their office desk. They have not asked, Why.

If this is your present state, take my advice and leave that place. You are toying with your eternal soul.

_What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? Matt 16:26NIV_

There is nothing in this life worth sacrificing your soul for. If they don’t want Jesus Christ, then that place is not for you.

You may not observe any visible sign but the Holy Spirit keeps agitating in your spirit. You can do what Paul did; take one of our Prayer Collections and start warfare prayers. Who knows, you might be cohabiting with demons.

They did not see that coming. The devil and his agents would want to dictate the terms of your relationship with them. They are of darkness, so cannot endure the presence of light. Their intention has always been that we should put off the light. Children of God will suffocate in the absence of the Holy Spirit and light. But when we turn on our light, satan is in trouble. That was the point they tried to make Paul regret his actions; they beat them up and threw them into the prison. Hear me, it is better you die in prison than you perish in the process of trying to keep a friendly relationship with evil men.

Paul and his partner were put in the prison because they dared to address those demons in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. I can hear Paul in my spirit saying, “I owe you no apology”

_About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose Acts 16:25-26NIV_

Hmm!

Praying and singing hymns in the prison? It is not the likely thing to do. Most people would grumble and complain in such a situation. After all they had the conflict when they tried to defend God’s interest. Take note that the other prisoners heard them. It did not matter whether they prayed and sang hymns, or grumbled and complained; the people around would still have heard them.

Are you a child of God that is passing through some difficulties now? It does not matter what you say or do when everything is going well for you. The real content of your character is revealed when you face trials because of your faith in Jesus Christ. Prov.24:10.

They were in the same prison compound with them and we are not told what the other prisoners did when they were thrown into the prison but obviously they were not believers and so did not have the privilege of a living prayer-answering God and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit that made Paul and his teammate to pray and sing in the prison.

Another thing we can learn from this is that we ought to make our relationship and walk with God solid because that will show when pressure of life comes on us. We can see that pressure comes on everyone but their reaction only exposes the stuff they were made of. 1 Cor. 10:13, Prov. 24:10

The background of our main text is that Paul and his team came into a particular territory and a lady with a spirit of divination felt that they could be friends and ministry partners if they would not disturb her demons. They were free to preach the gospel if only they will not disturb her demons. She and her masters would willingly give some financial support to them, if only they would not disturb her demons.

This is the kind of thing satan is asking from believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. They are asking believers to lay aside the basic principles of our faith, so we can dwell together. In some ecumenical circles you are asked to pray without mentioning the name of Jesus Christ. They will serve and worship their demons; we should not complain about their sin lifestyles but should even permit them to practice them in our churches.

Peter was told to keep Jesus Christ out of his conversation and ministry.

_Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." Acts 4:18-20NIV_

Like most believers of today, Apostle Paul permitted this relationship for “many days”, and everything was going on fine for them. But that was contrary to the will of the Holy Spirit. It was the Holy Spirit that called them out,

_While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Acts 13:2NIV_

We cannot have true success if our present position or comfort is contrary to the reason why the Holy Spirit started the work in our lives. This is something every child of God needs to keep in mind. God does not judge things based on how comfortable we are with them, and the amount of money we bring to church while practicing such things. God judge things based on his kingdom agenda for you and those concerned.

To continue in such a relationship is what is called compromise. The truth is that once a child of God says, No, to compromise, persecution follows. You will begin to see the true nature of the people you thought were your friends. Satan and his agents know that our God hates compromise. They know that for as long as God is concerned, compromise means a total rejection of God.

_You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? James 4:4-5NIV_

In the face of such persecutions, the great news is that God never forsakes His own. If you will stick out your neck for God, God will stick out His neck for you. Apostle Paul and his team stood for God and God stood for them and manifested for them in a great way, even in the prison, leading to the saving of more souls. When they were living in compromise, they could not have result in their ministry. But when they declared their total stand for God, God manifested His power for them.

There are people who are currently asking God to manifest for them but they are not ready to declare their total stand for God. The bible has shown that God never forsakes His own. We should not fear any kind of persecution but through the power of the Holy Spirit position ourselves to confront every activity of satan and his agents.

Prayer is the way and key to do so. If we are in the attitude of continuing prayers,

1. We will be ever ready for all circumstances

2. We will be in a position where God can easily reach and warn us about danger

3. We will have the requisite anointing presence to meet every spiritual circumstances

4. We will have our anticipated result because the prayer of a person filled and led by the Holy Spirit is full of divine power.

5. We will eventually emerge victorious in all conflicts that we engage in the name of Jesus Christ.

That is why I invite you in today’s PNUR Global Day of Fasting and Prayers to stand up in faith and pick up those power Prayer Collections and engage in radical prayers. You may not know what you are praying about, you have to pray all the same. Remember I told you to deal with demons and all agents of darkness through warfare prayers. Say those prayers in faith and I will hear your testimony very soon.

Remember to encourage people around you to join.

Remember to write down your personal prayer requests and choose location and time for your private praying.

You can make request for a specific Prayer Collection to meet your needs.

You should know that I am praying for you.

Emma your brother pnurnigeria@gmail.com