Author: Portalsgate

Portalsgate is an itinerary ministry which offers a well-balanced biblical resource for personal and corporate church development. It's founder, Isaiah-Phillips Akintola has pioneered various initiatives in the past 27 years, from local church establishment to developing leaders in the corporate world and in the body of Christ. He has continued to foster the spiritual development of men and women who are team players in key leadership positions today. His passion to see a well balanced, equipped, developed and functional (body of Christ) ecclesia is evidently clear in his concept of prophetic teaching and in the delivering of his assigned apostolic mandate, which is guided on the core footing of the revelation of Jesus Christ. He has continued to apply his prophetic intercessory depth and insight to raise a generation of young leaders who can engage their lives and the larger society with a keen sense of a powerful creative prophetic competence. These young leaders, like Joseph or David, can display multidimensional (skill) grace as the needs arises to lead, guide and offer solution in various fields of life. One of his ultimate desire is to see the ecclesia in his generation function as a perfected corporate man, living in the full, authentic manifestation of an apostolic culture also known as the unity of the faith. The days are upon the Church where we need to arise and build an apostolic system of existence that doesn't only have the capacity to preserve the ancient truth, but also carries the capacity and grace to advance the purposes of Christ and his kingdom within the interiors and exteriors of all human existence. He believes that truth once preserved and passed down through the sacrificial lives of the Saints should be given the voice to speak among the nations. The accurate representation and proclamation of ancient apostolic truth has never been so eminent. I believe it is my duty as the Lord's Portal in this epic to remind readers of this blog of their responsible to preach, teach, preserve and advance the undiluted message of the kingdom of God without delay or compromise. The kingdoms of these world shall become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ...
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DIVINE INTENTION IN NATION BUILDING

On By PortalsgateIn Church leadership, Kingdom life Principles, leadership, Prophetic perspective to current events, Socioeconomic issues, spiritual leadership, the kingdom of GodLeave a comment

 

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One of the subtlest deceptions Satan is peddling amongst modern {secular} society is that ‘the knowledge and wisdom of God is not relevant or progressive enough, in playing a strategic role in the formation of policies that defines the transformation of good governance, most especially in areas of socioeconomic agendas.

 

This fallacy is already disproved when one carefully examines the history of human society’s development. The founding fathers of most countries, including Europe and the United State of America, all draw the inspiration of their national identity and constitution formation from the Holy Bible. Science and nature itself proves that nothing of its own self can exist without drawing its source from something else. Everything in life is directly or indirectly linked to a source, or to resource another. This is the concept of a perfect ecosystem.

 

The source of man is God, and he is totally designed to depend on the wisdom and direction of God’s Spirit, particularly in times of political and socioeconomic uncertainty. Therefore, if the 21st century community of nations, including South Africa is going to survive the challenges of the unfolding future, the wisdom of God must be embraced at all levels of governance. God, the creator of life, gave man an unlimited ability to imagine, and create, and the reason for is for man’s personal and corporate development, and not to foolishly challenge the wisdom and authority of his creator.

God breathe into man his own very {life} Spirit, giving him unparalleled access into his creative power nature. None of the created beings of God, including {Satan} Lucifer, has such access and opportunity. This ability was designed to help him explore, discover and {create} invent things for the improvement of his society. This was a clear fact in the Garden of Eden.

 

Adam was given the key to the Garden of Eden. He was giving the responsibility to nature and nurture the animals in the garden. It is important that we remember that all discoveries or inventions came from an existing reality somewhere deep within the Spirit of God. All things exist in God and function perfectly through his Spirit. Without him, nothing exists both in the visible or invisible realm.

There are depths of God within the creative nature of the spirit and the soul of man that are yet to be uncovered. The rebellious and prideful nature of the fallen man has continued to hinder and pervert his creativeness, such that, many among the humanist liberal movements today, view following the ways and wisdom of Christ as a hindrance to social and economic progression.

 

This continuous, promoted lies amongst the mainstream churches, particularly in Europe, has led many members of the Body of Christ to stop following the pathway of the Spirit of truth, and this has opened the church to all kinds of strange doctrine and liberal acceptance.

The spirit and the soul of man are designed by God, the creator to walk in harmony with his truth in order for it to reach the zenith of his creative and productive destiny. Therefore, when we go to school to learn, education should not be offered in a way that portrays God as a liar or even non-existed.

The reality is, facts are based on evidential truth presented; the truth can only be accessed when one genuinely encounters him, who is the source of all truth-Jesus Christ. Today’s society might not have had the opportunity to hear this true gospel of Christianity, however, the time has come for architects of tomorrows society to start inculcating this knowledge in the mentality of man.

 

This is what needs to be reformed as we continue as the remnant members of the Church of the Lord continue to represent Christ kingdom in the earth. Therefore, separating state and religion was designed by humanistic philosophy in trying to disconnect the influence of the laws of God from redeeming and transforming society in a way where equalization of state power and resource becomes the building blocks of all members of the society.

 

While I believe without doubt that the founding fathers of the modern philosophy of democracy had the intention of a balance of power, however, a lot still needs to be clear in the process of reforming and broadening the values of democracy. Righteousness in its true definition should be the solid foundation of any nation’s leadership that honestly seeks the wellbeing of its citizens, and we must pursue such position of rightness within all sphere of our national life.

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A TRIBUTE TO A POLITICAL LEADERSHIP ICON, WINNIE MADIKIZELA MANDELA

On By PortalsgateIn dealing with the issues of the Soul, Kingdom life Principles, leadership, Socioeconomic issues, youth related issuesLeave a comment

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A TRIBUTE TO A POLITICAL LEADERSHIP ICON,

WINNIE MADIKIZELA MANDELA

BY ISAIAH-PHILLIPS AKINTOLA

In my growing up to the cognizance of some of the key leadership vanguards, shaping the political and socioeconomic narrative of the state of South Africa, Winnie Mandela style of leadership has been one of those out of the many entities that never stop to catch my attention. To write about women in Frontline, global political leadership, her life will certainly qualify as one. For the single fact that her entire life as a youth, wife, and mother was dedicated to the struggle of her nation’s freedom from the devilish, apartheid, minority leadership junta.

when destiny calls

Here is a woman, like any other young ambitious lady, whose dream and heart’s desire is to be married to a visionary man, who will dedicate his life and career to building a successful, stable, growing family, with the children being able to look up to their parents for love, care, security, provision, and other forms of spiritual, psychological, and emotional sustenance. Yet, the opposite was the case for this great leadership icon, who lived and dedicated almost her entire life to fighting for something she could never or would have never imagined.

The life of Winnie Madikizela is a life of selfless-sacrifice that needs to be understood in context; appreciated, and truly celebrated not just by the nation of South Africa, but in the hearts of every young woman, growing up in this 21st century society, particularly, in the Southern African regions, enjoying at least today, the fruit of a protracted battle of political freedom.

the making of leaders of nations

A nation is made of various unique characters of men and women at the hem of its leadership affairs. Some are strategically born and groomed to take up leadership position at various levels of socioeconomic space. While in some other cases, many are drawn into leadership space by the virtue of their proximity to people of great influence in society.

Yet, there is another group of those in leadership, who have been trained, prepare and groomed within the hard environment of the struggle of marginalization, racism, poverty and inequality they see and feel amongst their own countrymen and woman. This third kind of leaders are usually more authentic and practical in their Leadership calling assignment because the agonizing cry of the need of the people is what fashioned their spirit, soul, and body to embrace the call to a voice and the servant of representation on behalf of the people.

There are many who have come into positions of leadership by dispossession through the barrel of a gun. And they’re those who actually think that authentic leadership is truly acquired just by the voter’s box, at least, we now know this is also not completely true, since those in power are usually known to buy the votes of the already impoverished and marginalized majority.

the call of true leadership

Leadership is a call to respond to the desperate needs of the voiceless and the powerless in society, regardless of their political or religious affiliations. Leadership is birthed by various occasions that calls for our response and solidarity to the critical needs and condition of the mass.

These individuals, who seldom understand, or rather choose not to understand the narrative of some narrow-minded bureaucracy definition of democratic process of negotiations, in their own rights, find their leadership voice and authority within the environment of marginalization and dignity of the impoverished to stand up and fight without flinching

These struggles highlight the underlined character values, and the philosophy that shapes the leadership direction of these men and women. Yet, beyond this, the character values of these icons also impact the history of their people, and determines to a large degree, the future trajectory of the entire nation and regions. Within the struggle for emancipation at all levels, the gray lines of our weakness and strength become even more visible for others to criticize while it gives others the opportunity to assist in covering until that singular mission of liberation and transformation is achieved.

Leadership, particularly, within the scope of national reform, transformation and unity, requires men and women with strong insight, wisdom, and adaptive value system of operation. A character that doesn’t see the challenge and allow itself to collapse within it, but rather see a way out, and willing to follow that pathway until the light at the end of the tunnel becomes glaring for all to see and embrace. Today, Winne Mandela exemplifies these qualities of character amongst those who have greatly shaped and influence the transformative, ongoing program of this great nation.

Was her life a perfect leadership model, certainly not. Did she give her heart to Christ before she died? Well, I don’t honestly know. I believe only those who are very close to her will be able to testify of her personal and spiritual stand with the Lord, and if she did, only the father will be able to ascertain such confession, and it will certainly be great if that is the case.

leadership is beyond what we will ever understand

One thing I do know, and is worth acknowledging, and that is, she served her nation and generation, and that is something noteworthy and appreciating by all prophetically sighted spiritual gatekeepers over this realm.

it’s beyond religion

As new leadership begins to emerge in the refining of the prophetic destiny of this nation, it is our duty as prophetic watchmen, who are positioned on the ramp, to continue to observe and highlight the inflow and outflow of the various shifts in leadership seasons. There is no doubt, a generation of leaders within the context of the struggle and revolution is passing away, and a new order of leadership within the narrative of a new nation is being born.

learning from the past in engaging the future

The great question is, how aware and prepared is the current youthful, western culture, materialistic driven South African Millennials ready in effectively engaging the next political and economic leadership landscape of the nation? These are some important questions we need to start asking even as the concept of leadership narrative changes from all spectrums. There’s a need to learn from the past concept of leadership as the old guard fades way.  But most importantly, there is serious need to precisely understand the nature of the future before us, in order to know the necessary models of changes required in making the required move in leadership. As South Africa learns and celebrate the sacrificial service of such woman like Winnie Madikizela Mandela, we need to craft a new, resilient, strategy leadership competent for the future ahead. it’s no more time to waste! We celebrate the life of Ma Minnie Mandela!  

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A PRAYER OF SPIRITUAL RESTORATION

On By PortalsgateIn Church leadership, daily inspiration, dealing with the issues of the Soul, Discipleship, Kingdom life Principles, leadership, Let us pray, prayer, Prophetic ministry, Spiritual Renewal, Spiritual transition, spirituality, the kingdom of GodLeave a comment

 

 

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BY ISAIAH-PHILLIPS AKINTOLA

A PRAYER WE ALL CAN PRAY TOGETHER IN THIS NEW DAY.
IN CASE YOU NEED A RESTORATION IN YOUR LIFE OR MINISTRY AS MOST OF US DO, THEN, THIS INSPIRED WORDS OF PRAYER MIGHT JUST HELP YOU RE-START THE PROCESS IN THIS DAY OF HONORING THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

ANYONE CAN PRAY THIS PRAYER, AND YOU CAN ALWAYS RETURN BACK TO IT WHENEVER YOU FEEL LIKE IT.

 

Father, as I join millions of the body of Christ to commemorate and honor the glorious reality of the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary over 2000 years ago.

I————–dedicate my entire spirit, soul, and body anew to you this day. I offer myself as a new living sacrifice, holy and acceptable for you and you alone.

I return to the place of the renewal of the covenant and relationship you made with me and my generation. I come this day to the place of your mercy, goodness, and forgiveness. I have come to the place of your cleansing with pure water of your word, for your word is truth.

I come to your mercy seat. Father, in the name of your Son Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who died to give me a new life, eternal joy and hope, I declare with my lips this day that I belong to you, and you alone. Like the prodigal son, I return home to you, my first and only true love.

 

 Forgive me for taking advantage of my position as a son in the house; forgive me for spending and wasting my inheritance on things that carries no eternal value.  Forgive me for taking advantage of your love and provision as a son. Forgive me for not waiting on you, and for you to continue to provide for me according to your progressive plan and purpose for me.

Forgive me for not trusting in you even though I daily profess your name. I repent for looking into the world system to meet my needs and supplies even though they never satisfy. Forgive me of my lack of understanding of your ways and intent even when you’ve made it so clear in your word.

 Forgive me of my insecurity when you are my father; teach me to embrace your fatherhood and love in this spirit of love and sincerity.  This day, I realize that without the ongoing reality of Christ truth, growing and expanding  daily in my thoughts, emotions, and desire, I will slide back down to seeking worldly things in trying to meet my needs.

I acknowledge that nothing in this current, dysfunctional world system can give me a lasting satisfaction; no money, fame, influence, individuals, position, and calling can replace your peace, faith, joy and hope in my life.

I come to the place of the cross; the place of abandonment of my fear, sorrow, failures, weakness, shame, greed, pride, and self-serving attitude. I take up my cross this day, and I chose to follow you to the place of death, where it will no longer be I who lives but Christ, the hope of all glory.

I declare with my mouth that I am not ashamed of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is the power of salvation and redemption of all creation, young, and old, rich or poor. Grant me the understanding to know that my first priority in life, regardless of my position of influence is to win abiding souls into your kingdom.

Awaken my love and passion for your assignment in my heart again. Help me to shift awsu from the self-centered narrative of the gospel. Grant me grace and boldness like you granted David, Ruth, Joseph, Esther, Daniel and his company to stand firm in this hour of the fallen away. Grant me your love and compassion to see the Whitefield, ready for harvest.

Make me again a passionate instrument and vessel of your harvest for my community and generation. Rebrand me with your Spirit that releases kingdom passion and compassion heart for the poor and spiritually blind and confused.

Grant me again the quickening Spirit that resurrected my Lord after three days from the grave. Quicken me by your wonderful Spirit. Let this new day of resurrection bring me to a place of spiritual height and rest; it’s my desire to accelerate in my calling and purpose.
Awaken my spirit with boldness, courage, and wisdom to see the world the way you see it, and approach it the way you desire me to approach it. Help me to hear the joyful sound of your Spirit, calling out a generation that will stand out for you in this third day reformation.

Grant me again a broken and a contrite heart that will stand firm with the truth. Yes, it is my desire to stand and advance the ministry of your truth in this season, particularly, as the message of materialism takes deep root within the hearts of men across the church.

Help me not to compromise my position with you. Grant me the revelatory wisdom to carry enough midnight oil, in waiting for you, and your prophetic intent of my community, city, and generation. Help me not to go into slumber.

Grant me the strength of heart to wait upon you in all things. Father, I receive your love; the love you gave me and the rest of creation when my Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross.

 I receive the love you showed the church when you resurrected him on the third day. Yes, I receive the love and glory you manifested during his forty days of preaching and teaching about his kingdom after his resurrection.

I receive the love and revelatory knowledge of the ascended life and nature; yes father, I am seated with you this day in heavenly places, far above all principalities, wicked spirits, and powers in heavenly places. I take my place of eternal victory in you over the forces of darkness. I take my stand as your representative and ambassador in the earthy and heavenly spheres.

I declare that I have victory over every false unhealed emotion that seeks to control and manipulate me. My feelings, this day receives the healing balm of your word and Spirit.

I bind my thoughts, desires, passions, feeling, and my entire emotional sensory faculties to the staying power of the word of life. I will no longer be ruled and controlled by my old appetites and desires.

I speak your quietness and rest to my mind and soul.  I declare this day that my spirit, soul, and body is in agreement to God’s divine agenda. My destiny is anchored on Christ eternal plan for me and my family. I do not give in the spirit of humanism; I am sent to represent the kingdom of God here on earth.

Therefore, my entire intent and objectives streams towards fulfilling my assigned, prophetic mandate. I have grace that abounds unto all good works. I have more than enough to carry and fulfill Christ ultimate desire for my life and family.

I am secure in Christ. I am perfect in Christ. I am healed in Christ. I am blessed and highly favored in Christ. My destiny is in Christ. I will not fail nor be destroyed by the enemy for I know that he who has begun a good work in me this day will perfect it unto the day of his glorious appearance.

I am counted as a true citizen of the commonwealth of heaven. Greater is he who is in me than the spirit of worry, doubt, anxiety, fear, disparity, rejection, racism, lack, and poverty in the world system.

 I declare this day that I bring a new fragrance of hope and life to creation. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I stand for peace, justice, equity, reformation, transformation and development in my community, city, and the world at large.

 

I will no longer be silenced by the enemy. I shall no longer be afraid to declare where I stand. I will not be side-lined by my weakness and limitation, for I can do all things assigned to me as ministry in Christ Jesus.

I proclaim that I am a member of the ecclesia of God in the earth, and through me, the knowledge of the glory of Christ is covering the earth as the waters covers the sea. I will live and not die to continue to raise the standard of the advancement of the kingdom of God wherever I go.

I am now a renewed, reengineered, and re-empowered saint who will continue to show the love and goodness of my father to a world that desperately need Christ. I will allow my life to be a salt and light to my family, colleagues, and community.

Thank you for supplying all my needs according to your riches and wisdom in Christ Jesus. I wait for your best time and season in meeting all things.

Thank you, Jesus Christ, for dying and resurrecting for me and my generation.  I will always put my trust and hope in you regardless of the trial and challenges you may allow to come my way. I believe they are there to build and perfect me into all good works.

May your kingdom continue to prosper through my hands within the church community and everywhere I go to represent you.  You are sovereign in all things, and nothing is out of control with you. Your kingdom is now advancing in me and through me,and the gates of hell shall not prevail over me and your corporate church.

 

Thank you for a new day and a new season of resurrection in my life, family, and ministry. In Jesus Christ name I pray Amen.

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THE PROGRESSIVE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

On By PortalsgateIn Apostolic Doctrine and Reformation, Church leadership, Discipleship, Kingdom life Principles, spiritual journey, spiritual leadership, Spiritual transition, spirituality, the kingdom of GodLeave a comment

 

 

the progressive revelation of christ
Recalibrating the revelation of
the pattern son in the church

 

BY ISAIAH-PHILLIPS AKINTOLA

2 Corinthians 5:16-17
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

We can know Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the son of Joseph and Mary, and build an embankment around this rich, historical narrative of the gospel, or better still, camp around the wonderful, miraculous, ‘bless me type of ministry’ that surrounds the narrow minded, religious, material gospel philosophy we’re witnessing today, and never really proceed further to experience his full spiritual richness in our lives and ministries.

The fallen, religious human mind is a very complex faculty in that it’s been tutored and programmed to see and even create its own reality of ‘truth’ from a very narrow, self-serving, idealistic perspective, and this can really limit us from pressing into the scope of discovering the revelatory depth of who Jesus Christ ought to be in and through our lives. A proper, honest examination of our spiritual footing will greatly explain our current spiritual configuration, priority, and the quality of knowledge we are presently pursuing in the environment of kingdom expression.

 

In my personal walk with the Lord and the experience I have witnessed from others, I’ve discovered that we can easily be limited, or sometimes be imprisoned in the religious environment and traditional perspective, we grew up even as tongue talking, charismatic, Pentecostal Christians. I have therefore sought to use this short note to highlight some of the credible, important truth we’ve learned, but have also been discovered to be grossly limiting in our theological and spiritual experience in truly moving on to discover the ascended Christ in his full glory and sovereignty. We must all seek to press beyond the 30, and 60-fold experience of our walk with the Lord to that realm of fullness of revelatory insight and experience after the resurrected, ascended life in Christ.

 

While many of us might have started our journey of the knowledge of Jesus Christ the son of Joseph and Mary, the carpenter who stepped into ministry at the age of 30 years with great powerful miracle and healing ministry behind him. We must also, however, thrive in our quest to know the Jesus Christ, who sat in mount Olive and taught us some of the most powerful, systematic human interpersonal concept of relationship. [Mathew chapter 5, 6, and 7]

Further still, we need to press into, and beyond knowing the Jesus Christ, the son of man and the son of God, with great healing and miracle ministry who could see into people’s hearts and intentions even before they open their mouth. Still, we can further go on to know the Jesus Christ, who is the son of man and the son of God who did more than feeding, healing, and providing for the domestic, socioeconomic needs of people as highly important and necessary these various aspects of Christ ministry is to man.

Yet, we must proceed beyond this great knowledge of the Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who fights our battles for us and provides for all our needs, to the Jesus Christ, whose ultimate desire is to be our king and lord regardless of our status and condition in life.
Meaning that we must go on to know the Jesus Christ who is the king of kings and lord of lords. Meaning that this revelation of Jesus Christ must see all human authority has one that comes from him directly or indirectly.

This revelation of Jesus Christ of Nazareth understands that no authority on earth or in the heaven exist without his knowledge and approval. This kind of spiritual insight requires a different pattern of thinking to accept and embrace this profound theological concept of Christ sovereignty, when one considers all the evil, tyrannical rulers the world has experienced, and some are still witnessing unfortunately in some regions of the world today. All authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus Christ, the son of the living God.

Yet, still, we must proceed to know that Jesus Christ is far beyond his position of power and authority over all forms of darkness and evil system. We also need to know by revelation and deep experience, the all compassionate, loving heart of Jesus Christ for all humans of all race, color, tongue and tribe, and all creation seen and unseen.

It will however also be presumptive to stop our knowledge and acknowledgement of Christ even from this grand position of truth. The current, increasing culture of a utilitarian gospel cannot, and will never bring us to the true scope of identifying and interacting with the ascended revelatory life of Christ that is highly needed in efficiently handling the complex challenges of human life.

We will need to understand by heart that all that Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the son of the living God did in his human, earthly ministry is not to be compared to his ascended, revelatory life and nature when we finally move beyond what we’ve seen and experienced before, during, and after the cross. Meaning, what we know from this limited prism of truth and revelation.

We must go on to the realm of the ascended life of the resurrected and ascended Christ to begin to understand his eternal intention and design for us. All we will ever know, experience and receive from Jesus Christ on this side of the eternity is merely a fraction to the ascended revelatory knowledge of who we are, and who Christ is to us. Friends, the revelation of Jesus Christ are in degrees of knowledge and experience regardless of our depth of relationship with Christ.

There’s a Jesus Christ, we know before the cross, there’s a deeper revelation of Christ revealed after his resurrection, which began to reveal Christ from the context of his kingdom purpose. But further still, the full reality of Jesus Christ began to be unveiled to the church when John was banished to the island of Patmos to see and hear the ascended, glorified voice of him who spoke like the voice of many waters who is Christ, the pattern son.

It was from this mountainous island of Patmos, that place of secluded elevation that John was invited to see what no human has ever seen or understood of the true revelatory reality of the ever-increasing life, glory, power, and authority of Jesus Christ who is both a Lion and the Lamb at the same time.

This is the main reason the book of revelation is called the revelation of Jesus Christ. It is important we know that the book of revelation is about the person of Jesus Christ in relationship with his chosen, victorious bride who has made herself ready. Beyond the apocalyptic wars, images, signs, wonders, creatures, and the grand victory of good over evil, the book of revelation is about the unveiling of the glory of Christ, the pattern Son to his conquering, victorious church.

It’s time to go beyond the veil and discover the revelatory life and light revealed between the ministry of the cherubim. It’s time to move to the next reality of our revelatory walk with Christ as we continue to feed on the fruit of the tree of life.

Hebrews 6
1 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.

Let’s go on in search for the eternal, in-depth experience locked in Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.

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11 reasons why Christian cults thrive today

On By PortalsgateIn Apostolic Doctrine and Reformation, Church leadership, dealing with the issues of the Soul, Discipleship, Kingdom life Principles, leadership, Prophetic ministry, spiritual journey, spiritual leadership, spirituality, the kingdom of GodLeave a comment

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11 REASONS WHY CHRISTIAN CULTS THRIVE TODAY

By Isaiah-Phillips Akintola

 

The power of misconception

There’s no doubt that the church of the living God is in one of her best days since its establishment in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. Yet, with the same breath, we are likewise discovering some of the worst character misrepresentation of the church’s identity and spiritual philosophy since its inception. Misconception of the very essence of Christ, and the objective of the kingdom of God within the life of an individual and society generally has been a major tool the enemy has employed to promote his lies and deception, particularly within the mainstream church today.

There are critical questions every person who decides to go on with Christ needs to honestly answer to avoid being led astray by what can be termed as Christian cult. Christian cult is when individuals who claim to be representing Jesus Christ takes a principle, a word or statement, or could be a value standard in the bible to establish, or promote a false, self-centered agenda that does not glorify the father’s divine intention for his church and the society.

Furthermore, Christian cult is when we take the most sacred values and principles of God, and his kingdom and try to fit them into our own idealistic narrative and paradigm of spirituality. In other instances, we systematically extract the consequence of not adhering to a divine standard, or the core values within the word of God, and then cleverly use the philosophy of Babylon to try to explain our way out of such biblical injunction.

While in other cases, we reduce the sovereignty of the Father to the concept of what is good or evil which in most cases are captured in the spirit of how we’ve come to understand justice from the viewpoint of a humanist democratic philosophy. The need for sound biblical footing in the initiative of forming the right world view is one of the most critical objective of being part of the corporate body of Christ which does manifest in various forms, shapes and sizes.

 

Everyone came to Christ with a formed pattern of thinking

When you read the book of Act you’ll immediately notice the amount of time prioritized by the elders of the early church to teach and train the numbers of new convert being added to them by the Lord. New converts who accepted the Lord in most cases, already have well-established value standard and belief system that has shaped how they see and think, and it is the duty of the church to systematically change or correct these old, erroneous perspectives of life with the preferred biblical world-view that must be done in the spirit of love, care and concern.

When this principle of apostolic teaching is however not prioritized by the church leadership it does not only open the possibility for those new converts to return back to their old ways of lifestyle, but also opens the converts to falsehood and deception, perpetuated in the name of following some deep enlightenment spiritism experience.

Context and the coherency of truth

Our society today is flooded with strange teachers and false prophets who claimed to have been sent by the Lord with some special message from the Lord Jesus Christ himself, and unfortunately, very few within the body of Christ are effectively armed with sound biblical doctrine and the right spiritual lifestyle to challenge the lies being offered to these innocent saints seeking for light and direction.

 Accurate biblical definition brings clarity and context to the coherency of truth; particularly, regarding matters of separating sound spiritual judgement from the promotion of the doctrines of devils as the bible calls them according to 1 Timothy 4:1. What we say, how we say it, and the unspoken motive behind what we say, are all highly critical in dealing with the matter of biblical truth and error.

The best of intentions, or statement made regardless of how biblically accurate they may sound can become misinterpreted, which of cause, will always work as an advantage for the kingdom of darkness which always seek to find loopholes in our concept of handling of the word of God to promote the agendas of darkness.  Arguably, the distortion of truth is one of the deadliest powers behind every thriving, established Christian cult I have seen and studied.

The grand plan of the enemy

There’s a deliberate, strategic ongoing warfare to remove every iota of biblical definition of truth and the eternal values that makes such truth relevant and productive within the values of human relationship and its various sociocultural space. I have long time discovered that the enemy we are dealing with his not really care how successful we think we are; nor is he moved about the number or size of our church auditorium, congregation, or the fact that we preach and teach using correct biblical references to emphasize our dogma.

Neither is the enemy really concerned that you make lots of money, and your business is expanding in leaps and bounds for as long as you do not imbibe the core values and culture of your existence on the footing of the uncompromised ethical biblical value culture.

The kingdom of God is a cultural lifestyle in whose philosophy and ideology is established on the footing of the truth of Christ, and this truth informs the foundation that defines our moral values for establishing relationship and other required sociocultural norms.

If this reality of existence is not clear to us, I can assure you that it’s only a matter of time before you bite the fruit of the three of the knowledge of good and evil which then takes away your consciousness of the presence and essence of the three of life, and this is where many falls under the error of cultism.

The pendulum of truth swings on the balance-scale knowledge of the Son of God, and the humanity ministry of the Son of man. Biblical application of truth hangs on this statement; meaning that the ascended, revelation of Christ as the Son of God, and the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, the son of Joseph and Mary, are two functional, combined entities in one personality.

 For the redemptive work of the father to be accomplished on the earth, the incarnation of Christ into Jesus Christ is necessary, or else the Lord will merely remain a spiritual being floating around without a body to carry out his ordained prophetic mandate in the earth.  The ministry of the Holy Spirit today becomes evident in the earth through two main basic organs which is the evidence of the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the evidence of the ministry of the body of Christ.

Hebrews 10: 5

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;

 As our Lord Jesus Christ, the anointed one, operated in these two realities, every one of us should also learn to function simultaneously in these two dimensions of life without overemphasizing one.  This principle can be located throughout the scriptures, and it is critical we know how they function within and around our called spheres of existence seamlessly.

A truth that is empowers deception

It is regrettable to announce that one of the greatest deception that has ever flooded the gates of society is now coming from inside the church; yes, I mean the charismatic, Pentecostal, apostolic, tongue talking community of believers who have received some measure of insights and truth that is not firmly established on the footing of the absolute revelatory knowledge of the person of wisdom and truth.

The entirety of the truth is a component of various revelatory dimensions and encounters of experience within the embodiment of the person of truth himself, Jesus Christ. But to merely claim as a fact, that Jesus Christ is the embodiment of truth without being able to substantiate this spiritual knowledge with sound biblical facts that produces clarity of insight and understanding, in my sincere opinion, does not do justice to the ministry of truth representation at all.

1 Peter 3:15

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

The truth is given to us in measures of thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and of cause hundredfold accordingly. The challenge here is not the level we are in the scale of received truth, or what we are doing with such measure of truth received, as highly as important as they are; the challenge is, on what spiritual philosophical foundation is that knowledge of biblical truth build on?

This is a very important subject that requires the ministry of the Holy Spirit to thoroughly enlighten us, lest we misunderstand the context of this truth.

How we see, and express truth is still a major issue within the body of Christ today. I’ve discovered two people can be on this same point of truth with two different spiritual lens-view and interpretation. The context to which we accept and relate to the matters of God’s word is as equally important to the revelatory values we extract from the principle of biblical truth.

If our knowledge and expression of truth cannot bring the potential 21st century Ethiopian eunuchs of our time into the kingdom of God, am afraid, such truth is not complete, nor does is it stand on the frame of knowledge for precise, fruitful soul-wining interaction.    

Regrettably, some of the deadliest cults in the world today use the bible as one of their key reference literature text. Why?

1.            Because cults know that many, including Christians, don’t like to read. They see people as naïve and gullible

2.            They have mastered the art of misinterpretation of the truth to suit their own narrative

3.            They know that people generally love and believe the Bible some religious text even though their lives don’t necessarily reflect the values and principle of the bible 

4.            They also know that most Christians don’t engage the painful treadmill to study the bible accurately for themselves

5.            People are hardly knowledgeable about matters of exploring the truth in relating to another world view

6.            They know that very few desire within their hearts the true revelation of Christ as much as they desire the act of ceremonial religious practice

7.            They know that many are desperate for some kind of spiritual awareness, sensation, or experience that is mystical.   

8.            They are aware that most humans are insecure, lonely, and afraid; people want protection and they are willing to pay any price for such protection    

9.            They know that deception can only thrive when there’s a good measure of truth in what they claim to be offering.

10.          They are aware that humans by default are designed to either lead or follow; they, therefore, seek for those who are yet to discover their leadership capacity to follow their diabolical ideology of leading. They recruit these individuals and brainwash them to follow their beliefs without arguing or challenging them what they teach.

11.          They are mostly established in regions and areas where the biblical principle of pathetical values has been contaminated and perverted to service their own agenda. Meaning that, you will usually find them establish their cult centers in places where the whole idea of an overly tradition or even teaching on respect and submission has been stretched to a weapon of manipulation, intimidation and control. This is a dangerous place to find yourself, and unfortunately, we have lots of places like that in Africa.       

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12 REASONS TODAYS CHURCH NEED THE RESTORATIVE, MINISTRY GIFT OF A TEACHER.

On By PortalsgateIn Apostolic Doctrine and Reformation, Church leadership, daily inspiration, dealing with the issues of the Soul, Discipleship, Kingdom life Principles, leadership, Prophetic ministry, Socioeconomic issues, spiritual journey, spirituality, the kingdom of God2 Comments

 

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12 REASONS TODAYS

CHURCH NEED THE RESTORATIVE,

MINISTRY GIFT OF A TEACHER.

 

by Isaiah-Phillips Akintola

  1. He or she carries the grace of clarifying and expositing the various facets of truths within God’s word in the most clear, simplified format of understanding.

 

2.  The teacher caries the gift to simplify and further amplify certain scriptural references that could be defined as hard to understand in the bible.

 

3. A Bible gifted teacher by designed is infused with some of the best qualities of the ministry gift of a prophet, in the sense that he or she carries a rear keen insight into the counsel of God’s truth. He is aware of the broader intention and objectives of the father in the art of applying biblical truth to inform, reform, transform, and ultimately, restore man back to his original position and estate in Christ.

 

4. teacher, by default and the practice of learning, understood the destructive implication of manipulating the written word, and a revelatory, inspired message, to promote certain strange narratives or agenda within the body of Christ.

 

5. The ministry of a teaching priest balances the entire fivefold ministry by the principle values of a sound and a well balanced teaching which includes, rebuking, correction, and training in the art of righteousness. [ A position of right standing before heaven and earth] 2 Timothy 3:16

 

6. The teacher’s main concern is to identify and build the various organs and departments of the body of Christ as an effective outreach, solution driven functional ministry. A teacher equips to release each of his students as a kingdom driven personality, furnished with the philosophy and authority to reach the nation  as primarily ordained as the great commission.

 

7. A teacher is not moved or carried away by the exuberance of its audience. He calm’s them down while imparting truth for the sole purpose of giving insight, wisdom, and understanding to his audience. I have often times witness amongst brethren who claimed to be a voice within the current apostolic circles how the objective of their message was strategically captured by  the crowd they  seek to minister to. They completely lose the spiritual direction and objective of the message mandate to another dominant spirit present in the atmosphere.

The soulish excitement of the mass completely shifts the focus and direction of the message to a different order that merely plays to the very tune the people love to dance to. What a failed messenger. A true teacher of the word defines the parameters of the reach and the atmosphere of his preaching and teaching. No one dares to take control of such sacred space except the Holy Spirit.

 

8. The ministry of the teacher knows how to identify false humanist, or cultic spiritual practices operating within a church community, and he’s got the accurate biblical principles, wisdom, and value order to precisely root out such false doctrines and practice as the bible will prescribe.

 

9. The ministry of the teacher prepares the ecclesia to correctly and effectively handle the practical, socioeconomic and sociocultural issues within society. The teacher helps the church on how to precisely interface its grace and resource with those in charge of institutional governance in the society without necessarily compromising the values of the word of God.

 

10. A true gifted Bible teacher teaches doctrine, not just from the point of theology, but from the ascended perspective of the power of lifestyle. The end-result of a sound kingdom knowledge is the power of lifestyle, and not just the burden of some knowledge that pups up the flesh. A primary aim of a teacher of God’s word seeks to perfect the saints in a manner that hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ back to earth.

 

11. A teacher functions in the position of spiritual maturity; as an elder, he or she is seated at the city gate of wisdom in leading the corporate body of Christ.

 

12. A sound biblical teacher is a wise master builder who is perfected in the art of taking truth from both old and new covenant to establish the current advancement of kingdom initiative.

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HOW FIRM IS YOUR FAITH, AND HOW PREPARED ARE YOU TO DEFEND IT IN A SECULAR SOCEITY? 

On By PortalsgateIn Apostolic Doctrine and Reformation, Church leadership, dealing with the issues of the Soul, Discipleship, Kingdom life Principles, leadership, spiritual journey, spiritual leadership, Spiritual transition, spirituality, youth related issuesLeave a comment

DEFEND-YOUR-FAITH

 

 

HOW FIRM IS YOUR FAITH, AND

HOW PREPARED ARE YOU TO DEFEND IT?

by Isaiah-Phillips Akintola

The father is allowing the New Age culture and philosophy of the days we live in to challenge and make demands on every aspect of what you claim to know or believe, to the level that you will almost begin to doubt even the very experience you once had with God in his presence or at the backside of the wilderness.

The society, many of us live, particularly here in Africa is still very much insulated from the brutal attacks and criticism confronting many of our Christian brethren in Europe, America, and a major part of the Arab world, and am afraid it’s only a matter of time before that flood of full-blown assault reaches our shoreline. My worry however is, how ready and prepared are we taking into the cognizance the weak, unbiblical promotion of what is termed Christianity today.

As long as what determines the major core of our Christianity still centers around personal economic breakthrough, am afraid, we cannot be fully prepared for this evil tide coming. As along as our ideology of Christian faith is still very much tide to our ancestral traditional beliefs and culture, we are not match for the flood of deception coming to sweep many away. For as along as our desire is to merely select what suit our narratives faith for our own self-center gain, we will certainly not be able to stand and challenge the issues of our day.

1 Peter 3:14-17
14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their intimidation; do not be shaken. 15 But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to articulate a defense to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But respond with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you will be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

What a template of truth that lays for us our marching order in engaging the 21st century, humanist, New Age society already knocking down many churches in the west. Unfortunately, I do not think many of our leaders sees the urgency of this eminent battle coming to our shoreline of the church in Africa. Since we live in a borderless cyber world, we need to get our priority straight if we must be prepared to face this assault of hell.

This scripture outline for us what we need to do in terms of positioning ourselves as we respond to the sons of darkness. We will have to go beyond the equation of bible passages to knowing and understanding how to break down the principles and values of truth in a manner that allows us to effectively and strategically answer the hard question of the Pilate, Pharaoh, and the queen of Sheba approaching our kingdom space.

The presumptive and assumptions of Christian theology, and of cause, the populace false sense of spirituality floating around many of our church communities in the last two decades or so, has cost the church dearly, particularly with the teens and young adult. The inability to define, and precisely articulate in clear terms what truth is, and how truth relates to their day today choices and productivity are a major problem I have noticed. When Pilate asked Jesus Christ, what is truth, he was actually echoing the general philosophical challenge the world of his day was faced with.

The lack of a logical sense and the spiritual base to correlate the entire Greek philosophy of spirituality in a powerful political and military dominance of the Roman empire was a major concern not just to Pilate, but to the greater philosophers and thinkers of the ancient world. This philosophical problem explained where the Greeks have so many gods that literally competes with human’s population just like the Hindu religion of India.

What further compounded this issue was the fact that some bunch of so-called illiterates who claimed to be the very custodian of the embodiment of the truth kept preaching and teaching everyone that Christ is the truth, and they were proving the facts of their message both in doctrine and through the power of signs and wonders. The early believers clearly understood the doctrine of the apostolic truth, and their lifestyle mirrored this truth for the rest of the world to see.

The unfortunate thing is, Pilate never waited for Jesus Christ reply of his question, I have no doubt that our Lord would have given him a full definition and explanation of who the truth is, and how he can connect to this truth as the only way, the only truth, and the only life to God the author of all things seen and unseen.

There’s no doubt society today, just as in the days of Pilate, are also in deep search for the answer of this great question, what is truth? The question of what is truth is both an ancient and contemporary question, but many Christian leaders do not really see the importance of the question as a powerful strategy to win the world back to Christ.

While we claim we know the answer to this great question, many however, have stopped searching the word like the Bereans Christian for the right principle of conveying the mystery of truth to a blind world in a manner that can restore their sight. today, Spiritism and false beliefs have replaced the quest for sound, biblical knowledge that can offer the answer to a world in need to God. there are just too many in the church who have become religious Pharisees, meaning, they are merely professing a faith their heart and thought no longer follow.

To seek to accept or declare biblical truth that your own life’s values and philosophy does not agree with in practice is the highest level of self-delusion if you ask me. What makes the truth true to you I not a matter of who preached, or taught it, it’s a matter of personal conviction.

Conviction is the footing of establishing truth within human conscience. When truth, or anything that sounds like the truth to you, finds its way into the human conscience it alters one’s perspective and belief. However, when biblical truth which is both written and revelatory by designed finds its root deep into the human heart, it redesigns conscience in a man to remove the fallen idea of how humans see right and wrong to how heaven defines truth.

We know that there are three compound words that holds Christianity together as a cord of sound spirituality; and their faith, hope, and love. Each of these words defines the basis of how we see and relate both to Christ, his Church, and the world in general. If any of these three are not properly understood, and corporately flowed in relating to life and the various challenges thrown to us, we will, at some point begin to doubt our foundation and trust in what we believe.

One of the three compound words is faith, and personally I think we still have a long way to go in truly understanding what faith actually mean from God’s viewpoint. However, Hebrews chapter 6 informs us that faith is not abstract but rather substantial. If this is true which I know it is, how do we substantiate this truth with biblical facts in a manner that our faith does not stand in the knowledge and wisdom of men?

Indeed, faith is the [element] substance of things we hope for… and the very evidence of things not seen, the big question then will be, what defines and constitute the substantial evidence of such faith? Too many Christians, as a religious practice now and confesses what the scripture says, but in actual fact, their belief is actually established on something else.

This something else is that which family, society, friendship, or past circumstance that falsely establish within the subconscious. When our Lord Jesus Christ made this profound statement, these people worship me with the mouth, but their heart is far from me, he was establishing the basis of duality within a man’s ideology that says you confess Christ with your mouth but can also place your allegiance or philosophy somewhere else.

The reality is, the Lord is not seeking for a ritual of worship from his followers. In actual fact, he was seeking a concept of lifestyle individuals called worshipers, whose philosophy and culture of existence is firmly established around the very character nature of his person. Christ by design, is the anointing, or the grace that enabled Jesus, the Son of man to function within the reality of what has been prophetically written about him.

The days we live demands we go beyond the veil of what we believe and confess, to the next realm of experiencing truth to the degree that the truth becomes the very philosophy and culture that drives the understanding of our interaction and engagement with every aspect of existence.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that we will not be challenge; in fact, the very purpose of coming into this realm of truth is be able to stand firm in the days where you and I will be challenge like Joseph in Egypt, and Daniel in Babylon.

Only they who know their God will be able to stand and do exploit in this new day. Remember, the scripture says the devil also believes and tremble, but such believe did not cause him to change his mind. A believe that carries no power to change our stand and position is a weak believe!

 

There are simply too many ‘truth’ being postulated out there without a concrete, solid foundation laid within the hearts of the community of the body of Christ to hold firm these revelatory, apostolic truths. Many members of our churches are starting to give in under the weight of some so-called revelation they’ve been running with without precise, solid footing to hold the such ‘truth’. You cannot build nor establish truth beyond the quality, strength of your foundation.

Revelatory truth is likened to building a house. You need to first establish certain biblical principles and values standard to solidify the foundation of what you intend to build before the main structure begins. The church likes to quote the end-result of a truth in the bible without first understanding the process and mechanism that makes such truth becomes a reality.

There are two concepts of truth in the word of God. The first is defined as a progressive principle, in other words, it requires that you take an action based on faith and believe while the second concept deals directly with the result of the first; meaning, the final manifestation.

We must shift from merely declaring the manifestation of the end-result of truth, and start understanding how to align ourselves with the values and process of truth so we can arrive at the point of matured understanding of the intended will and objective of Christ for us. this indeed is knowing the truth that will eventually set us from the assault of darkness. i hope this piece of truth will assist us from becoming serious with our spiritual journey.