iTend - Kenya

12/04/2024

APRIL 12
REJECTING OPPRESSION

Satan is oppressing many of God’s people today, just as he oppressed the Syrophoenician
woman’s daughter in New Testament times. Demon “oppression” and “possession” are
just as real today and perhaps even more prevalent as during Christ'sministry on earth.

When a believer is oppressed,it is an outward result of Satan attacking his mind or body
and sometimes both. A true believer can be oppressed mentally or physically and not be
possessed by unclean spirits. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, demonic forces can
oppress you, but not possessyou because the Holy Spirit cannot dwell in the same
spiritual house with demons.

It is time for the church of Jesus Christ to recognize the demonic oppression that is
coming against God’s people, confront Satan and his evilforces, and take authority over
them just as Jesus did in His ministry. Satan is illegally exercising dominion over believers,tormenting their minds and afflicting their bodies.

Demons are spirit beingswithout physical bodies. One of their main objectives is to
invade and indwell human minds so they can take control of their bodies.Demon spirits
of fear, doubt, unbelief,worry, and depression will attack and torment a person’s mind
until they become so oppressed they are unable to appropriate by faith the promises of
God inrelation totheir circumstances.

In this state of oppression there is such a heaviness in the spirit that there is a thick
spiritual darkness like a cloud that cannot be penetrated. The person may have “head
knowledge” of God's promises, but because of the heavy oppression by these spirits, be
unable to act in faith upon theWord of God.

If a believer fails to resist these attacks and reject the thoughts and suggestions these
spirits try to plant in his mind, his emotions and actions will become controlled by them.
Eventually his will becomes so weakened that he yields to the oppressing spirits and is in
a constant state of torment. Such torment will soon be manifested in hisphysical body
and by his actions as well.

Recognize Satan's strategy of oppression and reject oppressivethoughtsthe minute they
pop into your mind. Do not allow youremotions tobe controlled or tormented by these
demonic forces.

11/04/2024

APRIL 11

GOD'S GUARANTEE

Satan wants you to accept depression as if there is nothing you can do about it. He wants
you to be depressed and stay depressed, so that you will be unable to fulfill God’s
purpose and plan for your life.

To successfully overcome depression, you must learn to stop it the moment it attacks
your mind.You must recognize that the thoughts which you allow to remain in your heart and mind are what causes your depression--not your negative circumstances. None of the circumstances you are facing or ever will face and cause you to be depressed. It is your
response to your problems that determines whether or not you will be depressed. You do
not have to ever be depressed again! God's Word has promised:

No temptation (trial) has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted (tried) beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted (tried), he will also provide a way out so that you can stand
up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV)

This is God’s guarantee against depression. God will not allow any circumstances, trial,
temptation or attack of the enemy to come into your life that you are unable to bear. In
every circumstance you face, He will make a way of escape that will bring you out victoriously.

The Apostle Paul had every reason to be discouraged, defeated, and depressed.Think
about the circumstances he faced. He was rejected, beaten several times, stoned,
shipwrecked, and imprisoned. Yet, he was not depressed. He despaired of life at one
point, but he did not become what we call"clinically depressed."

Paul declared:
We are troubled on every side yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed…
(2 Corinthians 4:89)

In the prison cell where Paul and Silas were incarcerated for preaching the Gospel, Paul had every reason to be depressed (Acts 16).

His back was bruised and bleedingand he was bound bychains. He was no doubt hungry and physically exhausted. He had been unjustly imprisoned. But, he was not depressed. He was not fearful, worried, angry, or
filled with self-pity concerning his circumstances. Instead of griping, complaining, and feeling sorry for themselves, Paul and Silas sang praises to God and--in so doing--won
the victory over depression. As they praised and worshiped God, He supernaturally
intervened in their circumstances and delivered them. Through praise and worship, they
found the way of escape. There is no temptation you are experiencing but what is common to man. God is faithful to His guarantee that your circumstances will never be
more than you can bear. There is always a way of escape.APRIL 11

GOD'S GUARANTEE

Satan wants you to accept depression as if there is nothing you can do about it. He wants
you to be depressed and stay depressed, so that you will be unable to fulfill God’s
purpose and plan for your life.

To successfully overcome depression, you must learn to stop it the moment it attacks
your mind.You must recognize that the thoughts which you allow to remain in your heart and mind are what causes your depression--not your negative circumstances. None of the circumstances you are facing or ever will face and cause you to be depressed. It is your response to your problems that determines whether or not you will be depressed. You do not have to ever be depressed again! God's Word has promised:

No temptation (trial) has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted (tried) beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted (tried), he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV)

This is God’s guarantee against depression. God will not allow any circumstances, trial,
temptation or attack of the enemy to come into your life that you are unable to bear. In
every circumstance you face, He will make a way of escape that will bring you out victoriously.

The Apostle Paul had every reason to be discouraged, defeated, and depressed.Think
about the circumstances he faced. He was rejected, beaten several times, stoned,
shipwrecked, and imprisoned. Yet, he was not depressed. He despaired of life at one
point, but he did not become what we call"clinically depressed."

Paul declared:
We are troubled on every side yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed…
(2 Corinthians 4:89)

In the prison cell where Paul and Silas were incarcerated for preaching the Gospel, Paul had every reason to be depressed (Acts 16).

His back was bruised and bleedingand he was bound bychains. He was no doubt hungry and physically exhausted. He had been unjustly imprisoned. But, he was not depressed. He was not fearful, worried, angry, or
filled with self-pity concerning his circumstances. Instead of griping, complaining, and feeling sorry for themselves, Paul and Silas sang praises to God and--in so doing--won the victory over depression. As they praised and worshiped God, He supernaturally intervened in their circumstances and delivered them. Through praise and worship, they found the way of escape. There is no temptation you are experiencing but what is common to man. God is faithful to His guarantee that your circumstances will never be more than you can bear. There is always a way of escape.

09/04/2024

APRIL 9
*DEFEATING DEPRESSION*

Perplexity! Stress! Fear! Worry! Hopelessness! Despair!Discouragement! Defeat! These negative forces permeate our society. But in the midst of these negative forces, believers do not have to become victims of depression!

Regardless of the things which are coming upon this earth, regardless of the trials, circumstances, and attacks of Satan upon your mind, you do not have to become
depressed like the people of the world who are living in spiritual darkness.

You must recognize depression for what it is--a major strategy of Satan. Satan is using
depression in anattempt to stop the progress believersaremaking in pushing back the forces of darkness in the nations of the world. We are not talking about depression that
resultsfrom a physical condition--such as alack of serotonin. We are talking about an
all-out attack of spiritual and emotional depression that is rampant in the Body of Christ.

There are multiplied thousands of Christians today who have failed to recognize depression as an attack of Satan. They do not know how to fight and win the war over
depressionand they are being spiritually immobilized on the sidelines.

Many Christians consider depression a natural reaction when they face difficult trials or
attacks of the enemy, such as long-term sickness, marital problems, death of a loved one, loss of a job, or extreme financial difficulties. But the Bible says that believers are to be joyful in the midst of trials, giving thanks in every situation--not depressed.

There are some Christian ministers and leaders who are experiencing “spiritual burnout.”
They have been carrying such a heavy workload, pushing themselves twelve to fourteen
hours a day, seven days a week, giving themselves unselfishly in meeting the needs of others. In so doing, they have failed to spend time in God’s presence being strengthened and refreshed by His Spirit. They have been so involved in doing the work of the ministry
that they have failed to take time with the Lord to be renewed in their minds. Hence, they
become tired, discouraged, and depressed. "...depression crushes courage, And leaves you unable to cope" (Proverbs 18:14, TPT).

Depression is a major tool of the enemy--but you do not have to succumb to it. God has
promised you a onehundred percent victorious mindthrough the power of the Holy
Spirit. Take authority over depression today!Do not allow it to operate in your life, today or any day. The minute a depressing thought comes, begin to praise and worship
the Lord and it will flee.

23/06/2023

And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Matthew 6:5-6).

It is said that Jewish traditions at that time set aside three times a day for prayer: nine in the morning, twelve noon, and three in the afternoon. For many devout Jews, this meant ceasing all other activity at the prescribed times, then turning towards Jerusalem and praying. That tradition lent itself easily to abuse. A person wanting to appear religious could just happen to be at the street corner at nine o’clock. People coming from four directions could see how very ‘devout’ and ‘prayerful’ he was. A person could enjoy the same effect by attending the synagogue at regular prayer times.

Jesus said that such a person “has received his reward.” In other words, that man wanted to look good, to be thought of as religious, and sure enough, he got what he wanted. People did think highly of him. But that is all the reward he gets. No other reward can be expected. He will have nothing from God. Why should he? His prayer was not really for God anyway. It was for himself as viewed by other people. That is precisely the danger of prayers done mainly where others can see.

If the main time you bow your head and close your eyes in prayer is in the church services or at meals, then the chances are that you are doing it mainly to appear Christian. You bow because it is expected of you. Your mind follows the prayer, not really because you have a close relationship with the Lord, but because that is the ritual.

23/06/2023

According to Luke 11, one of Jesus’ disciples came to Him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” This disciple, like the others, would have known how many times Jesus sought privacy for His prayers. As we look at examples of Jesus’ prayers, we too notice the recurring idea—alone.

And when it was day, He departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to Him, and would have kept Him from leaving them (Luke 4:42).

But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray (Luke 5:16).

Now it happened that as He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him. And He asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” (Luke 9:18).

Now when Jesus heard this [that John the Baptizer was dead], He withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by Himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed Him on foot from the towns…. [Jesus then taught and fed the crowds.] After He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone (Matthew 14:13,23 cf. Mark 6:46-47).

For His ministry, Jesus had to visit the busy city of Jerusalem. Even there, He made a habit of going to the relative peace of a garden on the nearby Mount of Olives. This use of the Garden of Gethsemane was His “custom.” On His final visit to Gethsemane, even when He had asked Peter, James and John to watch and pray with Him, Jesus “withdrew” some distance from them to pray.

And He came out and went, as was His custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him. And when He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed (Luke 22:39-41).

23/06/2023

Why did Jesus seek privacy in prayer? There were occasions when Jesus prayed with others present. But many of His prayers took place away from others.

Why? Because prayer is a meeting with God. Prayer is talking with the heavenly Father. Prayer is not talking with people. Prayer is for God’s attention. In that sense it is only natural to want to be alone with God in prayer. When a man and his wife want to talk, they do not invite the neighbors to come and hear the conversation. In fact if the discussion is serious—and we have seen that prayer is serious—then the husband and wife may even send the children out for a while. Without others there to distract the couple, they can concentrate more on important things to be discussed.

Many forget that prayer is essentially a private talk with God. For many people, prayers take place mainly with others present:

16/06/2023

When I was my father’s son,
Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
He also taught me, and said to me:
“Let your heart retain my words;
Keep my commands, and live.
Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. (Prov 4:3-5)

Benefits of wisdom

1. Preserves
2. Promotes
3. Brings honour
4. Keeps us
5. Places on your head ornament of grace
-In other words wisdom brings grace.
6. Gives a crown of glory.

16/06/2023

Different hearts 💕

(A) A double heart (Psalm 12:2)

(B) A hard heart (Proverbs 28:14)

(C) A proud heart (Proverbs 21:4)

(D) An unbelieving heart (Hebrews 3:12)

(E) A cold heart (Matthew 24:12)

(F) An unclean heart (Psalm 51:10).

01/06/2023

From iTend family... We love you and excited to see you grow in the knowledge of God

20/05/2023

14/05/2023

To all our mothers, Happy Mothers Day. We love you!

14/05/2023

Week 20 runs from 14th May - 20th May