Bishop Johnan Ogwang

Bishop Johnan Ogwang I am a pastor and overseer at Truth Embassy Churches. I concentrate on the Prayer and Word ministry in Church. I am apostle, prophet, Herald and Author.

I also do humanitarian work through our holistic Ministry called Truth Embassy Ministries. JOHANAN AND FRIENDS OF THE GOSPEL WORD MINISTRY IS AIMING AT REACHING THE WORLD WITH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS THE MOST DYNAMIC WAY THAT WILL BRING EFFECTIVE TRANSFORMATION OF THE SOCIETY

07/01/2021

Set Free by the Spirit
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)

There is a destructive spiritual tendency that resides in every human being. It is "the law of sin and death." This indwelling principle is always pulling people downward into sin and spiritual deadness. It comes from being physically born into a fallen race of sinners who are like their earthly father, Adam. Being born anew spiritually does not remove this problem, since this principle still operates within our natural humanity (the flesh). Yet, becoming a child of God does make His remedy constantly available to us.

God's remedy for"the law of sin and death" is a higher, more powerful principle: "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus." This lofty principle involves the Holy Spirit making the life that is in Christ Jesus our resource for living. This principle is operating in the life of any new creature in Christ who is not walking "according to the flesh but [is walking] according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:4b). This approach to Christian living is the only one that can liberate us from the internal carnal tendencies that influence us all.

In fact (as we have noted previously), this is the only hope of growing in the godliness that the law demanded: "that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us" (Romans 8:4a). Our lives can only measure up to the holy will of God when we are walking in the Spirit, because Christ is then being allowed to express His life through us. Jesus was (and is) the only one who could ever walk fully pleasing to the Father. Jesus said, "I always do those things that please Him" (John 8:29). For a victorious Christian experience, we need this same life of Jesus living in and through us now, by the working of the Holy Spirit. We need the higher law ("the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus") setting us free from the lower law ("the law of sin and death").

Again, what is our responsibility in this? We are to relate to the Lord in humility and faith. Humility can develop as we agree with our Lord that "the law of sin and death" characterizes our flesh (our best natural resources). Faith can be exercised as we look to our Lord to demonstrate that "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

Dear Lord Jesus, You alone can supply the life I am called to live. I humbly agree with Your word that my resources are marred by a tendency to sin. Teach me to trust in Your Holy Spirit for liberation from living by my flesh. I thank You in advance for the faithful ways You will answer this prayer. Lord Jesus, live in and through me by the power of Your Spirit, Amen.

06/01/2021

Walking in the Spirit
Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh…If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16, 25)

The term "walk" is used dozens of times in the New Testament to describe the manner of life a person is leading. Many of these occurrences depict the Christian life: "walk in love… walk as children of light… walk circumspectly" (Ephesians 5:2, 8, 15). In our passages, we are told to "walk in the Spirit."

Walking is a very insightful description of spiritual life. A walk has a beginning and a destination. Our beginning was in new birth: "born of the Spirit" (John 3:6). Our destination is heaven forever with our Lord and Savior: "And thus we shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:17). A good walk is steady and progressive. We are called to be faithful: "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21). We are called to press ahead: "forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal" (Philippians 3:13-14). In addition, a walk has many potential adventures along the way. We are likely to encounter stretching challenges and paradoxical blessings: "in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness…as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things" (2 Corinthians 6:5, 10).

Ultimately, a walk must have an available resource that provides sufficient vitality, strength, guidance, and assurance. Here, our passages offer special hope through the injunction to "walk in the Spirit." Day by day, each step of the way, we are to rely upon the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Every issue of life (whether at home, office, school, or church) is to be faced in this manner. Otherwise, the influence of our flesh (our natural humanity) will prevail. "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." In ourselves we are not able to overcome the inadequacies and improper tendencies of the flesh. However, the Holy Spirit is more than able to become our sufficient provider of whatever we need for an effective and fruitful walk.

This perspective on Christian living makes complete biblical sense, when we connect our daily walk to how we found spiritual life in the first place. "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." It was strictly by the work of the Spirit that we received life initially; therefore, let us take each step of life, "walk[ing] in the Spirit."

Lord God Almighty, I am so weak and so easily enticed in my flesh. I cannot produce what is needed for the spiritual walk to which I am called. O Lord, I cry out to You for the indispensable work of Your Spirit within me. Lord, teach me to walk day by day by the grace that Your Spirit alone can provide, Amen.

The goodness and grace of God overflowing in the lives of the saints.
29/12/2020

The goodness and grace of God overflowing in the lives of the saints.

You are highly favoured. Be Christ-focused.
29/12/2020

You are highly favoured. Be Christ-focused.

29/12/2020

Reflecting on Grace: Humility and Faith
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich…Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God…"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (2 Corinthians 8:9; 3:5 and Luke 9:23)

Let's take a reflective look at humility and faith. We have repeatedly encountered these two relational realities. This is to be expected, since "God…gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6), and "we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand" (Romans 5:2).

In our first devotional study, humility and faith were evident. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." In order for Jesus to rescue us from our desperate situation, He had to become poor. When He hung on the cross for us, He took the spiritual poverty of our sin and guilt upon Himself. What a humbling picture of our inborn spiritual condition. Basically, we had to agree with the Lord, humbling ourselves before Him, asking for His help. Additionally, faith was involved. We had to believe that through His death, we could become spiritually rich, that is, forgiven of sin and righteous in His sight.

Humility and faith were later seen as vital for walking in this new life in Christ. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God." The sufficiency we need for Christian living does not originate in us. Actually, we must not think of "anything as being from ourselves." How humbling to learn, even as born-again believers, that we need the Lord in everything. Then, how do we find the necessary resources? This is where faith applies. "Our sufficiency is from God." This is truth that we are to believe.

When we examined Christian discipleship, humility and faith again appeared. "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23). Jesus' call to come and follow Him can only be received by those who will say, "No to self" and "Death to self." This is humiliating to the self-life, to think it is not good enough, to admit that it belongs on the cross. This is especially humbling when we see that these are to be our daily confessions. The rest of the discipleship issue is settled by faith, trusting in Jesus each step of every day.

Dear Heavenly Father, give me this perspective on the Christian life. Teach me, Lord, touch my heart, that I might be willing to walk humbly before You day by day. Build my faith, Lord, that I might depend upon You step by step throughout each day!

29/12/2020

More on Faith and Grace
The just shall live by faith…So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God…I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him. (Romans 1:17; 10:17 and 2 Timothy 1:12)

The entire Christian walk is designed to be lived by faith. "The just shall live by faith." In every step of every day, in every issue that we face, we are to rely upon the Lord. This path of trust accesses grace. Faith allows us to receive and respond to the grace that God desires to shower upon us. Remember, faith is what corresponds with grace. "Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace" (Romans 4:16). Trying our hardest does not ensure God's grace working in and through us. Attempting to be passive does not bring forth a display of His grace. However, humbly trusting in the Lord, whether taking action or patiently waiting, will always result in His grace undertaking for us.

Yet, how does one specifically learn to live by faith? "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." As we get into the Scriptures, desiring to hear from the Lord, faith has opportunity to grow. Through the word, God speaks to us about Himself and His ways. He tells us His plans and purposes. He provides insights into reality. He drives away illusions and misconceptions. He offers promises and assurances. As we are thereby getting to know who the Lord is and what He wants to do, we are stirred to trust Him to work these matters into our lives. We face trials or opportunities, and we trust Him to be faithful. We learn of our own inadequacy and are driven to His sufficiency. We look to the Lord in daily personal issues, and He proves faithful. Through it all, our faith continues to grow in response to what the Lord is revealing to us and is doing for us. This is God's grace at work, because His word is "the word of His grace" (Acts 20:32).

This process illustrates the relational reality of faith. Faith is not something we can produce. It results from getting to know the Lord more and more. Paul spoke of this pattern in part of his testimony. "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him." As the years passed, Paul was getting acquainted with the Lord in whom he had first believed. Then, as this relationship with Christ developed, Paul was increasingly convinced of his Master's ability to handle any matter entrusted into His hands. All the while, Paul's growing faith was drawing upon the resources of God's grace.

O Lord, my God, I want to live daily by faith in You. Please work in my heart a growing appetite for Your word, that my faith may develop, as I am hearing from You. Forgive me for taking matters into my own hands and not looking to You. Show me situations that I need to entrust to You. This I humbly pray, in Jesus' name, Amen.

29/12/2020

Faith and Grace
Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand…therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace…"the just shall live by faith." (Romans 5:2; 4:16; 1:17)

As noted previously, faith accesses the grace of God. "Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand." When we first trusted in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we enjoyed our initial access into grace. God intends for His children to continue accessing grace day by day throughout their lives. Every time we face any matter with dependence upon the Lord Jesus, we are drawing from the bottomless ocean of God's grace. Thereby, His grace becomes our resource for living.

The resources of God's grace cannot be earned, deserved, or produced by man. They must be freely provided by the Lord. From beginning to end, the saving, rescuing, transforming work of God's grace is "the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). This truth highlights the strategic nature of faith. Only faith accords with grace. "Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace." Faith alone is compatible with grace. Any other approach will not fit with grace.

This marks another profound distinction between law and grace. "Yet the law is not of faith, but 'The man who does them shall live by them'" (Galatians 3:12). The law is about performance. Those who live by the law are left to their own resources to work up a life that measures up to the perfect standards of God. Those who daily put their faith in the Lord Jesus for the issues of life access grace for godly living.

It is God's will that we live our entire lives by faith (which accesses grace). "The just shall live by faith." This truth is comprehensive. It applies to every aspect of our lives. When we arise in the morning, we can entrust the day into the Lord's care and guidance. As we communicate with our families, we can depend upon Jesus for love and patience. In our drive to the office, we can pray in faith concerning the opportunities and challenges that may await us. If a crisis develops unexpectedly, we can immediately cry out to the Lord for peace and direction. When times of Bible study and worship approach, we can exercise faith toward God to make them spiritually genuine and personally effective. Whatever, whenever, whoever, "The just shall live by faith."

Dear faithful Lord, I long to live by faith more and more as each day dawns. I see that this is the only way I can access Your glorious grace. Lord, I need Your grace constantly. No other resource will suffice. Too often I am striving by my best performance. What weariness and failure always results. Show me the areas of my life where I am not trusting in You, that I might look to You anew. In Your gracious name I pray, Amen.

26/12/2020

WORDS
The Power Of Change

Words, you use them every day. With them, you communicate and make your thoughts known. Words provide insight into how you feel, what you’re thinking, and even where you’re going. Words have destinations. Words can speak of the past, the present, or the future. Some words make you feel terrific, and other words make you feel terrible. There are happy words, angry words, faithful words, and fearful words. Words are amazing. This book is about the power of words to change your life.

Words and Spiritual Life

To understand God is to understand his words. To understand life is to understand the life-giving nature of his words. To live in the fullness of life is to abide in his words. And to change your life is to speak his words. Words have meaning.

The Heart

Your spirit was designed by God with creative abilities beyond your wildest imagination. To understand yourself, you need to comprehend how God made you. You are a spirit, you have a soul, and you live in a body. Your spirit is the part of you that was born again. Your spirit is the real you.

Changing Your World

Words are destinations. God’s words are His destinations. The word destination
is firmly tied to the word destiny. Destiny is a place in the future, your future. It is the ultimate end of a determined course, an expected end. Your world changes when your words change.

Changing Directions

Your tongue is like a mighty rudder on a ship. Whatever controls your tongue, controls your destiny. Your tongue was designed by God to steer your life. The sooner you understand this, the sooner you can get your life moving in the right direction.

Divine Appointments

A divine appointment is a meeting ordained by the Holy Spirit that will change the course of your life. These types of meetings are filled with favor. Favor from one person can change your life overnight.

Decisions and Destiny

Your world changes when you decide to change. All change starts with a decision. Decisions determine the quality of your life. Whatever is happening in your life right now has something to do with decisions.

Words Matter

Your words make you different than everybody else. Difference is visible. Difference is heard. Difference is remembered. Difference is celebrated. Your difference will bring you before giants. And your difference will bring you before kings.

Power of Expectation

Words have the ability to chart a path into your future. Every thought you think,
and every word you speak is creating something in your future. What you think about comes about. It’s called the power of expectation.

Finding Success

Every time there is a seasonal change in your life, words are involved. That’s because the Holy Spirit never puts new wine in old bottles. Finding success is easy when you know how.

Ask, Seek, Knock

Some doors in your life are shut and locked. The lock itself is proof a key exists. Jesus taught his Disciples a spiritual principle called determined persistence.
Determined persistence is a spiritual principleof the kingdom of God.

Looking at Giants

How you see yourself decides how you will speak to giants. There are fearful grasshoppers and victorious giant killers. Words reveal the difference. The way you see yourself is the way others will see you. The way you see yourself is the way others will treat you. And the way you see yourself is the way the enemy will attack you.

Destiny Thieves

When you change the way you think, you will change the way you speak. This will start moving your life in the right direction. The mystery to success is saying what God says. When speaking, decreeing and declaring, several thieves will
attack including demonic spirits, fear, doubt, confusion, vain imaginations, and unbelief.

Battle Ready Words

It is written. These are the words necessary to stop demonic assignments against you in the unseen spirit world. Spiritual warfare is real. It’s a battle in the realm of the spirit, that’s why it’s called spiritual warfare. To be battle ready means you must learn how to use the various keys of the kingdom.

Decree a Thing

You have learned that your tongue steers your life. You have also discovered your authority to decree a thing. Scripture says, “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways” (Job 22:28).

23/12/2020

God's Grace Teaching Us
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:11-13)

Time and again, we have considered the connection between grace and justification. "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Romans 3:24 and Ephesians 1:7). Now, we have an opportunity to ponder once more the relationship between grace and sanctification. "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." It is God's grace that brings salvation to mankind. For nearly 2,000 years, that saving grace of the Lord has been offered to humanity through the preaching of the gospel. This particular verse now adds another function to the work of grace. "For the grace of God [is] teaching us."

The grace of God not only saves the souls of all who believe; it also works in believers' lives to teach and instruct them. God's grace, working through His word ("The word of His grace"-Acts 20:32), instructs and shapes our thinking and living: "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age." It is the will of our Heavenly Father that His children turn away from that which is worldly and spiritually compromising. He wants us to walk in godliness, in Christlikeness. God works this into our hearts by His grace.

God's grace also develops expectant lives, eager to have the Lord Jesus return for His people: "Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ."

The grace of God impacting our hearts through His word by His Spirit is His divine means to bring about such transformation in us. To view sanctification as something we can produce through our own performance (that is, by law) is akin to overlooking God's grace and underestimating the provisions of the cross of Christ. "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain" (Galatians 2:21).

Dear Jesus, my great God and Savior, I want to live in eager anticipation of Your return. Meanwhile, I desire to please You by growing in godliness and in applied righteousness. Thank You for Your longsuffering love, patiently teaching me by Your grace—the grace that I sometimes neglect, attempting to produce these realities by the striving of my flesh. From such vanity I turn to hope in You, Lord Jesus, Amen.

23/12/2020

The Ability of God's Grace
And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance. (Acts 20:32)

God's grace has such marvelous ability. It is able to give the eternal inheritance of God to His children. It is also able to build up their lives here on earth for greater service and increased fruitfulness.

It is by the grace of the Lord that we can anticipate being recipients of a heavenly inheritance. "The word of His grace, which is able to … give you an inheritance." One qualifies for an inheritance by being born into a family. We have been born into the family of God. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name: who were born…of God" (John 1:12-13). We who believe in Jesus are God's children, "and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ" (Romans 8:17). We are blessed beyond measure to know that heavenly treasures of fellowship, worship, and service await God's children in glory above. All of these eternal riches are ours by the grace of God alone.

God's amazing grace also has the ability to build us up as we await our inheritance here on earth below: "The word of His grace, which is able to build you up." This edification process involves having our spiritual roots of hunger and trust growing deep into the Lord. Christ wants our lives to undergo continual spiritual construction and transformation. He wants our character to become increasingly stabilized in the faith, as revealed in His word. "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith" (Colossians 2:6-7).

It is the will of God that we be edified. "Let all things be done for edification" (1 Corinthians 14:26). All along the way from new birth into His family until our full heavenly inheritance as His family, God desires that His children be spiritually strengthened and increasingly developed in Christian maturity. Our ministry to one another can be instrumental in this edification process. "Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another…Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification" (Romans 14:19; 15:2). It is essential to remember, however, that God's grace is what accomplishes the building up process: "The word of His grace, which is able to build you up."

My God and Father, I rejoice exceedingly as I think of the inheritance that You are preparing for me by Your grace. O Lord, my strength, I need Your mighty work of grace that I might be edified myself and be edifying to Your children. Please purge my life of any matters that are not edifying, all by the grace of Jesus, my Lord, Amen.

23/12/2020

Growing in the Grace of God
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:18)

Let's reflect upon some of the heavenly territory we have explored thus far. Grace is for spiritual growth and progress in the Lord. It is not intended only for birthing and starting out with the Lord. "But grow in the grace…of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Growth in Christ always results as God's grace works in us.

At times, we can be apprehensive about such an emphasis upon God's grace. We become concerned that irresponsibility, ungodliness, laziness, or indulgence will result. We can rest assured on the promises and purposes of God that true grace does not produce such consequences. Ungodly living always involves the flesh of man, which is inclined toward licentiousness and legalism.

Licentiousness hopes to turn grace into a means by which sinful indulgence is acceptable. "For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness" (Jude v.4). Legalism aspires to add religious performance to grace, thereby appealing to the self-righteous hopes of man. "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:2-3).

When a person truly lives by the grace of God, righteousness results, not ungodliness. As a person increasingly learns to draw upon God's grace for daily living, Christlikeness develops, not worldliness. As grace becomes our resource for life, sin diminishes; it does not increase. "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under law but under grace" (Romans 6:14).

The temptation is to rely upon the law of God in order to generate godliness. The demand of the law to be holy, loving, and perfect becomes a false security to our flesh. We think that by hearing, repeating, or striving to meet this demand, we can thereby accomplish it. Let us not forget that "the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope" (Hebrews 7:18-19). God's grace is the "better hope" that does not fail to bring forth what God desires.

The Lord has ordained for us a life-long involvement with His grace. He wants to work "grace for [upon] grace" (John 1:16) for the rest of our days. This is the "new and living way" (Hebrews 10:20). Perhaps this could all be summarized in another acronym on grace: "Glorious Realities As Christ Empowers.

Gracious Father, how bountiful is Your provision for my spiritual growth. How foolish of me to think that I need more for developing in godliness than Your grace supplies. O Lord, I long to grow in the image of Christ. I beseech You, remind me and convince me that Your grace is the only sufficient hope. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.

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Kampala
Kampala
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