2017 Year Of Good Rain
Where Theres Water Theres a Dream
LCMNSENIOR PROPHET RODNEY SEHLWANE
SERMON - Faith & Fasting
15 MAY 2016
In Esther 4:15-17, the Bible says, “Esther sent a message to Mordecai, saying, “Bring together all the Jews in Susa and tell them to go without eating for my sake! Don’t eat or drink for three days and nights. My servant girls and I will do the same. Then I will go in to see the king, even if it means I must die.”
At that time it was illegal to go to the king without him inviting you. And anyone who broke that law of going into the king could be killed, but Esther knew that if she could have the favour of God, she could break the law. She fasted and broke the law and was not killed because she had the favour of God.
When you fast, there is a law that you break. It might be a law of poverty that has been transferred from generation to generation in your family, it might be a law of limitation or failure, but there is a law that you break. Hannah also broke the law of barrenness by refusing to eat and pouring out her heart to God. When Eli the priest saw her he thought she was drunk, but she was in prayer & fasting.
Fasting is a covenant with God and goes along with prayer. There are some people who go into fasting, their stomach knows they are fasting, their time knows they are fasting but God doesn’t know why they are fasting, because in their fasting they do not pray. Fasting without prayer is no fasting at all, but it’s a diet. Fasting always goes with prayer. In that prayer, you must also have faith. In that way, when you finish fasting , you will see the results. As a child of God you must live a life of fasting & prayer.
SERMON - Let every prison door be opened in your life
29 APRIL 2016
Let me first start by telling you that, for you to be alive and sitting here today is a sign that God is doing something great in your lives. You might be asking yourself a question: When is God going to do a miracle in my life? Today I want to tell you that God has done the greatest miracle to all of you, and that miracle is for you to be alive.
When you are alive, there is hope. There is also a guarantee that God will continue to work in our lives, and bring more miracles. Even if God has not yet answered what you have been praying and hoping for, the reality is that He will always be there for you. God has promised in His Word that He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). God will continue to be in your life and He will continue to work for you.
Today I want to tell you that God wants to do something new in your life. As we have gathered here in worship and prayer, I believe that every prison door that has been shut in your life will be opened. In Acts 16: 25, the Bible talks about Paul and Silas who were arrested and were imprisoned.
The Bible says they were put in the inner prison and their feet were fastened in stocks. Paul and Silas had just delivered a slave girl who was possessed with a spirit of divination. Instead of being acknowledged, they were thrown into prison. Some of you might feel that you are arrested and trapped. Maybe you have been arrested by the spirits of witches and wizards, but today I want to assure you that every door of your prison will be opened.
SERMON - The Spirit of Impatience
24 APRIL 2016
The spirit of impatience brings delay in most people. This spirit has even caused loss in the lives of many, because they could not wait on God. King Saul was removed from the throne as the king of Israel because of the spirit of impatience.
In 1Samuel 13, we read of king Saul’s unlawful sacrifice that he made to God because he could no longer wait for Prophet Samuel to arrive and do it for him. Israel was about to go to war with the Philistine army at Gilgal, and before they could go to war a sacrifice or a burnt offering had to be made to God.
The person who had the authority to do such a sacrifice was Prophet Samuel but he had not arrived at Gilgal. Out of impatience, King Saul made the offering himself. That was the greatest mistake he did which cost him his kinship over Israel. God rejected Saul as the King of Israel and this was because of his impatience. Most of you today also suffer from the same spirit of impatience. Because of this spirit, you end up getting yourselves in situations which are unpleasant. When you are a child of God, you need to have patience. You must learn not to act out of your own impulse, but you must rather wait on God.
Some of you have planted or have sown the seed, and you are now anxious and want to see the fruit. You become impatient and start to make irrational decisions. This also happens when I, as the Prophet of God have declared blessings over you and you do not immediately see the blessings manifesting, you start to run around to different churches seeking the blessings. That is caused by the spirit of impatience.
SERMON - There is a Seed of Greatness in You
17 APRIL 2016
Many of you have the seed of greatness embedded in you by God Almighty. For that seed to grow, you need to be associated with the right people. When you associate with the right people who have got the greatness that you desire, it is easy for your seed to develop and mature to the same greatness. But if you become mixed up with the wrong people with negative influences on your life, the seed of greatness in you will not grow. It is bound to die before it can even achieve its purpose. Look at the life of David.
He was called for greatness from his childhood. His seed of greatness began to develop even when he was unknown. He was living a secluded life of tendering for his father’s flock of sheep. He was living a life as a ruddy shepherd boy, always forgotten, but there was a seed of greatness in him. He was chosen by God to be the next king of Israel. For him to be able to bear that seed of greatness he had to be associated with the right person - and that someone was Prophet Samuel. The Bible says David was anointed as king of Israel by Prophet Samuel, but it was not easy for him to ascend to the throne of kingship.
King Saul, whom God had rejected as the king of Israel due to his disobedience, was persecuting him and wanted to kill him. But David eventually achieved the greatness that God has bestowed upon him, and this was possible because of the people he associated with. He associated with king Saul’s eldest son, Jonathan. Like his father, Jonathan was a man of great strength and swiftness (2 Samuel 1:23). David and Jonathan’s relationship was one of the most notable biblical relationships, and it is because of this relationship David ascended to the palace.
SERMON - Jesus Christ is available and reliable
27 MARCH 2016
Many of us used to worship ancestors before we were born again. Our grandparents used to appease ancestors every time that we needed to buy a car, or we needed a job or we needed our ways to be opened. The very same people who would stand in the gap for us to the ancestors, they died poor.
Even after they died, they know what we wanted or what our needs are, why is it that after they die and also become ancestors, why do they not make a way for us to have what we want or what we need? I will tell you why, it’s because they do not have the power, and it shows that we cannot rely on our ancestors who have passed away.
I don’t want to criticize or offend anyone, I just want to speak the reality of things. Jesus Christ is the only one who is reliable. He is the only one who fulfilled His promise even after He died. He promised that He will die and rise in 3 days, and truly He died and rose in 3 days. Today we are commemorating His dying and His resurrection.
In Luke 24: 1 to 6, the Bible reads “Very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, carrying the spices that they had prepared. When they found the stone rolled away from the entrance, they went in. But they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus, and they did not know what to think.Suddenly two men in shining white clothes stood beside them. The women were afraid and bowed to the ground. But the men said, “Why are you looking in the place of the dead for someone who is alive? Jesus isn’t here! He has been raised from death. Remember that while he was still in Galilee, he told you, ’The Son of Man will be handed over to sinners who will nail him to a cross. But three days later he will rise to life.’ Then they remembered what Jesus had said.”
SERMON - You need to come to your senses
23 MARCH 2016
Today people are suffering because they cannot use their common sense in a given situation. They allow themselves to go through bad situations even when it’s not necessary. Even when there is an opportunity to get out of that situation, people just remain in it. That just shows that they don’t use common sense. Sometimes you just need to come to your senses and realize that the situation you are in is not necessary.
One man that failed to use his common sense over and over again is Samson. A man who was born and given to vow of God, that he would never shave his hair and he would never drink wine. He was a Nazarene indeed. He was one of the strongest men to have ever lived, and he also killed a lion with his bare hands. But his weakness was women, when he met one Philistine woman named Delilah, he lost all his sense. Even when Delilah wanted to deceive him, he did not use his common sense. Delilah asked him the secret of his great strength, he told her lies that if they tied him with 7 strings of a tree he would lose his strength. The Philistines did that but Samson did not lose his strength. Instead of coming to his sense and realizing that Delilah tricked him, he continued to live with her.
The second time Delilah tried to find out the source of Samson’s strength. He told her lies again and said if they tie him with new ropes he would lose his strength, the Philistines did that but Samson did not lose his strength. Even then, he failed to come to his senses and see Delilah for who she really is.
In Judges 16:5 the Bible tells us that, The Philistine rulers went to Delilah and said, “Trick Samson into telling you what makes him so strong and what can make him weak. Then we can tie him up so he can’t get away. If you find out his secret, we will each give you 1 100 pieces of silver”
SERMON - Give to God secretly, He will reward you openly
20 MARCH 2016
In Matthew 6:4 the Bible says: “So that your deeds of charity may be in secret; and your father who sees in secret will reward you openly” The Bible teaches us to give to God, and not give for the sake of being seen by human beings. Many give to be seen by others. But the Bible says “so that your good works maybe in secret”.
Many after giving a sacrificial offering will go around telling everyone who cares to listen about how they cannot do this or that because they have given a big sacrifice in the house of God. Those who do that, will not be rewarded by God. Because God says give, and do good deeds in secret. When you give in secret, God will reward you openly for everyone to see.
Some of you want to pay their tithes and give offering, but because of your financial limitations it is difficult to do so. But I want to encourage you to trust my God and give. When you give, tell God that you are giving your last money, or you are giving what your life depends on, He will surely reward you in the open.
Do not give your last money and go around telling people. Give in secret. There is no way that you can receive without giving. When you give something to God He will release more back to you. Take Abraham for an example, he released something unto God – which is his son, Isaac. And he received respect from God in return.
SERMON - Use your gift to honour God
16 MARCH 2016
God’s demonstrated His love to the whole world by “giving His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but should have everlasting life – John 3:16”. This love of God wiped away the sins of all those that believe in Jesus Christ. God has set an example for all of His children by giving his Son as a gift.
In the same way, we as Christians, have to use our gifts to honour God. Whatever gift God has deposited in you, make use of it. The more you use your gift, the more you will excel with that gift. If God has given you the gift of preaching, preach until you excel in that preaching, if you have the gift of worshiping, worship God and give Him honour, and if you have the gift of wealth use it for the Glory of God. Do not hold back onto the gift God gave you, the more you use it, the more you will excel in it. When God has given you a certain gift, learn to perfect it. Instead of manifesting in other people’s gifts, perfect your own. Live it and practice it so that it can increase.
Giving is also another form of exercising the gift God gave you. When God has entrusted you with the gift of wealth, you must give more so that God can increase you. You must learn to give so that it becomes part of you. Giving is a gift. The more you give, the more you will become prosperous.
You must give until you feel jealous about whatever that you have given.
SERMON - Live by the Spirit
13 MARCH 2016
The Holy Spirit is a Man of peace and of love. Romans 8: 35 says “Can anything separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death? The Holy Spirit is asking questions. He is saying when you walk in the Spirit and live by faith, nothing shall never destroy you.
You need to rely on the Holy Spirit if you want to see the abundance of blessings in your life. In as much as you need to rely on Him in every affairs of your life, do not grieve Him. Do not do something that He does not like or approve of. Ephesians 4: 30-31 says “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” The Holy Spirit is grieved when you turn your life of righteousness to sin. In John 14:1 Jesus said to his disciples, “Don’t be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I wouldn’t tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you”.
When you are a man of the Spirit, you need to live by faith. Whatever the troubles and challenges you’re facing, you need not worry. Rather have faith in God. Amidst your situation, you need to “walk by faith and not by sight” – 2 Corinthians 5:7. The man living in the Spirit has his own trials and tests. However, our tests would not be the same. Each one of us has his or her own problems.
SERMON - You need the Glory of God
06 MARCH 2016
In 1 Samuel 3:3 -012, we read about Samuel, who served the Lord by helping Eli the priest. In those days, the Lord hardly ever spoke directly to people and He did not appear to them very often. But God spoke directly to Samuel, He called him 3 times before Samuel and Eli could realise that it is the Lord speaking.
Now we all know that Samuel was a son of Hannah, she asked him from the Lord and made a vow that “Lord if you would give me a son, I will give him back to you”. And she did exactly that. That is why Samuel stayed with Eli the priest. He had no priestly blood, nor was any of his forefathers a priest, but he stayed in the house of God and heard the voice of God clearly in a time when God did not speak directly to people.
We also know that Eli had sons also that were priests, we know that these sons did evil in the sight of the Lord by not respecting sacrifices brought to the Lord. We can already tell that if they did not respect the Lord’s offering, they must have treated Samuel very bad as well. One can ask themselves, why did God speak directly to Samuel and not directly to the sons of Eli?
SERMON - When you plant, God is responsible for growth
02 MARCH 2016
The Bible says that weh you plant, you shall recieve growth and God is the one who will bring growth. What matters is the one who makes the plant grow. It does not matter who planted or who is watering. The two people are the same but what is improtant is the one who is responsible for growth of the seed is God.
Just as it was the case with Cane and Abel, they gave their different offerings unto the Lord. Caine brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord, and Abel also brought an offering of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. The Bible says the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. This caused hatred in the heart of Caine who rose up against his brother, Abel, and killed him.
What Cain failed to notice was that God respected his brother, Abel because of the quality of his offering. He not only gave the first fruit of his flock of sheep but gave the best parts as an offering to God. This made God to be pleased with him. This also applies to us as Christians. Everyone of us will recieve from God according tohow you have given unto Him. If you work hard and give your best to God, God will honour you. We witness that in church when you find a new member of the church giving a huge testimony and you start to question your faith in God
SERMON - You are a Brand of Heaven
28 FEBRUARY 2016
As the brand created in God’s image, command the floodgates of heaven to be opened for you and it will rain on you. We are not only the brand of heaven but we have also been given the key to open the doors of heaven. As a brand of God, there is originality in you. No one is able to make a counterfeit of you.
You are unique, and therefore there is no competition with you. For example, the business that God has given you cannot be copied anywhere else because you have been branded to live like that. As a brand of heaven, you are walking in favour of what you have been created for. Genesis 28: 15 says “wherever you go, I will watch over you, then later I will bring you back to this land. I won’t leave you—I will do all I have promised”.
In 1 Peter 3: 8-12 the Bible says, “Finally, all of you should agree and have concern and love for each other. You should also be kind and humble. Don’t be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you. Instead, treat everyone with kindness. You are God’s chosen ones, and he will bless you”. As the brand of heaven, created in the image of God, you must not do any evil against others. When other people talk bad about you, or insult you, you must not retaliate. The Bibles says “bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” – Luke 6:28.
SERMON - You need the Holy Spirit
26 FEBRUARY 2016
The chest refers the ark of God. When it was brought to Jerusalem, Uzzah tried to help. So he died. So David was looking for a place where he could take the Ark. The Bible says he took it to the house of Obed Edom, in Gath. We all know that Obed Edom was a Gittite, the same tribe as Goliath, he lived in Gath, a city of the Philistines. From this we can already tell that he was not a child of God.
We know that the Philistines are people who used to defy God. But the Bible says the Ark of God was taken to the house of Obed Edom, and it stayed there for 3 months. In those 3 months, Obed Edom and his family were blessed. Someone may ask why did the life of Obed Edom change when the Ark entered his house.
The Ark represented the anointing of God. So this shows that when the anointing of God enters your life, no matter who you are and where you come from, your life will be changed. When God blessed Obed Edom, He blessed Him because the Ark was in his house, He did not look at his family back ground or his tribe. He looked at his heart and saw that it was a heart that respected the anointing.
SERMON - How do you fight your battle?
21 FEBRUARY 2016
Many of us are facing different kinds of battles. Although we are children of God, we pray without ceasing, we still face battle. When you look at those who are not born again, they seem to be doing fine while you are facing battles from every area of your life. The question now becomes "how is it that you fight your battle? When you know the person who is causing your problems, how do you respond? Do you fight back or do you pray against them? The manner with which you respond, will determine who you are in the sight of God. As a child of God, when you are facing any kind of battle, pray using Psalm 55.
In Psalm 55:1 to 4, David says "Give ear to my prayer, O God. And do not hide Yourself from my supplication. Attend to me, and hear me; I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisly. Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked; For they bring down trouble upon me. And in wrath they hate me. My heart is severly pained within me, and the terros of death have fallen upon me.
SERMON - Faith is an Action
17 FEBRUARY 2016
When you are really in need of something, you have to take action in order to achieve that which you want. That same action will demonstrate your faith. You should learn to let your faith be represented by an action. This is backed by the Bible in James 2:17 when it says “Faith by itself, if it is not complemented by action, is dead”.
Faith is an action. If you really want the blessings from God, you must act like a blessed person. When you look at Abraham and Sarah, they were promised a child by God. Although Abraham’s body was old [same as Sarah’s] and there were no prospects of them having a child, Abraham took an action which later fulfilled his faith. Both Abraham and Sarah took the necessary action for the promise of God to be fulfilled.
It is also necessary for you to also bear such faith, which requires an action. If you want to be a businessman, you must learn to dress and behave like a business person. You do not just declare that your God will make a way, where there’s no way while you are not taking any action. You need to go and register a company and also fulfil all of the necessary processes in order to make your company legitimate. Faith is an action. If you want blessings, you must have faith and act. You must learn to take action in proportion to your faith.
SERMON - When God promotes you, prepare to endure
14FEBRUARY 2016
Every time when God wants to promote you to a higher level, there must be a level of endurance practiced. Sometimes there will be pain before God can give you something precious. Therefore, it is important for you to prepare yourself for endurance. Endurance is very important for someone who is expecting much blessings from God. If you want blessings from God, you are going to have to endure and withstand all manner of challenges, insults, and persecutions.
In Genesis 37 from verse 10, we read about Joseph, when he told his father about his dream, his father became angry and said “What’s that supposed to mean? Are your mother and I and your brothers all going to come and bow down to you?” Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept wondering about the dream”.
SERMON - Forgiveness vs Unforgiveness
31 JANUARY 2016
If you still harbour feelings of resentment and of unforgiveness towards someone, know that you are even wasting your time by coming to church. In Mark 11:25, the Bible says “Whenever you stand up to pray, you must forgive what others have done to you. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your sins” God says that you must forgive. Forgive those who have cursed you, those who have insulted you, and those who have belittled you. It is imperative that before you can even make your prayers, forgive whoever has wronged you.
Listen to what verse 24 says: “Everything you ask for in prayer will be yours, if you only have faith” This is such a good and promising statement from God, BUT for you to get anything that you ask for from God – Guess what! (Verse 25…you must forgive what others have done to you…). This is so powerful! If you don’t forgive, God is not able to forgive you.
SERMON - Pass through a tunnel
24 JANUARY 2016
There are certain situation that are beyond you as a human being, but do not limit God. See yourself running like Elijah when you pass through the tunnel. See yourself running faster than all your enemies.
SERMON - Your trial. Your testimony
17 JANUARY 2016
As we are gathered here this morning, we are all going through various kinds of difficult situations. Some situations seem harder than others, but I want to tell you that you that you must not give up, no matter how difficult that situation is. God is using that very same situations to bring you closer to Him, it’s not there to destroy you. Your situation, your trial and your frustrations are the means which God uses to push you to your destiny.
SERMON - Do not be shaken by the storms you encounter
10 JANUARY 2016
This is the year of “yes” to greener pastures. Do not allow anything or anyone to cause you to miss your greener pastures by taking you out of the anointing. Even if you have not yet testified, even when you are in the midst of disappointments, stay in the anointing, in the end, it will not fail you, you will receive your breakthrough. Do not be shaken the a storms you encounter on your way to your breakthrough. Keep supporting the anointing, it will take you to your destiny.
SERMON - Dressed Victoriously
03 JANUARY 2016
We are like the angel, every stone in the way of your breakthrough will be rolled away. You will be dressed in white, because of the battle that Jesus Christ has conquered. Jesus fought for us and He conquered, and we are the beneficiaries of the victory. Even if the world rejects you, you must know that God has made you a beneficiary of the victory. This is why you are victoriously dressed in white today. Even Jesus Himself was dressed in white when He rose from the dead. Because white is the colour of victory. When you wear all white, you are claiming your position of victory in Christ Jesus.
SERMON - See My Light
31 DECEMBER / 01 JANUARY 2016
I have a message for you today: In this new year of 2016, God will remember you. Just like Prophet Samuel asked if Jesse had another son, your marriage, career, promotion, finances, business which seems to have forgotten you – will ask for you. You will also be like the other son, David, who was remembered. I want to tell you that you have a Prophet in your midst who is bringing the anointing which will enable you to cross over with the light of God to the new year. I am bringing the anointing which will make you to be remembered.