When I gave my life to Christ, I was the only Christian among the eight children born to my mother. I asked the Lord what I should do for their conversion. He asked me what I desired, and I requested that all eight be saved. He responded by telling me I could win them to Him. I began by praying for each one by name. Today, they are all saved with me. In verse thirteen of our text, the Bible says, “And he sent again...” Yes, the devil’s work is to steal and destroy. We must continue to bind him everywhere until God sends him into the bottomless pit. The devil should not be able to prevent you from doing what the Holy Spirit has given you the power and authority to do. But here’s the interesting part. Look at this:

“Ahaziah sent again a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, ‘Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight!’” (2 Kings 1:13)

Hallelujah!

This is your Discovery Day! It is time for the devil and his agents to bow before you. They will be put on display; imagine the army with all their war weapons kneeling before you! The grand military parade was over; the arrogant and authoritative language had vanished from their speech. Those countries that have never experienced military rule do not know the cruel side of the army. When the military gains political power in any country, the young and inexperienced recruit turns into a lord.

With their guns slung over their shoulders, they roam the city giving orders and expecting unconditional and immediate obedience from the populace. But today is different. The change in attitude has shifted from “Hey You! Called Man of God, come down immediately” to “O Man of God, I beg you, spare my life and the lives of these fifty, Your servants…”

Your servants! Since when do armed men acknowledge that they were servants of those they called “mere civilians”? What have they exactly become?! It is time for the devil, his children, and his agents to kneel before you, begging for their lives; if you are a man of God. They must look you in the face and call you “Man of God.”

You have tolerated their foolishness enough.

It is time to walk contrary to the will of the enemy and live the will of God. It is time to tell poverty, “I am too beautiful for you!” and to sickness: “Hey, from the top of my head to the soles of my feet, I belong to the Lord!” The Bible says, “The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool ?” (Matthew 22:44). O Man and Woman of God, when will you fulfill the expectations of creation?

There they were on their knees; the enemies of justice, the agents of the devil, and oppression. The Lord God might be saying: keep them on their knees until they fully recognize you as His Son.

Every time you pray and miracles happen, Heaven smiles. When you cast out demons, God rejoices and says, “That’s my Son, that’s my Daughter, they know what to do with my Name, she knows what to do with My Power.” If I am a man of God, let the fire come down. Why should sinners prosper while the saints suffer? It’s because some people think the poorer they are, the quicker they will see God.

No! Unwholesome things will not stand in the presence of God; and poverty is a disgrace to the person of God and His Power on earth. For:

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it…” Psalms 24:1-10.

The power of God is not synonymous with a man dressed in strange robes. No, there is a power greater than bizarre robes, and that is the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ. All the demons of hell cannot resist the name of Jesus. In the eleventh chapter of the gospel of St Matthew, the Bible declares that John the Baptist heard the echoes of Jesus. From the prison where he was incarcerated, he sent his disciples to find out if the Lord Jesus was indeed the long-awaited Messiah. “Are you the one who was to come?” What was the Lord’s answer? He didn’t say:

Yes; and the evidence is my red robe, or the white robe, or the white gown, or my Monk’s hat, or my golden sheath. He did not allude to the burning of incense and colored candles; or to incantations, or wonderfully crafted charms, or the crucial point, or the ceremonial garment, or the midnight church washing ritual as proof of his (being a man of God.) What did he say? Listen to him:

“Jesus replied, ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.‘” Matthew 11:4-5

These are the signs of a man of God. The Lord was telling John the Baptist that the signs of a man of God, the signs of the long-awaited Messiah, were evident in the ministry. The works of faith must speak for themselves. They must produce enough convincing answers to John’s questions through his messengers. There was enough evidence. Let’s not preach faith and practice unbelief.

We speak of power and live in fear. Demonstrate the evidence of God’s power in your life. It is time to manifest the resurrection power of Christ to your generation. The time has come to stop the senseless incantations and mutterings of slogans in the name of prayer and start declaring the language of power and faith. If I am a man of God, let the fire come down!

This text is an excerpt from the book “If I am a man of God” written by Benson Idahosa.