The power of the Word

  

   THE POWER OF THE WORD

     In the temptation of the Lord Jesus we find the direction for our victory. The biblical account points to the fact that it was the Holy Spirit himself who led the Lord Jesus into the desert, with the sole purpose to be tempted by the devil.

      A question that immediately arises is: why God wanted His Son to be tempted by the devil before starting his earthly ministry there in the desert? He was far from everything and everyone, absolutely alone, apparently abandoned, Jesus knew that though his eyes could not contemplate any foreign aid still inside him, a voice was constantly saying, "I am with you! No matter all this solitude; make sure that I am with you ". This voice is always present in times of greatest anguish and distress when we go through the wilderness of this world.

     After fasting many days and many nights, it was impossible that the Lord Jesus had not hunger because his human nature was at the height of his needs. It was precisely because of that, taking advantage of the physical need, the devil came and launched the first poisonous arrow saying:

 "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread"

     Now the devil knew perfectly well that Jesus was the son of God. Even though the human nature of Jesus was shown in evidence, proven by hunger, His divine nature was real. Even if He had the right to use it because He had to live exclusively within the humans limits. He could not use his divine attributes to overcome the barriers of difficulties.  For example, could you turn the stones into bread to kill your hunger. No! If this could not happened with you, so it could not happen with Jesus, the Son and Lamb of God. Otherwise, His sacrifice would be invalidated because He could not suffer in the flesh, soul and spirit with death on Calvary since God does not die.

     He would have to feel on His own flesh the human suffering. The devil knew that but still tried Him, throwing a challenge knowing that Jesus was hungry, so he sought to tempt Him. However do not fall into temptation. Leave your emotions and feelings aside, Jesus said,

"It is written: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4.4.

      Contrary to the situation, the Lord Jesus resisted, not with his power much less with His supreme authority, but only with the Word of God. That's the right way out of any problem that may afflict us. The servant of God should read, meditate and practice daily the Word of God, for then he can resist the bad days and win battles against the devil.

Obreiro de Deus

Obreiro de Deus


Quando alguém chega até a Igreja Universal, pela primeira vez, buscando auxilio, na maioria das vezes, é recebida por um obreiro, que ouve a sua história com atenção, em seguida ora para liberta-la das garras do diabo. Depois orienta-la sobre as correntes de oração e de como ela deve usar a fé para que sua vida venha ser transformada.

> Quem é Obreiro?

Esta sempre preparado para apresentar-se bem, seja homem ou mulher, tem como característica estar asseado e vestido de forma adequada, com um caráter verdadeiro. É educado ao falar com quem está passando por uma situação difícil. Nunca busca resolver o problema do povo com suas próprias ideias e sim sempre apoiado na Palavra de Deus.


> O Trabalho do Obreiro

O trabalho de receber quem chega à Universal é apenas um dos exemplos das atividades desempenhadas pelo obreiro. Quando ele é levantado para a Obra de Deus, passa a lidar com almas e declara guerra contra o diabo,  que por sua vez  lutará com todas as suas armas para não permitir que alguém seja tirado de suas garras. Por isso, o obreiro tem consciência que tem que estar sempre bem com Deus, sendo fiel a Ele em todos os sentidos.

O Obreiro está na Igreja auxiliando os pastores no decorrer das reuniões sempre disposto a ajudar quando solicitado. Para quem olha de fora o trabalho do obreiro juga como uma atividade simples e fácil. Porem na verdade não é. O obreiro sacrifica a sua vida para dar o melhor de si porque ele sabe que tem um papel fundamental na Obra de Deus.

> Onde estão os Obreiros?

Se encontram sim na Igreja na hora da reunião cumprindo com o seu chamado, porem do contrario estão sempre aonde existem almas aflitas, estão disponíveis para visitar hospitais,  casas de reabilitação, estão nas ruas e praças evangelizando, praticando obras sociais, levando sempre a mensagem de vida para os que estão sofrendo.


> Obreiros Heróis da Universal

São homens e mulheres que estão sempre dispostos a todo por todo, não olham para as dificuldades, carregam dentro deles o selo do Altíssimo o Espirito Santo. São considerados para esta sociedade como nada, mas para Deus são verdadeiros guerreiros, prontos para enfrentar qualquer batalha para salvar uma alma. Para estes heróis da fé não existe barreiras, eles estão sempre prontos e quando chamados para executar a vontade de Deus sempre dizem: EIS-ME AQUI.

The Assistant of God

When someone arrives at the Universal Church for the first time seeking help, this person is normally greeted by an assistant. The assistant then listens with attention to the person’s story and right after that prays to set the person free from the claws of the devil. After the person is taught about the chains of prayers and how he or she should use his or her faith so that his or her life can be transformed.

Who is the assistant?

The assistant is the one who is always ready to present himself in the very best way. Whether the assistant is a male or female, both of them have in common the same characteristic which is to be always clean and dressed in an adequate way with a true character. He or she is polite when he or she speaks to those who are going through a difficult situation. He or she never try to solve a person’s problems according to his or her own ideas, but always using the Word of God.

The duties of the assistant

One of the example of the activities performed by the assistant is receiving the people who come to the church lost and in need of help.  When an Assistant is raised to do the Work of God, they are dealing with souls and declares war against the devil. They in turn will fight with all their weapons to not allow someone to be taken from their clutches. Therefore, the assistant is aware that they have to always be right with God, being faithful to Him in every way.

The assistant helps in the Church by assisting the pastors in the meetings and are always willing to help when asked. There are  those who look out of the assistant work judge it as a simple and easy activity. However it really is not. The Assistant sacrifices his life to give the best of himself because he knows he has a key role in the work of God.

 Where are the Assistant?

Being an assistant is not only to be in the Church at the time of the meeting to fulfill their calling to save souls. However, they are always where there are troubled souls. They are available to visit hospitals, rehabilitation homes, on the streets and evangelizing squares, practicing social work, always taking the message of life for those who are suffering.

The assistants are the heroes of the Universal church

They are men and women who are always willing to go the extra mile. They do not look for trouble, carry within them the Most High seal the Holy Spirit. They are considered for this society as nothing but to God, they are true warriors, ready for battle to save a soul. For these heroes of faith there is no barrier, they are always ready and when called to perform God's will they always say:
HERE I Am.

The difference between a dream of the heart and a dream of the mind

The difference between a dream of the heart and a dream of the mind

The dream projected in the mind does not depend on any circumstances. Why, then is it that the majority of dreams do not come true? Why do so many people feel depressed and frustrated when their dreams do not become a reality? Because their dreams have been projected in the heart, and therefore they are subject to their own feelings and this is the reason why they do not come true.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? Jeremiah 17.9

The heart is just a fountain of emotions and feelings, fantasies and illusions. This is how every dream is projected in it.

Every one knows that for a dream come true is necessary that person faces struggles and difficulties. There are several obstacles to be overcome so that a person can see the realization of his dream. Can we expect that out of the fountain of emotions, the heart, there will come out a perseverance faith to conquer a dream come true if in this fountain there's only useless and deceitful feelings? Definitely not! It would be the same as preparing a child for a war.

The heart is impotent and unprepared to face any type of difficulties because it was not made to fight but to feel. It is incapable of giving the right direction or something realizable. It is incapable of fighting and make the right choice. It depends exclusively on the circumstances to keep its dreams and hope alive.

Every time that a dream is projected in the heart, a person has to count on “luck” to make it come true. This is when small and growing problems appear and make a person to give up.

However, when the dream is projected by the spirit, in the mind and supported by the Word of God, it is impossible for this dream not to come true. Why? Because the dream projected in the mind always remain despite the circumstances. There is a conscience that the realization of a dream depends on the person perseverance.

As the farmer depends on the land to plant and to reap its fruits, he who has a Christian mind depends on the Word of God to accomplish his projects and he will never give up before the problems.

As a matter of fact, independently of what your physical eyes see, the dream will remain firm. Your eyes are spiritual, so you can see the invisible and believe in the impossible. The true Christian believes in the fulfillment of the Word of God.

Sonho da Mente e do Coração

O sonho projetado na mente não depende das circunstâncias. Por que, então, a maioria dos sonhos não se realiza? Por que muitos se sentem deprimidos e fracassados quando um sonho não se cumpre? Porque esses sonhos são projetados no coração e, por isso, estão sujeitos aos próprios sentimentos, e aí esta a razão porque não se realizam.

”Enganoso é o coração, mais do que todas as coisas, e desesperadamente corrupto; quem o conhecerá?” Jeremias (17:9).

O coração é só uma fonte de emoções e sentimentos; de fantasias e ilusões. Assim, também todo sonho nele projetado.

Todos sabem que, para que um sonho se torne realidade, é necessário enfrentar lutas e dificuldades. Há milhares de barreiras a vencer para a conquista de um sonho. No entanto, pode-se esperar que, da fonte de todas as emoções – o coração – surja uma fé perseverante para conquistar um sonho se essa fonte só tem sentimentos inúteis e ilusórios? Claro que não! Seria o mesmo que preparar uma criança para a guerra.

O coração é impotente e impróprio para enfrentar qualquer tipo de dificuldade, pois não foi feito para lutar, mas para sentir. É incapaz de inspirar a melhor direção, de inspirar algo realizável. É incapaz de lutar e de fazer a escolha certa. Ele depende exclusivamente das circunstâncias para manter vivos seus sonhos e esperanças.

Toda vez que um sonho é projetado dentro dele, conta-se com a “sorte” para realizá-lo, surgem logo pequenos e crescentes problemas que o leva a desanimar.

Entretanto, quando os sonhos são projetados no espírito, na mente, no intelecto, apoiados na Palavra de Deus, é impossível não se tornarem realidade. Por que? Porque o sonho projetado na mente jamais deixa de existir por causa das circunstâncias, pois há uma consciência de que sua realização dependerá da sua perseverança.

Assim como o agricultor depende da terra para plantar e colher os seus frutos, quem tem uma mente cristã depende da Palavra de Deus para realizar seus projetos e jamais desanimará diante dos problemas.

Enfim, independentemente do que os seus olhos físicos vêem, o sonho se mantém firme. Os seus olhos são espirituais, por isso vêem o invisível e crêem no impossível. Ainda que as condições sejam desfavoráveis, o verdadeiro cristão crê no cumprimento da Palavra de Deus.

Deus abençoe a todos.

The Pillars of our Ministry

The three pillars of our ministry

The Ministry of the Lord Jesus was based upon three very important pillars:

1 – Teaching

2 -  Preaching

3 -  Healing/deliverance

Teaching – “And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying; Blessed are the poor in spirit, for their is the Kingdom of heaven”. Matthew 5.1-3

Every servant of God in order to be considered as complete and approved one has to work with these 3 arms. He has to know how to teach people about the things they should do and things they shouldn't do. He has to teach them about the discipline of faith, how to put their faith into action before situations that they go through every day. Also, he should teach them how to resist evil, how to walk in holiness and rectitude before God… There are several passages especially in the four gospels showing the Lord Jesus teaching in the synagogues, mountains and in the temples.

Preaching – “immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.” Mark 2.2

The servant of God should also be ready to preach about the Kingdom of God, the importance of repentance and why people should be baptized in water. He has to be well capable of preaching about the plan of salvation that God has for every human being, also to lead people into having an encounter with God. He should preach about the baptism with the Holy Spirit and its importance in the life of every Christian.

Healing/deliverance – “When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with the word, and healed all who were sick…” Matthew 8.16

 It’s very common for those who do the Work of God to focus on healing and deliverance the most, more than the other two pillars of the Ministry of the Lord Jesus. There's no doubt that if people do not get healed, nor delivered, then whatever other thing that we try to do is not going to work because something is impeding them from receiving their lives transformation. However, we have to work with the three pillars as the Lord Jesus did. Then, you will be considered as a complete and approved servant.

‘Be diligent to present yourself to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.’ II Timothy 2.15

Bishop Carlos da Costa