George Otu

THE WORD SIROCCO
Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Month Theme: Fire

Topic: Fearsome Believers

Scripture Reading: Acts 5:1-14; Acts 2:1-10

Main Text:
Acts 5:13
13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.

The people feared the early church and did not join their ranks carelessly. After the apostle Peter delivered his sermon, fear came upon the people (Acts 2:43). The judgement that fell on Ananias and Sapphira and the miracles of the apostles also scared the observers (Acts 5:11-13).

We will consider some fear factors. Fear factors are the things that make the world fear the Church. John the Baptist caused fear in Herod.
• Wonder — John the Baptist was a mystery to Herod and he feared him. Herod thought Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead (Mark 6:14-16). We’re not ordinary. We’re a wonder to the world.
• Works — Herod feared him because he did miracles (Mark 6:14). The testimonies in our lives make the world fear us. The results of our works are beyond their understanding.
• Ways — Our ways can make the world fear us. He was a just man and a holy man (Mark 6:20). Intellectual, financial and material wealth will not let the world fear us but our spiritual character.

If Herod feared John the Baptist, kings and the world must fear us because the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11-12). Your fear should fall upon people wherever you go (Deuteronomy 1124-25).

Prayer: Pray that your fear will fall upon all who are against you and the purpose of God for your life.

Coming Soon:
“Explosion Series” by Eastwood Anaba
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www.eastwoodanaba.com

THE WORD SIROCCO
Monday, February 8, 2021

Month Theme: Fire

Topic: Compelling Fire

Scripture Reading: Acts 17:1-10; Acts 2:1-10

Main Text:
Luke 24:32
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

As the combusting (the process of burning something) fire, the Holy Ghost compelled or drove the disciples to preach the Gospel fearlessly to the world within and short time. They were irresistible and in some places, they were described as the people who turned the world upside down – excited commotion and disturbance, caused confusion and disorder). Their influence spread like fire in dry grass (Acts 17:4-6).

John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus Christ during His first advent into the world. The former came in the spirit and power of Elijah – he operated with zeal or fieriness that was comparable with Elijah (Luke 1:15-17). John the Baptist ignited an explosive revival that shook the religious landscape in Israel like Elijah shook the land of Israel and their idolatrous King Ahab and his wife Jezebel.

Zeal is the effect of the combusting fire of the Holy Ghost. John the Baptist burned with the zeal of the Lord. His fiery enthusiasm drew the masses from the city to the river Jordan to participate in his ministry. The Church needs to be consumed by the zeal of the Lord, in this age and day.

Prayer: Pray for the fire of the Holy Ghost to burn in your heart.

Coming Soon:
“Explosion Series” by Eastwood Anaba
(Find other e-books at www.amazon.com)
www.eastwoodanaba.com

THE WORD SIROCCO
Friday, February 5, 2021

Month Theme: Fire

Topic: Convicting Fire

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 12:1-29; Acts 2:1-10

Main Text:
Hebrews 12:29
29 For our God is a consuming fire.

Fire was associated with the cloven tongues because the Word of God is a fire and the ministry of the Word is propelled by the fire of the Holy Ghost. The ministration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a ministration of fire. The Holy Ghost and the Word of God the disciples preached have the characteristics of fire.

The Word of God is fire because of its purifying power – it consumes and removes the impurities of doubt, fear, sin and wickedness from our hearts (Jeremiah 23:29). Jesus Christ revealed to His disciples that the Holy Ghost would convince – convict, reprove, rebuke – the world of sin (John 16:7-8). The fire of the Holy Ghost brings conviction.

The modern-day Church and the world are quickly forgetting this most important ministry of the Holy Ghost. Without yielding to the ministration of the Holy Ghost, we will either continue sinning and disobeying without any repentance or try to change our ways by ourselves. WE MUST BE FERVENT IN SPIRIT (Romans 12:11).

Prayer: Pray for the fire of the Holy Ghost to come upon you.

Coming Soon:
“Explosion Series” by Eastwood Anaba
(Find other e-books at www.amazon.com)
www.eastwoodanaba.com

THE WORD SIROCCO
Thursday, February 4, 2021

Month Theme: Fire

Topic: God is a Consuming Fire

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 12:1-29; Acts 2:1-10

Main Text:
Hebrews 12:29
29 For our God is a consuming fire.

On the day of Pentecost, cloven tongues like fire appeared in the Upper Room (Acts 2:1-4). The word “fire” means fiery or lightning. The disciples saw a central scintillation from which tongues that looked like fire separated (cleaved) and settled on each of them. They were empowered to execute the Great Commission.

Everything God created has a purpose. Fire has a purpose.
• Convicting
The Holy Ghost convicted the disciples and sinners unto repentance.
• Combusting
The Holy Ghost combusted the spirits of the apostle to run with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• Confronting
The Holy Ghost confronted the resistance of the religious leaders.
• Consuming
The Holy Ghost consumed the demons that oppressed the sick.

The fire associated with the cloven tongues speaks of God’s own nature and for that matter the nature of the Holy Ghost. God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:27-29).

Prayer: Pray for the fire of the Holy Ghost to come upon you.

Coming Soon:
“Explosion Series” by Eastwood Anaba
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www.eastwoodanaba.com

THE WORD SIROCCO
Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Month Theme: Fire

Topic: The Power of the Tongue — Refreshing and Reaction

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-10

Main Text:
Acts 2:3
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

We mentioned yesterday that the appearing of the tongues like fire on the day of Pentecost in the Upper Room was not a coincidence (Acts 2:3-4). God chose that symbol on purpose just as He chose the sound, wind and fire. Every symbol had a divine plan. The tongues of fire signalled what the Holy Ghost was about to do in the disciples (revival and refreshing) and with them (reaction).
• Revival • Refreshing • Reaction. We looked at “Revival”. Today we will consider “Refreshing and Reaction”.

Refreshing is the restoration of strength, peace and joy to tired and dejected people. The appearing of cloven tongues like fire assured the disciples they would be revived and restored. The prophet Isaiah said stammering lips and another tongue were the rest and refreshing God gives to weary people (Isaiah 28:11-12).

Reaction is saying or doing something back against the gates of hell and the world. Through the things people say, the gates of hell are contending against the revelation of Jesus Christ (with strange doctrines), the preaching of the Gospel and building of the Church. Jesus Christ demands that we react – we must say something. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. A silent Church will lose the war against the gates of hell and the world.

Prayer: Pray and speak life into anything that is dead or dying around you.

Coming Soon:
“Explosion Series” by Eastwood Anaba
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www.eastwoodanaba.com

THE WORD SIROCCO
Monday, February 1, 2021

Month Theme: Fire

Topic: The Cloven Tongues

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-10

Main Text:
Acts 2:3
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

It is important for us to separate the sound like a wind and the cloven tongues like fire from the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:3-4). The sound and cloven tongues were audible and visible phenomena respectively, which accompanied the coming of the Holy Ghost (the divine Person). The word “tongue” is the Greek word ‘glōssa’ meaning tongue with reference to a language not naturally acquired. The word “cloven” is the Greek word ‘diamerizō’ which means to partition, divide, part or separate. Tongues which looked like fire or scintillations separated or divided from a common source (an appearance) and rested on the disciples.

The cloven tongues like fire “settling on the disciples” suggests strongly that the effect of the explosion on the day of Pentecost centred on the tongue and fire.
• Enlightenment — The fiery tongues represented the enlightenment or illumination the Holy Ghost gave the disciples on the day of Pentecost. Ignorance and fear gave way to supernatural knowledge and revelation.
• Expression — The cloven tongues represented the languages that came out of the mouths of the disciples when the Holy Ghost filled them. One of the main assignments of the Holy Ghost is to break ethnic barriers.
• Energy — The cloven tongues like fire could also represent the energising and empowering influence of the Holy Ghost on our tongue that propels us into action.

The cloven tongues resting on the disciples could mean that speaking in other tongues is the initial sign of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They implied that the disciples were about to be empowered by the Holy Ghost to use their tongues to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Pray that you’ll receive the enlightenment, expression and energy of the Holy Ghost.

Coming Soon:
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www.eastwoodanaba.com

THE WORD SIROCCO
Saturday, January 30, 2021

Month Theme: Explosion

Topic: The Sensation of the Sound

Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-10; Acts 2:1-10

Main Text:
Acts 2:2
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

The word “wind” in Acts 2:1-2 means breath, breeze or respiration. In the verb form, it means to blow or to breathe. The “wind” conveys the idea of the sensation or feeling the Holy Ghost generates. What the disciples felt was like a strong breath or breeze. Hearing a sound, feeling a breeze or seeing a fire are genuine spiritual experiences.

The sound of the wind in the Upper Room transformed weak and fearful disciples into a militant body of believers who shook the world. The prophet Ezekiel prophesied upon the dry bones that they would live, and they formed a great army (Ezekiel 37:10). Prophesy as commanded – according to the word of God, the power of God and holiness of God. We must not prophesy according to our will but as commanded. Don’t prophesy less. Don’t prophesy weaker. Prophesy as commanded.

The sensation of the sound of the wind of the Spirit is spiritually, emotionally and physically effective and powerful – it’s an explosion. The prophet Ezekiel prophesied upon the dry bones and they lived. To a limited extent we are in control of our destinies according to the potency of our prophecies – the wind we generate (Proverbs 18:21).

Prayer: Prophesy life into anything that is dying or dead around you.

Coming Soon:
“Explosion Series” by Eastwood Anaba
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www.eastwoodanaba.com

THE WORD SIROCCO
Friday, January 29, 2021

Month Theme: Explosion

Topic: The Strength of the Sound II

Scripture Reading: Revelation 1:1-17; Acts 2:1-10

Main Text:
Revelation 1:15
15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

In Acts 2:1-2, the sound from heaven was fast – it rushed like a wind. It was also mighty like a wind. The word “mighty” describes the force with which the sound came. The sound from Heaven came with the speed (“rushing”) and strength (“mighty”) of a wind. The apostle John had a vivid revelation of Jesus Christ on the Island of Patmos (Revelation 1:13-17). In this captivating revelation, the voice of Jesus Christ was like the sound of many waters (raging waters or a cataract). It was a rumbling noise – an explosion.

The voice like the sound of many waters is:
1. Overwhelming — The sound of God’s voice or word overwhelms our thoughts, words and will. The brightness and sound that emanated from the glorious Jesus Christ were so compelling that John collapsed.
2. Overpowering — The voice of Jesus Christ and His overall description shows someone who overcomes the world (Isaiah 59:19). The voice overpowers the satanic and worldly standards, projections and machinations against the Kingdom of God.

John’s experience of Jesus’ voice and appearance was forceful and compelling. The mild and gentle approach to things of the Kingdom of God is giving way to a forceful attitude (Matthew 11:12).

Prayer: Pray that any enemy that rises against you will hear a sound of rebuke from the Lord.

Coming Soon:
“Explosion Series” by Eastwood Anaba
(Find other e-books at www.amazon.com)
www.eastwoodanaba.com

THE WORD SIROCCO
Thursday, January 28, 2021

Month Theme: Explosion

Topic: The Strength of the Sound I

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-10

Main Text:
Acts 2:2
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

The sound like a wind rushed into the space the disciples occupied – it was like a rushing mighty wind (Acts 2:1-2). The sound from heaven was fast – it rushed like a wind. It was also mighty like a wind. The word “mighty” describes the force with which the sound came. The sound from Heaven came with the speed (“rushing”) and strength (“mighty”) of a wind.

The sound was characterised by the force of a wind. The term “mighty wind” refers to the strength of the wind or intensity of the sound. The explosion of God’s power is mighty. It is not weak. The sound in the Upper Room made the apostles militant. Sound or noise plays an important part in our warfare against the forces of darkness. In a battle of David against the Philistines, God’s movement with a sound made him and his enemies respond in appropriate ways for his victory (2 Samuel 5:22-25).

“And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees…” God makes a sound. In a battle against the Philistines, God moved in the tops of the mulberry (balsam) trees. There was the “sound of a going”, sound of shuffling or sound like marching feet in the tops of the mulberry or poplar trees. God has a way of making our enemies hear sounds that scare them. God makes a sound in our warfare that defeats the enemy. The enemy certainly hears the sound (2 Kings 7:6-7).

Prayer: Pray that any enemy that rises against you will hear a sound of rebuke from the Lord.

Coming Soon:
“Explosion Series” by Eastwood Anaba
(Find other e-books at www.amazon.com)
www.eastwoodanaba.com