The Astute and Smart Blogger

What's a Blog?

2017-11-08T16:48:00.000+00:00

Blogging Definition

A blog is an online journal, which is housed on a webpage on the internet. A blog is usually arranged in chronological order from the most recent blog post at the top of the main page to the older entries towards the bottom. Here is an example.

The term “weblog” was coined by Jorn Barger on 17 December 1997. The short form, “blog”, was coined by Peter Merholz, who jokingly broke the word weblog into the phrase we blog in the sidebar of his blog Peterme.com in April or May 1999. Shortly thereafter, Evan Williams at Pyra Labs used “blog” as both a noun and verb (“to blog”, meaning “to edit one’s weblog or to post to one’s weblog”) and devised the term “blogger” in connection with Pyra Labs’ Blogger product, leading to the popularization of the terms.

Here are the main blogging terms to be familiar with:

Blog (noun) – an online journal or diary.

Blog (verb) – to write, edit or post a blog post.

Blog post (noun) – the content of a blog (noun)

Blogger (noun) – a person who blogs (verb), keeps or owns a blog (noun).

Blogging (verb) – the act of writing a blog post.

A blog serves to bridge the gap between the demand for information and the supply of information. There is probably a blog for every subject or topic under the sun. Therefore, blogs help to fill the huge gap between the demand and supply of information.

The very first blog post was published on October 7th 1994, by Dave Winer, a software developer in California, credited by the Guardian as having invented the blog.

A new blog is created somewhere in the world every half a second. Since there 86,400 seconds in a day, it means 172,800 blogs are created every day. 172,800 new blogs every single day!

But blogging isn’t necessarily for everyone who blogs.

IMHO, blogging is only for those who are either passionate or disciplined enough about blogging, that they are willing and able to invest time, money and everything else that’s required to improve themselves, and make themselves better at blogging.

Here’s another way to look at it.

Blogging for Money

If blogging is an expensive hobby that drains your resources, then blogging isn’t for you. However, if blogging brings you an income (no matter how small), then you’re probably on the right path to becoming a blogger!

So are you blogger? Check out this amazing article Blogging Isn't For You on Astute Copy Blogging to find out :)

THIS BLOG HAS MIGRATED TO => HTTP://WWW.PEDROOKORO.COM/ PLEASE JOIN ME THERE :)

2015-03-19T17:35:00.003+00:00

I wanted to let you know that I have migrated my blog Crushing The Devil to a new website == PEDROOKORO.COM and ASTUTE COPY BLOGGING.

I now typically post 1 or 2 times a week, usually on Tuesday.

"You don’t have to visit my blog to stay up-to-date. Instead, you can get updates via email. Whenever I post fresh content, I will send you an email message. To do so, simply click on this link: http://eepurl.com/benwYb and fill out the simple form to subscribe to my email list. I can guarantee you that I will never give your email address to anybody else. And you can unsubscribe at any time.

My focus in this new blog is life in all its fullness. My mission is to help people live life to the full. As a result, I write on personal development, purpose, spiritual warfare, and relationships. And sometimes, I write about stuff that don’t fit neatly into any of these categories.

My goal is to create inspiring, insightful, relevant, and practical content that will empower you to live your ordinary, everyday life in all its fullness! If you want to live your life to the full, then this new blog is for you.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to seeing you over at http://www.pedrookoro.com/ soon.

With every blessing

Pedro Okoro

Pastor, Blogger, Award-winning Author.

It is well!

2013-07-26T07:29:00.000+01:00

Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.

Isaiah 3:10 (ESV)

Following the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, those who are SAVED fight from a position of VICTORY instead of fighting for victory. The Bible assures us that we are “more than conquerors”. All we have to do is to enforce the victory won by Jesus on the cross of Calvary.

It is against this background that we must look at our Bible text. It says “Tell the righteous it will be well with them” (NIV). Tell the righteous?? “Who are those?” somebody might ask. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (NIV). In other words, Jesus became sin for us so that those who are SAVED become righteous in Christ. Those who accept Jesus’ sacrificial death are made new. This is confirmed by 2 Corinthians 5: 17 which says “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (NLT).

Positionally, those who have been saved are righteous before God; that is to say, they have right standing with God. This is because when God looks at them He sees what Jesus accomplished on our behalf through His death on the cross of Calvary. We have been made perfect. Yet, experientially, Christians are still in a growth process. They have been made perfect, yet they are being made holy. Put differently: by His death and resurrection, Jesus makes us perfect, yet we are being progressively made holy, cleansed, and set apart daily.

So the question is: Are you saved? Are you born again? If Jesus has redeemed you then you’re God’s righteousness. You are righteous. You have right standing before God, and our Bible text applies to you!

Whatever you may be going through right NOW, God says to tell you: it shall be well with you. Why? Simply because you are now a child of God and you are righteous. If God gave Jesus to die for you when you were not saved, now that you’ve become a part of His Kingdom, He won’t withhold any good thing from you!

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Pedro Okoro is a Professional Blogger, Copywriter, Coach, List Grow Strategist and Pastor. He is the founder and CEO of Astute Copy Blogging. He is also an Award-winning and bestselling Author. He is married with two delightful daughters.

Our Mission to Plano, Texas, this August

2013-07-07T22:52:00.003+01:00

Can you give $10 to support our mission?

Give $10 today. And make an impact!

Can you give a one-off gift of $10 to support our mission to Plano, Texas this August? *We have now raised $1,485 and need another $3,515 to meet our target of $5,000!*** But we have just 27 days to raise this money! With your help we can achieve this target. Give $10 today and help bring salvation, healing and deliverance to many!

You can give here==>https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/aXI47

Just $10 will make a huge difference to this mission and help in bring salvation, healing and deliverance to many!

Don't put it off. Don't leave it to somebody else! Please donate today. God bless you!

Please Support my Conference in Plano, Texas, this August.

2013-06-15T11:00:00.000+01:00

This Summer we are organizing the first ever 'Crushing The Devil' Healing & Deliverance Conference in Plano, Texas. It is based on my award-winning book, 'Crushing The Devil'.

It holds August 8th to 10th at the Mount Olive Church of Plano, and I am trusting God for the miraculous! We are making the Conference free so everyone in need of God's healing and deliverance can attend. However, for this to happen, I need the financial support of my friends and partners. Please stand with me and with the people of Texas and give generously to help defray the cost of hosting this Conference. No amount is too small!

To give, please visit our Fund Raising Page at: https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/aXI47

God bless you.

Announcing The Crushing The Devil Healing & Deliverance Conference 2013

2013-06-14T12:29:00.001+01:00

Join me in Texas this Summer as I minister at the

Crushing The Devil Healing & Deliverance Conference 2013

Theme: Rolling Away the Reproach

Join us at this awesome Conference as we pray to:

Break the power of recurrent problems

Overcome the stagnancy of life

Stop labouring in vain

Stop demonic evil patterns

Operate in supernatural breakthrough

Break free from financial hardship

Overcome hidden destructive covenants

Break generational curses and covenants

*Revoke evil curses and decrees

Thursday, August 8th 7PM

Friday, August 9th 7PM

Prayer Breakfast, Saturday August 10th @ 9.30AM

VENUE: MT OLIVE CHURCH OF PLANO

330 Chisholm Pl

Plano, Texas 75075

United States

For more information, please visit: https://crushingthedevil.eventbrite.com/

Would you be made free?

2013-02-11T11:39:00.001+00:00

There are people who might need deliverance even though they have become Christians. This is especially important where they were dedicated to the devil (through Satanic altars) before they came to know the Lord; this often happens when people dabble into the occult.

People may also need deliverance because of a generational curse. This is where their ancestors made covenants on their behalf with an agent of the devil. This would be the case if any of their 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great grandparents or 16 great-great grandparents went into the occult or practised sorcery or divination or consulted mediums or witch doctors or were involved in witchcraft at any time in their lives. I have gone as far back as great-great grandparents because the effect of generational curses can last up to the fourth generation! The Bible says in Exodus 20:5(KJV) “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.” [My emphasis.]

Our ancestors sinned, but they have died—and we are suffering the punishment they deserved!

Lamentations 5:7(NLT)

If there are negative traits which you noticed in your parents, which you hated such as alcoholism, anger, child abuse, adultery, wife abuse etc and which you can now see in your own life, then you need to be set free! Also, if you notice a pattern of things in your family among your siblings or other family members, such as alcoholism, suicide, anger, adultery, miscarriage, divorce, not getting married until a certain, getting divorced at a certain time, not having children until a certain time, etc then you need to seek help.

These things won't go away simply because you're now born again! They need to be dealt with! In the same way that you can be saved and be poor unless you apply the Biblical principles for prosperity, you can be saved and be under the devil's yoke of oppression! There are principles laid out by God in the Bible which need to be applied for you to enjoy true freedom in Christ.

If any of these things apply to you, ask a pastor with insight into spiritual warfare to pray for you. Jesus will set you free. I am also available to minster to anyone who is in need of deliverance.

(C) Pedro Okoro, Blogger, Author, Pastor. You can follow Pedro on Twitter: http://twitter.com/pedrookoro

Satan, You’re Under Arrest!*

2013-02-04T23:27:00.000+00:00

This is a citizen’s arrest

For I bear on my body the Lord’s crest

Heaven is my final destination

And a citizen I am of God’s holy nation

Devil, you are fired

You will never ever be required

For all the calamities you inspire

I pour on you the Lord’s unquenchable fire

I don’t want you around me, devil

’Cause you are Machiavellian and so full of evil

I am arresting you, devil

You’re so jam-packed with evil

I arrest you on reasonable suspicion

Of various counts of gross insubordination

Devil, you are fired

No more are you hired

For all the misfortunes you inspire

I pour on you the Lord’s unquenchable fire

I don’t like you one bit, devil

’Cause you are conniving and brimming with evil

I arrest you in the name of Jesus

God’s Son who came to save us

And deliver us from your oppression

Following Adam’s initial transgression

Devil, you are fired

You were never ever required

For all the devastation you inspire

I pour on you the Lord’s unquenchable fire

I don’t want you near me, devil

’Cause you are deceitful and busting with evil

To remain silent when questioned is your right

But of this important fact you must not lose sight

It would harm your defense if later you rely

On something you could have said today in reply

For the avoidance of doubt whatever you say

Will stand against you at your trial on judgment day

Devil, you are fired

No more will you ever be hired

For all the catastrophes you inspire

I pour on you the Lord’s unquenchable fire

I don’t like you at all, devil

’Cause you are sly and so satiated with evil

Your failure to carry out my instructions as a child of God

Appears from others to be a familiar pattern you have trod

Your willful disobedience amounts to a declaration of war

Enough is enough, I cannot continue with you as before

Devil, you are fired

You were never ever required

For all the disasters you inspire

I pour on you the Lord’s unquenchable fire

I can’t stand you, devil

’Cause you are devious and overflowing with evil

I now break your yoke, destroy your burdens and bind you

In the name of the exalted Lord Jesus who was born a Jew

Who on the cross of Calvary became sin and was of evil men slain

But rose from the dead and sat at the right hand of God to reign

Devil, you are fired

No more are you hired

For all the tragedies you inspire

I pour on you the Lord’s unquenchable fire

I don’t like you, devil

’Cause you are a very bad devil

I scatter your assignments, your mission

I frustrate and thwart your goals, your vision

I deny you reinforcement of any provision

I bind you and refuse you any sort of permission

I forbid you my sphere of influence to permeate

I decree today, “Thou shall not within my space operate!”

Devil, you are fired

You could never ever have been hired

For all the adversities you inspire

I pour on you the Lord’s unquenchable fire

I don’t want you around me anymore, devil

’Cause you are devious and so full of evil

Satan, in the name of Jesus I put an end to your repression

I declare that henceforth I am free from every demonic oppression

By the power in the name of Jesus I undo every satanic subjugation

With the authority in the Word of God I put a stop to every devilish domination

Devil, you are fired

You were not even ever hired

For all the debacles you inspire

I pour on you the Lord’s unquenchable fire

In the name of Jesus I bind you, devil

You who epitomize all that is evil

From now on I say no to your suppression

From this time forth I exercise my power of expression

I destroy, demolish, and dismantle the power of concealed sin

I proclaim, profess, and confess that I am in Christ, yes “I am in”

For whom the Son makes free is liberated, triumphant, and victorious

Thank you, Jesus, for helping me in all things to become auspicious

Devil, you are fired

You could never ever have been required

For all the fiascos you inspire

I pour on you the Lord’s unquenchable fire

Now get thee behind me, devil

You scheming sneaky crafty cunning conniving embodiment of evil

---------------------------------------

*Poem taken from Crushing The Devil by Pedro Okoro. Copyrighted material. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.
(C) Pedro Okoro is a Professional Blogger, Copywriter, Coach, List Grow Strategist and Pastor. He is the founder and CEO of Astute Copy Blogging. He is also an Award-winning and bestselling Author. He is married with two delightful daughters.

12 THINGS SATAN DOES TO GET VICTORY OVER CHRISTIANS

2012-12-11T14:36:00.003+00:00

I came across this intriguing write-up recently, and I thought, I must share it with you! May the LORD open your eyes to see Satan's subtle schemes!!!

Satan said to a convention of Demons, “As long as Christians stay close to God, we have no power over them. So here are 12 things you can do to get victory over Christians.”

1) Keep them busy with non essentials.

2) Tempt them to overspend and go into debt.

3) Make them work long hours to maintain empty life styles.

4) Discourage them from spending family time together, for when their homes disintegrate there is no refuge from work.

5) Over stimulate their minds with television and computers, so they can’t hear God speaking to them.

6) Fill their coffee tables and nightstands with newspapers and magazines so they have no time to read the Bible.

7) Flood their mailboxes with sweepstakes promotions and get rich quick schemes to keep them chasing material things.

8) Put glamour models on TV and on magazine covers to keep them focused on outward appearances. That way they will be dissatisfied with themselves and dissatisfied with their mates.

9) Make sure couples are too exhausted for physical intimacy so they will be tempted to look elsewhere.

10) Make Santa and the easter bunny bigger than Jesus to divert them from remembering the real meaning of the holiday.

11) Involve them in good causes so they won’t have time for eternal ones.

12) Make them self satisfied. Keep them busy working in their own strength so they’ll never know the joy of God’s power working through them.

Remember my demons, keep them busy! Busy! Busy! Because we know what it stands for:

* B=BEING

* U=UNDER

* S=SATANS

* Y=YOKE

Author Unknown

(C) Pedro Okoro, Blogger, Author, Pastor. You can follow Pedro on Twitter: http://twitter.com/pedrookoro

As Christians, we are in a battlefield!

2012-12-03T17:27:00.001+00:00

Spiritual warfare is very real. There is a fierce and ferocious battle raging in the realm of the spirit between the forces of God and the forces of evil. This warfare happens every day, all the time. We are in a battlefield. We are in warfare!

The moment we become Christians, the devil’s grip over our lives is broken, we cease to be his children, and we become a threat to him. He begins to see us as his enemy and seeks to either win us back or destroy us. We are therefore immediately thrust onto the front line of this brutal battle whether we appreciate it or not, whether we like it or not, and whether we know it or not!

The first thing we need to know is who the enemy is. The Bible makes it very clear in Ephesians 6 that we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. In other words, we are fighting Satan, the devil, an enemy who is a spirit. The enemy is therefore not your mother-in-law, or your neighbour, or your boss at work!

We are waging war against an enemy who is invisible to the naked eye. Therefore, to stand a chance, we must rely totally and completely on God, because He is Spirit and He can see the end of a thing from its beginning. Our weapons are mighty through God, and we are nothing without Him. In reality, the battle is His; we are merely His battle-axes!

On the cross of Calvary, Jesus obtained total victory over sin, sickness, and death. He triumphed over the Enemy through His death and resurrection. Jesus Christ’s triumph at Calvary means that in this warfare, our victory has been predetermined. Jesus, the greater one, far superior to the Enemy, is with us, therefore we are assured of triumph and victory. This is the only battle where the outcome is preordained and predestined, even before the fighting begins. In other words, we fight from victory not for victory! The Bible confirms this in Romans 8:37 where it says, “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (NLT).

This battle continues until we depart from this world. As we go on in this battle, spectators are urging us on. These are the saints triumphant, i.e., the Christians who have died and gone ahead of us to heaven, who have now become “a cloud of witnesses” and who are cheering us on!

(C) Pedro Okoro, Blogger, Author, Pastor. You can follow Pedro on Twitter: http://twitter.com/pedrookoro

Don’t give any opportunity to the Devil!

2012-11-21T11:59:00.003+00:00

Fact: the Devil has been around longer than any of us! Fact: The Devil is a defeated foe! Fact: Though defeated, The Devil is still a bad Devil and can outsmart us if we give him room! Fact: For the Devil not to outwit or outsmart us, we must be aware of his devices and evil schemes!!!

Ephesians 4:27 (NASB)

And do not give the devil an opportunity

The word “opportunity” or “place” is the word topos in the original Greek texts. It is the root from which we derive the English word topography. Topography has to do with the contour and the surface or shape of the land. Dictionary.com defines it as “The surface features of a place or region.”

Essentially, the Bible is telling us the following:

Don’t give the devil a rock to stand on.

Don’t give the devil an inlet, a peninsula,

Don’t give the devil a cape, an island, a mountain peak, a valley

Don’t give the devil any place

Don’t give the devil any room or opportunity to operate.

The Devil is an active, destructive, and intelligent enemy. In the journey of life, the Devil will do his utmost to derail us, to stop us from realizing our full potential and accomplishing our purposes. To make it easy for us to fail and fall, he adapts his temptations and tricks to suit our natural inclinations and desires. He modifies his lure to match our lifestyle.

You must realise that although a defeated foe the Devil can bite if you give him an opportunity. And that’s why we are enjoined in 1 Peter 5:8 (KJV) to be “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”

The Devil is always looking for an opportunity to attack. The Bible tells us in Matthew 4:13 that after tempting Jesus the Devil left Jesus until an “opportune time” (NIV). The Free Dictionary defines “Opportune” as follows: “Suited or right for a particular purpose” and “Occurring at a fitting or advantageous time”. In other words, the Devil is always seeking an appropriate, fitting or advantageous time to strike! So don’t make it any easier for him. Don’t give him any room!!!

The easiest way to give the Devil room or opportunity is to live in sin! When we live in sin, we break the hedge of God's protection around us and give room to the Devil!!

(C) Pedro Okoro, Blogger, Author, Pastor. You can follow Pedro on Twitter: http://twitter.com/pedrookoro

If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

2012-10-09T13:38:00.001+01:00

Somebody once asked, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to indict you?” In other words, are you totally, completely and unashamedly sold out and souled out for Jesus not minding the consequences?

Have you ever been persecuted for your faith? Persecution is harassment or maltreatment because of your faith as a child of God. In Hebrews 11:35–38, the Bible tells us about heroes of faith who were persecuted for their faith in the Lord. It says, “Others were tortured and refused to accept their freedom so they could be raised from the dead to a better life. Some were laughed at and beaten. Others were put in chains and thrown into prison. They were stoned to death, they were cut in half, and they were killed with swords. Some wore the skins of sheep and goats. They were poor, abused, and treated badly. The world was not good enough for them! They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and holes in the earth” (NCV).

There are two promises associated with persecution in the New Testament. In Mark 10:29–30, Jesus, in answer to a question by Simon Peter, promises that whoever has forsaken mother, father, children, spouse, houses, basically anything for him, will receive a hundredfold in this world with persecution. The other is in 2 Timothy 3:12, where the apostle Paul states that “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (NLT). In other words, anyone who lives as a child of God in this world will invariably suffer one form of persecution or another.

There are countries in the world today where it is a crime to convert from the State religion to Christianity. So let me ask you again, “if you lived in one of those countries, and you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to indict you, prosecute you and convict you?”

I recently came across this true story which is said to have happened in Kiangsi, China, only about 20 years ago. Two Christian girls, Chiu-Chin Hsui and Ho-Hsiu-Tzu and their pastor were sentenced to death. They were mocked and scorned for being so foolish as to die for an unseen God. Then the guards promised the pastor that if he would shoot the girls, they would release him. Sadly enough, he accepted!

The girls waited patiently in their prison cells for the moment of their execution. They prayed quietly together. Soon the guards came for them and led them out. A fellow prisoner who watched the execution through the barred windows of his prison cell, said that their faces were beautiful beyond belief, infinitely sad but sweet.

They were placed against a wall, and their pastor was brought forward by two guards who placed him close in front of the girls and put a pistol in his hand. The girls whispered to each other, then bowed respectfully to their pastor. And this is what one of them said:

“Before being shot by you, we wish to thank you heartily for what you have meant to us. You baptized us, you taught us the way of eternal life, you gave us Holy Communion with the same hand in which you now have a gun. May God reward you for all that you have done for us. You also taught us that Christians are sometimes weak and commit terrible sins, but they can be forgiven again. When you regret what you are about to do to us, do not despair like Judas, but repent like Peter. God bless you, and remember that our last thought of you was not one of indignation against your failure. Everyone passes through hours of darkness. We die with gratitude.”

They bowed again to their pastor, closed their eyes, and stood silently waiting. The pastor had obviously hardened his heart- he raised the pistol and shot them. No sooner had they fallen to the ground, then the communist guards put him against the wall for immediate execution. As they shot him, no-one heard words of repentance, only the sound of screaming!!!

I cannot but ask you again ~ if you were arrested for being a Christian…

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Understanding the reality of spiritual warfare

2012-09-15T13:57:00.006+01:00

“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.”

- C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

The Devil is real. Spiritual warfare is also very real. While we do not and cannot blame the Devil for every calamity we face, he is very much at work.

In my Award-Winning book Crushing The Devil: Your Guide to Spiritual Warfare and Victory in Christ, I make the following statement, “There is a furious, fierce, and ferocious battle raging in the realm of the spirit between the forces of God and the forces of evil. Warfare happens every day, all the time. Whether you believe it or not, you are in a battlefield. You are in warfare. The moment you become a Christian, the devil’s grip over your life is broken, you cease to be his child, and you become a threat to him. He begins to see you as his enemy and seeks to either win you back or destroy you. You are therefore immediately thrust onto the front line of this brutal battle whether you appreciate it or not, whether you like it or not, and whether you know it or not.”

The Bible makes it very clear in Ephesians 6 that we are not fighting against human beings, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. In other words, your neighbour isn’t the enemy. Nor is the enemy your spouse or your boss at work! You’re fighting an enemy who is a spirit. You are waging war against an enemy who is invisible to the naked eye. To stand a chance, you must rely totally, utterly, and completely on God, because He is spirit. He can see the end of a thing from its beginning. Our weapons are mighty through God, and we are nothing without Him. In reality, the battle is His; you are merely a battle-axe, a sword, or an arrow in His awesome and powerful hands!

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:4–5 (NIV)

On the cross of Calvary, Jesus obtained victory over sin, sickness, and death. He triumphed over the Enemy through His death and resurrection. This gives us a distinct advantage because it enables us to fight from victory and not for victory!

As long as you depend on the Lord Jesus and use His weapons, the devil cannot overpower you because the outcome of the battle had long been predetermined, and your victory as a believer long guaranteed! So, you engage the devil, not in the fear of defeat, but to enforce Jesus’s victory, and to make known to the enemy the manifold wisdom of God!

What’s your understanding of spiritual warfare? Let’s have some feedback!

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CRUSHING THE DEVIL: A classic which will rank very highly

2012-08-24T16:32:00.001+01:00

A Review of CRUSHING THE DEVIL by Dr Joseph Taken

There is a vicious war taking place right now. This war is spiritual and it is powerful and in fact influences the daily events of the physical world. “For though we live in the world, we are not carrying on a worldly war.” 2 Corinthians 10:3 RSV. These words, penned by another legendary lawyer and apostle, Paul many centuries earlier, underscores the essence of this book.

With poignant skill and carefulness, Pastor Okoro writes that nobody ought to live and die in ignorance or poverty amidst the vast supply of God's resources. God does not cheery pick believers to determine what benefits of the kingdom they can be entitled to. “We all start on a level playing field” in Christ. Therefore, the inexhaustible resources of heaven are available to every person in Christ. God is deeply interested in the salvation, safety, success and victory of the believer. That is why Jesus came as the Second Adam to restore the fallen offspring of the first Adam to blessed fellowship with God. As “kinsman-redeemer” He paid the sacrificial debt of man’s sin “to restore man to God's original place, plan and purpose.” Christ became the “perfect sacrifice” when “He died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead after three days.” From then on, He made the trusting believer, “more than a conqueror,” redeemed, righteous, a Joint Heir with Jesus, a child of God, a Partaker of the Divine Nature et al.

Once you become a believer, Pastor Okoro writes on, the battle line is drawn and the devil marks you as an enemy. But he cannot overpower you because the outcome of the battle had long been predetermined and the victory of the believer long been guaranteed. So, you engage the devil, not in the fear of defeat, but to “enforce Jesus’s victory”, “to make known to the adversary the manifold wisdom of God”, and on and on, he painstakingly writes, to assure the reader that the saints are forever on the winning side. This is what creation has been waiting for. However, before you become all arrogant and cocky of your fighting prowess, he quickly deflates the egocentric by adding that we are only “mighty through God, and are nothing without Him”. “The battle is really his; you are merely a battle-axe...” How humbling!

Pastor Okoro writes with the uncanny deftness of a skilled writer. Very easily, he engages the reader with numerous examples and stories drawn from everyday to keep you reading. Very cautiously, he takes on the free wheeling intellectual in constant search for alternative explanation to the Creation story as put forth in Scriptures. Without throwing a punch--or does he throw one with kids gloves?--he explains that this warfare is not contemporary war, and cannot be fought or won with assault rifles, machine guns, stealth bombers and grenade launchers but would require a clear understanding of scriptures and the insistent enforcement of your God given right as a believer.

The post-modern man opines that you should not “sweat the small stuff”. Pastor Okoro says, not so. You should “seek guidance from God through the Holy Spirit for each and every battle we face in life. To do otherwise is to walk into one of the many traps, snares and ambushes of the Enemy.” This can make the difference between death and life. Neither Joshua nor Gideon could secure any conquest without paying attention to details. Sweat the small stuff, Pedro says. It is warfare and not diplomacy.

This book is written with such flawless clarity and eloquence, it is obvious that he wanted it an easy read for anybody with a middle school education. This will find great use in communities and nations where not too many people have more than a middle school level of education. This book is a great resource for every believer. Both laity and clergy will find it invaluable in the ministry and in daily life. Bible scholars and those who glean knowledge from their lessons and opinions will gain great insights from Pedro's exhaustive study and expose of the strategies of the devil. This book will help you to understand the forces of darkness and the elements of the underworld.

C.S. Lewis once said that “The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.” Pastor Okoro seems to have done so a lot faster by giving this book to the Body of Christ. It is a classic which will rank very highly in the literary and Christian world. I recommend it to every believer and hope that it will bless you as it has me.

Dr Joseph Takon

Pastor,

Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

------------------------------------

New Beginnings, Fresh Opportunities, New Possibilities…It’s got to be August!!!

2012-08-01T16:39:00.000+01:00

If like me, you’re so sick and tired of being sick and tired that you can’t wait for a new start, then you’re in good company! The reason Jesus came was to undo all the work of Satan, the Devil so that we CAN enjoy our everyday lives. In John 10:10, He declared: “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (NLT). The Amplified Bible says “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”

So it can be done! We can enjoy everyday life! However, for that to happen, we must take CARE of the Devil. In the same passage in John 10:10, Jesus said concerning the Devil “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy.” His primary mission is to steal, kill and destroy! He steals our joy, our peace, ideas…he kills visions, people young and old…he destroys homes, self-esteem, marriages, finances… Can you relate to any of these? Well you’re not alone!

What can we do? If you’re SAVED you can CRUSH the Devil! Really!!! This is important because if you don’t CRUSH the Devil you won’t enjoy the abundant life that Jesus came to give you!

Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. Luke 10:19 (NLT)

This reality is why I have written the Book, CRUSHING THE DEVIL: Your Guide to Spiritual Warfare and Victory in Christ! It looks at Spiritual Warfare from the standpoint of victorious Christian living.

Let me tell you 17 things you can do to the Devil as we make a fresh start and take back what the Devil has stolen from us in this Month of August, the Month of New Beginnings:

• You can bind him (Mark 3:27)

• You can restrain him (Isaiah 54:17)

• You can resist him (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9)

• You can rebuke him (Luke 9:42; Zechariah 3:2)

• You can plunder his goods (Matthew 12:29)

• You can cast out his evil and demonic spirits (Mark 16:17; Acts 8:7)

• You can undo his work (1 John 3:8)

• You can disarm him (Colossians 2:15)

• You can frustrate his counsel (2 Samuel 15:31)

• You can nullify his power (Luke 10:19)

• You can destroy his plans (Isaiah 8:10)

• You can destroy his yoke and lift his burdens (Isaiah 10:27)

• You can disrupt his meetings (Isaiah 54:15)

• You can uproot any seed or tree which he has planted (Matthew 15:13)

• You can demolish and tear down his strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4)

• You can send him to the waterless places (Matthew 12:43)

• You can command him to stop meddling or interfering (1 Peter 5:8–9; Jude 1:9)

As you CRUSH the Devil, you will take back what he has stolen from you, resurrect what he has killed, repair what he has destroyed, and begin the process of enjoying everyday life in Christ!

Have awesome new Month! And whatever you get up to, make sure you’re CRUSHING THE DEVIL!

Pedro Okoro, Author of CRUSHING THE DEVIL: Your Guide to Spiritual Warfare and Victory in Christ!

Pastor Ken Interviews Pastor Pedro About Spiritual Warfare

2012-07-25T01:08:00.001+01:00

(C) Pedro Okoro, Blogger, Author, Pastor.

You can follow Pedro on Twitter: http://twitter.com/pedrookoro

In Orlando Florida for ICRS, but only just!!!

2012-07-15T11:32:00.000+01:00

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Psalm 27:13 (NASB)

I am currently in the United States for a few days to attend the 2012 International Christian Resources Show (ICRS) in Orlando FL, at the invitation of my publishers, Deep River Books, who are based in the United States. It holds from Sunday 15 July to Wednesday 18 July at the Orange County Convention Center, 9400 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32819.

According to my publicist, Rhonda Funk (http://bringitoncommunications.com), “ICRS is where the Christian resources industry meets. There is no other time or place where so many people, products, services, media, authors, artists, and craftspeople are gathered together in one place. The show incorporates more than 125,000 square feet of exhibit space, 425 exhibits, and nearly 100 meeting rooms. The show brings together more than 10,000 attendees and exhibitor personnel from across the United States and more than 50 other countries. Thousands of book store buyers come, many of them making major year-long buying decisions about which books to stock in their stores.”

I arrived late Friday July 13th. I missed my flight from London, and so had to pay more money to get on to the next flight! And as if that wasn’t enough trouble for one day, just as we were boarding the flight I was pulled aside for additional searching. I had to take off my shoes, belt and jacket. My luggage was thoroughly examined in the full glare of everyone boarding the plane. I felt so embarrassed!

The last time I visited the US in November 2011, I was singled out by the Department of Homeland Securities for a similar search just before I boarded the plane! This time I was so upset that by the time I got on the flight, I decided I am never visiting the United States ever again!

Whilst on the flight I decided to continue my reading from my book Crushing the Devil. As I read the chapters on Spiritual Warfare and Strategies in Spiritual Warfare the Lord spoke to me. I was wrong to be angry. God said He expects me to give thanks in every situation and to expect the best from every situation at all times. I repented immediately and thanked Him for the opportunity to be searched. The officers were merely doing their duty to ensure the plane wasn’t bombed mid-air by a passenger carrying a bomb on their person!

All kinds of things get thrown at us in life – some by the Devil and some through our foolishness or carelessness (for instance if I had arrived in time for my flight I wouldn’t have missed it). Some things that happen to us may not have a logical explanation (for instance being singled out for searches on two consecutive visits to the US even though I hold a UK passport). However, whatever life throws at us, we must believe that because we serve a good God, we would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! The New International Version says “I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”

Whatever you are going through right now, be encouraged! God can bring good out of it; so don’t despair! And remember that it isn’t over until God says so!

PS~ I will be signing copies of my book, Crushing The Devil at ICRS. I will be at Booth 663A. If you are in Florida, and can make it, please drop by! To download my Media Kit, please visit: http://bringitoncommunications.com/Media%20Kits/Pedro%20Okoro-Media%20Kit.pdf

© Pedro Okoro, CEO of ASTUTE COPY BLOGGING. You can follow Pedro on Twitter: @PedroOkoro

WOW ~ Two Awards!!! Readers Favorite Annual Award Contest 2012

2012-07-07T18:04:00.000+01:00

I am excited and delighted to announce that my book, CRUSHING THE DEVIL: Your Guide to Spiritual Warfare and Victory In Christ has been named a FINALIST and shortlisted for 2 Awards in the 2012 Readers Favorite Annual Award Contest in the following categories:

Christian – Living

Christian – Non Fiction

The full list of the Finalists is available here: ~~> http://readersfavorite.com/2012-award-contest-winners.htm

The winners will be announced on September 1st 2012, and the Award ceremony will take place on November 17th, 2012 at Miami International Book Fair in Miami, Florida, USA.

This is especially exciting for me, because the Readers Favorite Annual Award Contest is a prestigious Award and there were lots of entries in each category!

Congratulations to all of the Readers Favorite Annual Award Contest finalists! Competition is strong every year and I am honoured to have been chosen amongst the ranks.

Pedro Okoro, Blogger, Author of Crushing The Devil: Your Guide to Spiritual Warfare & Victory in Christ

Welcome to July ~ The Month of Supernatural Provision!

2012-07-01T00:04:00.000+01:00

“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” ~1 Kings 17:9 (NKJV)

In 1 Kings 17:1, we see Prophet Elijah declaring that there will be no rain until his say so. We are told “And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word” (NKJV). We don’t know why Elijah decided to pray that there will be no rain! Elijah appeared to have cut his nose to spite his face! He called forth a drought without quite figuring out how he would survive, but God was merciful!

God provided for Elijah even though he caused the problem in the first place! It doesn’t matter how you got into this pickle. God will come through for you! In the same way, we don’t know the exact cause of the present world-wide recession ~ We can blame the governments and bankers. However, the truth of the matter is that we couldn’t say for certain!

You may never know why you are going through what you’re going currently through! Maybe you’re like Job, who had no idea of the following discussion between God and Satan about him:

One day when the angels came to report to God, Satan, who was the Designated Accuser, came along with them. God singled out Satan and said, “What have you been up to?” Satan answered God, “Going here and there, checking things out on earth.” God said to Satan, “Have you noticed my friend Job? There’s no one quite like him—honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil.” Satan retorted, “So do you think Job does all that out of the sheer goodness of his heart? Why, no one ever had it so good! You pamper him like a pet, make sure nothing bad ever happens to him or his family or his possessions, bless everything he does—he can’t lose!” “But what do you think would happen if you reached down and took away everything that is his? He’d curse you right to your face, that’s what.” God replied, “We’ll see. Go ahead—do what you want with all that is his. Just don’t hurt him.” Then Satan left the presence of God. (Job 1: 6 – 12, MSG)

It doesn’t matter how you got into it your present situation. It may be an attack from the devil. It may even be self-inflicted. But that’s irrelevant. God will come through for you if you call out to Him. You only need to be willing and obedient!

Have an awesome month, and whatever you do, make sure you’re Crushing The Devil!

Pedro Okoro, Blogger, Author of Crushing The Devil: Your Guide to Spiritual Warfare & Victory in Christ

GET UP TO $250 WORTH OF FREEBIES!! ~ TODAY ONLY

2012-06-26T00:05:00.000+01:00

As a valued reader and follower of this Blog, I have an irresistible offer for you that includes over $250 in free gifts.

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Now, here’s how you can grab these valuable free gifts...

You see, I am celebrating the official launch of my new book “Crushing the Devil: Your Guide to Spiritual Warfare & Victory in Christ” in a big, BIG way. So, I am ‘giving away the farm’ to do just that!

All *you* need to do to get over $250 in free gifts is grab a copy of my book for just $10.99 off Amazon.com Today Only. (Recently it was referred to by a Reviewer on Amazon as “The Spiritual Guide for 2012.”)

How’s THAT for a win-win celebration??

Best of all, “Crushing the Devil” is an amazing investment anyway because it also includes

ü A challenge to examine where the devil has a stronghold in your life

ü Help to enable you uncover battles you may be attempting to fight today in your own power. By understanding spiritual warfare, you learn to stand on the Word of God and use the authority given to you as a child of God to command the enemy to flee using the name of Jesus.

ü Help to unpack burning issues such as: -Who are we in Christ Jesus? -Who is the enemy? -What is our authority over the enemy? -What is spiritual warfare and what are some of its strategies? -How do I handle the enemy's disobedience?

So click on the link below and grab yourself a copy of “Crushing the Devil” right now:

http://bit.ly/Jf0cmv

Then all you have to do to get your free gifts is visit the Landing Page with the receipt you’ll get from Amazon.com and enter the Amazon Confirmation Number in the form provided. Here is the link to the Landing Page: http://crushingthedevil.net/

According to Readers Favorite, “Pedro Okoro has been granted Divine Intervention to be able to write this book for you…He writes with such strong voice on this powerful subject.”

(You’ll also see some incredible 5-star reviews listed on Amazon.com)

However, the celebration ends at midnight tonight! So the only way you can grab all the free gifts is to purchase your copy of “Crushing The Devil” and get the Amazon Confirmation Number into the Form on the Landing Page at: http://crushingthedevil.net/ before midnight.

http://www.amazon.com/Crushing-Devil-Spiritual-Warfare-Activity/dp/1937756114/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334739356&sr=8-1

Blessings!

Rev Pedro Okoro

P.S: Remember, to receive your $250+ in free bonuses you must visit the Landing Page with the receipt you’ll get from Amazon.com and enter the Amazon Confirmation Number in the form provided by midnight Eastern Time tonight! Here is the link to the Landing Page: http://crushingthedevil.net/

P.P.S: Please note that the Amazon system sometimes updates slowly and it may show that the book won’t be shipped for a day or two, however plenty of books have been printed for this celebration.

P.P.P.S: You can also buy the Kindle version of the book!

P.P.P.P.S: Remember it’s also a perfect gift for birthdays, graduation, Mother’s and Father’s Days.

(C) Pedro Okoro, Blogger, Author, Pastor.
You can follow Pedro on Twitter: http://twitter.com/pedrookoro

Reviewing the book: 'Crushing The Devil'

2012-06-22T23:05:00.001+01:00

Reviewing the book: 'Crushing The Devil': It has been a while, life has been busy, but i shall resume my blog in due course. In the mean time I wanted to share two book reviews with you.

'Crushing The Devil' by Pedro Okoro:
Review by Dr Olu Ojedokun

The Review of ‘Crushing the Devil’ written by Pedro Okoro

This book makes compelling reading and deploys an arsenal of devices to arrest the reader’s attention. One is presented with a combination of narratives, the prophetic, poems, logic and choruses.

It begins with the irrefutable logic of life, raises questions like a skilled attorney, mastering the facts and allowing the reader to reach his or her own conclusions.

Crushing the Devil!! A MUST READ! Definitely!!

2012-06-20T23:52:00.001+01:00

Crushing the Devil!!

A MUST READ! Definitely!!
By Marlo Saenz: Posted on Sunday, June 17, 2012 8:57 PM

I am currently reading this book and I have to say that I am amazed at the insight that Mr. Okoro has into the schemes the enemy uses to deceive us! He has truly been given a revelation and a divine insight from God, used as a vessel to bring this knowledge forth to those who are desperately seeking God's will for their life to be an over comer in Christ Jesus...[Click here for more] Crushing the Devil!!

(C) Pedro Okoro, Blogger, Author, Pastor. You can follow Pedro on Twitter: http://twitter.com/pedrookoro

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Come hell or high water, praise!

2012-06-16T00:32:00.001+01:00

I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with His praise.

Psalm 34:1 (MSG)

As born again children of God, praise is one of the most powerful weapons of our warfare. Although one can pray amiss, I believe that it is impossible to praise God amiss! To praise God is to extol Him, to eulogize Him, to worship Him, and to sing His praises for who He is. It is also to thank Him for what He has done for you, as well as what you expect Him to do.

Praise is unique because it is also very important to God. In point of fact, the Bible tells us in Psalm 22:3, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (KJV). What does the use of the word “inhabit” in this passage mean? Well, it means ~

§ to ~ dwell, remain, sit, abide

§ to ~ sit, sit down

§ to ~ be set

§ to ~ remain, stay

§ to ~ have one’s abode

In other words, God ‘dwells in’, ‘remains in’, ‘sits at’, ‘abides in’ and ‘has His abode in’ the praises of His people. How awesome is that?

Praise is so important in our walk with the Lord that He expects us to praise Him at all times, in all circumstances, whether we like it or not, and whether we feel like it or not! The Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (NIV). This is a call to a lifestyle of thanks-living where you give thanks and praise to God in every situation, no matter what happens to you.

But why would God expect this of us?

There are at least 3 reasons I can think of, all based in Scripture:

§ God has the complete picture. Whereas, we only see in part, God sees the end from the beginning!Therefore, we must trust him ENOUGH to know that He is good all the time, and that His thoughts towards us are of good not of evil. Even if it doesn’t feel like that!

§ Secondly, when we’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end! He would make a way. In Isaiah 43:1-2, the Bible says, “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end—Because I am God, your personal God…” (MSG).

§ Thirdly, whatever it is, can work together for our good! Romans 8:28 tells us “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (NKJV). The NCV puts it this way “We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love Him. They are the people He called, because that was His plan”; while the NLT says “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them”.

Job was a hero of praise. Even when he lost all his children and everything he owned – including his stupendous wealth – he still praised the Lord. The Bible tells us of Job’s reaction to his losses in Job 1: 20-22 as follows, “Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground before God. He said, ‘I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be stripped of everything when I die. The LORD gave me everything I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!’ In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God” (NLT). And in Job 13:15, Job said concerning the Lord his God “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (NKJV).

Job could praise God in the face of such adversity for several reasons. Here are just two of them:

§ He trusted God – He said “though He slay me yet will I trust Him”.

§ He knew that God had a purpose for what He was going through and that it would eventually work out for his good. He said, “When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10, KJV).

Job gave thanks in everything. It is therefore not surprising that he later recovered everything he had lost!

Let me ask you, when was the last time you gave God thanks for your adversity? When was the last time you gave praise in your adversity? Ask the Lord today for the grace to develop an attitude of gratitude and the grace to live a life of thanks-living! And learn to praise Him in every situation: Good, bad, and not so good!

(C) Pedro Okoro, Blogger, Author, Pastor.
You can follow Pedro on Twitter: http://twitter.com/pedrookoro

Welcome to the Month of June ~ Make sure you travel light!

2012-06-01T11:52:00.000+01:00

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28 (NLT)

We are on a journey...the journey of life! We are pilgrims passing through this world in our passage to eternity. This world is at best a bus stop, a train station or, if you like, an airport. This isn’t home! Depending on whether we know Jesus as Saviour and Lord, our final destination will either be eternal life with God in Heaven or eternal damnation with Satan, the devil, in Hell!

The way God created us, there is only so much weight we can carry. Satan, the devil, being aware of this, seeks to burden us with all kinds of yokes, loads and heavy burdens that are too heavy for us, making us weary, distracted and unfit for purpose.

However, Jesus takes the devil’s burdens and yokes, and replaces them with His yoke which is easy and His burden which is light! In Matthew 11:29, Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (NLT). The song says:

His yoke is easy; His burden is light.

I’ve found it so; I’ve found it so.

He leadeth me by day and by night

Where living waters flow

Unfortunately, even Christians are allowing the devil to weigh them down with unnecessary burdens particularly in the area of worry and anxiety! God expects us to cast all our anxieties upon Him (1 Peter 5:7). In Philippians 4:6-7, He says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (NLT).

To worry, as a Christian, is similar to an air passenger who places his carry-on luggage on his lap instead of using the over-head storage compartments! Such a person wouldn’t enjoy the flight; they would simply endure it!

Have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit? It is the anointing of the Holy Spirit that makes the difference.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

Isaiah 10:27 (King James Bible, Cambridge Ed.)

May I suggest that you pray right now in the following terms? “FATHER, thank You for the anointing of the Holy Spirit. I cast off any yoke and burden that are not of you, and take up your yoke which is easy and your burden which is light. Help me to travel light. In Jesus’ Name I pray. AMEN.”

Have a fantastic new month! And whatever you get up to this month of June, make sure you’re Crushing the Devil!!!

Cometh the Day, Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Book

2012-05-01T08:03:00.000+01:00

“C.S. Lewis once said that “The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.” Pastor Okoro seems to have done so a lot faster by giving this book to the body of Christ.”

-Dr Joseph Takon, Pastor, RCCG City of David, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

§§§§§

After about 4 yours of hard work, my pride and joy, my baby, my long-awaited and much talked about book, Crushing The Devil: Your Guide to Spiritual Warfare & Victory in Christ rolls off the press today!

A special thank you to everyone who Pre-Ordered their copies of this awesome new book. You helped to give it a healthy start on the book rankings! Yesterday April 30th, it was ranked as follows on Amazon.com:

ü #21,1117 out of about 8 million books in the general books category

ü #36 in the Christian educational books sub-category; and

ü #44 in the religious warfare subcategory

And not to be outdone in the United Kingdom, it was ranked as follows on Amazon.co.uk:

ü #30,661 out of about 5 million books in the general books category

ü #1 in the subcategory of books on Christian miracles; and

ü #81 in the subcategory of books on spiritual self help

To mark this auspicious occasion, I am reproducing excerpts from the Prologue of Crushing The Devil to give you a taster of what to expect from the book:

“Whatever your station or position in life, there is always room for improvement, enhancement, and perfection. I say this with a great sense of humility. Regardless of what you are enjoying at the moment, the Lord says that he has something better for you! No matter what you have achieved, attained, or accomplished in this world, there are more challenges and blessings ahead. God says that you have stayed long enough on this mountain. It is time to press forward to take more territories and receive more trophies. There is more work to be done. There are yet more victories to be won, more successes to be achieved, more triumphs to be obtained, and more accomplishments to be made.

In Deuteronomy 1:6–8, we read that God spoke to Moses in Horeb, the mountain of the Lord. God told him that the nation of Israel had stayed long enough on that spot and that it was time to move on. That probably came as a surprise to them! Horeb was God’s mountain. It represented the presence of the Lord. The Israelites had experienced divine encounters on this mountain. Why would they want to move from this place that had come to signify God’s presence?

Like Peter on the Mount of Transfiguration, they probably wanted to build tents in Horeb and make it their permanent home. However, God had better ideas, because as good as Horeb was, it was not their final destination. It was not the Promised Land. It was at best a bus stop. They were but pilgrims at Horeb. God had something better in store for them. The only way they could get into the Promised Land and obtain God’s best was for them to move forward. There was no other way…”