Lightstand Bible College

*RHAPSODY OF REALITIES*

Thursday 27th August 2026

*STAY IN FAITH*

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*My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience (James 1:2-3).*

Pastor Chris Says
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Have you ever been in a situation where, after you’ve done everything you know to do, things didn’t seem to change? You’ve prayed, applied the Word, and followed every counsel given, yet the situation looked the same. Like the student who once wrote me a letter after sitting for the same examinations several times and failing again and again, asking, “Pastor Chris, what more can I do? I’ve tried everything.”

But the Word already gives the answer: stay in faith! Refuse to give up. Faith always works. Refuse to stagger at the Word of God through unbelief, but against hope, believe in hope. No matter the adversity you face in your academics, your workplace, or through people who seem determined to hinder your progress; refuse to be flustered, discouraged or bitter. Keep acting your faith.

You may encounter individuals who decide that no matter what you do, you won’t succeed unless you compromise; stay on the Word. The Bible says if you’re afflicted, pray (James 5:13), but that doesn’t mean things may change instantly, and that doesn’t also mean God hasn’t heard you. But one thing is certain: He believes in you.

God knows He has trained you enough to face the situation and win. That’s why you don’t chicken out; you face it and win. You stand your ground. You hold fast to the Word. Even when it seems like everything is collapsing around you, refuse to panic. Refuse to quit.

Maybe you lost a job, or something didn’t go the way you expected, don’t be moved. The Bible says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). This is your life, and it will always be your experience as long as you’re in faith. So, keep serving the Lord joyously and putting your faith to work.

*CONFESSION*
I’m a victor in Christ Jesus. I walk in dominion, power and ever-increasing grace, glory and peace. My mind is renewed by the Word; therefore, I only think victory, success and abundance. The glory of Christ, His righteousness, might and wisdom are expressed in and through me today, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

*FURTHER STUDY*

*1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV;** Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

*Romans 4:18-22 KJV;* Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. [19] And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: [20] He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; [21] And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. [22] And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

*Romans 8:35-37 AMPC;* Who shall ever separate us from Christ's love? Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation? Or calamity and distress? Or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword? [36] Even as it is written, For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter. [37] Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.

*1 Year Bible Reading Plan*
1 Corinthians 11:2-34 & Psalms 142-145

*2 Year Bible Reading Plan*
Colossians 3:12-25 & Jeremiah 13

If you pray, the Spirit of God will open your mind.

When we first came to start our work here in South Africa, do you know what I did? I asked for an auditorium that could seat just 6,000 people—the Standard Bank Arena, a relatively small auditorium.
I had just started working here in South Africa. Our TV programme had just started, and we had been working for about a year and a few months.

So I said, “Let’s have this.” Because as I prayed, the Spirit of God was showing me visions. Okay?

So we asked for five days and booked the auditorium.
Day 1: The place was packed out. I said, “If you walk with the Holy Ghost, He will walk with you.” Day 1—it was packed out.
Day 2: It was packed out, and the tennis courts had to be used as an overflow.
Day 3: The tennis courts were packed out.
Day 4: The police came because people were now climbing everywhere, looking for a way to get in. Miracles were happening everywhere—inside and outside. There was no more space. The police had to beg me, “Please cancel Day 5.”

Yes, because if we continued, there would be nowhere for the people to stay anymore. The place could only hold 6,000 people, and we had just started. So I had to come and announce that Day 5 would not hold.

So I was born for a reason. I want to change things. I was born for a purpose; I want to change things. We are going to take things to a higher level by the power of the Spirit of God.

You see, this was the way I looked at it: Paul, Peter, James, Bartholomew, Matthew, and the other apostles of Jesus did a lot. The Church has done so much all the way until it got to us.

How can we lose this thing? We must take it on! We must change our generation! We must!

Our generation needs witnesses—witnesses of the Gospel, people who are passionate about Jesus Christ, people who are full of love for Jesus Christ... Pastor Chris

Pastors who want to be successful, you have to work like crazy.

Pray like crazy. Study like crazy. Be holy like crazy. Disciplined like crazy, because no indisciplined person can sustain success.

No indisciplined person in any—listen—in any profession. Even in boxing, where you say it's fist, you can be the biggest hitter, but once you become indisciplined, you'll lose your fights. Football, you can be the best footballer; once you become indisciplined, your play goes down. You cannot negotiate discipline. If we understood this, Charismatics understood this, we would be the most successful people on earth. You know why? Because we are the most committed people you can find anywhere ... Pastor Dr. Mensah Otabil

We celebrate you, Madam

"If you don't have critics, your life is small.

You know, there are people who are afraid of criticism. They're so afraid. Listen, the more powerful your critics are, the more glorious your life really is.

​If you don't count, why is anybody spending time thinking about you and talking about you? But if your life counts for something, they're going to spend time, they're going to spend money, they're going to put in effort trying to get at you. They just can't imagine you succeeding while they are failing and drowning. They can't imagine it, it troubles them. Because they don't like what you do, and so they think it's their divine calling to see to it that you don't move any further.
​But that doesn't mean anything. You never get angry with your critics. No, they're ignorant, that's the problem. If they knew the truth, they'll be with you. Hallelujah. Yeah.

​So make your life worth criticizing. Very important, very important, very important. You know, sometimes, you know, we have different programs in different parts of the world, and when we have these conferences where we got ministers from all around the world, and a lot of them like to ask questions. They say, "Pastor Chris, I want to, I want to have the kind of results you got." Then I say, "That's very simple, that's the easiest thing in the world. Are you ready for the criticism as well?" I say because they go together. Supernatural power brings supernatural persecution. Always remember that.
​And, and when God touches their lives, they change. Do you remember the guy in Zimbabwe? We were in Zimbabwe. You remember the guy who was a teacher? All right, he got healed, and then he came out and he says, "I want to tell you something." And the whole crowd's listening. "I want to tell you something." And I said, "What is it?" He says, "I always used to criticize you. I want you to forgive me." Oh, dear. But God healed him, right? Wonderful." ... Pastor Chris

... No wonder that Satan and his angels are also going around as ministers of light.
​If you study in the Book of Hebrews, the 13th chapter, the Bible tells us not to be negligent to entertain strangers, for some have entertained angels unawares. Now, those are angels of God. How can you entertain an angel unawares? Because the angel will come with normal clothing like another human being, just like anybody else.

​Now, don't get this idea that whenever angels show up, they got those wings on their backs. Make no mistakes about it, that's not the way they do. Look back in the Old Testament, they appeared in human forms like normal, everyday fellows. That's the way they showed up. On few occasions, they showed up in their glory. They don't always do that.

​You see, we have to understand that there's a realm of the spirit that is present with us now. Now, when you're born again, you're actually born into that realm. But if you're not trained in the things of the spirit, you will live over on the other side and never be aware of the real realm to which you're born ... Pastor Chris

Satan also has what you call a celestial body.

He has a spiritual body, and he was not bereaved of his spiritual body.
​You see, his spiritual body was not taken from him. That's why Satan is still beautiful, still takes several different forms, still shows himself in all kinds of beauty. But his eyes—to know Satan if he ever appears to you is his eyes.

​He can appear in the form of a human person, like a man; he can appear like a woman. He can take up any form. He can show up in the street—you say, "does he?" Oh yes, emphatically yes, he does. He can show up like a normal person that you know and walk into your home and walk into your office.

​Not only Satan, his angels do the same. And the Bible tells us about it. And you think you're seeing somebody that you know. And so how do you know him? Oh, you will not—you can't miss him. If you're spiritually minded, you can't miss him. His eyes are terribly evil. No matter what forms he takes, you can't miss him.
​You could find him at the hospital ward, and he has helped some people deliver babies and done some terrible things and put devils in them.

​He's turned into a young lady, and some young fellow, a man, married her. Only got him to find he had the devil. Now someone says, "Ah! I know, that's my wife! I think Pastor is just describing my wife!" I am NOT describing your wife.

.. Pastor Chris

Celebrations ...