Would you like to support the ministry?

If you have been blessed in any way by this ministry, I implore you to consider providing support.

Firstly, your prayers for the ministry and those the ministry helps will go a long way. Paul asked the following in Romans 15:30 - I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.

He also requested in Ephesians 6:19-20 - Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.

Kindly keep this in mind when next you pray.

Secondly, consider making a donation to the ministry. Every year, the ministry supports individuals in need of finances as well as provides food to the homeless. The website also requires funds for maintenance. Therefore, if the Lord places it upon your heart to give finances, then please send a message to themiraclealley[at]gmail.com or contribute via Cashapp at $TheMiracleAlley.

Thirdly, you can further support by following the Instagram handle - @the_miracle_alley. And be sure to interact with the posts there and here on the website.

God bless you!

My Water Baptism Testimony - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) January 26, 2024

I first gave my life to Christ at the age of eight at a neighbor's place. There was something about hearing how Jesus died for my sins that compelled me to become born again on the spot. Sadly, I didn't know what I was doing and with little guidance (the person who'd led me to Christ went back to school), I returned to living for myself and not the Savior. Nevertheless, God was gracious, walking with me, and keeping the worst of things from coming to pass.

Eventually, something terrible happened and I knew I needed a deeper connection with God. With the prayers and advice of friends, I turned my attention fully to God and it was like we'd never parted ways. He did miraculous things and I haven't looked back since. I regularly heard from the Lord, felt the presence of His Spirit, and was strengthened as a believer.

Although my walk with the Lord remained steady, I noticed a few recurring issues. And I wasn't alone. Even the people I ministered to displayed challenges that made me wonder how believers in Christ, who are born again and strive to obey God could still face certain attacks and dominions from the devil.

The Lord kindly pointed me to John 3:5;7 - Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit...You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ A light bulb flicked on in my mind and I knew it wasn't enough to only be born-again without having been baptized in water. My baptism in the Spirit was essential but there was an element I couldn't overlook.

Further study of the Word was encouraging as it revealed that Jesus's ministry didn't truly start until He was baptized in the water by John the Baptist. At the time, John didn't think it was appropriate to baptize the Son of God. However, Jesus said His baptism was needed to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). And there, in the River Jordan, God publicly acknowledged Him, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).

Then I listened to a minister teach that many Christians deal with recurring defeats at the hand of satan because they hadn't completed the instruction Jesus gave to be baptized in the Spirit and in water. This made me more determined to get dunked to God's glory. Plus, in the early church, it was common for new Christians to believe and immediately be baptized in water. The experience of Paul and Silas's jailer in Acts 16 is an example as is that of the Ethiopian Eunuch whom Philip evangelized to in Acts 8.

I also understood that just as Pharaoh and his army couldn't follow the freed Israelites through the Red Sea, so also would the army of my enemy be unable to rise from the baptismal waters after I arise anew. That became my prayer - that I'd step into the Red Sea and the proverbial 'Egyptians' would drown behind me. I committed to obey Jesus's instruction in John 3 and similarly be water-baptized to fulfill all righteousness. That, like Christ, I'd step into a new dimension of faith and journeying with the Lord.

The results were more than I bargained for. As my toes touched the baptismal waters, joy washed over me and I giggled like a toddler. I arose and things were different. My mind was clearer, my mouth tasted different (not because I swallowed the water) and my joy increased.

In my opinion, my water baptism was the start of a closer relationship with God. Granted I also noticed the devil attack more consistently but God helped me see the patterns so I am not overwhelmed. I am learning that this is another role that the Holy Spirit plays: providing a magnifying glass to see the attacks satan intends to have a cumulative and destructive impact upon me. Honestly, I wish I'd taken this step years earlier but I am grateful I was able to honor Christ's instruction in John 3:5.

Are you a born-again believer who is unsure about getting water-baptized? I pray my experience will speak to whatever question or concern you've been struggling with on the issue. Are you a believer who has received the Holy Spirit and has also been through a water baptism? If so, please share your experience and the reasons why you chose to be born both in the Spirit and in the water. Finally, if you are yet to give your life to Christ and become a born-again believer, I encourage you to read the post that follows this. It contains useful information explaining why you should make this choice.

The Lord told me to share my water baptism testimony and so here it is. May the Lord's grace rest upon all of us who read this message and I pray that each of us will fully submit and obey Him. IJMN, Amen.

To learn more, please read:

1. Preparation for Your Water Baptism: A Step-by-Step Guide

Your Miracle Is On The Way - Praise & Pray (for others) January 23, 2024

I once thought that the only lesson to take away from Jairus's story was that when God takes long to fulfill His promise or a petition, it's because the answer coming will be exceedingly and abundantly more than we could have asked or imagined. While this remains a key takeaway, the Lord kindly provided additional insight to me last year.

Jairus was a synagogue leader whose daughter fell ill and he pleaded with Jesus to come heal her (Luke 8:41-42). Jesus went with Him but a large crowd gathered around Him. The sheer size slowed Jesus down and they likely were unaware that a girl's life hung in the balance waiting for Christ to save her. Some wanted a miracle or hoped to see something great happen. One such person was the woman with the issue of blood. Her miraculous healing forced Jesus to stop and spend time seeking out who'd touched his robe and then speak to the woman in question (Luke 8:43-48).

Luke 8:49 - While He was still speaking, someone arrived from the house of the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he told Jairus. “Do not bother the Teacher anymore.” Before Jairus could react or speak, however, Jesus reassured him, saying, “Do not be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed” (Luke 8:50). When Jesus got to the house, there were mourners there -- all part and parcel of Jewish tradition when people die. These same people laughed dismissively at Jesus when He told them the girl wasn't dead but asleep (Luke 8:52-53). All it took was for Him to take her hand and say, “Child, get up!” and she got up.

​Here are some take aways from Jairus's encounter with Jesus: When we call on Jesus, He starts coming to solve the problems we face. Time will likely pass between the request and His arrival but just as He didn't tell Jairus no, He won't tell us no either. That means, your miracle is on its way once you pray. Like Jairus, we have to patiently wait for the Savior to deal with whatever else He needs to deal with on the way to addressing our issue. Whatever it is will build our faith and bless us. Seeing the woman healed is likely what stopped Jairus from anxiously grabbing Jesus by the arm and shoving everyone out of the way to get to his child.

Remember how someone came from Jairus's house to say his daughter was dead? This was a person he was familiar with and would believe. The devil wanted to use them to deliver a bad report that would deflate the very faith that spurred Jairus to seek Jesus's help in the first place. Also, the mourners waiting at the house were part of that same scheme - meant to cement the fact that the girl was dead so that fear, and not faith, would take over Jairus's heart.

See all the things satan did to challenge Jairus's faith and make him doubt the power Jesus carried? The devil is doing the same to each one of us. Yet, Christ wants us to remember the very same thing He said back then - “Do not be afraid; just believe...” If Jairus had bowed to all the stunts of the enemy, he would have missed out on a miracle that, thousands of years later, continues to edify believers. We have to ignore all the physical signs that tell us the opposite of what God is saying. We have to believe that what is happening in the spiritual world is more powerful than anything in the physical realm.

Glory be to God, that He is the God who can show up 'late' and will still be on time. Death was not a hindrance to His power and so, nothing can stand in the way of God's restorative and transformative power. If you believe in the Lord and ask aright, then your miracle is already on its way. We have to stand firm even when we hear/see that the worst has supposedly happened, having faith and believing that Christ is walking right into that problem to speak His life into it.

To learn more, also read:

1. Take A Jairus Stance