The topic of today's devotional (Blessings Associated With Banqueting) may be surprising to you. Indeed, some Christian zealots discredit banqueting, and they tend to glory in not associating themselves with parties. Trying to justify themselves, you will hear some say, “I am not a party person.” Yes, there is no crime in not being a party person; am not a party person either. However, there are benefits associated with banqueting found in God’s word, and because of these blessings, I attend parties once a while and get blessed by doing so, because it is in the word of God. I thank God for my wife; even when she is fasting, you will always see her cooking. The word of God has inspired her to continually host banquets, culminating in the birth of an annual outreach programme christened ‘Feast of Esther’! The Lord be praised!

According to Proverbs 15:13, one of the blessings of banqueting is a cheerful spirit. The children of this world know this secret and they take advantage of the blessing of joy brought on by getting together. Although they mostly misuse the opportunity of merriment, they still get the associated blessing of a cheerful spirit because it is the word of God. In Esther 7:1-7, Queen Esther took advantage of the lesson associate with banqueting to fight a war that could otherwise have been lost If fought on the battlefield. Using her privilege as queen, she perfectly hosted the king to a sumptuous inner party and got his attention for the salvation of her people from annihilation.

The effect of good meals is obvious in the Bible. Good meals have either made or marred people’s destinies. Delicious pottage destroyed the destiny of Esau, while a good meal placed irreversible blessings on Jacob (Genesis 25:29-34, Genesis 27). Also, a good meal prescribed by God Himself delivered the Jews from Bondage in Egypt (Exodus 12:5-10). Beloved, when occasion warrants you to host a banquet, go ahead and do it. You can use Nehemiah 8:10 as a template of what festivities for children of God should look like. This scripture verse says:
...Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Are you planning to host a banquet and the devil is putting doubts in your heart? Go ahead with that joyful gathering, and there shall be no problem; rather you will come back with unimaginable testimonies of victories over those who don’t want you to celebrate in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.