₦airaland Forum

After I gave my life to Christ, I had a Sunday School teacher, Pastor Aderibigbe, whom God used to teach me about faith. He said that if a boy stands on a storey building and his father, who is on the ground floor, tells him to jump down, the boy will jump. This is because the child has absolute trust in his father and believes that he will catch him when he jumps. This analogy further illustrates what Jesus said in Matthew 18:2-5 about becoming like little children. If a child can have so much faith in an ordinary human being, how much more in God? From that day on, I have been ‘jumping’, and my Father has never allowed me to hit the ground.

I recall a time when I was working as a teacher at a school in Okeigbo, a town in Ondo State, Nigeria. The school took students on an excursion to some places in the Eastern part of Nigeria, and one of the places we visited was the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. We arrived there on a Sunday in time for lunch. We were allowed to enter the dining hall, even though we were not served any food. I looked at the meal each student was served – jollof rice and a half-chicken. I was stunned; a whole chicken had been cut into two pieces, and each student was given one. At that time, the university was only two years old, so all its buildings were shiny and looked very beautiful. I came out of the dining hall, bent down, and picked up a pebble. Then, I said, “Next year, I will come and drop this pebble as a student.” That was just an act of faith by a young man. The following year, I became a student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. God saw the faith of a child who picked up a pebble in faith, and He honoured my faith.

My Father in the Lord, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, always taught us that if you say you have faith, then you should act in accordance with your faith. Just as I picked up a pebble then, I want you to do something or declare words today that truly show you believe that God will give you the miracle you are asking Him for. As long as what you are asking for is in accordance with God’s will, just jump and trust Him to catch you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Having faith in God means trusting in Him, even in seemingly hopeless situations. When believers truly understand who God is, they will diligently seek Him and put all their faith in Him. In turn, God will never let them down. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Faith in God comes from truly knowing Him. Daniel 11:32 says that those who know their God will be strong and do exploits. Beloved, how well do you know God? Do you trust Him enough to do exactly what He tells you to do, whether it makes sense or not? In 1 Kings 18:21, Elijah told the people, “If the Lord is God, serve Him. If Baal is God, serve him.” If you are trusting God for a miracle, then you must believe that He is the Almighty God who can do even more than what you have asked of Him (Ephesians 3:20).

The Bible says that the just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17). James 1:6-7 also says that you should not even expect to receive anything from God if you go to Him with doubts. When I became General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the church kept growing to the point that our headquarters in Ebute Metta became too small for us. I got some of the church elders together, and we fasted and prayed for days. At the end of the prayers, God spoke: “Now that you’ve cried to Me for a campground, I will show you where it is.” Then, He showed us a jungle, which was the headquarters of highway robbers and all manner of dangerous animals. I thought to myself, “How can God choose this place of all places?” However, I went ahead with what He said because I have faith in Him. Today, that jungle has become a city.

When God says that all is well, you can be sure that all will be well. In Matthew 9:27-30, Jesus asked two blind men who were looking up at Him for a miracle if they believed He could heal them, and they replied, “Yes.” Jesus responded, “Be it unto you according to your faith,” and they were healed. Beloved, put your faith in God, and He will give you miracles that are far beyond your expectations.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I mentioned yesterday that one of the ways God sends help to His children from heaven is through angelic interventions. I recall experiencing one when I was about six or seven years old. An elder sister of mine got married and moved away to her husband’s farm, which was a long way from our home. One day, I asked her, “Where is your farm?”, and she gave me directions to the place: “When you arrive at so and so location, turn right; when you reach so and so spot, turn left.” A little while thereafter, I decided to visit her on her husband’s farm. Being a little child, I did not know how far it was, so I set out on the journey. I tried to follow the directions she gave me, but I eventually got lost. I did not know how to get back home, nor did I know how to get to the farm I was going to.

Childishly, I looked up to heaven and said, “God, please help me.” By the time I looked down, I saw a little white dog wagging its tail and looking at me as if I were its friend. Since I was clueless about where I was, I followed the dog, hoping it would lead me to where people could help me. Surprisingly, the dog led me to my sister’s farm. When I got there, and my sister saw me, she was alarmed and asked, “How did you get here? Who brought you here?” I said, “That little white dog.” She replied that she didn’t have a dog on her farm. Immediately, we stepped outside the farm and began to look everywhere. Amazingly, the dog I had just followed to the farm was nowhere to be found. I firmly believe that God sent an angel to help me so that I could one day preach the gospel to the world.

Hebrews 1:14 describes angels as ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who are to be heirs of salvation. In Acts 8:26-40, God sent an angel to give Philip specific directions about the next phase of his ministry. After winning the city of Samaria for Jesus, it was time for him to move on to the next phase of his mission, and the angel told him exactly where to go.

Beloved, God still sends His angels to guide His people. I pray that you will not miss such angelic ministrations, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A person who fears God will always enjoy assistance from heaven. When I talk about enjoying assistance from heaven, it includes receiving help from beings who live in heaven, specifically the angels.

Psalm 34:7 tells us that the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them. You can be certain of angelic interventions and rescues when you fear the Lord. Psalm 112:1-10 refers to someone who fears the Lord as a blessed person. When you fear the Lord and delight greatly in His commandments, you will be blessed, and you can expect angels to intervene in your affairs.

In 1 Kings 19:4-8, when Elijah was so discouraged that he felt like dying, God sent an angel to him twice to strengthen him with food. Before this incident, he had confronted the prophets of Baal, burnt their altars, and killed them. He had purged the land of idolatry because he feared the Lord (1 Kings 18:1-40). In Daniel 6:19-22, an angel came and shut the mouths of lions so that they would not harm Daniel because he chose to obey God’s commandments (Daniel 6:4-10). In 2 Kings 19:32-37, a single angel from the Lord fought against Sennacherib and destroyed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night. This was because King Hezekiah was a blessed man who feared the Lord (2 Kings 19:14-19). In Matthew 2:13-15, an angel warned Joseph in a dream that Herod was seeking to kill Jesus. In Acts 12:5-11, an angel came to set Peter free from prison the night before he was to be killed. Every one of these people experienced angelic interventions because they feared God.

A lady once shared her experience during a flight when the aircraft encountered turbulence, and it appeared as if it was going to crash. As she cried out to God for help, she looked out of the window and saw an angel smiling at her as he carried the plane in the palm of his hand. Immediately, she stopped being anxious and became assured that there was nothing to worry about. I prophesy to you that God will send His angel to rescue you in turbulent times, in Jesus’ name.

Beloved, when you fear the Lord and obey His commandments at all times, you can rest assured that the hosts of angels in heaven will come to your aid in times of need.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are different kinds of prayers, but often, the way people pray reveals the depth of their longing and how urgently they desire God’s intervention. Imagine a case where two critically injured people are in a hospital, and one says, “Oh, doctor, come and help me treat this wound,” and then brings out his or her phone to watch cartoons. Then, the other fellow screams out, “Doctor, I am in serious pain. Help me now!” Who do you think the doctor will attend to first? Definitely, the doctor will first attend to the one who screamed out loud for help.

Many people come to God’s presence casually, speaking ‘Queen’s English’, with ‘steeze and composure’, as the youths would say. However, some other people pray to God with their whole heart and strength, and, like Jacob in Genesis 32:26, they say, “Lord, I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

Sometimes, my friends abroad ask me why we experience so many miracles in Africa, while there are very few in the so-called civilised world. I tell them that it is simply because they believe that they have alternatives. When a person has no one else to talk to apart from God, he or she will know how to pray fervently. Also, if a fellow has an illness that has defied all forms of treatment, such a fellow will understand what it means to pray fervently.

James 5:16 says that the effectual fervent prayers of the righteous avail much. In Matthew 15:22-28, when the Canaanite woman asked Jesus to deliver her demon-possessed daughter, she cried unto Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David.” That woman was not casual about her prayers; she kept crying out to Jesus until she received a response. Likewise, in Mark 10:46-52, blind Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus with a loud voice, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” All attempts by people to shut him up proved unsuccessful, as he continued to call out to Jesus for help. Eventually, Jesus heard him, and he got his miracle.

Beloved, if anything is troubling you, cry unto God today with all your heart and soul, and He will hear you. Call upon Him with all your strength and humility, and He will grant your requests. He will, however, not listen to the prayers of a sinner who has refused to repent and forsake his or her sins (Isaiah 59:1-2).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I recall a time when my father was sitting in an armchair in front of the house, taking in the fresh air. I was also outside, playing football. Suddenly, I kicked the ball high, and it landed on the roof of the house. The roof of the house was thatched, so when the ball landed, it just stayed there. I then went to get a long stick to dislodge the ball from the roof. However, each time I tried to bring the ball down, it kept moving back, and I couldn’t see it because I was still a young boy with a small stature. After going at it for a while, I got tired. Then, I went to my father and said, “Daddy, please help me; my ball is on the roof.” My father then said, “You saw me sitting here, but you thought you could do it on your own”. Then, he got up and, in one attempt, he brought the ball down.

Beloved, if you do things your own way, God will not interfere in your matters. He doesn’t force Himself on people; He only helps those who genuinely need His help and ask for it. The popular saying that heaven helps those who help themselves doesn’t apply to God. It is a worldly slogan because God only helps those who are genuinely in need and humbly approach Him for help. Psalm 34:6 says:

“This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.”

Someone who is poor is genuinely in need of something. Such a person acknowledges God as the only One who can help him or her. In Revelation 3:14-17, the Lord scolded the Laodicean church for calling themselves rich when, indeed, they were poor, wretched, and blind. Those who think they can do it all by themselves are living in deceit. God will fold His arms and watch them struggle, and until they cry to Him for help, they will keep running around in circles. When babies stretch out their arms, it means that they are ready to be carried.

Beloved, open your arms wide today, and let God carry you. Involve Him in all you do so that you will not struggle to do the things He can help you do with ease.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There was a man who always faced setbacks every time he was close to having a breakthrough. Each time a breakthrough was about to happen in his life, something would truncate it. One day, he was informed that he had won a big contract and was instructed to collect his award letter in Abuja. He was so excited about this that he boarded a plane immediately and headed to Abuja. Unknown to him, the person in charge of the contract had changed his mind and given the contract to someone else. After receiving this news upon his arrival in Abuja, the man decided that he couldn’t bear it anymore. He surrendered his life to Jesus, and I prayed for him. The Lord had mercy on him, broke the yoke of failure in his life, and from then on, he began to record one breakthrough after another.

Beloved, God wants you to live in victory in all areas of your life. He also wants you to move from one level of success to another. Proverbs 4:18 says, “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” While following Jesus doesn’t exempt you from challenges, God’s plan is not for you to live under the shadow of defeat and failure.

I once met a boy who consistently failed all his exams, despite his parents being professors. If he moved from a class of 30 pupils to a class of 35 pupils, his position would move from 30th to 35th; he just couldn’t help it. His parents got him the best private tutors, yet he continued to fail. One day, his parents brought him to me, and we prayed together. In the next examination he wrote, he came first among his peers. The teachers were shocked, so he was asked to retake the examination. Surprisingly, he scored even higher than he did in his first attempt. Since then, failure has been banished from his life.

Beloved, are you experiencing recurring failure? If you are already born again or if you surrender your life to Jesus right now, I have good news for you: the Lord is more than able to deliver you from the cycle of failure. Call on Him for help today, and He will deliver you. He will show you what you must do to start succeeding, and as you do it, you will never know failure again.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible says that you should resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Elijah is one character in the Bible who really exemplified this principle of resisting the devil. He stood against everyone who opposed God, including the king and all the prophets of Baal. However, when a woman, Jezebel, decided to go after him, he did not stand to resist her; rather, he fled. When the devil decides to tempt you with a member of the opposite sex, don’t stand and fight; flee!

In 2 Timothy 2:22, the Bible says, “Flee youthful lusts.” Child of God, when it comes to sexual temptation, don’t fight it; instead, run! I always warn my male children that if the devil comes against them, they should tell him to get lost in Jesus’ name. However, if a lady approaches them smiling seductively, they are the ones who should run. You must flee from lust, because you cannot win that battle by standing; you can only win it by fleeing. If you are a man and you find yourself being seduced by a lady, you must flee. It does not matter how anointed you are; run fast! The anointing does not turn the body to stone. Even though Samson was anointed and once single-handedly killed a thousand soldiers, he was overpowered by a woman, and this led to his untimely death.

To the ladies, when a man approaches you with words like, ‘You look more radiant than the sun. Your smile is brighter than the brightness of a million stars put together’, don’t be carried away by his flattery. He may be calling you sunshine, but when he finishes with you, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between sunshine and sunset. The Bible says that a flatterer sets a net for his or her neighbour’s feet (Proverbs 29:5). My daughter, flee!

Even at my age, I am still running from every appearance of evil. This is because the closer you get to the finishing point of a race, the more careful you must be. The devil doesn’t relent in his schemes to bring people down because they are old; instead, he wants to put an end to all the great work God has done through them and tarnish their legacies. Beloved, do not toy with sin; flee all forms of lust! God did not tell you that His grace will be sufficient for you when it comes to lust, He asked you to flee!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There was a story of an eagle that a mother hen hatched. For years, the eagle behaved like a chicken scratching for worms and never soaring as an eagle should. That continued until one day, the eagle saw another eagle flying in the sky and was intrigued by the way it spread its wings and soared in the sky. Somehow, the eagle felt it could also do the same thing; so it opened up its wings and began to fly. That was when the eagle realised that it was not a chicken, but an eagle that was born to soar.

Beloved, if you don’t recognise your identity in Christ, you will remain a slave to the things Jesus went to the cross to deliver you from. You will struggle for worms with other chickens when you should be soaring high in the sky and diving to get your meals without stress. Knowing your divine identity will empower you to overcome whatever struggles you face, as you will understand that Jesus has paid the price for you to be free.

You cannot know who you are in God if you don’t spend time in His word. Your divine identity can only be revealed to you through God’s word. The more you spend time reading and studying God’s word, the more His light will shine upon your heart to show you who you are in Him. Psalm 119:130 says that the entrance of God’s word gives light and understanding to the simple. It doesn’t matter your background or status; once you come to Christ, you have become royalty. Revelation 1:6 says that Jesus has made us kings and priests unto God and His Father. 1 Peter 2:9-11 also reveals that if you are a child of God, you are royalty.

Beloved, you are God’s chosen vessel and an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). This means that there are things you cannot do, and one of them is to live in sin. Isaiah 52:11 says that we should keep ourselves clean because we bear the vessels of the Lord. If you bear the vessel of the Lord, no unclean thing should be found in you. You must steer clear of anything that represents sin and unrighteousness. Princes should not be found naked in public. Sin makes people naked, and your divine identity as a royal priesthood forbids this.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 1982, the year after I became the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, my wife, who was teaching at the small school we had started at the church’s headquarters in Ebute Metta, Lagos State, asked if I could assist her in the school. She felt that since I had become a full-time pastor, my help would go a long way. In that school, nobody was paying any fees. Those who attended the school were children of church members who wanted a secure place for their children to stay while they were away at work. We had a small bus at that time to transport those children from their various homes to school every morning.

One morning, the bus had gone to pick up the children and was returning to the school when it was caught in the midst of an armed robbery operation in Oyingbo, a community in Ebute Metta. Gunshots were fired, and a stray bullet hit one of the pupils inside the bus. The bullet passed through the child’s body and brought out his intestines as it created an exit wound. To cut a long story short, the driver turned back and started heading towards the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). There was heavy traffic on the road, so it took them approximately two hours to reach LUTH. When they got to the hospital, the doctors looked at the boy, saw the amount of blood he had lost, and concluded that there was no need to waste time on him. They were certain that there was nothing that could be done to save the boy, so they didn’t bother to attend to him. However, the school helpers, who were also on the school bus, and other people with them did not stop praying for the boy.

One hour later, a doctor said, “This boy is still breathing. Let us do something, even if all we have to do is stitch him up.” So, they took him into the theatre, removed the bullet, stitched him up, and waited for him to die. To the glory of God, that child has now become an adult, and he is still alive today!

Beloved, make it a duty to pray for other people’s children. Let God use you to save someone’s child through prayer. Rather than complain about the bad character of some of the children around you, get on your knees and pray for them to be well-behaved and God fearing.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I mentioned that the Bible clearly admonishes parents to train up their children in the way they should go so that when they grow old, they won’t depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). Training up a child involves what the child is taught and what is done for him or her. A well-trained child is an empowered child because such a child knows how to stand for what is right, even when he or she is alone.

If you are a parent, there are many things you can do with your children, but one of the most important things to do is to pray with them from a young age. Apart from showing them how to pray, you must also involve them in prayers and teach them how to reverence God. In addition to praying with them, it is also essential that you pray for them. As soon as I gave my life to Jesus Christ, my children and I became signs and wonders (Isaiah 8:18). However, I still had the responsibility of praying for them. There is a God who answers by fire, but one must pray first.

Many Christian parents are not deriving joy from their children because they don’t pray for them. Instead of praying, they complain, grumble, and nag at their children. Ephesians 6:4 says, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” When parents pray to God on behalf of their children, He hears and answers them. In Matthew 15:22-28, a Canaanite woman approached Jesus and asked Him to deliver her daughter from the oppression of a demon, and He granted her request. Also, in Matthew 17:14-18, when a man whose son was tormented by a demon ran to Jesus, his request was granted, and his son became completely free from demonic oppression. Jairus was another parent who approached Jesus concerning his child. In Mark 5:21-43, the Bible tells us that Jesus granted Jairus’ request and raised his daughter back to life. Indeed, the prayers of parents can shield and transform the lives of their children.

When parents shield their children in prayer, they acknowledge that God loves them even more than they do. When they pray, they entrust the future of their children into His capable hands, knowing that He is with them at every stage of their lives.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Parenting is not an easy task; it is a demanding and challenging responsibility. The moment God gives a fellow a child, He has given that fellow an assignment, and the assignment is to train the child in a godly manner. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Nowadays, parents often allow television, social media, and other forms of entertainment to shape their children’s lives. Sadly, what they do not know is that there are numerous evils out there waiting to destroy the lives of children all over the world. This is why parents cannot afford to be careless. They must ensure that they shield their children from the deadly and demonic influencers that are out to destroy them and make them deviate from God’s purpose for their lives.

If you are a parent, then you are your children’s first role model. Children are very observant; they typically remember what they see more than what they hear. They observe the actions of their parents at home and tend to replicate them. Therefore, you must ensure that you exhibit Christlike attributes at all times if you really want to train your children in the way of the Lord. I remember an occasion when a group of children were asked to sing a worship song each. When it was the turn of a particular woman’s children, the three of them were unable to sing a worship song. I later discovered that their mother could also not sing a single worship song. Children typically imitate what they see their parents do, rather than what they are told to do.

Some parents live so carelessly that they make it easy for the devil to visit their children. For example, if a parent feasts on immoral pictures and videos daily, it will be hard to protect his or her children from the sinful influences of the world. Also, if a parent watches skits and videos where vulgar language is used, the parent will find it difficult to shield his or her children from corrupt speech.

Beloved, a city without walls cannot protect its inhabitants. If you are a parent, do not be like a city without walls for your children. Take your relationship with God seriously so that He can fortify, empower, and teach you how to train them up in the way they should go.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Holiness, as far as I am concerned, is complete and prompt obedience. I learnt this from my study of Elijah’s life. Whenever God instructed him to do anything, his response was always, “Yes, Lord.” God told him to hide by a brook, and his response was, “Yes, Lord.” (1 Kings 17:3-5). When God told him to go and live with a widow, he obeyed (1 Kings 17:9-10). Even when God instructed him to go and show himself to King Ahab, he did as the Lord asked, even though the king wanted to kill him (1 Kings 18:1-2).

When you begin to live in complete and prompt obedience to the Lord, you will not have the time to do the things He hates. Elijah was so sold out to the Lord that he did everything that God instructed him to do. No wonder, as soon as he finished praying in (1 Kings 18:36-38), fire fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifice he had prepared. When you are willing to obey God completely and are prompt in doing His will, He will be willing and prompt to answer your prayers.

Some years ago, four other people and I started a Bible study fellowship at the University of Ibadan (UI). The Bible study was held in the home of Professor Aboaba. The fellowship grew, and more professors joined us. At a point, the sitting room could no longer contain us, so we moved to the backyard. One day, as we were settling in for Bible study, it started raining, and the professors prepared to leave to avoid getting drenched. In response, I lifted my hands and said, “Rain, you can’t fall now.” That day, it rained everywhere in UI, except in the compound of Professor Aboaba.

People often try to put the cart before the horse in their walk with the Lord. They want God to do all their bidding without bothering to do the things He wants; however, it doesn’t work that way. When you obey God’s instructions to abstain from the things He hates and keep yourself unspotted from the world, He will do whatever you want, even before you ask Him. This is because a person living a holy life will desire only what God loves, and this makes it easy for God to do whatever such a person requests. Beloved, delight yourself in living in complete obedience to the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

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

There is something you need to understand about fire: whenever it touches anything, it transforms that thing into itself. If it touches a piece of cloth and it begins to burn, that piece of cloth will be said to have caught fire. Also, if it comes in contact with wood, it will ignite the wood, and that wood is then referred to as firewood. Similarly, anyone who is a child of God, the Consuming Fire, is automatically shielded by His fire. In Zechariah 2:5, the Bible says, “For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.”

In Judges 15:14-15, Samson was bound with ropes and was presented before his enemies. His enemies thought that they had already subdued him; however, the fire of God came upon him mightily, and the ropes were burnt. The Bible tells us that he killed a thousand of them thereafter. Beloved, I decree today that the Consuming Fire will deal with whoever might be trying to put you in any form of bondage, in Jesus’ name.

Daniel 3:1-30 is a well-known story of how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were cast into the fiery furnace because they refused to bow down to worship the king’s golden image. The fire was so hot that it killed those who threw them in it. However, because God was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, only the ropes that were used to bind them were burnt; the Consuming Fire shielded them from the fire, and they came out of it unhurt.

I remember the testimony of one of my sons, who partook of the Holy Communion during one of the Holy Ghost Services. Before then, doctors had been struggling to identify what was causing him pain inside his throat. However, after partaking of the Holy Communion, the Consuming Fire dealt with what was causing him pain, and he was completely healed. I decree that whatever my Father has not planted in your body will be uprooted and consumed by fire, in Jesus’ name.

In Exodus 14:19-24, we see that while the Consuming Fire was a light and a shield to the Israelites, it was a terror to the Egyptians. Beloved, if you want to be shielded by the Consuming Fire and not consumed by Him, you must belong to His camp. Do you belong to the Lord’s camp?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The word of God is a mighty shield that defends us from negative things. Psalm 107:20 tells us that God’s word heals and delivers from destruction. This means that when the enemy wants to destroy you, God will send His word, and His word will shield you from the enemy’s attacks.

If you are trusting God for the fruit of the womb, I want you to believe that your testimony is around the corner. This is because God has shielded you from barrenness through His word. In Exodus 23:26, He says:

There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.

Also, God shields His children from poverty through His word. 3 John 2 says, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” In other words, no matter how tough and challenging your situation might be at the moment, God’s word to you is that you will be healthy and prosperous.

Through His word, God shields His children from lack and hunger. Psalm 23:1 says, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Through the word of God, you are reassured that the Lord is your shepherd, and with Him, you have everything you need. No need will arise in your life and remain unmet because Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is for you. Psalm 84:11 says that the Lord will not withhold any good thing from those who walk uprightly. God will see to it that before a need arises, there is more than enough provision to meet it. Beloved, I pray that in any area you may be experiencing lack, your eyes will be opened to see God’s abundant provisions for you, in Jesus’ name.

Another thing that God’s word shields believers from is abandonment and loneliness. Jesus said in John 14:18 that He will not leave you comfortless. He also said in Hebrews 13:5 that He will never leave nor forsake you. This means that even if your parents or friends forsake you, He will always be with you.

Beloved, to be shielded by the word of God, you must know what He has said concerning you and truly believe it. A weapon you are ignorant of, or fail to use, cannot benefit you. Therefore, make it your daily practice to meditate on God’s word and obey it, for in doing so, you will enjoy His covering at all times.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Names are very powerful; they reveal many things about a person. For example, if you meet someone who bears the surname of the president of your country, you will be curious to know whether he or she is related to the president or not. When you discover that such a person is related to the president, you will automatically think that he or she is wealthy, influential, and has direct access to the president. This is also what obtains in our relationship with God. When a person is born again, he or she becomes a child of God. Such a person automatically takes on God’s name and has unhindered access to Him.

I still remember the first time a Head of State invited me to his home. When I arrived at the first gate, I was asked where I was going, and I replied, “The president asked me to come and see him.” The security personnel then checked their records to confirm my invitation. I scaled through the first gate, and when I got to the second gate, I was thoroughly checked. I got to the third gate, and the same check was carried out on me, despite the fact that the personnel at the gate saw that I had been checked at the second gate. When I moved on to the fourth gate, I said, “Oh God, I thank You because I have Jesus. I thank You because anytime I want to talk to You, all I have to say is ‘in the name of Jesus.” No matter how pressing an issue is, all I need to say is ‘in Jesus’ name’, and God’s ears will be open to my cry.

God’s name also shields believers from the enemy’s attacks. Proverbs 18:10 tells us that: “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” In other words, if enemies are pursuing you, you can call on the name of the Lord; His name will become a strong tower around you, and the enemy will not be able to harm you. The Bible says in Psalm 27:1-3 that if your enemies are running after you and are about to catch up, they will stumble and fall. As we see in Philippians 2:9-11, every knee shall bow at the name of Jesus! I decree that the name of the Lord will be your shield, delivering you and your family from every attack of the enemy, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The blood of Jesus is one of the many ways God shields His children. In Exodus 12:1-14, God used the blood of lambs, which was a typology of the blood of Jesus, to save the children of Israel from the plague of death. He said to them, “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you…” Psalm 116:8 tells us that God delivers our souls from death, our eyes from tears, and our feet from falling. If not for the special shielding of God during the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, many of us would not be here today. Indeed, the blood of Jesus Christ shielded us and delivered our souls from death.

The blood of Jesus Christ also shields us from demonic attacks and grants us victory over the devil and his agents. Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” We are also shielded from wrath and are justified by the blood of Jesus (Romans 5:9).

The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sins. (1 John 1:7) says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Ephesians 1:7 also tells us that we have redemption and forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. That blood also grants us access to God and gives us the boldness to enter into the holiest, as we see in Hebrews 10:19.

The blood of Jesus also speaks. Hebrews 12:24 says, “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” I pray that in the name above all other names, you will experience and enjoy the better things Jesus’ blood has spoken and is still speaking on your behalf, in Jesus’ name.

Beloved, the blood of Jesus will not speak for you or shield you if you have yet to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour. In order to be saved and shielded by Jesus’ blood, you must confess with your mouth that He is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In (1 Kings 17:1), the Bible introduces us to a man of God named Elijah. Interestingly, the Bible did not even mention his father’s name. It is even more interesting when you consider that even Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, had his father’s name mentioned in the Bible, as he was referred to as blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus (Mark 10:46). His father was recognised, even though he was a beggar. In Elijah’s case, however, it was quite different, as the Bible only mentioned the name of his town – even his tribe was not mentioned. I can relate well to this because I am also the son of someone people might call a nobody. This is why I am convinced that if God can achieve great things through Elijah and me, despite our obscure backgrounds, He can achieve even greater things through anyone.

When it comes to what God can do in a person’s life, who they are, where they come from, their family background, as well as their social and financial status, do not matter. In (1 Timothy 1:15), Apostle Paul said that he was the chief of sinners. Before he died, however, he was able to boldly say in (2 Corinthians 11:5), “…I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.” It does not matter how lowly you might have started out in life; God can elevate you to the top. I pray for you today that no matter what your past looked like, the grace of God will lift you to the very top, in Jesus’ name.

Beloved, I want you to know that if you completely surrender your life to God, you will end up in glory. Elijah’s father’s name was not mentioned in the Bible because it was not a factor in the things God wanted to do in the prophet’s life. No matter who your earthly father is, if God is your heavenly Father, you are a prime candidate for His glory. He delights in using the foolish things of this world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). If people mock and despise you because of your background, please don’t be bothered. Just ensure that you surrender your life to Jesus, and He will elevate you. As we see in 1 Samuel 2:2-9, He raises beggars from the dunghill to set them among princes and makes them inherit the throne of glory.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Knowing Jesus is the best thing that can ever happen to a person. The earlier a person knows Him, the better he or she becomes positioned to walk through life with His grace, wisdom, and power. The moment you come to Jesus, you will have access to His light (John 8:12), and you will become light too (Matthew 5:14). For any light to keep burning, however, fuel must be consistently added to it.

In Matthew 25:1-9, the five wise virgins had extra oil for their lamps, and this made it easy for them to refill their lamps and ensure that they kept burning when they woke up. The five foolish virgins, on the other hand, didn’t have extra oil, so they had nothing to fall back on when their lamps went out. Beloved, the fact that you were full of the Holy Spirit yesterday does not mean that you do not need to refuel today. Yesterday’s infilling will not carry you through today’s battles. If you want your lamp to burn brightly until the Lord returns, you must keep fuelling it with the word of God and prayers.

In 1 Kings 19:5-8, the first meal the angel served Elijah was not enough for the journey he had ahead of him. The angel had to wake him up to eat again. No matter where you are in the journey of life, you need to arise and eat again, because of the journey ahead. You need to keep your lamp burning brightly because gross darkness has enveloped the earth and will continue to deepen (Isaiah 60:2). This, however, should not frighten you as God’s child because your spirit is the candle of the Lord (Proverbs 20:27), and the more you grow in your relationship with Him, the brighter your candle will shine.

Beloved, flee from sin. Do not get involved in things that will dim your light or snuff out your lamp. People who are busy struggling to acquire the things of this world will snuff out their lamps. Likewise, people who toy with sin will make their oil become polluted. This is why I shudder when I hear some preachers say that once a person becomes born again, the fellow can live as he or she likes. If you do not want your lamp to go out, you must not embrace the things that can put out your light. I pray that your lamp will keep burning brightly until the end, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Growing up, my father was so poor that even poor people called him poor. However, at that time, I had a friend whose father was poorer than mine. As poor as my father was, he was still able to gather enough money to send me to school for the first two years of my studies. This friend of mine, on the other hand, could not even enrol in school because his father had no money to sponsor him.

Whenever other children went to school, my friend would go around looking for a place to work. One day, someone gave him a task to clear a piece of land outside the town. While he was working, he struck something that was buried in the ground, and when he checked it, he discovered that it was a large pot filled with gold coins. The pot must have been buried several years before then, when people preferred to bury their valuables rather than take them to banks.

When my friend picked up the pot, he looked left and right, but there was nobody around him. Then, he took all the coins and went home. He took one of the coins to a goldsmith, who examined it and told him how much he was willing to pay for it. The amount was so huge that the boy exclaimed, “Ah!” The goldsmith thought that the boy knew the true value of the coin and that his exclamation was because he knew he was about to be cheated, so he said, “Alright, I will pay you double.” The boy responded again, “Ah, ah!” The goldsmith continued to bargain, and eventually, he promised to pay him five times the initial offer. The boy could not believe his luck. The goldsmith asked further, “Do you have more?” The boy replied, “Yes.” Not long after that, my friend left the village because he had now become very wealthy.

Beloved, just one divine breakthrough can transform your life for good. One of my spiritual sons lost his job, and God told him to start selling peanuts. God’s instruction, however, was for him to fry the peanuts with honey. From selling peanuts, he became so wealthy that he was able to buy private jets. When God gives you a breakthrough, you will move to a level you never even thought you could attain. However, to get that breakthrough from God, you must be intimate with Him enough to hear His instructions and obey them.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Have you ever faced a situation that seemed overwhelming to handle? You might have asked a lot of questions like, “Why doesn’t God just promote me? Why do I have to go through these unpleasant situations before He takes me to the next level?” Joseph probably asked these questions as he went from one unpleasant situation to another. Just when he thought everything was fine in Potiphar’s house, God introduced the prison to refine him further. However, when God was through with him, he became so blessed that the destiny of nations and generations depended on him. Psalm 105:16-22 tells us about how he moved from being a servant to being a ruler. The word of the Lord tested Joseph (Psalm 105:19), and when God saw that he was ready for the highest level of blessing, the king sent for him, freed him from prison, and made him a ruler in Egypt. Beloved, I pray for you today that God will promote you to a higher level and make you stand before kings, in Jesus’ name.

Some people receive what appear to be automatic promotions. Such people seem not to do anything before they experience a blessing. This is good, and many people love such promotions. However, this is not often the case for everyone. Some people undergo numerous trials to the point where they begin to wonder why they must endure such daunting challenges before being promoted. If you are currently going through such trials, don’t despair. Even though your beginning may be small, your end will greatly increase, in Jesus’ name (Job 8:7).

In Genesis 32:6-7, Esau, who got a ‘remnant’ blessing, became so mighty that he had 400 bodyguards. Without doubt, he was a great man. This means that, regardless of how challenging your beginning might have been, you can still experience significant positive changes in the latter part of your life. It doesn’t matter how you start; what matters is how you end.

Beloved, no matter what you may be going through currently, hold on to Jesus. Don’t seek shortcuts from the world; instead, follow God’s due process, and you will surely enter into the glorious future He has prepared for you. I am sure of this because Christ in you is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). I pray that when you face trials, you will be found faithful, ready, and well-positioned for your next-level blessing, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Several years ago, a highly-placed woman in society walked into my office one morning and claimed that God had told her I was her husband. I responded in shock, “How can God tell you that I’m your husband when I’m happily married, and you are also married?” She kept insisting that I was her husband, and when I realised she would not leave me alone, I involved the police, and she was instructed to stop coming to Redemption City. However, she wasn’t deterred. At one point, she threatened my wife that if she didn’t allow her to marry me, she would kill her. One time, I travelled to London to prepare our Sunday School manual, and I didn’t tell anyone about my trip because I wanted to work quietly. Surprisingly, as soon as I got to the house I was to stay at, the phone rang. When I picked up the phone, that same woman was on the line. She said, “Welcome. I have been waiting for you. I am at the next bus stop, and I will be with you in a few minutes.” At that point, I threatened her that I would call the police, and they would be waiting for her if she came. After dropping the phone, I turned to God and said, “Father, You have to help me.” He replied, “As long as you allow the mountain to stay, it will.” At that point, I realised that I had been tolerating the devil like Paul did until he got tired and commanded an evil spirit to leave a girl in Acts 16:16-18. So, I said a simple prayer to God about the matter, and He saw to it that she never bothered me again. I pray that the Almighty God will deal with those who will not let you rest, in Jesus’ name.

Beloved, God can deal with any mountains in your path in different ways. He can give you the strength to climb and walk over them, or turn them into plains like He did for Zerubbabel in Zechariah 4:7. Regardless of the method He decides to use, you must understand that as long as you are comfortable with a mountain in your life, it will stay put. However, the moment you rise in prayer to confront it, God will show up and reveal how to address the mountain to you. May God give you the grace to overcome any mountain in your path, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is no limit to God’s power. Mark 11:22-24 says that if you have faith, you can speak to a mountain, and it will move. Psalm 90:2 also tells us that before the mountains were brought forth, God was. Our God is eternal, and there is no searching of His understanding. If you have faith in the One who was there even before mountains were formed, He can uproot any challenge that poses as a mountain in your life.

There are, however, times when you speak to a mountain in your life, and it doesn’t seem to move. This is because God knows that you can climb that mountain and emerge victorious. God will not place a mountain which you cannot climb before you. When you read the book of Job, you will see that long before Job’s problems came, God already knew that he would overcome them.

Beloved, God will not make you go through a challenge you cannot overcome. (1 Corinthians 10:13) says: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” If God allows a mountain to stand in your path, it is because you are about to experience a greater level of glory. For example, it is expected that students will typically be assessed before they are promoted to a higher level or class. In Daniel 3:14-30, the three Hebrew boys passed their test by refusing to bow down to the golden image, even at the risk of being burned to death, and God promoted them. Job 42:12-16 also tells us how God promoted Job after his ordeal. I am sure that the devil would have wished he had left Job alone, as the latter part of his life was more glorious than his beginning.

Child of God, if God allows you to face a mountain, it is because He wants to move you to the next phase of your life after you overcome that mountain. No matter the size or height of the mountain standing before you today, ask God to help you to surmount it, and you will emerge victorious in the end. I decree that you shall overcome all mountains standing before you today, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jesus can return at any time. This is why my wife and I ensure that we settle any misunderstandings between us before we go to sleep, because we don’t want to be left behind. I don’t want anything to keep me from going with the Lord when He returns.

In Ephesians 4:26, Paul urges us not to allow the sun to go down upon our wrath. Never go to sleep angry or with grudges in your heart. Do not let anger fester, for it can create a barrier between you and God. Ephesians 4:31 says that you should put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, evil speaking, and malice. Cast them off because they will keep you from going with the Lord when He returns.

Child of God, settle any issues you have with others quickly so they do not hinder you from being a partaker of God’s Kingdom when He returns. If you find it very easy to keep a grudge, run to God for help today. Ask Him for the grace to forgive those who offend you, even if they have not asked for your forgiveness. Do not allow offence or anything at all to separate you from the Lord for eternity.

For believers, death is merely like falling asleep because a glorious eternity awaits us (1 Thessalonians 4:13). For those living in sin, however, eternal damnation awaits them after death (Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 21:. This is why you must live your life prepared to meet the Lord at any time. Settle every matter as quickly as possible because you do not know the moment when your eternal sleep will begin.

One man of God said that the Sunday after the rapture, some churches will still be full. The pastors will still be there to preach, but this time around, their preaching will not be casual. They will stand on their pulpits and say, “I knew this event was going to happen, but I didn’t prepare myself and this congregation for it.” They might apologise to the congregation who will be left behind, but their apologies will be useless at that point.

Beloved, if you miss the rapture, all the time you have spent in church will be in vain. Forgive those who have hurt you; let it go! I pray that God will give you the strength and courage to deal with anything in your life that can cause you to miss the rapture, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Years ago, I travelled to the USA and stayed in an apartment that had a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom and a living room with a guest toilet. In the middle of the night, I woke up to use the toilet and realised that my wife was not in the bedroom with me. I thought she had gone to use the guest toilet in the living room so as not to disturb my sleep. However, after waiting for a while and not seeing her, I went to check the living room and discovered that she was neither there nor in the guest toilet. I began to tremble, and I said, “God, where have I missed it? What is it that caused me to be left behind?” I thought the rapture had happened, and my wife had been taken, and I had been left behind. I was still trembling when the Holy Spirit said, “She didn’t come with you on this trip.” It was then that I remembered I had come on the trip alone. That is how conscious I always am of the rapture. It is better to live ready than to be careless and be left behind when the Lord returns.

As I said two days ago, from the moment I learnt about the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, my prayer every night before bed has always been, “Lord, if you return before tomorrow, please don’t leave me behind.” I pray that when the Lord returns, you will not be left behind, in Jesus’ name. The realisation that tomorrow may never come and that the Lord may return before sunrise tomorrow has kept me on my toes all these years.

Nobody knows the hour the Lord will return. This is why you must live ready. You cannot afford to live carelessly because you do not know when your time on earth will elapse or when the Lord will return. Matthew 24:36-51 compares two servants. One was faithful and wise, and he lived ready, doing his master’s will until his return. The other was described as evil because he thought in his heart that his lord delayed his coming, and because of that, he began to act and live as he pleased. The Bible tells us that he was severely punished when his lord returned.

Beloved, don’t live carelessly because you think the Lord is delaying His return. He is coming soon. Blessed are those who live ready for His return.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jesus likened His second coming to the time when God destroyed the earth with a flood (Genesis 7:11-23) and when He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire (Genesis 19:24-25). Just as it was in the times of Noah and Lot, when people were eating, drinking, getting married, building, planting, buying, and selling, so will it be when the Lord returns (Luke 17:26-30). Life will continue as usual until the Lord’s coming interrupts and changes everything. Imagine a believer who gives in to a temptation just a split second before the rapture takes place. Such a fellow has clearly chosen not to spend eternity with the Lord. I pray that you will be watchful and ready to make heaven when the Lord returns, in Jesus’ name.

Yesterday, I discussed three important things about the Lord’s return. Today, I will discuss the remaining three:

1. It will be unexpected for the unprepared: 2 Peter 3:10 says that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. It is important to note, however, that not everyone is caught unawares by thieves. Matthew 24:43 says that if the goodman of a house had known when a thief would come, he would have watched and prevented his house from being broken up. Stay aware and alert so that you will not miss the rapture.

2. It will not be done in secret: Everybody will know when the Lord returns, whether sinner or saint. Matthew 24:27 says that as the lightning comes out of the east and shines even unto the west, so shall the Lord’s coming be. When lightning flashes across the sky, everyone sees it. Likewise, the Lord’s return will not be a secret event; the whole world will see those who join Him and those who are left behind. The secret of those who have been pretending to be children of God will be revealed on that day.

3. Jesus is coming for a pure and spotless bride: Ephesians 5:22-33 tells us that the Church is the Bride of Christ. The Church refers to Christians, not buildings, and you must understand that whatever is expected of the Church is also expected of you. When Jesus returns, only those whose garments are spotless will go with Him. ‘Garment’ here refers to your life. Only those who allow the Lord to sanctify and cleanse them will be His Bride on that day (Ephesians 5:26-27). Beloved, will you be among them?

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the reasons I spent three years studying Elijah was that he was gloriously taken to heaven without having to taste death. If I could have my way, I also would prefer not to die but rather be raptured (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Ever since I have learnt of the rapture, my prayer every night before I sleep has been, “Lord, if You return before tomorrow, please don’t leave me behind.”

The realisation that tomorrow may never come, and that the Lord may return before sunrise, has kept me on my toes since I surrendered my life to Jesus. He can even come this very night. It is clearly written in Luke 17:34 that two people will be on the same bed; one will be taken, and the other will be left behind. If Jesus returns tonight, will you be with Him in glory, or will you be left behind?

Today, I will discuss three out of six crucial things you should know about the Lord’s second coming. The remaining three will be discussed tomorrow.

1. It is in two phases: The first phase is the rapture when Jesus descends from heaven to receive believers who have died and those who are still alive unto Himself (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The second phase is His glorious return, which all eyes shall behold (Revelation 1:7, Revelation 19:11-16).


2. It is imminent: Although it may seem delayed, Jesus will return soon. Ignore people who speak and act as if He will never return. Peter already spoke about them in 2 Peter 3:3-14, how they will arise in the last days to challenge this truth. Sadly, many pastors have not preached about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ in years. Beloved, don’t lose focus; keep in mind that Jesus’ return is closer than you think. I know His coming seems to be delayed, but God’s measurement of time is different from man’s measurement, as 2 Peter 3:3-14 also tells us.

3. It is certain: Jesus’ return is certain, and there is nothing anyone can do to change it. 2 Peter 3:3-14 also tells us that the Lord is not slack concerning His promise. He has promised to return, and it is certain that He will (Acts 1:10-11).

In Matthew 24:4-51, Jesus gave us numerous signs of His coming, and one of the prominent signs is that many deceivers will arise and many will be deceived. I pray that you will not be deceived in any way, in Jesus’ name.

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is great danger in hardening one’s heart to the word of God. In Revelation 2:7, the Bible says, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches…” In today’s world, many people are unwilling to listen to God’s word, especially when it condemns their wrongdoings. They mock and neglect genuine men of God and despise God’s ordinances. They are usually found in churches where sin is not condemned and where ungodly doctrines are taught. The Bible tells us that such people are at risk of eternal damnation if they refuse to heed His word (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).

Many professing Christians pick only what favours them from God’s word. However, what they do not know is that they cannot experience the fullness of God when they choose only what they want to hear from Him. In fact, many times, the things that position us for God’s blessings are the things we do not want to hear or experience. It was the shame and the cross that positioned Jesus for glory (Hebrews 12:2). Also, in Joseph’s case, it was the pit and the prison that positioned him for the palace.

Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the word of God is “quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow…” God’s word convicts; it does not condemn. Whenever a fellow hears God’s word and it pierces through his or her heart, such a person should not get offended. Instead, he or she should see it as an opportunity to be corrected and transformed.

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:37-38

In the Scripture above, Peter preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to some people in Jerusalem, and they were convicted in their hearts. Following their conviction, they became saved and were baptised (Acts 2:41). Beloved, when you hear God’s word, do not harden your heart. Let His word convict, correct, and instruct you so that you will be thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Some time ago, I went to a man’s house to conduct a programme. It was a night programme, and the owner of the house asked me to spend the night at his house afterwards because it was too late for me to return home. I obliged, and in the morning, he asked me to wait for breakfast. When it was time to eat, a chef came and asked my host what he wanted to eat. After so much back and forth, my host finally decided that he would have bread and eggs for breakfast. Then, for the next few minutes, another back-and-forth ensued because the chef asked my host how he wanted his eggs prepared – scrambled, poached, or fried – before he finally settled on boiled eggs. Then, it was time for another debate: how do you want your egg boiled, hard-boiled or medium-boiled? By then, it had been more than 25 minutes, and I had gotten really hungry. Finally, the chef turned to me when he finished with his boss and asked, “Sir, what will you eat?” I told him to give me anything he had. He said he had bread and eggs, and I said it was fine. Then, he asked if I wanted an omelette or bacon, the number of eggs I wanted, and so on. I told him that anything was fine, as long as it was enough to satisfy my hunger. After the whole ordeal, I thought to myself that even though I had no money, I had a good appetite at least. Child of God, while you may not have everything you desire in life yet, you must be grateful for the things you have.

Ecclesiastes 6:9 says that the sight of the eyes is better than the wandering of desire. Many people are not grateful for what they have because they are consumed with thinking about the things they want. They do not appreciate the things they can see because of their wandering desires. Beloved, if God has given you the gift of life, be grateful. Ecclesiastes 9:4 says that as long as you are joined to all the living, there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. As long as you are alive, there is hope that you will achieve the things you desire. Don’t be so focused on the things you wish you had that you forget to appreciate God for all you already have. In all things, give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

PRAYERS FOR YOUR NATION

1. Father, I thank You for my nation. Thank You for Your mighty hand of power that has sustained us over the years.

2. Father, please have mercy on my nation. Let Your abundant mercy preserve us from evil, in Jesus’ name.

3. Father, please put godly men and women in leadership positions. Please, Lord, let Your will be done in this nation, in Jesus’ name.

4. Father, please let Your wisdom guide the hearts of our leaders and those in authority. Give them the grace to lead us right, in Jesus’ name.

5. Lord, please arrest the hearts of kidnappers, ritualists, oppressors, and other evil people in my nation. Let them not know peace until they turn from their wicked ways and surrender to You, in Jesus’ name.

6. Father, please let every aspect of my nation’s economy thrive and prosper. Cause the breath of Your peace and grace to blow across every sector, in Jesus’ name.

7. Father, please let the positive prophecies that have been spoken over my nation come to pass. Please, establish Your word concerning this nation, in Jesus’ name.

8. Father, please let Your light shine over my nation. Let every form of confusion and stagnation come to an end, and let Your light bring stability and progress, in Jesus’ name.

9. Father, please let there be peace in my nation. Remove tribalism, strife, racism, and all forms of darkness that turn people against one another, in Jesus’ name.

10. Father, please strengthen and guide our youths. Let our youths rise to take their rightful place in every sector of the economy. Let them not get carried away with youthful lusts, in Jesus’ name.

11. Father, please destroy every plan of the devil to plunge my nation into sorrow. Let Your joy fill this land, and make us fruitful in all areas, in Jesus’ name.

12. Your personal prayer points for your nation.

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

After Jesus resurrected from the dead, He visited His disciples in John 20:19-22 and said to them, “…as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” When God comes into a person’s life, He will give the person a purpose for his or her life. He will share His thoughts and plans with the person and show him or her what the future holds. He will do this because He desires His children to live purposeful lives.

Many people are drifting through life because they haven’t encountered Jesus. They do anything that appeals to them because they have not discovered why God created them. For instance, some of them engage in fraudulent acts just to make money. At the end of the day, they realize that life is more than having money. Such people become rich but miserable because the wealth they amassed, which they thought would bring them joy and fulfilment, did not. They soon discover that their lives lack meaning despite their wealth. They do not know God’s purpose for their lives, so they continually strive to achieve the next big thing. Unfortunately, after each seemingly big achievement, they tend to sink into despair because they feel as if something is still missing in their lives.

Child of God, no amount of money, fame, or achievement can make a person fulfilled. As long as a person lives outside God’s purpose for his or her life, such a person will not know what true fulfilment is. I have had the opportunity to mingle with the high and mighty, and I have discovered that some people who are poor by societal definitions have more joy and peace than many of them. In Jeremiah 29:11, the Almighty God says that He knows the plans He has towards you, and that they are good.

Beloved, God has a specific plan for your life, and it is only when you align yourself with His plan that you will experience fulfilment. To know His purpose for your life, you must cultivate an intimate relationship with Him because He created you, and no product can fulfil its true purpose outside its manufacturer’s intention and specifications. As you spend quality time with your Maker in prayer and studying His word, your true purpose will become evident. I pray that God will continually guide you along the path of your purpose in Him and supply you with the grace and wisdom to fulfil it, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus told His disciples that they would receive power after the Holy Ghost comes upon them, and it happened exactly as He had said (Acts 2:1-43). The moment the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will suddenly become strong. You will become bold and empowered to achieve great things because Zechariah 4:6 says, “… Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”

Many people have failed in various endeavours because they have been trying to function solely by their own power. As long as a person keeps trying to do things solely by his or her own strength, there is a high probability that such a person will fail. However, when the Holy Spirit empowers a person, he or she is assured of a positive outcome.

The power of the Holy Spirit turns cowards into mighty men and weaklings into great terrors to the kingdom of darkness. When this power came upon the apostles, the men who had been hiding from the religious leaders of their time began to confront them boldly. Acts 5:25-33 reveals how Peter, who denied knowing Jesus when a maidservant pointed out that he was one of His disciples, boldly spoke about Jesus before those who threatened his life.

I recall vividly that after I got born again at the University of Lagos in 1973, I had a Head of Department whose name was Professor Chike Obi. He was the greatest mathematician Africa had ever produced. Humanly speaking, he was a very good man, but I wondered how someone could be that good and not know the love of Christ. One Sunday evening in church, we prayed and were told to go and win souls, and I said, “When I get to the office tomorrow, I’ll preach to my Head of Department.” When I got to the office, I went to him to say, “Good morning, sir,” and he thanked me in such a way that I froze and ran away. When I was baptised in the Holy Spirit, however, I became bold to preach to him. I received the power to succeed, win souls, and plant churches, and the power to win in life was also given to me.

Beloved, I pray for you today that you will receive the power of the Holy Spirit just as I did and be empowered to reign in life and be a fruitful witness for Christ, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.