₦airaland Forum

Today, I’ll conclude my discussion on generational curses and their impact. Such curses take root over several generations, and when anyone wants to remove them, they won’t go without a fight. For instance, when Moses tried to deliver Israel from the hold of the Egyptians, Pharaoh was reluctant to let them go. God had to send ten plagues before he was forced to release them. Even after that, he and his army pursued them to take them back into bondage. The Egyptians had tormented Israel for many generations – lasting 430 years (Exodus 12:40) – and they didn’t want to let them go. For Israel to finally be free, God had to wipe out Pharaoh’s soldiers (Exodus 14:27- 28). If there are any generational curses working against your destiny, I decree they are broken today, in Jesus’ name.

To be free from generational curses, people can go to genuine ministers of God, and they will cancel them. However, if they continue to live sinful lifestyles, the curses may come back. Imagine if, after Israel was freed, they separated themselves from Moses, their link to God, the Egyptians would have recaptured them. The primary thing that is required for generational curses to be broken forever is that people remain close to God.

People can also break generational curses by themselves if they become really intimate with Christ. The literal meaning of Isaiah 10:27 is that as you continually get filled with the Holy Spirit, you will grow in the spirit such that your neck will become too big for any demonic yoke to hold it. After Jesus healed the man at the pool of Bethesda, He warned him not to return to sin so that something worse wouldn’t happen to him (John 5:14). Sin will always keep the door open for generational curses. You must live a holy life because the devil will return to check if he has legal grounds to torment you again (John 14:30). You must also be willing to pray and fast diligently because certain demons only respond to prayer and fasting (Mark 9:29). You should also study your Bible diligently because it is the truth that makes you free (John 8:32), and do not forsake the fellowshipping of brethren because one can chase 1,000 but two can chase 10,000 (Hebrews 10:25, Deuteronomy 32:30). As you do these, no generational curse or any other curse will be able to affect you, your family, and every other thing that concerns you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, many people are suffering from generational curses. They struggle to succeed every day, but a powerful force seems to resist them. If this is your story, I decree your freedom today, in Jesus’ name.

If you notice certain negative patterns in your family that seem to be beyond anyone’s control, there is a possibility that a generational curse is in play. One thing about generational curses is that they are supervised by demons who have built a stronghold in that family. Because of how strong their hold is in the family; many members of the family ultimately give in to the curse. They see the effects of the curse as their lot, so they never try to fight against it. When Moses killed an Egyptian to save an Israelite, it was the same Israelites who condemned him and let the secret out. They had fallen in love with their oppressors even though they were suffering. They even quarrelled with Moses in the wilderness many times for setting them free. They kept talking about the food in Egypt and even the graves (Numbers 11:5, Exodus 14:11). Obviously, they had resolved to die in their negative situation; after all, it was in the same situation that their fathers died. The stronghold of the devil had eaten into their minds.

Beloved, if you have noticed a negative pattern in your family, please don’t settle into it as if it is normal. Don’t let those curses have a hold on your mind; be determined to break free from them. Your father, mother, and those older than you may have experienced it, but that doesn’t mean you must also experience it.

There was a young man who was 39 years old and was about to turn 40. He came to me for prayers and said that no male in his family had ever exceeded 40 years of age. He said he was the oldest male in the family, and now he was about to turn 40. He was afraid that he was going to die, and that was why he came to me. We prayed, and he is still alive today, more than 30 years later. If he had not refused to become a victim of the generational curse in his family and had instead started preparing for his death, he would never have been liberated. If you have noticed any generational curses in your family, submit yourself to God today, resist the devil, and he will run far away from you (James 4:7).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Parents cannot raise their children all by themselves. This is because many other factors are involved in a child’s destiny that parents cannot control. Some of these factors include the environment where their children are growing up, the people they interact with, their genetic makeup, and even spiritual forces that surround their entire family and the children in particular. This is why, beyond all the things that parents do physically to raise their children, they must also pray for them regularly and seek God’s help to raise them correctly. Parents must also anoint and pray over their children regularly to protect them from evil forces.

In the short time that I have spent on the earth, I have seen the enemy work all manners of evil in the lives of children. Many times, some parents heap blames on their children for lacking focus, being unserious, or being lazy when they do not succeed, especially in their academics. They get frustrated that they are spending so much money on them without good results. They may not know that there might be forces of darkness that are hindering the child’s progress. It is possible for a student to study very hard and just blank out in the examination hall. There was a case at the University of Lagos some years ago where, right in the examination hall, a young man just began to urinate non-stop. There was some pandemonium, and those around him began to call an ambulance. However, he told them that this was not the case for the doctor and that they should call his pastor instead. His pastor prayed for him, and he was healed.

The anointing sets a child apart for greatness. Although David was destined to be the king of Israel, that destiny did not find expression until he was anointed. After he was anointed, the Bible says that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him from that day forward (1 Samuel 16:13). In the very next chapter, he killed the Philistine giant, Goliath, and became a national figure (1 Samuel 17:48- 51). If you are a parent, speak God’s counsel over your children and anoint them regularly. Let them know that they belong to God and that anyone who touches them touches the apple of God’s eye (Zechariah 2:. I pray that God will protect every child from the attacks of the enemy, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I once visited a family, and unknown to me at the time, the woman of the house was a witch who had made an evil covenant to kill one of every two children that she gave birth to diabolically. She had a little daughter and had planned to kill the girl that same day I visited. As I was about to leave, the little girl, who was carried on her mother’s back, stretched towards me such that I was compelled to carry her. I learned afterwards that up to that moment, the girl never allowed anyone else to carry her besides her parents. It almost seemed like someone whispered to her, “Here is someone God can use to turn the plan of the enemy to nought.” I carried her and prayed for her without knowing of the evil plans concerning her, “Father, bless this child; keep sickness and death away from her.” Immediately, the yoke was broken! The girl survived the attack, and not long after, her mother confessed all her evil plans and deeds. I pray that every satanic yoke upon anyone reading this devotional is broken now, in Jesus’ name.

Many people are being oppressed by demons. They find it difficult to fight those demons off because they are humans, and the demons are spirits. The question is, how do you fight an enemy you cannot see? Well, you need a partner who can see your enemy. That partner also has to be stronger than your enemy so that he or she can defeat the enemy for you. God is a Spirit (John 4:24), and 2 Corinthians 3:17 says that wherever the Spirit of God is, there is liberty. In other words, if you invite God into your situation and He fights for you like He did when I prayed for that little girl, victory is sure.

In Mark 5:1-20, the madman of Gadara was completely bound by forces of darkness, but as soon as Jesus Christ stepped into his situation, not only was he set free, his destiny was also restored. Whatever the devil may have stolen from you will be restored today, in Jesus’ name.

When Jesus was on the earth, He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil because God was with Him. When God is with you, every yoke of darkness breaks. If you are experiencing any form of bondage in any area of your life, invite Jesus today, and you will enjoy total freedom.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Years ago, there was a lady who had been trusting God for a partner for many years until she reached menopause. During a crusade, I said that everyone should ask God for whatever they wanted, and the lady turned to God and said, “Lord, I am not going to bother you about a husband anymore. There is no point, as I can no longer have a child. I will serve you all the same anyway.” The Almighty God heard her, and not long after that, a man came to her and said, “Thus saith the Lord, you are to be my wife.” Surprised, she asked him to go and pray again to be sure that he had heard from God. However, the man insisted that he had prayed and heard from God. Then she asked him, “Don’t you want children? Because I can’t have children at my age.” The man replied, “That is not a problem because I already have children. I lost my wife, and all I need now is a companion and a mother for my children.” They got married, and the woman who thought that she could no longer have children gave birth to a set of twins nine months later. God is not limited by time at all; He can speed up time or reverse it as He pleases.

God holds times and seasons in His hands, and He can change them however He pleases (Daniel 2:21). If men say it is over for you, ignore them. God is the only One who has the final say in your life; He is Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:. When men said it was over for Abraham and Sarah, God reversed the time and caused them to laugh (Genesis 21:6-7). Even when Lazarus’ sisters thought that he was dead and gone, Jesus came and announced, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).

When God visits a fellow, He restores any wasted years that might exist in his or her life. As long as you are alive and God is your Father, your time is not gone. Your times are in God’s hands, and if He hasn’t said it is over, who are you to say that your time has passed? Confess God’s word and not your present reality. Only God has the right to close your case, and since you are still alive, it means that He hasn’t closed it, and He still has a lot in store for you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I explained that God doesn’t want you to be lonely. He wants you to be part of a family. Indeed, a man and his wife are a family, but God doesn’t want to stop there; He wants the man and his wife to be fruitful and for their union to bring forth children. If you’re married and have been waiting on God for the fruit of the womb, congratulations, because the wait is over. In Genesis 1:26-28, He issued a command to you to be fruitful and multiply. In Exodus 23:26, He said that there shall be none barren in the land, and in 1 Samuel 2:5, He promised that the barren will bear seven children. You might be saying, “God, all I want is one child.” Well, just know that you can bear as many children as you want; where you choose to stop depends on you.

Several years ago, we held a programme in a town called Ota in Ogun State, Nigeria. A lady who had been barren for about twelve years attended and asked that we pray for her because her husband’s relatives had threatened to throw her out of her matrimonial home within that year if she did not bear a child. I prayed for her, and she left. The following year, we were holding another programme elsewhere, and there was a long queue of people who wanted me to pray for them. Unknown to me, the lady was also there, and when it got to her turn, she kept opening her mouth to speak, but she said nothing. Eventually, she was able to utter just one word, “Jesus!” When she could finally speak, she said that she was the barren woman I had prayed for the previous year. That was when I realised why she had been speechless; she was overjoyed because she had given birth to twins – she was carrying them in both of her arms!

Beloved, God hates all forms of barrenness because it goes against His command to be fruitful and multiply in Genesis 1:26-28. If you are experiencing marital, financial, material, mental, or any other form of barrenness in your life, I pray that God will cause you to sing for joy because of His abundance in those areas of your life, in Jesus’ name. Also, if you are reading this devotional today and you’re waiting for the fruit of the womb, in the name above all other names, your womb is opened. Go and carry your children, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Matthew 6:9, Jesus taught us to start our prayers with Our Father. God is a ‘family man’. He loves the concept of family and hates loneliness. In Genesis 2:18, He said that it is not good that a man should be alone. If you’re of marriageable age and can’t seem to find the right companion to get married to, or if there are forces preventing you from getting married, I pray that the tide will turn this year, in Jesus’ name.

During one of our programmes several years ago, God’s word came that the mother of one of the sisters in the congregation was diabolically preventing her from getting married. God said that the mother would be buried within seven days if she continued to prevent her daughter from getting married. The following day, a lady came with her mother to my office. The mother was furious, and she said, “You stupid prophets brainwash our girls. Imagine telling my daughter that I am responsible for her not getting married.” I replied, “Me? Sister, did I say that? What God said is that the mother of a sister in the congregation was preventing her from getting married. Did I mention your name?” Then I turned to the mother, “Mama, don’t mind her. Nobody mentioned her name.” The mother then asked her daughter to leave my office because she wanted to speak with me alone. As her daughter went out, she turned to me, “Pastor, is it true that the mother of the fellow concerned will die?” I said, “I’m not talking about you, but what God said will come to pass. Before the week ends, whoever it is will be buried.” The woman began to stammer, “I’m not asking her not to marry, but who is going to take care of me after she’s married?” I said, “That’s simple; I can make her and her husband promise to take good care of you.” The lady, who was almost 40 years old and had not had any suitors, got married within six months.

In Isaiah 34:16-17, God promised that nobody will lack their mate. If you are feeling lonely, I pray that God will restore the broken relationships in your life or send the right companions your way. For someone reading this today, God will deal with anybody who says that you will not get married. He will settle you maritally in due time, in Jesus’ name. God’s word will never fail; keep trusting in Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Some people speak to strangers rudely, especially those who seem to be of a lower social status than them. Some other people answer phone calls from phone numbers that are not on their contact list as if the fellow on the line is being a nuisance. They don’t wait to know who is on the line; they just pick up and ask harshly, “Who’s this?!” Hebrews 13:2 says that you should be kind to all men because you don’t know when you will meet an angel. Do you know that God can send your helper to you through a phone call?

I shared a story two days ago about how l was in need of £50 during a trip to the UK several years ago. I asked God for £50, and some minutes later, my phone rang. The fellow at the other end said, “Biyi?” I replied, “There’s no Biyi here.” He asked, “Is that not so and so number?” I said, “Yes, but there’s no Biyi here.” So, he said, “I’m sorry.” I replied, “That’s okay, God bless you.” Then he said, “What do you mean, God bless me? How do you know God?” I replied, “He’s my saviour.” Then he asked, “Who am I talking to?” I told him my name, and that was how God used him to answer my request for £50. Imagine if I had spoken harshly to him because I didn’t know him and we were only speaking because he had dialled the wrong number, I would have missed God’s blessing.

In Joshua 2:1-24, Rahab the harlot showed kindness to the spies. She took a big risk by keeping them in her house. Her kindness later saved her family when the walls of Jericho crumbled (Joshua 6:22-25). It also positioned her as one of the great-great-grandmothers of Jesus (Matthew 1:5) and ensured she was included in the hall of faith (Hebrews 11:31). Proverbs 31:26 tells us about the virtuous woman who opens her mouth with wisdom and has the law of kindness in her tongue. Be kind with your words and in your actions towards others. Let your words make people hopeful, not depressed and dejected. You will reap whatever seed you sow.

Beloved, God could decide to answer your prayer through a ‘wrong number’ call or a random conversation with a complete stranger. This is why you should always be kind and courteous. I pray you won’t miss God’s blessings for you, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many times, believers ask God for things and then begin to think about how He will achieve them. In reality, however, our brains cannot understand how God will do the things He wishes to do. For instance, when a man says he has a PhD in Mathematics, it may sound like a big deal, but in truth, he can only be a specialist in an aspect of the subject. If he finds himself among fellow mathematicians, they will begin to ask him questions like, “What is your area of specialisation?” If he says, “Applied Maths”, they might further ask, “What section of Applied Maths?” He might respond, “Fluid Dynamics”. They can still ask, “What section of Fluid Dynamics?” The questioning can go on until it becomes evident that his PhD degree is just a little pin-head in Mathematics. It will take you over 1,000 years to know all there is to know about Mathematics. However, God knows all Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Geography, and all other subjects, including those that are yet to be discovered. You simply can’t compare your wisdom and knowledge to His. Why, then, do believers try to calculate how He will choose to do something?

When I became the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God in 1981, quite a few people in the church thought that my appointment was rigged. They thought that l used my position as a Mathematics lecturer to manipulate the General Superintendent because he was uneducated. I looked up to God to show the people that I did not manoeuvre my way into becoming the General Overseer and that He chose me Himself. God then began to do something extraordinary. We used to hold monthly seminars for some days, and on the first day of each seminar, a woman would deliver a baby boy in our maternity centre. After several months of this happening, it became clear that it was not coincidental, and those with spiritual understanding among us discerned that it was a sign from God confirming that He had chosen me Himself. I could never have imagined that God would use this as one of the ways to confirm that He had chosen me.

Beloved, when you ask God for something, please don’t ever think of how He will do it because it is beyond you. Just ask, obey whatever instructions He gives you, and leave the rest to Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

James 4:2 reveals why some Christians still suffer from lack. Do you know that if you ask God to end lack in your life, He will grant your request? In John 6:5-13, Jesus fed thousands of people with five loaves of bread and two fishes. By the time everybody had been fed, they still had 12 baskets extra. When God provides for your needs, He gives you more than enough to satisfy you. Your big request is a little thing for Him to fulfil.

Years ago, I travelled to London on an official assignment, and three days before my return, I had run out of money and needed £50 to buy some books and tapes. I turned to God, “Daddy, it would be good if I could get £50.” Shortly after, my phone rang. The fellow on the line said, “Biyi?” I told him there was nobody with that name where I was, and as we talked, he got to know who I was. Excitedly, he called out to his brother, telling him that he was speaking with me. Apparently, they had been discussing how they could see me, and now, I was on the phone with them. Eventually, they came over, we talked, and as they were leaving, they gave me £50. Immediately they left, I said, “Daddy, if I knew it would be this easy, I would’ve asked for £100.” As I rejoiced over the £50, the doorbell rang, but before I got to the door, an envelope had been slipped under the door. I opened it and realised it came from a wealthy man who had never given me a dime before. Inside was £50 and a note saying, “I just felt like giving you some money.” Then, I told God that if I had known that another £50 would come, I would have asked for an extra £50. That night, before I slept, someone gave me another £50! I became afraid and told God that I was only joking and didn’t want to offend Him. God reminded me of this incident recently and told me l had been foolish. “If you asked Me for £50 and I provided it, why didn’t you ask for £5,000?”

Beloved, find out God’s will concerning your needs and ensure your requests are in alignment with it. Stop complaining about lack in your life; rather, ask God to meet your exact needs. Do not waver in faith, and He will surely answer you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 2 Kings 4:1-7, the widow of one of the sons of the prophets was in debt, and the creditors told her that they would take her children as slaves if she failed to pay the debt. She ran to Elisha for help, and the man of God gave her instructions that seemed foolish. He told her to borrow many empty vessels from her neighbours and pour from the little bottle of oil she had into them. Miraculously, all the empty vessels were filled with oil. A lot of times, God’s instructions might seem not to make sense, but if you can just obey Him, you will experience a miracle.

Many years ago, the General Superintendent of the RCCG, my Father in the Lord, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, told all the church workers at a meeting that the church had a great need that must be met by the following week. He added that all the workers should close their accounts and bring the money in them to church the next Sunday. My wife and I obeyed; we closed our savings accounts and took the money to church. The following Sunday, Papa said that the need had been met and asked how many people had closed their accounts. I and my wife raised our hands, but when I looked around, no other hands were raised. I began to think to myself, “It seems I have run mad in the name of religion,” then I heard God say, “Son, you are not mad; I am setting you up so that when I take you to the height I plan to take you, nobody will be able to accuse me of being partial.” It is usually not convenient to obey God’s instructions. However, if you dare to obey, you will enjoy unusual results.

In 2 Kings 5:1-14, Naaman, the Syrian, went to Elisha expecting a miracle. He expected the prophet to come outside and lay hands on him, but Elisha sent a messenger to him with a simple instruction: go to River Jordan and bathe seven times. As long as he kept arguing with that instruction, he remained a leper. However, the moment he obeyed the instruction, he was healed, and his flesh became like that of a little child.

Beloved, God is always willing to give you a miracle, but you must obey His instructions even when they seem foolish.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Numbers 6:22-27, God commanded the priests to bless the Israelites and declare that His face will shine upon them. When God’s face shines on you, you will receive a fragrance of His favour that will ensure that everywhere you go, people will find themselves showing you favour without knowing why.

In 1976, while I was a young lecturer, I attended a global conference of Applied Mathematicians in Canada as one of two delegates from Nigeria. At that time, I had only written 12 academic papers. In contrast, the man who gave the opening speech at the conference had published 150 papers! He spoke about the mathematics of the rain – I had never heard anything like that before. I looked around and asked, “God, what am I doing here?” I was supposed to present my paper the next day, so I prayed to God all night that He should glorify His name in my life during my presentation. I also prayed that the man wouldn’t attend my presentation because he was probably going to think to himself, “Who brought this idiot here?” The time for my presentation came, and behold, the man was sitting right in front of me! However, when I finished presenting my paper, he stood up and began to clap. When everybody saw him clapping, they got up and began to clap too. My paper was not as special as the other papers that had been presented, but God had put His fragrance of favour on me.

When God puts His favour upon you, things will work effortlessly in your favour. When He put His favour on the Israelites, the Egyptians, who had tormented and tortured them for four hundred and thirty years, gave them everything they asked for.

And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.
Exodus 12:36

God’s favour on a man will make even those who hate him to do everything to bless him. They will not understand why they are going the extra mile to give him all he needs. God’s favour on Esther made everyone who looked at her to accept her immediately. It also made the king choose her out of the many other damsels (Esther 2:15-17). When God lifts His countenance upon a fellow, that person becomes attractive to everyone who looks at him or her. I pray that God will lift His countenance upon you, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A true helpmeet stays with her husband through thick and thin; she doesn’t shy away when things are tough. I have been married for 57 years, and sometimes, it feels like my wife and l are still on honeymoon. I was the poorest among those wooing her before we got married, but I told her that if she married me, everything I would ever have and become would be hers. When we first got married, during our meals, we would playfully struggle over one piece of ponmo, but today, even if we want to eat a whole cow, we can do so because God has truly blessed us.

When things are tough, a true helpmeet encourages her husband; she supports him without making him feel less about himself. She does not help him and then turn around to say, “You see what I did for you? Now you owe me so and so.” It is a thing of joy for a true helpmeet to see opportunities to help her husband and then go ahead to help.

A helpmeet indeed is known during times when her husband is going through challenges. Years ago, I decided to fast because I was facing some serious challenges. I fasted for 40 days and nights, and because my wife knew that it wouldn’t be easy for me to concentrate on my fast if she didn’t join me, she fasted as well. After fasting and praying for 40 days and nights, the challenges remained, so l decided to go on another fast for 40 days and nights. Again, she joined in the fast. After the second round of fasting, the challenges remained, so l decided to go again. This time, I planned to fast until God answered me. I didn’t want my wife to go all the way with me, so we agreed that if after 40 days, the challenge remained, I would continue fasting, and she would stop. After 40 days and nights elapsed, she refused to stop. When I saw that she wasn’t going to stop, I told God, “I cannot bear to lose my wife. Whenever You want, You can solve this problem, but I have to stop fasting now.” She only stopped fasting when I stopped, and of course, God proved Himself faithful.

If you are a married woman, try as much as God helps you to help your husband resolve his challenges. A true helpmeet is her husband’s greatest ally, not his greatest headache in the midst of life’s challenges.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A helpmeet is a wife who complements and supports her husband to fulfil God’s purpose for their lives even when it is not convenient.

God ordained marriage as an institution where a wife helps her husband instead of competing with him, as the world paints it today. Just as the individuals in a team cannot compete against their teammates and expect to win, couples who compete against each other should not expect a successful marriage. A house divided against itself cannot stand (Mark 3:25). A husband and his wife are one and should work together as a team to achieve success in their marriage and in life (Mark 10:7-.

Some highly successful women have allowed pride into their hearts such that they stop submitting to their husbands. Up until today, my wife cooks my meals. When the situation permits, she irons my clothes, and l iron hers too. When I was a teacher, and we were living in a remote location, she used to cut my hair. Just like the virtuous woman’s husband inproverbs 31:10-31, my heart safely trusts in her. She is never too busy to help me, and she upholds anything I uphold.

I remember when we were building the Mount Carmel Prayer Village. It was a massive project, but I went there only thrice – the day the foundation laying ceremony was done, the day I decided to take my grandchildren there, and the day the completed project was dedicated. Throughout the duration of the construction, my wife supervised the project diligently – that is a helpmeet indeed! She is always willing to go through the necessary rigours to see that l achieve my goal. She has stood by me through thick and thin, which is why she has full access to everything God blesses me with. When a responsible man has a true helpmeet as a wife, he’ll go the extra mile to protect her and make her comfortable and happy. I often say that a fellow can slap me, and I’ll turn the other cheek, but if anyone touches my wife, such a fellow will have my God, the Consuming Fire, to contend with.

As a wife, can your husband rely on you? You must be able to make up for his weaknesses, celebrate his successes, and be his number one cheerleader. If you are a man that has a helpmeet indeed by his side, you must nourish and cherish her. She is a priceless gem and must be treated as one.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Some years ago, a man’s wife ran mad, and she was taken to a herbalist for treatment. After being with the herbalist for so long, she didn’t get any better; rather, she only grew worse. Somebody told me about the situation, and I decided to go and pray for the woman. When I got there, I said a simple prayer and left. After I left, some people contacted her husband and said, “This man came and prayed for only two minutes. Two minutes of prayer for this kind of problem?!” Since they didn’t believe that the prayer worked, they decided to take her to a psychiatric hospital. When they got there, the specialist said, “Let us observe this woman for a while so we can know the type of medication to administer to her.” After two weeks, the specialist sent for her husband and told him, “If you say there is something wrong with this woman, then there must be something wrong with you.” With no medication and just a simple prayer, she was healed completely.

In 1 Kings 18:36-38, Elijah’s prayer that brought down fire must have just been for a few minutes. When ministers of God say simple prayers and great miracles happen, it is because they have spent hours with God in secret. When Jesus walked on the earth, He only had to speak once for every miracle He performed to happen. However, the Bible records in many instances that He would retreat from His disciples and other people to go to a solitary place to pray, just as we see in Mark 1:35. This is the secret to simple prayers that carry so much power.

Every time Elijah prayed in the Bible, his prayers were short and very effective. In 2 Kings 1:9-12, when he decreed that fire should fall from heaven and consume the two captains and the soldiers they were in charge of, it was with a few words, “If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty.” James 5:16-18 tells us the secret behind those simple but powerful decrees – Elijah was a man like us who prayed earnestly and fervently, and God answered him (James 5:17). If you want to pray simple but powerful prayers in public, you must labour fervently and earnestly in prayers in the secret place. Profound public results are only birthed by intense secret sacrifices.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

1 Timothy 4:8 tells us that the profit from spiritual exercise – which is godliness – far outweighs that of physical exercise but also implies that the little profit from physical exercise cannot be gained from spiritual exercise. To function excellently in this physical realm, you need your body to be active and healthy, hence the need for physical exercise. If you ignore the little profit from physical exercise, no matter how godly you are, you just may shorten your lifespan here on earth by yourself.

Many people today want to live a soft life. They do not want to engage in things that will stress their bodies or stretch their muscles. They want life to be soft and easy, even though the Bible says that we should endure hardness as good soldiers of Christ (2 Timothy 2:3). You need to be in good physical shape to do the things that God put you on the earth to do. Therefore, you should always find time to exercise your body so that you can remain physically fit for God’s use.

Nowadays, a lot of people are living endangered lives because they do not exert themselves physically. They move from airconditioned rooms in their houses to airconditioned cars and then airconditioned offices. Many people will not even attend a church without air conditioning. However, doctors advise that it is important to sweat. It is also important to stay under the sun for a while every day, especially around midday, because sunlight has tremendous qualities that are good for the body. Personally, I exert myself physically by going on prayer walks regularly. The walks help me to stay in good shape physically, while the prayers help me to maintain good spiritual health.

Beloved, God cares about the health of your body (3 John 12). He cares about how you treat the container that He has given to you to enable you to fulfil your purpose on earth. Regular exercise will help you manage your weight, and it will help strengthen your bones and muscles. It will also reduce your risk of getting sick and improve your ability to perform your daily activities effectively. Regular exercise will also improve your mental health. If you have a job that requires you to sit for long periods of time, or if you work from your home, physical exercise must be part of your daily routine. Do not let your desire for a soft lifestyle shorten your lifespan.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Gluttons are people who love food and are enslaved to overeating such that they become the devil’s prey. In Christianity, a fellow is either a soldier for Christ or prey to the devil. The flesh and the spirit are constantly at war (Galatians 5:17), and only soldiers – those who live a life of discipline – can win. Therefore, as a Christian, you should always be spiritually alert; if you’re glutton, you’ll likely be spiritually dead because you’ll find it difficult to discipline yourself to fast. In Matthew 6:16, Jesus said, “…when ye fast…” He said when’, not ‘if, implying that every Christian is expected to fast. Also, there is a level of spiritual authority that can only be attained when fasting is added to prayer (Matthew 17:14-21).

Apart from the spiritual dangers of gluttony, gluttons also endanger their physical health. Proverbs 23:2 says that those who are controlled by their appetites should put a knife to their throats because they are trying to kill themselves.

God didn’t design your body to eat too much food. You shouldn’t eat until your stomach is overly filled. Overeating makes you weak and gives your body extra work in digesting the excess food. Years ago, some scientists performed an experiment with two groups of rats. They fed the first group excessively, and before long, they became very fat. They fed the second group with just the right amount of food they required. After a while, they injected both groups of rats with a disease. All the overfed rats died, while the rats in the second group survived. Your body is stronger and can fight diseases better when you eat moderately and correctly.

Christians who are really serious about their destiny don’t eat every day. Despite my age, I still fast because I want to finish strong. In 1984, I was on a 40-day fast, lying weak on my prayer mat, when someone came in, saw me, and asked, “What else are you looking for in life that is making you fast this much?” That was many decades ago; look how far I have come since then.

Beloved, if you have surrendered your life to Christ, rest assured that God wants you to live an impactful and fulfilling life. You are a soldier for Christ, so you must exercise self-control with all things (1 Corinthians 9:25). To enjoy this life, you cannot be a glutton. Soldiers have a regulated diet and hence must exercise self-control with food for their own good.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The primary reason people eat is for them to be healthy and have the strength to do the things they need to do. This means that any food a person eats that weakens or shortens his or her life is not good for the fellow. In Leviticus 11:1-42, God gave the Israelites instructions on what to eat and what not to eat. Modern-day scientists have discovered that the foods God allowed them to eat are good for our health, while the ones He said they shouldn’t eat are bad for our health. I believe this contributed to their unusual strength and vigour in the wilderness (Psalm 105:37).

God cares about your health. He doesn’t want you falling sick all the time because sickness doesn’t glorify Him. Don’t eat junk foods that endanger your health and then run to God to seek healing when the doctor’s report comes out. You should glorify Him with your body by eating only foods that will keep you healthy.

Nowadays, many crops are grown and preserved with chemicals. This is why you should have your own garden and grow some of your own food if you have the opportunity to do so. When people contract diseases, they hardly trace them to the food they eat. However, some of the foods they eat are silent killers.

As good and important as food is, it can also make a fellow weak spiritually and physically. When you see people who have become obese because they eat whatever they like whenever they like, you will notice that they are usually weak. If you notice that getting up from a seat takes longer and requires more effort than it should, you should check your diet. Besides checking what you eat, it is also important to check when you eat. You cannot eat very heavy food late in the night and expect to wake up in the middle of the night to pray. Those who eat for strength don’t just eat anything; they eat what will make them strong. Fruits and vegetables will provide you with strength, therefore you should eat a lot of them. Also, avoid eating excessive sugary foods as too much sugar, like any other thing, is harmful.

Beloved, God needs you to be fit and healthy so you can express His glory on the earth and fulfil your destiny in Him. Glorify Him with your body; eat right!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is good to pay attention to your physical appearance; however, this should not become an obsession. Many people have become so obsessed with their physical appearance that they spend lots of time and money on artificial hair, make-up, cosmetic surgery, and revealing clothes, thinking this will make them more attractive. This sort of obsession is not befitting of Christians. For example, applying heavy cosmetics and undergoing cosmetic surgery is a way of telling God that He has not created you the right way. Wearing tight and revealing clothes is also a way of saying that you’re cheap and available. As a genuine Christian, your true beauty is not determined by your outward appearance but by the things that lie within you.

You should only give moderate time and attention to your looks. If a believer spends three hours dressing up every morning, I wonder if he or she has a quiet time with God at all. Colossians 3:2 says that your primary focus should be on things above, not things on the earth. Matthew 6:21 also says that where your treasure is, there will your heart be. If you are spending so much resources on your outward appearance, it shows where your heart actually is and what you are really focused on. Some Christians go as far as getting cosmetic surgery to enhance certain parts of their body. Some of them cannot sacrifice their comfort for the sake of the gospel, but they are willing to risk their lives to enhance their appearance.

It is good to look good, but please pay more attention to looking more beautiful on the inside than you are on the outside. What makes a person really beautiful is his or her character and good deeds. Dorcas was full of good works and generosity. She was vibrant in her relationship with God and fervent in her love for humanity. When she died, the people in her community refused to let her go. They sent for Peter to come and wake her up because her impact was truly powerful (Acts 9:36-42). If all she was known for were her face and body structure, nobody would have gone the extra mile to get Peter to wake her from the dead.

Beloved, when you live for God, your life will be truly beautiful, and long after you have crossed over to eternity, people will still be blessed by your impact. Focus on reflecting true beauty, not just your outward appearance.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is a difference between being called a Christian and actually being a Christian. Many people identify as Christians but don’t reflect Christ in their lives. Going to church, working in a church, fasting, and praying can all be mere religious activities if you don’t reflect Christ in your daily life. Some people grew up in the church and are used to Christian religious activities but actually live in sin like unbelievers. The way to really know if you have Christ in you is through the changes that have happened in your life since you became born again. If after two years, for example, the Holy Spirit has not influenced a change in some of your character traits, then you have probably just been playing religion.

Some people pray for hours, yet they lie habitually. Some even work miracles, yet they have unforgiveness in their hearts. While activities such as praying, fasting, evangelising, and so on are important, you must not forget the most important thing – being like Christ. All those activities are a means to an end and not the end in themselves.

Child of God, if you want to truly be like Christ, soak yourself in the word of God by studying your Bible diligently. When you study the Bible, you are fellowshipping with Christ Himself because He is the Word (John 1:1). John 17:17 says that sanctification comes by the word, Ephesians 5:26 says that we are cleansed by the word, and Psalm 119:11 teaches us that when we keep God’s word in our hearts, it will keep us from sinning against Him. True transformation happens when you fellowship with God through His word. James 1:23 likens God’s word to a mirror. When people check themselves in a mirror, they don’t do it for mere formality but because they want to check their appearance and make changes or adjustments where necessary. When you study God’s word, your desire should be for Him to transform your thoughts, attitudes, and character through the power in His word. If you were short-tempered before you started reading the Bible, God’s word should take away your angry nature and transform you into a patient and calm fellow. If you were sad and sorrowful, His word should take away that garment of heaviness and replace it with praise and joy (Isaiah 61:3).

Beloved, you must allow God’s word to dwell richly in you in all wisdom (Colossians 3:16) so that you will not just be a religious fellow but a Christian indeed.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A husbandman is someone who tills the ground and takes care of crops. In church, the husbandmen are the workers who ensure that everything goes well in Christ’s vineyard. When worship rises to God from His vineyard, He pours down blessings, and the first partakers are usually the husbandmen (2 Timothy 2:6).

When I joined The Redeemed Christian Church of God, the workers in the church were called Children of God. This is because it is children who ensure that everything goes well in their father’s house; only visitors come and go without care. Hence, no good father will see his children hungry and prefer to feed strangers; children are usually the first partakers of a household’s blessings. When a Canaanite woman came to Jesus, pleading with Him to heal her demon-possessed daughter, He told her that it was not fair to give what belongs to the children to dogs (Matthew 15:26). Some privileges belong to children alone, and similarly, only God’s children who worship and serve Him wholeheartedly have access to special privileges from Him.

In 2 Timothy 2:6, the Bible says that the husbandman who labours should be the first partaker of the fruits. This implies that there are some husbandmen who do not labour. God expects certain things from husbandmen. First of all, He expects them to be diligent as they tend to the responsibilities that He has given them in His vineyard. These can be within a department in the church – it can be arranging the chairs, washing the toilets, taking care of children, or serving as ushers. If you are a husbandman, whatever your duty is, do it diligently. When you labour diligently, you will be a first partaker of the fruits of God’s blessings.

God also expects faithfulness from husbandmen (1 Corinthians 4:2). When God gives you a task, He wants you to do it faithfully. Being faithful is proving yourself worthy of trust. It also involves managing resources efficiently. When you are faithful, God can trust you with people, ideas, and resources; He can trust you to do His will. When you are faithful in the little God gives you, He will trust you with more (Luke 16:10-11).

Beloved, ensure that you labour diligently and faithfully as a husbandman in God’s vineyard so you can be a first partaker of His blessings. If you are not yet a worker in your local assembly, now is the time to take up some responsibilities in your church.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul said that although all things were lawful unto him, he would not be controlled by any earthly thing. Paul went further to say in 1 Corinthians 9:25 that believers should be temperate in all things. These Bible verses show that God has a standard for everything His children do, including how they talk, dress, and relate with others. Unfortunately, many believers have allowed social media, people’s opinions, and societal trends to set the standards for how they dress, eat, sleep, and even worship God.

The devil will always try to use people’s desires to destroy them. It is not a sin to like some material things, but you must put your fondness for them under control. For example, Samson’s uncontrollable desire for sex eventually led to his downfall (Judges 16:1-31).

Beloved, even if the material things you like are legitimate and good, you must still put your fondness for them under control. The things that you consider good and legitimate can lead to sin when they exceed lawful bounds. For example, although there is nothing wrong with eating good food, gluttony, which is excessive eating, is a sin because it goes against the divine instruction to be temperate in all things (1 Corinthians 9:25). For many people, their excessive eating has led them to poverty (Proverbs 23:21).

As a child of God, you must be moderate in all aspects of life. You must be moderate in your speech because when you talk too much, you are bound to sin (Proverbs 10:19). For example, when the rich fool’s business prospered exceedingly, he became so excited that he began to talk too much, showcasing the pride in his heart and this led to his untimely death (Luke 12:16-20). You must also be moderate in your appearance. It is good to dress well; however, focusing excessively on fashion and being driven by every fad is a sign of spiritual immaturity. Believers are admonished to set their affection on things above and not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:1-2).

Beloved, to live in moderation, you must have self-control. Solomon said that a fellow who has no rule over his own spirit is like a broken-down city that has no walls (Proverbs 25:28). You must make no provision for the flesh to fulfil its lusts (Romans 13:14). When you walk in the Spirit and set your heart on things above, you will not fulfil the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16, Colossians 3:2), rather you will live a moderate life that will be pleasing to God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

PRAYERS FOR ELDERS

1. Thank You, Lord, for all the elders around me. Thank You for preserving their lives and for giving me the opportunity to learn from them.

2. Father, please give all the elders around me sound health, physically and mentally. Keep sicknesses and diseases far from them, in Jesus’ name.

3. Father, please surround the elders with love. Do not let them be sad and lonely, in Jesus’ name.

4. Father, please give all the elders in the body of Christ the wisdom to lead and guide the younger generations aright. Let all their counsel come from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ name.

5. Father, please help the elders to influence the younger generations with the gospel. Let their words, prayers, and actions carry fire so that souls will be won to Your kingdom, in Jesus’ name.

6. Father, please give the elders the grace to teach the younger generations the good wisdom that they have learnt from their experiences and from You. Let none of their wisdom be lost after You call them to glory, in Jesus’ name.

7. Father, please forgive the past mistakes of the elders, in Jesus’ name. Have mercy on them and the generations after them.

8. Father, please give the elders who are not yet born again an encounter that will reveal Your perfect love and salvation. Help them to give their lives completely to You, in Jesus’ name.

9. Father, please preserve the lives of the elders; let them enjoy the fruits of their good deeds in peace and joy until You call them home, in Jesus’ name.

10. Lord, please preserve the good legacy of the elders. Help them to raise younger people who will continue with their good works when they are gone.

11. Father, please give me the resources to take care of the elders around me. Help me to be a blessing to them, in Jesus’ name.

12. Your personal prayer points for the elders around you, in your local assembly, and across the world.

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Years ago, a woman was sick, and the doctors could not find out what was wrong with her. Finally, she said, “Take me to the Holy Ghost Service.” She was brought the day before the service so she could be seated right in front during the Holy Ghost Service. Since she had been brought a day earlier, she attended the Holy Communion Service, which is always held on the eve of every Holy Ghost Service. She took the communion, and after the programme, she was helped back into the car she came in. As she sat in the car, she suddenly noticed many ants coming out of her body and dropping dead. She looked down and saw that the car was full of dead ants, even though there were no ants outside the car. She was totally healed that same night!

The Holy Communion is a sacred meal, but it is also a very dangerous meal. This is because there is mighty power in the blood and body of Jesus Christ. Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb…” If you drink the blood of the lamb worthily, you will indeed have a testimony. However, if you harbour anger and bitterness against your fellow brother and take the Holy Communion, you may die. If you eat the bread worthily, it can heal, and if you drink the wine worthily, it can deliver.

A woman was once possessed by a demon who was always talking with the voice of a man, blaspheming God and saying horrible things about Jesus Christ. She didn’t know how the demon entered her or how to get rid of it. She came to one of our services, and anytime she tried to pray, the demon would want to take over her voice to say horrible things about God. When it was time for the Holy Communion, she heard me say, “When you eat the bread, which is the body of Christ, you will be healed. When you drink the wine, you will get victory over the devil.” The demon in her screamed, “Don’t you dare drink that wine.” She began to rejoice, and the moment she took the wine, the demon screamed, left, and never returned.

Beloved, the Holy Communion is powerful, and you should ensure you partake of it as prescribed by Jesus Christ. However, you must avoid unforgiveness, bitterness, and any form of sin if you don’t want its power to work against you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many years ago, someone suddenly walked up to me as I entered into a room and held my hand, saying, “I receive a double portion of the anointing.” I gently brushed the fellow off me as I thought to myself, “This is not how to receive the anointing.” Even if I were to lay hands on someone to impart the anointing to him or her, what will determine the working of the anointing in the fellow’s life will be his or her spiritual capacity.

Those who will walk in a measure of the anointing must engage in some things according to God’s leading. They must consecrate themselves as led by God; if not, God will lift the anointing off them because the anointing attracts spirits. If a fellow carries a measure of the anointing and doesn’t embrace the consecrations that are attached to it, the anointing will do more harm than good to the fellow.

Many years ago, I didn’t fast the way I normally would have done before a particular Holy Ghost Service. During the service, I ministered with the anointing all through the night because God had already given it to me. However, after I retired to my room in the early hours of the morning, I could hardly stand up from the bed. The best way I can describe what happened to me is that my bones were like rubber. I had to beg God to give me the ability to at least attend the next meeting I had that afternoon. Fasting was not what I needed to flow in the anointing, but without fasting, the anointing could have really harmed me. God will not let you walk in the anointing that will be bigger than your capacity because it will destroy you.

If you want more of the anointing, then you must expand your spiritual capacity. God will not place a heavier weight of the anointing on a fellow beyond what he or she can manage. As a good Father, He doesn’t want His gift to become the reason for anyone’s destruction, so He would rather not give it. Having consistent fellowship with God is the key to building and enlarging your spiritual capacity. The closer you are to God, the bigger your spiritual capacity becomes.

Beloved, as we see in Exodus 23:29-30, God requires His children to grow so that He can give them more of what He has already prepared for them. Build your spiritual capacity to carry a greater measure of the anointing; consistently spend quality time in God’s presence and live a holy life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people ask God for blessings; however, if God answers many of them at the time of their requests, the miracles may destroy them. For example, a responsible father, even if he is a billionaire, will decline the request of his four-year-old son to drive one of his cars because the boy cannot handle a car at such a young age. Similarly, God only gives His children blessings they can handle and blessings that wouldn’t destroy them. Beloved, you must expand your capacity so you can accommodate the blessings you are asking God for. If a believer wants to be the president of a nation but cannot effectively manage the people and resources within a department as the Head of Department, the fellow will be a disaster waiting to happen if he or she becomes the nation’s president at that moment. As a president, there are greater consequences for mismanagement; therefore, to save such a believer from them, God will not allow him or her to become the president at that moment.

When God calls people and shows them His vision for their lives, He always takes them through a process to prepare them for the vision He has shown them. When God showed Joseph that he would become a leader (Genesis 37:5-10), He took him through 13 years of training to prepare him. In those years, Joseph found himself in different leadership positions that prepared him for the place God was taking him to (Genesis 39:1-4, 21-23). If he had become the leader of Egypt immediately after he had his dreams, he would have been inexperienced and incapable of making the wise decisions he made.

At 40, Moses knew what God wanted him to do, but because he had not developed the capacity to execute his assignment, he went about it the wrong way (Exodus 2:11-15). God had to withdraw him from Egypt and redeploy him into the wilderness to learn patience and wisdom as he took care of his father-in-law’s sheep (Exodus 3:1). Likewise, David started as a shepherd boy and went through God’s preparation process for 13 years after Samuel anointed him as Israel’s king.

Beloved, train yourself to be the kind of person who can handle the blessings you are asking God for. Submit to God’s process, and allow Him to help you build your capacity and eliminate the weaknesses that can hinder you from fulfilling His vision for your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Before you were born, there was a specific task that God had earmarked for you as an individual. Jeremiah 1:5 made this clear:

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

God placed you in the family you were born into for a purpose. He put you where you can fulfil His original purpose for your life. I pray that God will speak to you concerning your purpose and why He has put you in the family you were born into.

Everyone has a specific purpose for which they were born into a family, state, and country. For example, in Exodus 3:1-12, God specifically told Moses, “Your purpose is to bring my people out of Egypt to come and worship me on this mountain.” In Joshua 1:1-8, God told Joshua that it was his assignment to divide the land among His people. In 1 Kings 19:19-21, He let Elisha know, “What you have been doing thus far is farming, and you are doing well, but the work I have for you is to be my prophet.”

When you stop focusing on money and you begin to do what God put you on the earth to do, you will not only get money, but you will also get much more than that. When Elisha took an early retirement from farming and became a prophet, the result was found in 2 Kings 4:12-13. He became so influential that he could say to the Shunammite woman, “Do you want me to talk to the king or the commander-in-chief for you? Whom do you want me to talk to for you?” You must trust God that He will not put you in this world to suffer. Once you have discovered His purpose for your life, start walking in it because that is how you can find fulfilment and all-round joy. He said in Jeremiah 29:11:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

It is God’s will that you should know His specific purpose for your life and walk in it. If you are yet to know His purpose for your life, go before Him in prayers today and ask Him. He will reveal it to you and give you the grace to walk in it, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 2 Chronicles 6:14, the Shunamite woman sowed into Elisha’s life continuously until he was inspired to find out what he could give her in return. Eventually, she got a blessing that transformed her life. I learnt from this story that if you bless a genuine man of God, you have entered into a covenant partnership with God, and you won’t have to pray about some of your needs before God meets them.

We have a group in RCCG called Covenant Partners. These are people who quietly lift up my hands financially. I meet with them once every year, and at one particular meeting, I was led by the Holy Spirit to say, “Those of you who have been lifting up my hands, if there is any of you in debt, God will pay your debt.” One man among them shouted “Amen” loudly. He was about 50 years old and was heavily in debt. The following week, the bank that he owed called him to meet the Managing Director. The MD asked him, “Sir, how are you going to pay off this debt? Give us a plan so we know what to work with.” He looked at the MD and said, “Even if I pay you a million naira for every day that I have lived, I can’t finish paying this debt.” To his surprise, the bank later informed him that the loan had been written off. I pray that my Father, who owns the cattle upon a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10), will do exceeding abundantly above your wildest imaginations, in Jesus’ name.

Abraham understood covenant partnership with God. After he went to war against the five kings who fought against Sodom and Gomorrah and conquered them, he gave Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God, the tithes of all (Genesis 14:18-20). This covenant partnership shifted Abraham into an unprecedented realm of abundance such that when he was old, the Bible said God had blessed him in all things (Genesis 24:1). Joshua’s service to Moses positioned him as God’s choice to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land (Exodus 33:11, Joshua 1:1-2). Also, Elisha’s service to Elijah made him a candidate for a double portion of the anointing (2 Kings 2:1-15).

Beloved, God wants you to come into a covenant partnership with Him through the genuine spiritual leaders He has placed over you. Honour them by giving to them and supporting them, and like the great woman of Shunem, God will meet your needs even before you ask Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

John 2:1-12 tells us the story of the wedding in Cana of Galilee. When wine finished at the wedding, Mary informed Jesus about it, expecting Him to provide a solution. However, Jesus replied that His time had not yet come. Mary must have smiled and said to herself, “Son, your time will come tonight.” She told the men confidently, “Do whatever He asks you to do,” and before the end of the day, ‘not yet’ became ‘now’.

You can also command a miracle from God. You can pray in such a way that you will know that God has heard and your miracle is on the way. Jabez was a man who prayed such a prayer. For many years, he was labelled as a cause of pain and sorrow until he said, “Enough is enough.” He called on God to turn his situation around, and He granted his request.Faith-Based Counseling Services

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
1 Chronicles 4:10

We don’t know how long Jabez prayed for, but we know the result of his prayer: God turned his story around. In the name above every other name, whatever you have long waited for will come speedily.

To command your miracle, you must know how to engage in fervent prayers and be persistent with them. James said that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). During a Holy Ghost Service at Redemption City, I waved my hands as I stood on the altar, and miracles started happening. It is possible for some pastors who saw that happen to wonder, “Why can’t I also wave and have miracles happen? I serve the same God this man serves; I also pray and fast regularly.” However, they may not know that before that day, I had been praying that miracles should happen just at the wave of my hands for about fifteen years. Some of the things people see happening now in RCCG are the result of my persistence with God in the place of prayers.

Beloved, don’t be tired of waiting on God. Command your miracles by remaining persistent in the place of prayer. As you pray, take heed to the Holy Spirit’s instructions. Obey them, and you will receive your miracle before long.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When a fellow or organisation is under an insurance cover, the insurance company must ensure that such a fellow or organisation is duly compensated for any losses that have been provided for under the insurance cover. However, unlike insurance covers, God’s cover is absolute because it totally prevents evil from happening.

Everyone is under God’s general cover, whether they are born again or not. In Matthew 5:45, the Bible says that God makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good and the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. If unbelievers are not under God’s general cover, they wouldn’t even be able to breathe. When unbelievers receive a miracle, it is always on credit, and it is a sign that God loves them and wants to be their Father.

There are, however, some special covers that are for God’s children only. For example, Jesus said in Mark 7:27 that healing is the children’s bread. Likewise, protection against evil forces can only happen when a fellow is in Jesus’ camp. Colossians 1:13 says that God has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. If anyone really wants to live under the special cover of the Almighty God, He or she must be His child indeed.

As with insurance companies, believers must pay a premium to abide under God’s cover. Anyone who subscribes to an insurance package must pay his or her dues regularly to have access to the full benefits. For example, if someone subscribes to a car insurance plan and opts for a monthly payment plan but pays only once a year, such a person will not enjoy the benefits of the policy if the car becomes damaged. To fully enjoy the benefits of insurance, subscribers must fulfil their part.

Beloved, your access to God’s special cover is an intimate relationship with Him. This means that you must study your Bible and pray daily, fellowship with other brethren, and serve God wholeheartedly. Many Christians have fallen victim to the devil because they lost their spiritual sensitivity after staying far from God for a long time. It is in your constant fellowship with God that you remain under His special cover. Are you abiding in His secret place, or have you been going in and out? If you want to enjoy the full benefits of being under God’s cover, you must constantly remain in His presence.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Wisdom and knowledge are very important in the life of every human being. They are so important that Proverbs 4:7 says:

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Wisdom is the correct application of knowledge. If you have everything in this world and also have vast knowledge about many things but fail to apply the knowledge correctly, you are still in lack. Hosea 4:6 says:

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

The Scripture above tells us that God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; that is how important wisdom and knowledge are. The question now is, how can you get wisdom and knowledge? To answer this question, we should first and foremost identify the source of wisdom and knowledge. Daniel 2:20 tells us that wisdom and might belong to God. James 1:5 also tells us that God is the One who gives wisdom, while Colossians 2:3 says wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him. God is clearly the only source of wisdom; He is the only wise God (1 Timothy 1:17).

During my postgraduate studies at the University of Lagos, my research supervisor travelled out of the country for a while. Before he travelled, he gave me a very difficult assignment. By the time he came back and saw how much progress I had made within the short period he was away, he looked at me and said, “Enoch, I know you’re a Christian, and you won’t lie to me. What I am seeing could not have been done by you alone, so tell me, who helped you?” Even though my supervisor knew that Christians do not lie, he was Hindu and didn’t believe in Jesus Christ. Hence, if I had told him that Jesus Christ helped me, he wasn’t going to take me seriously. So, I said to him, “Professor Emmanuel helped me.” However, I got into trouble when he asked, “Professor Emmanuel? Of which department?”

The best professors in the world are only experts in a few disciplines because man is limited in wisdom and knowledge. However, God knows all academic subjects and everything else in the world. When you partner with Him, He will grant you access to unusual depths of wisdom and knowledge that will help you live an excellent life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Some people are afraid of witches, wizards, and other forces of darkness. Some other people are afraid of their bosses, some are afraid of failure, and some are even afraid of success. There are even some people who are afraid of their own shadows! I know that many people, situations, or even objects can indeed seem fearsome; however, you must understand that 2 Timothy 1:7 says:

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

God is the only being in the entire universe that is worth fearing. Jesus said in Matthew 10:28:

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

When you are afraid of people, situations, or anything at that, you are not walking in the fullness of the freedom Jesus paid for you to have. If you are still afraid of some things, it means that you have not yet understood that Jesus has made you free indeed (John 8:36). It doesn’t matter how wealthy, intelligent, famous, or influential you are; if you are afraid, you are living in constant torment and are in bondage (1 John 4:18).

When Jesus sets anyone free, He gives the fellow all things that pertain to life and godliness; everything the fellow needs to establish his or her freedom (2 Peter 1:3). Jesus came to deliver us from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15). The moment a fellow comes to Jesus Christ, he or she does not have to be afraid of death anymore.

The Bible says in Psalm 112:1: “Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.” This Scripture clearly states that the people who fear God are blessed indeed. A fellow who fears God indeed will delight greatly in His commandments. You can’t claim to fear God and despise, disrespect, or disobey His instructions. When you fear God, you love His laws and obey them.

Beloved, there is no need to be afraid of anyone or anything; God is the only one you should fear. Trust in Him, and He will deliver you from all forms of fear. Put all your focus on God, delight in His word, obey His commandments, and He will keep you in perfect peace all the days of your life (Isaiah 26:3).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.