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The Bible in several passages referred to God as the good Shepherd, but in the book of John 10:14, Jesus boldly declared, "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." Also in John 10:27, God says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me". The Lord is omniscient, He is all knowing, nothing is hidden from His sight, and He therefore has a very good knowledge of the identity of all human beings. Furthermore, 2 Timothy 2:19 says:
"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

Every Christian is hereby encouraged to depart from all forms of immorality in order to benefit from the heavenly package reserved for true children of God.

Because God paid for the salvation of humanity with His Son's Blood, Christians in the world are precious to Him. Hence, the Lord will always keep His obedient children from partaking in the judgment of sinners. An example of this is recorded in 1 Kings 14:7-16. Jeroboam was a very wicked king. He did not only sin, but caused so many to sin with him. When God pronounced judgment on him, his entire family faced extinction. He had many sons who all perished with him, but Abijah was spared because he towed the path of righteousness. When judgment is determined against families, yours will be spared in Jesus' name. When cities and communities are to face disasters and destruction, you will be spared.

If you love to do God's will all the time and diligently obey His voice, He will keep you from judgment. When He brought plagues on Egypt, in the land of Goshen where the Israelites lived, there was no trace of the plaques (Exodus 8:21-23). God separated His own from those who were not His. 2 Timothy 2:19 says no matter what people claim, God knows His people. Are you one of God's sheep? It is not enough to claim to be a child of God; does God know you as His bonafide son or daughter? If you are not sure, check your life and be reconciled to God today. If you are recognized by God, there is a hiding place reserved for you in Christ where you will not be a casualty in the time of judgment. Like the psalmist, you shall only see and hear of those who are casualties but you shall never be touched (Psalms 91:7-. Once again, are you among the faithful few?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The word 'anointing' is often used in the Old Testament in recognition of the Lord's divine calling upon the lives of individuals. In addition, the anointing was a physical recognition of the particular role or office of people such as kings, prophets, or priests.

However, the anointing in the New Testament is not limited to prophets and priests, it is the birthright of every born again Child of God. In Mark 6:7, Jesus gave power over unclean spirits to His disciples. In Luke 9:1, He gave them power to cure diseases, and in Luke 10:19, He gave them power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. I once told my spiritual children that the new anointing is so powerful, that it can repeat whatever it has done for your spiritual fathers. It can re-open closed doors and turn the mocked into a celebrity. In 1 Samuel 16:11-13, when Samuel came to the house of Jesse while shopping for a kingly candidate, nobody presented David. It was until Samuel specifically asked for him that he was summoned. But after David was anointed in 1 Samuel 22:1-2, the same brothers who saw nothing good in him came to submit themselves under his authority. Have people written you off as a nobody? Do they deny you your rights and consider you unfit for any meaningful position? The anointing of God will reverse that situation in your life this season in Jesus' name. You will be sought after. You will be transformed into a very important personality by the anointing.

Furthermore, 1 Corinthians 12:7 says:
"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal".

The above verse shows that God's anointing is not for flamboyance, globetrotting, or to be made merchandise of. On the contrary, the anointing is for making a difference in this evil world by living in holiness and righteousness, healing the sick, setting the captives free, making the barren fruitful, replacing sorrow with joy and moving the impoverished into prosperity so that the Name of the Lord may be glorified. To what extent does the anointing on you impact those in need of it? To what extent are you making a difference in your community?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, we are revisiting a previous discussion on a deadly sin that has been trivialized in modern times. Indeed, lying is not a Christian virtue; on the contrary, one of the fruits of righteousness is the hatred of lies. Today, the world has classified lies. Some are called heavy lies, some feather weight lies, some are white lies, some are green lies, some are business lies, some are ministerial lies; some are lies that cannot hurt a fly, while some are dangerous and implicating lies. No matter how men, by their own opinions, choose to classify lies, deciding what a lie is, is not in the purview of men but of God; hence such classifications hold no water. If you are a lover of lies, you are far from being righteous. If you tell lies at all, you are miles from being righteous. Do you know that if you keep away from sin and the only crime found in you after death is a lie, it will keep you from entering through the pearly gates? Revelation 21:8 says that all categories of liars will be found in the lake of fire, not in Heaven:
"And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the lamb's book of life."

Nothing can ever take anyone in the above categories into Heaven. If you are a lying leader, you are simply on your way to hell. A righteous fellow cannot stand lies because he or she is a chip off the old block; a child of truth whose father is the Truth (Revelation 19:11-16), In John 8:44, Jesus says that the devil is a liar and the father of all liars. If you are a General Overseer or superintendent, a senior Pastor or believer and you tell lies, your father is the devil. A day is coming when everybody will go back to their father. After death, the devil will stand in the way to claim his own. He will ask some popular leaders and believers; "Where are you going?" they will reply: "I am going to Heaven of course". The devil will laugh them to scorn. "Did you not read that all liars will go to hell in Revelation 21:8? You are my child, come with me to the lake of fire, our eternal abode". Make restitution on the lies you have told. Have you offered some people some benefits in a business transaction and you received the payment, but for one reason or the other, you did not give them what you promised? Go and return their money or else that lie and deceit will not allow you into Heaven.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The basis for all spiritual warfare can be explained as the opposition or hostility between light and darkness. Darkness is associated with blindness, emptiness, uncertainty, inactivity, stagnancy, ignorance, failure, wickedness, fear and evil. Darkness was the dominant authority over the universe in the beginning, and this was evidently the status quo at the time of creation in Genesis 1:1. Then God said let there be light and there was light. Light is a very powerful force. When there is light, darkness has no choice than to disappear. John 1:5 says,
"And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."

However, the truth is, not all light can outshine darkness. For instance, Genesis 1 talks of categories of light.
"And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also."
Genesis 1:16

There are lights of the sun, moon and stars. Then there are man-made lights of varying sizes. If you put on a tiny torch in the midst of total darkness, you will only see the spot that the torch is pointing at. Everywhere else will be surrounded by darkness. The size of a light determines the area it will dominate or rule over. The sun rules over the day because it is far brighter than the moon. If the moon were to replace the sun during the day, there will be darkness during the day. Similarly, if you bring the sun to replace the moon during the night time, the night will turn into day. This tells us that what determines the result of a situation is the amount of light it is exposed to. This means that exposing varying degrees of light on the same situation will give you different results. The volumes of the light of God's Word that you are exposed to will determine the degree of the change you will experience.
The intensity and size of God's light in you will determine your sphere of domination. Although, God has commanded you to dominate everything, the actual scope of your dominance will be determined by the amount of God's Word that is in you. The Word is the light of the world. If you lack the Word, you lack the light that gives definition to your ability to dominate. As you increase your Word content, you enlarge your coast. Staying away from the Word automatically reduces your glow and ultimately your ability to control forces, situations and circumstances. On the other hand, the moment you stop shining as light, darkness will swallow you up. If you want to be victorious over forces of darkness, you should daily expose yourself to the light from God's Word. The Word is the sword of the Spirit and the chief weapon of warfare as Christians.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The whole of the Bible and everything about Christianity is summed up in the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which arises naturally from believers' love for God and the appreciation of all that He has done for us, is known as evangelism. The New Testament Bible stresses the importance of evangelism, and provides important guidance as to how it should be done. Matthew 28:19 spells out the great commission:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"

The focus of evangelism is the proclamation of the good news of the coming of the Kingdom of God, including forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Daniel 10:6, describes the peculiar features of the original messenger (Jesus Christ) as follows:
"His body also was like beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour of polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude".

The fiery face and the fire in His eyes represents the countenance of a no nonsense Judge, the voice of a multitude symbolizes peoples, nations and languages of the world. There is no place on the surface of the earth where His message will not be heard. Another thing the passage talks about is the Lord's feet, how they appear like brass when on fire. Brass signifies strength. Jesus feet are said to be polished brass. This indicates that His feet are empowered to trample upon His enemies. If you are truly located in your place of authority in Christ Jesus, the only place your enemies can be is under your feet. Like Jesus, your feet need to be empowered so that when you trample on serpents and scorpions, you will not be hurt. To do this, you must empower your feet as God's messenger with evangelism. Every soul you win for God's Kingdom turns your feet to be as strong as the Lord's so that you can easily have victory over your enemies. How many souls have you won to the Lord since the year began?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Christianity, prayer is generally defined as a solemn request for divine intervention or an expression of thanksgiving addressed to the Almighty God. It is therefore clear that prayer is not synonymous with murmuring, protest, demand, or complains. A proper understanding of the art of prayer and the type of prayer that brings results is very important in Christianity.
Let's consider some biblical examples of prayer. While describing the way he prayed under a particular circumstance, the Psalmist in Psalms 42:4 says he poured out his soul to God. The phrase, "I pour out my soul" describes the soul like it is liquid. Depending on the situation, some prayers can take on a casual form while others may wear a grab of seriousness. The intensity of your thanksgiving prayer will differ in a case where you experienced a hitch-free trip compared to when you met with several difficulties during the trip but eventually arrived safely. The Psalmist in Psalms 130:1-2 talks of calling unto God out of the deep. Somebody said that this was Jonah's prayer in the belly of the fish. When there is no imminent danger, and you are in the comfort of your air-conditioned bedroom praying, that kind of prayer will be sweet, smooth and leisure-like. But the one in the belly of a fish such as in Jonah's case would definitely be different. Jonah would have been very aggressive and desperate and must have prayed like a drowning man.
In 1 Samuel 1:13-18, when Hannah was praying, only her lips moved. Some people have used this as an excuse to engage in silent prayers. But the truth is, although she was not making a sound, it does not mean that she was not praying aggressively. We could compare this to a situation where an eight-day-old baby boy is circumcised and he is in pains. He cries out in agony and he continues to cry until his voice pales out, yet he will continue crying. Hannah must have cried to the extent of losing her voice. There is an extent to which you will pray and you will realize that you have gotten God's attention. What kind of prayer takes place in your family? How desperate are you? If you can pour out your heart to the Lord without being so mindful of grammar or who may be nearby, or who is looking or not looking at you, you will get His attention.
At the end of the day, what is important is getting answers to prayers and not whether you appear to men as being prayerful. I have often stated that whatever progress and achievements are visible in the RCCG today; they are by the grace of God and the prayers of the saints. As you engage heaven in aggressive prayers this season, you will receive divine attention in Jesus' name. Call on Him!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Sometimes, you find yourself in a situation where you cannot explain your actions. All you know at that point is that you are strongly motivated by the Spirit of God to act in certain ways that are not really in your personal interest or for your benefit. Such steps are usually seen by others as unreasonable, irrational, and sometimes foolish. In the process of obeying God's instruction, you ask yourself repeatedly; "What is going on?" I have learnt from my own personal experience that this period is like a roller-coaster ride with the Holy Spirit. On one hand, you are excited, while on the other hand, there is fear and uncertainty. Sometimes, a blend of opposition, obstacle, and criticism, comes in to make the situation more complex. Such was the situation when at the very early stage of my Christian walk, my father in the Lord, the then General Superintendent of RCCG, asked all of us at the Headquarters to close our bank accounts and bring all the money to the Church on a certain date. Thank God I and my wife heeded the instruction. This puts me in the position to tell you today that such an unusual call provides an unusual opportunity to prove your loyalty to God, thereby setting you up as a major factor in the fulfillment of divine purpose. I pray that you will correctly discern the unusual opportunities that always precede the fulfillment of divine purpose in Jesus' name.

King Joash had such an opportunity but could not make the best of it. When Elisha was about to die, since there was nobody worthy of his double portion anointing, he felt led to give king Joash an unusual opportunity to defeat all his enemies in all future battles through a prophetic action. With Elisha's hand on the kings hand, every arrow shot represented a victory for Israel. If only he had maximized that opportunity, he would never have been defeated: his victory would have been complete. I can imagine that if the king had been aware beforehand, he would have shot all the arrows in order to maximize the opportunity. But unfortunately, he did not discern the times, and the whole nation of Israel suffered loss. May you not miss your unusual opportunities this year in Jesus' name. God will open the eyes of your spiritual understanding to identify the signs of divine purpose in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Several passages of the Bible describes the prevailing atmosphere of the period now known as "perilous times". 2 Timothy 3:1-5 gives some important details about the events that will surround the arrival of this period. This period is going to be the final epoch of history, marked by the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of God's kingdom. The Bible tends to tie the terms "last days" and "perilous times" together, pointing to the period between Jesus Christ's first coming and the consummation of all things at His return. This period will also be marked by increased godlessness, false prophets, doctrines of devils, persecution, wickedness, war, and apostasy. Are perilous times here?

The Bible says truth will be watered down and sound doctrine will be replaced with fables. In the church at Ephesus as recorded in Revelation 2:1-7, the Lord singled out a sect within its walls which believed and preached that holiness was no more truly possible. These were the Nicolaitans and the Lord said He hated them. Can the Lord hate those who claim to be His followers? This may be surprising, but the Lord hates every preacher and teacher of false doctrines. This is a warning for those in the teaching ministry systematically veering off the path of sound doctrine, teaching cunningly devised fables and philosophies of men. Be very conscious of what comes out of your mouth. Cross check facts and perceived revelations with the Holy Spirit so that you may not lead any astray. The Lord hates false preachers. Anyone who teaches you that you can continue to sin, since after all we are human beings and will still make it to Heaven, is heading for hell and wants to take you along. Watch out brethren, perilous times are here!

People will deny the power of God, meaning that there will be widespread practical atheists. You will hear some say things like; "God is not as wicked as to fry His children in fire for minor sins and so there is no hell fire", some also say that salvation is by what you are able to do; by works. Idolatry is being openly practiced in some churches today because somebody spoke against Exodos 20:1-5, proposing that there is nothing wrong in making images of God, Jesus, Mary and the apostles and using them to connect to God. Backslidden pastors, ministers or workers are teaching false doctrines of mercy that is contrary to Romans 6:1-2. All these are taking people to hell in their millions. In what ways are your actions contradicting your teachings and messages? Such contradictions turn you into a false preacher!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible teaches Christians to love God. The Bible also teaches that such love should be expressed in worship and practical service. One of the most important lessons that the Bible teaches on love is that love is unconditional, and that the ultimate test of love is sacrifice. Therefore, any declaration of love that is devoid of sacrifice is questionable. The Bible is strongly in agreement with the fact that love is sacrificial.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
John 3:16

When you are genuinely in love, making sacrifices for the one you love will be a thing of pleasure and not a burden. Jacob was in love with Rachel and asked her father what he must do to marry her. Rachel's father told him to serve for seven years and he willingly did so. Because of his love, seven years were like seven days to him. When he was deceived, he yet agreed to serve another seven years for his heartthrob (Genesis 29:18-28). No price is too much to pay for the one you love. If you truly love your wife, you will pay the price of faithfulness in the midst of pressure to be unfaithful to her in your workplace, or even in the ministry. Some husbands are yet to demonstrate their love for their wives by sacrificially giving to her. If your relationship with your wife is all about convenience - you do things for her only when it is convenient, then you owe your wife big time. Wives of such husbands should demand of their husbands the debt of sacrifice.

Sacrifice helps to gauge your love for God. We can say God loves us exceedingly because He was prepared to part with His only begotten Son. If you say you love God, you will be ready, like Paul was, to spend and be spent for Him. Some questions I often ask people are; can you serve the Lord for 14 years without pay? Can you serve the Lord in the rural areas with no social amenities? Can you serve under an uneducated man of God when you are well educated? Can you leave certainty for uncertainty in the name of vision and revelation? What do you have to show for your love for God? Where is the sacrifice in your relationship with the Lord?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible tells us about the things that will happen to mark the end of this world and the beginning of eternal life. Beginning with the rapture, there will be extreme joy for those that will be found on the Lord's side, while there will be extreme pain and sorrow for those that will be found on the devil's side. As the curtain begins to be drawn over the activities of this world, the trumpet will sound. Then, Jesus Christ will appear physically in the sky with overwhelming glory, to raise the dead, judge the world, destroy every opposition to God, and consummate His everlasting Kingdom.
Believers from the Bible days prepared for His return, waiting with eagerness and joy, but rapture didn't happen. It was with this in mind that the disciples asked Jesus questions about what would be the signs of the last days in Matthew 24:3:
"...the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"

The same two important questions that the whole world still asks till date are; when shall these things be? What shall be the signs? Fortunately, the Bible does not beat around the bush about the first question (when), Jesus clearly states that nobody knows the exact time except the father. Note that Jesus preceded the answer with a warning, "Take heed that no man deceive you".
Never believe anyone that gives you a date or timetable for the Second Coming of Jesus, no matter how advanced the mathematical theory may seem. Jesus however, spoke extensively on the signs of the last days; the Bible has enough information to help Christians make adequate preparations for the Second Coming of Christ. Matthew 24:1-14 speaks volumes and 1 Timothy 4:1 says:
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils;"

The key things to look out for are these; false prophets, lovers of self, wars and rumours of war, famines pestilences, earthquakes, persecution, betrayal, iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold, some shall depart from the faith, seducing spirits, doctrines of devils, hypocrisy. All these are presently happening at an alarming rate all over the world. Children of God should pay special attention to false prophets with teachings that are contrary to the Word of God. Any teaching that cannot be substantiated with the Bible belongs to the devil; avoid them and their messages like a plague. Be warned.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God's acceptability of any human being is an act of His love, mercy, grace and favour. This is clearly evident in God's interaction with the nation of Israel and the Gentiles. However, the Bible reveals that God does not open His arms to all who come to Him; there are heavenly conditions for acceptability. God accepts people who respond to him by faith. This is why we have categories of children in the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten of the Father (John 1:14), while the rest of us that are saved are His adopted children. Amongst the adopted children, there are golden, silver, wooden and earthen sons and daughters. Also, there are repentant and reliable as well as deceitful and unreliable children. What kind of child are you?

Although, God loves all His children, yet, not all of them please Him equally. While the unrepentant ones displease the Lord, the repentant and reliable ones please Him. In John 4:34 Jesus says, "...My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work". God's acceptability therefore depends squarely on our readiness to pay the price of loyalty and obedience to God. Jesus paid the ultimate price; He dumped His personal desires and aspiration for that of His Father's. What He enjoyed doing the most was making God very happy. Even when the task involved giving His life, He obliged. At the Garden of Gethsemane, when He was struggling between His own will and God's will, He gave up His (Matthew 26:39-42). No wonder God gave such a wonderful commendation of Jesus in Matthew 17:5:
"While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him".

Hence, to be acceptable to God as a beloved son or daughter is not an easy task. It requires total submission to God's will and total obedience to His commandments. This translates to living our lives to please God in all ramifications. Some people are ready to please God only when the price is affordable or cheap. For instance, a beloved child of God will not struggle with paying tithe or placing personal preference on fashion, entertainment, and other social consideration above the Word of God. Are you ready to pay the price for God's acceptability?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Rejection is a terrible form of punishment that God sometimes uses to call the attention of His backslidden children to quit their sins and immoralities. Therefore, experiences and feelings of rejection are to be dealt with through the prayer of forgiveness and perseverance. In many cases in the Bible, God's rejection came as a shock because everything seemed normal until a sudden calamity struck as a result of the departure of God's Presence. Such was the case with Samson and the nation of Israel. The reality of God's rejection dawned on them by the terrible defeats that they suffered in the hand of their enemy. Judges 16:20 says:
"And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him."

All houses appear to have strong foundations until they go through the test of storms. In Matthew 7:24-27, the Lord talked of two houses; one built on the rock and the other on sand. Both appeared quite strong and promising until the floods came, one collapsed while the other stood firm. Do not wait till the day of the storm to discover your status with God, check yourself today and do everything possible to reconcile with God if need be.
In the same vein, all children are the same until they commit an offence. While the bona fide ones are immediately corrected and disciplined, the bastards are left on their own. A child left to himself is doomed. If God does not correct you for wrong speech, reaction and conduct, it simply means He is not your Father! When last did God cane you for wrong doing? May you never be above correction!
That God calls you does not mean He cannot call you something else. As our Creator, He has that right. Matthew 15:21-28 says, "the children's bread shall not be given to dogs" and Revelation 22:15 says "dogs have a place outside". This means that no matter how much a dog is loved, sooner or later, it will end up outside and the gate of Heaven will be shut against it. Do you feel as if the gates of Heaven are shut against you? Do you feel as if you are shut out of God's blessings? It could mean that you are a 'dog'. Why not accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour today? Why not reconcile with your Maker?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Bethel is the house of God, a place where God dwelled with His people. Over time, the Bible redefined the true place of worship to be the heart of man. Today therefore, Bethel could be said to represent the house of God, the true place of worship, or the dwelling place of God. The Samaritan woman by the well asked a million-dollar question from Jesus about the location of the heavenly approved place of worship. Jesus answered by saying that the time has come when the location is not of utmost importance to God anymore. John 4:23 says:
"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him."

The realization that man is the dwelling place of God should be taken seriously by every Christian. Several passages in the Bible confirm this truth. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says:
"What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

The freedom and liberty granted to Christians at conversion does not translate to ownership and absolute authority over ourselves as some erroneously think. Brethren, you are not your own, you belong to God your creator, you owe your allegiance to Him and you will do well to live your life with that consciousness. This will help you to be conscious of what you do with your body. It will help you to avoid anything that could abuse the body such as sexual immorality, indecent exposure, drug abuse, alcoholism, etc. It will also help you to watch what you consume or take into your body such as literature, audio and video contents. Realizing that your body is the temple of God will also affect the type of company that you keep and where you go.
More importantly, 1 Corinthians 3:17 says:
"If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."

Children of God should avoid doing anything that can defile them. In addition to the things mentioned above, engaging in any form of cosmetic reconstruction of the body in order to change or improve one's complexion, sexual orientation, or appearance, is a defilement of God's temple.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

From Exodus 23:25, we see a positive relationship between our service to God, what we eat and our health. Christians are supposed to overflow in health, so much that when we touch sick people, they become healed.

Many Christians joke with their service to God, no wonder they fall sick. I thank God and give Him all glory for my life; ever since I sold myself out to the service of God, He has been my only Doctor. I remember vividly well how I used to battle malaria helplessly, until one day when I decided to enter into an agreement with God, I told Him to heal me of malaria permanently and I will serve Him, and malaria has been a stranger to me since then. When you serve God wholeheartedly, He will ensure that no sickness stays in your body.

Another reason why some Christians are sick is because of what they eat. Exodus 23:25 says that God will bless your food and water and you will not fall sick, but many don't ask God to bless their food before eating it. Also, God cannot bless what He has not approved of. Our body is His temple, and anything that can destroy His temple is not approved by Him. We must keep way from junk food, over eating, unhealthy eating habits and the likes. God does not approve of food or drinks that are injurious to our health. Eat more of fresh vegetables and fruits. Eat the right quantity at the right time of the day. Stop overeating. Stay fit, exercise regularly. Some Christians quote Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 4:8:
"For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."

Yet it is true that bodily exercise profits a little, however, that little must not be done away with. We must take care of God's temple so that it can be available for Him to use when He needs it.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God is not a poor God, He is wealthier than we can ever imagine. He owns all the natural resources on earth, all the gases in the air and all the elements in the universe, just to mention a few. Can you imagine if scientists are able to get a tiny piece of the sun. Imagine how much they will sell it at an auction. The Almighty God owns the entire sun and all elements in the universe. A God as rich as this will definitely give His children more than enough resources to take care of their needs. He lacks nothing, so His children should lack nothing too. However, this is not the case in reality. We see many Christians these days wallowing in poverty for years, in fact, many unbelievers don't want to become born again because they are afraid of poverty. God is not happy with this. More often than not, these Christians are the cause of their own predicament.

God in His Word has given us several instructions and principles that will guarantee our wealth, but He will not force us to practice them, we have to do them ourselves to see them manifest. For example, in Luke 6:38, Jesus Christ Himself said:
"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

Whenever I see Pastors trying hard to convince people to give, it hurts me, because if every Christian has the understanding of this passage, they will constantly compete to give the biggest offering. The Bible says also in Proverbs 11:24:
"There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty."

This implies that if you want to increase, sow seeds. Also, the second part of this verse tells us that there is a certain amount that is necessary to be withheld. Many Christians don't save. They eat like every day is their last day on earth. This is wrong; if we want to lend to nations like the Bible promises, then we must learn from Joseph's strategy, he saved 20% of everything they got in Egypt, after a few years, nations from all over the world were coming to Egypt for food.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Discipline in the family happens when parents lovingly correct and train their children in accordance with the Word of God, so that they may grow up in the way of the Lord. The type of relationship that exists between parents and their children determine whether the children will be disciplined or not. When a servant misbehaves, you may ignore his offence but when a son or daughter commits the same offence, they should not get away with it. It is the goal of every reasonable parent to ensure that their children are better versions of themselves. On the other hand, some parents are extreme; they don't discipline, but crush their children. Being high-handed is applying discipline the other way round. Matthew 5:48 says, we should be as perfect as our Heavenly Father; God wants us to be as good as Himself. Jesus, the Prince of Peace wants us to be even better; hence, He says we will do greater works than He did. My joy as the General Overseer of the RCCG is in seeing my spiritual children excel and achieve greater heights than myself. I decree into the lives of everyone reading this devotional right now, you will excel in all that you lay your hands on and you will achieve greater heights than myself in Jesus' name.

Meanwhile, children are naturally naughty, that is why Proverbs 22:15 says:
"Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; But the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

Since Adam's fall, this has been the trend. You do not need to teach a child to be angry before he or she manifests it, even at infancy. It is innate. So when a father wants his child to become like him, he would have to employ his rod of correction. How often do you correct your children? Proverbs 29:15 says any child left to himself will bring shame to the parents, and Proverbs 29:17 says the child that is disciplined will give joy and peace to the parents.

Don't over pamper your children. Don't spoil them by using love as an excuse. Many ladies do not know how to cook or handle domestic chores because their parents left everything to the house-help. You are undoing your children if you deny them good home training and discipline. You owe it to your children to discipline them. If you fail to give it to them, the result of their indiscipline will haunt you here on earth and you will have a case to answer in heaven.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The first attribute that becomes noticeable in a genuinely born-again child of God is the love for God and humanity. Every converted and renewed child of God operates under the control of the Holy Spirit, he is fully aware of new spiritual experience and desires, as the Holy Spirit kick-starts the work of character restoration in him. A loving relationship between a Christian and Jesus therefore provides the most credible evidence of the grace of God at work in the life of a believer.

We all know that true lovers always enjoy each other's company and fellowship. When one lover has an opportunity to spend time with the other, and for any reason misses that opportunity, he becomes sad. God loves to fellowship with man, and this has been so from the very beginning. God created man to fellowship with Him; this is the major reason why He created us in His image. He enjoyed coming to meet and fellowship with Adam in the cool of the day. How He cherished it! It became a daily appointment which He never missed. Then imagine His disappointment when He came one day and Adam was nowhere to be found. After that, God needed another person to continue from where Adam had stopped. He kept searching until He found Enoch. Genesis 5:24 says:
"And Enoch walked with God; and he was not: for God took him."

Enoch walked with God for at least 300 years! The fellowship was so intense that death could not touch him. God had to call him to glory to continue the fellowship there. The reverse is the case for anyone that hates God.
Proverbs 8:36 says:
"But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me love death."

Indeed, love is an antidote for death, if you truly love God and obey His commandments, death will be far away from you. Do you love God? Do you have a regular time to fellowship with God? Some believers do not have a standing altar of fellowship with God as a family. This is wrong; God wants to be intimate with you. Open yourself and your whole household to God, and create time for regular fellowship with Him today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God ordained seedtime and harvest not just to mark time, but as a life principle. He also gave varying degrees of talents to every human being as a form of heavenly investment. Consequently, every legitimate human task, however menial it may seem, is of intrinsic worth and a potential means of glorifying God.

God expects us to use our God given talents and abilities profitably. I once told my children that if they understand the natural farming process with the scriptural principles on sowing and reaping, entering into their harvest will be a work-over, because they will know what to sow, how to sow it and how to water the seed sown in order to have their desired harvest. In essence, they will know how to profitably use their talents for the progress of God's kingdom. When the Holy Ghost Service congregation grew beyond what I could handle all by myself, I chose seven elders to assist me. I gave each of them a neck tie I had used during previous ministrations, and asked them to wear them as mantle from me. Each time they wore them while ministering, there were records of miracles, signs and wonders. But then, I also observed that I began to harvest neckties from close associates and friends who travelled to South Africa, London or America. I became curious about the fact that whenever anyone brought me a gift, it was a neck tie. So I asked God why. The Lord said; "Son, if you sow ties, you will reap ties." Then I realized that I was receiving the harvest of the ties I gave out. So I began to sow shoes to pastors who shared the same shoe size with me. After giving out several of them, some of which were my best, I waited the first and second months but no shoe gift came from anywhere. Worried over the delay, I asked God why the harvest was yet to come and He taught me another lesson. He said; "Son, if you plant maize, you can harvest it within three months, but if you plant yam, you will have to wait a little longer.

Shoes are more valuable than ties; the greater the quality of the seed you have sown, the longer you will have to wait for its harvest. Since you have planted shoes, you will have to wait a little longer, but the moment the harvest begins, it will not stop."

When the harvest came, I got shoes of different sizes, colours and levels of sophistication. Have you sown a seed? Your harvest will come. If you have sown quality seeds, give it time to mature. If you are impatient with your seed, you cannot obtain it's full potentials. On the other hand, sow quality seeds; sow only what you want to reap. It is wrong to expect a harvest from where you have not sown. Have you sown towards your desired harvest?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The word 'delicacy' is commonly used to describe a food item that is considered highly desirable and usually scarce and expensive. Delicacies often have unusual characteristics, flavours and tastes, thereby attracting the interest of the high and mighty in the society. Meanwhile, the devil uses a delicacy as a potent weapon to bring down his human targets, and it has proven an effective weapon over the years. He successfully used it against Adam and Eve, Esau, etc. However, Godly people like Daniel know that delicacies have the potential to defile a child of God, especially when offered as bait from the devil. I pray that you will never fall for any attractive proposition of the devil in Jesus' name.
"The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes."
Psalms 19:8

When oil is pure, it makes the lamp burn brightly. When a candle light burns, and it comes across something impure, it suddenly goes dim, or off. If you do not want to dim or quench the Spirit of God in you, keep off every form of defilement. Evil thoughts will hinder the free move of God in your life. Acts of disobedience, self-will and insubordination to authority are capable of putting out the fire of the Spirit in you.

Christians are the brides of Christ, therefore, God expects us to maintain our purity. Psalms 119:1 says:
"Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD."

The undefiled resists temptation and is without sin like Jesus was (Hebrews 4:15). If you want to remain undefiled, you must watch against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). To be undefiled, you must remain in God's way, keeping His commandments. God's Word and instructions must be the laws governing your life. Are you undefiled? How pure are you? No matter how pure or undefiled you may be; there is room to press forward for a greater, higher and closer walk with God. Are you ready to pant after more of God in your life?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Demons are fallen angels that were driven out of heaven because of their rebellious acts. The Bible presents demons as the authentic source of every manner of immorality in this world. Also, demons are the foot soldiers that the devil uses to steal, kill, devour and wreck all manner of evil against humanity. I pray that you will not become an easy prey to the devil and his demons in the Name of Jesus.

However, demons were subject to the authority of Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry and subsequently in the ministry of the Church. Demons and idols bow in the Presence of our God. If you study how demons related with Jesus Christ and His disciples in the Bible, you will observe that they recognized God's Presence in Jesus Christ and His disciples, and they surrendered without argument. I have always told my spiritual children that if we have enough of His Presence in us, demons will flee when they sight us, how much more when we command them to go out. In Mark 5:1-6, when Jesus stepped on the shores of the Gadarenes, a very notorious, heavily demon-possessed mad man immediately reported to Him even before He said a word. It is very easy to cast out demons when your life is full of God's glory. When Jesus came to earth, He brought with Him the glory and dominion of Heaven. Consequently, if demons see that same glory of God in you, they will have no choice but to submit to the King of Glory whose Presence you carry.

Until you carry a higher level of His Presence in your life, you may not realize the activities of demons in your environment. Believe it or not, they are everywhere, performing their negative assignments. But as God increases His Presence in your life, there will be commotions, because demons recognize the Presence of God and they won't be at rest. Even in the church, while God's anointed Word is being taught in power, demons will not be able to withstand that power. One day, Paul and his co-labourers in God's vineyard were on their way to a prayer meeting when the spirit of divination in a young lady became restless because of God's Presence. If only you carry a higher level of His Presence, the demons around you will manifest from wherever they are hiding. Ask God for more of His presence upon you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Bible records show that God is not passive about His creation; He is dynamically involved in everything that happens in the universe. His interest and involvement can be seen in the history of Israel and in the ministry of Jesus Christ. In the present age, God's activities and operations can be seen in the lives of believers and the Church. The Bible projected this in Colossians 1:16;
"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:"

Revelation 4:11 further states that all things were created for God's pleasure. In Moses' story, God divinely chose the burning bush, after looking through all the available bushes around, He found pleasure in the particular one and decided to use it, just as He decided to locate the Redemption Camp on its present site. If I had been given the privilege to determine the location of our camp ground, it would never have been in its present location. I would have preferred a location much closer to Lagos. For those believers who obtained their spouses from God, if asked to make that choice personally, they most likely would have chosen someone else and would have missed God's divine direction. Has the Lord chosen for you on any matter? Appreciate Him for His choice and go with that choice.

God is very much in the business of directing human affairs, and your choice in any matter can never produce a better result than His. God's choice may not look like the best when human reasoning is applied. Whenever God chooses somebody for an assignment, it does not necessarily mean the fellow is the most qualified. In fact, usually, God chooses the least qualified so that flesh will not rob Him of His glory. However, when it pleases God to choose someone for a purpose, several activities begin to follow in quick succession, just as the choice of the burning bush culminated in the death of many Egyptians and the release of the children of Israel from slavery. Because the Lord has chosen you to be an heir to His heritage, He will cause all things to work in your favour to the fulfillment of your destiny in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Alienation or banishment is a form of punishment in which a guilty person is expelled from a region and forbidden to return. Alienation is commonly used by God in the Bible to cut off sinners from His presence. A good example is the banishment of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden as a result of their disobedience to God. I pray that you will never do anything that will cause God to cut you off from His Presence in Jesus' name. Isaiah 59:1-2 says:
"Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, And your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."

Christians today are daily challenging God by constantly indulging in acts that are clearly recorded as reasons for alienation in the Bible. For example, some people intentionally dress scantily on the street. Can you imagine somebody purchasing a nice pair of trousers, and deliberately using a blade to rip it to shreds before certifying it 'fit' to wear? If you cannot clearly spell out what passes as decent Christian dressing for yourself and your household, then you are the one to be held responsible for the loose behaviour and excesses of your family members. This is tantamount to an open invitation to alienation or banishment from the Presence of God, which explains why some Christians suffer unexplained attacks from the devil. The Presence of God departs from such Christians, making them an easy target in the hands of the devil and his agents. May the Lord deliver every child of God in this category today in the Name of Jesus.

Indeed, the Lord's Hands are not shortened, neither are His ears heavy that He cannot hear our cry for help. Sin is always responsible for alienation from God. In what way has your weakness, carelessness, and nonchalant attitude contributed to sin and immorality in your family or the Church of God? Repent and make amends today before it is too late.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The story of the woman caught in the act of adultery is typical of the mercy of God and it was in direct contradiction with the judgment of the old era which did not give remedy to the spiritual problem of the people.
Psalms 130:3-4 says:
"If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared."

This passage is a pointer to the fact that mercy is the preferred alternative to judgment. No matter how perfect you may think you are, you do not need to be asked whether you want to give consideration to judgment when there is room for mercy. However, mercy does not come on a platter of gold. The number one thing you must do to obtain mercy is to repent. Proverbs 28:13 says:
"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."

Another factor that can earn you mercy in the place of judgment is your love for God. This love you have for God will prevent you from continuing in sin against Him. Exodus 20:5-6 says:
"....for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto them third and fourth generation of they that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments."

Our Lord Jesus Christ corroborates what His Father says in the scripture above when He demands love and practical demonstration of it from his followers. He said in John 14:21:
"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."

Beloved, if indeed, you prefer mercy to judgment, you will choose to love God. To love God requires keeping His commandments. Finally, if you want mercy in the place of judgment, you need to humble yourself before God, acknowledging the fact that you are nothing without Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are different ways by which God can send His word to His people. The Word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah telling him to fear not the faces of the people He was sending him to because the message He had given him would not be a pleasant message for them. Same was the account of Jonah when he was given a message to the people of Nineveh. The message of God to His children is always in various forms. It contains doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). It is always difficult for man to be confronted with his errors and wicked ways, and this was the assignment that God gave Prophet Jeremiah. How I wish there are many prophet Jeremiahs in our land, there would be more revival in our land. Prophets like Jeremiah who will call a spade a spade and not water down the Word of God because of the faces of the people. You cannot entangle yourself with the affairs of this world and still deliver the message of God without bias. There are many men of God who are afraid of the people God is sending them to. The God we serve has not given us the spirit of fear but of boldness and soundness of mind.
You have to be fearless in preaching the Word of God. You must be instant in season and out of season. We live in a time when people do not want to listen to the absolute truth of God's Word. People are very selective about the kind of messages they listen to. Do you receive the Word with gladness each time the Word points you to the cross? 2 Timothy 4:3 says:
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;"

God wanted Jeremiah to warn the people about the punishment to come if they would not repent from their ways of wickedness. God told Jeremiah to inform those who were proud and wicked, that the rod of affliction was coming on them. The essence of this message to the people was for them to purge themselves from unrighteousness. Each time the Word of God comes to you, it is an opportunity to amend your ways before it is too late. God wants you to be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for His use so that you can be prepared for every good work.
Whatever assignment God has given to you, do not be afraid. You will meet with many oppositions and enemies but you can be sure God is by your side. They may look big, but they are not bigger than the One who has sent you. God will always deliver you out of the hand of persecutors. He will not only stand by you as you deliver the Word, He will deliver you from every trouble in the course of the assignment. When God sends you a message, He also backs you with His power. They may not like your face, but you can be sure that once you have declared the counsel of God to them, at the point of judgement; you will not be responsible for their blood.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Faithfulness is another obligation that God requires of us as human beings and particularly as His children. God is faithful and He wants us to resemble Him with this attribute of faithfulness. In Luke 16:1-8, we read about a steward who was found unfaithful and the master was about to sack him, this unfaithful servant then went about from one debtor to another to falsify records in order to please his master. The efforts this steward put up to regain his master's approval did nothing for the expansion of his master's business, but the master still commended him. If the unfaithful servant could go to the extent he went in order to remain in service, why can't the children of light go a greater extent to please our Father in heaven? The conclusion of Luke 16:1-8 says:
"And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely; for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light."

Another lesson we can learn from this story is that your upward movement to the next level is predicted upon how well you perform in your present level of operation. Luke 16:11-12 says:
"If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteousness mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?"

Beloved, the Lord is interested in promoting you. As a matter of fact, your promotion is long overdue. I am happy to announce to you that this is your time, however, what are you doing with your present level or position? Are you productive or you are hoarding your ideas so that you can have something to use when you come to a leadership position? You are just destroying and delaying your progress if this is your attitude. To be faithful simply means to be full of faith. Do you have faith in the organisation you are working with? You will not be at your best if you don't have faith in that organisation you work with?
Proverbs 22:29 says:
"Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings he shall not stand before mean men."

Daniel was a typical faithful steward. This is how he survived four generations of rulers - Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, Cyrus and Belshazzar. The faithfulness of Mordecai saved the entire Jewish race during the reign of Ahaseurus. My prayer is that you will be highly favoured by the virtue of your faithfulness in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When it comes to giving, the truth of the matter is that what you give may leave your hand but it never leaves your life. It is to our own advantage to meet the needs of others around us. When you meet the needs of the Almighty God, He will in turn meet your needs. The truth is that God is the only one who doesn't have a need. Whenever He tells you He has a need, it is only a strategy by Him to set you up for a miracle. Every child of God should have a liberal heart. You must be very generous in giving as you have been blessed by the Almighty God. When you sow into the lives of others, your soul shall be made fat with pleasure from God and will also be enriched with more grace. It is those who give more that receive more from God. In 1 Kings 17:8-16, God asked the widow to feed the prophet before taking care of herself. At the end of the day, what was not enough became more than enough. To what extent do you practice giving as an individual, family, church or nation?

Those who never give will continue to beg. If you desire to relocate from the side of begging to the side of giving, you have to become liberal. Everyone who would be a partner of Jesus Christ must learn to be a giver. There is nothing you give to God that the Almighty God will not reward you with much more. One thing the Lord makes very clear is that the harvest will always exceed the seed that was harvested. Harvests do not just come, they are planned for. You have to load the sky before it brings forth rain. There are people who are always waiting for the blessing of God when they have not done anything for God. You sow nothing, you reap nothing. Hence, famine is guaranteed for those who fail to sow.

You must never be tired of giving because the reward for your giving will never miss you. Solomon was a typical example of someone who was an ardent giver. No wonder God prospered him. God gave him more than he ever demanded. Some people believe that since they don't earn much, it is not appropriate to sow; unfortunately, this is why such people remain low income earners. The widow of Zarephat had only one seed, yet she was wise enough to know the appropriate soil to sow the seed. Whenever you have the opportunity to sow, don't just sow, you have to combine knowledge with the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit so that your seed will not be sown where it cannot be harvested.

There are rewards for the art of giving. The one who gives freely will be taken care of by God. The one who finds it difficult to give will also find it difficult to receive.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the illustrations of the Trinity says; God is the Father in Majesty, Jesus is the son in Suffering while the Holy Spirit is the Spirit in Striving. Jesus is the Word of God that became flesh among men. He is the one that the Father appointed over all the things He created. In time past, there were different ways that God used to reveal Himself to humanity. He spoke through dreams, or through supernatural happenings. In the present age, the Father communicates to us through His son Jesus Christ. Everyone that seeks for the Father will find Him only through the Son. Jesus is the only way through which men can be saved. Everything that God has can be inherited only through the Son. There is no way we can deeply understand the character and nature of God if not revealed through the Son. Through the Son, we know how powerful the Father is. Through the Son, we know how more than enough the Father is. Through the Son, we understand how loving and faithful the Father is. The Glory of the Father is radiated to the world through the Son. It is through the omnipotent Word that the universe is being held together. It is through the atoning work of Jesus on the Cross that our sins are purged away.

We have stories of people in the Bible who refused to acknowledge the supremacy of God in their lives. They refused to retain God in their hearts even though they daily enjoyed His works. Because they refused to put God in their hearts, they suffered a lot in the hands of their enemies. They were warned from time to time by prophets of God until they were condemned to captivity. This will never be your portion in Jesus' name. This is why you must make up your mind for Jesus.

There are people who do not want to hear anything about Jesus. Such people in the times of trouble will have nowhere to hide. If you don't honour His Word in your life, He will never bring you to the place of honour. The moment someone refuses to open up his or her heart to Jesus, the devil will take over such a life. The children of Israel refused to hearken to the will of God and the Lord chastised them by allowing their enemies to take them to captivity. When you allow the Word of God in your life, it will transform you into the image of God.
2 Timothy 3:16 says:
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

One of the ways to harden ones heart is to refuse to accept and obey the will of God, when one's emotions and intellect isn't under the control of the Almighty God. Those who do not accept the Word of God in their lives will always provoke God to rise in judgement against them. If the judgement of God comes upon an individual, he may be left to wander in the wilderness of life. Accepting Jesus is accepting the Word of God into your life. It is finding rest for your soul.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God is love; He dwells in love; He acts in love; He judges in love. Everything around God is love. In John 15:7-13, we are confronted with God's kind of love demonstrated through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ affirms the quality of God's kind of love that He represents when he said:
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends"
John 15:13

Now, as beneficiaries of this great love, we are obliged to show this kind of love to our Maker and more importantly to our neighbours.

It is wisdom for us to love the One who loves us at least for two reasons. One; when we love someone that loves us, he keeps on loving us the more. Secondly, the love that is not reciprocated will grow sour. Even God stops loving those who do not return His love. Proverbs 8:17 says:
"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."

How can we love a God that we do not see? We can, by loving our neighbours, Matthew 25:35, 37, 40 says:
"For I was hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink. I was a stranger, and ye took me in... Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

John the beloved apostle went further to teach us how to love our God in practical terms 1 John 4:19-21:
"If a man say, I love God and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"

May the good Lord give us the grace to show our love to Him through our neighbours.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Deliverance constitutes a serious challenge in many Christian circles. In my personal experience, I have discovered that demons bow out easily wherever there is the manifest presence of the Lord. Wherever God is, there is an aura that is unmistakably evident; that aura is the Glory of His presence. For most people who have had a definite experience with God, it is only the glory of God that they could access. Only very few like Moses could go a little further.

The truth remains that the presence of God wields the same power as the Personality of God because where God's presence is, God Himself is. Several things are possible in His presence, one of which is that idols and the powers behind them not only bow but also surrender. A classic example of this is documented in 1 Samuel 5:1-5. In this account, the nation of Israel fought the Philistines and God gave them into the hands of their enemies because of their disobedience, the Ark of the Covenant was captured and taken into the house of Dagon - the national deity of the Philistines. This Dagon was a huge image, but it fell down before the Ark of the Covenant which represented the Presence of God. Initially, the priests of Dagon thought it was a mistake and put the image back up. But by the following morning, they were convinced beyond reasonable doubts that their idol was bowing to the God of gods.

Some Christians are afraid of entering into a shrine to declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It only shows that they do not know what they have inside of them. If you know who you are carrying, there will be no need to fear any idol. If you truly carry the Glory of God and you step into a shrine, they will immediately fish you out and would be uncomfortable until you leave. If you don't leave, a lot of things will go wrong. In a local community where women were forbidden to go out during a particular idol festival and men were equally harassed, a brother went to the headquarters of the idol worshipers at the peak of their festival to preach Jesus to them. These idol worshipers knew that it could only mean the brother carried a dangerous power for him to have the boldness to walk into their midst. Are you being threatened with some idol and you are afraid? If you are truly a child of God, you should be feared and not the other way round. Are you confronted with a demon possessed person that needs deliverance? Ask God to increase His presence in your life today and you will become a threat to demons.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Ancestral curses are said to be in operation when a terrible problem persistently runs through generations within a family. For example, an uncontrollable anger or promiscuity may be noticed in a teenager and on investigation; such is traced to the parents and grandparents.
Many people today live under bondage as a result of their forefathers' sins. Exodus 34:7 says:
"...visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation."

However, the moment God comes into such lives, things change dramatically. When God is in control of your life, it will be evident through the tremendous peace that will calm your storms, but when the devil rules the life of an individual, there will be total confusion. 1 Corinthians 14:33 says God has nothing to do with confusion. When the devil takes over the life of a man, everything will turn upside down. Instead of wearing clothes, he will walk about naked instead of wearing decent clothes, he will put on rags. The one who finds it uncomfortable to wear decent clothes capable of covering his or her unclothedness surely has gone nuts.
In Luke 8:26-33, after Satan took control of the Gadarene man's life, he left his bed for the graveyard. He abandoned decent clothes for rags. If one wears clothes that expose what should be covered, it is evident that such a fellow is losing his or her mind to the devil. This Gadarene demoniac began to inflict wounds on himself. He was crying out of pain yet couldn't stop himself. When people engage in things that can destroy them, it means their heads are besieged. The warning that smoking is injurious to a man's health is not enough to stop a smoker from indulging in the act because his head has been taken over by demons. Anyone who uses mind-bending substances such as Indian hemp, cocaine, alcohol, cigarette or powerful capsules is living in a spiritual graveyard. Besides, this man was violent, he could not be controlled. He rebelled against reason, he was wild. If you find it difficult to submit to authority or comply with simple rules, examine yourself. The state of the head is revealed by the conduct of the body. No matter how refined an individual is, if something is wrong with the head, it will show. What is the state of your head? Is it well with your head?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people are suffering from curses which they know nothing about because the cause of the curses took place a very long time ago in their lineage. As a matter of fact, if you think you haven't inherited any lineage curse, you should remember that of Adam and Eve, from who we inherited pain, hunger, sickness and death. We must deal with these curses if we want to live a meaningful and fulfilled life. In Galatians 3:13, we are assured of a way of dealing with ancestral curses. Curses, including the one we inherited from Adam and Eve, are being dealt with by the work of redemption wrought by Jesus Christ, our Lord. He was made a curse for us so that we can be delivered from the terrible consequences of sin and curses. Christ was to be made a sin and a curse; He felt the agony of this exercise and prayed asking if the deal could be amended:
"And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."
Luke 22:41-42

Jesus Christ went to the Cross with the age-long curses upon humanity. However, Jesus endured to the end and cried "It is finished", that is, the price of the curse has been paid in full. Hence, the human race was liberated. This is the reality which Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ described in Colossians 2:14-14:
"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

Beloved, if you want to effectively deal with the ancestral curses in your life, there is only one way and Jesus is that Way. He is the Lamb of God that is worthy to liberate you from the Devil. The Bible says He is the only One that is qualified to open the seal of freedom (Revelation 5:1-14). Today, I advise you to surrender your life totally to Jesus Christ if you have not done so. He will make a public show of those demonic influences hovering over your life and you will be free and blessed.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people do not know the secret of daily miraculous living. They think it has to do with strange things or occultism. Little do they know that a life of obedience enhances the supernatural intervention that results in miraculous events. It is unfortunate that even some children of God are missing out this truth as well. In John 2:1-11, we can see the confirmation of the title - Miracle-Producing Obedience. There was a marriage ceremony in Cana of Galilee and our Lord Jesus, His family and disciples were present. There came a need that only God could meet. The mother of Jesus Christ knew that the Representative of God was on ground to do what was humanly impossible. So, she approached the Miracle Worker but not without a seemingly negative reaction. It is interesting to note that despite our Lord's reaction, His mother gave a profound instruction to the waiters. "...Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." (John 2:5). Afterwards, Jesus Christ instructed the servants to fill the empty water pots with water and asked them to go ahead and serve it as wine. I decree to someone reading this devotional; whatever potential shame the enemies are planning concerning you, God will intervene with miracle that will nullify it.

There are lessons we must quickly learn from this story; God always involves man in the process of miracle-working events. When man cooperates with God through obedience, he experiences the miraculous. Naaman said that his expectation was that the man of God will come out and touch him. Howbeit, he was disappointed; he was to be part of the process. He had to go and dip himself in the Jordan River seven times before he could experience the miracle he sought for. He almost missed it when he refused to comply with the instruction of the prophet of God.

Another lesson we must learn from this story is that whenever you are trusting God for a miracle, you must not only be ready to receive instruction from God, you must also be attentive to the details of the instruction. After you get the message right, you must then go ahead and carry out the instruction. The servants indeed fetched the water; they also served it as wine under the instruction of our Lord. One may think it is simple to do what the servants did. They took the risk of being accused of playing on the intelligence of the people that came to the ceremony. Beloved, perfect obedience will change your story, just be willing to do whatever God asks you to do.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.