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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"And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine,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.

Give your life to Christ Jesus, He can do much more with it than you can do!

You cannot overcome the trials and temptations of life, if you have not caught the vision of heaven. It is the vision of heaven that will encourage, stimulate and empower you to forge ahead as you violently take the Kingdom of God (Matthew 11:12). There is a popular saying: "What you see is what you get". The underlying truth in this statement is that you cannot aspire for what has not been introduced into your consciousness. I told some of my children in a meeting many years ago, that the reason my father did not struggle to build a house with bathrooms and toilets was that he had never seen a house with toilets and bathrooms.

One of the secrets of the dogged determination of the early disciples to make it to heaven was that most of them saw a vision of heaven. This is the reason why Stephen for example, prayed that his executioners' actions won't be counted against them. He caught a vision of heaven with Jesus Christ giving him a standing ovation for being a hero of faith (Acts 7:55-56, 60).

In Revelation 21:1-7, another prominent leader of the early Church, John the beloved, saw the vision of heaven and narrated what he saw and heard. In heaven, there shall be no more death, sorrow, crying and pain. Having seen all these and heard a great voice out of heaven saying such pleasant things that shall soon come to pass, the Church was determined to lay down their lives for the sake of the Kingdom. As if that was not enough, Jesus Christ in Revelation 21:6-7 said:
"...It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

When a child of God sees a vision of heaven, he will not need much persuasion to do more than he is currently doing in the Kingdom business of soul-winning and holy living. The reason is that it is only those that overcome that shall inherit the beautiful heavenly jerusalem. My life never remained the same ever since I started seeing my heavenly home. This is why I cannot be persuaded to slow down in the Kingdom business. Like Apostle Paul, I am still pressing towards the mark of the high calling of God. What about you?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is nothing you want to become in life that you cannot be, when you leave your life in the hands of the Almighty God. There is nothing you want to achieve in life that you cannot achieve through the help of God. Man is limited; therefore there is a limit to how far he can help you. With God on your side, there is no mountain that cannot become a plain. Coming across a mountain already reveals to you that you need God's support. Most times, when God wants to give you a testimony that will cause men to marvel, He wraps it up in a mountain and presents it to you. At such times, you don't focus on the problem, but on the one who can solve the problem. David did not focus on Goliath and his size, he instead focused on the God of Israel and the rest is history.

Those who put their trust in flesh will never have peace. They are never sure of what will happen to them next. You can live in peace when you know that the Lord is by your side no matter what happens. With God on your side, you can look into your glorious future and walk into it as a victor. There will be battles, but with the Almighty God on your side, you are already a victor. After I became the General Overseer, there were mountains I could never have imagined as plains. There were storms and battles, but in the midst of these events, I enjoyed God's backing because He was the one who called me. This is why I pity those who put their trust in the arm of flesh. The man you are looking at today may be dead tomorrow, but there is a God in Heaven who never dies. The politician you look up to may lose the election tomorrow but there is a God who makes kings. He is the one who pulls one down and lifts the other. If you want to experience a permanent turnaround in your life, you have to cry to the Almighty God concerning that unpleasant situation and you will see help coming your way.

Do you desire to move from being mocked to being celebrated? Then turn to God. Do you want to operate in the miraculous? Turn to God. Have you been ignored and people are trying to push you out of relevance? Cry to God. Have people written you off as 'never can succeed'? Cry to Jesus and you will see God arise to attend to your case. With God on your side, those arms of flesh who told you that without them you won't make it will be the ones to ask you "WHO DID IT?" And you will be able to confidently reply them by saying "JESUS, OH MY GOD, WOW!"
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Because some people do not want to be confronted with the truth of the Word of God, they run from Bible believing churches to places where their atrocities can be allowed and covered. No matter how far you run from the truth, one day, you will be confronted by it. False prophets will never allow you to see the light of the Word of God. The Word of God reveals and when your eyes are opened, you will be able to differentiate between the real and the fake. False prophets will never deliver the mind of God to their followers because they are false. Their messages are in various colours and they use numerous ways to manipulate their victims. This is why Jesus Christ has admonished us to be watchful and careful of false prophets who are wolves, but hide in sheep's clothing. When they want to penetrate the life of anyone, they begin to tell you of your past in accurate details. You need to be sensitive in the spirit to know what is in their hearts. There are many innocent children of God who have given false prophets access into their lives. Unfortunately, some of them never recover from the damage done to them.

A true prophet of God will not play god in your life. A true prophet will do all within his calling to help you receive God first before you begin to talk of receiving His blessings. For you not to be a prey to false prophets, you have to be cautious and spirit minded, this is the only way to identify 'pastors' relating with you on the basis of what they want to get out of your life. False prophets will not ordinarily leave you until they have completed their mission of stealing your treasures, killing your investments and destroying your glorious destiny through manipulation and deceits from the pit of hell. It is important to note that the 21st century false prophets are not just those people you see in long white apparels and dreadlocks. The false prophets of the present age are now more refined and sophisticated. They now wear Italian suits and speak Queen's English, but deep inside of them, they are like a sepulchre.

Not all who introduce themselves to you as ministers are genuine ministers. You have to look beyond the titles and the influence they wield. You should check the kind of fruits they bear in the journey of the faith they profess.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Making it to heaven isn't an easy thing to achieve. It takes a firm decision to make it there irrespective of what others may be doing. Those engaged in self-righteousness, laziness and hypocrisy will not find a place in heaven. There are many people who are heading for destruction because they refuse to obey the commandment of the Almighty God. They do just what they want, but on the last day, the judgement of God will not spare them because nobody can escape that day. This is why you have to be serious with your Christian walk. Confessing that Christ is our Lord is not sufficient to earn us a place in the kingdom of God. Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:10 said:
"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death".

There is a higher expectation from those who will make it to the Kingdom of God, and this is why we need to understand that we need the help of the Almighty God. Jesus said there are people who profess Him as Lord everywhere they go, but not all of them will make it to His Kingdom. Are you a Pastor, Evangelist, Teacher, Apostle or an intercessor? All these are not sufficient to make one enter into the Kingdom. In other words, you can have all these titles and still miss the narrow way if your life is not in line with the pattern of Christ.
Are you still living your life as a natural man? If yes, you cannot go through the narrow way. The natural man will have to be redeemed through the Blood of Jesus before he can access the narrow way. Those who are not living their lives in accordance to the dictate of God cannot make it through the narrow way. Those who are still slaves to sin are far from the narrow way. The way to eternal life is for those who are redeemed through the Blood of the Lamb and have crucified their flesh. They have become alive to the realm of the spirit. The narrow way is for those who are walking in the spirit and are no longer fulfilling the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). You have to make up your mind to be free from every bondage of sin and condemnation of the devil. Your life will have to be directed by the Holy Spirit, so that you are no longer ruled by your natural desires. Only those who manifest the fruits of the Spirit in their lives will be able to go through the narrow way. If any of the fruits is absent in your life, there is an urgent need to do a self-appraisal before it becomes too late. The narrow gate is for those who know Christ and have lived their lives for Him. If your life is not conforming to the purpose for which He died, then you have to run to the cross for salvation.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In John 17:9-12, Jesus explained that those that the Father gave to Him have been safely kept and there was none that was missing except the son of perdition. Children of perdition are those who revolt against the teachings and guidance of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ kept the disciples in the faith and His labour over them was not in vain. Today, we see the evidences of that investment through the spread of the gospel from one nation to another. This is possible because of the labour of the Apostles who were first commissioned to spread this good news.
When you follow Jesus through and through, He will keep you from falling into the persecution of your enemies. They will try all their best to trap you, but the Almighty God will always deliver you from their traps. One truth we must always remember is that we are weak and we cannot keep ourselves. This is why it is very important to be a partner with Jesus. Once you leave your life in His care, you can be sure that your blessing is guaranteed in Him. The Almighty God will keep you in Jesus' name.
There are sons of perdition that will refuse to be kept by Jesus Christ. They will always intentionally disobey the instructions of the father. They are usually referred to as rebellious children who will not allow their lives to be governed by the truth in the Word of God. When a person who has been in God decides to forget his creator and also refuses the assembly of the brethren, such a person is already lost. It is not good for one to be left alone. Demas was left alone because he had given his heart to the world. Lot's wife looked back and she became forgotten. The sons of Eli did not fulfil their destiny despite the fact that they had all the opportunities to succeed in life. Children of perdition are those who have not said goodbye to sin. They are still living in sin and sin is a destroyer not a builder. Sin separates people from the blessings of God; it does not attract them to the place of God. At salvation, God comes inside of you and turns your journey towards perdition to the path of eternal life. This means that you and God are on the same page, and you are running away from those things that will affect His relationship with you. If you resist His will, you will not be a partaker of His glory. This is why you have to leave behind all those things hindering you from serving God and surrender all to Him. Judgement is coming; to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Tomorrow may be too late. God rewards those who allow their lives to be guided by Him with pleasant blessings and assurances of security. Those who refuse the government of Jesus have already exposed themselves to the wickedness of this world. You will not miss it in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are several challenges that will confront us as we progress in the journey of faith, but none of them will dominate us. As a child of God, when you pass through the fire, the mighty man in battle has promised that it will not burn you. At one point or the other, your faith will be tried; your love for God will be tested. There will be persecutions of all kinds. Because of your belief in Christ, people will say all kinds of things against you. There will be false accusations despite your level of commitment to your assignment. No matter how good your intentions may be, sometimes, they may be spoken of in an evil way. Many times these tribulations, trials and persecutions will come from quarters you least expect. You should not be bothered because the same people who hailed the triumphant entry of Jesus were the same people, who said to Pilate, crucify him. Have you been persecuted because of your faith and your holy living? I congratulate you, because you are fulfilling your part of the Christian calling. You have to know that the hostility of the world against believers in Christ Jesus is a transferred hostility. We are not the first set of people to be hated; the world hates us because they hated Jesus Christ. Despite the innocence of the young shepherd boy, king Saul attempted to kill him several times. You need to know that even in the household of faith, there are king Sauls. They are ready to kill you, not because you have committed any crime, but because they are uncomfortable with your standard of righteous living. On several occasions, Jesus Christ, before his final persecution on earth, was persecuted by the people listening to Him in the synagogue. They did not like the way He was preaching with so much authority. And they always rose up against His good acts. What should you do in times of trials, tribulations and persecutions? You must rejoice in the Lord. When Paul was going through persecution, rather than murmur and complain, he fellowshipped. No wonder he could say:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or unclothedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."
Romans 8:35, 37

He said this despite the fact that he was beaten with rods, he was stoned, he suffered a shipwreck, and he was kept in the deep prisons. He suffered in the hands of robbers as well as in the hands of his countrymen. False brethren also surrounded him. There were times when situations and circumstances of weariness, hunger, unclothedness and the cares of his missionary obligation threatened to discourage him, yet he finished well. You will finish well in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God is the only one who has the final say over your life; He will never permit any unpleasant situation to have a final say in your life nor allow your life to be at the mercy of people. He decides what happens to you at every given point in time because He is the Alpha and the Omega. If anybody ever tells you it is over, I congratulate you, because God is about to open a new chapter in your life that will amaze the world. Does your case seem hopeless like that of Lazarus? I prophecy into your life; you are the next in line for a miracle. Have you been married for all these years and you have no child? Welcome to your morning of fruitfulness. Simon Peter was a professional fisherman, he knew when the fishes would be in the river and he went with the right equipment, yet he struggled all night without a breakthrough. You have satisfied all requirements for that position, yet there is no positive response, I decree a supernatural lifting of every embargo placed upon your breakthrough in Jesus' name.

Believing what God says about the condition we are going through is very vital to our walk as Christians. When we believe the Word of God, we are expressing our confidence and trust in His divine attribute. There is nothing beyond Him. Martha had already given up on Lazarus. According to her, Jesus' coming was unnecessary because the situation had gone past what He could do anything about. She consoled herself with the fact that on the day of resurrection, she would see her brother again, but she did not recognise that the resurrection is not a period but a person. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. This is why you cannot afford to continue in sin. If you want to activate the glory of God in your life, you have to know Him.

To activate the glory of God, you must have faith in His Word. Faith is an act that produces an evidence of His glory. Faith is what gives meaning to your calling as a child of God. You need faith to do exploit in life. You need faith to win all the battles of life. In the atmosphere of faith, nothing is impossible for you. God dwells in the realm of the supernatural and anyone who will be able to access His glory must operate beyond the normal realm. If we take the Word of Jesus Christ and rely absolutely on His power and faithfulness, we shall see a daily occurrence of the glory of God in all our ways.

You must learn to always look beyond the grave and lift your eyes to God Almighty. Overlook all the reports, conditions, difficulties and obstacles. Lift up your eyes to the Lord in prayer, in praise, in worship and in fasting, and you will be surprised at what the Lord will do. There is no solution elsewhere; the real glory is in Christ Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God is against His children repaying evil to those who have done them evil. It is not the place of any genuine child of God to seek revenge.
"Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that you should inherit a blessing"
1 Peter 3:9

No one can avenge like God. This is why I don't worry myself about my enemies, I just report them to my father and I leave the rest to Him. When God fights your enemy, even you who was hurt will begin to pity them. This is because there is no one that can stand the anger of the Almighty God. Anytime you are trying to revenge, you are already playing God and the consequence is unbearable. Society may tell you to do otherwise. Reasoning may tell you to repay evil in return for the wrong done to you, but the scripture demands that you act differently. You are an ambassador of Christ, you are a peace maker, and you must do everything to prove that. In the world, people are taught to seek revenge, but the opposite is expected from children of God. We should hand over those who have hurt us to God. Moses handed over the rebels to God. Joseph handed over his elder brothers to God. Job forgave his accusers and left them to their conscience.
It is even possible that some people within your team will for no just reason antagonise all your actions and intents. They may show you so much hatred and make every move to work against the plan of God for your life. Some will harbour hatred just because the Lord is prospering you. Some may wish you bad, and go to the extent of including such wishes in their prayer points. But you must not fight for yourself; just allow them to face the great Avenger. We must be harmless and inoffensive so that we don't give people reasons to quarrel with us. We must labour to preserve peace. The world hated Christ without a cause, yet he died for them. When they brought Him before Pontius Pilate, they could not find any blame against Him, yet they demanded that He must be crucified. This is the same Jesus who chose to love an unloving world. He died for us while we were yet sinners. He is called the Judge of Israel (Micah 5:1). If He takes over your case, your enemies are in serious trouble. If He decides to advocate on your behalf, there can never be any appeal against His verdict. When He decides to be your witness, you can be sure that He will put all of them to shame. Is anybody troubling your peace in your home, office, neighbourhood, school, the Almighty God will put them where they belong in Jesus' name. No matter what the enemy does, your prosperity, progress, provision and security is guaranteed in Him. The enemy that has lifted himself against you and all the voices that are fighting against your glorious destiny shall be truncated in Jesus' name. The Lord will show up for you and take over all the battles of your life, and you can be sure that victory is yours. The most important thing is to stay on the Lord's side.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the category of the early Apostles, Apostle Paul could be called a latecomer. He was not privileged to be among the direct disciples of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, this latecomer did more exploit than all the Apostles that were before him. By the time he was through with his period of preparation, the handkerchief of Paul was already performing wonders. It is not how early you begin that matters, but your level of commitment, determination and the amount of sacrifice you make for God. Apostle Paul made a rugged determination to forget his societal status, he left his profession because he knew that time was not on his side. It is not great events that make great people, but great decisions. Apostle Paul decided to count all his gains as loss for the sake of Christ. He abandoned all the self-glory and carried his cross and followed Jesus. The reason why many people have not been able to manifest the way God expects them to is that they are not ready to burn the bridges behind them.

To become a divine champion, you must make a rugged determination to set your priorities in order. While others are wasting their time with frivolities, you must invest your time in personal spiritual development. The future belongs to those who prepare for it. You have to set your mind on certain things you want to see happen in your life. Apostle Paul pursued his goals relentlessly and nothing ever distracted him from the ultimate picture. There are many people who are far from their miracles because they have refused to let go. There is nothing I left for the sake of the ministry that God has not compensated me for with something much better. You have to make up your mind to forget those average goals and press forward for greater exploits in life. I made up my mind a very long time ago that I would not be an ordinary person. The choice is yours, to be or not to be? I have made up my mind that I will be God's choice forever. This is why I cannot take the grace of God upon my life for granted, because I know that the moment you remove God from my life, there will be nothing left. You must make up your mind that your priorities will be set right. Crave excellence and don't settle for less. Be a standard for the world to behold in holiness and righteousness. Make up your mind that no matter what the cost is, you will pay it to be God's favourite.

One thing you can be sure of is that nobody ever gives up something for Christ and not be rewarded here on earth with the assurance of eternity. There is nothing in this world that can ever be measured with the salvation that comes through Jesus. In comparison, there is no basis for comparing the worth of this world to the reward of eternal life. The glory of God that would be revealed to us is far beyond any possible acquisition by the works of man.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The fight against the devil is a fight that you must win. You must make a deliberate decision to keep the devil out of your life. There is nothing good that can come from him.
"The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly."

Jesus stated categorically here that both Himself and the devil have clear missions. Anyone who is not saved through Jesus is already a victim of the activities and works of the devil. There are many people who have accepted defeat from the devil; they see themselves as being unable to do anything about the activities of the devil in their lives. The seed of Christ enables you to overcome the devil in every aspect of life, but you must be on guard against the devil's activities in your lives. Thieves are always after treasures, they bother themselves with things that are valuable and this is why you must keep your life and guard it away from the devil.

Those who think they are enjoying what the devil has to offer are only deceiving themselves. The devil has nothing good to offer. The devil is a thief who comes with the evil intent to steal, kill and destroy. Majorly, he wants to steal the heart and affections of people for God. Deception is the devil's greatest tool, he is a strategist in deceiving people, this is why the Bible tells us to
"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil"
Ephesians 6:11.

It is only in Jesus Christ that you can experience true riches and enjoy the fullness of living. It is only in Christ that there are blessings that have no link to sorrow. Those who do not allow Jesus to have a say in their lives are only destroying themselves, because the devil will put them in total bondage. Those who know the voice of God will follow Him because He will speak peace into all their storms. He will set those that are in captivity free.

The Christian's number one treasure is salvation. The salvation of your soul is worth more than all the wealth in the world. Jesus teaches us that nothing can be as valuable as the soul and nothing is worth being replaced with your soul. The devil is after the salvation of our souls because thieves are only after treasures. The devil would do anything within his power to make us loose our salvation. The challenge is to keep our salvation even if we loose everything else.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Those who are born of God do not commit sin because the seed of God is in them. The moment a person becomes born-again, sin becomes distasteful to such an individual. The moment a person comes in contact with Jesus; he becomes a new creature. There is no amount of morality and self-righteousness that can declare one a saint, this can be done only through the help of Jesus Christ, because until there is a shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. The primary reason why Jesus came to the earth is simply to deliver people from sin. The moment sin is removed, there will be a great relationship with God. It is sin that takes us far from God.
Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and we see this in the life of the woman caught in the act of adultery. There was something Jesus saw that others didn't see. Jesus saw a sinner afflicted with the works of the devil. Jesus knew that the moment a woman like that comes to the knowledge of the Truth, she would be free from condemnation. Right there, the grace of God found her and she went and sinned no more. There are many honourable things to gain from living a holy life. 2 Timothy 2:19 says:
"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his, and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity".

The moment a person departs from the life of sin and turns to the path of holiness, he becomes a vessel unto the Most High God. The life of such a person becomes honourable. There are many people who claim to be Christians today but are living in sin. A genuine Christian must keep sin at a distance, live a life of good works through Jesus Christ and be a vessel that is clean both within and without.
Jesus showed the Pharisees their hypocrisy with respect to the case of the woman caught in adultery. They accused Jesus of breaking the law. They wanted to trap Jesus through her case, only to be caught in their own trap. They vanished one after the other by the time Jesus showed them the motives of their actions. This is why you must come to Jesus, no matter how terrible you feel you might have fallen. You cannot fall below His grace.
"But God demonstrated his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"
Romans 5:8

There is a sure reward for those who forsake the path of sin and choose the path of righteousness. Righteousness will exalt you, but sin will always bring reproach.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the Kingdom of God, there is no room for impossibility. Impossibilities only exist in the realm of the physical. As far as the dictionary of heaven is concerned, everything is possible.
"For with God nothing shall be impossible"
Luke 1:37

It doesn't matter how hopeless a situation can be, there is hope in Jesus. Without miracles, signs and wonders, there will never be any credibility to the Christian life. In the realm of the miraculous, events that are contrary to natural laws can take place. This is because the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are miracles. But, to operate in the miraculous, you need to first find your identity in Christ Jesus. Your newness in Christ Jesus will give you access to His divinity so that you can call those things that be not as though they are. However, there are certain things that trigger the occurrence of signs and wonders in a person's life. An understanding of the position of a child of God in the scheme of things will determine how much possibility such a person can command. There are so many wonders that happen when the Name of Jesus is called in righteousness. That Name is enough to silence everything that God has not planted in your life. That Name commands immediate results. There is a release of miracles once the Name is called in Spirit and in truth.
When the irreversible becomes reversible, then the miraculous is at work as we find in the case of Ezekiel and his encounter with the dry bones. I decree into the life of someone reading this devotional; you are the next in line for a miracle in your family. In Genesis 1:3, "God said let there be light" and immediately there was light. Whenever God is present, you can expect miraculous happenings. What is that problem that you are presently facing? By the power of God, it shall be resolved now in Jesus' name.
Doubts and unbelief are the opposites of the miraculous. When we don't believe what God is saying concerning any situation, it becomes impossible to receive what God has promised at such times, but if you constantly walk in faith, it will make your testimonies a reference point. Worship is also a catalyst for the miraculous. Every time you get to that point where you forget about your problems and you worship His Person, knowing well that His Person and Power is greater than your problem, you can be sure that your miracle is on its way. Also, when you enforce the Name of Jesus on any situation, you can be sure that the condition will change for the better. At the mention of His name, yokes are destroyed, oppositions naturally give way and long endured problems become a thing of the past. God's presence in your life is a guarantee for a continuous flow of signs and wonders. If you keep His presence, you will live a life of continuous victory and celebration.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God, in His Word, states that everyone who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. The experience of persecution is part of our heritage as believers in Christ Jesus. The world will treat you in a cruel manner simply because of your faith. They will do many things to hurt you simply because you have chosen to live righteous. There are a lot of prices to pay for being a disciple of Jesus Christ, however, the benefits of following Christ far outweighs its cost. If you truly serve God the way you should, the world will persecute you. That is why I pity those people who live amiably with all and sundry. If you are a genuine believer and the world speaks so well of you and loves you so much, you have to be careful.
"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps"
1 Peter 2:21

Following the footsteps of Jesus may involve sufferings of all kinds. There are many people who say they are called into ministry, and they want to start the ministry by having all the comforts of life. They want offices that are fully air-conditioned; they want official cars, a place where their needs can be regularly guaranteed. Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having all these, but it should not become a condition for our response to the calling of God upon our lives. Nobody who is really devoted to serving the Lord will escape the kind of persecutions that people like David, Jeremiah, Daniel, Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego went through. David was persecuted because he killed a giant that Saul was unable to handle. Jeremiah was beaten and cast into prison because he declared the absolute Word of God to a sinful generation. Preaching the truth will always attract persecution, but you can be sure that the blood of those you told the truth will not be demanded from you. Daniel faced a lot of problems simply because he distinguished himself among the governors. Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego were cast into the burning furnace simply because they refused to compromise and bow to other gods.
"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us"
Romans 8:37

This portion of the scripture tells us that there is no amount of pressure from the pit of hell that can take us away from the love of God. David was a conqueror because God did not stop with him until he got to the throne. Daniel was a conqueror because no king ever served in his life time without having to recourse with him. The same Hebrew boys that were cast into the fiery furnace were the same boys whose God was declared the only One whom the whole nation must worship. The Lord commands us to rejoice when we go through trials in life, because great is our reward. People may say all kinds of evil against you. They may hate you. They may decide not to involve you in any beneficial thing, just to put you off. Do not fret, because you will laugh last.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Luke 9:57-62, some of those who were invited by Jesus could not come because they had excuses. On that day, when we shall all stand before the Almighty God, there will no longer be any excuses. Anyone who desires to please God and withstand the storms of life must not allow anything to hinder him from making it to the Kingdom. There are many people who started well but didn't end well because of the distractions of life. There are many things people do, which unknown to them, enslaves them to the devil. Demas forsook the faith because of his love for the world. Are you also forsaking God for riches? If others are deceived, you must not allow yourself to be a victim. This is why I always emphasise the fact that who or what you follow determines what follows you.

It is very obvious that Demas, who started well, missed it down the line because he did not set his priorities right. He totally abandoned the missionary support of Apostle Paul and became engrossed with the business of this world. This business consumed the thinking of Demas to the point that he was no longer relevant in the business of the Kingdom. While others continued with Paul on evangelistic responsibilities, Demas went back to the world. This will not be your lot in Jesus' name. In the world today, innumerable people are allowing the love of money to capture their hearts; they have wandered away from the Presence of God. Money is temporal and not eternal, money cannot buy joy; it cannot buy the peace of God. It is only the blessing of the Almighty God that makes one rich without any sorrow added to it. The desire to satisfy the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is what is deceiving many. Some people are always concerned about what they don't have and what God has not done. There is no better life outside Jesus Christ. What is that thing that you value over and above your salvation? It is the plan and purpose of God that you focus on Him for all your needs. No matter how much energy you put into the pursuance of the mundane things of this world, they are not enough to make you blessed. It is the blessing and joy of the Lord that makes one to be at peace.

Beloved, you have to call yourself to order, you have to make a commitment to focus on Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. Anyone who seeks to be a genuine follower of Jesus Christ must be willing to deny himself and live above the ephemerals of this present world. If you will pursue God, money and all that money cannot buy would pursue you. If you don't forsake Him, His goodness and mercy will follow you daily.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Love is the foundation upon which relationships are built. If your life will please God, then love is one action you must always practice. One of the basic principles of love is showing care for others. If you say you love, and you don't show how much you care, your love isn't genuine. Brotherly love should not only be restricted to the household of Christ, you must extend love beyond those you personally know. You need to show care to strangers too. At every given point in time, you must help those you come across to the best of your ability. When it becomes necessary, you must go the extra mile to show love to people, regardless of whether they deserve it or not. The very heart cry of Jesus is that we continue in love because we are partakers of His divine nature. Jesus Christ demonstrated the sacrificial love of giving himself for the benefit of those who did not deserve His love. Luke 10:30-37 gives a clear picture of the kind of love that must not be mentioned among believers - the lip service kind of love, 'missing in time of need' kind of love et cetera.

Love is a divine nature and since we have the mind of Christ, the love of Christ should be shared among us. When a person is driven by love, he will find it easy to apply the love of God in his behaviour towards others within his environment and also those outside his environment. There are people who claim to love Jesus, but they hate everyone around them. They suspect everyone around them; this is not the nature of Christ. The love of God will not make you condemn others or judge them. Jesus wants us to love our neighbours; that person next door, that staff in your office, that sinner on the way, that child with no one to run to, that widow who does not know where the next meal is coming from. Criticism and condemnation is not a reflection of the mind of Christ, strife and division among brethren is not the nature of Christ, but of the devil. Love will always attract a beautiful attitude.

Love was one of the hallmarks of the early apostles; they did everything in the spirit of love. The early church loved each other so much that everybody's needs were met. When there is love, there will be an elimination of jealousy and envy, whatever you do will be done in the best interest of others. When in love, we will no longer focus on just thinking about ourselves, but about the good of the other fellow. You must always have the desire to help people and add value to the lives of those around you. In 1 Samuel 18:1-4, the scripture tells us about the relationship that existed between Jonathan and David. Jonathan loved David the same way he loved himself. Jonathan made out time to meet the needs of David, he never bothered about himself. He just wanted to do what was right for the relationship; he was all out for the protection of David. Where there is love, there will be trust. Where there is trust, there will be growth. Love will bring commitment to the common good of all.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Love is a divine nature and since we have the mind of Christ, the love of Christ should be shared among us. When a person is driven by love, he will find it easy to apply the love of God in his behaviour towards others within his environment and also those outside his environment. There are people who claim to love Jesus, but they hate everyone around them. They suspect everyone around them; this is not the nature of Christ. The love of God will not make you condemn others or judge them. Jesus wants us to love our neighbours; that person next door, that staff in your office, that sinner on the way, that child with no one to run to, that widow who does not know where the next meal is coming from. Criticism and condemnation is not a reflection of the mind of Christ, strife and division among brethren is not the nature of Christ, but of the devil. Love will always attract a beautiful attitude.

Love was one of the hallmarks of the early apostles; they did everything in the spirit of love. The early church loved each other so much that everybody's needs were met. When there is love, there will be an elimination of jealousy and envy, whatever you do will be done in the best interest of others. When in love, we will no longer focus on just thinking about ourselves, but about the good of the other fellow. You must always have the desire to help people and add value to the lives of those around you. In 1 Samuel 18:1-4, the scripture tells us about the relationship that existed between Jonathan and David. Jonathan loved David the same way he loved himself. Jonathan made out time to meet the needs of David, he never bothered about himself. He just wanted to do what was right for the relationship; he was all out for the protection of David. Where there is love, there will be trust. Where there is trust, there will be growth. Love will bring commitment to the common good of all.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are dangerous traps of the devil set to derail people from inheriting their possessions in Christ Jesus. There are many people who have been deceived and enslaved in falsehood because they were not sensitive. This is why Jesus warned that if care is not taken, even the very elect will fall for the deceits of the devil. By all standards, lies are the devil's greatest weapons with which he enslaves people into falsehood. A lie is anything other than the absolute truth. The first man and woman to exist on the earth were victims of lies when the devil intentionally misinterpreted the instructions that God gave them to keep. It is upon this that the Bible tells us to be as wise as serpents, because the devil will always try to prove to the children of God how 'unreasonale' the commandments of God are. You have to make up your mind to obey God rather than question simple instructions that are intended to make you happy and give you rest. The devil will also make efforts to question the reputation of God. Some teachers have taught that one can continue in sin since grace abounds. False teachers will tell you to live your life as you deem fit because there is liberty in Christ. These are all lies of the devil; those who fall for them will always have woeful experiences. The scripture tells us not only to hate lies but to keep the utmost distance from it because those who engage in lies are abominable in the sight of God.

We need to be men and women who delight in the truths of God in all matters. The problem with human beings is that we always do not appreciate the truth when we find it. There are people who prefer to seek counsel from people that will destroy them through wrong counsels. Some people know that there is nothing biblical about their church, yet they remain in such places.

There are various wolves in sheep clothing parading themselves as true prophets sent by God, but if you allow the Lord to open your eyes, you will see clearly who they are. Many people have suffered untold damages in the hands of these fake prophets; this is why you need to be watchful. If you are a liar, or you are engaged in anything fraudulent, you need to stop it before the wrath of God comes upon you. If you are living a life that misrepresents the Kingdom of God, you have to quickly amend your ways before it becomes too late. If you give yourself to ungodly living, you will be enslaved by falsehood because you have refused to retain God in your knowledge. Are you under a 'man of God' who is performing miracles, signs and wonders, but whose life does not resemble that of Christ? I will advise that you relocate immediately to where the Truth will find you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are some people who never knew what sickness, failure, poverty or stagnation was until they committed fornication or adultery. Fornication/adultery is a sin that attracts the automatic wrath of God because it involves your Body, Soul and Spirit. Those who secretly engage in the sin of adultery end up being reduced to a piece of bread. Some think that as long as their sins are not found out, they are safe. Ask King David, he will tell you that your sins will always find you out. Fornication and adultery will reduce you to a state of nothingness. Every precious thing in you will shut down permanently, the grace of God upon your life will be automatically removed and you will immediately become exposed to all forms of satanic attack. The cover of the Almighty God is removed and shame and reproach will become a daily occurrence to such a person. It doesn't matter how long you may have spent in building your life, it begins to crash the moment you invite destruction.

A righteous person will be wise enough to avoid the dangers that come with the act of immorality. Joseph understood this and preferred that his garment be torn in the hands of Mrs Potiphar than that his destiny and colourful future be destroyed by a few minutes of pleasure. All those who give excuses about the negative sides of their spouses as an excuse for sleeping around are only being foolish. There is nothing outside that is not already given to you by God through your wife or husband. Don't allow your life to end in shame and disgrace, because that is always the end of those who continue in extra-marital affairs. Stay with the spouse that God has given you and receive your emotional nourishment from that spouse. If you can't find contentment in your marriage, then you can be sure you will never really find it anywhere else.

The plan and purpose of God for marriage is - one man to one woman. There is no perfect man or woman anywhere, you have to work with what/who you have, make lemonade out of your lemons.

You must stay far away from those people who can cause you to sin. This was the case with Samson in the book of Judges. Everywhere Samson went; his focus was always on women, and he lost his life and all he had through a woman. You have to examine yourself to find out if there is any possible channel through which you can become a victim of fornication or adultery. Disconnect yourself from that man or that woman that wants to disconnect you from the place of grace. God is not just holy; He wants us to be partakers of His holiness. It is the holiness of God that secures the grace of God in our lives.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Haters of God are those who put the fear of man over and above the fear of God. They believe more in the inventions of man than in the creation of God. They are those who rely in their vain imagination rather than the absolute truth of God. They prefer to stay away from God and His house because they don't want His truth to locate them. They prefer to use their wisdom to solve their problems rather than find solution in Christ alone. When they are in trouble, the first thing on their minds is running to the wrong places for solution, which eventually compounds their problem.

Looking up to a man when one should trust in God can be a very futile endeavour. Those who put their confidence in man will always end up with frustrating experiences. If you keep to God He will keep you in perfect peace. There are many people who have no experience of what the Peace of God is. May this never be your portion in Jesus' name.

Haters of God allow their hearts to be dominated by impure thoughts. They allow demons to control their hearts, and this is why they find it impossible to experience the Peace of God. You can make up your mind this day to be a lover of God.

Those who hate God will never know the peace of God. Don't allow the power of hell to dominate your life. Every place of activity through which evil ideas come into your life must be avoided. Separate yourself totally from those things separating you from the blessings of God. Keep a distance from those negative connections and influences that lure you into evil including Internet views and impure television programmes. Stop feeding your eyes with lust inducing items and materials. Don't give yourself further to those things that will attract the wrath of God upon your life, things such as masturbation, fornication, incest, rape, same sex relationship, occultism, and pornography. Through the power of God, you can dominate these evil practices that keep you away from the grace of God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are different categories of sorrow; the ungodly sorrow and the godly sorrow. Ungodly sorrow leads to deadly actions that drag it's victims to either temporal or eternal perdition. The Bible says that Cain was sorrowful because his offering was not acceptable by God. That type of sorrow was ungodly because it pushed him to commit a great sin against God. He became the first murderer in the history of man, a deviant one at that. The Almighty God asked him, "Where is Abel thy brother? And he confidently told God that he didn't know where Abel was. Another example of ungodly sorrow is found in Judas Iscariot. The Bible says he actually felt sorry for how the event turned out, but his sorrow was not godly; he only felt bad because his plan to swindle the chief priests failed. He did not think of the injustice of the action in the first place. He would have been happy if Jesus had slipped away from His arresters like He had in John 8:59. No wonder Judas Iscariot ended up killing himself.

On the other hand, godly sorrow is positive. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says:
"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."

When someone realises that he or she is a sinner and knows that the final destination is eternal perdition, if he becomes penitent like David after his encounter with Prophet Nathan, he will be forgiven.

Also, in the story of the people of Nineveh, after Jonah had handed down the coming judgement of God upon the city, they all, from the king to the least, engaged themselves in godly sorrow. The king declared a fast for both humans and animals.
Jonah 3:10 says:
"And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not."

This positive sorrow was found in the Publican Jesus spoke of in Luke 18:10-14, he had godly sorrow void of self-righteousness and in verse 14, Jesus said:
"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other..."
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To be a reprobate is very dangerous for the society and for the Christian faith in particular. The reason is not far-fetched; a reprobate does immoral and unethical things without any sense of guilt or remorse because his or her conscience has been seared with hot iron of defiance. In 2 Corinthians 13:6, Apostel Paul affirmed his confidence in the Corinthian Church premised on the fact that they would do according to the godly instructions he gave them.

The problem of some of the 21sth century believers is the philosophy of relativism which makes them think that an acceptable statement or action in th time of war will also be acceptable in the time of peace. For instance, if you kill while on a battle field, you are valiant and patriotic, however, if you kill in the time of peace, even as a soldier, you will be charged with murder. An extreme case of relativism is when killing in the time of peace is considered the same with killing in the time of war. This is a human error that should not be allowed in the body of Christ because it turns believers into reprobates.

In 2 Corinthians 13:5-8, Apostle Paul admonished the Church at Corinth, and by extension, the church of today to make sure they are still in the faith. He goes further to challenge us to prove that we are carriers of Jesus' image. This is the reason why John, the beloved wrote in 1 John 3:9:
"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

Some people have sold themselves to reprobate minds, and so no number of sermons they hear can change them. They keep saying, "My conscience does not condemn me. "The truth is that a dead conscience cannot condemn, because it is not active.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Having said this, we must also acknowledge the fact that His anger does not last forever. There is a condition though. When you don't take God and His mercies for granted, and you genuinely turn away from your wickedness, He will deal with you as if you have never sinned before. Proverbs 28:13 says:
"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."

When God is angry with an individual, that fellow cannot know joy. Psalms 32:10 says:
"Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about."

Going by this scripture, every man born of a woman is doomed for sorrow until Jesus Christ redeems him from the curse of sin. Our trust in the work of redemption without taking the One who made it possible for granted, will bring unspeakable joy. When our relationship is cordial with God, we can boldly say like the Psalmist; "weeping may endure for a night..." (due to the variable nature of life) "...but joy cometh in the morning."
When I first became General Overseer, anytime I returned from my missionary journeys, my wife would be eager to tell me about all the matters that needed my attention. After listening to them all, I would ask for my food and after the meal I would go to bed. My wife kept on wondering about my attitude. I had to explain to her the fact that joy will come in the morning because I was leaving everything to God while I sleep. Faithful is He who has promised us joy in the morning; it shall surely come.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Children of God are to decide wisely what they want to do with their relationship with Him. Jesus, in Luke 14:27 said;
"And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple."

A Cross is a symbol of responsibility, to say the least. It is a pointer to the fact that the path of discipleship is rugged and demanding. It demands a high level of determination to follow without looking back when faced with sufferings and temptations. This is why Jesus said in Luke 9:62; "...No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

The cost of discipleship is also found in the blessed call of Jesus Christ in Matthew 11:28-39:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

It is costly to follow Jesus Christ for many reasons. Firstly, He has a yoke and whoever wants to follow Him must bear that yoke with Him. An example of this yoke is found in John 4:34 where Jesus said; "...My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." whoever fails to share this burden with Jesus cannot be His disciple. Secondly, the one who wants to be a disciple of Christ must learn of Him, he must pattern his life after Christ's life and one major way to pattern one's life after Jesus Christ is to be meek and lowly in heart.
Philippians 2:5-8 says:
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

Beloved, you have to know that discipleship has its price, but it is highly rewarding. Jesus Christ said, "...and ye shall find rest unto your souls." (Matthew 11:29).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To know what you live for, you need to consult the Holy Scriptures and this is what we shall briefly do in today's reading. The Bible says:
"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."
Revelation 4:11

The unfortunate thing about life is that, people live as if they own their lives. Our Lord Jesus Christ told us the story of a certain rich man who in one year had so much money that he started boasting of many years of enjoyment. While he was ranting and boasting, God said to him:
"...Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
Luke 12:20-21

Beloved, we are expected to live for God the Father, through Jesus Christ the Son. We are not supposed to live for ourselves anymore, because we have been bought with a price. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ admonished us as peculiar people to show forth the praises of Him (Jesus) who hath called us out of darkness into His marvellous light. (1 Peter 2:9). Moreover, Paul, another apostle corroborated this when he wrote:
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
Galatians 2:20

The apostle further wrote that, after we have given our lives to Christ, we should live a new life as becoming the saints. We should put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

This is the only way we can live for God and not for ourselves. May the Lord grant us the grace to live acceptably before Him in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The relationship between God and his human creatures could be likened to the relationship between a husband and his wife. God, who instituted marriage, patterned the relationship in marriage after His relationship with His people. This is why spiritual adultery is severely punished from time to time in the history of man and his interaction with his Maker.
"And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim... And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies."
Judges 2:11, 13-14

God is jealous, like a man could be jealous over the relationship of his wife with another man, when his human creatures follow other gods besides Him (Exodus 20:5). The spiritual adultery which the children of Israel committed is vividly illustrated in the relationship between Hosea and Gomer his professional harlot-turned wife. The patience of Hosea with Gomer who was always going back to her whoredom like a dog that goes back to its vomit also illustrates God's patience with His people who court with the people of the world. The bond becomes stronger when someone at the altar of repentance, betroths himself or herself to Jesus Christ, the original Bridegroom. The Bible says:
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If a man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
1 John 2:15

Our Lord Jesus Christ also said that our love cannot be possibly shared between God and ephemeral things of this world. He said:
"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
Luke 16:13

Serving God and mammon is spiritual adultery, punishable by rejection and shame. The Bible says:
"Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts. Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst."
Hosea 2:2-3

Beloved, beware of spiritual adultery. Stick to Jesus Christ, the Lover of your soul and He will do you good.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The parables of Jesus sometimes were directed to the multitude and at some other times are directed to the disciples in particular. The parable of Jesus in Luke 19:13 was directed to the disciples who were being prepared for the great commission (Mark 16:15-16). They were being told to occupy till He comes.

Sometimes we think the word "occupy" means "keep yourself busy" alone; it means more than that. We must not keep ourselves busy doing nothing substantial. To understand the import of Christ's command in Luke 19:13 we must take a look at Joshua 13:1-6. The Lord gave a not too good assessment of the journey to the Promised Land under Joshua, which should be a food for thought for the Church of the 21st century.
"Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed."
Joshua 13:1

One lesson we must quickly learn from the above scripture is that Joshua was now old and there was no more strength and energy to lead the battle against the inhabitants of the land which God had given to them. They failed to occupy the Promised Land. In the same vein, when Jesus Christ told His disciples (and us by extension), to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature, He was actually saying that we should go and occupy the land for Him and the Kingdom of His Father. It is beyond keeping ourselves busy just for its sake. The question now is, "Are we really occupying while we await His second coming?" Another food for thought is, in our evangelistic and missionary efforts, can we say we are occupying both the geographical and spiritual landscape and atmosphere of the world? What can we show for all the money spent on missions and evangelistic efforts? Have we taken a break in our efforts to occupy the nooks and crannies of world kingdoms like the disciples of old? We must remember that our mandate is to make disciples of all nations.

Beloved, we must not lose grounds any more. As a matter of fact, the grounds we have lost to the enemy must be taken back. Like David encouraged himself in the Lord after the raid of his barrack at Ziklag, we must summon courage to go after the enemy and recover back the Kingdoms that once belonged to the Church. The Cathedrals that have been turned to bars must be bought back for the worship of the Kings of kings and the Lord of lords. Christian nations that have turned secular must be revived and brought back to the light of the gospel of the Son of the Living God. May the Lord help us in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is tremendous power in a touch. It may be positive or negative as there are categories and types of touches. Naaman knew the power in a touch, especially from representatives of God and said with a sense of disappointment when Elisha did not come out to touch him when he went to Samaria:
"...Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper."
2 Kings 5:11

A touch can bring death as in the case of Uzzah in the book of Samuel:
"And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God."
2 Samuel 6:6-7

During one of our Conventions at the Redemption Camp in Nigeria, the Lord asked me to lay out a piece of cloth for people to touch by faith and receive their healing with a warning that it should simply be touched and not held. A man went ahead to touch (I will say without faith) because he also grabbed the cloth. It took special grace and forgiveness of God for him not to die the moment he touched outside of faith; his entire body began to shake uncontrollably from morning till evening. It would have been a touch of death but for God's intervention.
Another touch can bring healing as in the case of the woman with the issue of blood in Matthew 9:21:
"For she said within herself, if I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole."

This is the touch of faith. The touch of faith can work for the one who touches and for the touched. In the same chapter of Matthew's gospel, Jesus Christ was met by two blind men who were crying for mercy of healing. When Jesus found out that these men had faith to receive divine touches for healing, the Bible says:
"Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, see that no man know it."
Matthew 9:29-30

The touch of faith is required anytime you need a miracle. I pray for someone reading this devotional; the Lord will touch you for healing and deliverance today, and you will have testimony in Jesus' name. I also pray that whatever you touch by faith today will prosper in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Lord in many pages of the Bible warns against the lust of this material world. We are enjoined to set our affections on heavenly things, so that we may not be drawn into the perdition of covetousness. Jesus Christ in Mark 8:36 asks:
"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"

Also in Revelation 3:14-19, our Lord accused the Church in Laodicea of lukewarmness. They were neither hot nor cold. What could have been responsible for this spiritual state of the Church in Laodicea? They were carried away by their physical and material prosperity. Service became funfair and the clergy became time-serving.
"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."
Revelation 3:17

We must learn from the experience of the Loadicean Church, that material prosperity could be very dangerous if not properly managed by children of God. A man finds it easy to keep vigils in his mosquito or bug infested room, since mosquito or bug bites will not allow him to sleep anyway. However, the moment his situation changes for the better: He now owns a decent apartment with maximum comfort; it becomes difficult to pray at night. Also, when a man does not have enough food to eat, fasting may be easy, because he can only afford to eat once daily anyway. Those born with silver spoons or living in the developed world may find such situations unbelievable, but this was my experience in my trying days, when my regular meal was just one finger of plantain a day. In those days, I dared not eat two fingers of plantain, or else I will have to fast the following day. It takes the grace of God and strong determination to fast when your storehouse is full of assorted foods. King Solomon made a prayer request that we should consider:
"Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die. Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain."
Proverbs 30:7-9

God called on Adam after he had sold himself to Satan and fallen for the three main temptations in history; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life. In response, he said he was hiding because he had realised that he was naked. He was right. Riches without God is unclothedness in the spirit. Beloved, don't be deceived, only Jesus Christ can satisfy, nothing and no one else can.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Another exciting thing about the Almighty God is that He is the most generous employer of labour. He pays the best wages in history. This is the reason Apostle Paul admonishes us in 1 Corinthians 15:58 to always abound in the work of the Lord because He will definitely pay us wages beyond our imagination. The disciples asked Jesus Christ what they should do that they might work the works of God? He answered them: "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6:28-29). You may not appreciate the ability to believe that the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon you, until you discover the outcome of those who died as a result of unbelief (Hebrews 3:12-19). God celebrates those who exercise faith in Him; this is why without faith we cannot please Him (Hebrews 11:6). In the message of Jesus Christ to the Church in Philadelphia, it is written:
"I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou has a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name."
Revelation 3:8

One serious point to note is that there are many practical unbelievers in Christ, playing empty religion. They do not believe in the Name of Jesus Christ and He knows their works! How do we explain this? The Bible says that He shall be called Jesus because He shall save His people from their sins. This category of church goers do not believe that through His Name we can receive deliverance from sins. They deny the possibility of living above the power of sin, and so their slogan is "let us sin the more that we may enjoy the grace the more". Against this background Apostle Paul worte:
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"
Romans 6:1-2

Beloved, in the light of these, do you believe in the saving name of Jesus? Are you ready to keep His Word? He has promised that the agents of Satan shall not do you any harm. Rather, they would bow before you and acknowledge the fact that you are a beloved of the Lord. He promised:
"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."
Revelation 3:10.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.