₦airaland Forum

God is a God of time and purpose. There is no lateness with God and in His own time, He does as He pleases and makes everything beautiful. There are many things you will never access from God until you have an understanding of the principles of timing. To have testimonies that will stand the test of time, you must learn to wait upon God in patience and perfect obedience. Unfortunately, many people are not willing to wait for God. In their own wisdom they believe God's time comes too late, so they go about 'quickening' things up. We live in a world where people want to be announced before their set time. They want quick fame and glory. They get carried away with the glories of others without asking about their stories. When things do not work out at the time they want, they begin to cut corners, unfortunately, every time they cut corners, they short-change themselves.

One of my sons said that "proper preparation prevents poor performance". This is true because God will only reward those who wait and prepare for His appointed time. It doesn't matter how fast others are travelling, just ensure you are in the will of God and all those you think have gone ahead of you will soon ask for the secret of your stability. There is the need to contentedly believe that God has everything under His control. In life, God has established seasons by which we will experience different phases. In the plan and timetable of God, there is a season to rejoice over things that are good and there is a time to identify with those who are experiencing joy. Never allow your own times of doing things be set at variance with God's time.

The truth remains that no matter how far you think you can strategize, you can never have anything better than what God has in store for you. There are many people who are presently looking in the wrong direction, when God brings their blessings, they will miss the opportunity. Elisha never allowed the voice of the 50 sons of the prophet to distract him from God's timing and purpose. There were several distractions and discouragement but he stayed to the end and got a double portion of his master's anointing.

Are you tired of waiting upon the Lord? Don't be. Every moment you spend waiting faithfully on the Lord can never be wasted. As you wait upon the Lord, you are saving time and not wasting it, you can be sure that at the end, nothing will be lost. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The New Testament is full of accounts of people who were healed, just to convince us that healing is possible through Christ Jesus. There is so much virtue, glory and power in the name of Jesus. Everyone who had an encounter with that Name or with His person never remained the same, irrespective of the degree of their sicknesses. All things are possible through the name of Jesus (Matthew 19:26). Through the name of Jesus there is so much power to overcome all forms of sicknesses and infirmities.
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow." Phillipians 2:9-10

If only you will see that Jesus has paid the whole price for our redemption so that we might be free from all sicknesses, then you can boldly accept the fact that Jesus is the source of life. The Lord Jesus gave to us through salvation; life, health, peace and so much abundance. He Himself took all our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. He is always willing to do things to manifest His Word, and to let us know a measure of the mind of God towards us.
If you are in need of one miracle of healing or the other, or you have been afflicted with all manner of sicknesses, the Lord will show forth His perfect cleansing and healing power in your life. All you need is to have faith in Jesus. Peter and John were helpless and uneducated, but the fact remains that they had been with Jesus and they knew practically what His name was capable of doing. They told the man at the beautiful gate to stand up and walk, and the man received his healing immediately. There is someone reading this devotional this morning, it doesn't matter how helpless or hopeless your medical report has indicated, the Lord will change your story in Jesus' name. Through the name of Jesus, the incurable can be healed. Through His name, the lame will walk and the blind will see. Through His name, lepers have been miraculously cleansed. In this world of ours, where new diseases are always surfacing and doctors sometimes cannot identify them, you need to rely absolutely on the Great Physician, Jesus Christ. He is able to heal those who are broken hearted and destroy all satanic forces. Through faith in His name, deliverance become a daily occurrence.
"They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them, they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover" Mark 16:18

By the special grace of God, Jesus Christ has become my personal physician since I came to the knowledge of this truth. This is why every time I have the opportunity to minister to people, I just follow the instructions of my faithful physician and allow Him to glorify Himself. I don't bother myself about how the healing will take place I just do as He commands.
One major cause of sickness is sin. If you live a life that is pleasing to God, sickness will never find a place in your body. It doesn't matter how many people are falling sick around you, the promises of God to keep His children from being affected with what affects others is kept intact. If you are allowing sin into your life, then you are sending an invitation to sickness because sin and sicknesses are related. Repent today and follow the path of life.
When we turn back to the Lord, our nations and immediate communities become healed and free from every satanic influence. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible has laid much emphasis on the art of giving, especially to God, the poor, widows, and our neighbours. Galatians 6:9 enjoins us not to be weary in doing good. One good thing we must not be tired of is sowing. To access your greatest financial harvest, continuous, consistent quality sowing is required. Your first seed may open the door to blessings, but keeping that door open requires persistent sowing. Are you already calling it quits with sowing just because you cannot quantify the returns of previous seeds? Don't! You may be closing the door it took you so much effort to open! In the case of the widow of Zarephath, it took the sacrificial cake she gave on meeting Elijah the first day to open her door to abundance. If she had stopped at that, her miracle would have expired long before the end of the famine, but she did not. She kept the door permanently open by making cakes for Elijah daily for the entire period. Your first seed must have the backing of other seeds if you will experience your ultimate financial breakthrough. Some people have pegged their blessings or limited the space through which their blessings come. James 2:14 says:
"For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward."

Another relevant example is King Solomon. His first notable seed was when he sacrificed 1000 cows (1 Kings 3:4-15). This opened the doors of wealth, wisdom, and honour to him. But he did not stop there. In fact, immediately he got up from his revelational dream, he responded to God's answer by offering more. And he continued and increased his seed. In 1 Kings 8:63, he gave God an offering of 22,000 oxen. Solomon continued to increase in wealth because he sustained his giving. He became so prosperous that they lost count of his wealth. In fact, 1 Kings 10:24-27 says the whole world sought after the wisdom of Solomon and choice things as silver and cedar became common place in his kingdom.
"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? He later concluded that faith without work is dead."

Do you know that like King Solomon, God can bless you to the point that the business idea He gives you could be sought after by the whole world? It is possible for what people consider as priceless treasures to become common place to you. But there is a price you must pay continuously. You must not stop sowing. The door the Lord has opened to you which you were already closing by refusing to sustain your seeds will be kept wide open from today. However, play your part. Like Solomon continue to increase your seeds. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Situations in life sometimes portray God as being insensitive to human suffering, sorrow and pain. On this account people tend to blame God by asking questions such as, where was God when the bad act was taking place. Why did God not intervene on time?
John 11:21 says,
"Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died."

By this statement, she was implying that the damage had been done, if the Lord had really wanted to help the situation, He would have arrived much earlier. But I have good news for you, God is never late, He is always on time. He is omnipresent; He is not bound by human timing. He knows the end from the beginning, He does not sleep or slumber, He can do all things, and forgetfulness is not part of His nature. David was obviously in the spirit when he penned Psalms 102:13 which says:
"Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come."

When talking about favour, generally, there is a time requirement involved. Some are born into favour from their first day on earth. Some enter into favour in their childhood or teen years. Others encounter favour as adults while some experience it at old age. In the same vein, some experience favour in one or two areas of their lives, while for some, when favour comes, it covers every department of their lives. Whether it comes early or later, or covers one or all areas of life, the coming of favour is characterised by a chain of goodies: bountiful joy, breakthroughs, miracles and blessings. In the scriptures, the time of favour has been termed a time of divine remembrance.

In Genesis 30:22-24, we see the case of Rachel. For many years, her womb was closed. There could be several factors responsible for this ranging from biological to divine. Although, her husband loved her very much, his love could not terminate her childlessness. Meanwhile, her sister Leah had become a baby making factory. The anguish of the barren in the midst of fruitful people can best be imagined. Genesis 30:1 says it got to a point Rachel preferred death to the unending embarrassment she was going through. Have you been in a similar situation where your high school pals are gainfully employed, own cars, and live in their personal houses while you are still combing the streets looking for a job? How do you feel when you all have to attend a meeting and everyone cruises in with their brand new cars except you? You may be compelled to keep away from them in order to avoid embarrassment. Don't despair! Thank God Rachel's time of favour came and God remembered her. At last, apart from having two children, Joseph, her firstborn, became an Egyptian Prince - ruling over the world. Do you know your time of favour is coming? It is around the corner. God will remember you and could even make you overtake those who started much earlier than you. It may appear as if God forgot you all these years, but your time of divine remembrance has come. Celebrate Jesus as you step into your time of divine favour in Jesus' name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Faith, by its very nature, must be tried, and the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God's character has to be cleared in our own minds. Faith in its actual working out has to go through spells of isolation. Never confuse the trial of faith with the ordinary discipline of life. Much that we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result of being alive. Faith in the Bible is faith in God against everything that contradicts Him - 'I will remain true to God's character whatever He may do'. "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" - this is the most sublime utterance of faith.

Trials of faith are difficult to bear; for they cause heaviness or depression of mind, (Hebrews 10:32). "Why art thou cast down, O my soul! and why art thou disquieted within me?" is often the language of the child of God. But ought he ever to be cast down? Ought he not to be superior to the trials of life, and to soar above them as on eagles' wings? No; Christianity is not Stoicism, and, if a believer does not feel his troubles, there would cease to be such, and it would not affect their purpose and design. While, he does not yield to a spirit of dejection, or allow it to overcome him, he must feel when in the furnace of trial even as did our Lord Himself. In the presence of others, however, he should endeavour to be cheerful, and the more so if he occupies a public position in the Church, so that he doesn't discourage those around him. When Joseph's brethren appeared before him, he felt deep emotions, and could scarcely restrain himself. He left them, therefore, that he might weep in secret before God, and then he returned, relieved of the oppressive load (Genesis 43:30-31).
"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:" 1 Peter 4:12

Trials of faith should be endured because they are temporary. Trials are not supposed to be permanent fixtures in life, they are for a season. A day of adversity comes, when darkness intercepts the skies, when the storm sets in on every side, when not a gleam of light shines upon the path you tread; and then, perhaps, you hastily conclude that it will always be so. But no; sorrow endures for the night, but joy comes in the morning. It is only for a while that the trial lasts, and before long there is an opening in the clouds, the sun's bright beams burst through them again, and you are filled with hope and joy. There are some trials, which are life-long in their effects, and can never be forgotten, like a deep wound in the flesh which, though healed, leaves a scare which must be carried to the grave. But the longest trials, and those which leave the deepest wounds, are only for a season - the season of our earthly life, and in a brighter sphere we shall forget them all, or remember them only as the wounded soldier remembers what he has passed through when he returns victorious from the field of battle. May you receive strength to bear your trials and to overcome them all in Jesus' name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is nothing more fulfilling than a life of service. Jesus Christ washed the feet of His disciples to set an example of what leadership is. Jesus Christ being our Lord and Saviour, our master and instructor has proven to us that leadership is not title but service. It is service that shows relevance, one may have a title and not be relevant in the scheme of things. That should not be heard of among the children of God. Even though He was the master, yet, He condescended so low in humility to serve His disciples. This means a leader irrespective of the position he occupies, must never forget that the essence of that position is to serve the people that God has entrusted in his care. Every leader must emulate people like Gideon and Abimelech who led by service.
Judges 9:48 says:
"And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, what ye have seen me do, make haste and do as I have done"

As ministers of the gospel, we are to show grace, humility and love at every given time. We must serve the interest of those the Lord has put in our trust at every given time. You as a leader should not lord it over people. People should not obey you simply because of the office you occupy. They should respect you for the value you are adding to their lives. Our knowledge of Jesus as the creator of all things who still stooped low to clean the feet of those people He created should make us think twice. We must be able to go the extra mile for the physical and spiritual needs of the people we are leading. The Bible demands that whoever will be great should be a servant (Matthew 20:27).

The essence of the anointing of God in your life is not for show but for service. Service is a fundamental aspect of leadership. The moment you remove service from your life, there is no room for good leadership. People should see the good example you are showing and praise God for your life. There are people occupying one office or the other and they have become principalities and powers to those they are supposed to serve. They use the instrument of office to oppress others. This is not the example that Jesus set. Invest in people, and they will give you their commitment and loyalty. Value people genuinely, and they will respect you. A true leader is identified by the value he places on those under him. You must labour more than those under you. Apostle Paul was a latecomer but he laboured more than others, and he admonished us to follow in his footstep as he followed Jesus Christ. Leadership is awesome, but you need the wisdom of God to be able to lead well. The Lord will assist you in Jesus' name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many passages of the Bible reiterate the fact that vengeance belongs to God alone. Because vengeance belongs to the Lord, it is His right to execute it. He said in Romans 12:19, "Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord." Deuteronomy 32:35 also says, "To me belongs vengeance". Even Psalms 94:1 says, "O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs, show thyself." God's people are not to avenge themselves; especially when He makes use of them as His instruments. God must be seen as the one in action, personalities involved should assume the position of an ordinary instrument in the hand of the Almighty. Romans 12:19 says:
"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."

We as children of God must never make any move to avenge ourselves under any circumstance. You can be sure that God will surely fight on your behalf according to His word. God will avenge His people upon their adversaries; He will not allow any unrepentant sinner to go unpunished. You must know that God does not want the death of any sinner; therefore, He will make ways for repentance by making a reasonably long period of grace available to sinners and adversaries alike. But you can be sure that at the right time, He will make good His promises to His people, and they will be avenged of their enemies. But, because His mercy endures forever, He will even send several warnings to the enemies to prompt them towards repentance as recorded in Isaiah 47:3:
"Thy unclothedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man."

But let the enemies not be encouraged by this to continue in wickedness, because God will surely avenge His elect, because they are so near and dear to Him. God has always been a witness to the rage and oppression of the enemies; He is a quiet listener to the threatening and arrogant boastings of these enemies. It does not please any father to watch his dear children being tormented, beaten, enslaved, burned alive, and killed, before his eyes. We are His beloved; He suffered and died by carrying out the ultimate sacrifice for our sakes. The compassionate and tender heart of a husband toward his betrothed wife cannot be over emphasized. Our heavenly Father is always sharing in our affliction, and bitterness of soul, every time any of His children is being brutalized. God will avenge His own elect to convince the world of how grievous it has been for Him to behold all the violence and cruelty wicked men have done unto His own people.
God will avenge His people because the days of the wicked must end, and the days of the saints must begin. Also, because the harvest of the prayers and cries of God's elect is now ripe. Your deliverance is here, you can begin to celebrate Jesus. Praise God! Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Our topic for today is a warning to be very careful of pride. Pride is a giant killer that has turned many great men and women of God to mere casualties. Pride is the first and foremost of the traditional seven deadly sins, perhaps because it is in many ways the root of other sins. Even the "original sin" of Adam and Eve was not mere disobedience, but at the heart of it was pride, quitely lurking in a corner. The fact that Adam and Eve wanted to be like God, reveals a form of hidden pride. Ironically, eating the forbidden fruit led to the opening of their eyes, increasing them in knowledge and wisdom. It turned their attention away from God and they became focused on their outward appearance. They immediately developed the ability, confidence and independence to decide and act on their own without any recourse to God their maker. This is the same fatal foolishness that has plagued the human race ever since.
"And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."

Pride has been correctly identified by many as the greatest woe which can quickly destroy anyone captured by it. I usually tell my children that apart from impure thoughts and cravings of the body, another area in which you must exert your victory over the flesh is pride. A proud person is always in contention - fighting with those he thinks he is better than; such a fellow will do everything to show that he is better than others. The proud is always in competition with those who appear better off, just to prove a point that he or she is superior. In doing this, the proud will make derogatory statements about such people and cut them to size just to show that he knows it better or can do it better. The proud finds it difficult to acknowledge the sincere work or effort of others because he thinks such will displace him from being on top. The proud sees himself as being number one in all things. Apart from contending with men, the proud also contends with God. Anyone who is proud or haughty and is speaking so much about God is only a pretender. By reason of their contention with God, they have enthroned themselves as number one in their own lives, making God their running mate. Are you finding it difficult to recognize the efforts of those that are better than you in certain areas? You are simply proud.

Psalms 73:6 says some people are compassed with pride. This implies that it is possible for pride to be visibly glaring in the life of someone that is full of it. You can be clothed in pride just as you can be clothed in humility. You can identify a proud person from his or her looks, carriage, dressing, speech, behavior, giving, prayer, Christian service, work, attitude, etc. Unfortunately, Isaiah 13:11 says that the same reason which makes the proud fellow haughty is the same reason that will make him fall. Every proud individual is headed for a fall and proud people end up being destroyed (Proverbs 16:. Some people are proud but they don't know it. If you exalt yourself by your words and conduct, you shall be abased (Matthew 23:12). James 4:6 speaks of something quite frightening: It says God resists the proud which confirms that God is always contending with the proud, is there pride in your heart? Ask God to forgive and uproot every trace of pride from your life today. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One thing I have always told my children that every Christian should never forget is the fact that the Christian life is not an ordinary life, but a supernatural one. It is something superior to the ordinary natural existence. It supersedes the natural so much that it compels things to be done that would ordinarily not be done. The supernatural can cause events contrary to natural laws to take place. Anyone operating at the realm of the supernatural therefore does what everyone else terms 'impossible'. One such instance is Ezekiel's encounter with the dry bones. It takes supernatural power to reverse the irreversible. It also takes this power that is beyond human ability to move the immovable. This is also the kind of power that is required to win your nation for Jesus. This year, you will encounter the supernatural so much that whatever is irreversible in your life will be reversed, and whatever has been immovable will be moved in your favour in Jesus' Name.

When you are operating in the realm of the supernatural, you face situations with the understanding that with God, nothing shall be impossible. What is that physical challenge you are having in your body? By the power of God, it shall be resolved today. This year, what everyone had deemed impossible will be possible for you. By the power of the Most High, what you found most impossible to accomplish will become possible. Every chain of impossibility around that nagging situation is broken now in the victorious Name of Jesus Christ. Possibilities will be your experience from now.

When some people meet with difficulties in a particular business, they abandon it for another. This may not necessarily be the best thing to do. Even when it appears hopeless, just hold on to God's Word concerning the situation, obey and wait for the result. To solve a particular problem or challenge, it is not necessarily the number of attempts made that matters, but who is aiding your attempts. Peter had tried so many times without a catch that night, but the only attempt he made that had the backing of the Lord delivered to him a harvest beyond expectations. The major challenge which believers going through the path of hopelessness face is that, unlike Peter, they lack a Word from God in respect to their situation. When there is nothing from God on an issue, the state of hopelessness will be worse. But if God has spoken a Word on the matter, the case is as good as closed in your favour. Are you in a hopeless situation? Take time to read and study the Bible, asking God to give you a Word for that situation. God always has something to say about your situation, but are you ready to hear it? God is assuring you, it is not impossible! As you return to that abandoned project or failed business, every impossibility shall become possible in the name of Jesus. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Forgiveness is a choice, not a feeling. It is also a commandment from God and a requirement to be fulfilled before anyone can enjoy the grace of receiving His forgiveness in our lives. The root cause of bitterness and unforgiveness in our lives is often the root cause of a number of other issues that we may be dealing with on a regular basis. Forgiving whether we feel like it or not, or releasing even the greatest offender into God's hands will baffle, confound, and damage the whole realm of Satan. Just as all of heaven rejoices when we accept Christ, so hell impotently rages as we reclaim lost ground.
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not ... neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" Matthew 6:14-15

Let us assume that your problems are really big. You have been badly hurt by your partner's actions. No one denies the pain and anger you are going through, especially if your partner has been unfaithful. But despite the unfaithfulness or whatever it is that has caused you to think about divorce, assuming that there has been true repentance, have you tried forgiveness? Forgiveness is ultimately the only way we can handle broken relationships. It is the only way we can lay past problems to rest. Forgiveness is not a surge of emotions; it is a deliberate act of will. For Christians, the forgiveness we exercise is based on the fact that we ourselves have been forgiven by God. I know that many hurting partners will say, 'I have forgiven again and again'. If that is so and your forgiveness has been abused and trampled on, it may well be time for another action. But before you take that final step, put all your problems into perspective. Is it worth throwing away the past years if it is possible to salvage the relationship with an act of Christian forgiveness? I am not suggesting it is easy, that the pain will mysteriously go away or that all the problems will be sorted out overnight. There may be a great deal of work that needs to be done.

Bitterness is a cyclical, repetitive, tightly closed circle of self-centered pain. It carries us around and around the same senseless arc. Like a child learning to ride a bicycle, knowing how to ride but not how to stop, we pedal on and on, afraid to quit, yet wishing desperately for someone to come and take the bars, break our circling, and let us off. Bitterness is useless. Repayment is impossible. Revenge is impotent. Resentment is impractical. Only forgiveness can reconcile the differences and restore healing to a relationship. Rejecting all the relationships that have failed us is the most common counsel among Christians and non-Christians alike. Cut off the old connections, withdraw from all interactions, live at a distance, and avoid any intimacy or involvement. Above all, do not risk working towards forgiveness. All these are contrary to the Word of God.

It is definitely not easy to forgive and it may be impossible to forget. However, it is possible for us to forgive because we have the power of the Holy Spirit within. Think for a moment, and honestly answer the big question, have you considered forgiveness? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Deuteronomy 6:4-7, Jesus asked a pointed question from Simon Peter, "lovest thou me more than these?" Jesus was not in doubt whether Peter loved Him; He was more interested in knowing the level of Peter's commitment to Him when compared to other worldly things. Many truly love God, but they are more committed to other things like their profession, business, means of livelihood, fashion, sport, entertainment, food and delicacies, friends and family, social engagements, etc. Whenever God's demand clashes with their interests, they will surely go for their interests. When the chips are down, God must play the second fiddle to the true love of their lives. In this respect, in Psalms 42:1, David says
"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God."

In the above passage, the Bible recorded the Psalmist speaking of his yearning for God. He compares his yearning for God to the extreme yearning of a dehydrated deer, whose need for water is shown by its panting. We know the hart or deer does not pant except when it is being chased by a hunter or when it is highly dehydrated. Do you know that for many people, it is only when they are being hunted by the devil or situations of life that they remember God? When everything else is in place: the store is filled with rich varieties of food, the bank account is bubbling, the contracts are coming, the family members are well and making progress and the ministry is moving on; the need to search for God never arises in the hearts of many. But when there is trouble: a child is sick, there is no food to eat, the business is experiencing dryness and there are several challenges in the ministry; then suddenly the one at the receiving end would remember that he or she has a God. If you seek God only when you are hunted, you are a God-user and not a God-lover. You can be sure God knows the difference and He will deal with His seekers accordingly. John 21:15 says:
"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs."

It is possible to pursue God, not because you are in trouble but because you love Him. Anything can happen when you are in love. Songs of Solomon 2:5 says it is even possible to become sick because of love. If you have an intense love for God, you will go to any length for Him. God has created us to be capable of loving one another, particularly Him. If you find it difficult to truly love God, it is because something else or someone else has stolen your love. Material things have stolen the hearts of many people from God. If you have lost your first love - the original quality of love you once expressed towards Him when you first knew the Lord, then ask Him to help you recover it. Are you panting after God because you are hunted or because of love? If love drives you to God, love will drive Him to you in return and He will give Himself to you without reservation. Do you love God more than anything in this world? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In a previous teaching, I remember saying that a person can choose to be anything he or she wants before the Almighty God. You can be just a creature, a dog or a cow. You can go beyond being a mere creature to becoming a servant. Being a servant gives you more personal access to God. But you could go yet another step - to becoming a son of God. Sons have tremendous opportunities that servants do not have. As a son of God, you become a co-heir with Christ. That means all God's possessions jointly belong to Jesus and you. Besides, John 8:35 says sons abide in the house forever. No wonder David in Psalms 23:6 says, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever". He could say so because he had a son-ship relationship with the Lord. For such sons, even after leaving planet earth, Jesus promises to prepare a mansion in His Father's house for them to stay throughout eternity (John 14:1-3). Sons have eternal right to God's house. Are you a son of God?
If you abide in God's house, you will automatically flourish.
Psalms 92:13 says,
"Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God".

Beyond being rich or wealthy, you can flourish. Age will not erode your opportunities or harvests. In fact, the older you get, the more flourishing you become. This is not for those who visit God's house. It is not for servants but for sons. Some people endure going into God's house or presence. If they were asked to come for a big contract at 9am, they would be there by 7am. But if invited to meet with the King of kings for 8am, they will stroll into church by 10am. This attitude hinders people from attaining the heights they are meant to achieve. If you find it difficult to stay in God's presence, you can be sure you cannot have access into His Heavenly home. Those who will enter Heaven must desire to enter that city not made with hands (Hebrew 11:10, 16). It far excels the best of planet earth; in fact it is simply incomparable. Do you qualify for Heaven? To what extent do you long for Heaven? How much do you crave to be in God's presence? How much do you enjoy worshipping the Lord? May you make it to this glorious planet in Jesus' name.
"Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God" Psalms 92:13

Why should anyone having the opportunity to be a son, choose to be a servant? When you consider all the benefits of being a son of the Most High God here on earth such as peace, security, divine provision, and abundant blessings; and then add those benefits waiting for us in heaven, then you wonder what is wrong with those that are fooling around with this wonderful opportunity to be identified as a child of the Most High God. Here is the good news! If you discover that your relationship with God is below that of a son, you can ask for an upgrade. Do a self examination today and take advantage of the opportunity to upgrade to son-ship. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Partiality is defined as a favorable bias or prejudice. It could also mean a special fondness, or preferential treatment. The Bible speaks against partiality as an abomination in the sight of God. Partiality is especially evil because it leads to divisions, intrigue, envy, hatred, and unhealthy competition among the people of God. It is also terrible, in that it places the poor and the weak at a disadvantage. In any organization or community where partiality is practiced, peace and unity will be a rare commodity. The book of James reveals that the poor have a very important place in the Church because of the leveling effect of the Christian gospel. Also the nature and make-up of the Church has no place for the social classifications and distinctions of the world. In fact, if a Christian body should give any consideration to these distinctions, it becomes, by that act, evil, and sides with the wealthy who persecute Christians.

From the account of Genesis, it was favoritism that fuelled the fire of contention between Joseph and his brothers. The Bible has much to say about the pitfalls of partiality. In the Old Testament, favoritism is usually associated with injustice and bribery. But it was James who condemned partiality most harshly. As a leader in the early church, James witnessed Christians showing preference for wealthy members over poor ones. In his letter, James asks his audience a rhetorical question: "My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?" He said those who played favorites were like evil judges, and he condemned them for it: "But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and thus are convicted by the law as transgressors." His solution to the problem of partiality was simple. He issued the command: "Carry out the royal law according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'."

It's clear, in both Testaments, that any expression of favoritism is wrong and likely to produce disastrous consequences. Jacob's disproportionate love for Joseph alienated Joseph from his brothers and eventually led to his enslavement. Jacob's partiality also led to his greatest heartache - the loss of his son.

Because respect of persons or partiality is used biblically in a negative sense, the Bible declares several times that God is never guilty of partiality. Paul clearly states in a universal context that God does not show partiality or respect of persons in His judgement of the works of individuals. God's impartiality is made the basis for Paul's command to Christian masters to treat their slaves fairly since there is no favoritism with God, their own great Master in heaven (Ephesians 6:9). Paul uses this attribute of God to encourage the Christian slave to serve his master wholeheartedly, since he will be repaid by his impartial God in heaven. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As Christians, it is necessary that we are settled in our convictions, steadfast in faith and established in the Word of God. We should also be unmovable wherever external forces are concerned. We should be like a ship in a storm, solidly anchored. The winds may toss it to and fro, but it will only move around without being seriously troubled. A ship that is properly anchored will not be affected by the waves and the wind on the surface. 1 Corinthians 15:58 says;
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

While this passage may have a general usage, it has a more specific meaning than what is usually assigned to it. Unmovable or immovable means incapable of being moved, it means no matter what the devil does, the solid foundation of faith, which is built on the Word of God will hold things together. We must not allow ourselves to be moved away from what is right. Paul said, "Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines" (Hebrew 13:9). Furthermore, Colossians 2:6-7 says,
"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."

There are constantly new forces, new invasions, new innovations which seek to push us off course. We must be unmovable in the face of such attacks. The Christian's anchor is his faith and hope in the power of God. We are secure in the face of such attacks, always abounding in the work of the Lord. We must be constant, dedicated, unswerving in our dedication. The "work of the Lord" is what God has assigned to us. It includes not only our personal growth, but the growth of the church. Our love for God can be measured to some extent by how much we are willing to do. If one does "just enough to get by" his love is at best questionable.

'Abounding' means surpassing that which is required, or necessary of us, it militates against stagnation, separates the convicted from the nearly so, promotes spiritual health and well being, and amplifies the hope we have in Christ. That person who seeks to abound will seek opportunities to serve. He will not ask, "Do I have to?" but "what can I do?" Our labor is not in vain, both our labor and our hope are secure in Jesus. If we are steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in His work, we will reap in due season, if we faint not. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One great difference between servant leaders and self-serving leaders is that servant leaders always look at leadership as an act of service, while self-serving leaders view leadership as a high status and spend most of their time trying to protect their status. Servant leaders would embrace and welcome feedback, viewing it as a source of useful information on how they can provide better service, but self-serving leaders usually respond negatively, taking a harmless feedback as a sign of rejection. In Matthew 20:26b-28 Jesus said;
"Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

Servant leadership is service to others. It is not about lobbying for a position, nor politicking for power. Instead, it is looking for the opportunity to serve. This is not attractive to the insecure soul in need of abundant attention. Servant leaders avoid the limelight and serve in ways that often go unnoticed. The little things are what make a servant leader. It may be taking out the trash at home or making the coffee at work.
No task is too menial for the servant leader; there is something bigger than behaviour which distinguishes a servant leader. It is an attitude which wants to make others succeed. He knows that if those around him are successful, then there is a good chance that he too will experience success. He is wise to want what's best for others. Jesus served for the glory of God. His ultimate service was laying down His life in love. In Matthew 10:39, our Lord Jesus who is an example of a perfect leader says:
"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."

Any leader that is preoccupied with personal interests, protection of status, and preservation of positions, may not be a good ambassador of Christ. Another thing that helps you to identify a serving leader is integrity. They are usually men and women of integrity. Proverbs 11:3 says the integrity of the righteous provides him with direction. Being someone who wants to please God, there are certain things he cannot do. Anything God will not be pleased with is a no-go area for him. Being a man of integrity, he states the exact time of his arrival in the office. In fact, everyone will strive to arrive before him knowing that he cannot alter his arrival time. He cannot also compromise the truth. He will not buy something for N100 and say he bought it for N500. He keeps his promises. His word is his bond. His relationship with the opposite sex is clean. He cannot take what does not belong to him. He has clean hands and a pure heart. Are you a man or woman of integrity? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

David is the biblical man for all seasons, the most complex and many-sided human character in the Scripture. David was variously shepherd, fugitive, politician, king, poet, musician, prophet, warrior, friend (of Jonathan), lover, father, sinner (adulterer and murderer), penitent and "type" of Christ. David is unique among bible characters by virtue of being fully known to us, both from the outside (as subject of narrative writing) and from the inside (as writer of lyric poems). While many post biblical exegetical and literary traditions take extravagant liberties with biblical data, the traditions stemming from David can all find biblical basis. This includes the Puritan image of David the reformer, the true child of God resisting the assaults of a tyrannical king (Saul), beset by slanderers and enemies; the champion who fought against God's enemies, the king who reformed the nation and established worship on a holy foundation.

The role in which David is best known to the Western imagination is that of 'boy hero and giant killer'. When David killed Goliath, he became an instant public hero, a civic liberator providing possible inspiration for fictional heroes, following in his wake from Beowulf to jack (of the beanstalk). To this day we read in the newspapers about someone pulling off a "little David" act in sports or politics, or about a "David and Goliath" contest. David's success in expanding the territory of Israel was unequaled in the annals of Israeli histroy.

David's career as a national hero was preceded by his career as an underdog. The youngest son, belittled by his older siblings (1 Samuel 17:28-29), David was considered so unlikely a candidate among Jesse's sons to be anointed as the future king that he had to be summoned from tending the sheep after the other brothers had been passed over (1 Samuel 16:6-11). Subsequently, he had a career as a fugitive, fleeing from the wrathful Saul, living continuously on the edge. There is even a touch of David as a rebel and desperado. Jesus cited David as a precedent for disobeying the levitical laws on the basis of the time when David took consecrated bread to feed his hungry men, and also ate from it too (Matthew 12:3-4). Then there is David the political strategist. Even after he was anointed king of Judah, David had to undertake a long process of consolidating his power until he eventually became king of the entire nation (2 Samuel 2-5).

Anyone who has ever been to Sunday school probably know the story of David and Goliath. In fact, the concept of a boy giant-killer excites even the imaginations of unbelievers. And well it should. Not only is this an actual historical event and a wonderful Bible story to tell our children, it is also a powerful demonstration of victorious spiritual warfare. It's a story we need to revisit often as we mature in the Lord. The imagery in this story is rich with profound spiritual truths and insights that can help strengthen our own understanding of how to engage effectively in spiritual battle. With your study group, read through this passage, ask the Holy Spirit to open your mind and heart to new truths, and then together begin to 'mine' the rich treasure contained in this passage. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

We can know all the facts about God's provisions, but if emotions do not support our knowledge, we will not be able to act upon what we know to be true. The peace of God applies a balm of inner serenity to our emotions. If you have the peace of God, you will feel at peace in mind and heart - the total inner person. All of us know what it is like to lack inner peace. Some crisis comes into our lives - some worry, some danger - and a turbulent storm rages within. Many people seek peace through tranquillizers, depressants, and other drugs. Others turn to illicit drugs or alcohol. Some try pseudo - religious movements such as transcendental meditation to find a solution for their lack of peace. Philippians 4:6-7 says:
"Do not be careful for nothing; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus"

How does the believer walk in the shoes of peace? Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us that it is through prayer. Time alone with God in thankful, prayerful petition is the most effective inner tranquillizer. There is no solution to inner disquiet as effective as prayer. It always works. The peace of God transcends all understanding. That means the peace of God is above and beyond what we understand. It is more than we really need to see us through.

The next time you sense a great inner shaking or even just a slight inner disquiet, try prayer. Shut yourself away for thirty minutes or an hour alone with God. Use doctrinal praying. Pray back to God the truth of being "in Christ", inseparably united with Christ in all of His Person and work. Pray through your understanding of the Holy Spirit. Pray on each part of the believer's armor. Thank the Lord for all of His grace and goodness. Tell Him about your anxieties and concerns. God will intervene to change things. It may be so gradual, you will scarcely know how or when it happens, but when you finish, you will discover the peace of God within your emotions. A quiet inner serenity and calm reigns even though the storm may still rage around you. I know that to be true both by experience and by the Word of God. In fact, if you are practicing this kind of praying regularly, you will discover the peace of God already there before the crisis comes.

The Scriptures are utterly practical and workable. The Bible works when we use its promises in every circumstance of life. Have you ever considered that your lack of inner peace may be God's way of calling you to prayer? We have many marvelous electronic gadgets available to us today. A lack of inner peace could be God's beeper signal to you. God may be calling you for an audience with Himself. He wants fellowship with you, and in the process He will restore to you that peace that transcends all understanding. Written by Pastor E.A Adeboye.

The role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church and the child of God is so vital that survival seems virtually impossible without Him. Jesus made several statements that emphasized the importance of the Holy Spirit in the life of Christians.
Based on Acts 1:8, the great commission could not be carried out without the support of the Holy Spirit. But when the power of the Holy Spirit is active we become exceptionally empowered for soul winning even in very difficult situations. I have had some unbelievable experiences about how the Holy Spirit can empower a person. While preaching in one of our programs a few years ago, as I was about to pray, I heard in my spirit a discussion between two witches - one on my right and the other on my left, saying it was time for them to operate. Immediately, I announced that if they came out they would be delivered, but if not, they would die within a week. Thank God they both came out and confessed. The presence of the supernatural would make men to see God the way He is. Quite a number of unbelievers believe that the testimonies they hear by testifiers are stage-managed - nothing but lies. But when they see the raw demonstration of God's power, they will not need to be cajoled before they surrender. A man once attended our monthly Holy Ghost Service in Nigeria. His son had been trying to persuade him to surrender his life to Christ, but he refused to listen. As soon as he came in, as instructed by the Lord, I said, "there is a man coming for the first time who came late because he was feeding his snake". And that the Lord said before he gets home, his snake will die but if he loves himself he should surrender to Jesus or else he will die with his snake. Immediately he heard it, he ran out and was delivered. If you are in contact with the supernatural, soul winning would be 'piece of cake'.

However, some have been baptized in the Holy Ghost but are not able to function the way they should. This is because the right knowledge is required to get the best out of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. For example, it is difficult for you to be in the Spirit when you are overfed with physical food. So if you want to be in the Spirit, watch your diet. On the other hand, feed on the Word of God. Spiritual overfeeding is allowed. Be constantly in the mood for prayer. Pray in tongues. Focus on God and cut off every distraction. Take time to give God spirit-filled praise, worship and thanksgiving. Open your heart wholly to God. Be sensitive to His voice. As you minister to God, be full of expectations. Be sensitive to all Heavenly communications: visions, dreams, voice, scriptures, impressions on your spirit man, ideas, etc. It is also important to set yourself apart just to fellowship with the King of kings. Take time to meditate on key scriptures. When last were you in the Spirit? Nothing is impossible to the one who is in the Spirit. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the story of creation, the Bible talked about the earth being without form and void, and darkness being upon the face of the deep. In the midst of darkness and apparent confusion, the Spirit of God stepped into the scene, then God said, "let there be light" and there was light. We can then safely say that when the Holy Spirit comes into any situation, He brings light. If you ignite a fire, no matter how little it is, there will be light around the fire. In the midst of the darkness, emptiness and chaos, the Holy Spirit stepped in and light had to be created immediately. In other words, it was His coming that brought about light at the very beginning. The beauty of this is that the light of the Spirit exposes the hidden contents of darkness. This is confirmed by our Lord Jesus Christ when He said in John 3:20:
"For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."

In Acts 28:3-6, when Paul gathered some firewood and lit it up, a serpent that was hiding in the wood suddenly reared up its ugly head, but Paul threw it back into the fire. If the fire of God is really burning in your ministry, it will expose every evil person in the church, and deal with them. When under the strong influence of the Holy Spirit, your personal problems will be exposed to you. Your greatest enemy is not the witch or wizard around, but yourself. Not many of us think we are part of our problems. If you ask a student to mark his examination sheet, he will most probably award himself the highest grades. If you know that what is hindering your progress is in you, it is then important to deal with it. The fire in Acts 28:5 not only exposed the serpent, it also killed it. Every serpent that is hiding in any corner of your life shall be exposed and destroyed today in Jesus' name. Moreover, if you walk in the light of the Spirit, people will hate you. Don't be surprised that compromising brethren and church leaders would not only hate and persecute you; they may also want to get rid of you. If your presence does not allow them to steal, they will hate your guts. The more you allow the light of the Spirit to shine in and around you, the more difficult it is for your enemies to cover up their evil intents. This season, the Lord will expose all the hidden agenda of your enemies by the light of the Spirit.

It is obvious that without an encounter with the power of the Spirit, many will remain trapped and live far below their expected potentials. To fulfill your destiny, you must partner with the Holy Spirit. Another character who realized his potential was Peter. If you compare Peter before the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost with the Peter after Pentecost, you will notice some sharp differences. Before Pentecost, Peter was full of fear. He found it difficult to stand on his convictions. Even a maid could make him deny the Lord, but after Pentecost, he became so bold that not even the council's threats stopped him. Before Pentecost, Peter realized his leadership potential but lacked the fire, zeal, direction and divine backing of the Holy Spirit to fulfill it. As a result of this, he went back for fishing after Christ's death (John 21:1-3). But after Pentecost, he was able to perform according to Heaven's expectations. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible says Christ is the end of the law (Romans 10:4), and it is entirely correct in every respect. Christ is the object of the law, the reason why law was given; He is the fulfillment of the law, the conclusion of the law, the finality of the law, and the termination of the law. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. There is no righteousness of any kind (justifying righteousness or sanctifying righteousness) to be attained by our personal obedience to the law because it is written, "for if righteousness by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Galatians 2:21). However, Christ is not the end of the law for everyone. He did not fulfill the demands of the law for everyone. He is only the end of the law for the elects of God and all those who shall trust in His saving power. Christ is therefore the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes in Him.
"Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." Romans 10:4

When Apostle Paul declared that Christ is the end of the law, he was not telling us that the law is evil. Writing by divine inspiration, the apostle meant that those apostate religious leaders who try to mix law and grace, who try to put believers under the yoke of bondage, desiring to be teachers of the law, do not know what they are talking about, "understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm." The law was never intended, in any sense, for those who are righteous before God. The law was given for the unrighteous. The law is not evil. It is holy, just, and good. It would be well if all men lived in conformity to the law's commands, both outward practice and in inward principle. Indeed, it is ordained of God and used by all civil governments to protect society from those who would otherwise disregard all respect for the rights, property, and lives of others.
This passage should not be used to legalise immorality and corruption as many are doing. Jesus did not come to invalidate the commandments of God in anyway. He was a law abiding person while He lived here on earth. Jesus teaches liberty and freedom from the binding effect of sin in that the letters of sin enslaves in a very powerful way. Yet, man has a strange infatuation with the law. Like the gnat that is drawn to the candle that will destroy it, man by nature is drawn to the law for righteousness, when all the law can give is destruction. The law can do nothing else but reveal sin and pronounce condemnation on the sinner (Romans 3:19-20).
Still, we cannot get men to flee from the law. They are so enamored with their own self-rightousness and their own self-worth that they will cling to the law with a death-grip, though there is really nothing to cling to. They prefer Sinai to Calvary, though Sinai offers them nothing but death. Listen to the Word of God. If the opinions of men or your own opinions contradict the Word of God, "Let God be true and every man a liar." Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jesus introduced Himself to humanity in John 8:12 as the light of the world. Just as the sun is the physical light of the world, so also is Jesus the spiritual light of the world. As the light of the world, Jesus exposes sin and gives sight. Matthew 5:14 shows that Jesus is the primary light, and we are the secondary light. As the light of the sun is to the moon, so Jesus is the source of light, and we are the reflectors of the Light. Jesus said in John 9:5:
"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

Now that He is no longer here, we are His reflected light in the world. I have often told my children that 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".

The truth is, not all light can outshine darkness. For instance, Genesis 1 talks of categories of lights.
"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 flick on the tiny bulb of a flash-light in the midst of total darkness, you will only see the spot that the torch is pointing at. Everywhere else will still 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 would be darkness during a period that should be day time. Similarly, if you bring the sun to replace the moon during 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 exposing varying degrees of light on the same situation will give you different results. The volume of the light of God's Word that you are exposed to will determine the degree of change you can experience. Matthew 5:16 says: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

The intensity and size of God's light in you will determine your sphere of domination. Although, God has commanded you to dominate everything (Genesis 1:28), the actual scope of your domination 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 shinning as light, darkness will swallow you up. If you want to be victorious over forces of darkness, be daily exposed to more light from His Word. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Being called is an important issue which usually brings up endless discussions amongst Children of God. Meanwhile, we are advised to give due diligence to make our calling and election sure. The knowledge of our calling is not as important as what we are doing about it. How are you justifying Heaven's confidence in you? Each time you stray from God's path, purpose and will, you make the Heavenly host regret their choice. That you were chosen suggests you are special. You were chosen to be precious (1 Peter 2:4). Those who are chosen are called into divine friendship with God (Isaiah 41:. The chosen is allowed to draw nearer to God. Haven been chosen, how close are you to God? Heaven defends the chosen to any extent. God turns impossibility into possibility and makes miracles common place in the life of the chosen. The important thing is to recognize Heaven's calling on your life; we are called to be to the praise of His glory. Ephesians. 1:12 says; "That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ."
Gifts may differ just as the sun and the moon have their different spheres of influence. Unlike the moon, the light of the sun influences those under it to stay awake and work. It gives life, while the light of the moon - which is a reflection - influences those under it to close shop and rest. From Genesis 1:26-28, we understand that man was created for a purpose - to dominate everything God had made including the sun, moon and stars. You were created for a purpose, even if you were conceived by mistake, you are not an accident. Were you a product of rape? Even then, you have to fulfill God's purpose on earth. God needed a particular man and a specific woman to come together in order to have you. If your father just impregnated your mother and disappeared, it could just be that he had finished his assignment. Before you were created, God knew you and He knows your worth to Him even when people think you are of no value because you lack education, money, skills or intellect.

God knows you and has ordained you for a purpose from your mother's womb even without her knowledge or consent (Jeremiah 1:4-5). Physical ordination is only an outward manifestation of what God had already done before your birth. You were born for a great purpose (Jeremiah 29:11) and chosen by God before the foundations of the earth (Ephesians 1:3-5). You were chosen to be holy, blameless and in love. Anytime you dabble into sin, you contradict the purpose for which you were created. Is your life blameless like Daniel's? If you find it difficult to do something perfectly, or people always find fault with your work, it could be that the spirit of error is operating in your life. Each time you fail to walk in love towards those who offend you, you contradict God's purpose for calling you. As seen in 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, you were created to glorify God. Is your life praising God today? Are you fulfilling God's purpose for creating you? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

At the beginning of his ministry, Paul took a ride in a basket as he escaped for his life in Damascus (2 Corinthians 11:32-33). But the God who delivered him from the garrison at Damascus, allowed him to end up in jail at Philippi (Acts 16). Because God answered a particular prayer yesterday does not mean that He would repeat another answer in exactly the same manner.

In Acts 16:25, Paul conducted a worship service in prison right in the midst of chains and bonds. He never complained. Paul learnt to praise God in whatever circumstance he found himself. Not many people can praise God when thrown into prison for the sake of the Gospel. He was prepared to undertake the worst of sufferings for the Kingdom of God (Philippians 1:20-21). He was not ashamed. Are you ashamed to suffer minor ridicule, persecutions, denials, beatings for His Name today? Paul could say we should become a living sacrifice to God because he was one.

In African traditional religion, when a bird or animal is brought as a sacrifice to an idol, the giver forfeits his right to that animal; it becomes the property of the idol for the rest of its life. Whether it lives or dies or is given to someone is at the discretion of the idol. That living sacrifice may be fed so well in one moment and killed the next minute. This explains the term living sacrifice. You should be so yielded to God to the extent of delivering to Him the greatest pleasure in whatever you do. If dying for the Gospel will give Him the height of pleasure, you should be prepared to die like Stephen. The preparedness of Daniel to go into the lion's den demonstrates that he was a living sacrifice. But in the end, instead of death, his faith compelled a decree for the whole world to fear Daniel's God. If my death can produce a United Nations decree compelling all nations of the world to worship no other god other than my God - the true and living God, I will gladly be on my way to Heaven. Are you a living sacrifice? And to what extent? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Speaking about a 'new life' is an indication that there has been an old one. In Christianity, when we speak of the 'old life', we mean a combination of the philosophy of life and worldview that controls the lifestyle and behaviour of a person that is not born again. The new life in Christ however, is the new way of thinking and doing things in accordance with the Bible that we have come to be acquainted with since we became born again. Several passages of the Bible focus on issues concerning the old and new life in order to help Christians identify the sources of their thoughts and actions, whether they are remnants of the old evil ways or from the new life in Christ. Galatians 2:20 says:
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

The book of Galatians devoted much effort to explanations on the old and new life, but what the above passage says about the old life and the new is golden. It simply says that when a person accepts Jesus as Lord and Saviour, he automatically becomes dead to the old life, and communication with the old life becomes cut off. Everything about the thought process, interests, tastes, sensibilities, and the will becomes inaccessible to the former system of control. The old password simply refuses to work because the access code has been changed. This event effectively marks the end on an era called 'the old life', and the beginning of the new life in Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says:
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

At this point, everything about the life we lived before we met Jesus ceases. The control of our lives now shift back to the original source, to the One who gave us this free gift of new life. We naturally begin to hunger for righteousness by pursuing purity, honesty, justice, unselfishness, love, humility, and service to humanity. The Bible makes it clear that becoming a Christian is much more than adopting a new philosophy of life. When a person becomes a Christian through the right process, all phases of life are renewed. It starts from a new mind; you instantly begin to think differently from the old ways, to the extent that you actually become surprised at your new self. You suddenly develop a new standard and you begin to measure everything you do in line with the Bible. The new life in Christ also comes with a new hope of abundant life here on earth and eternal life in heaven. People may equate hope with wishful thinking, but real hope is based on the authority of the one offering it. God is faithful and dependable. You can count on Him for a new life in Christ. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A brief look at many contemporary Christian leadership books seem to be confusing the followers of Jesus with a perceived strategy to shape future leaders of the church, as though Church leaders are in a special category. It should be noted that all followers of Jesus are called to a life of discipleship. It is not exactly correct to interpret the relationship of Jesus with His disciples as an effort to develop a leadership training school for the future movement. The Bible is very clear on the fact that the focus of Jesus was first of all, the renewal of Israel, the establishment of the kingdom of God, and the transformation of lives through healing, deliverance, miracles, signs, and wonders, witnessed by the people. It is obvious that the function of the disciples within the Gospel narratives is not their exemplary leadership, but their role as models who braved the struggles that all followers of Jesus are destined to face. The disciples humanity, world view, character, and lifestyle, were openly displayed as an example for future disciples to follow. Jesus in Mark 8:34-35 says:
"And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it."

In one of Jesus' popular sayings, he said to His disciples, "the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). This verse addresses issues of power, authority, and human dignity. Though all these are central to any discussion of leadership but the power of the text is in how it undermines notions of greatness and how a leader must use power on behalf of all members of the community. The modern teachings on Christian leadership have been redefined to mean that the servants and followers (present day Christians) have become greater than their masters and leaders (Jesus Christ). In response to this, Matthew 10:24 says:
"The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord".

All Christians must realize that a disciple cannot be above his master as a servant cannot be above his Lord. To be a Christian is to imbibe the discipline and humility of a servant. In addition to this important prerequisite for discipleship we might add the attributes of humility, gentleness, justice, and love. These were the contents for the discipleship training that Jesus gave to His disciples. Subsequently, deacons, elders, overseers/bishops, and believers are all expected to live out in very tangible ways, the lifestyle that honours God and is exemplary for the people of God. Followers of Jesus are to adopt this attitude toward life in general. The lifestyle of a Christian should be clearly different and morally superior to that of the world. The concept of Jesus on Christian leadership is firmly built on followership, service, humility, obedience, and loyalty. If you want to follow Jesus acceptably, you must align your views on leadership to incorporate the ideals of Jesus Christ. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

'It shall be well' is a futuristic statement. It speaks about something that will happen later, a speculation about the future state of man. God appointed ministers of the Gospel as stewards of His mysteries. These ministers are saddled with the responsibility of 'rightly dividing the Word of truth', and distributing to everyone the right dose at the right time. It is also their duty to try to separate the precious from the vile, and to be God's mouth-piece in all situations. In addition, they are commissioned to operate as God's ambassadors in this world by delivering every message according to the mind of God, as documented in the Holy Bible. It is in this respect that prophet Isaiah spoke in Isaiah 30:10-11:
"Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked; it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him."

This passage reveals that there are two classes of people in the world - the righteous and the wicked. No matter how diverse men are, they all must fall under one of these categories. Consequently, the Bible classifies the people that are born again, sanctified and living in obedience to the Word of God as righteous, and everyone else that refuses to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour as wicked. Therefore, no matter how wealthy, educated, and morally upright a person is, without Christ, they are wicked. Wickedness in this case is tantamount to the rejection of the work of salvation and the offer of peace and reconciliation freely extended to humanity. We may then say that the righteous are those who have been renewed in the spirit of their mind, and are following after biblical holiness. On the other hand, the wicked are those who are still in a carnal unregenerate state, unable to please God because of fleshy lusts. Ecclesiastes 8:12 says:
"Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:"

It is obvious from these passages that God has decided to make the righteous the focus of His love, favour, and blessings. God is saying that in spite of the negative circumstances around you presently, the present economic situation around the world, and the precarious political environment, it shall be well with the righteous. This is good news, however, it requires very serious consideration to decide where we belong. To which of these classes do you belong? Are you consciously living in obedience to God or are you living contrary to the Word of God? Answer these questions honestly and make a serious self assessment of your life. As you do this, I declare that it shall be well with you in Jesus' name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Sometime ago, someone gave an illustration to explain the term "more than conquerors". He said it could mean that you are greater than the conqueror. He cited the case of a boxer who goes into the ring, fights and defeats his opponents, receives the prize and returns home to handover the prize to his wife. According to this fellow, the wife is the one who is more than a conqueror. Her husband is a conqueror because he endured some beating and bruises, but the wife did not suffer anything yet the prize was given to her on a platter of gold. In the same way, Jesus Christ our Bridegroom engaged the devil in a big fight. He was beaten, wounded, spat upon, defamed, disgraced, crucified and murdered. He won the battle through the power of resurrection and thereafter handed over the prize to us. Isaiah 53:4-5 says:
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, And carried our sorrows: Yet we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed."

Being more than conquerors could also connote someone that has scored multiple victories from several battles or wars. There are several enemies that accost us in the battles of life. One of such enemies is the generational curse, this is a curse pronounced on someone's family even before his birth and it keeps affecting descendants of that family. For instance, in Genesis 49:1-4, Jacob pronounced a curse on Reuben saying he will never excel, and this affected his lineage for several years after. Some people are still suffering from a similar curse. In spite of all their talents, natural endowments and qualifications, they never get to the top. It is not because they are not making enough effort; in real terms, they are making more than enough effort, yet certain forces, in response to earlier curses, frustrate them or make it impossible for them to move to higher levels. Generational curses must not be allowed in your life. In the Name that is above every other name, any generational curse operating in your life shall come to nothing. The family of Eli that should have produced priests forever became beggars through divine curse (1 Samuel 2:30-34). Gehazi, together with his generation, was also cursed with leprosy (2 King 5:20-27). Are you seeing signs of generational curses in your life? Ask God to destroy them today. Also find out if there is anything you are doing to make such a curse effective in your life.

"As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."
"More than conquerors" is a status bestowed on humanity through the love of God the Father, the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus the Son, and the magnificent work of the Holy Spirit. It is assessable to all human beings who will freely accept Jesus as their Lord and personal Saviour. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Hebrews 11:1 provides the best explanation on the subject of faith. Practically, faith consists of taking God at His word and acting accordingly. The idea of being sure provides a conviction that what we hope for will happen, not because we can make it happen, but because God has said it will happen.
In John 6:57-58, our Lord Jesus Christ assures us that His flesh and blood releases divine life. As you drink the wine representing His blood, the Spirit will quicken your body because the wine is equivalent to the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 compares the wine with the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:11 says:
"But if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you."

This means that if curses are warring against your body, when you partake of the bread and wine, physical victory will be delivered to your body. Are you sick? Has your body been afflicted with terminal ailments? Seek the face of the Lord concerning that sickness, go in faith for the next Holy Communion and you will be healed. There is someone reading this Devotional with a teminal ailment, as you release your faith and partake of the next Holy Communion, you will be delivered from that ailment in the name of Jesus.
Furthermore, in Luke 24:49, the Lord told His disciples to wait until the power came. That is faith. Waiting on God is an act of faith. While waiting, there would be several distractions and discouraging moments. The devil will bring people to mock you just like they mocked Noah while he was building the ark for a supposed rainfall that had never before been experienced. For as long as it takes God to fulfill His promises in your life, WAIT. Don't get tired! Time spent in waiting on God to fulfill His Word is not wasted at all; it is counted to you as an act of righteousness. You are simply obeying God. Besides this, where to wait could also be very important. The Early Church was asked to wait in the city of Jerusalem. They did not know why, but God knew He had planned to send the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
Faith also provides a conviction of certainty for what we do not see. Just as physical eyesight provides evidence about visible things, faith provides evidence about the invisible. God has promised future blessings and eternal rewards. No one has seen these yet. Still, believers are certain that God will deliver on His promises, and we will one day see and experience these blessings and rewards. Faith proves the reality of what we cannot see. Faith enables Christians to live obediently in the light of what we know will come. "Faith provides a platform for hope and a perception into the reality of what would otherwise remain unseen" (Donald Guthrie). Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Children of God looking up to Him for blessings should learn that God has provided the means of receiving abundant blessings from Him. God has also established a few laws, principles, rules and regulations to govern the process. For anyone to receive anything from God, the fellow must at least have a relationship with Him and must have faith in His love, mercy and power to do whatever he is hoping to get from Him.

We must be connected to God and abide in Him before we can receive from Him. Wisdom for financial breakthrough teaches that: although God gives seed to the sower, He also expects the sower to sow and not eat the seed.
"Now He that ministers seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;" 2 Corinthians 9:10

You must realize that there is no child of God without a seed. Now you may say, "I have no money and therefore I have nothing to sow". You are wrong. If you have no money, you may have something more valuable than money. Look in your hands, heart, intellect, abilities, talents, time, what you have in your house, your academic training, your mouth to preach and win souls, etc. There is no one without a seed. When God provides you with a financial blessing, say your wage, salary or profit from a business, that provision has a seed in it. If you spend everything, you will harm yourself. The book of John 12:24 says:
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."

That financial provision; salary, wage, or profit increase is some kind of harvest. God expects that the harvest you take today will give you a larger harvest tomorrow. When you receive your harvest, pay your tithe, sow your seeds and spend the rest. The seed you sow, in the process of time will be multiplied and will fetch you bread. If you don't sow your seeds, they remain alone but when you sow them, they will be given an opportunity to say "thank you for parting with us". They will give you a harvest that will yet give you more seeds to sow.

You can decide to keep your corn with you, eat it and starve afterwards or sow it and expect a harvest. Many believers today are poor because greed, gluttony, impatience, ignorance and lack of faith made them eat their seeds along with their bread.

Now you know better, simply obey and begin to experience increase on all sides. As you begin to follow divine principles today, you will witness an extraordinary supply of His favour and blessings in Jesus' name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As the time of the departure of Jesus began to draw near, He started talking to His disciples about the things that will befall them from the moment when he would depart, so that they would not be caught unawares. These series of talks are generally referred to as the 'farewell discourse'. John 15:17-21 is one of the farewell discourses, it points to the fact that the disciples would suffer hatred. John 15:20 says:
"Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also."

Jesus said, if the world persecuted Him, then the disciples should expect a similar treatment in the hands of the people. Jesus told them that He was telling them ahead of time so that when these things began to happen, they would not be caught unawares. Jesus wanted His disciples to be fully ready for any eventuality. What is the nature of the hatred that Jesus suffered in the hands of the people of the world? He was defamed, misrepresented, rejected, treated unfairly, forsaken by friends and relatives, harassed, beaten, assaulted, abused, crucified and murdered. Jesus went further in John 15:21 to say:
"But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me."

This prophecy is not limited to the twelve apostles or those that were physically present with Him at that time. Jesus explained that this would be the fate of all that come after Him and live as true disciples. That the Church and people of God are presently operating under various kinds of attacks and persecution in many regions of the world is not news any longer. Christians are presently suffering untold hardships, insecurity, harassment, brutality, assaults, and murder. In fact, Jesus told the disciples that a time is coming that a person that kills a Christian would suppose that he is doing God a favour.

However, the Bible says we should count it all joy when we are faced with diverse temptations and persecutions, knowing that through such challenges, we become exercised, our spiritual muscles get toughened and built-up. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The gospel truth is that the Christian lifestyle is so powerful, and yet deceptively simple and easy. I used the word "deceptively" because the Christian life can be likened to a police man or a soldier in uniform. These people may have gone through some rigorous training in their preparation for the job, however, the power behind their operations is in the uniform that bears the nation's emblem. A police officer or military personnel is therefore protected from assault and ill treatment for reasons beyond himself, and more so because he is on duty as an agent of the country. So also, a person that is born again is protected, supported, assisted, and backed up by the authority of heaven. More importantly, this special privilege is not earned through social status, popularity, hard work, financial status, or anything else. The only requirement is to accept Jesus as personal Lord and Saviour, and obediently submit to His authority in all things. For example, the Bible in Exodus 20:12 says:
"Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."

This may seem very simple and easy, but unknown to many, great power is operating behind those words. This is the Word of God and anyone that will obey these words can expect to live a long life in prosperity. If you are obedient to these words, not only should you expect to live long as a child of God, you can also expect to be fruitful and prosperous. Fruitfulness is a covenant benefit of God's children. Deuteronomy 7:12-14 reveals that God expects you to be fruitful by the fruit of your body, in your business and livestock. This implies that, because you are blessed by God, everything associated with you will carry a mark of that blessing. This is why you should have great expectations regarding fruitfulness. Are you struggling with barrenness? In the name of Jesus Christ, there shall be no more barrenness in your life, in your body and in your business. From now on, you shall be fruitful spiritually, mentally, financially, materially, and in your body.

Similarly, according to Deuteronomy 28:11-12, believers can expect supernatural abundance from the Lord. Remember, expectations should go ahead of you before the blessings are delivered. If you expect nothing, do not be surprised when you get nothing. Those without expectations demonstrate that they do not know what they want. When you read about God's powerful promises, expectations should rise up within you. The Lord says He will so bless you, that you will become a creditor to nations.

More so, this abundance is not limited to finance. God can bless the fruit of your brain so that you will be sought after by different educational institutions across the globe. The question is, are you born again? Are you in total obedience to the Word of God? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Bodyguards are specially trained security persons who usually protect very important people wherever they go. They are commonly sighted around government officials and members of their families. Business moguls, multi-millionaires, mega stars, and TV personalities enjoy going around with them. As a matter of fact, many will not be seen in public without their bodyguards because they don't feel safe without them. However, bodyguards are limited in power, and the cost of having them is beyond the reach of the average person. The good news for Christians is that as we have bodyguards in this world, we also have spiritual bodyguards. They are automatically appointed to every child of God at the moment they become born again. They are invisible, they operate at a speed much faster than the speed of light, they have limitless power, and their services have been fully paid for through the blood of Jesus. That is why Psalms 91:1 says:
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."

I once taught some of my children that when a child is born, what happens to the child depends on the available support system. The stronger the support system, the more fortified that child is for success in life. Within our Father's support system are angels. Psalms 91:10-13 says it is the duty of our Father's angels to ensure no harm befall us. The angels are instructed by God to go with us wherever we go. If the children of kings are going out, they don't go alone. If they are going to school, they are chauffeur-driven, whereas, children of ordinary people trek even through the woods unaided. From this day, you shall go on angelic rides in Jesus' name.

There is a testimony a brother shared concerning his trip by air. He said while airborne, the first two engines of the plane suddenly stopped. The pilot panicked, saying that if the third engine follows suit, the plane would crash. Then the third engine also stopped. The whole place was in pandemonium but this brother who was seated by the window turned to look through the window on his left and saw a huge angel smiling at him and whispering to him that he was carrying the plane. To the surprise of everybody else, the plane landed safely an hour later at the nearest airport. The brother saw three angels there. Nobody could explain how they managed to land except this brother. In the Bible, when Daniel was thrown into the den of lions, an angel went ahead of him and stopped their mouths. Similarly, when Peter was locked up in prison, an angel came to him, woke him up and led him out. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.