₦airaland Forum

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the most practical personality that has ever lived on the earth. This should not be surprising, since He is both God and man; He came to show us the way to live a victorious and fulfilled life. He affirmed that He came that we may have life and to have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

In the Lord's letter to the Church at Sardis, He told the Church that they were living in self-delusion; that they thought they were vibrant and full of life, whereas, they were half dead and something must be done urgently to preserve the remaining half of their lives, because their works were not perfect before God. They were to watch and pray to rejuvenate their spirituality. Our compassionate Lord, who would not want anyone, particularly those who have confessed Him as Lord to perish is here in Revelation 3:1-6 appealing to and warning the Church to remember how they started and hold fast the Word of truth. One lesson here is that God is not interested in the death of a backslider but that the backslider should repent and be saved.
"Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you; and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion."
Jeremiah 3:14

Another interesting lesson we must learn from Revelation 3:1-6 is that the Almighty God knows the state and details of our lives, both spiritually and physically. In spite of the indictment of the imperfect works of the Church at Sardis, the Lord still revealed the truth that not all the members of the Church were corrupt.
"Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy."
Revelation 3:4

The accurate Judge said that there are names (though few) that are worthy! I pray that you will be declared worthy in Jesus' name. However, you have to watch over your soul in this pervert generation and pray always if you will be worthy at the end of the age. Moreover, the Lord promised that He would judge individuals in the church, according to each person's deeds. There shall be no collective responsibility when it comes to spiritual accountability.
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him."
Ezekiel 18:20.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is amazing and at the same time fearful to realise that the Almighty God takes note of the so called minor misses of the Church as seen in Revelation 2:18-24. God is mindful of those who occupy His altar and He will hold in contempt, not only those who climb the altar with profanity but also those who allow them to climb. In Revelations 2:20, God said:
"Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols."

The first lesson to be learnt from Revelation 2:18-24 is in verse 18. The One that is assessing the Church in Thyatira has eyes like unto a flame of fire! In other words, He sees everything done both in secret and in public. Absolutely nothing is hidden from Him. Psalms 139:11-12 says:
"If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the light shineth as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to thee."

As we have mentioned over and over, the Almighty God knows the details of our service. This should always be a consolation to us, especially when it seems our services in the Church are not being appreciated. Know this; your Father in heaven who sees in secret will always reward you in the open. If you are a Deacon and you labour for the church like the General Overseer, it will amaze you that the reward of a General Overseer will pursue, overtake and stay with you. David was fighting like the commander-in-chief of the hosts of Israel and God rewarded him handsomely in many respects even before he was crowned. The greatest lesson with a strong warning is that your service is not perfect when it is laden with immorality and any form of evil. A Church is in danger when she allows profanity to take over the sanctuary. The Lord is warning someone reading this devotional that has been using service to cover up his or her immorality and greed. Please, repent today and stop polluting the sanctuary of the Lord. The consequences of your defiant attitude to this warning are severe as seen in Revelation 2:22-23. May the Almighty God have mercy in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Revelation 2:12-17, Jesus Christ commended the Church in Pergamos, reassuring them that nothing about them is hidden from Him. The interesting thing about this Church is that in spite of the nearness of the Church to the seat of Satan, they still held on to the Name of Jesus Christ, they never denied their faith even in the face of terrible persecution. However, Jesus Christ had a serious allegation against them. They tolerated in their midst those who were holding on to and practising false doctrines. This is a food for thought for Christians of the 21st century. In this end-time, we compromise a lot of the apostolic orthodox in the name of civilization and fundamental human rights. We have forgotten that just as God is not a democrat, He is also not a human activist. He has His set of rules that we must abide by, however, we compromise this divine standard because we think we can through that, win these blasphemers into the Kingdom. As a matter of fact, because we have tolerated them so much, they now see themselves as Christians too, setting worldly standard for the Church as they dangle their wealth at the saints.

Will Jesus not hate such a compromise in the name of magnanimity when it becomes a stumbling block to the saints? The saints are leaving their first love because of the doctrine of Balaam. This compromise spoiled the good works of the Church in Pergamos. In Revelation 2:16, Jesus warned the Church:
"Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth."

One major revelation in this passage is that the message of repentance was preached to the Church in Pergamos. We are hereby encouraged to heed this warning too, so that we can overcome these temptations through genuine repentance. When we overcome, our reward will be the hidden manna and a testimonial of perfection written on precious stone.

Beloved, do not be deceived by your longevity in Church. God knows your works and He will reward you accordingly.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Almighty Father knows all that we do, nothing we do is hidden from Him. This should make us rejoice because it means that our Master knows our works, (assuming that our works are good) and He will appreciate and commend us for them. In other words, even if people don't appreciate us or if they misunderstand us, God never misunderstands. In Revelations 2:9, the Lord sent a message of goodwill to the Church in Smyrna:
"I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan."

There are beautiful things to note from the above scripture: Jesus knows about the tribulation we are passing through. Little wonder one of the saints of old wrote a hymn titled: "There's not a Friend like the Lowly Jesus." The Chorus reads:
Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide till the day is done;
There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No, not one! No, not one!

Another interesting thing about Revelation 2:8-11 is the courage that the Master gave to the Church in Smyrna. He said: "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer...Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Beloved, this is a message from Jesus, the Lover of your soul. Before this time, in John 16:33, Jesus made a categorical statement void of ambiguity:
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

Jesus further assured us of the great reward of escaping the second death if we will strive to overcome (Revelation 2:11). May the Lord help us to overcome in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Come back Home to God; He has Nothing against You

Many people think of a high level of sin and crime when we talk of backsliding, whereas to backslide does not require going into heinous sins as some erroneously think. What is backsliding? Simply defined, backsliding is failure to do the good things you were doing before. James 4:17 says:
"Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."

It becomes a serious matter when you have started doing a good work and you stop doing it; that is backsliding in its practical form. This was the situation in the Church at Ephesus. The Lord commended their labour, their patience and their zero tolerance for evil. The Lord also knew how careful they were in scrutinizing and distinguishing between true and false apostles. In other words, they did not take any message in the Name of the Lord if they were not persuaded in the Holy Ghost about its authenticity. They held fast the faith, labouring to defend it without compromise. However, the Lord had something against them; they had left their first love. As a Christian, where is your first love? Is it still intact or have you left it for the theology of relativism? Is the end justifying the means of your livelihood? Your Church is swelling up in attendance after you compromised the faith. Those who you could not tolerate on God's altar are those that are frequently invited. Those singers that you could never allow near God's sanctuary are those who now frequently "minister" in songs to your congregation. Where is your first love? The Master in Revelation 2:5 is saying:
"Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."

In the past, Christians didn't walk in the counsel of the ungodly. They didn't stand where sinners stood, and they didn't sit at the forum of the scornful (Psalms 1:1). Nowadays, Christians promote and applaud jesting and ungodly jokes. We seem to have forgotten that not only doers will be punished but also those who love the doers. Romans 1:28, 32 says:
"....Who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."
Beloved, we should never allow our love for Christ go cold. Let us go back to our first love and be ready to suffer fleshly loss so that we can ultimately win Christ.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One thing that thrills me about the Bible is that it is a library of books that confirms that there is no new thing under the heaven. Everything good, bad and ugly has happened before and they are written so that we can learn from them. We have had many leaders in both secular and religious history; we still have leaders in the present age. The question is; who is your role model? Show me your role model and I can tell you who you are. In Philippians 3:14-19, we read about someone who was bold enough to tell his audience to follow him because he was a follower of the Great Master, Jesus. He went further to tell the Philippians what he did with his life:
"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3:13-14

In his effort to please his Master and Lord, the apostle said that those things which were gain to him, he counted as nothing so that he may win Christ and His righteousness. He aspired to become like Jesus Christ to the point of no return. He said in Philippians 3:10:
"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death".

We can learn many things from the life of this apostle: If we look at the dramatic change that followed his encounter with Jesus Christ on the way to Damascus, we cannot help but ask whether we plan to go to the same heaven with this soldier of the Cross. His memoirs are clearly written in 2 Corinthians 11 and 12. He spoke in part about the price of not only his discipleship but also of his apostleship, as he talked of a thorn in his flesh that buffeted him and then concluded in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 by saying:
"And he said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness". Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Beloved, who is your role model? We have living role models in the present age; those that are sold to the righteousness attainable only in Christ, those who have not corrupted themselves with the affairs of this life. Their lifestyles may not be amiable but if we follow them, our heavenly destination is guaranteed. Paul, the apostle under study, warned us thus in Philippians 3:17:
"Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example."
The reason he gave was that many, even as early as the first century Church, did not walk uprightly. As it was in the beginning so it is now. Therefore, beloved, watch out for good role models and pattern your life after them as they do after Christ.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One unfortunate thing about the spiritual warfare of this end-time is that many warriors of the Cross use weapons that have not been proven. As a result, they either die on the battlefield or become prisoners of spiritual wars.
Many of us are familiar with the story of David and Goliath, but it is possible that we missed one or two lessons in the story. As we continue to read and meditate on this popular story, we can gain insights into more reasons why the story was recorded for us to learn from. The first lesson we can learn is the fact that king Saul, as bad as his state of spirituality might have been as at that time was very concerned about the safety of the young man who was proving to be a "dare devil". He put on David the weapons of his own defence. The question is; if this armour could help, how come the original owner did not use it to free his nation from the threat of the giant? We can quickly learn that it is a curse to be under a weak or discouraged leader. What saved the day was that David realised that the battle was not just a physical battle. So, he quickly turned spiritual in his approach to the battle with, (humanly speaking) the most ridiculous weapon of war. In fact, Goliath himself felt that the battle had turned to a comic drama. 1 Samuel 17:42-43 says:
"And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods."

Another lesson, particularly from the above scripture is that in spite of the disdainful weapon that David was carrying, Goliath still employed his spiritual allies; he cursed David by his gods. How I wish that all children of God will realise that it is not the grammar of the language they use that will do the work of conversion; it is by the Spirit of our God. Human methods have never worked in the history of the Church, men and women of God who succeeded in the ministry were those who allowed the Spirit rather than self might, power or administrative acumen to lead in their ministries. David was a better match for this warrior who was fighting through the spirit of divination and sorcery. He said: "...Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied." The end of the story was victory for Israel and great defeat for the Philistines. David used the weapon he had proven and found to be true; the Name of the Lord.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

What is the link between divine partnership and consideration of the poor? As we may know, divine partnership has to do with partnering with the Almighty God. What is the connection between being in the same business with God and our attitude towards the poor? In Psalms 41:1-3, we discover that when we remember and help the poor, the Lord will deliver us from trouble. The reason is that the Almighty God watches over the poor and listens to their cry. When you respond to the cry of the poor, you are responding on behalf of their Maker who will in return replenish your pocket. The Bible says in Proverbs 19:17:
"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again."

Another thing that will happen to someone in divine partnership is that the fellow shall be preserved. The tendency is high and it is common to many cultures that the poor live at the mercy of the rich. In Isaiah 3:14, the Bible says:
"The Lord will enter into Judgment with the ancients of his people and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses."

So, when someone decides to take care of the poor instead of maltreating them, the Lord will preserve the fellow so that he can continue the good work. The one who partners with God in taking care of the poor earns longevity for himself. The Lord promised in His Word that whoever spares the poor of violence shall live. The Bible says that the poor shall never cease out of the land, therefore, He commanded us to remember the poor and the needy (Deuteronomy 15:4-11). When we partner with God in taking care of the poor, the Lord will bless us mightily beyond our wildest imagination.
Another blessing which accrues from partnering with God via taking care of the poor, is that the Lord promised to deliver us from the will of our enemies. Every right thinking fellow will do all things possible to keep a dutiful servant alive. Divine healing is the portion of whoever will take it upon himself to care for the poor on behalf of God. The Lord promised to visit the caretakers of the poor on their sick beds if at all they become sick; and when He visits, healing is guaranteed. The Lord also promised to make your bed for you if you will remember the poor and meet him at the point of his or her need. Beloved, there are many ways whereby we can partner with God; caring for the poor is one. We can learn a lesson from developed countries that take care of the poor. They are more comfortable than those countries which have no plan for the poor in the land. This is a food for thought for developing countries.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As it was pointed out yesterday, the power and authority which Jesus Christ has made available to believers cannot be imagined by natural minds. Some people subject themselves to life-long bondage because they are looking for power and protection outside Jesus. Hebrews 2:14-15 says:
"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

One of my spiritual children testified that it was the grace of Jesus Christ that prevented him from entangling himself in occultism. Before he met the Lord, he had determined to join as many secret societies as could be found on earth, to ensure his security. Fortunately for him, he met the Lord and he is now exercising the authority of a believer.

Beloved, the believer's authority is yours if you genuinely accept Jesus Christ. This authority was given to us without measure. Our Lord said He has given to us authority over all the powers of the enemy and that nothing will by any means hurt us. When we rely on this, we will live our lives in peace even in the midst of a storm. Our Lord Jesus Christ is in the boat, it will not capsize. However, we must use the authority to our advantage. The story was told of a man who inherited magical powers to ward off evil and dispel whoever might want to harm him on a journey which he set for himself. As he started on the journey, he sighted robbers, instead of putting the magic power to use; he started shivering, and cringing. His wife then burst into a song "encouraging" her husband to keep on shivering because that is how he usually shivers to kill hundreds and thousands. The robbers, taking the song to be true of the man, ran away for their lives. And that was how the woman saved the day for her husband. The lesson we should learn from this story is that, though the authority to conquer the devil and his cohorts are available, unless we exercise it in holy boldness, we remain as powerless as though it isn't available. To exercise authority over sickness, demonic oppression, poverty and all unpleasant situations, we need to be believers indeed by being born again through faith in Jesus Christ our Saviour. Also, we need to live according to the Word of God. We must be doers of the Word because it is the authority of the Word that we honour that helps us in times of trouble.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A believer's power and authority are two potent legacies that are highly irresistible beyond any man's imagination. However, it is unfortunate that many children of God do not recognize them. This the reason why the devil batters them on every side. As a result of this ignorance, the victor becomes a victim of circumstances. I pray for someone reading this devotional; you will never be a victim of circumstances in Jesus' name.
Power is the ability to perform a function and this is what Jesus Christ has made available to all His genuine disciples. Authority is more valuable than power because you can have the ability to do something but if you don't have the authority, you may not be able to. For example, with the power of the gun, you can hunt wildlife in the jungle, but if you are not licensed to hunt and you do, you may be jailed. In John 5:25-27 the Bible says:
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man."

Interestingly, according to Luke 9:1, this power and the authority to perform have been given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ:
"Then He called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases."

When a (so called) child of God is now caught in situations that are unbecoming of a saint and he then says "it is the work of the devil!" such a believer does not know the authority he has. The power to live above sin is made available through the work of redemption that Jesus Christ wrought at Calvary. The Bible says in 1 John 3:8:
"He that commiteth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."

When you come to Jesus Christ and you believe that He came to save you from the power of sin, He will not only forgive you, but will also give you the power to go and sin no more (John 8:11). This is the assurance that we have; that the grace of Jesus Christ will deliver us from the dominion of sin (Romans 6:14). My prayer is that you will not be beaten by the power of sin in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The child-like faith is what everybody requires, not only to make it to heaven but also to enjoy his or her days on the earth. If we do not believe this because it sounds illogical, we must believe it because Jesus said it. What is then required of us is to pray for the kind of faith that is comparable with that of a little child. The first thing about a little child is that he is very trusting. In my living room several years ago, there used to be a portrait of a little child looking so innocent with the inscription; "No Problem". The faith that will enable us not to see problems but see only God who specialises in solving problems is the best for us.
Another characteristic trait of little children is that they forgive easily. Unlike adults who keep malice, children forgive and forget the wrong done to them almost immediately after it's done. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:32:
"And be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

Children fulfil this Biblical injunction freely. Children could be very generous with their things except in some unusual occasions. Without knowing the spiritual implication of their actions, children are tender hearted with their peers. This is exactly what God wants from us. In Colossians 3:12-13, the Bible also says:
"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

There are many blessings we will access from the throne of God our Father if we can begin to take after children. For example, if we freely forgive those who wrong us like a child will do, our prayers will receive quick answers from God. In Mark 11:25, Jesus Christ said:
"And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive your trespasses."

This instruction that comes from our Lord is simply saying that before we pray, we must first forgive! We can see the reason many of our prayers are not answered; we refuse to forgive. I pray that a reader of this devotional will find grace to forgive and be kind hearted in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

For Jesus Christ to be fully formed in us, we must learn the secret of reducing our carnal nature to the level of divine approval. In Colossians 3:5-6, Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ said:
"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience."

When a person is born, he is born loaded with traits that are in enmity with God and consequently brings His wrath. Another apostle of Christ lists some things that make a typical fallen man; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life (1 John 2:15). These are the sins into which the first man and woman fell and we inherited. We must get rid of them if we want Christ to be fully formed in us. The pride of life is a subtle and complex sin for many reasons. Firstly, the proud will never accept that he is proud; this makes the sin very complex until the power of regeneration comes upon the individual. He surrenders his life to Christ for total deliverance. It takes the direct opposite of pride to go to Calvary and confess one's sins. Moreover, it takes an acceptance of his actions as sinful before the fellow can confess them. Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke on this matter when He told the story of the Pharisee and the Publican in Luke 18:9-14:
"And the Publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner... I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

In John 3:25-30, John the Baptist teaches us some lessons, in spite of his position as a prophet, he knew his limitation; he knew his boundary. He pointed his audience to the original Messiah. From his proclamation, we got the title for today's devotional reading: Jesus must increase while we must decrease. Our carnal man must be mortified so that Jesus Christ can increase in us, and gradually, we shall be transformed to conform to the image of the Son of the living God. Beloved, I want to encourage you to make a decision to decrease, that Jesus may increase. Let the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22 characterise your lifestyle.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Divine provision is in play when you know that what you have is not by your strength, power or ability. For example, when you work like a rat and you get the wages of an elephant without being fraudulent, you can be sure that the blessing is from above. On the contrary, when a man works like an elephant and all he can show for his labour is the wages of a rat, you can be sure that the fellow needs divine provision. The reason for the last scenario is the fall of man which earned him a curse associated with poverty and suffering. As a matter of fact, every man, particularly a child of God, needs divine provision to be able to make ends meet. This is the reason Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, told the Church at Philippi that God will supply all their needs according to His riches in glory through Jesus Christ, who has taken care of the sin that brought hardship and insufficiency to the life of man.

Divine provision begins with the provision God made for the atonement of our sins. God gave His only begotten Son as provision for our sins. John 3:16-17 says:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

Having settled the problem of sin, the Lord now makes available to us the abundance of His riches. The death of Jesus Christ cancelled the curse that subjected us to a life of penury and made available to us divine provision. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says:
"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."

He demonstrated this by the thousands he fed with that incredibly small meal which He multiplied just so that the need of the people will be met. Also, in the Bible reading for today, divine provision came forth to meet His personal need and that of Peter from the mouth of a fish. I pray for someone reading this devotional today; the Almighty will cause His divine provision to come upon you and meet you at the point of your needs in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The title of today's devotional "The Lord My Healer" requires deep thought. The Lord is asking us to personalise this truth today? The reason is not far-fetched; the healing virtue of Jesus Christ is very potent and available for YOU.
In Isaiah 53:1-5, we are reassured that Jesus Christ is the Ultimate Healer because He paid for our healing with His Blood. Apart from reassuring us, the Bible passage also draws our attention to some other truths; not believing that God heals His ailing people is an ancient unbelief that is meant to subject humans to perpetual suffering. In the book of Numbers 21:6-9, the serpents sent to the Israelites as a result of their sins had bitten them, God then directed Moses to make and lift up a serpent for whoever was bitten to look upon for healing; as many as looked lived. This is the type of healing God provides through our Lord Jesus Christ. In John 3:14-15, Jesus Christ said:
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

The power and secret of sickness and diseases which ultimately leads to death is hidden in sin. This is the reason why Jesus Christ often first of all attacked sin in the lives of the people He thereafter healed (Matthew 9:2-6). Healing is easily procured when the sick's sin are forgiven him. This is why the Psalmist says:
"Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."
Psalms 32:1

He is our unfailing Healer because He paid the dues for our healing, in that He atoned for the cause of sicknesses and diseases (Matthew 26:28).
To access divine healing, therefore, we must have a covenant relationship with the Healer, because by His stripes only, can we be healed. In other words, by the atonement of Jesus Christ, our healing is forever settled. To have a covenant relationship with the Healer, therefore, we must respond to His call to repentance, and surrender the totality of our lives for Him to control. The body that has been dedicated to Jesus Christ shall be spared the sicknesses that make people miserable. When we give our lives to Christ, the next thing to do is to graduate to the level of belief that, henceforth, Jesus Christ will be our Healer. We now become candidates for divine healing and we can graduate to the level of enjoying divine health.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The worst of all thieves in the church are the ministers who take the tithes, offerings and first-fruits collected from members for their personal use. You hear them say, "He who serves at the Altar must eat from the Altar." As true as this statement may be, custodians of the Lord's sanctuary should be wary of greed and the love of money. 1 Timothy 6:10-11 says:
"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee all these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness."

In 1 Samuel 2:12-17, the children of Eli corrupted the people's sacrifice through greed. Unfortunately, the same thing is happening today; some ministers of God, through greed, have made the tithes, offerings and first-fruits that people bring to the sanctuary unacceptable to God. Sometimes, members of the congregation suspect this foul play and begin to ask the ministers in charge what they use their tithes and offerings for. Though the ministers should be accountable to God through men, however, the tithes and offerings become an abomination before the Lord when the givers monitor it to the extent of wanting to know what God does with it. This is the reason some people claim to be paying their tithes and offerings and there is nothing to show for their giving. In Matthew 6:3-4, Jesus Christ said:
"But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly."

It is dangerous when brethren are not being encouraged or motivated to give more because they do not have anything to show for their previous giving. This happens when they begin to develop a negative attitude towards the way their pastors handle the finances of the Church. Some people leave their local assembly to go and pay their tithes and offerings elsewhere. This counterproductive. Hence, the ministers handling God's assets must be very careful. They must not become thieves in the sanctuary. The Lord enjoins us to fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life whereunto we have been called, and keep away from the love of this world. If it is dangerous to rob God by not paying our tithes and offering, it is deadly to steal out of the one that the brethren are faithfully contributing for the advancement of the Kingdom business. We must learn from the children of Eli and the children of Samuel himself (1 Samuel 8:1-5).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One sad thing going on among the children of God is that some are stealing from the sanctuary of God and the people concerned are doing it with impunity.

There are many ways a person can steal from the sanctuary of God. The most common way to almost every Bible reading Christian is when you deny God one-tenth of your income, Malachi 3:8 says:
"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings."

When someone eats all his income without giving back one out of ten of it, the fellow is stealing from the sanctuary, because the tithe belongs to the santuary of God.
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
Malachi 3:10

Another way of stealing from the sanctuary is by refusing to give your first-fruit to the Lord as He requested from His covenant people in Deuteronomy 26:2:
"That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name there."

Some people will argue that the ordinance of the first fruit belongs to the Old Testament era. I have always asked them about the numerous promises of God in the Old Testament which they often quote and claim to their advantage. For example, I asked some of them who took me up on whether the promise of being "the head and not the tail" isn't found in the New Testament. Or "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." which is also in the book of Matthew. The truth of the matter is that the scriptures which are favourable to the flesh are easily quoted and claimed. Those that take the steam out of their so called personal freedom and finances are pushed to the background. The first fruit is the property of the Almighty God in His sanctuary. We must give it to Him through the custodians of the genuine sanctuary of God. I pray for someone reading this devotional; the Holy Spirit will convince you of the truth about tithes, offerings and first fruit.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Christian race is not a short one but a marathon; you know there is a finish line but you can't see it. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not hide this truth from us when He said:
"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."
Matthew 24:36

To endure suggests that one would have to live with some things that are not compatible with our nature. This is a truth that some 21st century believers are not ready to live with. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that we should come and learn of Him. In the process of learning from Him, we must take His yoke upon us. The burden of our Lord Jesus Christ is justice, righteousness; love for God and acceptable service to humanity, particularly those in the household of faith. The Bible says:
"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 6:10

What calls for endurance in the Christian walk and why should we endure? Jesus Christ confronted the people of old about the fact that they hated Him, because He stood for the truth which His Father sent Him to tell the world.
"...If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham...If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me."
John 8:39-40, 42

Against this background, our Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples and us by extension, that He was sending us forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, and that we should be as wise as serpents, and as harmless as doves. He went further to tell us what was to come:
"And ye shall be hated of all men of my name's sake: he that endureth to the end shall be saved."
Matthew 10:22

Beloved, as we journey through the wilderness of this world towards our heavenly home, don't let us forget that this way is a narrow one. It takes a lot of discipline and self-denial to scale through successfully. Straight is the gate and narrow is the way according to the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us forge ahead and the Lord will see us through to the heavenly Canaan in Jesus' name. Whatever situation that may warrant your backsliding shall be destroyed this day in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ. Go into the world today and obtain your victory in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It takes withdrawing from the crowd to be able to hear the message that will not only save you from evil, but will take you to the next level of stardom. An adage says: "He that is afraid of being alone will die in the crowd unnoticed." The Psalmist says that the Lord makes him to be wise "in the hidden part" (Psams 51:6).
In Daniel 2:16-19, we learn a lot from the withdrawal approach of Daniel and his friends. The king had a dream that he could not remember, not to talk of interpreting. All the wise men of Babylon and the dream-interpreting astrologers could neither figure it out nor give interpretation to it. So, their lives were put at stake including those of Daniel and his friends. When the news got to Daniel and his colleagues, he demanded for some time to seek the face of their God. Daniel and his companions went into the secret place of the Most High and sought His face for the revelation of the dream of the king. The Bible says:
"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."
Deuteronomy 29:29

There are lots of lessons we can learn from this story. The first that really comes to mind is the fact that we must always find time to be in God's presence, because He desires our fellowship. You can be sure that God will always present you with a gift whether you are a guest to Him in His sanctuary or you play host to Him when you invite him to come into your life. An example of someone who was a guest to Him in His sanctuary was Hannah who withdrew from the crowded festivities at Shiloh. Her gift was a bouncing baby boy, Samuel (1 Samuel 1:9-18). When God comes visiting you in your lonely condition, He comes with gifts that money cannot buy. When Abraham decided to be alone with God, coming out from his extended family, he hosted the Almighty God through His angelic representatives and what he got in return was a child of promise (Genesis 18:1-14). Another lesson in this story is that we must learn how to trust God for good knowledge. The Almighty is the custodian of good knowledge and He gives it to those who diligently seek it. The Bible says:
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
James 1:17

It is wisdom, therefore, that we seek God wherever and whenever He may be found. Incidentally, from time immemorial, God is not always in the midst of the crowd. This is corroborated by the adage which says: "One with God is majority." Beloved, seek God today, not in the crowd, but in your personal and quiet life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Other blessings of solitary living include divine authority, divine revelation and divine direction. In James 5:17, we read that Elijah was a man who possessed divine authority that controlled the weather. He commanded rain to cease and it was so; when he felt it was time to release the rain, he commanded it to start falling and it was so! The Bible says in 1 Kings 17:1:
"And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word."

This did not come by careless and flamboyant living. This authority came as a result of solitary living and a separated life. We can understand this by what God said to Elijah in 1 Kings 18:1:
"And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth."

It took instruction from God before Elijah could show himself to Ahab. He had been in solitary confinement ever since he made the proclamation of the drought. Some Christian ministers would want to be seen everywhere, at every public function and yet they want authority, they want divine revelation and direction. They dine and wine with the elites in the society and yet they want to exercise divine authority. It does not work like that. Elijah said, "As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand..." Children of God, pastors, where are you standing? Before God or in the crowd?
In the reading of 1 Kings 19:9-18, it is amazing to know that not only spiritual but also physical encouragement came to Elijah during his solitary time with God. Through this divine physical provision, the Bible says that he travelled for forty days and forty nights without eating anything else. One lesson we must quickly grasp here is that God is interested in our physical and spiritual well-being. It is a pity that some Christians spiritualise so many things at the detriment of their physical well-being. Imagine God saying, "Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee." This divine consideration came because Elijah took time to be alone with God. One other lesson we must learn is that still in his solitude, Elijah was visited by God and he was able to lodge his complaint against the society he was living in and consequently he was told what to do. We receive divine instruction when we are alone with God. Our misconceptions about life situations will receive clarification and better understanding when we are alone with God. The Bible says:
"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant."
Psalm 25:14

Unknown to Elijah that he was not the only prophet standing for God, he wanted to die. However, he was told that God Himself had preserved seven thousand prophets who had not corrupted themselves! What a revelation and a lesson. Never think you are the only one keeping the bound of holiness, there are others unknown to you. So don't give in to the deceit of Satan. God will never change and He will never lower His standards. God bless you as you continue with God in holiness.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the characteristics of the eagle that we learn from the School of Disciples of the Redeemed Christian Church of God is its lonely lifestyle. We learn the virtues of a solitary lifestyle because more often than not, the crowd could be distracting. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in Matthew 14:23, demonstrated the need to withdraw and be alone with God periodically. The Bible says in Matthew 14:23:
"And when he had sent the multitude away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone."

What was Jesus doing alone? He was having fellowship with His Father and probably the angels were ministering to Him as we read in Matthew 4:11.
In Genesis 32:23-30, Jacob was facing a frightening situation and he needed to sort some things out with his Maker. So, he decided to be alone after discharging his family to go before him. What he was doing could be assumed in the light of verses 9 to verse 26. There are many lessons we can learn from this story: Firstly, to be alone with God we must separate ourselves from the crowd. Secondly, to be alone with God requires denying ourselves the luxury of family fellowship and affection. Jacob parted with his family including the wife he laboured to have for fourteen years. The only time the Bible allows a temporary separation between the husband and the wife is when it comes to being alone with God. The Bible says:
"Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency".
1 Corinthians 7:5

The third lesson we can learn from this story is that solitary living is of no use if you cannot get the best out of it. Jacob did not just isolate himself from the crowd, he had a nice and meaningful time with his Maker, and he did not miss out the essence when he said: "...I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." (Genesis 32:26). I always pity people when they come for big meetings like the Holy Ghost service, Festival of Life, Holy Ghost Congress, etc. and they sleep all through the programme, even while prayers are going on. These people left the luxury of their beds and comfortable houses, only to come here and waste their time in the presence of the Lord. Jacob did not do this; he went for the best from his God. Another lesson we can learn here is that as a result of this separation unto God, Jacob's terrible past was erased and he was mightily blessed. Finally in this story, we learn that we don't need the details of how God will perform our desperately needed miracles. All we need is faith to believe whatever the Lord says concerning us, either in His Word or through prophetic utterances from His genuine prophets. Jacob asked for the name of the man with whom he was wrestling and the man said that knowing his name was not necessary; all he needed was miracles and blessings, so he blessed him. This is a mighty reward of solitary living; being alone with God pays a lot. As you choose to separate yourself unto the Lord and away from the world, I pray that the blessings of the Lord shall characterize your separated life in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Grace is the favour of God to human beings. It is the demonstration of God's goodwill towards humankind in the person of Jesus Christ, and the effects of that goodwill in human lives. The word is rarely found in the Old Testament but employed frequently in the New Testament, leading some to declare the New Testament period as the dispensation of grace. The Christian life is completely dependent upon the grace of God. God's grace compensates for human weaknesses in that God shows Himself gracious in His dealing with human beings. John 1:16-17 says:
"And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

God's grace is abundant (Romans 5:17). This grace is not only abundant but can be exceeding in one's life (2 Corinthians 9:14). Grace is one way God makes up for our short comings. Grace covers our human frailties. Through grace, God uses our very limited strength and resources to do the impossible. This He does by adding His own strength and resources to ours. With grace, your lack, limitations, and defects are fully covered. When you have exceeding grace, it means God's provision far exceeds your need. Grace is in action at those times that the Holy Spirit helps us to pray (Romans 8:26-27). When you have prayed, fasted and tried without measuring up to standard, then it is time to fall back on His grace. Grace can be accessed at varying measures. To some people, grace may be unavailable, to some, only a little, while some will have it in abundance, and for some others, grace will outnumber their needs. What level of grace do you have access to? If you want to access extreme levels of grace, do not waste it and do not become a storage tower of grace, but rather, be a channel of grace. Always use grace for the purpose it is given to you. Be gracious to others. Be generous. Live a holy life. 2 Corinthians 6:1 says:
"We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain."

God does not wish that we receive His Grace in vain; He wants us to share His grace with others for them to taste and see that the Lord is good. May His glory fill the earth, that His name may be praised forever more.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Refuge is used in the Bible as a reference to a secure shelter or a place of protection from danger or distress. A refuge is a stronghold that is commonly used for retreat, healing and renewal. Ultimately, refuge is a common metaphor for God in the Bible. 2 Samuel 22:3 says:
"The God of my rock; in him will I trust: He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, My saviour; thou savest me from violence."

In effect, God is our fortress, a strong tower, a rock of defence, our shield, a shade of protection, and a shelter in the time of storm. He is Mighty to deliver, Mighty to save, the Mighty man in battle and the Lord of hosts. What a father does goes a long way in affecting the life of a child. Our Heavenly Father does not only neutralize weapons designed against His children, He also protects them from harm. Here is a story I have shared severally: In the 50's while I was still very young, we had mining activities going on in my village and the roads were very narrow. Nigeria was still under colonial rule then. Normally, white men came in a jeep to collect the gold that the miners got. They were so powerful in those days that villagers believed that if they killed your child, you have to tell them "thank you" so that you will not be sent to prison; they were dreaded. One day, my sister and I were returning from the farm when we suddenly heard the sound of a jeep coming at top speed. My sister immediately grabbed my hand and we both jumped out of its way, landing in an empty mine pit. We barely escaped the jeep but before we could have a sigh of relief, we found ourselves before a snake. Because our Father can preserve lives, I lived to tell the story. In Luke 10:19, God empowered all believers in Christ over snakes, scorpions, power of the enemy, and over demonic agents and all their activities. I prophecy in the Name that is above all other names, God will protect you and defend everything that is yours this season in Jesus' name. Psalms 20:7-8 says;
"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen: But we are risen, and stand upright."

The Word of God is trustworthy, reliable and dependable. Whatever you may be passing through, trust in God and call upon His name today, He will give you peace all round.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Patience and long-suffering are indispensable virtues for all believers in Christ. In the first place, the race we are called into can only be run through patience because it is a marathon. Also, there is hardly any promise of God that can be fulfilled in the life of believers without the combination of faith and patience (Hebrews 6:12). As indispensable as faith is to a Christian, so also is patience. No wonder it is listed as part of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22. Do you know that when your faith is being tried, God uses that trial to generate patience in you? This implies that the longer the period of trial, the greater your level of patience. But, when you fail to handle a particular trial of faith the way you should, it will not generate the level of patience that it should. For this reason, many who have gone through trials complaining saw God as an opposition, and therefore grumbled against Him. In the process, some even abandon the faith. This attitude is contrary to the Word of God as recorded in Hebrews 6:12:
"That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

Children of God must learn not to be weary in well doing because God has promised us a bountiful harvest if we faint not. We must completely trust in His superior wisdom to decide the timing of our blessings. For instance, He knows the end of every line of action even at the beginning of that action. This is why you must trust His sense of Judgement at all times, because His decisions are not limited to what your eyes can see today but also what may happen tomorrow. Many years ago, while we lived in a part of Lagos that harboured several drug addicts and reckless drivers, my children asked me to buy them a bicycle. When I declined, they failed to understand. But after we relocated from that part of Lagos some years later, without a repeat of that request, I bought them the bicycle. If I had obliged their request the first time, they might not be alive today. God still deals with us based on what He knows about us today and tomorrow. Be sure that the Lord will not give you the blessing you are not prepared for, lest it destroys you.

Whenever an expected blessing is delayed or when faced with difficulties, long-suffering is required to remain composed. Even when the situation appears hopeless, just take time to read and study the Bible, asking God to give you a word for that situation. Grab whatever God says, obey and follow-up with action, then wait for the result, and you will never be disappointed.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Almighty God is well known as 'The Lord who provides'. God is the provider and supplier of the needs of all creation, but He gives special attention to His own people. Psalms 145:16 says:
"Thou openest thine hand, And satisfies the desire of every living thing. He provides for all people."

Our God is a gracious Father, He does not only provide the needs of His children, He also protects their interest. He crowns His children with glory, and as a Consuming Fire, burns anyone that messes around with their royalty and honour. Three of God's children, crowned by God with glory, found themselves in such a situation one day. A king, who virtually ruled the world of their day, thought too highly of himself and wanted to rubbish their glory. He dispatched some hefty men to tie them and hurl them into a burning fiery furnace. At the end, the men he sent were roasted by the fire he set up, while the Consuming Fire was with His children inside the furnace to protect them and His glory upon them. They eventually walked majestically out of the furnace into promotion and increased glory (Daniel 3:1-30). This season, any plan to touch God's glory on your life shall be destroyed. Every fire the enemy kindles against you and your family shall devour that enemy in Jesus' name.

You need to know the worth of your Heavenly Father so that you can tap into His resources. The lifestyle of a child is determined by the status of the father and the resources controlled by the father. Philippians 4:19 says:
"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

If your father has a bicycle and you need to get to school, he will let you ride on it. If he has no means of transportation, you will trek. If he has a rickety car, you will ride in it, with passers-by looking with pity at its occupants. But if your father has an exotic car, you will ride in it and be admired by onlookers. Psalms 24:1 says the earth and everything in it belongs to our Father. Haggai 2:8 says He owns all the gold and silver. Psalms 50:10 says He owns all the cattle upon a thousand hills. John 14:3 says in His Heavenly estate there are many mansions. No wonder Philippians 4:19 say my Daddy will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory. Needs are met by available resources. Since He has all things, then all your needs shall be met. Call upon the Great Provider and start tapping into the unlimited resources of your Heavenly Father by faith today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible presents the nation of Israel and the Church of God as the chief objects of God's fatherly love. All of humanity have the privilege of becoming God's children through faith and are then encouraged by the Scripture to imitate their heavenly Father in their daily living. However, as I have always maintained, you can choose to be anything you want 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 that God has jointly belongs 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 Father-son relationship with the Lord. For such sons, even after leaving planet earth, Jesus promised to prepare 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 would 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 are, the more flourishing you become. This is not for those who merely 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 will 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 were created 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 to the extent that 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?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A fraudster is a dishonest person. Someone with a disposition to tell lies, cheat or steal. Dishonesty is contrary to the will and nature of God, and so should not be found among the people of God. The Bible teaches that any prosperity obtained from deceit, fraud and lies will be short lived. Initially, it will appear as an increase but later it will leave you plundered. Some believers exploit fellow believers. This is a great evil because any wrong you do to your brother or sister in Christ is done to the Lord. Today, many people find it difficult to tell the truth. For instance, when asked to go and buy something for the church, they will not rest until they make profit for themselves. Some of those who 'maintain' church equipments will present certain equipment as write offs, receive money for another one only to refurbish that which was condemned. They then go on to use it either for themselves or put it out for sale. Who owns the equipment? Who owns the church? Who do you think you are deceiving; the pastor, administrator or Christ? Bread of deceit loads your system with gravel! Each time you deceive the church authority to make money for yourself, you give yourself wounds that may never heal. Jeremiah 17:11 puts it this way:
"As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool."

A particular brother received a contract for electrical works in the building of a church. While bidding for it, he presented certain standard of cables and materials but after he was awarded the contract, he bought sub-standard materials in order to make more profit. Nobody knew. About two years after, the building was on fire as a result of the poor materials used. Meanwhile, the contractor had died before his secret deal came to light. A number of people believed that his deception killed him. Don't kill yourself; don't die before your time! God cannot bless you if you deceive Him or His servants. Some people deliberately supply inferior goods to the church so that when they get spoilt, they will be recalled to re-supply such items. This is fraud! Remember Ananias and Sapphira lied about the offering they gave but never survived it! Neither will any who follows their evil path. Are you fraudulent, dishonest, or crafty? Be warned, the end result could be highly disappointing. Proverbs 23:5 describes this as an exercise in futility.
"Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly makes themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven"
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Knowledge can be defined in two major ways; first, as an acquaintance with the body of truths, facts, or principles accumulated in the course of time from study or investigation. On the other hand, knowledge can also be defined as the illumination of the mind, especially by the Word of God, leading to delight and increased pleasure in God. It should be noted that whenever the Bible talks about knowledge and knowing, it is usually in the sense of knowledge as an illumination of the mind by the Word of God. Biblical knowledge is a combination of scientific, philosophical, psychological, and spiritual knowledge; and this kind of knowledge is superior to any other. In reference to the knowledge of the Word of God, Hosea 4:6 says:
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."

As I have always said, knowledge is power because it is a major factor that controls the process of decision making and therefore ultimately determine the course of life. It is the level of your knowledge about any particular subject that determines your ability to make the right decisions about that subject. It is in this light that Proverbs 1:29 says those who despise or detest knowledge do so at their risk. Every Christian needs to know that dependence on worldly knowledge may lead to failure, but godly knowledge guarantees success.

Do you know that if you know more about God and His Word, it will affect you in making error-proof choices and decisions? That is why Proverbs 1:23 says,
"Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you".

The elements you need in taking those crucial decisions are contained in the Bible, prophetic utterances of genuine men of God and what He would like to say directly to you. How much time have you given to studying at His feet? Some think it is a waste of time to undertake personal Bible study while others are sleeping at midnight. No. You are gaining time. At the end, you will realize you spent far less time and effort in reaching your goal than the one who never cared to give priority to God's Word.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Prayer is a means of communicating with God, it is primarily offered by addressing God directly in the name of Jesus. Prayer may include petition, entreaty, supplication, thanksgiving, praise, hymns, and lament. The Bible stresses the importance of prayer and commends a life of prayer that is characterised by simplicity of expression, sincerity of heart and trust in God's ability. It is important to note that prayer plays a vital role in our quest to access more of God's glory. It is a ladder we can climb to enter into God's presence. The more you pray, the more of His presence you will encounter, leading you into more of His glory. At the mount of Transfiguration, when the Lord moved His prayer gear to a higher level, He saw Himself in the presence of His Father and His clothes shone with God's glory (Luke 9:29). After this experience, Jesus returned to the domains of men, empowered to gain victory over men, demons and challenges that came His way. Prayer is the sure answer and the ultimate solution to all problems and challenges of life. God commanded us to pray in Jeremiah 33:3 by saying:
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not."

Through the instrumentality of prayer, there is no problem too big that cannot be solved; the issue is: many people are too lazy to pray their way into God's presence to enable them access the level of glory they require to reign over Satan, situations, circumstances and their fears. Wake up! Rise up in prayer and begin to pray your way into His presence today! Bear in mind that evil judgement and all manners of calamities always befall those that do not pray. God wants His children to develop the habit of praying always, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says: "Pray without ceasing"; Romans 12:12 talks about "...continuing instant in prayer"; and Luke 18:1 says, "...men ought always to pray, and not to faint." Children of God have no excuse for operating a prayer-less life. James 4:2 says:
"Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not."

The Word of God makes it very clear that the failure of many among the people of God is not due to laziness, lack of ambition, or poor preparation, but due to a lack of prayer.
According to 2 Chronicles7:14
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray..."
Many personal problems of individual Christians and some corporate challenges in the Body of Christ will turn to testimonies if only God's people will pray.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The use of the term "demon possessed" in the Bible is always in reference to a person operating under the influence of a demon or evil spirit. The Bible describes demons as evil, spiritual beings or malevolent forces that are opposed to God, and are in the habit of influencing human beings to disobey God. However, demons always bow in the presence of our God. If you study how demons related with Jesus Christ and His disciples in the Bible, you will observe that they recognized God's presence in Jesus Christ and His disciples and they surrendered without much argument. I have always told my children that if we have enough of His presence in us, demons will flee when they sight us, how much more when we command them to go. In Mark 5:1-6, when Jesus stepped on the shores of the Gadarenes, a very notorious; heavily demon-possessed mad man immediately reported to Him even before He said a word.

As a matter of fact, until you carry a higher level of His presence in your life, you may not realize the activities of demons in your environment. Believe it or not, they are everywhere, performing their negative assignments. But as God increases His presence in your life, there will be commotion because demons recognize the presence of God and they can't be at rest in His presence. Even in church, while God's anointed Word is being taught powerfully, demons will not be able to withstand the power in the Word, this happened when Jesus was teaching in the synagogue in Mark 1:21-26. One day, Paul and his co-labourers in God's vineyard were on their way to a prayer meeting when the spirit of divination in a young lady became restless because of God's presence in them. If only you carry a higher level of His presence, the demons around you will manifest from wherever they are hiding. Ask God for more of His presence upon you.

Furthermore, every encounter with the Word releases a measure of Truth that sets free, and just as the level of bondage varies in the lives of the captive, so also, the dose of Truth needed to bring total liberation varies. If you can expose yourself to more and more of the Word and allow the light of God's Word to shine on you, captivity will give way and you will be free. God desires your absolute freedom (John 8:36). Yet, beyond this, Jesus wants to empower you to set other captives free (Mark 16:17). What level of freedom are you experiencing? Everything that has taken you captive shall release you now in Jesus' name. Your deliverance shall be permanent and you shall become a means of liberation to others in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The word 'soldier' appears in the Bible quite frequently, along with a number of synonymous terms. A soldier is a person involved in military activity, one who is specially trained for war. In Bible days, the phrase 'men who drew the sword', was commonly used to identify a soldier's primary function as a combatant and to symbolise warfare in general. Ephesians 6:11-17, is a Bible reference comparing the weapons of a fully armed Roman soldier to that of a Christian's spiritual armour. In recruiting earthly soldiers, some are chosen while others who are unfit are dropped. The fact that you are born again shows that you have scaled through the first selection hurdle. The next thing is to prove that you are a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Why? There are bad soldiers of the Cross. There are many supposed soldiers in God's army who are no better than earthly civilians. In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul enjoins fellow Heavenly soldiers to fight the good fight of faith. We have been called into a fight. It is a fight that is based on your faith in Christ. 2 Timothy 2:4 says:
"No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."

The chosen is also expected to be a soldier. Therefore, if you cannot fight to resist and terminate Satan's operation in your life, family or church, you are a civilian not a soldier. If you cannot fight for God's promises to be fulfilled in your life and circumstances, you are a civilian, not a soldier. Can you imagine a soldier who is armed and at the battle front drops his weapons, only to plead with fellow soldiers to assist him in shooting at his emenies? That is a civilian soldier! In the Christian faith, there are many civilian soldiers. If you keep relying on others to pray for you, you are a civilian soldier. If you pay prayer contractors to go to Prayer Mountains on your behalf while you are asleep at home, you are a civilian soldier. Civilian soldiers make God nauseous. If you are a soldier of the Cross, you must endure hardness. If because of little trials - delayed conception, no money, or some persecution, you decide to call it quits with your faith in Christ, you become a deserter, not a soldier. Soldiers are tough and able to go through tough and difficult terrains. What would stop civilians cannot stop soldiers. They are armed, disciplined and operate according to the orders of their superiors. They are faithful to their oath to defend and kill identified enemies of the kingdom. They fight, putting their lives on the line. The big question that every Christian must answer with all sincerity is, are you a soldier of the cross, a deserter, or a civilian?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The very first indication of God's work in creation is recorded in the book of Genesis chapter one. The oldest workman of God would therefore be referring to a character involved in the activities at the beginning of all things. Proverbs 8:22-23 hints as follows:
"The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Or ever the earth was."

And John 1:1-3 says,
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

The oldest worker of God in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:3), is a personality having neither beginning of days nor end of life. He is without father, without mother, no descendants; He lives in eternity and abides forever. The Bible says that the Almighty God possessed Jesus in the very beginning, before His works of old. This is a mystery. He was with God in the beginning of creation and all things were made by Him, whether visible or invisible, physical or spiritual. Psalms 19:1-2 says:
"The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night sheweth knowledge."

His excellent knowledge and perfect wisdom is visibly evident everywhere in creation. The Heavens declare His glory, and His perfect creativity is revealed in nature; the beautiful landscape, waterfalls, mountains, valleys, and all the rivers in their places; the beautiful flowers and birds that sing, all the small and great animals of the earth, and the abundant life under the seas; the moon, the stars and the heavenly hosts, the appointed seasons, all these are wonders of His creation. Also by Him, God established the clouds above, and strengthened the fountains of the deep. He decreed to the sea, that the waters should not pass the set boundary when he appointed the foundations of the earth. Our Lord Jesus is great in power and excellent in glory, may His name be praised forever. Let somebody shout Hallelujah.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.