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From the experience of Daniel in Daniel 10:10-14, we understand that praying effectively makes it impossible for your blessings to pass you by. When you pray, your blessings are branded with your name, and as you continue in prayer, a heavenly courier is sent with your package. When you pray some more, the courier will deliver the package to you. Do you know that there are blessings which were released from Heaven but which never got to their owners? One likely way of losing your blessing is to stop praying about them. If you stop, by the time they are being sent, they could get missing in transit. So many blessings have been lost due to a lack of follow-up prayers.

Let us look at Daniel's experience. He had a burden to unravel a particular mystery; so he set out to fast and seek God's face on the matter. A day passed, a week passed, and another week passed, but he kept on praying. It was after three weeks that the answer came. The angel who brought the answer told him that from the day the request was made, it was heard and an answer was sent, but certain forces of darkness delayed him until Angel Michael came to assist him. This tells us that the battles in heavenly places are real. No wonder Ephesians 6:12 says:
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places".
These forces exist and they are out to delay or deny you your blessings. If you lose faith and stop praying, the enemy might divert them.

It is one thing to pray and have the answer released, but it is another thing to receive the answer. Today, it is possible to send something by post and track it's movement from country to country up to its destination through the internet. Prayer is the spiritual tracking device you need to track your blessing from Heaven until it arrives in your hands. Once you start praying on a particular issue, don't stop. Keep on praying until the answer gets to you. In addition, it is necessary to specifically pray against every spiritual agent of hindrance. Paralyse every diversionary agent of darkness. Pray against blessing thieves and hijackers, and envelope your blessing in the Blood of Jesus. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jesus Christ is the door to finding everlasting peace. Peace is so vital to human existence that people search for it in many ways. Some people even do all sorts of abominable things to get peace, but the more effort they put in, the more they realise that they are far from having the peace of God. Jesus is the only door through which true peace is guaranteed. Because Jesus is the door, whatever you need to access in life can only be done effortlessly through Him. As the door, He does not need a door to come in, nor does He need a door to go out. For everything you desire in life, there are doors for accessing them. There are doors of financial breakthrough, academic excellence, marital bliss, spiritual endowment and health. All these doors are enclosed in the original Door - Jesus. There is none of these doors that Jesus Christ cannot open. Nothing can deny any child of God access to these doors as long as they are in Christ.

Are you in search of promotion, fruitfulness and breakthrough? Then come to Jesus. He will give you access to all the closed doors in your life. There is no need for worries or panic, because Jesus will give you permanent victory over the challenges confronting you. If you want Jesus to be your access through the Journey of life, you must give Him full access into your life. You must always allow the Lord to be before you. Psalm 16:8 says:
"I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved".
If you want to have Jesus as your exclusive way, you must allow Him take the lead while you follow. You need to always look up to Him and let Him be your focus. If you can do this, you will realise that those things you have been running after for many years will begin to come to you. As long as you have Jesus, you cannot be limited. All you need to do is open your heart to Him. What are those things you worry yourself about? Trust in the exclusive door. He will lead and guide you. The moment Jesus becomes your door, everything will begin to respond to you. There are many people who are not yet blessed because they have shut the door of their heart to the Lord. The moment the door is opened for Him to come in, the lines will begin to fall in pleasant places for you. Jesus is the only true door. Other doors will fail, but Jesus can never fail. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the school of life, those who are prone to giving excuses end up as failures. Greatness in life is not for the slothful but for the diligent. It is not for men of theoretical faith, but for those who can put their faith into action. There are many people walking around blind to opportunities. They always complain about the economic situation of their country, and for this reason, they have refused to take their destinies in their own hands. Nothing moves until you move. There are opportunies all around you, but if you can't see them, they will not translate into tangible results. To be industrious is to be hardworking, conscientious, diligent and productive. John 15:16 says:
"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you".
God expects His children to be productive and be creative in their thinking. The fact that you belong to God should make you see solutions to issues where others only see problems. The spiritual controls the physical; this is why you need to ask God to open your spiritual eyes. You need to see the good things coming your way from afar off, so that as they come, you can tap into them. There are many people sitting and living around opportunities without exploring them. There is no future for lazy fellows.

The life God expects from the industrious is a life of fruitfulness in every area. Fruitfulness is a covenant benefit of God's children. If you are still in school, you need to be industrious in order to graduate with excellent grades. If you are serving in God's ministry, you need to be industries, so that you can access the anointing required for doing spiritual exploits. If you are engaged in business, you need to be hard-working to make more profits and access greater business opportunities. If you are in the corporate world, being industrious will put you on the cutting edge of your career. You need to keep growing. You need to develop yourself for the glorious future you see ahead of you. You must not be distracted with those things that will not enhance the quick actualisation of your God-given dreams. There is no need losing your head over what you don't have. What you have is more than enough for your breakthrough. Never be afraid of starting small. Ask the Lord to open your eyes so that you can multiply the seed in your hands to become a forest. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Your love for God is something you must prove to be genuine. God is not satisfied with verbal affirmations only. He is not satisfied with promises to love surrounded by procrastination. He wants to see your love for real; hence, 1 John 3:18 says:
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
Have you been able to prove your love for God beyond words? One beautiful truth here is that whenever you demonstrate your love for God, it will attract greater love from Him. This principle can also be seen in the natural world. If I smile at you, unless you are angry with me, you will return the smile. Every time you prove to God that you love Him, He will reciprocate by showing you greater love. In Acts 20:35, Apostle Paul echoed the words of our Lord Jesus Christ that it is better to give than to receive. Many people find it hard to understand this. Simply put, it is better to give because when you give, you automatically open the door to receive more than what you gave.
 
The act of giving is subject to the law of harvest; therefore, everyone who gives receives something much more than what was given, because the harvest is usually greater than the seed sown. Hebrews 2:9-10 tells us that when God gave His only begotten Son, He brought many more sons into glory. God gave one Son and now has millions of sons and daughters from different parts of the world. There are some desires that you may not receive until you give. There are certain great requests that may appear illusive until you give your best seed. For you to be able to receive all your requests, you must first be prepared to pay any price by giving anything God wants you to. What you are prepared to give determines the extent to which God is compelled to give to you in return. Are you ready to pay the ultimate sacrifice? Sacrificial giving never goes unrewarded. After Jesus laid down His life for the sins of the world, He was rewarded with the Name above every other name (Philippians 2:8-11). Similarly, after Abraham demonstrated his love for God, the Lord swore to bless Abraham and his children beyond measure, promising to multiply his generations like the sand on the seashore. What are you doing to prove your love for God today? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

While on earth, Jesus demonstrated the nature and character of God to man (John 14:8-11). There was no one who came in contact with Him that did not testify of His goodness. Why was this always the case? It is because Jesus knew the purpose of His coming to earth. When the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable. Because Jesus knew why He was here, He never wasted any opportunity. He was so committed to the business of seeking the lost that He even became the guest of sinners. There is so much potential being wasted today, because very few people are committed to the business of wining souls; whereas this is the global mandate given to every believer by the Lord. There is no one in Jesus' cabinet that is useless. Before He came into their lives, they might have been ordinary men, but after they became citizens of His kingdom, they became valuable instruments in the hands of God.

Anyone could be lost, irrespective of their position, titles or academic achievement. Even if you are a renowned professor, as long as you do not have Jesus in your heart, you are lost. There is no one who Jesus cannot receive. He is waiting earnestly for everyone to come to Him. In Luke 19:1-10, a chief sinner came to Jesus, and he got his salvation. This is the beauty of salvation: all you need to do is come to Jesus and receive Him as your Lord and Saviour. Salvation is for all. No matter how terrible you have been, just try Jesus, and He will make sense out of your life. He will not only receive you to Himself, He will polish away your rough ends to the point where you become a testimony to the entire world. All you need to do is make straight your crooked ways. Even if you have backslidden, He is waiting to accept you back by His love. To be lost in sin is a terrible thing. Sin has wages, and the wages of sin is death. It is sin that produces sickness, affliction, bondage and distress; but the moment you are found by the Lord through salvation, you begin to enjoy good health, abundant life and the peace of God, and live a holy life that counts to His glory. When you allow yourself to be found by the Lord, you can be assured that in your salvation lies your breakthroughs and victory. I was formerly lost, but when Jesus came into my life, everything changed. This can be your testimony too. Your past will no longer matter to God; He will only use it as a testimony of His faithfulness. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye. Merry Christmas!!!

Everyone on earth is indebted to the Almighty God. Irrespective of your many needs that are yet to be met, you must still remember that the breath of life you have is not a function of your power. If you can think deeply within you, and look at all that is happening around you, you will give ceaseless praise to God. The reason why some people do not think they should thank God is because they are looking at those things they do not yet have, but they forget to look at those things they have right now. Some would even say they have nothing. Such people are unmindful of the fact that it is with life that things are produced, and when you have life you have all things. The Scripture in Psalm 68:19 says:
“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.”
The implication of this is that there is nothing we need that the Lord has not provided for. What to eat, what to drink, where to live, the car to drive, the person to marry are all examples of His benefits.
 
When the Psalmist followed the multitude into God’s house, he went with joy without being forced (Psalms 42:4). Why then do we wait for people to motivate us to praise God? Why do we behave as if there is nothing in our life to thank God for? The mercy of the Lord towards us is everlasting (Psalms 100:5). With this assurance, we should be singing and praising His Name. You are to bless the Lord for all He has done in the past, all He is doing in the present and all He is yet to do. As you do this, He is committed to doing more. One of the greatest lessons on gratitude I learnt was from my mother. Any time my mother wanted to collect my school fees from my father, she would draw up a strategy of praising and eulogising my father. She would call him great names he did not bear. She would mention great feats and achievements far above his profile and credit him with them. Even before she was done, he would give her what she wanted. This strategy worked every time. If this can work for a mortal man full of limitations, how much more the immortal God who has no limitations? For all the blessings and protection of the Almighty God, you can never praise Him enough. When you praise God adequately and magnify His various Names, He is moved, and once God moves on your behalf, you can expect the miraculous. You can also expect Him to ambush your enemies and open doors in all aspects of your life. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the plan of God for you as a child of destiny, both those who love you and those who hate you have a part to play in bringing about the fulfilment of your destiny. For example, in the case of Joseph, his father loved him but his brothers hated him. Ideally, Joseph would have preferred that his brothers loved him like his father did. But if that had happened, how would he ever have arrived at the place of his destiny? His brothers, provoked by envy, provided the free transportation that took him to his place of destiny. If they had known that their evil intentions towards their younger brother would fast-track his dreams coming true, would they have sold him into slavery? I doubt it. This simply tells us that the enemy does not see the bigger picture. God only allows the enemy to see how they can hinder you, while He hides from them how their actions will benefit you. Believe it or not, as long as you are in God’s will, every negative move your enemy makes will work towards your good. May the Lord open your eyes to see the good in the bad actions of your enemies in Jesus’ Name.
 
Moreover, there is a difference between desire and God’s purpose. It is possible for you to have a desire which tallies with God’s plan and purpose for your life. In this scenario, your desire and God’s purpose will harmonise to move you into your destiny. However, it is also possible to desire what contradicts God’s purpose for your life. In such a scenario, if your desire is granted, it could delay, distort, modify or even cancel God’s plan for your life. For example, God may want you to live and serve Him in a particular country - say your homeland, whereas you may desire to go to a more developed country for greener pastures. If God loves you, He will not grant your desire, so that you can remain in His plan for your life. Although Jesus in Mark 11:24 promised to deliver to you your requests made in faith, yet, as a child of destiny, you must be careful what you ask for, lest you ask outside of God’s will, and He sends leanness into your soul (Psalm 106:15). Every time you desire what God does not want for you, it amounts to working against your God-given destiny. Stop working against God’s plan for your life. From today, harmonise your plan with God’s purpose for you. Any personal plan that does not blend with God’s plan must be discarded. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Children of God who are not sensitive in these last days will have themselves to blame. You have to be prayerful, careful and sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, particularly because there are mixed multitudes all around the Church today. There are even churches that belong to Satan but have the appearance of belonging to Jesus Christ. There are also demonic agents prowling around and deceiving people. If you are not very watchful, you will become one of their victims. That will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name. Although God wants His children to hear from Him and get His best, one factor inhibiting this is the fact that they have idols in their hearts which prevent them from hearing from Him clearly. You can be seeking God’s face for direction but also be hoarding idols in your heart. If you really want the Almighty God to guide you, you have to eradicate all forms of idols from your life. There are many singles in the Body of Christ today who are not yet married even though they are of age. Some of them have allowed idols in their hearts for so long a time that they have not been able to look in the direction God is leading them to. There is someone reading this who is trusting God for a marriage partner, the Lord will direct your steps in Jesus’ Name. You can never get anything better than what God has in store for you. You will observe that after the Lord made Eve out of Adam, Adam had no difficulty recognising his wife (Genesis 2:22-23). Once your spirit man is highly sensitive, you will always receive God’s signal on the right thing to do each time (Isaiah 42:16).
 
There are many homes experiencing frustration today. It is because they have not allowed the voice of God to speak to them. God has spoken, but they have all along been listening to the idols in their heart. Not all that glitters is gold. Not all open doors are opened by God. If you really want the blessings of God in your life and home, you have to eradicate the voices of all the idols in your heart. Even if you are totally blind, as long as you depend on God for direction, His promises for your life will lead you to where you will find rest for your soul. I prophesy into your life that you will not miss your way in Jesus’ Name. Wherever God is taking you, you can rest assured that you are heading for a glorious destiny. He will lead you so clearly that you will be so sure of where you are going. He will lead you so convincingly that you can guarantee the outcome of your choice even before you embark on it. There is nothing as safe as allowing God to direct you in every sphere of life. If you hear well from Him, you will end well. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Several people at one point or the other have drawn God’s attention to themselves by lifting up their hands to Heaven. This is a symbolic way of saying, “Lord I trust you totally with my life.” You are telling God that unless He helps you, there is nothing you can do about your situation. One person who did this several times was Moses. At the Red Sea, God commanded him to lift his hands, and you know the end of the story. There is something highly significant about the hands of Moses; they were very special. Even in the battle between the children of Israel and the Amalekites, the war was won simply by Moses raising his hands up to heaven. Anytime you lift up your hands to God, you are showing your reliance and total dependence on Him. There are people struggling through life. They wake up very early and return home very late, and yet there is nothing significant to show for all their efforts. It requires more than human effort to succeed in life. You need the divine support of the Almighty God. Never trust in your position, because position is never permanent. Never trust in your intellect, because no matter how much you know, your intellect is too small to comprehend the ways of God. Never trust in your money, because money can develop wings and fly away. Put your total and absolute trust in God.
 
The more you look up to God, the more victories He will deliver into your hands on a platter. If anyone who is of God raises his hands to bless you, you can rest assured that you are blessed. You need to also pray to God that through your hands, there will be manifestation of signs and wonders. Apostle Paul did so many exploits with his hands. Your hands are very significant to the fulfilment of your destiny. This is why you cannot afford to toy with sin. You must be willing to engage your hands in doing things that are pleasing to God. When you serve a man of God with your hands, you are automatically transferring grace to yourself. Don’t allow your hands to be lazy. Engage your hands in soul-winning and setting the captives free. Anytime you need empowerment from God, go to His presence as an empty vessel that is waiting to be filled and empowered. Lift up your hands to him so that He will know you have come to exchange your weakness for His strength. Never go before the Almighty God with the notion that you have it all. Expose all your frailties, weaknesses and failings to Him and you can be sure that before you leave His presence, you would have been filled, and whatever you lay your hands upon will begin to prosper. May that be your portion in Jesus’ Name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Anytime you lift up your hands to God, you are showing your reliance and total dependence on Him. There are people struggling through life. They wake up very early and return home very late, and yet there is nothing significant to show for all their efforts. It requires more than human effort to succeed in life. You need the divine support of the Almighty God. Never trust in your position, because position is never permanent. Never trust in your intellect, because no matter how much you know, your intellect is too small to comprehend the ways of God. Never trust in your money, because money can develop wings and fly away. Put your total and absolute trust in God.
 
The more you look up to God, the more victories He will deliver into your hands on a platter. If anyone who is of God raises his hands to bless you, you can rest assured that you are blessed. You need to also pray to God that through your hands, there will be manifestation of signs and wonders. Apostle Paul did so many exploits with his hands. Your hands are very significant to the fulfilment of your destiny. This is why you cannot afford to toy with sin. You must be willing to engage your hands in doing things that are pleasing to God. When you serve a man of God with your hands, you are automatically transferring grace to yourself. Don’t allow your hands to be lazy. Engage your hands in soul-winning and setting the captives free. Anytime you need empowerment from God, go to His presence as an empty vessel that is waiting to be filled and empowered. Lift up your hands to him so that He will know you have come to exchange your weakness for His strength. Never go before the Almighty God with the notion that you have it all. Expose all your frailties, weaknesses and failings to Him and you can be sure that before you leave His presence, you would have been filled, and whatever you lay your hands upon will begin to prosper. May that be your portion in Jesus’ Name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;”
Revelation 3:14
In the above Scripture, Jesus Christ is called the Faithful and True witness. Because He is the Truth, He hates lies. A false witness is a liar. It therefore implies that Jesus hates the bearing of false witness. If you are a false witness, your nature is at variance with that of Jesus who is the Faithful and True witness. If you claim you belong to Him and yet you bear false witness, you lie, and the truth is not in you. If you lied against someone and got the fellow into trouble before you were saved, although God has forgiven you your sins at the point of salvation, you still need to make right that wrong deed. It is very worrisome to hear that false witnesses exist in the Body of Christ today. It is reported that some people arrange for some fellows to testify against particular individuals in order to discredit them or their ministry. Such testimonies have ridiculed and even disqualified some people from a particular office, position or imminent promotion. If you are guilty of such act, you must be prepared to restitute to the fellow you lied against. Yes, it could be humiliating, but you have to do it.
 
Another area where people are guilty of bearing false witness in the body of Christ today concerns the issue of sexual harassment. There are ladies who, for one reason or another, decide to blackmail a servant of God. They may come to that servant of God with an issue, arrange a scenario of compromise, and then allege that he was about to rape them. They are like Potiphar’s wife, who consistently tried to entice Joseph into adultery, but he kept resisting her. Eventually, when all her antics had failed, she falsely accused him of trying to rape her. Joseph went to prison because of that lie. Some pastors have lost their ministries to false witnesses. Some people have been demoted because someone lied against them. Some families are suffering because of the lies a member of the extended family told against them. Some church leaders are fighting some innocent workers and ministers because of the lies told by somebody. Are you a false witness? God can expose your evil deeds. Go and straighten your crooked path or else, the journey you thought would lead you to Heaven will end in Hell. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A mission is a special assignment commissioned by a higher authority. Generally speaking, missions are known to involve some level of difficulty and challenges. Therefore, they are generally identified with uncertainty, opposition, criticism, anxiety, risk and fear. This fact is evident in all those who were commissioned for one assignment or the other in the Bible. Noah as a man on a mission experienced all these. Nobody believed him until the word of the Lord came to pass (Luke 17:27). Abraham’s experience was the same. At a point, he risked losing his beautiful wife because of the fear of the unknown (Genesis 20:2-3). The assignment of Moses was especially marked with difficulties that made him experience negative conditions on a much higher level. Other important figures in the Bible like Joseph, Joshua, Daniel, Nehemiah, and David were not left out; they all had terrible encounters on their mission to fulfil their assignments, but by the grace of God, they all accomplished their missions successfully. I therefore decree over your life: no matter how difficult your assignment is, and no matter what you are passing through on the assignment, your mission will be accomplished successfully in Jesus’ Name.
 
A person on a mission is usually misunderstood, especially when he or she is being controlled by the Holy Spirit. This is usually because the fellow receives divine instructions which are guaranteed to bring success, but are usually at variance with human understanding. David, as a man on a divine mission, accomplished his mission in grand style by taking some specific steps. He did not allow opposition and criticism to discourage him, but remained focus on his assignment. David identified with the Almighty God and relied on the power in the word of God as the ultimate weapon of war. He trusted completely in God for victory to the point of boasting about it. He was ill-equipped for battle because he had no sword, yet he confidently approached his assignment with boldness, and God crowned his efforts with resounding victory. Do you have a mission, vision, or idea that has become a passion in you? Are you in anyway handicapped because of lack of money, human connection, or assistance? Are you in a disadvantaged position because of your family background or upbringing? My friend, do not fret over your situation. Put your trust in God, and your mission will be accomplished in due time in Jesus’ Name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 1 Samuel 17:28-30, we see what seems to be a subtle undertone in Eliab’s unprovoked anger against David. Let’s take a closer look at what was actually going on. David happened on the battle scene by accident, because he was only there on an errand to deliver his father’s message to his brothers and the captain of their unit. It is therefore interesting that David was able to identify his mission in the midst of an affair which appeared to be none of his business. He found his purpose in a remote and indirect call to duty. This is a very good example of how the purpose of God becomes manifest in a person’s life. Despite the fact that Eliab railed accusations of pride and naughtiness of heart against David, he did not deny them or defend himself; he only asked this rhetorical question: “Is there not a cause?”  A cause is a very important element of purpose, which usually develops into a passion for an objective, making it worth dying for. David so quickly reached the conclusion that confronting Goliath was a cause he was prepared to die for (1 Samuel 17:32).
 
Looking at the sequence of events in this story, I have a feeling that David was acting under the influence of a power that was far beyond his control. I sincerely believe that he was very conscious of this fact, and he yielded himself to the control of the awesome power of God. The power that moved David to overcome Goliath is the same power that moved Samson to tear up a lion with his bare hand. I pray that you will receive that power now in the Name of Jesus. David did not only discover his assignment, he also quickly identified with the One who predetermined the whole process. Let’s consider a few of the steps taken by David. First of all, He ignored and discarded all forms of discouragement that came his way through his brother, Eliab, and through King Saul (1 Samuel 17:28 & 33). In addition, he testified and boasted in the Lord of all the wonderful things God had accomplished in his life (1 Samuel 17:34-37). Furthermore, being sure of God’s support, he refused to rely on human technology (1 Samuel 17:39). Beyond all this, he went ahead to identify with God by presenting himself as an emissary of the Lord of hosts. 1 Samuel 17:45 says:
“Then said David to the Philistine, 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.”
Are you pursuing a cause? Are you a man or a woman with a purpose? If you are ready to identify with the Lord of hosts and employ the same strategy David used, success will be yours. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are many inventors in life whose names we never heard about because they gave up on the verge of their discoveries. Life is about persistence, and one man who was very persistent in his pursuit of greatness was Elisha (2 Kings 2). Elisha kept following Elijah ardently and many people thought he was wasting his time. Elijah moved from Bethel to Jordan and from there to Jericho, yet, Elisha would not let go. He was desperate for greatness, and his persistence in the pursuit of greatness paid off. You need to understand that you have a great role to play if you will ever get answers to your prayers. Also, understand that sometimes, there is a place of waiting before a prayer is answered. Some problems have a required number of hits they must receive before they become levelled. Naaman had to dip in the water seven times before He could get his cleansing. Thank God he did not stop at the sixth dip when he discovered there was still no change. It takes persistence to get the miracles you desire from God.
 
From the account of the woman in Luke 18:1-8, it is apparent that she continued to persuade the judge to assist her. There might have been many things the judge said which were sufficient to discourage her from returning to him, but she did not succumb. She persisted in her visits and cries for justice until she got the attention of the judge on her case. There is no problem in life without an expiry date. The faint in spirit cannot get anything significant from life. They give up at the point when they are so close to their blessing. God is a God of plan and purpose. He does everything according to His timetable. Some people conclude that their miracle is taking too long to come; they become impatient and begin to look for alternatives that will not give them the kind of joy they desire. Do not be like such people. You need to keep your hope alive. You need to push until you get what you want out of life. There are people who are so passive in life. They think life will automatically give them what they deserve just by speaking in tongues. No, it doesn’t work that way! You have to involve your body, soul and spirit in the pursuit of your dreams. That woman in Luke 18:1-8 continued to press the unjust judge. Everywhere this judge went, he saw the woman there, pleading passionately that her case be looked into. Her appearance began to constitute a problem for him; so much so that he decided to grant her petition. In the Name of Jesus, you will get that which will glorify the Name of the Lord. Let your anchor of hope remain intact in Jesus Christ. Never allow the winds of adversity, doubt and fear deny you of your divine inheritance. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The words of Ephesians 1:3-6 should bring joy to the heart of every believer in Christ. They reveal that everything about God’s plan for your life has been settled long before the foundation of the world was laid. If this is true, it means that the things you have experienced in the past, all you are currently going through and everything you will experience in the future are no accidents; rather, they are designed to help you fulfil God’s purpose for your life. No wonder Romans 8:28 says:
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
If God has called you to fulfil His plan for your life, everything He allows to come your way, both good and bad, will work in your favour, even though on the surface, they may not appear to be working in your interest. In fact, some situations might appear so contrary and terrible, but in God’s overall plan for your life, they are adding up to something great for you.
 
Let’s look at the example of Joseph. He was born quite late by his beloved mother, and so he became his father’s favourite son. His father made him a coat of many colours, which was a prophetic connotation of where God was taking him. God gave him a dream for his life, and his envious brothers hated him for it. Joseph’s dream was not just a desire or a goal he set for himself; it was God’s plan for his life. Do you know that some people can be envious of you because of God’s plan for your life? If every believer knew what God had planned for each of them, and accepted His plan, there would be no room for envy. Furthermore, notice that even though God had a great plan for Joseph’s life, he still experienced great troubles. His troubles even started right from home. Nevertheless, if you take a look at his life, you will see how all the experiences of his life helped to take him to God’s destination. If his brothers were not envious of him, they would not have sold him into slavery. If he was not sold into slavery, he would never have become Potiphar’s servant. If he was not Potiphar’s servant, he would never have met Potiphar’s wife. If he had not met Potiphar’s wife, she would never have lied against him. If she had not lied against him, he would not have gone to prison. If he did not go to prison, he would not have met Pharaoh’s imprisoned servants, and if this had not happened, nobody would have recommended him to Pharaoh. Beloved, like Joseph, everything is working out for your good! Go ahead and thank God for this. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

All-round security is of utmost importance to human beings. From a human viewpoint, the issue of security starts from concerns over the inner peace of an individual, to security issues within the family, and then to the safety of life and property in the larger society. In every society, people invest huge amounts of money on security and insurance, as a means of guaranteeing protection or safety. Some even invest in expensive offerings and sacrifices to appease the devil for protection and security. Yet, man has not been able to check the tide of natural disasters and tragedies of different categories for two major reasons. First, Revelation 12:12b says:
“Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, , because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”
The vicious anger of the devil is clearly seen in his determination to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). I decree that as the devil continues to unleash his wrath on the earth, you will be securely protected under the shadow of the Almighty in the Name of Jesus.
 
Secondly, security is of the Lord, the Omnipotent and Omniscient God, the Lord of hosts himself. That is why Psalm 127:1 says:
“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”
All power belongs to God, and He has deployed His power to watch over his people. God is ever ready, and nothing can escape His notice or happen without His knowledge (Psalm 121:4). God's promises regarding security and insurance are so vast that they cover virtually every area of life (Psalm 121:. Besides protection against natural disasters, weapons of your enemies and plans of the devil, God’s promises on security also guarantee longevity for your life (Psalm 91:10-11). This season, the Lord will keep your soul, and every plan of your enemies shall be frustrated in Jesus’ Name. The Lord will satisfy you with long life and you will not die before your time. However, you must meet with certain conditions in order to claim these wonderful promises for your life. You must first be born-again; this puts you on the same side with God (John 3:3). You must continually dwell under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1). Also, you must love Him above every other thing and obey Him completely in all things. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jesus is the way into the very presence of God (John 14:6). Through Him, we have access to the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant (Galatians 3:14). How much of these blessings have you received? Jesus Christ is also the way forward in life; He is the way where none exists. After the children of Israel left Egypt, at God’s command, they stopped at the Red Sea. While they were by the Red Sea, the Egyptians came chasing hard after them. From the look of things, they had reached their wits’ end. They could not go into the sea, and they could not turn back either (Exodus 14:1-18). They began to cry to Moses, and Moses cried to God. The Lord told them to go forward. He became the way across the sea, and they went through. Are you stuck like the Israelites? Do you feel you have exhausted all known avenues and possibilities? Does it appear there is no other way into your destination? Rejoice! There is still a way in! Jesus is the way that can take you to your destination where all else has failed. He will surely take you into your place of joy, blessing and favour.
 
It is amazing to know that the Lord can go as far as creating new things in old situations in order to make a way that takes you to your place of desire. He gave His word of assurance on this in Isaiah 43:19:
“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”
As long as the Way works in your favour, be prepared to see new things. If you desire to access promotion, but all existing seats on your next level are occupied, invite the Way in. He can create a new position for you. He can give your superiors the idea of a new department and move you into it. There is no limitation to the new things He can create just to make a way for you. Have the enemies blocked the way into your expected desire? The Lord will create a fresh way for you. He will do a new thing that will accommodate your good desires. As long as you have the Way with you, there are limitless possibilities for you. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?”
Isaiah 58:6
This Scripture summarises the fundamental nature of restitution. Restitution is the undoing of an evil deed. Bearing false witness against a person, family, community, institution, state or nation is an evil deed that can have devastating effects. If you have been involved in this, you need to restitute your ways.
 
Some time ago, a man died under some mysterious circumstances in a polygamous setting. Driven by hatred for the deceased’s first son, the deceased’s younger brother compelled the deceased’s daughter to falsely accuse her step-brother (the first son) of killing their father, before a magistrate court. She yielded to this evil uncle because he had threatened her, saying that if she did not tell the lie, the whole family would desert her. In spite of this evil frame-up, the accused was discharged. However, his uncle did not let the matter rest; he had his nephew arrested again. Following this, the matter was escalated to the high court. Again, the step-sister of the accused was among the witnesses called against him. In fact, she was the prime witness of the prosecution.
 
Shortly before the commencement of proceedings in the case, those connected to the case were asked to step outside. The lady went out, and her uncle met her to rehearse the lies she should say before the judge. Thereafter, her step-brother, who was her age mate and a born-again Christian, also came outside the courtroom, and they got talking. He used this opportunity to lead her to Christ. After she had accepted to receive Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour, and as he was about to lead her through the sinner’s prayer, the judge sent for her to return to the courtroom and give her sworn testimony. However, contrary to the plans made with her uncle, she told the truth that the accused was innocent of the death of his father, because she was under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. That is restitution. Although she faced a lot of persecution from those who wanted her to sustain the lie, she stood firm and straightened her crooked path. Do you know that a lot of innocent people are languishing in prison because a false witness testified against them? If you have testified falsely against anybody in the past, you need to undo that wrong. If it is a sensitive matter, seek God’s face by praying and fasting, and see your pastor for counselling and guidance on the best way to go about it. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The presence of love can be perceived when it is demonstrated through giving. Love does not only give, it gives its best. It also gives sacrificially and willingly. God did not give His only begotten Son to the world because He was forced to; He gave Him because He wanted to (John 3:16). When He came into this world, the Son followed the example of the Father. In John 15:13, He said:
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Even after the Son accepted to become a man, nobody compelled Him to die. He voluntarily laid down His life. He willingly did this as proof of His love for God and man (John 10:17-18).
 
If you go through the Scriptures, you will definitely come across passages where God demanded that those who professed love for Him should prove it. One of such cases can be found in Genesis 22:1-3. The word ”tempt” used in Genesis 22:1 is actually “test” in the original Hebrew text. God does not tempt people, but Satan does (James 1:13). However, God can test His children to evaluate the quality of love they have for Him. Although it is on record that Abraham was a friend of God, God still wanted to know if he would give Him his best sacrificially and willingly. God therefore asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son to Him. Abraham did not argue; he immediately set out on a journey to perform God’s request. God took him on a three-day journey to the mountain where the sacrifice would be carried out, to find out if he would change his mind along the way. To show his willingness to give without obstruction, Abraham did not tell his wife or Isaac about the sacrifice God demanded from him. If he had done so, Sarah would have stopped him from fulfilling what God wanted. It is also possible that if Isaac had known about God’s request ahead of time, he would have run away. Today, when God demands something sacrificial from some people as proof of their love for Him, what He gets is excuses. Such people would tell their spouses about God’s demand, fully aware that they would vehemently resist it. They do this because they never wanted to give what God was asking for in the first place. Thereafter, they would tell God that although they were willing to obey His instruction, they had to back out because their spouse’s disagreement with it could negatively affect their home. What an excuse! Do you think that God does not see into your heart to know what actually led to your refusal of His request other than what you claim? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A visit to a person can be classified as casual, ordinary, occasional, special or divine, depending on the identity of the visitor and purpose of the visit. One reason why visitation is desired is the fact that it usually involves the exchange of pleasantries, good ideas, vital information and gifts. Visitation brings joy to those in need, especially the fatherless and widows. The sick and bereaved are also encouraged and strengthened through it. People generally desire a special visitation by someone of a far higher social, political or financial status, because such august visitors are known to bless people with quality ideas, information and gifts commensurate to their status. Presidents give presidential pardons, handshakes and gifts, while kings and royals offer royal appointments, gifts and blessings. Beyond these, divine visitation is an unusual privilege that God doles out to show special love, uncommon grace and high favour. I prophesy to you that heaven will pay you a divine visit today in the Name of Jesus.
 
Divine visitation is greatly rewarding and therefore highly sought after. Whenever God steps into a situation, natural laws become suspended, and supernatural laws take over immediately. This is evident in Joshua 10:12. Israel was in the middle of a battle with the Amorites when Joshua suddenly recognised the presence of God. The Lord of hosts himself decided to pay the armies of Israel a visit. Knowing that such a divine visitation had launched him into the realm of the supernatural, Joshua immediately grabbed the opportunity by asking for the impossible. Like Joshua, the presence of the Lord will launch you into the realm of the supernatural today in Jesus’ Name. Divine visitation brings immediate fulfilment of long standing prophecies, as it happened to Sarah (Genesis 21:1). Job testified that in his affliction, with his body terribly battered, it was divine visitation that preserved his spirit (Job 10:12). Also, in Zephaniah 2:7, the Bible reveals that the visitation of the Lord turns away captivity. Every time the manifest presence and glory of God is with His people, they are ushered into the realm of the supernatural. In this atmosphere of miracles, all challenges and problems turn to testimonies. This is your season of divine visitation! Praise God and tap into it. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A witness is an observer, who having witnessed the occurrence of an event, gives a full and accurate account of what happened. God emphasises the role and importance of witnessing. He has also given detailed instructions about the conduct of witnesses, whether in evangelism, legal proceedings or in general affairs of the church. In several passages of the Bible, God repeatedly called on us to be His witnesses (Isaiah 43:12b, Luke 24:48). Most importantly, Jesus in Acts 1:8 said this to His disciples:
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
This confirms that one of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to equip and empower the Body of Christ for the purpose of witnessing. Therefore, witnessing is a major assignment of the Church. The role of Christians as witnesses is not limited to our immediate community; rather it extends to the uttermost parts of the earth.
 
Why is witnessing so important that God lays so much emphasis on it? First and foremost, it is to prove Him as the only true God who created all things by His wisdom and determines the course of all things (Acts 17:24-28). Whenever God says “ye are My witnesses”, it is to prove Him as a covenant keeping God who always brings His words to pass in the life of His people (Numbers 23:19). The emphasis on witnessing is also to prove that human disobedience is always as a result of unbelief and unwarranted stubborn rebellion. So, we are to constantly testify or witness about sin and righteousness to ourselves as believers, and against the ungodly people of this world (Isaiah 59:12, Matthew 24:14).
 
Finally, the emphasis on witnessing may also indicate a systematic build-up of evidence against those who refuse to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Jude 1:15 reveals that heaven will present convincing evidence against the ungodly on the day of judgement. Be warned, Jesus is coming soon! Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Because God is a God of purpose, He never does anything without a purpose. When He speaks, He has a purpose for what He says. When He laughs, there is also a purpose (Psalm 37:13). When He created you, it was for a purpose. May you fulfil God’s purpose for creating you in Jesus’ Name. Do you know that God’s plan and purpose for your life had been concluded long before He laid the foundations of the earth (Ephesians 1:3-5)? However, for you to fulfil this purpose, you need to understand it, and you need do everything to ensure it is not derailed. Judges 13:2-5 shows how crucial it is to understand purpose. When an angel was sent to announce to Manoah’s wife that she would conceive and give birth to Samson, it was for a specific purpose: the child was to be set apart unto God as a Nazarite. One lesson here is that even when God has a specific purpose for a person, it is the responsibility of parents not to derail this purpose, right from the point of conception, until God’s plan is fulfilled. For example, if Samson’s mother had insisted on taking alcoholic drinks or eating anything classified as unclean after she had been warned by the angel, she would have derailed God’s purpose for Samson.
 
The plan of God for Samson was that the Holy Spirit would start working on him right from when he was in his mother’s womb; but if his mother had consumed alcohol, two spirits would have been at war in her: the Holy Spirit and the spirit of alcohol (a demonic spirit). Because the Holy Spirit would not work where the spirit of alcohol holds sway, Samson would never have become what God planned for him to be. This simply tells us that the physical and spiritual state of parents, particularly mothers, is of great importance, right from the conception of a child. The actions of a mother affect the foetus in her womb and can alter the destiny of a child. The actions of a pregnant woman who smokes cigarettes or marijuana, often takes alcohol or hard drugs such as cocaine and so on will definitely affect the baby in her womb. Sometimes, the physical structure of that baby is tampered with, leading to abnormal foetal development or deformities. Such children could even develop mental health issues and find it difficult to live normal lives. Worse still, if a child ends up being aborted, the destiny of that child is completely destroyed. Beloved mothers, abstain from anything that can cause harm to your unborn child! Do not be guilty of truncating your child’s destiny! Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Mercy is an attitude of compassion, favour and care towards the unfortunate, afflicted and helpless. Mercy is an unmerited assistance that originates from the divine attributes of God, and it is grounded in His very nature. Mercy is a special prerogative of the Almighty God Himself, and therefore may not be properly defined in isolation of His person. Psalm 86:15 describes Him thus:
“But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.”
Little wonder why in the Bible, acts of mercy are usually borne out of love, compassion, favour or grace. Several times, God’s mercy is also described as enduring forever (1 Chronicles 16:34).
 
It is important to note that from the beginning, God has always applied mercy while handling human affairs. It was mercy that moved Him to make aprons for Adam and Eve after their sin caused His glory to depart from them (Genesis 3:21). Because of His mercy, He preserved Noah and His family (Genesis 7). The same mercy located Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David and the prophets. However, mercy was personified and more pronounced in the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. In all His interactions with people, the Bible recorded that He was always moved by love and compassion whenever He saw their afflictions and misery. Matthew 9:36 says:
“But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”
 
In essence, we are who we are in Christ because of God’s mercy (Titus 3:5). Forgiveness, salvation, healing, deliverance, joy and everything we have in Christ are by the grace and mercy of God. So, as beneficiaries of His great mercy, we are commanded to show the same mercy to others. Luke 6:36 says:
“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”
God expects that His merciful dealings in our lives will move us to show mercy to others. Matthew 18:27-35 paints a vivid picture of God’s expectation of us as Christians, in relation to the issue of mercy. The master was displeased with the wicked servant because he refused to show mercy to his fellow servant. Above all, remember that obedience to the word of God is always handsomely rewarded; therefore, be merciful. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Lord Jesus is the way out of every unpleasant situation that anyone can ever experience. He is the way out of sorrow, sickness, death and embarrassment. He is Heaven’s approved lifeline to those who are sinking. In any negative situation you find yourself, Jesus Christ will make a way out for you this season.
 
Moreover, besides being the way out, Jesus is also the way in. He is the way into the presence of God. No wonder He told Thomas in John 14:6 that:
“.....I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
One place you should long to be often is the presence of God. Every time you access God’s presence, something good comes your way. The more you enter into God’s presence, the more He causes His will in Heaven to prevail over your situation or circumstance on earth. As you enter His presence and stay there, a part of His glory rubs off on you; covering your shame and bringing you joy and laughter. God’s presence is the place where you can find all the joy you need. In fact, your joy is made full in His presence (Psalm 16:11). These are just some of the many reasons why you should ensure you access God’s presence daily.
 
To go into the presence of earthly kings and presidents is not an easy thing. By the grace of God, I have had the opportunity of visiting a few heads of states and presidents of nations. The first time I visited the head of a particular African nation, it was a very instructive experience. I had to go through multiple security checks. At the point of entry, there was security check. At the general reception, there was another security check. At the special reception, another check. Getting to the presidential reception, I underwent the final screening before accessing the presence of this head of state. After going through all these checks, I concluded that it was much easier getting into God’s presence. Thank God that all I have to do to get into the presence of God is to say “In the Name of Jesus”. How often do you enter into God’s presence with boldness by the Blood of Jesus? We are encouraged to do so in Hebrews 4:16:
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To be defeated is to be overcome by a physical, spiritual or circumstantial enemy. It could also mean failure to succeed or win in a war, contest, game or temptation. Defeat is usually accompanied with regret, sorrow, pain, shame and even death. It could also result in the loss of freedom, position, title, money and power. When Adam and Eve were defeated by Satan in the Garden of Eden, they lost their lives spiritually, lost their relationship with God, and their exalted position was gone. Out of deep regret and shame, they tried to hide themselves from the presence of the Almighty (Genesis 3:. Defeat is such a terrible experience that it can cause the defeated to conclude that death is better than life. When Samson, the champion of Israel, was defeated, he lost everything including his confidence and will to survive; so much so that he opted to die (Judges 16:30). In defeat, Ahithophel, the great counsellor, committed suicide (2 Samuel 17:23). I pray that you will never suffer defeat again in Jesus’ Name.
 
Meanwhile, defeat can be avoided by trusting in the Lord (Isaiah 26:3) and wearing the spiritual armour prescribed in the word of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). The story of David and Goliath is a good example of what a Christian can do to become undefeatable (1 Samuel 17). David took a casual walk into the camp of the Israelites to deliver some bread and cheese to his brothers and the captain of their unit. He was not a trained warrior, neither was he in anyway prepared for the battle ahead. He only happened to hear the boastings of Goliath and was challenged by his offensive statements against the Lord. David’s state of mind as he approached the battle is revealed in 1 Samuel 17:47:
“And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.”
David defeated Goliath by trusting in the Lord and by relying on the power of His word. In 1 Samuel 17:45b, David declared:
“......I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.”
In essence, David was saying: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Are you living a victorious life or wallowing in defeat? Do you want to remain undefeated? Give your life to Jesus now, trust in the Lord with all your heart and be assured that as long as God is on your side, no one can be against you. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16
This scripture is often used in reaching out to sinners with the aim of winning them to the Saviour. It is a very well-known scripture, loaded with lessons, not just for reaching out to the lost, but also for those who have believed in Jesus Christ. From it, we learn that love gives. To demonstrate His love for the world, God had to give something. Giving is a means of expressing love. No matter how much you profess love, it may never be taken seriously until you give something. Also, we see that love gives its best. It is possible to give to a beggar without loving him. If you really love someone, it will be expressed through the quality of gift you give the person. If we were to examine our claim of love for God by the gifts we give to Him, it would be difficult to believe our claim. Some people love God with their lips but not with their pockets. Some love God with their tongues but not with their hearts. The love some people profess to have towards God does not affect their substance, time or talent. How sincere is their love for God?
 
In addition, we learn from John 3:16 that love is sacrificial. God offered Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for the world (Ephesians 5:2). God had billions of angels but only one begotten Son. To redeem man from the slave market of sin, He could have chosen to offer one of His angels and not feel the pain of sacrifice, but He chose to offer His only begotten Son. That was most sacrificial! Giving the only thing you have is a huge sacrifice. Throughout eternity past, there had been no separation between God the Father and God the Son, not even for a second. But because of His love for us, while Jesus was bearing the sins of the whole world, God the Father had to take off His eyes from His Son (Mark 15:34). What a sacrifice! Do you love God? How sacrificial is that love? Can you afford to give your only car, house or even life to God for the love that you have for Him? When God considers your relationship with Him, will He see the true mark of love in it? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Holy Communion is a very significant meal. Unlike regular meals, it is a meal of remembrance. When some people take this meal, they forget to heed the instruction in 1 Corinthians 11:24, where the Lord repeatedly said “...this do in remembrance of Me”. In other words, the meal reminds us of God’s power of transformation. As you take the meal, God is saying to you:
“Remember who you were before, and what I have made you now; remember how you were dead in sin and trespasses, but the Holy Spirit has now quickened your spirit man. You were dumped and disowned before I received you and sealed you with the Holy Spirit. Remember how you thought you could buy salvation by being religious and buying things for your church before the Holy Spirit illuminated your mind and showed you the true way of salvation.”
The meal of remembrance simply calls you to remember your past life and compare it with what God is doing in you presently.
 
When I consider just a few things from my past life, and compare them with what I see today, I cannot but be full of appreciation and gratitude to God, thanking Him for all He has done. Sometimes, while in the car, as I express gratitude to God, my driver would have to look back, wondering what is going on. Looking at my past, nobody would believe that I could become what I am today. After news about me reached the ears of my mathematics professor, he travelled all the way from Onitsha (South-East Nigeria) to the Redemption Camp, just to confirm if the Adeboye he was hearing about was that the same little boy whom he taught mathematics. The first time he came, I was not in, but my wife was; so he met my wife and asked her if I was the one, and she confirmed it. He later visited again, and this time around he met me. As we discussed, in astonishment, he kept on saying, “Adeboye! Adeboye!”, and I replied “Sir”. In all you do, don’t forget who you were before the Holy Spirit took you up. As you take the Holy Communion, remember where you are coming from and where the Lord has taken you so far. See His goodness in your life and just thank and praise Him. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Holiness is an intrinsic part of God’s nature; it is His very essence. Everything about Him is wrapped up in holiness. His love, mercy, power, justice, glory and all of His character reflect His holiness. Every action of God is designed to perpetuate His holiness. When He exhibits love, it is borne out of His holiness. If He is angry, it is because of His holiness. When He judges sin, it is out of His holiness. In His dealings with all His creatures, whether in Heaven, on earth or beneath the earth, one theme rings out: holiness. No wonder the seraphs in His presence keep repeating “Holy, Holy, Holy”. Isaiah 6:3 says this about them:
“And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”
Similarly, Apostle John reports of the four beasts in Heaven who do not rest day and night as they chant:
 “...Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”
Revelations 4:8
 
In the same vein, Psalm 48:1 says God’s mountain is the mountain of holiness, while Psalm 93:5 says God’s house is holiness. His glory also is reflective of His holiness, hence in Exodus 15:11, He is said to be “glorious in holiness”. Furthermore, in Isaiah 35:8, His way is called the way of holiness. As a result of these, it is very easy to trace God’s address in Heaven. If you want to visit Him, simply ask for holiness way, mountain of holiness, holiness house, holiness throne, glory of holiness, and you will meet God Himself who is holiness personified! If you understand how holy God is, then you will appreciate why He cannot stand sin in any form. When God called you out of sin, He called you into holiness. Jesus understands the Father perfectly, hence He used His Father’s measure of perfection as the standard we should follow (Matthew 5:48). In other words, we should blend into God to the extent that His holiness will flow through us. You cannot be holy on your own. Nobody can. But if you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you are at the starting point. From there, God will give you the grace to be holy as you submit to Him, obey Him and flee from sin. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Our God is a meticulous God. He does not do anything without first planning for it. His plans are sometimes mapped out thousands or millions of years before they are executed. We need to learn from this character of God and apply its principles in our life. Before God created man, He knew that the first Adam would fall into sin, and so He began to make preparation for the second Adam. In the same vein, before you were created, God knew all the details about you. Because He knew your strengths and weaknesses, He prepared the appropriate help you would need to succeed, even before you were born. If you can draw very close to God, He will share a bit of His foreknowledge with you. Do most events take you by surprise, or do they occur as a fulfilment of what God had already shown you? Also, at what point do you plan for events and activities that you know would happen? For example, at what point do you plan for your children: is it long before they are born, just before they are born or after their birth?
 
Not only does our God plan, He also has a purpose behind everything He does. That is why Ephesians 1:11 says:
“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:”
We are all products of His divine purpose. Believe it or not, everything and everyone created by God has a purpose (Revelation 4:11, Jeremiah 1:4-5). God has a general plan into which His specific plan for your life fits. You were created unique, and you are one of a kind. There can never be another you among all the billions of people on earth. The exact details of your life are in God’s hands. Although God has a specific plan for everyone He created, it is unfortunate that only a negligible few ever get to know and fulfil that plan. Do you know why you are here? Do you know why God made you? Have you keyed into the purpose of God for your life? Are you where God wants you to be and doing what He wants you to do? You need to know that when God is working in you and through you, it is to accomplish His purpose and not yours, even though He grants you your own desires sometimes. Have you keyed into His plan for your life? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The moment you gave your life to Jesus Christ, a battle line was drawn between you and the kingdom of darkness. Unhappy that he has lost you to God’s kingdom, Satan’s main goal is to secure your return to his kingdom. One major tool he tries to use in accomplishing this mission is temptation. The devil and his agents will bring temptations your way to make you to do things that would break your relationship with God. This is where prayer comes in. Prayer is one veritable tool that prevents you from falling into Satan’s traps. This is why Jesus urged His disciples at the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Luke 22:40 says:
“And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.”
When you pray, the strength to overcome temptations is released to you. A Christian who fails to pray will sooner or later become a victim of the tempter. The extent to which you will overcome temptations is determined by how robust your prayer life is. If you have been rising and falling so often, check your prayer life and the way you study God’s word. If you can improve on both, you will experience more stability in your faith.
 
One of the modus operandi of Satan is to show you dazzling sights that could tempt you to follow him. In other words, he presents an object of temptation in a bright and attractive way; repainting an evil thing in brilliant and attractive colours. For instance, a prostitute is labelled a commercial sex worker, in order to support the excuse that he or she is simply trying to earn a living, whereas the essence of prostitution is fornication and adultery. In tempting people, the devil and his agents make sin look attractive and inviting, almost with an air of irresistibility. Prayer deadens these illusions by painting sin in its real colours. Every time you pray over an object of temptation, it becomes less inviting and less attractive. As you pray, the desire to sin is brought under subjection. Through prayer, we obtain grace to walk in the reality of the truth that our flesh has been crucified (Galatians 5:24). Prayer strengthens our spirit man and keeps the flesh where it belongs: crucified and dead on the cross of Calvary (Romans 6:6). It connects your spirit with the Holy Spirit and separates you from the devil, by moving your focus towards Heaven and away from the allure of the world. How prayerful are you? No believer in Christ can triumph without using the weapon of prayer. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Life is not what many people think it is. It is not about financial or material abundance; neither is it about physical endowments. Life is definitely not about power, achievements or worldly wisdom. What then is life? Jesus answers this question in John 17:3:
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
True life is knowing God and Jesus Christ. In Jeremiah 9:23-24, God instructs us not to boast of our wisdom, might or riches. He said if we want to boast, we should boast in what we know about Him. When you engage in such boasting, the essence is not to flaunt your knowledge like some people do today; rather, it is to rejoice in the fact that God has revealed Himself to you to that extent. Why should you take pleasure in knowing God? Why should knowing God be something you should be proud of? It is because knowing God can do certain powerful things in your life and in the lives of others around you.
 
“And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”
Daniel 11:32
By the revelation of God given to Daniel, we are made to understand that knowing God produces strength and exploits. What kinds of exploits are being referred to here? When you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, and you daily increase in the knowledge of the Holy
Trinity, you will not only have eternal life, but the life of God will also be channelled through you to others. For instance, you will lay your hands on the blind, and as the divine life flows through you to such a fellow, he will begin to see. When you pray for the barren, the divine life will cause her to conceive. This is life! When your life begins to bring joy to the lives of many others, that is life. The life of God flowing through you will make you the light of the world, causing those in darkness to see. The divine life will also make you the salt of the earth, giving good taste to a tasteless world. This life of God is not predicated upon the material world but on the relationship you have with the Lord. How is your spiritual life? Have you gauged your spiritual life lately? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

For God to use you as a minister for manifesting His signs and wonders to the world, you must be totally consecrated and committed. In addition, you must be permanently connected to Jesus. In Philippians 1:21, Paul declared that if he would be alive at all, the essence of his living must be Christ. Many of us are still living for ourselves, our families and for others. Until you get to the point of deciding to live for Christ like Paul did, you may not be chosen by God for the manifestation of His signs and wonders. If you take a piece of hot iron and you drop it into a bucket of cold water, what will happen to the water? It will heat up immediately, but as the water gets warm, the iron loses its heat. If you are connected to the Holy Spirit and you became red hot, but then you later jump into the cold water of the world, you will still be healing, delivering people and casting out demons initially, but at some point, because you are no longer connected with the fire of the Holy Spirit, you will begin to lose heat until you become as cold as the world.

Have you observed the life of Jesus Christ? Every time Jesus performed a major miracle, He would immediately set Himself apart from men unto God on a mountain, in order to recharge His battery. You need to be permanently connected to the Holy Spirit. When a water heater containing cold water is connected to a power source, the water will start boiling after some time. If the water heater is not disconnected, at some point, evaporation of the water will follow. If after evaporation has commenced, the water heater continues to receive power, a fire outbreak will likely happen. This illustrates that as long as you remain connected to the Holy Spirit and His fire continues to flow through you, at some point, you will manifest His very nature, especially in the dimension of being a consuming fire. No wonder Hebrews 1:7 says:
"And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire".
God wants you to manifest His very nature. This is only possible when the link between you and the Holy Spirit is unbroken. How is that connection today? Do you once in a while dabble into sin? If you do, you break the connection and move away from manifesting as a flame of fire. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.