₦airaland Forum

There is a relationship between information, knowledge and revelation. Information is a collection of known facts on a subject matter, particularly those garnered from cumulative experiential knowledge. There are pieces of information to help you in various areas of life. For instance, in marriage, there is a lot of information that can help a couple with marital problems to improve their situation, which can be found in books, tapes, CDs, DVDs, seminars and so on. As long as a couple does not access such information, it remains simple information, but the moment they take it, it becomes knowledge. The knowledge you receive but fail to act upon cannot profit you. If anything, it will lead to condemnation when the negative event that could have been averted through the use of that knowledge finally occurs. However, getting insight into how knowledge can be applied in solving a specific problem is dependent on inspiration, which is closely related to wisdom. Having knowledge is good, but having revelation is much better, because revelation tells you how to apply your knowledge to a specific situation you are confronted with in order to get the best results.
 
Take for instance the jailer in Acts 16:25-34; by asking Paul and Silas what he must do to be saved, it shows he already had the knowledge that salvation was available, but he did not know how to get it. It also shows that information was available on salvation at that time. Although he had obtained the knowledge about salvation, he remained in the dark and joined the authorities to punish and oppress innocent citizens, because he had no revelation on salvation. When eventually he caught the revelation of salvation through Jesus Christ, He received Jesus into his heart and restituted his ways. He washed, fed and took care of the same prisoners whose beating and imprisonment he had supervised. As long as you remain at the level of knowledge, you are bound to make series of mistakes or take regrettable steps concerning certain situations of life. Today, many people have information but lack revelation. They acquire knowledge but do not know how best to utilise it. Being religious is all about having knowledge. That is why you find out that the most religious people commit the greatest sins. Beloved, knowledge is not enough! You need revelation. This was the essence of Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:17. Call on God to give you revelation concerning the things you know. Revelation links you with the purpose of a thing, in order to optimise that purpose. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

On your way to Heaven, one thing you need to identify clearly is the various voices you will hear. Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:10, indicates the existence of different voices, each with its own character:
“There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.”
Virtually everything seen and unseen has a voice, but of interest to the success of your race to Heaven is the recognition of the following voices: God’s voice, your own voice, the voice of men, and the voice of Satan and his demons. It is your duty to identify the voices that you hear, so that you can know how to respond appropriately. God’s voice must be heard, understood and obeyed. God’s voice can come audibly as a still small voice, through the word of God, from sermons, as prophecy, through dreams, in visions and through any other medium He chooses to use at a point in time. Obeying God’s voice always adds value to the hearer, giving direction and upliftment. Every time you listen to and obey God’s voice, you are saved from harm, given solution to a problem, divinely assisted, healed and blessed. God does not just speak; He speaks to His children for a good purpose. He could speak to warn you of dangers ahead. This is why you must ask God for grace to recognise His voice.
 
A particular brother who claimed to have been led of God, proposed to three different sisters, asking their hands in marriage. It is very clear that if he was ever led at all, he did not know how to recognise God’s voice. John 10:4-5 states clearly that God’s sheep know and follow His voice. If you are following a stranger’s voice, it is doubtful you are saved; but if you are sure of your salvation, then it is pertinent that you learn to recognise His voice by paying attention to Him when He speaks to your spirit. This may occur while studying God’s word, praying, worshipping or while in church. Learn how He speaks. Test what you hear as His voice with His word, because if it is truly God speaking, He will not say anything against His written word. In the same way, you need to identify the voice of the flesh, which will always want you to do things that will satisfy its lusts. You should also identify the voice of devils, which will overtly or covertly nudge you to disobey God or violate His word. You must acquaint yourself with God’s voice from today! Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the earliest jobs that man engaged in after the Fall was that of shepherding animals. Abel was described as a shepherd in Genesis 4:2. The job of a shepherd is a difficult one, and it involves a lot of discomfort and sacrifice. Jacob’s testimony in Genesis 31:40 should give you an idea of what it takes to be a shepherd. He said:
“Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.”
However, there are different kinds of shepherds. There are shepherds who do the work purely for monetary consideration: these are referred to as hirelings. The slightest inconvenience or threat encountered while watching over the sheep puts the hireling to flight. There are also regular shepherds, who show some care for the sheep and are prepared to take some minimal risks on their account. Beyond these aforementioned is the Good Shepherd. He loves the sheep so much that He can sacrifice anything for them, including His life. Jesus revealed Himself as the Good Shepherd in John 10:11, saying:
“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
The reality of Jesus as the Good Shepherd assures us of God’s tremendous love, care and compassion. The Good Shepherd is ever ready to accommodate any level of risk for the sheep. He takes time to get personally acquainted with each of His sheep. He knows their strengths and weaknesses, and on this basis, He is able to give them adequate guidance. He knows His sheep and calls them by name.
 
As a servant of God or as a leader in your God-given area of endeavour, you have been called to be like the Good Shepherd; but you can choose to serve God as a hireling, a regular shepherd or like the Good Shepherd Himself. How are you serving God today? How much risk are you prepared to take for the sheep the Lord has placed under your care? To what extent are you ready to serve the Lord without monetary considerations, but just for the sake of the love of Christ? Can any member of your flock call you a good shepherd like your Lord? As a shepherd, at whatever level you are currently operating, you can move forward to the next level. If you want the Good Shepherd to be everything to you, it follows that you must first be a good shepherd to those He has placed under your care. If you are doing your work as a good shepherd, you will never take advantage of the flock under you. While some pastors are thinking of how to improve the lives of their members and help them to become financially free, others are milking their members dry. What kind of shepherd are you? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The prophecy that worked against Esau as firstborn was already in place before his birth (Genesis 25:23). If you ever find yourself in a situation where there has been a negative declaration concerning you, rise up and fight! Do not leave your destiny to fate like some people would do. God can change any negative decree pronounced on your life and destiny. This is why Isaiah 54:17 says:
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”
You can condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. Has anyone used his or her tongue to place a curse or limitation on you, or has anyone pass some negative judgment on you? Don’t just stand there! Condemn it, cancel it, reverse it and return it back to its sender! From today, no spoken judgment against your life and destiny shall stand! Every evil word spoken into your life or destiny shall be disappointed!
 
Your stance against contrary prophecies should not be limited to spoken words alone. Jesus has fully paid for the reversal, nullification or cancellation of every negative written judgment or pronouncement concerning you. Hence, Colossians 2:14 says,
“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”
Any writing done by man that is contrary to your destiny shall be cancelled in Jesus’ Name! Don’t just accept written verdicts that contradict God’s will and word! When you go for a medical test, and the written result says you have a particular ailment, thank the hospital for their assistance, but take that result before God. Protest that result, cancel it and plead the Blood of Jesus against it. Stand on the healing that the Lord has already provided for you. What you accept shall become yours. What you steadfastly reject will move away from you. That sack letter shall become your confirmation letter; that letter of demotion shall become your letter of promotion, if only you can steadfastly hold on to God to effect the change. Have you been failing your examinations? Work harder on your studies, and reject the negative results in prayer. The Lord will turn your failure into success. Claim the good success that God promised you in His word, and it will be yours. From today, every evil writing against you shall work in your favour! Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God hates extortion; hence He prohibits it. In Nehemiah 5:1-13, after the children of Israel returned to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, the rich ones among them began to extort the poor until they cried out to Nehemiah. Nehemiah rebuked the rich who did this, and he asked them to make restitution. When this was done, there was great joy in the land. We see a similar situation in the case of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector who amassed wealth by defrauding the poor. The day he received Jesus Christ, he immediately decided to share his wealth into two and give one part of it to the poor. Thereafter, he offered to apply the Mosaic Law on restitution, by restoring fourfold of whatever he fraudulently received from people (Exodus 22:1). Jesus did not tell him that his step on restitution was unnecessary, rather He reinforced it. Luke 19:9 says:
“And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.”
 
Moreover, restitution equally affects employer-employee relationships. In Leviticus 19:13, God warns against extorting your workers:
“Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.”
Do you know it is wrong to withhold your worker’s salary or wages a day beyond the agreed date of payment? There are employers who sit on their staff salaries for weeks and months and expose them to untold hardship, and yet they expect their staff to be faithful in their work. That is wickedness! Such employers must make restitution by releasing the salaries and paying an inconvenience allowance. However, if the employer genuinely does not have the funds to pay the staff and he explains the situation to them before hand, he is exonerated. Some people trade with the salaries and benefits of their staff for months before releasing their pay. They do this to derive gain for themselves. This also is wickedness. Why is it that retired people who contributed all their working years to a fund cannot access their money or receive their pension after retirement? God hates fraud, whether it is perpetrated by an individual, organisation or government. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the materialistic world we live in today, not many people have the right understanding of what life is. An example here is the farmer in Luke 12:15-20, who experienced a major breakthrough in his farming business, to the extent that he decided to go on a leisure spree for the rest of his life, because he could afford it. He thought he had finally made it; he therefore wanted to enjoy life and the fruit of his hard work, but little did he know that he was just being foolish. John 17:2 tells us about the life which Jesus gives:
“As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.”
The moment you receive the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart, you receive life. This life is not a temporary form of life that will pass away; rather, it is eternal life. The nature of this life is such that it is sustained by growing in the knowledge of God and in the knowledge of His Word (John 17:3). May you never lose the eternal life of God that is within you in Jesus’ Name.
 
Today, so much time and focus is placed on the acquisition of wealth and material things, but in Luke 12:15, the Lord Jesus Christ said that the worth of a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things that he has. Having 100 exotic cars, 100 houses spread across the world and billions in your bank account is not true life. Also, life is not to be defined by the level of physical charm or beauty that you exude, because Proverbs 31:30 says beauty is simply vanity. Beauty without the fear of God is vain, but adding the salvation of God in Christ Jesus and meekness to your physical appearance will make you truly beautiful. In addition, power is not life. In 2 Kings 5:1, we read of Naaman who was great and powerful but a leper nonetheless. Power belongs to God and is transient. If you have power or you have attained greatness in this world, but you do not know Jesus personally, it is all vanity. That is not life! Life is also not in achievements. In Daniel 4:29-33, after a world ruler, King Nebuchadnezzar, finished boasting about his achievements, God asked him to go and eat grass in the bush for seven years. Life is not about how many academic qualifications you have acquired, nor is it about worldly wisdom; if it was, the wisest man to ever live on earth would not have called life vanity (Ecclesiastes 2:17, Ecclesiastes 9:9). What do you think is life? Have you encountered the true life? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

If you must walk with God, you must be prepared to meet the conditions He has set; one of which is total commitment. To be committed is to be completely given to a cause. It involves facing a particular direction without turning back, irrespective of the challenges that come your way. This character trait was present in Elisha. After following and serving his master, Elijah, for years, Elijah called him one day and said this to him: “Elisha, I am about to be taken home; it would be a good idea for you to go back to your family, your abandoned farming business and your old lifestyle.” Elisha laughed and replied him, saying “My father, I have left all these for several years and followed you with all my heart. If I go back now, where do I start from? Where do I get the capital to start my large scale farming business again? Sir, wherever you go, I go.” Nevertheless, Elijah did not stop there; he still tested him two more times.
 
Beloved, do you know that your pastor or leader can be used to test your commitment? He or she could cut your wages or salary, deny you certain allowances or even give you an almost impossible condition to fulfil in order to continue an assignment you have been doing, just to test your commitment. If you consider the test with a natural mindset, you will be discouraged and miss out on what God wants you to see. Sometimes, unknowingly or deliberately, your leader or pastor may even be very mean to you. Would you say because he or she is mean to you, you will abandon the assignment God has given to you? When God has an assignment for you, He can use your pastor, boss or other superiors to assign it to you, but the work is not from them; it is from God. If your pastor or leader is making it impossible for you to perform that assignment, report the matter to God and ask Him for more grace to be committed. If you compare Elisha with Peter, you will discover that the former was more committed than the latter. When there was no more action and Jesus was not around, Peter chose to return to his fishing business, and he took some people along with him. If you return to the place or condition you were called out from, how committed are you (Hebrews 11:13-16)? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is always a great experience to be in God’s presence, because the fullness of joy and everlasting pleasures reside there. Psalm 16:11b says:
“...in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
However, the state of our lives determines what we derive from God’s presence. According to Psalm 68:2-3, while the righteous receive joy in God’s presence, the enemies of God or those with wicked schemes will melt like wax before the fire of His presence. While the fire of God’s presence protects His own, it acts an incinerating agent against the enemies of God’s people. As you live in obedience to God from now on, the fire of God that protects you will destroy your enemies in Jesus’ Name.
 
With this knowledge of the potency of God’s presence, every child of God should desire at all times to be in His presence. Nevertheless, you don’t enter the presence of a king just anyhow; there are certain protocols you must follow. How much more, when entering the presence of the King of kings? How then do we enter God’s presence? Going into the presence of God is not about going into a place of worship; it is about being taken up into His presence, or His presence coming down to you, through heartfelt praise and worship. In a gathering filled with God’s glory, it is possible that some people there will not have access to God’s presence due to their nonchalant and standoffish attitude. From Psalm 24:3-4, we understand that if you truly want to enter into God’s presence, particularly if you want to benefit from the pleasures at His right hand, you must have clean hands and a pure heart. In other words, entering the church auditorium is just not enough; likewise, praising and worshipping God with the lips is just not enough. This is so because when God’s presence descends upon an assembly, God will ask His angels to carry out a personality check on everyone present, to know those who have met with His conditions, and only those found worthy will be the beneficiaries of His presence that day. Beloved, you must have clean hands. Your hands must not be tarnished with the blood of anyone or with the filth of a foul means of livelihood. Your hands must have been washed by the Blood of Jesus for them to be deemed clean. Similarly, your thoughts, plans and motives must be pure before you can enter into God’s presence. Prepare yourself and ensure you follow heaven’s protocol whenever you want to access the presence of God. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The name you bear is very important because it serves as your identity, and your future may be connected to it. The name a person bears is sometimes indicative of the experiences he or she will encounter in life. Take for instance Moses: this name means “drawn out of water” (Exodus 2:10). No wonder water was a recurring decimal in his life. He turned water into blood (Exodus 7:19-20); he parted the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22); he turned bitter water into sweet water (Exodus 15:24-25); he brought water out of the rock (Exodus 17:5-6); and the issue that denied him entrance into the Promised Land was about water (Numbers 20:8-20). Knowing how significant the name of an individual is to his destiny, God had to change the names of several people in the Bible (Genesis 17:5, Genesis 32:28, Mark 3:16, Acts 4:36). My mother told me that after my birth, she intended to name me Elisha, but on her way to see the priest for my baptismal name, she forgot, so she named me Enoch. I told her I like the two names: Elisha, the man with the double portion anointing, and Enoch, the man who walked with God, so I took the two names. By the grace of God, the prophetic essence of these names is being fulfilled in my life today. Examine your names: if there is any evil name among them, reject it, and if there is a good name you desire, add it to what you have, and the Lord will back it up.
 
A good name should glorify God; for this reason, any name attached to an idol, local deity or unclean spirit must be discarded. A good name should also be prophetic. A name such as Christopher means ”the bearer of Christ”. It is a prophecy that the child so named will bear the person of Jesus Christ any where he goes. A name such as Gabriel means ”able-bodied one of God” or ”strong man of God”. That is very prophetic! A good name should give the bearer something positive to work towards: it should be a challenge, a promise or a goal he or she should strive to realise. How prophetic is your name? On the other hand, many people are yet to see the fulfilment of the promise in their names. For instance, someone who is named after wealth may still be living in squalor, and someone named after glory may still be living in shame. If you find yourself in this type of situation, pray hard that God will cause the good promise and prophecy in your name to be fulfilled, and also work towards its realisation. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the course of our walk with God, we encounter challenges of life that test the level and quality of our faith; but praise God that we have the assurance of the Lord that there is no mountain our faith cannot surmount (Matthew 17:20). For those who are in Christ, problems arise in order to generate testimonies. The size of the problem you encounter will determine the size of your testimony. If you ask God for a big testimony, then you must be ready to face a big challenge. What made the testimony of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego most outstanding was not just the fact that they went through the fiery furnace, but the fact that the furnace, heated to its most intense level, could not harm them (Daniel 3:19-24). Are you going through fire at the moment? Fear not! Look up to God and He will see you through.
 
Are you confronted with any issue of life? In what direction are you looking for solution? If looking forward, backward and sideways has not helped you, then it is time to look up. Looking ahead, behind or sideways simply suggests dependence on self or on people. Depending on a fellow man operating at the same level as you is a foolish thing to do; you cannot access true help that way. Jeremiah 17:5 says:
“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.”
Furthermore, looking down implies looking at the devil and his forces of darkness, because they are under your feet. Of course you can’t go to the architect of a problem for its solution. You need to know that until you look upwards for God’s intervention, you may never get your blessing.
 
There was a particular nice woman who had an epileptic son. Whenever he had a seizure, it was so bad. Wherever she rented an apartment, people loved her for her good nature, but after they realise her son was epileptic, they would show her the exit door with some apology. This made her move houses so often. Then one day, while going with the boy to the market, at the very heart of town, the boy experienced a seizure and everyone fled. She grabbed the boy, stood him on his feet, lifted her eyes to God and said, “O God, I am here without anyone to help me, but I know you are there, please help me.” From that day, her son was healed of that condition. Has an unpleasant situation brought you to a most disgraceful place? Look up to God today, hold unto Him and He will make a way for you. The Lord will terminate your shame and turn it into honour. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

After your heart is illuminated by the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, you need to carefully guard this light, to prevent it from getting dimmed or extinguished by the introduction of “another gospel” into your heart. Guarding against falling into the error of another gospel involves being grounded in the knowledge of God’s truth as revealed in the Scriptures and yielding your heart to the Holy Spirit to teach you the truth of God’s word. We are not to take a part of God’s word in isolation nor give personal interpretation to God’s word, but rather, allow the Holy Spirit to interpret the Scriptures with the Scriptures. This way, what we believe will always be based on God’s true word.
 
I had an encounter with a member of an organisation that forbids its members from mentioning the Blood of Jesus. There are very intelligent people in that group. In a conversation with one of them, I said, “Sir, it is written in Hebrews 9:22 that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. Who do you think is afraid of the Blood of Jesus? It is only one fellow - the devil, because Revelation 12:11 says the devil was overcome by the Blood of the Lamb. Anyone who says you should not mention the Name of Jesus or the Blood of Jesus is of the devil. Therefore, your organisation is most likely connected with the devil.” This fellow heard this truth but did not like it. If you are in a religious organisation or group where they restrict your freedom to read the Bible, you are in the wrong place. If they tell you that because we are now in the time of grace, the Old Testament no longer applies, take to your heels!
 
Also, if you find yourself in an assembly where they cannot mention the Name of Jesus Christ directly, but rename Him as “the righteous one” or “the holy one”, you are in a very dangerous zone; take flight immediately! If your place of fellowship tells you that the Name of Jesus and the Blood of Jesus are no longer enough, and that after prayer in Jesus’ Name, you need to add the word “fire” or something else, you are in error. If you are in a place where they tell you that the Name of Jesus is too hallowed to be used, and that in reverence, you should pray to God in the name of any other individual like Mary, an angel or a dead saint, and that these individuals can act as mediators between God and man, they are in error. Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). Read your Bible, hold on to the truth and let no man deceive you. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In different areas of human relationships, offences arise in the course of interacting with one another. These offences can sometimes bring physical and emotional injury to people, especially in relationships between the opposite sex. One offence that is pronounced in relationships today, which was foretold by the apostles of old, is covenant breaking. Apostle Paul lists this among the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men in Romans 1:31:
“Without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:”
It is also listed as treachery in 2 Timothy 3:4. In relationships between the opposite sex, covenant breaking is a situation where one party makes a promise to the other party concerning a future commitment, but later fails to keep his or her promise. As a Christian, God expects you to restitute such acts. In Exodus 22:16-17, God said if a man deceived a lady by promising to marry her, and as a result had sex with her, he had to marry her, unless her parents refused to give her to him. In such a case, the man would be required to pay her bride price, even though he may not be given the bride. These principles still apply today. Today, there are instances where a lady agrees to marry a man, and as a result, he invests a lot on her education, sets her up in business or helps her get a good job; but by the time he expects her to become his wife, he receives the shock of his life when she elopes with another man. He will then realise that all along she was not really in love with him. This is fraudulent! Such a man would never have made those sacrifices if he knew she would not eventually become his wife. If you find yourself in such a situation, go and restitute. What you received was by fraud and must be returned. If you are not prepared to be bound by a written or unwritten agreement, why feign consent? Proverbs 6:2 warns against this. There are cases where a lady would ask a man to send her abroad to school or to work, and in some cases, the man may even acquire a property abroad in her name as proof of his love and commitment to her, all with the understanding that there will be marriage down the line; only for her to dump him after getting abroad. That is a terrible seed that will deliver the fraudster an evil harvest. If you are in that situation, immediately go and restitute your ways. These scenarios could also happen the other way round. There are men, who with the promise of marriage were sponsored by some women to become somebody, only for them to dump these women for some other ladies. Go and restitute! Everything obtained by fraud must be returned. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In order to enjoy the things that God has provided for us through Jesus Christ, we need to have an in-depth understanding of what these things are; one of which is everlasting life. Out of God’s love for us, we have the privilege of partaking in this everlasting life (John 3:16); but what is everlasting life? This is life that never ends. It is the type of life that even death cannot terminate. It means, living with God inside of you on this earth, and continuing with this life after going through the gates of death. Eternity does not start after death, it starts now. Jesus declared thus 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.”
If you want to have eternal life, it starts with receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, but it does not end there. It continues with having an intimate knowledge of God. It requires knowing His word. Every bit of God’s word that is revealed to you adds virtue to the life of God operating within you. Although some people are saved, they have little or no evidence of the presence of the divine life in them, because they do not know whom they have believed. How much do you know of Him who gave His life for you?
 
Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 1:12 declared that:
“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
The knowledge of the Holy Trinity is the source of eternal life. The more you know Jesus, the more impossible it is for you to be made ashamed. The knowledge of Jesus drives away spiritual and physical shame. If you know Jesus, you will not be ashamed or shy of being identified with Him, or to suffer for Him. Knowing Him helps you to trust Him. The level of trust or confidence you place in God is a function of what you know about Him. Are you born-again? Congratulations! The eternal life of God is present inside you; but this has to be jealously guarded and sustained by building a more intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit, and by increasing in the knowledge of God. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When Paul embarked on his Christian race, he focused on it wholeheartedly, so that nothing would derail him from the race. This is why in Acts 20:24, he said:
“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”
The possibility of starting the Christian race and not reaching the finish line is obvious from Paul’s statement in the Scripture above. However, across the globe today, several preachers are teaching erroneous doctrines, saying all that matters is to believe in Jesus Christ, and you will be saved forever, irrespective of your conduct after you are saved. They teach that if you are saved today, you will surely make it to Heaven, even if you continue to live like the devil. Some say that any work of righteousness on your part, even after you have been saved, amounts to self-righteousness, which according to them, cannot take you anywhere. They also teach that you are automatically made perfect once you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. They will want to tempt you by asking if you are righteous. If you sincerely say you still have some areas of your life you are working on, they will discredit you and say that you are depending on your works to make it to Heaven. Such preachers say that it is okay to sin occasionally, as long as you do not do so very often. These are all lies!
 
You need to know that it is possible to fall from grace, as stated in Galatians 5:4. Do not let teachers with itching ears deceive you. They will tell you what appeals to your flesh and call it “the good news”. No! It is called deception. They mix the truth of God’s word with a bit of deception. Some will tell you that the day you were born-again, all your sins, past, present and future, have been forgiven, and so if you commit any sin afterwards, there is no need to confess it. It is all a lie! If indeed you are saved and therefore forever saved, why does the Bible instruct you to work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12)? Why does scripture repeatedly say that only those who endure to the end shall be saved (Matthew 24:13, Mark 13:13)? Why did the lord of the unprofitable servant banish him to outer darkness in Hell (Matthew 25:30)? Take heed, lest you fall! It is possible to fall from grace. Be careful how you run the race! Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Looking at the life of Esau, one cannot but learn a few lessons from him. Esau was the firstborn of Isaac. He was a twin. Being the first of the twins, he was supposed to inherit the double portion blessing meant for firstborns. But he had a major challenge: before his birth, a prophecy that would rob him of his rightful place had already gone forth. His problem started while he was still in the womb of his mother! Esau’s mother, Rebekah, had a lot of discomfort during her pregnancy, and so she went to ask the Lord what the matter was.
“And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.”
Genesis 25:23
 
The forces that would truncate Esau’s destiny were already in place before his birth. Therefore, from the very day he was born, he was born into trouble. Do you know that like Esau, many people are born into trouble? Before Moses was born, the decree that made it illegal for him to live had already been passed. He was born to die prematurely, but God stepped into the scene and preserved his life (Exodus 1:15-2:9). Similarly, after Jesus was born, a decree was passed to kill Him (Matthew 2:13-19). King Herod and his army were on the lookout for Him. They searched so thoroughly that for the child Jesus to be safe, God had to instruct Joseph to escape with Him to another country, Egypt. The Lord who delivered Moses and Jesus will also deliver you! Have some people seen your destiny while you were in your mother’s womb, and declared war against you? The Lord will arise for you and put them to shame in Jesus’ Name.
 
We should learn from the circumstances surrounding Esau’s life that you cannot correctly compare one person with another, because their foundations are not the same. One of them might make easy progress in life with no trouble at all, because he or she was born into peace, while the other fellow may have been battling to survive even from the mother’s womb. Every battle that pre-dates your birth is terminated today! The Lord will put to flight all unknown enemies working against your destiny! Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

If there are words for Him, then I don't have them, you see my brain has not yet reached the point where it could form a thought that could adequately describe the greatness of my God, and my lungs have not yet developed the ability to breath out the greatness of His love, and my voice is restrained by human limits that it is hard to even sing the praises of my God. If there are words for Him, then I don't have them, my God, His grace is remarkable, mercies are innumerable, strength is impenetrable, He is honourable, accountable, favourable, He is unsearchable Yet knowable, indefinable Yet approachable, indescribable Yet personal, he is beyond comprehension, further than imagination, Lord of all generations, King of every nation. My words are few and trying to caption my One true God, using my vocabulary will never do. But I use words as an expression, an expression of worship to a Saviour, a Saviour who is both worthy and deserving of my praise. He has won my heart, captured my mind, and He has bond them both together. He has defeated me in my rebellion, conquered me in my sin, He has welcomed me into His presence, completely invited me in, cleansing me with His mercies and drying me with His grace. If there are words for Him, then I don't have them, but what I do have is GOODNEWS, for my God knew that men made words will never do, for words are just tools that we use to point to the Truth, so he sent His Son Jesus Christ as the Word, the Living proof. He is the image of the invisible God, the First born of all creation, for by Him all things were created. By His word He sustains in the power of His Name, for He is before all things, and over all things He reigns, Holy is His Name, so praise Him for His life. The way He persevered in strife, the humble Son of God becoming the perfect Sacrifice, praise Him for His death. He willingly stood in our place, lovingly endured the grave, and on the third day, He rose in victory. He is Everything that was promised, praise Him as the risen King, for one day He will return for us and we will finally be united with our Saviour for eternity. So it's not just words that are proclaimed, for my word pointed the Word, and the Word has a name, Hope has a name, Joy has a name, Peace has a name, Love has a name, and that name is Jesus Christ... Praise His Name Forever!!!

Faith in Jesus Christ is so powerful and relevant that if there is any area where every believer in Christ needs to grow, it is in the area of faith. Faith is believing that God is who He says He is. Faith is also believing that God can do everything He says He will do. Faith is giving God the benefit of the doubt not to go below His promise in the face of contrary circumstances. Are you in any form of bondage? If only you can believe in the power of Jesus to set you free, you will be free. Also, if you can believe that you can recover any of your missing valuables that money cannot buy, you will have it. This was demonstrated in the case of Jairus, whose only daughter died. It seemed his world had crashed. The most important person to him was gone. For most people, that loss would have been permanent or irrecoverable. Sometimes, when something or someone goes missing, a reward is offered to the one who helps in finding the missing person or item. The size of the reward would depend on the value the owner places on the missing item or person. In the case of a kidnapping, a large amount of money would be demanded as a ransom by the captors before their victim can be set free. All these are cases of temporary loss; in the event of a permanent loss such as the death of a loved one, what ransom can be paid?
 
In Mark 5:23-24 & 35-43, Jairus’ daughter was in a critical condition, and he went to Jesus, asking Him to come and pray for her. On the way back home with Jesus, somebody came from his house to tell him that it was too late as the child had given up the ghost. When Jesus heard the message, He simply told Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; only believe.” Why did Jesus say this? He knew the bad news was capable of affecting the faith of Jairus, causing him to doubt. Jairus held on to the Restorer, and his child lived. If you have faith in Jesus, no loss is permanent. If you lost a child, He can restore that child to you or give you another child. If you lost a job, you can recover it or be given something better; if only you believe Jesus can do it. What is that situation of loss you have experienced? Invite the Restorer, Jesus Christ, to step into it. Hold on to Him in faith until your desire is met. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jacob’s experience at Peniel reveals that prayer addresses the foundation of problems (Genesis 32:24-30). In other words, it tackles the root cause. Most times, when attempts are made to solve a problem, the focus is on the peripheral or at the surface level. When you attack the symptoms of a problem but leave its roots, the problem may seem to fizzle out for a moment, only for it to make a powerful, formidable comeback. Prayer is so important that it can cause problems to receive queries from Heaven. After Jacob prayed, the root of his problems received a query from God. Genesis 32:27 says:
“And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.”
As you pray, God will query the foundation of your problems! The foundation of Jacob’s problem was his name. As he prayed, there was a divine shake-up. Some people do not believe that prayer can tackle problems emanating from their ancestry. They believe that since the particular problem affecting every member of their family from one generation to another began several generations ago, nothing can be done about it, especially if the person it all started with is dead. Nothing can be further from the truth! Why is Jesus the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End if He cannot go into the past and undo evil deeds? From today, as you pray, the Lord will query the foundation of your problems.
 
The foundation of a problem quakes when God queries it. The foundation of that nagging problem in your life, family, workplace and ministry receives a divine query today! It begins to quake now! God is a specialist at dealing with roots. In Isaiah 40:24, God declared thus:
“Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.”
When God queries the foundation of a problem, the roots will no longer hold it down. That means the days of that problem are numbered. That long-standing situation that has caused you so much pain, tears and sorrow is receiving a divine query now! Its roots will no longer hold you down. The root of that problem has just lost its grip over your life in Jesus’ Name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The truth of God’s word that you are exposed to will determine the degree of freedom you experience. In the past, many of us were held under one type of bondage or the other by the devil through our wrong beliefs; but thank God for the truth we later received. Can you imagine we once believed we needed to be poor in order to get to Heaven, because we had heard that the love of money is the root of all evil? The devil knows and quotes the scriptures, but he usually manipulates or misquotes it to confuse, deceive or get you to offend God. God did not say that money is evil, but that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). If we had no money, how would we have built some of the great kingdom projects we have undertaken at the Redemption Camp? For example, we had to use several tons of steel spanning several kilometres and several tons of cement to build the auditorium where people come to receive salvation from God. The truth is, neither wealth nor poverty can take you to Heaven; your saving faith in Jesus Christ is what will take you there. The poorest man who does not know the Lord will end up in Hell, just as the richest man who is born-again will continue his life in Heaven.
 
God wants you to prosper in three main dimensions: spiritually, in health, and in all that you lay your hands upon, including your business and finance (3 John 2). However, when you love and crave money to the extent that you are ready to sacrifice your salvation for it, you are in a precarious situation. When the rich young ruler came to ask Jesus how he could make it to Heaven, the Lord put him to test, saying “Since you have kept all of the Law, do one more thing: sell all you have, and give the proceeds to the poor, then come and follow me.” The man failed the test because he loved money more than the salvation of his soul. It seems he said in his heart, “Sir, you can keep your salvation while I keep my money.” Some people who profess to know the Lord still cannot place money where it belongs. They will do just about anything to get money: steal, defraud, inflate cost of materials and so on. Such people are in serious trouble, because no covetous, greedy or lying fellow will enter Heaven. Nonetheless, God does not want you to die poor. The wealth He has for you shall locate you this season in Jesus’ Name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The advent of sin brought problems into the relationship between God and man, and in the relationship between man and his fellow man. The day you were born-again, your quarrel with God was laid to rest, but not the quarrel with men. It takes restitution to settle pending issues with men. Apostle Paul was conscious of this and that was why in Acts 24:16 he said:
“And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.”
Have you settled your pending restitutions?
 
Many years ago, while still an unsaved school teacher, I had a visitor for whom I had to take a bed from the school dormitory. After his departure, I retained the bed, and when I eventually left the school, I took it with me. Seven years later, I gave my life to Jesus, and when I learnt about restitution, I decided to obey. I paid back to the school double the value of that bed. I felt it was not right returning it, having used it for seven years. When I did this, I had peace. Do you know that your peace is tied to those pending restitutions? In other words, even though the Lord wants your peace to be full, there is no way this can happen except you restitute your wicked ways.
 
Moreover, do you know that when somebody puts something in your care and it gets missing, you are expected to restitute, unless the owner specifically says you should not? If you borrowed somebody’s car and damaged it while in your custody, it is your responsibility to repair it; but if you cannot afford to repair it at that time, report the matter to the owner, apologise and humbly ask him to help you repair it, promising to repay him as soon as possible. If the owner says you should not bother to settle the bill, then and only then are you free. The Christian life is a life of responsibility. You cannot afford to destroy things and hide them. Some house-helps, children or wards mistakenly destroy valuable things in the house and conceal their wrong-doing. This is wrong! The matter should be exposed so that the appropriate disciplinary measures will be meted out. That issue you swept under the carpet will one day be discovered. Right your wrongs today! Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

What is life? In simplistic terms, we can define life as the opposite of death. When you travel to a far country, say for a period of three months, you will experience a temporary separation between you and the people, things and locations you are familiar with. But when death occurs, it permanently separates you from the things you love, from your loved ones and from the places you are familiar with. God gave Jesus to us to give us life, and to destroy the one who had the power of death – the devil (Hebrews 2:14). For this reason, wherever the process of death has been activated, Jesus can terminate it and restore life fully. In John 11:25, He declared Himself to be the Resurrection and the Life. God’s gift to us in the person of Jesus shows how much God loves us - to the point of giving us the gift of life (John 3:16). With Jesus, death cannot permanently take hold of you (1 Corinthians 15:54).
 
Also, Jesus came so that we would not die financially. To be financially dead is to be financially bankrupt. Have you experienced this in your business? The Lord will bring your finances back to life. Jesus became poor so that you can be financially free (2 Corinthians 8:9). Because of the price Jesus has paid, financial freedom is yours from today! Jesus is our Shepherd so that we would not lack anything good (Psalm 23:1). In addition, Jesus was given so that we might not die mentally. A mentally dead fellow is one who has lost control of his or her mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 says:
“For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Even for the mentally sick, Jesus can restore the intellect. You can regain your mental wholeness. Whatever is wrong with you mentally, the Lord will put right today in Jesus’ Name.
 
Moreover, Jesus was given to us so that we can have a permanent relationship with the Almighty God for the rest of our lives. Through Jesus, you have access to your heavenly mansion after your sojourn on earth. This is one reason why you must not break the relationship between the Lord and yourself. Nothing on earth is worth separating you from Christ. Never allow anything, no matter how alluring, to break you off from the love of Christ. He was given generally for everyone but specifically for you. Ensure you respond positively to God’s love so that you can maximally enjoy the benefits of knowing Him. It is well with you. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are certain criteria God looks out for before choosing a fellow through whom His signs and wonders will be manifested to the world. He saw meekness and humility in Moses. If the Lord will use you to do the greater works He promised (John 14:12), you must be meek and gentle. You must also be humble to the end. Some people start off being humble, and God begins to lift them up; but at some point, they become so full of themselves that they commit the grievous sin of taking or sharing in God’s glory. Because of this, God takes His leave from them. Those who will go far with God must start, continue and end with humility. Take note that when the Lord sent Moses back to Egypt, He did not send him back alone. God instructed him to go with his rod; a rod which God decided to make His own. Exodus 4:17 says:
“And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.”
He obeyed, and with that rod, God performed signs and wonders. He never parted with that rod. God may want to take over your rod too. He may want to convert something that is dear to you to His own as an avenue for the performance of signs and wonders. What is most important here is that whatever He asks of you must be done in all humility. When you do this, the signs will follow.
 
Similarly, if you check closely, you will find out that God chooses worshippers. He chose David, the one who said he would bless the Lord at all times and continually praise Him with his mouth. How committed are you to the worship of God? Some worship Him only when the going is good, but when they go through trying times, they cease to do so. Instead, they begin to grumble, murmur and complain. There is someone reading this: God chose you for signs and wonders, and He even started using you in the miraculous until you began to grumble and complain. If you can repent of this and embrace the regular worship of God, appreciating Him for His works in your life, the working of miracles that stopped in your life will begin to flow again. When this happens, testify to God’s glory before the congregation of God’s people. Are you a worshipper? How often do you worship God? Is there quality in your worship? If you will see signs and wonders in your life and ministry, you must be prepared to live a life of quality worship. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Holiness makes you a weapon that God can use. As long as sin dwells in you, it makes you loathsome to God and unsuitable for His use. Hence, 2 Timothy 2:21 says:
“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”
If you truly want God to use you to heal the sick, raise the dead and perform signs and wonders, then you must run far away from sin and live a life of holiness unto God. It is important to note here that if you lay your hands on the sick, nothing will happen unless Jesus the Healer lays His hands on yours. So, it is not your hands doing the healing, but His. If your hands are stained with sin or with blood, Jesus will not lay His hands on yours. How clean are your hands?
 
Moreover, holiness empowers you to fight on God’s side against the devil and his demons. Imagine the same fellow who was a slave of sin and a prisoner to the devil, now confronting him face to face and facing the forces of evil in battle. This is just great! God in Isaiah 41:15 said:
“Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.”
Holiness empowers God’s people to fearlessly confront any satanic agent and to paralyse his or her powers. By holiness, you become strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. It clothes you in God’s armour and protects you from the missiles of the enemy (Ephesians 6:14). Holiness makes you stand tall in the midst of opposing forces (John 14:30-31), and positions you in Christ so that satanic forces are all kept under your feet (Ephesians 1:20-23). Sin puts the sinner under Satan; this is why he can tread on them at will (Romans 6:16). Holiness reverses that order and places the believer above the devil. No wonder Jesus in Luke 10:19 says:
“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
Anytime you dare demons when sin is in your life, you can be sure you will suffer some injuries; but if you are living holy, you can trample them under foot. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The moment you became born-again, a race was set before you (Hebrews 12:1). This implies that until a person becomes born-again, he or she has no destination to go with God. It is the new birth in Christ Jesus that gives you a destination in God. Are you saved? If you are, there is a divine destination you have been called unto. Religion and being religious can never give you a destination in Christ. If you are born-again, you are going somewhere glorious, prepared for you by the Lord Jesus Christ, both in this world and in the world to come; but if you are not born-again, you are heading nowhere. You shall arrive at your God-given destination in Jesus’ Name.
 
Moreover, it is one thing to start a race and another thing to finish it. While it is a great thing to finish the race, it is more glorious to finish it with joy. The devil will do everything to stop you from starting the race, but when he fails, he will try to hinder you from reaching the finish line. When he sees that he is not able to stop you from finishing the race, he will do everything possible to make you miserable, sad, depressed and unhappy along the way, so that you will end the race with grumbling, regrets, in tears and, if possible, even accusing God. These are all satanic wiles, but by the grace of God, you shall overcome.
 
One Bible character who was very conscious of the race he was called to run was Paul the apostle. 2 Timothy 4:6-8, towards the end of his race, he looked back and assessed his performance. He assessed himself against the backdrop of the rewards he saw reserved for him in Heaven. Paul knew exactly what he wanted. He had set his goal right from when his race started, and had worked assiduously towards achieving it. In Acts 20:22-24, in spite of the difficult situations he had already gone through for the faith, he acknowledged that several unpleasant events were awaiting him even as he headed for Jerusalem. Nevertheless, he was completely detached from them, because he was totally sold out to the Lord; the devil was therefore not able to get his attention. He had to do all these so that he could finish his race with joy. If you truly want to finish your race with joy, you must die to self. Satan will do everything to get at you, but if you are dead to self, you will not be moved. However, if you allow self to control you, you will take offence and finish in sorrow, and you may even get derailed. Are you ready to pay the price to finish this Christian race with joy? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One lesson about the workings and operations of God from Genesis 32:24-32 is that prayer compels blessings out of unwilling helpers. There are some people who can help you but who deliberately refuse to do so for one reason or the other. If you fail to pray, you might be denied their help; but if you pray, your prayers can force them to have a change of heart, and move them to help you. Why did Jacob have to wrestle with God? Why did he say he would not let go until his desire was granted? It is because there is the possibility of unwillingness from destiny-helpers. In the Name of Jesus, all destiny-helpers who have refused to help you will have a positive turn-around and render help to you from today.
 
You need to understand the reasons why a destiny-helper may refuse to help the one he or she has been appointed to help. Many factors may be responsible for this, and one of such factors is sin. The greatest helper of destiny that anyone can have is God. God wants to help you, but sin ties His hands (Isaiah 59:1-2). Some people have maltreated their helpers unknowingly, only to later realise that the person they had treated badly has a significant role to play in their lives. Never oppress anyone, particularly those who appear to be in a disadvantaged position, because you don’t know what they will become later. Besides, if you are always antagonising your helpers, others who were meant to help you will soon take their flight from you.
 
In addition, prayer makes your helpers remember you and review your situation in your favour. Jacob wrestled with God all night, and this moved God to remember his plight and review his situation. This is why God asked Jacob, “What is your name?” From that moment, things changed for Jacob. You may want to ask: “What if Jacob had not prayed?” The answer is that his story would have ended prematurely. Esau, his vengeful brother, who was very militant, would have taken revenge on him. This tells you that if not for the prayers you had prayed, and if not for the intercession of others to God on your behalf, you may not be where you are today. You need to pray so that you can arrive at God’s ordained destination ahead of you. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jesus is the only Way to salvation, and the Truth that sets free. He declared that if He sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36). He also said that one is set free by knowing the truth in Him (John 8:32). I am living proof of the freedom that Jesus gives, and a living witness of what it means to be set free and left free. While in my final year of secondary school in 1960, there was an altercation between my father and some people in our village compound, and it was over me. During a family meeting, in spite of my father’s pleas, his adversaries threatened my life. They said, “Is it because of this boy that you are refusing to join us? We will see how old he will grow up to be.” When my father returned home and reported this threat to my mother, I ran for my life. For 13 years, I kept running away from home until I met Jesus. When I did, my flight from home stopped. Praise God that the forces of darkness that hitherto put me to flight now take to their heels when they see me, because I now carry the greater One inside of me. Are you passing through a similar experience? Are you afraid of demonic powers? Have you been running from your village or town? Stop running! Confront them with the power in the Name of Jesus!
 
When you are in Christ and you know your rights and privileges in the kingdom, and you choose to stand on God’s Word to activate His promises, no evil power can destroy you. Confront every power opposing you today in the Name of Jesus. For some believers, fear has kept them on the same spot. They fail to recognise that Jesus Christ has liberated them from the bondage of fear. While expounding on what Jesus accomplished through His death, Hebrews 2:15 says:
“And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
One of my sons challenged some idol worshippers during their festival. He went to their headquarters to preach to them. Instead of attacking him, they were afraid of what he was carrying inside him. They let him go because they reasoned that for him to be that bold, he must have a power greater than theirs. Of course he knew who he was carrying – the Almighty God! The madman of Gadara had thousands of demons in him, but one command from the Truth set him free. Do you know Jesus enough to be able to withstand the wiles and arrows of darkness by the use of His Name? What truths based on His Word have you been exposed to? Do you stand on them? What efforts have you made to increase your knowledge of the truth? Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In a particular church, some children and teenagers were asked to contribute some money for a specific purpose to their coordinator. After a while, the money contributed disappeared into thin air, and what was promised was never delivered. That is stealing! Such fraudulent actions can take Heaven away from its perpetrators. If you are guilty of such an act, go back and restitute, even if you have moved from that place to another. Do you know that some people need to restitute some items (for example, church-owned hymn books) and money to the churches they once attended in the past? Wherever you have a restitution to make, go and do so for the sake of making Heaven.
 
Moreover, stealing comes in different shades. Have you lied while filling your tax forms by declaring less than what you earn? You have defrauded the government. Do you have something that belongs to the government in your custody? Return it! Did you join others to share the proceeds of bribery, illegitimate deals and extortion in your office? Return it! Have you stolen a position from the rightful candidate through lying or mudslinging? Go and restitute your ways. Anything you fraudulently acquired must be returned to the rightful owner.
 
“The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.”
Proverbs 21:6
As a dealer in used cars, do you tamper with the mileage figures of cars you sell just to deceive potential buyers? Repent. When asked to supply some goods in a contract, do you look for fairly used ones, refurbish them and present them as brand new? Restitute! When you go for a course outside your place of residence, do you lie that you lodged in an expensive hotel, whereas you stayed in a cheaper hotel or even lodged with a friend or relative? Do you falsify figures? Some pastors manipulate attendance to enhance their periodic performance assessment. If you can deceive man, can you deceive God? Even if you succeed with that deception and get what you wanted, does God’s silence equal divine approval? Restitution is putting to rest something that is experiencing unrest. Until you restitute a pending matter, there can never be rest, no matter what else is done. God wants you holy. It must be His way and not yours. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

If you can prove to God that you truly love Him, you will provoke greater love and great blessings in return. After Paul showed God how much he loved Him, not only did God perform special miracles through him while he was still alive (Acts 19:11), God also showed him the glorious crown awaiting him in Heaven. How great and awesome it is to see the reward reserved for you in Heaven. Some of us desire to have this experience. While this is a good desire, the question is: have you demonstrated your love for God beyond all reasonable doubt? In fact, God made Paul aware of the time he would finish his Christian race; death did not come to him as a surprise. There are so many things that you may not have easy access to as a believer in Christ until you prove to God that you love Him unconditionally, willingly and sacrificially.
 
Solomon is another person who demonstrated his love for God. He did this by giving a powerful, record-setting offering. This moved God to give him a blank cheque, so that he could ask for whatever he desired. He asked for an understanding heart that would enable him govern God’s people successfully. God granted him his request and gave him even much more. In other words, if you can prove your love for God, even when you do not know what to ask for, God will give you what you need and much more.
 
God loves you and me. He showed this when Jesus died in our place on the cross of Calvary, to save us from the eternal death that awaited us as the just retribution for our sins. Jesus never sinned. He was the only One who lived on earth without sinning, yet He willingly gave up His righteous, spotless and sinless life for us so that we will no longer perish. 1 Peter 3:18 says:
“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”
If you accept His love today, all your sins will be washed away from the record books by His Blood. You will then become a child of God. But if you reject His love, you may be inviting eternal wrath and damnation to yourself. Give your life to Jesus today. If you are already born-again, ask for grace to love Him more. You can have the best that God has reserved for you by showing Him how much you love Him. Show it through obedience to Him, consecration and sacrificial giving. Let nothing be too much for you to give to God; after all, He gave you all that you have, and He owns the blessings you will yet receive. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

After Moses experienced the wonders of God in multiple dimensions at the Red Sea, he wrote a song to express his awe of the God of wonders. Here is an excerpt of this song from Exodus 15:11:
“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”
From these words, we understand that signs and wonders come under the purview of God. They are God’s acts, and they are part of His ministry. Signs and wonders are produced by the power of God. Any sign or wonder that is carried out by any other spirit or power is a fake; otherwise known as an act of magic. Today, magical acts are on the rise in churches, because some leaders want to see the manifestation of signs and wonders at all costs, irrespective of their source. They make a pact with the devil and begin to demonstrate his magical acts. In your local assembly, are you experiencing the signs and wonders of God or satanic magical acts?
 
Anyone who will be used for signs and wonders must first be connected to the God of signs and wonders. God has the power for genuine signs and wonders, and He is ready to share it with His children who are willing to pay the price of consecration. Elijah declared in 1 Kings 17:1b thus:
“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.”
He was saying that he was who he was because of his connection to the miracle-working God, specifically God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the powerhouse of the Godhead. Because Elisha had this understanding, he never asked for the anointing; rather, he asked for a double portion of the Spirit at work in his master (2 Kings 2:9). He knew that the Holy Spirit was behind the anointing, power, signs and miracles that were evident in Elijah’s ministry. It is strange to know that some people want the anointing today, but they do not take time to develop their intimacy with the Holy Spirit. Some want power but do not care about the spirit it is coming from. Be very careful! Take note of the fact that it was after the oil touched David’s head and the Holy Spirit came upon him that he could kill a bear and a lion with his bare hands. It was after this also that his ordinary stones could bring down Goliath the giant. Get connected to the Holy Spirit today. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

An individual who believes he or she is wiser than other people is proud. Proverbs 26:12 says:
“Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.”
It is bad enough to be a fool, but this Scripture tells us that a person who thinks he knows more than every other person is in worse shape. While there may still be a ray of hope left for the fool, the case of the proud is almost completely hopeless. 1 Corinthians 8:2 says:
“And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.”
It is what some people know that makes them proud (1 Corinthians 8:1). The knowledge of God that you have should not generate pride in you but strength (Daniel 11:32). As a husband, if you say you are not proud, why then is it that you don’t entertain the useful suggestions of your wife? As a leader, do you operate with others under you as if you are the custodian of knowledge? If you are not proud, you will be able to learn from your subordinates and even from children. Believe it or not, there are lots of advice, useful suggestions and other blessings God will be sending to you through your subordinates and those under you; but if you are not ready to humble yourself to receive these, you may likely miss them.
 
One way of identifying the proud is through their boastings. A proud fellow will not only brag about what he can do, but also about several things he cannot do, all in a bid to make him look bigger than who he really is. As a child of God, you are expected to avoid boasting because several variables in life are completely out of your control (James 4:14-16). Hence, our Bible reading says even when you are wealthy, never put your trust in your wealth or boast about what you have. Money may buy you a water bed, but it cannot buy you sleep. What is the use of a water bed without the ability to sleep? Also, you may be the richest man in the world, and yet with all your wealth, you cannot buy salvation for yourself or for your brother. Money can buy a beautiful wife but not a good name. Do you boast of your accomplishments? You need to be broken. Forget whatever you may have achieved and yield yourself to the hands of the Lord, asking God to mould you as He deems fit. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

We serve a God that fills the mouth of his chosen with laughter. Some chosen of the Lord testified of this in Psalms 126:2 saying:
“Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.”
In Genesis 18:1-14, when the Lord visited Abraham and Sarah and ate in their tent, He promised them that they would have a son in nine months’ time; but Sarah laughed because her husband was over 99 years old and she herself was 90 years old. She thought that this promise was a joke borne out of how much the three august visitors enjoyed the meal that she and Abraham had prepared. God asked why she laughed, but she denied that she laughed. Nine months later, she gave birth to laughter, and she laughed for the rest of her life (Genesis 21:6). Today, God still makes people laugh. When God makes you laugh, your laughter will be sustained. But how can God make you laugh today? God makes you laugh when you receive an unexpected divine visitation. It is one thing for you to pay God a visit, like when you attend a church programme or a special programme like the Holy Ghost Service; but it is another thing for God to visit you. It is a beautiful experience when God visits a congregation or group of people, but it is even lovelier when God picks out an individual in a large congregation for divine visitation. The Lord will single you out for a divine visitation this season in Jesus’ Name.
 
In John 5:2-9, there was a multitude of sick folks at the pool called Bethesda, but when Jesus visited there, He went straight for the man who had been sick for 38 years, healed him and left the place. In like manner, in Mark 10:46-52, Jesus entered Jericho and passed through it looking for whom to visit. He saw none in Jericho, but as He was leaving, in the midst of a crowd, he saw a blind beggar outside the city gate, healed him and continued with His journey. As Jesus healed these people, He introduced laughter into their lives. There was no record that either of them was ever sick again. Whatever criteria He uses to determine candidates for His visitation shall work in your favour today. Out of the crowd of those who need children, the Lord will visit you with yours. Out of the crowd of those who need promotion, the Lord will promote you. Out of the crowd of those who need special anointing, the Lord will visit you specially today. However, flee from sin, and do only what pleases Him. Be faithful in your tithes and offerings, and worship Him. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Envy is a terrible character flaw that everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour must completely give up. Envy can lead to the murder of the one being envied or the murder of his or her dreams. Many polygamous families are wrapped up in envy. The mark of a place where there is envy is confusion and evil. James 3:16 says:
“For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”
As much as it lies within your power, avoid such places, because the Spirit of God will not stay in a place where there is confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). In such places, people go to any extent to discredit, poison, afflict and destroy their own out of envy. If you are driven by envy, you are on a satanic mission: a self-destructive mission that will definitely lead to regret someday. Today, some churches are envy-driven. Do you know that some pastors go to set up their own ministries out of envy? The foundation of such ministries is faulty from the beginning, and if you dare to check, God is completely out of it. Are you driven by envy? What are you doing as a result of envy? Repent and amend your ways today before it is too late.
 
There is a great price the envious always has to pay. This price could have a physical, emotional and spiritual component. The price for envy can be very costly! You would be amazed at what that tiny envy in your heart towards your neighbour can take out of you. Envy can erode the blessings of the envious. If you do not want to lose your blessings, completely abstain from it. Korah, Dathan and Abiram paid dearly for the envy that led them to rebel against their leader - Moses (Numbers 16:1-3). God publicly set them aside to show everyone that they had done the wrong thing. God, who earlier appointed them as leaders under Moses, openly discredited them. Thereafter, the ground swallowed them up together with their households. Envy made sure their generation was terminated. That envy in your heart can terminate your future generations! Greed and envy are two tools the devil uses to destroy future generations and destinies! Gehazi’s greed brought leprosy to his generation (2 Kings 5:27), while the envy of Korah, Dathan and Abiram completely wiped out their generations. Check your heart! That tiny looking seed of envy that appears harmless today can become your greatest undoing. Ask God to help you uproot it now. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.