₦airaland Forum

Many Christians are frustrated, defeated and fruitless. Many of them are wallowing in spiritual poverty and helplessness because they are unaware of the power behind their calling. The wonderful truth is: every Christian has the potential to live supernaturally. The Holy Spirit is the Commander-in-Chief of the army of Christ. He is the enabler of revival, evangelism and every other Christian endeavour. The Holy Spirit is the secret of the supernatural - the secret behind healing, miracles and every other spiritual gift. Beyond experiencing salvation and sanctification, the Lord wants to take you further with the fire of the Holy Spirit. He said in Acts 1:8 that:
“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.”
In the days after I received Christ into my heart, I desired to pray but I found it very difficult until the Holy Spirit came upon me. The power of God took over my life and I joined the league of those who could pray non-stop for hours.
 
In the days of the early church, Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, came to Peter and lied to him about how much they sold a parcel of land. Peter was not with them when they sold the land. However, through the Holy Spirit, he knew that they were telling lies. He confronted them for attempting to deceive the Holy Spirit, and this led to their death. When you have the Holy Spirit, you will succeed in your business. He will tell you what to buy and what not to buy. He will tell you things to come. He will show you those who are false friends pretending to be real. He will reveal to you those who are committed to seeing you fail. When you are a carrier of this fire, you will accomplish great things in your life within a short time. No matter how long a period of dryness has lasted, when the fire of the Holy Spirit falls, dryness will come to an end and your rainy season will emerge. The presence of the divine fire in your life is a confirmation of the fact that you have entered your season of breakthrough. Divine fire announces the presence of the Almighty. God has promised to surround you with the type of fire which the enemy cannot penetrate. When this happens, enemies, whether hidden or visible, will be prevented from causing you any form of havoc or harm (Job 1:10).

Embarking on the Christian race with the energy of the flesh is a suicidal journey. You need the fire of the Holy Spirit to be quickened spiritually. When you are quickened, the glory of God will be seen in your life, and you will become a terror to every enemy of your divine destiny. When you are made to pass through the fire on the altar of God, the beauty of Heaven will be seen upon your life and a sweet aroma will distinguish you as the beloved of the Lord. We face so many challenges in life, encounter lots of situations and hold lots of responsibilities that require the manifestation of God’s fire in many forms. If you want to move forward and experience remarkable progress in life and in ministry, you need to seek the fire of God.
 
Most of the things we tolerate today were not tolerated in the early Church. There were so many manifestations of God’s fire that the fear of God was uppermost in the hearts of early Christians. A church that allows the Holy Spirit’s fire to keep burning will remain healthy, vibrant and spiritually active. Elijah prayed and the fire fell from Heaven. If the fire had not fallen, the people would not have been moved to confess the supremacy of the Almighty. Our world is always seeking for signs and wonders. If there are no signs, the world would be slow to acknowledge the power of God. We need to go back to the Bible and recover our lost fire. Once the fire is recovered and retained, we will enter into a new realm, and the world will witness amazing signs and wonders that will make nations to declare public holidays whenever Christian programmes are held.
 
The world actually is blind. It will take the physical manifestation of God’s fire to jolt people out of their complacency and make them aware of what God has provided through the Holy Spirit. Religion without the demonstration of the power of the Holy Ghost is empty. We cannot go far in our daily walk with the Lord without the help of the Spirit’s fire. We cannot bear witness to the power of God convincingly without portraying the divine fire for the world to see. When the fire is brought back into the Church, there will be revival. When the fire falls, healings will take place with ease, and deliverance will happen without people praying for unending hours. I therefore decree that from now on, the fire of God will descend globally upon the Church in Jesus’ Name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To make Heaven at last will take something extra from you. The ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 were expecting the return of the Kings of kings. As virgins, they were pure, sanctified, holy, chosen and expectant. It can be assumed that upon having all these qualifications, they would have automatic access to Heaven. Yet, somewhere along the line, they all slumbered and slept. This is frightening and calls for introspection. When the ten virgins were leaving their houses, they all had oil; otherwise their lamps would not have been burning. The five that made it did so because they had extra oil. It is important we all realise that if we are going to make it to Heaven, it is going to take connecting with the Holy Spirit and tapping into everything He has to offer.
 
The Almighty God is absolutely interested in the purity of His children. In Exodus 30:1-3, God insisted that His altar must be overlaid with pure gold. The words of the Lord are pure (Psalm 12:6). His commandments also are pure (Psalm 19:. Everything about God reflects purity. In 2 Samuel 22:27, David said this about God:
“With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.”
If you are pure, God will arise for you in all your battles. Even if your beginning is small, because you have chosen to pursue purity, your ending shall be greatly increased. If you pastor a church that is very small and you are pure, you will greatly increase. However, I have seen people who started pure but did not remain pure. This is the greatest undoing of this present age. Those who give room for defilement cannot make it to Heaven unless they amend their ways before the appearance of the Bridegroom. When a girl desires more than what her parents can provide, she will end up defiling herself. When a minister of God wants to be what God does not yet say he should be, he will defile himself. When you insist on acquiring the status which God has not yet ordained for you, you will defile yourself. When a pastor’s wife wants to compete with the “big women” in the church, she will bring defilement to the ministry that God has entrusted to her husband. Those who defile the temple of God shall diminish. It does not take long for anyone who has been defiled to begin to diminish. It is the same God who increases the pure that diminishes the defiled. Do not give the devil an inch (1 Peter 5:. Be highly disciplined. Do not open the door to temptation. Keep your distance from danger zones. Somebody who the enemy desires to roast should not sit near the fire.

Imagine you are driving on an unfamiliar road, and you see a sign that reads “narrow bridge ahead”. As soon as you see this sign, you have gained the knowledge that there is a narrow bridge in front of you. What you choose to do with this knowledge will determine whether you are wise or foolish. If you are wise, you will slow down immediately. If you ignore the sign and increase your speed, you are foolish. This illustrates the state of many lives. Wisdom is the correct application of knowledge. When you begin to apply knowledge correctly, you will reach your goal. Fools always end badly even if they start well. The wise builds, while the foolish pulls down (Proverbs 14:1). All the things that happened to the generation of Israelites that did not make it to the Promised Land were written for us as examples and for our admonition, so that we will know what to do and what not to do at every given time. We are to learn from these examples and be prepared.
 
There are many kinds of false prophets today, even among those who call themselves Pentecostals. Despite their shallowness and heretical teachings, their churches are prospering numerically and financially. If you are not careful, the tendency is there to think “Since they are prospering so much; God must be behind them!” Such a mindset can lead to weariness and ultimately spiritual slumber. A sleeping man is at the mercy of his enemies, as was the case with Saul (1 Samuel 26:7-. A sleeping man can also lose things that are very precious. Samson lost his hair while he was asleep, and by the time he woke up, all his power had left him (Judges 16:19-20). Samson dozed off many times before he slept. He did not act against the appearance of evil. He did not act when Delilah kept pestering him. She asked him for his weak point and Samson was so careless not to realise that her request wasn’t a joke. He kept on dozing until he finally slept off on her laps. There the enemy overcame him and plucked out his eyes. It is true that his hair grew again, but his eyes were never restored. The foolish person is careless, while the wise one is careful. The fool will want to sin and ask for forgiveness, but he who is wise will abstain from sin and everything that has the appearance of evil. You never know where your next test will come from. Once you lay your hand on the plough, you cannot afford to look back (Luke 9:62). Do not relax when you have not finished the race. Make up your mind to pray, study the word of God and fast more than others. Meditate day and night on the word of God. Be extra careful. With total surrender to God, He will carry you and make sure that against all odds, you reach your goal.

The sin of one man can sometimes lead to national disasters and tragedy (Joshua 7:1-5). One person’s sin can also bring trouble to generations unborn. The story of how Gehazi became leprous in 2 Kings 5:25-27 buttresses this fact. With the recent innovations in science, scientists believe that problems in the genes of a great grandfather can be seen in the genes of his offspring. The good news is that once you give your life to Christ, you automatically become a member of God’s family. A curse is like a river that flows downstream. It begins from its source and is passed down to other people. I decree in the Name of Jesus and through the authority vested in me as the minister of the gospel, that every generational curse still operating in your life be broken now.
 
The idolatry of Ahab and his family brought untold hardship and agony to a lot of people for three and half years (1 Kings 18:17-18). This is why you must learn to accept your faults anytime you are rebuked for your sins, because the eyes of the Lord are too holy to behold iniquity. A foolish person thinks that he or she is always right. One of the first things a mathematician learns is that it is possible for you to be wrong. I know that I can be wrong. When anything goes wrong, I quickly check myself. Because a fool thinks that he is always right, he hates correction and instruction. A refusal to readily accept and admit your faults might lead to untold anguish and agony at the end.
 
At a point in time, King David sinned against the Lord because he conducted a census without God’s permission (1 Chronicles 21). God was unhappy with this, and when the punishment came, thousands of people died. What a national tragedy! This is why we must always pray for the people in power, because whatever decisions they take have far-reaching effects on the entire citizenry. The consequence of a generational curse is terrible. A curse normally begins to destroy from the root, and a lot of damage is done before it is noticeable. Barrenness in business can be as a result of a curse. Joblessness and lack of progress could be due to a curse. When someone is always almost succeeding but never succeeds, it is the sign of a curse. Some people repeatedly gather money to build a house or start a project, but as soon as they begin executing their plans, a problem comes up that takes all the gathered money away. This also is indicative of a curse. As a mouthpiece of the Most High God, I decree blessings to replace every curse in your life in Jesus’ Name. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

My life is living proof of the goodness of God. The testimonies of God’s blessings in my life are uncountable. My journey to becoming what God has made me today has not been as easy as you may think. Each time I remember where I started from and how I started, I’m usually overwhelmed with gratitude, and it beats my imagination. I remember with nostalgic feelings how God dealt with me in the past and how He is still using me as an instrument in His hands. In 1985, when I started living at the Redemption Camp with my family, there were times that I would not have N1 in my pocket. Do you know that there were times my wife and I would not be able to go to Lagos because we had no N2 to pay toll fees? I would comfort my wife on such days by telling her that God might have restricted us from going to Lagos because an accident would occur on the road. However, the fact was that I could not afford to pay the toll fee of only N2 both ways. I thank God because that condition has gone forever. Poverty is no longer a threat to whatever I want to do in life because God has placed me and all my children, both biological and spiritual, on the pedestal of irreversible blessings. The womb of lack has been completely shut forever and my cup of blessings is running over day by day. I pray that as you get committed to the work of God entrusted to your care, you will never know lack again in Jesus’ Name.
 
Do you know that God can choose to divert wealth to your side? If you have given your life to Christ, this is one of your benefits for being in the commonwealth of Israel by faith. Without any iota of doubt, believers can be blessed by the Lord greatly. God could decide to arrange the transfer of wealth that unbelievers have laid up for years to you without much problem. In fact, if you understand the glorious agenda of wealth transfer, unbelievers could even be struggling to bless you. Sometime ago, I told all my children at the auditorium of the Redemption Camp that I did not want anyone to give me cars anymore because I had more than enough, and cars were no longer an issue for me. Before I got home on that very day, four cars were already waiting for me and two of these cars were from Muslims. When God decides to set you up for irreversible blessings, poverty will become a total stranger to you. However, you must live a life that will glorify God. You must maintain a constant, unbroken fellowship with Him. Live a life that will be a blessing to the Lord if you don’t want His prosperity to be withdrawn from you. Are you in the doldrums of debt and poverty? Believe God for a divine set-up. It will be an encounter that will position you for the blessings that will cause your cup to run over. Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God is a specialist in using people who the world has rejected. He picks up those who have been written off, polishes them and turns them into great warriors of His kingdom. This is to let you know that it is not over with you yet. As long as you know whose report to believe, those who have written you off have made their greatest mistake. The name of Rahab, the harlot whose prostitution business was located where all eyes could see, was included in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5-6).  Uriah’s wife, an adulteress, was also mentioned. This is to let you know that God has a purpose for each and every one of us. His purpose can only come to pass when we accept the Lordship of Jesus. The moment Jesus comes into your life, He blots out the handwriting of the past. Your past becomes past and the former sinner becomes a saint.
 
David as a weapon of the Almighty God went and picked five smooth stones when he was to confront Goliath. Not five regular stones but smooth ones. Anyone who will become a weapon of the Almighty cannot afford to be ordinary. God will not use ordinary Christians but smooth ones. It is interesting to note that when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace, the fire refused to burn them because they were special children (Daniel 3:16-25). They were smooth weapons of the Almighty God. Joseph refused the lures of the wife of Potiphar because he was a smooth stone. He said he could not compromise and sin against God (Genesis 39:9). This statement landed him in prison, yet God was waiting for him there. Colossians 3:5-6 says this:
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:”
As a weapon of the Mighty, you should be able to control your body. Anyone who wants to operate under the anointing of the Most High God must not only love righteousness, but must hate iniquity. To deal with the Goliaths of this world, you need to become a smooth stone. If you discipline yourself enough to be a weapon of the Almighty, the enemy will always fail against you. Allow the Almighty to help you pass through fire. God is interested in you and wants to bless you. He wants to use you for His glory. If you permit Him, He will do it. He can use the fire of the Holy Spirit to burn away any dross from your life so that what remains is pure and smooth.

Many people work hard and have nothing to show for it, while some others work very little and succeed. When God is on your side, you will succeed. In Genesis 39:1-5, the Bible tells us about the experience of Joseph in Potiphar’s house: whatever he touched prospered because God was with him. If God is with you, no matter where you are operating or what you are doing, you will always succeed. Our God is good and gracious. He does many things to prove His divine power, and no one can question His decisions. This is why He is the Sovereign God. It doesn’t matter how deep the valley you are in is, if God says He is going to do a new thing in your life, He can pick you up from that valley and set you on top. He can take you from absolute darkness to light (John 9:1-7).
 
Never write yourself off in life. There is a silver lining in the cloud of your destiny. The good things of life can still come to you no matter what your present situation is. Lean on the everlasting arms of God and you will never be disappointed. No matter the opposition of the enemies, the plan and purpose of God will come to pass. Nobody can abase the one whom God has decided to promote. God can make you grow daily in knowledge, understanding and in wisdom. Daniel’s promotion took the form of a meteoric rise to stardom. He was able to make progress in a strange land and the Lord blessed the labour of his hands. Throughout Daniel’s life, he moved from one level of promotion to the other. He was so relevant in the scheme of things that he served under several different governments, and under every dispensation, he was always a point of reference.
 
One key lesson that stands out clearly in the life of Daniel is seen in the decision he made unto the Lord (Daniel 1:. His action shows us that men who have strong convictions, unalloyed loyalty and real dedication to the Almighty are able to achieve exploits. The will of God stands out clearly in the lives of those who desire exploits. Your heart must be fixed upon the Lord and on doing His will at all times, wherever you find yourself. Divine promotion will not come to those who want to use it for self-aggrandizement. You must be willing to use every promotion God brings your way for His glory. Once your motives align with God’s purpose, you will always be blessed and promoted by Him. The righteous stand of Daniel moved God to promote him divinely. You can also become great if you stay close to the Almighty, who is the source of all true greatness.

The anointing should occupy a prominent place in the life of every child of God. When God grants you the anointing, several benefits are attached to it. He gives His anointing in order to add value, not just to your life, but also to the lives of everyone you come in contact with. The benefits of the new anointing are so many that they cannot be for those who are lazy. You must have worked, prayed and studied hard before you can receive such anointing. The new anointing is an uncommon anointing; it is not what you find on the surface; you must dig for it.
 
When Elisha was desperate for the new anointing, the other sons of the prophets were busy laughing him to scorn (2 Kings 2:3-5). They tried to discourage him from reaching his goal by deriding him, but he never got discouraged. He continued to serve and follow his master devotedly. Those who had earlier discouraged him were the first set of people to congratulate him later on (2 Kings 2:15). Hard work and persistence pays. When you are a hardworking person, you will get to a point where those who are lazy will have only one choice, which is bowing before you. Nobody may know of your secret prayers now, but the moment your prayers are answered, you will begin to tell the secrets of your success. If you really want to experience the new anointing, don’t ever allow anybody to discourage you. Keep seeking God’s face and serving Him diligently. God is always ready to baptize you with the fire required to make the world focus on you.
 
The presence of the new anointing guarantees that there will continue to be proof of answered prayers in your life. When the new anointing becomes visible, there will be a sudden demonstration of great happenings in your life. The new anointing in the life of a child of God shows that the enemy has been made to face shame and total extermination. In 1 Kings 18:37-40, there was an encounter between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. The anointing was the sole instrument that God used in putting the enemies to shame in this encounter. The fire of God brought shame completely to the prophets of Baal. To someone reading this, I decree: by the new anointing that God will give to you, you will become an instrument of fiery judgment against the enemies of God, and all your enemies will bow in Jesus’ Name.

The anointing launches a person into the realm of the miraculous (Acts 10:38). Maintaining the kind of anointing described in Hebrews 1:9 requires the putting away of hindrances to its flow in our lives. Holiness is a prerequisite for the new anointing. When the new anointing came into the life of Peter, he began to experience tremendous changes. The anointing put an instant end to a monotonous routine of waking up, eating, going to fish, coming back home, eating and sleeping. With the presence of the new anointing, everything changed in his life. His life became full of excitement from the moment the new anointing directed him to launch out into the deep (Luke 5:2-. God will add new excitement to your life today in Jesus’ Name.
 
“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”
Psalm 23:5
With the new anointing, God becomes your Supplier, Provider and Defender. He keeps death, sorrow, failure, defeat and shame far away from you. Not only does He ensure it is well with you as a person, He also ensures it is well with everything that concerns you. The new anointing makes all to be well in your life because God is reigning in you. This is why I know that from the four corners of the world, God will begin to send help to you this year in Jesus’ Name. The new anointing also ushers in the beginning of joy, success, progress and divine assistance. With it, you are enabled to achieve everything God wants you to achieve in life. The one who has been written off and marked as causing shame will suddenly begin to bring glory to his family. With the presence of the new anointing, God goes beyond the ordinary to give you a miracle (2 Kings 5:10-14). This anointing guarantees your protection from the evil of this world. God anointed David and promoted him at the same time; hence, David was able to rule in the midst of his enemies. This year, all your enemies will leave you alone, and right in their presence, you will reach your goal. Before their very eyes, you will eat and have abundance, because God will give you a crown that no one can take away. However, note that every sin in your life reduces your chance of overflowing in the new anointing. Therefore, avoid anything that will hinder you from experiencing the supernatural.

John 4:24-34 shows us a marked difference between the priorities of our Lord Jesus Christ and that of His disciples at a point in time. Many of us, like the disciples, are often engrossed with how to meet our physical, psychological and emotional needs. We are immersed in things which are ephemeral in nature. These include what to eat, what to drink, where to live, how to be clothed, how to take care of our immediate and distant families, how to stay healthy, how to be wealthy and how to be famous. Jesus assured His disciples that the Father knew their needs and would provide for them (Matthew 6:31-32). Moreover, He stressed what should be the topmost priority of all heaven-bound Christians. Matthew 6:33 says,
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Passion for the things of God should be your topmost priority! It is often said that passionate people make the greatest contributions to society. Be passionate about the things of God. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and the necessities of daily life will be provided. Stop chasing shadows. Stop putting the cart before the horse. It is time to correctly prioritise your life and passions.
 
God is called the God of glory in Acts 7:2. There are therefore great expectations for those who serve the God of glory in holiness and truth. There is a blessing of divine favour for all who consecrate themselves to serving God in spirit and truth. It should be noted that a day of divine favour is better than many years of labour. The blessing of divine favour is superior to what people ordinarily enjoy. I pray that you will enjoy the blessing of divine favour with effect from today in Jesus’ Name. Those who consecrate themselves to serving God in spirit and truth also receive divine prosperity (Psalm 1:1–3). God is the only one who blesses without adding sorrows to it. Are you experiencing sorrow in any area of your life? I pray that God will turn that sorrow to joy in Jesus’ Name. There is fruitfulness for all who consecrate themselves to serving God in spirit and truth (Psalm 92:12-14). They also have an assurance of victory over all known and unknown enemies (Psalm 132:18). God will reveal the secrets of all your enemies to you. He will stand by you and fight all your battles for you. He will render your enemies irrelevant and grant you victory over them. Finally, there is the assurance of making heaven at last for all who consecrate themselves to serving God in spirit and truth. What is the state of your consecration and love for God?

One reason why the Holy Spirit caused the Gospel of Matthew to be written is to show that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophesies concerning the Messiah. One of such prophesies is found in Isaiah 7:14 which says,
 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
This prophecy was shown to be fulfilled by Jesus in Matthew 1:18-25. One of the key points of this prophecy is that Jesus will be referred to as Emmanuel. The name Emmanuel means “God with us”. There is nothing as good as when God is with a person. God is the eternal, independent, self-existing Being. He is the Being whose purpose and actions spring from Himself without any external influence. God is absolute in dominion and infinitely benevolent. He alone is the cause of all existence and the upholder of all things. Numerous benefits accrue from the presence of God. One advantage of having God with you is that no force, known or unknown can successfully detract you from fulfilling destiny (Romans 8:31-32).
 
For you to fully key into the revelation of “God with us”, you need to understand who God is. God revealed who He is in discrete parts through His redemptive Names to the saints of old. He said to Moses in Exodus 6:3:
“And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”
An understanding of His redemptive Names gives us insight into His personality and allows us to profit from the consciousness that this personality is with us.
 
God is the Elshaddai: He is the All-Sufficient One. This means that He has enough resources to meet all your needs – be it spiritual, physical, emotional or psychological. Also, God is Jehovah Jireh: the Great Provider. He has the ability to turn your austerity to prosperity and poverty to wealth (Philippians 4:19). Another Name for God is Jehovah Rapha: the Healer. Are you sick? He has the ability to cure you of all ailments – be it pathological, soul sickness or spiritual sickness. God is also Jehovah Nissi: He is the Man of War. Are you facing any battle? The Almighty God has the ability to fight all of your battles for you and to grant you total victory. Are the enemies of your life mammoth? Turn to Jehovah Nissi today. Let Him be your Emmanuel. I prophesy that you will experience victory in all the battles of your life in Jesus’ Name.

Praise can be described as a spontaneous outburst of thanksgiving by a grateful child of God in God’s presence. When a person knows God and experiences Him intimately, he or she sings to the Lord with deepest praise! Our God is praiseworthy. He dwells in the praises of His children. Christ came so that men would be able to praise God in holiness and truth. The woks of Jesus caused men to rejoice and praise God. Luke 19:37 reports that:
“And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;”
 
God created us to praise Him. This will be our activity when we are gathered around His throne in Heaven. No true child of God should have difficulty thinking of reasons why God deserves his or her praise. We should enjoy the times we have to praise our Lord, both privately and publicly. If your life is not filled with praise, it may be that you have lost your appreciation of God's mercy upon you. Please, don’t forget what God has saved you from. Never take for granted what it means to have the assurance of eternity with God. Your lifestyle should praise God in holiness and good works. Jesus in Matthew 5:16 said:
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
 
Moreover, don’t disregard the spiritual kinship you enjoy with other believers. Take time often to recount the blessings God has poured out upon you and your family in the midst of God’s people. Jesus in Hebrews 2:12 declared thus:
“Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.”
As you contemplate the boundless love and mercy God has shown you, you will want to sing praises to His holy Name. Impulsive praise is spontaneous. It is involuntary and not pre-meditated. Here you can sing praises to God or mention His redemptive Names. Here you praise God because you are overwhelmed by His greatness, loving-kindness and goodness to you. Impulsive praise is credible praise. It does not have to be manipulated or orchestrated. It is a real and personal expression of a grateful heart and wonder-filled life that has encountered the Holy God. This is what God expects from you.

A mark can be described as an impression, a distinguishing trait or quality. Marks indicate characteristics or symbols used for identification or indication of ownership. All heaven-bound Christians are children of God and by implication, belong to Christ (Mark 9:41, Romans 8:16). What are the marks of the Lord Jesus?
 
One distinguishing trait or quality that indicates one’s ownership by the Lord Jesus is faithfulness. Everyone belonging to Christ is expected to be faithful in prayer, in tithes and offerings, in studying the word of God, in their marital relationship, general human relations and in service to God. Are you a child of God? Be faithful to God, yourself and others. Your faithfulness allows God to reveal greater insights to you. Faithfulness brings opportunities to you that are not given to the unfaithful. God takes pleasure in answering prayers that come from a faithful heart. Another mark of the Lord Jesus is obedience to the will of God. Christ came to fulfil God’s perfect will for His life. Hebrews 10:7 says,
“Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”
Are you living according to God’s perfect will for your life? Anything that brings shame or reproach to the Name of God is not God’s will for you. Are you involved in a business deal where it is required that you tell lies, engage in immorality and cut corners? That business venture should be reviewed. It is probably not God’s perfect will for your life. As a spouse, are you obedient to the will of God in your marriage through fidelity, submission and love?
 
Affiliated to obedience is love. Love is another mark of the Lord Jesus. John 13:1 says,
“Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”
God is love. The love of God is what indicates that you belong to Christ. You should be able to demonstrate true love to God and man. Love is a benevolent disposition of the mind towards fellow-Christians, growing out of sincere and fervent devotion to God. Indicators of love include kindness, selflessness, humility, self-discipline and purity. Love can endure evil, injury and provocation without being filled with resentment, indignation or revenge. Love is benevolent, bountiful, courteous and obliging. Love suppresses envy: it is not grieved by the good of others. Finally, love controls and restrains passions. Do you bear in you the marks of the Lord Jesus?

Every rational being wishes to be healthy, wealthy, fulfilled and enjoy longevity. The desire to live long and be healthy is scriptural. Psalm 91:16 says,
“With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.”
Man is a tripartite being. The Bible teaches that man consists of the spirit, soul and body. God is interested in our good health (3 John 1:2). He desires for us to be sound and complete in our spirit, soul and body. The working of wholeness in man starts in his spirit. It begins when God touches our spirit by the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 12:3). Has your spirit been touched by the Holy Spirit? The first miracle God does is to liberate man’s spirit from sin. He justifies us from sin and reconnects our spirit man to Himself (1 Corinthians 6:11). He then continually bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children (Romans 8:16). After releasing our spirit from sin, the Holy Spirit works His way to our soul to heal and restore it. The soul of man is the seat of his emotions, intellect and will. The soul is the dwelling place of healthy and unhealthy emotions. It is thus possible for the soul to be healthy or sick.
 
The human body is that part of man which is aware of and interacts with the tangible, empirical world. The whole body of man is built around a bony framework of skeleton and consists of a great number of different parts. The human body consists primarily of cells, which together form tissues, which form organs, which work together as systems to carry out specific functions. It is worth noting that healthy living guarantees longevity. To enjoy longevity, you need to eat proper balanced diets. Experts in nutrition teach that our foods can be classified into two classes. One class consists of fruits and vegetables. The other class consist of fats, starch and proteins. A proper balance of these two classes of food will provide good health and a long life. An improper balance will bring poor health, sickness and can result in early death. Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins and minerals. Proteins supply building blocks for the body. Fats and starch supply heat and energy to the body. According to many health books, we should eat about 75% fruits and vegetables, while 25% should be protein, fats and starch. This 75 : 25 ratio should form the basis of the daily diet of every living person. To obtain and maintain good health, you must eat foods that contain generous amounts of vitamins and minerals. Foods low in vitamins and minerals lead to poor health, ailments, suffering and death. Enjoying longevity in good health is however not limited to the food you eat. Your state of mind and pattern of life can either accelerate or slow down the aging process. These also affect your good health. In addition, learn to exercise your body. Don’t forget: “bodily exercise profiteth little.”

One striking thing about holiness is that it is what makes God who He is. If a human being was asked this question: “Who is God?”, you might get answers like: God is love, God is powerful, God is merciful, God is faithful etc. But if angels or celestial beings were asked this same question, they would chorus: God is Holy! The theme of the songs of celestial beings in heaven is the holiness of God (Isaiah 6:2-3, Revelation 4:. Do you belong to God? Then be prepared to live holy. Why? God’s people are a holy temple to Him (1 Corinthians 3:17). We are called to a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:5), and we are described as holy brethren (Hebrews 3:1). The Father chose His own, so that they might be holy (Ephesians 1:4). This is the reason why Jesus died for us (Ephesians 5:25-27).The Holy Spirit was given, so that through the renewing of our minds, we might be holy (Titus 3:5, 2 Corinthians 3:18). The Holy Spirit renews our mind by convincing us and making us accept what God’s Word says about us or about a subject-matter. This is critical because your mind controls your actions. The Word of God is spiritual; only the Holy Spirit can bring the mind to a state of conformity with its contents (1 Corinthians 2:14).
 
Holiness simply means obeying God totally and consecrating yourself to do His will from the heart. It is difficult to do God’s will without knowing His mind. The Bible, which is the word of God, is a compendium of God’s will. It is easy to know the mind of God and to renew your own mind when you meditate on the word of God. This meditation should however be a daily affair. It is imperative for every child of God to study and meditate on God’s word. Merely reading the word of God is different from studying and serious meditation. Studying is an application of the mental faculties to the acquisition of knowledge. It entails a careful examination or analysis of the Bible – its promises, commandments, warnings, blessings, questions and answers. Meditation on God’s word denotes focusing one's thoughts on it, reflecting on and pondering over it. In Joshua 1:8, Joshua was instructed to meditate on the word of God day and night because constant meditation leads to good success. This happens progressively. First, meditate on God’s word on daily basis. Second, be observant enough to obey it unconditionally. Doing this will assure you of good success; i.e. full-blown success that is holistic, covering every imaginable area of life (spirit, soul and body). Renewing your mind makes it possible to discern what the perfect will of God is (Romans 12:2). Do you desire to know the perfect will of God for every aspect of your life? Renew your mind through constant studying and meditation on the word of God. Keep God’s Word in your heart, allow it to permeate your entire being through the Holy Spirit and act on it.

Prayer involves much more than asking God for our heart desires. It also involves praise and worship, both of which are very much related. While praise acknowledges God for what He has done, worship acknowledges God for who He is. We need to understand that God expects all creatures to worship Him (Revelations 5:13). No matter what or who they are, as far as they exist, God expects them to worship Him.
 
Pretty much everybody in existence has received something from God (Acts 17:28). However, only those who acknowledge what they have received as coming from God can be deemed worshippers. Among this group of people, there are those who feel contented with what they have received from God. If you are in this category, praise and worship God. On the other hand, there are those who feel they have not received enough from God. These are people who feel God has done much but not enough for them. Such people believe they need more blessings from the Lord, and some even feel that God has not done enough to warrant their praises. It’s among this category of people you will find those who compare their wealth and other tangible achievements with that of those they think are more privileged than themselves. More often than not, people who engage in such comparisons conclude that God has not been fair to them. No matter how little you think the goodness of the Lord is in your life, it is imperative that you praise and worship Him.
 
Many people feel as though God has done nothing for them. In their opinion, God is not good at all. This kind of feeling is wrong and dangerous. If the devil is ministering to you that God is not good at all, resist the devil and worship God for who He is. It is easy to fall into this state when you are afflicted. Examples of those afflicted are the bereaved, the sorrowful, the disappointed and the discouraged. We should worship God even when afflicted. A classical example of someone who did this is Job. Job was a man who worshipped God in prosperity (Job 1:5) and he also worshipped God in the midst of satanic afflictions. Job 1:20-21 says,
“Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
Note that Job still worshipped God at the end of his trials (Job 42:1-5). Worship characterises vessels unto honour. Are you a vessel unto honour? If your answer is yes, go ahead and worship God, whatever your situation might be.

If Christians can master the art and practice of prayer, this world will definitely become a better place to live in for them. Someone described prayer as a paradox. It is both simple and complex. It is the simplest form of speech that infant lips can try, and the sublime strains that reach the Majesty on high. What is prayer? John Bunyan, while in Bedford Prison, defined prayer as “a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God had promised according to the Word for the good of the Church, with submission, in faith, to the will of God.” Our God is a prayer-answering God. It is God’s will to answer the prayers of His children. However, He operates on principles. There are conditions which activate the answering of prayers by God. These I will refer to as keys to answered prayers. Are you a child of God? It is the desire of your Father to answer all of your prayers (John 16:23). If your prayers are not being answered, look inward. Are you employing the appropriate keys to answered prayers?
 
One of such keys is contrition (2 Chronicles 7:14). Contrition describes a state of feeling or showing of sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming. Do you want your prayers answered? Examine your relationship with the Lord. Are there sins not confessed in your life? Psalm 66:18 says,
”If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:”
Approach God with humility and confess your sins, iniquities and shortcomings to Him. Repent of them and ask for forgiveness. Another key to answered prayers is whole-heartedness (Jeremiah 29:13). This has to do with your commitment and intimacy. How committed are you to the Almighty God and to His work? How intimate is your relationship with God and His Word? John 15:7 says,
”If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
Do you want all your prayers answered? Be a doer of the word and not a hearer only. The next key to answered prayers is faith. Faith is one of the most important factors required for prayers to be answered (Mark 11:24). How strong is your faith? To receive anything from God, you must believe that you have received what you asked for and then you will have it. The fourth key to answered prayers is righteousness (John 9:31). Simply put, righteousness denotes acting in accordance to the divine nature and being free from the guilt of sin. A righteous person is morally upright. Such a person abstains from all appearances of evil. The last (but not the least) key to answered prayers is that you must ask in order to receive (Matthew 7:7).

Our God is wonderful, and He has many wonderful attributes. Some of these attributes are unique to Him alone. For example, in all of heaven and earth, God is the only one who is all-knowing, all-powerful and is present everywhere. However, there are other attributes which God, as a wonderful Father, shares with His children. Some of such attributes are holiness, mercy, faithfulness and love. These attributes are scarce in the character of present-day society. Just like the Corinthians in the days of Paul, many homes, communities and churches nowadays are torn apart by contentions, are divided along party lines and are envious of each other. Such character proves that the love for God and love towards fellow man is waning. Love is paramount to God. Our numerous gifts and abilities are nothing in the eyes of God without love.
 
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”
1 John 4:7
Love should be differentiated from lust. While lust is impatient to get, love is always eager to give. John 3:16 describes true love:
“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.”
This is the kind of love God expects from us. True love means to have strong affection or deep tender feelings towards God, towards yourself and towards others. It means to love the way God loves. It implies knowing and worshipping God rightly, seeing yourself the way God sees you and caring for others the way God cares for you. Without true love, all gifts (however excellent) are useless in the eyes of God. A person who has outstanding gifts such as the divine ability to speak many languages, the gift of prophecy and understanding of all mysteries and knowledge, and the faith to remove mountains is nothing without true love. In like manner, sacrifice, no matter how expensive, profits nothing without true love (1 Corinthians 13:3).
 
Because true love is a commandment of God (1 John 4:21), you need it in order to enjoy the blessings of God (Isaiah 1:19). Know also that without demonstrating true love, it is impossible to make heaven. True love is praised in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7. It is slow to anger and not predisposed to revenge. It is patient and forbearing, good natured, gentle, tender and affectionate. True love is never harsh or rude; it is rather polite and courteous. It is prompt in giving due respect to superiors and in showing respect for their opinions. True love is humble and unselfish. It does not seek its own happiness to the injury of others. Do you have true love?

Mankind is the epitome of God’s creative art. He was created by God to have dominion over all things (Genesis 1:26). God did not design man for sin, neither should sin have dominion over man (Romans 6:14). Sin is an enemy. It is our most persistent, determined and pernicious enemy. Sin seeks to rob us of every good thing God has designed for us. It is very subtle, bringing death and creeping into our lives when and where we least expect it. It packages itself so attractively that we are lured into thinking that it cannot really harm us.
 
Sin is undoubtedly a weight. In Hebrews 12:1, Christians are likened to sprinters:
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
The competition before us is fierce as sin stealthily and relentlessly tries to entangle our lives. We will never be able to run the race marked out for us as long as we are entrapped in sin. Anyone who is born of God has a nature that should not sin (1 John 3:8-10). However, children of God fall into sin by not being watchful. Sin should be recognised for what it is. Some people engage in self-deception. They call sin a mistake, a bad habit or a weakness. Sin is more than these. It is cancerous, terrible and results in outright destruction. Sin must be admitted and tackled at its root. It is dangerous to blame your sins on others; neither must you allow pride to convince you that it is too humiliating to admit the sin in your life. Sin can blind a person to its presence. It does not always command people’s attention, but rather, it subtly and pervasively robs one of spiritual power and victory.
 
Are you living in sin? Are you deeply and dangerously entangled in it? There is good news for you: there is no extent to which sin can entangle us that God's grace does not abound to free us from it. Romans 5:20 says,
“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:”
Has sin robbed you of joy? Do you go about life in a manner that is moody and melancholy? Has sin prevented you from being the best husband, wife, son, daughter, friend, minister, boss or subordinate you ought to be? Is it keeping you from spiritual maturity and fulfilment in life, business, marriage and ministry? If you have become entangled with sin, God can release you immediately! He however requires repentance from you. Harden not your heart. Repent and recommit your life to Jesus Christ now.

The most important thing a person needs is to be born-again (John 3:3). From personal experience and from the experience of others, certain things give you the assurance that you are born-again. If you are born-again, you stop thinking about yourself alone. You stop thinking only about what Jesus can do for you but also of what you can do for Jesus. This was the case with Paul after he met the Lord in Acts 9:6:
“And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”
You also begin to think about restitution (Luke 19:, and you begin to serve God with the same vigour with which you served the devil (Acts 9:20-22).
 
After you are saved, you need to be sanctified before you can be divinely commissioned for service. An unsanctified believer is susceptible to backsliding, hence the need for sanctification. The state of the human heart before salvation is one of the reasons why sanctification is necessary. Jeremiah 17:9 reveals that:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Every person is born with a heart that is desperately wicked, and every of our actions originate from the heart (Matthew 15:19-20). Sanctification changes the nature of a person’s heart (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Many people who were once born-again backslid because of their failure to get sanctified. A backslider is worse than a sinner who has never been saved. Backsliding is horrible. It can be likened to a dog going back to its vomit. Worldliness can cause a Christian to backslide. Demas was an example of a Christian worker who backslid because of his attachment to the things of this world (Philemon 24, 2 Timothy 4:10).
 
The ability to live holy is given by God. Jesus died for our sanctification. When a person is sanctified, he or she begins to think like Jesus. You forgive like Jesus and like Him, you become humble. You develop a servant–spirit and you become obedient and meek (Matthew 11:29). To become sanctified, you must believe that it is possible to live holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). You must then admit that you cannot do it without the assistance of the Holy Spirit (John 15:5). Finally, ask God to remove the heart of stone from you and replace it with a heart of flesh.

Christians are spiritual soldiers. We engage in constant warfare against principalities, powers and wicked spiritual forces that operate in high places. Ephesians 6:12 says that:
“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.”
There is a tendency among Christians therefore to view anything unpleasant that happens to them as emanating from spiritual warfare. When a difficult situation arises, many immediately ask God to remove their distress. It is worth noting that not all problems that we face as believers have something to do with the devil or the spiritual warfare we are engaged in. In Galatians 6:7, the Scripture says,
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
Some hardships, difficulties and unpleasant happenings arise as a result of sin, disobedience, pride or other shortcomings that call for disciplinary action from our Heavenly Father. Sin frequently attracts punishment. Sin can be described as transgression or non-conformity to the law of God in our inward or outward conduct of life, whether by omission or by commission. The Bible indicates that sin justly deserves punishment and that it calls down the righteous judgement of God (Romans 6:23). Various kinds of sins are mentioned in the Scriptures. These include presumptuous sin, secret or hidden sin and sin against the Holy Ghost.
 
Presumptuous sins refer to defiant acts of sin. These are sins committed on the basis of assumption. Some people steal, tell lies, commit fornication or adultery, forge documents or engage in other evil acts. When such people are confronted with God’s view on their waywardness and its implications, they argue that God understands. They assume that God is too holy and kind to send a sinner to Hell-fire. Presumptuous sin is dangerous. God is a God of both love and of judgment (1 John 4:8, Hebrews 10:31). King David wisely prayed that God should keep him from presumptuous sins (Psalm 19:13). Secret sins are sins which escape the notice of the soul. Many people commit sins without being conscious of it. These also attract divine judgment and chastisement. What such people need is repentance and deliverance. David also prayed that God should cleanse him from secret sins (Psalm 19:12). The last but not the least is sin against the Holy Ghost or what is referred to as "sin unto death" (Matthew 12:31-32, 1 John 5:16). This is a wilful rejection of grace. Are you facing unpleasant happenings? Look inward. God’s expectation from chastising is repentance.

Vision is the energy of progress and a determinant of destiny. Vision is no doubt one of the most powerful forces available to man on earth today. It gives meaning to life, keeps us alive and conditions our lives. Vision inspired the Greeks to produce philosophy and art that still impacts the thinking of our world. It motivated the great Roman Empire to expand its influence and develop the known world. Vision inspired the explorers who circumvented the globe and ignited the creation and expansion of many of the nations we know today. It is your vision that determines your destiny. Proverbs 29:18 says,
“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
 
True vision is not based on what a person sees with the physical eyes alone, but on the images seen with the inward eyes of the mind. A man of vision sees what God has planned for him before its fulfilment. Vision entails planning and goal-setting. Every great person in history owned a personal vision. A man with no vision is at best a living corpse. He desires nothing and achieves nothing. Is your life directed by a clear vision? Do you know your potential for fulfilling this vision? Have you developed a concrete plan for your vision? What active steps have you taken towards the fulfilment of your vision? Do you recognise people’s influence on your vision? These are all questions you need to answer if you will leave your prints on the sand of time. When you begin to act on your vision, it will stir up both those who want to help you and those who want to hinder you. How passionate are you about your vision? Vision requires faith for fulfilment. Have you built up the faith necessary for the fulfilment of your God-given vision? And most importantly, what is the source of your vision?
 
In addition to true vision, God’s people live by revelation. A Christian is expected to operate on a God-given vision and by revelation. Christianity is an intimate growing relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. Every child of God should therefore live by the revelation of the Word. We should live by what the Word of God says. God expects you to arrange your life based on His Word, regardless of whether it makes sense to you or not, and regardless of whether it is convenient or not. God knows what is best for your future, your family, your church and your country. He wants to reveal what is on His heart to you, if only He can get your attention. He expects you to diligently pursue your vision and the revelations He drops in your spirit. Actualising your vision and the revelation God gives you requires diligence, integrity, focus, good human relations, prayer and faith. How prepared are you to live by these?

Daniel purposed in his heart not to partake of the king's meat (Daniel 1:. He denied himself all the goodies associated with classical palatial living because he wanted to make a difference among his peers. Anyone who aspires to be a leader must be self-disciplined, carefully choose the kind of people he or she associates with and must consciously cultivate habits that will distinguish him or her. Like Daniel, leaders must fear God and be prayerful, respect authority, be diligent and have a penchant for hard work. Going by his personal testimonies, young David was diligent in keeping his father's flock, and God rewarded him with a kingdom (1 Samuel 17:34-35). The way Joshua and Caleb delivered a minority report after returning from their assignment is a good example of how to have the right attitude when confronted with challenges (Numbers 14:6-. Their level of faith in the Lord God determined their attitude and degree of courage. They admitted that indeed there were giants in the land and the walls were tall, but they confessed that the Lord would deliver the enemies into their hands. No wonder at age 85, Caleb could say, “Give me this mountain!” (Joshua 14:12). He knew it was not by his frail power or might but by the Spirit of God. That is an attitude fired by faith.
 
A good leader is a regenerated, distinguished personality (John 3:3). Because he draws his energy and inspiration from the Word of God, he therefore meditates on it habitually. The Word of God dwells in him richly, and he takes delight in living a righteous life. He is conscious of the right people to associate with, and he walks in the perfect will of God. He is one who makes a difference among his peers, and must have been a good and consistent follower. He is a man of great and mighty vision, who remains focused at all times. He is a selfless and courageous champion on fire for God, a go-getter, very humble and willing to learn from others. When the young Joseph caught the vision of his future greatness, he developed the right attitude to remain focused. His attitude was spiced with integrity. He refused to be distracted, not even by the juicy mouth-watering offer of his master's wife.
 
Leadership by example can be summarised with two words: "GOOD SUCCESS" (Joshua 1:. Because a good leader is connected to his source – God, he is ever fruitful, ever buoyant, ever prosperous, ever peaceful and ever joyful. Simply put, good leadership guarantees a holistic fulfilled life which in turn rubs off on any given human system.

There are believers who know God, and there are those who claim to know God. Those who are friends of God will go all the way to do as He commands, no matter the sacrifice and pain required. In Genesis 5:22-24, it was repeated twice that Enoch walked with God. He walked with God to the point of no return. The friendship was so tight that God had to tell him, “There is no point remaining on earth again; let us continue our friendship in heaven!” God and Enoch were lovebirds. A young boy in a Sunday School class gave an interesting perspective of this friendship. This boy said, whenever God visited Enoch and He was about to leave, Enoch will escort God, and when it was time for Enoch to return home, God would do the same. Eventually, one day, after several repetitions of this exercise, Enoch escorted God so close to Heaven that God told him to walk with Him into Heaven. As childish as this may sound, there are lots of lessons and revelations in what this boy said. The desire to maintain intimate friendship with man has been there with God from the very beginning of creation. God is looking for people to bless; people who will do His will and enjoy His benefits. To partner with the Almighty God, you must dislodge certain traits in your life. All those things that are capable of limiting the closeness of your relationship with your Maker must be taken care of.
 
Do you want to enjoy the kind of relationship that existed between God and Abraham? Do you want to be a friend of God? Then it is time to sit up. It is time to get serious with your salvation. You can’t be a friend of God when you are still tolerating some nonsense in your life, because God cannot behold iniquity. After 24 years of lack of seriousness, God warned Abraham to sit up. No more Lot. No more hanging around with Hagar. There is no one who partners with God and remains the same. They become role models. If you desire a meaningful relationship with God, you can no longer be fooling around with that strange woman. You can no longer be courting that wrong relationship. You cannot afford to continue going where unbelievers meet to entice one another to sin (Psalm 1:1). No more lukewarmness and spiritual slothfulness (Revelation 3:15-16). No more disloyalty or lack of commitment. You must be ready to go all the way. If your love for Him will count at all, it must put a demand on your heart, might and strength. No more helping yourself with church resources kept in your trust. No more seduction of young girls. No more jealousy or envying your colleagues. No more hatred for others. No more cheating of God in the payment of your tithes and offerings. No more using substandard materials when you have been mobilised to buy the best. No more pulling others down simply because you want to climb up.

Whenever brand names are mentioned in the society, people know without wasting time what they represent. These names serve as the identity of the entity they represent. With this in mind, let us look at the Name of Jesus. The Name of Jesus has several significant attributes. One of these is that it carries power. This power is so special because it is unlimited. The Name of Jesus has the answer to every difficulty of life. It is the only Name through which salvation can be guaranteed (Acts 4:12). The Name of Jesus grants you access to His person (Mark 10:47-49). This special access will turn your life around. If there is any reason why many people are going round in circles, or things seem not to be working for them despite their efforts, it is because of the absence of Jesus in their lives. When you have Jesus, you have everything. When you have Jesus, you can tell the powers of this world to take the world and leave you with Jesus. If you have the whole world and you don’t have Jesus, you are of all men most miserable.
 
What kind of power is there in the Name of Jesus? The power of the anointing, the power to deliver, the power to become relevant in the scheme of things, the power to win souls and the power to be committed in the service of the kingdom: all these are found in His Name. Without the power in His Name, there is no safety or fortification for believers. In Acts 19:11-17, certain exorcists tried to exercise dominion over demons by His name, while they lacked a relationship with His person. They suffered tremendously and were placed where they belonged. If you attempt to do anything significant in life without the power of Jesus, you can be sure it won’t succeed, and if it is permitted to succeed, you will realise that it won’t be sustained. What are you desperate for? Do you desire to prosper, achieve success, be anointed and be relevant? Then you have to come under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the original kingmaker (Revelation 1:5-6). He can make you a king on earth and establish your authority. He can also make you rule as a king in His kingdom which has no end. His mandate is to save us from our sins, and for Him, there is no one whose life is irredeemable. There is power in the Name of Jesus to break every chain. Are you going through any form of sorrow at the moment and you are finding it difficult to come out of it? It could be because you have refused to receive the person of Jesus. You cannot have Jesus and have sorrow. Are there certain forces around you whose activities are having a negative effect on your destiny? You have to cry to Jesus so that in His Name, every force working against the will of God for your life will be frustrated. The power in the Name of Jesus gives the anointing such that, even in the midst of your enemies and detractors, nothing will hinder your progress, peace and boldness.

In 2 Kings 6:1-7, we see someone felling a tree by the riverside and the axe head being used falling into River Jordan. Thank God for His power that located the axe head and brought it back up for the user to complete his project. There are people who have lost very precious things in their lives. With God, there is nothing lost that cannot be recovered miraculously. To recover means to find something you once lost. There are people who have suffered partial loss and there are others who have suffered total loss. No matter the type of loss you have suffered, the Almighty God will restore them to you in Jesus’ Name. In Mark 5:25-34, the woman with the issue of blood lost a lot. She lost her health because she had been in that situation for long. She lost her wealth because she had spent all she had, trying to get help from physicians. She lost her peace because when there is absence of good health and wealth, frustration can set in and this leads to depression. But by the time she met Jesus, everything she had lost was restored to her. For someone reading this, whatever good thing you have lost will be recovered instantly in Jesus’ Name.
 
Samson is an example of someone who suffered partial loss (Judges 16:21-28). As a result of his carelessness, he lost his eyes to the enemy. Even though his hair grew back, blindness remained in his life. By that Name that is above every other name, which is Jesus, every reminder of loss in your life is terminated in Jesus’ Name. Everything you have lost: financially, physically, in your marriage and career-wise shall be fully recovered in Jesus’ Name. Another interesting story that shows God’s ability to return whatever one has lost is found in Daniel 4:28-37. It is a story about King Nebuchadnezzar. This king became so proud that he refused to acknowledge God as the source of his achievements. In a bid to humble him and teach him that man cannot achieve anything without God, God caused him to lose his kingdom. He also suffered the loss of his sanity, humanity, dignity, glory and honour. In fact, for a period of 7 years, he was not different from animals. Miraculously though, all through those years of his wilderness experience, nobody replaced him on the throne. The Lord kept his position intact until his training was over. Testimonies abound to show that the fact that an opportunity was lost does not mean it cannot be regained. As long as God is in the equation, He can reverse the irreversible. He can suspend laws and principles to make a point in your life. That is why those who think they have seen your end are in for a shocker. It is important that we always appreciate what we have so that we don’t lose it. If you have lost your peace of mind due to backsliding, you have to repent of those sins and confess the Lordship of Jesus. If you do these, you will become a new person and experience the time of refreshing from the Almighty God.

The sin of disobedience is a terrible sin. Nothing hinders the children of God from fulfilling their purpose in life like disobedience. Disobedience comes in many shades. It can take the form of refusal to keep to specific instructions, functioning in an office God has not called you to, courting a wrong relationship or operating in a place you are not meant to be in at a particular time. No matter what form it takes, the truth remains that disobedience is a terrible sin in the sight of the Almighty God. Disobedience compels God to turn blessings into curses, as we see in the account of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:17). Every act of disobedience erodes your reservoir of God’s blessings. Nothing destroys a man faster than the sin of disobedience. That is the reason why you have to check your life today and take stock of your soul, so that your sky will not be turned into brass (Deuteronomy 28:23). When this happens, instead of favour, you will experience closed doors.
 
In 1 Samuel 15:1-23, King Saul lost his crown because of partial obedience. God expects full obedience from all His children. He prefers total obedience to partial obedience. This is one of the reasons why many of us are yet to access the blessings of God fully. Abraham was called to leave his father’s house behind but he suffered the consequences of disobedience by taking Lot along with him. Who are those people the Lord expects you to have dropped but you are still hanging around? What are those things the Lord has warned you about that you are still engaging in? These are the things that will deny you the full blessings of God. Numbers 12:8 says Moses was so close to God that he conversed with God mouth to mouth. But when he was told by God to speak to the rock and he struck the rock instead, he was severely punished: he never got to the Promised Land (Numbers 20:12). Check your life and find out those things that are capable of hindering you from becoming the best that God wants you to be. Drop them now before they make you drop out of the journey to the Promised Land.
 
Check your life today. If you are experiencing perpetual sorrow, suffering, disappointment and unfulfilled desires, check and find out the factors responsible. Don’t pretend to be okay when you know all is not well with you. If you confess those hidden sins of disobedience, you will surely find mercy, but if you pretend about it, you will be undoing yourself. Some people keep making effort, yet they never record any success. Several trials and much effort do not guarantee success when disobedience is present.

Many believers read or study the Bible but never meditate on it. If only you can find adequate time to ponder on the Word, you will realise that the solution you need for every issue of life is found in it. Find some time to ponder on the recommendation in Proverbs 6:6-8, because anyone who wants to amount to anything significant in life has a lot to learn from the ants. Are you already giving up or fainting before time? Then, you have a lot to learn from the ants. The reason why some people with great potential will not go far in life is because they are not self-motivated. Motivation has nothing to do with your height but your mind. Whatever is missing in your mind cannot be found in your life. If prosperity is not in your mind, it cannot come into your life. If complaining is always your mindset, possibilities will be far from you. There is no limitation or barrier that can stop you from becoming all that God wants you to become, except the one you place on yourself. You have to make up your mind to lay aside every weight and the sin which easily besets you (Hebrews 12:1). You must run with patience the race that is set before you. You must not be weary in well-doing because in a short while, if you faint not, you will reap that which has been sown.
 
One big lesson you can draw from the ants is that they are self-motivated. You have to stay motivated to give your best against all odds. In the midst of other animals, the ants do not struggle to live; they live comfortably. When a man of God does his work the way it should be done, what he will eat will not be a prayer point. As a minister, you must see God as your employer because that is what He is. With this mindset, you will put your trust in God whenever you are dismayed. If you will ever make it to your goal in life, you have to stay motivated. You have to devise a strategy of staying on top of your game because what you choose as your motivation is central to the achievement of your goals. Hope brings motivation. Hebrews 6:19 says:
“Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;”
If you lose all your earthly possessions but retain your hope of a better tomorrow, you will be fine. May your anchor of hope remain intact in Jesus’ Name. The result you get from your effort on anything is at most a function of the motivating force driving you. Motivation is the forerunner of any tangible achievement in life. There are people who have good and strong expectations from life, but when the winds of adversity, doubt and fear begin to blow, quite a number of them may drift away due to weariness and a fainting spirit. Is your motivation for a glorious tomorrow still intact? Do you believe all is well with you despite the reports you are getting today? Keep your hope alive, and it shall be well with you.

If you know how to move God, there will never be anything that you will not be able to get done on earth. This is the main reason why it is necessary for every one of us to get closer to God. Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:10 said:
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”
He craved to know more of God despite the current depth of his knowledge. Just like Paul, every one of us needs to continue in our thirst for more of Him. If you want God to always move in your life and situation, there are a few things you can do. If these things are not done, you may be compelled to wait longer than expected before miracles can be activated in your life. In Genesis 18:1-5, Abraham had a divine visitation. Some strangers came close to his tent but they did not seek to go inside, even though they were on assignment to bless and transform his life forever. Thank God Abraham was sensitive enough to realise he must do something in order to get something. Abraham showed good hospitality to the visitors. He never knew that by so doing, he was already preparing heaven to move on his behalf. This is why those who give good offerings only once in a while are only denying themselves the miracles that God has promised them. That you gave quality praise yesterday is not enough to deny God praise today. You must constantly do things that will activate the miracles that God has prepared for you.
 
In the life of a child of God, there are two possible kinds of divine encounter: going to God to meet with Him and God Himself coming on a visit. Either of these encounters has the potential of activating a miracle. When a person meets with God, his life cannot remain the same. The problems of yester years vanish and the mourning of yesterday is turned to laughter. However, when God Himself comes visiting, the miracles received are always record-breaking. I believe there is someone reading this, who will receive a visit from God in Jesus’ Name. When God comes visiting, He brings lots of miracles, signs and wonders to the visited. Usually, such visits are activated when there is something critical that needs to be done in the life of the visited. Abraham was visited by God at the time when the hope of having a child of covenant was lost. Is that what your case looks like today? Have you waited all these years and your name has become a synonym for barrenness? Have you been tagged as that woman who has no husband or that man without a job? Today, God will visit you. Every pending promise will be fulfilled. Every secret tear will be wiped away. Your hope is being restored right now in Jesus’ Name. I see all your trials becoming a great testimony.

There are lots of benefits awaiting those who are patient in receiving God’s promises.
“For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.”
Isaiah 64:4
It is always to our advantage when we wait on His word. It is the only guarantee we have for securing victory, success and the breakthroughs we crave for. For so long, God wanted to enter into a covenant with Abraham, but Abraham was just not ready. It was only after 24 years of self-dependence and self-government by Abraham that God felt He was ready. There are many generational blessings that God wants to give to you. There are also many exploits that He wants you to accomplish, but as long as you are not ready to do it according to His time-table, there will always be unnecessary delays. Any time God calls for a partnership with us, He is simply looking for an opportunity to bless us. He wants to provide divine direction and turn our nothingness to something. He wants to make a message out of our mess, and He wants to bring a testimony out of our tests.
 
When the Lord called His disciples apart in Mark 6:30-31, it was for the purpose of waiting on Him. If you are the type always running up and down, you cannot get the best from God. Those who wait on Him in patience are usually rewarded. It is very important to wait on Him for direction in your projects, relationships and programmes. If you learn to be patient, situations and circumstances will always be within your control. In the place of waiting, there is no room for unbelief and doubt. Abraham did not stagger at God’s promises, and his faith was rewarded (Romans 4:20). Peter toiled all night without catching anything (Luke 5:3-7). The Lord decided to choose his boat for a kingdom assignment and he did not refuse or complain; he just waited for his miracle. At the end, he rejoiced. Have you been waiting on God’s promises for so long? Keep your cool. Don’t be discouraged. If you become impatient, you may lose the benefits meant to transform your life. At the end of Peter’s waiting, his story changed. The Peter who caught nothing became the Peter who needed the assistance of others to handle the blessings of God in his life. I say to someone reading this, in that Name that is above every other name, your joy, blessing, breakthrough, healing and anointing will overflow to generations yet unborn. Waiting upon the promises of God requires faith. When you wait patiently on God for anything, you save time, and in the end, nothing will be lost.

There are many people who started very well in life but ended very badly. If only you can look around you, you will see the giants of yesterday who have become the weaklings of today. This is not the design of God but that of the devil. God calls the weak and foolish so that He can demonstrate His power and ability through them. The Almighty God specialises in bringing the hopeless out of a horrible pit. For those who put their absolute trust in God, He is always ready to set their feet upon the rock; the devil on the other hand, is all out to disconnect man from his source of relevance. He is still busy today doing what he knows how to do best (John 10:10). The more you relate to God as weak and foolish, the more He puts in you the strength and wisdom required to live victoriously on earth. The more you yield yourself to Him, the more He is committed to seeing you bear fruits. The moment there is a disconnect between you and God, you will begin to struggle and experience fruitlessness.
 
When God called Joshua to step into the shoes of Moses, He promised to be with him. He also promised that throughout his life, no man would be able to stand before him (Joshua 1:1-5). But along the line, the chain of connection was broken because someone touched an unclean thing. This resulted in defeat, contrary to the promise of God (Joshua 7:5-6). Anytime we get disconnected from the source of our strength, we get exposed to danger and become victims in the hands of those who should not be able to stand before us. Obedience to the Word of God always generates the required strength for our assignment. Sustained obedience is a basic requirement for sustaining our connection with the source of our strength. Connection to our Father is necessary to maintain open doors. If you continue to obey God and refuse to give in to any disconnection ploy, the Lord will constantly supply all you need to be fruitful in this life. If you give room to the devil, do not expect God to intervene. This is why you must vehemently resist the devil, stand on God’s Word and continue to please God in every situation.
 
One way of ensuring that there is no disconnection between you and the source of your power is by preaching the gospel (John 15:2). Apostle Paul all through his missionary journeys never got disconnected, because he was an addicted soul-winner. Paul won several souls to the Lord in Ephesus despite the stiff opposition (Acts 19:8-10). One way God rewards soul winners is by creating more opportunities to witness. Do not deceive yourself that you are connected to God when you are not winning souls. When you don’t win souls, you are on the easiest route to experiencing a separation from God, your source.