₦airaland Forum

God has not promised us a storm-free life. In John 16:33, Jesus said, “…In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” When we make Jesus our Lord, we are assured of peace and safety amidst terrible storms.

In Acts 27:7-44, Paul was on his way to Rome on a ship with two hundred and seventy-six passengers. When they got to a place called The Fair Havens, Paul perceived there would be danger on the way and told the people on the ship:

…Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.
Acts 27:10

When you make Jesus your Lord, He will warn you beforehand of some storms. Whenever you sense something wrong about a particular move you are about to make or a decision you are about to take, that might be Jesus trying to shield you from a storm.

Since Paul did not have experience or a special degree in sailing ships, the captain decided to ignore his words of caution. Sometimes, God will send the instruction that will bring you peace through people you least expect such from. People who always expect God to manifest Himself to them in a spectacular manner often miss Him because He often chooses to express Himself with simplicity. Because the captain refused to listen to Paul, he sailed the ship straight into a terrible storm that almost claimed the lives of everyone on board. They lost many possessions and couldn’t eat for many days because they lost hope. However, Paul, who knew the Lord as His peace, encouraged them even though they had earlier disregarded his counsel.

For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
Acts 27:23-25

Beloved, when the Lord is your peace, He will rescue you from every storm and ensure that nothing is missing or broken in your life. When you make the Lord your peace, He will calm your heart, even in the midst of the trials and challenges of life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When you submit to the Lordship of Jesus, He becomes your light. When the Lord becomes your light, you will have access to hidden mysteries. When others complain about a casting down, you will keep rejoicing because God’s light will show you the way to enjoy a lifting up (Job 22:29). As we see in Genesis 26:1-12, Isaac enjoyed the light of the Lord. While others were dying in famine, he thrived, flourished, and became very great because God lighted his path and showed him what to do.

Enjoying God’s light begins with acknowledging and submitting to His Lordship. When God told Isaac to stay where he was during the famine, he did not argue. You cannot enjoy God’s light when you walk in the light of your own fire. Isaiah prophesied about people who walk in the light of their own fires:

Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.
Isaiah 50:11

Walking in the light of your own fire means doing things your way and leaning on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 says you should not lean on your own understanding. Those who lean on their understanding eventually end up being sorrowful because they will later realise that the way they thought was right was actually wrong (Proverbs 14:12).

When the Lord is your light, you will walk in the way that is right, not in the way that seems right. He will show you the way you should walk in and lead you in the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3). As your light, the Lord will lead you in the way that you should go and guide you with His eyes because you are His responsibility (Psalm 32:.

You cannot remain in the dark about the enemy’s plans when the Lord is your light. In Acts 23:12-22, Paul was in prison, and some people conspired to kill him. They made the perfect plan to deceive the chief captain of the prison by telling him that they just wanted to ask Paul some questions, but their real plan was to kill him. However, God arranged for Paul’s nephew to overhear their evil plot, and he exposed them. When God is your light, He will expose the enemy’s plans and keep you safe from every evil plot.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

David was a shepherd boy before Samuel anointed him as Israel’s king. In fact, Samuel had to send for him while he was taking care of his father’s sheep (1 Samuel 16:11-13). Hence, he fully understood what it meant to be a shepherd, and that was why he acknowledged God as his shepherd in Psalms 23:1-6.

Sheep enjoy many blessings under their shepherd. Our Lord is, however, not just a shepherd; He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). Beloved, before the blessings of the Good Shepherd can be yours, He must be your Lord, and you must be His sheep. God does not shepherd those who are lords of themselves, neither does He shepherd goats.

These are some of the blessings of having the Lord as your shepherd:

1. You will never lack rest. David said in Psalm 23:2, “He maketh me to lie down…” When you are God’s sheep, you will not lack sleep. God gives His beloved sleep (Psalm 127:2).

2. You will be well-fed. Hunger is a stranger to God’s sheep because He causes them to lie down in green pastures (Psalm 23:2). Psalm 63:5 says, “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness…”

3. Your thirst will be satisfied because He will lead you beside still waters (Psalm 23:2). Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

4. You will never lack restoration (Psalm 23:3). In Joel 2:23-26, God promised that He will restore the years that the cankerworm and caterpillar have eaten. No matter what you lose, you are assured of total restoration when the Lord is your shepherd.

5. You will not lack guidance because He will lead you in the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3). Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth (John 16:12-13). With the Holy Spirit in charge of your life, you will have absolutely nothing to worry about.

6. You will have nothing to fear because you will enjoy God’s divine presence. Even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you will fear no evil, for He will be with you (Psalm 23:4). In Hebrews 13:5, He promised to never leave you nor forsake you.

Beloved, acknowledge the Lord as your shepherd in every area of your life. Entrust your life to Him completely, and you will enjoy these blessings and many more. I pray that the Lord will truly manifest Himself in your life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Who is a lord? A lord is someone you are required to submit to. A lord is someone you do not say no to. When people go to court, they address the judge as ‘my lord’. Nobody in their right senses will dare argue with a judge after a verdict has been given in a law court. The only thing people can do if they don’t like a verdict is to appeal to a higher court. However, to argue with a judge, whom they address as ‘my lord’ in court, is unthinkable.

When a fellow surrenders his or her life to Jesus Christ, He not only becomes the fellow’s saviour, He also becomes his or her Lord. As your Lord, Jesus is in control of your life. He determines what you do, where you go, and how you must behave. You don’t have the liberty to speak anyhow again because He is now your Lord. For instance, you cannot spend your money the way you like because you are no longer your own. When you understand the Lordship of Jesus and submit to Him as your Lord, you will enjoy the countless benefits of having Him as your Lord.

“I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore, my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth my flesh also shall rest in hope.”
Psalm 16:8-9

In the Scripture above, David knew God as his Lord and submitted to Him. He knew he was no longer in control of his life, so he was always setting the Lord before him. When you set the Lord before you in all you do, He will make sure nothing harms you; He will defend, protect, and preserve you. This Lord is the Lord of hosts, and He has all forces in heaven, on earth, and under the earth at His disposal. To submit to Him is to have everything He owns at your disposal.

“The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts is his name.”
Jeremiah 51:19

Beloved, have you surrendered your life completely to Jesus Christ? Do you know Him as your Lord? Your success in life lies in knowing and submitting to God as Lord of all in your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

2 Corinthians 6:14-16 says that you should not be unequally yoked with unbelievers; hence, Christians should not get married to unbelievers. If Christians get themselves yoked in marriage with unbelievers, thinking they can change them, they are only deceiving themselves. People who refuse to change before marriage hardly ever change after marriage. It is also important to note that being nice or courteous is not the same thing as being born again.

As a child of God, you are standing on God, the Solid Rock. An unbeliever, on the other hand, is standing on miry clay. When you are standing on a rock, and you are holding somebody who is standing on miry clay, the chances are very high that the fellow standing on miry clay will cause you to either stumble or fall completely because he or she is standing on slippery ground. This is what happens with many believers who think they can change their un-believing partners. Their partners will, more often than not, cause them to stumble and fall, and they might end up losing their faith in the process. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:12: “…let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

Also, Christians who are not yet married should not marry people who stubbornly refuse to listen to corrections and make necessary changes in their actions or behaviours. The Bible says in Proverbs 15:32: “He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.” If you are a Christian who is not yet married, don’t marry someone who doesn’t have an authority figure that he or she listens and submits to. Anyone who does not listen to anybody or submit to anyone will not listen to you either.

Also, it is not advisable for a believer to marry an immature Christian. It is better for a believer to marry someone who has attained a level of spiritual maturity and is constantly growing so they can sharpen each other.

“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”
Proverbs 27:17

If you are not yet married, do not marry a carnal Christian because such a fellow’s attachment to the things of the world rather than spiritual things can also cause you to stumble and fall.

Beloved, marrying the right person is like experiencing heaven on earth. However, if a fellow marries the wrong person, he or she will experience hell on earth.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 says that anger rests in the bosom of fools. In other words, if a fellow gets angry easily, he or she is similar to someone who says there is no God – they are both fools (Psalm 14:1). Those who get angry easily often blame other people as the cause of their anger. If this is the case, then it means that they allow the people who offend them to control their emotions. Proverbs 25:28 says that a person who is not in control of his spirit is like a city that has no walls. If you allow others to control how you feel, then you are in great danger of destruction.

Proverbs 29:22 says, “An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.” Anyone who gets angry easily will hardly have friends because he or she will always stir up strife with them. Things that shouldn’t ordinarily cause quarrels would become big issues because of the fellow’s short temper.

A man once bought a brand-new car, and one day, while he was washing it, his five-year-old son was on the other side of the car, writing something on it with a sharp object. When the man discovered this, he got very angry and shouted, “This boy! You are scratching my new car!” In his anger, he grabbed the first thing he could lay his hands on – a hammer. He then began to smash the boy’s hands. By the time he realised what he was doing, the boy’s fingers had already been severely damaged. He rushed the boy to the hospital, but the doctors could not do anything about the fingers, and they had to be amputated. The following day, the boy asked him, “Daddy, when will my fingers grow back?” Feeling guilty, the man went to the car and looked at what the boy had written on it. Lo and behold, it was, ‘I love you, Daddy’. The man could not bear the pain he felt thereafter, so he committed suicide. His anger wreaked havoc on the family.

Beloved, if you allow anger to control you, you are giving room to the devil (Ephesians 4:27), and whenever he gets into a place, his mission is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). If you are always quick to get angry or you can’t control your anger, ask God to deliver you today. Constantly renew your mind with His word and submit yourself to counselling so that you can overcome the destructive power of anger.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

All power in heaven and on earth belongs to God. Psalm 62:11 says, “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.” This means that nothing is impossible for Him to do. In Jeremiah 32:27, He said, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” Luke 1:37 also tells us that with God, nothing shall be impossible. Whenever anybody tells you that a situation you are in is impossible, you should know that such a person is not considering that God is all-powerful. Once you consciously invite God into a situation, things change dramatically for the better.

In 1979, we were getting ready for a congress. We called it Christ The Redeemer’s Congress in those days. We used to hold the congress in different cities and feed everyone who attends. In preparation for this particular congress, my wife and I went to the market to buy some cows. We wanted to buy three cows to feed the people that would attend, but when we were told they would cost seven hundred and fifty naira in total, we went back home because we didn’t have the money. We asked God, “Lord, what are we going to do? Where shall we get the money to buy cows?” We began to pray, and suddenly, somebody knocked on the door. When we opened the door, we saw a brother who had come all the way from Lagos. He said, “Sir, I hope you have not bought cows yet.” We replied, “No, we don’t have the money.” He said, “I have already bought three for the congress.” The All-powerful God who has the cattle upon a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10) provided just what we needed at the nick of time.

The All-Powerful God can change any story, no matter how bad it is. Zacchaeus was regarded as a sinner by everyone in his town. However, when Jesus met him, his story changed. God’s power changed Zacchaeus and made him a new person (Luke 19:1-10).

Beloved, all power in heaven, on earth, and underneath the earth belongs to God, and He can transform lives, marriages, finances, and every other thing you can think about. If there is any negative situation in your life, invite God into the situation by taking it to Him in prayers and trusting Him. He will manifest Himself mightily in your life and turn that situation around for good.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people get so worried about their future that they forget to do the right things today. Matthew 6:25-34 says that you should not worry about tomorrow because God will take care of it. Sufficient unto each day are the troubles thereof; hence, you should face today’s issues rather than worry about tomorrow. Believe me, worry is an absolute waste of time. Jesus said that you cannot add one cubit to your stature by worrying (Matthew 6:27). Worry weakens; instead of worrying, believers should trust God with their future.

Whatever is placed in God’s hand will always blossom. Don’t ever think you know how to make your tomorrow good; you have absolutely no idea of what is going to happen tomorrow. For instance, many people had made careful plans before the coronavirus pandemic hit. However, because of the pandemic, they had to put their plans on hold. So many things that are beyond your control can happen, so it is better to place your future in the hands of the One who is the Beginning and the End. This is why James 4:13-16 says that you don’t know what will happen tomorrow, so whenever you are talking about the future, you should acknowledge that whatever happens will be dependent on God’s will.

I was less than 40 years old when I became the General Overseer of RCCG. One day, I looked at myself in the mirror and saw grey hair all over my head. I asked God, “Lord, how did this happen? I’m still a young boy.” At that time, the church had some problems, so the Lord said to me, “It is because you’re carrying a burden that is not your own.” I replied, “It’s the burden of the church.” He asked, “Whose church is it? Is it the church of Adeboye?” I replied, “No.” Then He said, “Who told you I can’t take care of My own burden? You are carrying a burden that is not yours. I just made you General Overseer so that people will see you as My representative. I am the owner of My church, and I will take care of My church.” After hearing this, I relaxed, and my hair became black again. A few years ago, I saw some strands of grey hairs on my head and asked God, “Lord, am I worrying again?” He said, “No. This time, you are getting old.”

Beloved, do not worry. Instead, put your trust in God because He always takes care of His own.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Acts 4:1-31, the apostles were threatened by the chief priests and elders not to speak in the name of Jesus again. However, they gathered together to pray, and as they prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. The devil is a bully, and like all bullies, he does not like being confronted. If someone threatens you for doing the will of God, that is not the time to start fidgeting or hiding; that is the time to pray.

In 2 Chronicles 20:1-30, three great enemy nations came to threaten Jehoshaphat, and he was terrified. He felt threatened by the size of the enemies, and this led him to seek God. As Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah fasted and prayed, God gave them the strategy that would destroy their enemies – praise. As Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah began to sing and praise the Lord, He set the enemies against one another, and those who had previously been united against Judah suddenly turned against themselves and began to kill one another.

For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.
2 Chronicles 20:23

God silenced the threats of the enemies without Jehoshaphat having to lift a sword. In the name above every other name, my Daddy will arise to silence every threat of the enemy against your life and destiny, in Jesus’ name.

Some years ago, a woman came running to me, shaking badly. Her daughter was pregnant, and her enemies had come to threaten her, saying, “Your daughter is pregnant? We will see where she will deliver – whether on the ground or in the air. We will use every diabolical means to ensure she never gives birth.” The woman was frightened, and I said to her, “Fear not! Your daughter will deliver safely. She asked, “How do you know?” I replied, “Because the Lord of Hosts will fight for you.” Indeed, the Lord fought for her, and she delivered safely.

Beloved, I know a God who is stronger than the strongest. He can handle every threat that comes your way. When the enemy threatens you, do not be afraid. Instead, put your trust in God because greater is He that is in you than he that in the world (1 John 4:4).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Elijah was a man who experienced the help of the Holy Spirit to rise above human limitations. In a time of grievous famine, he enjoyed good food and water (1 Kings 17:3-6). While others were dying of hunger, he enjoyed supernatural provisions throughout the famine. When you have an encounter with the Holy Spirit, you will receive divine instructions that will keep you from experiencing some hardships that other people experience. In times of famine, you will be satisfied, and you will not be ashamed in the evil time (Psalm 37:19).

In 1 Kings 18:44-46, when the Lord sent rain to Israel, Elijah outran the chariot of the king of Israel. Kings always have the best and fastest chariots and horses in the land, yet Elijah outran the best of the best because the Holy Spirit was upon him. I pray in the name above every other name that the hand of the Lord will rest upon you, and you will begin to live above natural limitations.

Ignorance is one of the worst limitations any human being can face. A lot of times, people do not recognise the resources that can save and deliver them, even when they are under their noses. This puts a lot of people under very terrible limitations. Ephesians 4:18 likens ignorance to darkness and blindness. In this Scripture, Paul said that some people have their understanding darkened and are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their hearts. When people who can see are in darkness, there is still hope that when light comes, they will see the things that surround them. However, when people who are blind are in darkness, that is another level of darkness altogether.

Ignorance limits people and keeps them from seeing what God has made available to them. In Genesis 21:13-19, Hagar experienced this kind of limitation until God opened her eyes. When your spiritual eyes are open, you will rise above the limitations that keep others down.

Beloved, you must soak yourself in the word of God so that your spiritual eyes can be open. When you engage with God’s word daily, it will brighten your path and give you the understanding required to journey through life successfully (Psalm 119:105). I pray that the Lord will open your eyes to see the solutions He has provided to your challenges and remove every veil of ignorance that limits you from enjoying His fullness today, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Matthew 15:21-28, when a Canaanite woman came to Jesus to ask Him to deliver her daughter from a demon, she came worshipping. I believe that her genuine worship and faith in Jesus Christ helped her obtain the miracle she requested. In Matthew 8:2-4, a leper came to Jesus and worshipped Him. Jesus touched him and spoke healing to him; his worship attracted a physical touch from Jesus. The man’s condition was hopeless until he met Jesus and worshipped Him. He bowed down as a leper to worship Jesus; however, by the time he finished worshipping and got up, he had been made whole. Your worship will make you a candidate for God’s personal touch, and when God touches a fellow, his or her life is transformed positively.

Jesus said in John 4:23:

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

God is not seeking part-time worshippers; rather, he is seeking those who will make worship their lifestyle. He wants those who will keep breaking their alabaster box and pouring their sweet fragrance of worship upon Him (Mark 14:3). When you worship God, you should put all your attention on Him. It is not about what you can get from Him; it is about who He is. When you make God the centre of your life and delight yourself in Him in the place of worship, He will not withhold anything from you.

I have always told my children that everyone else may see miracles happening around them, but worshippers always experience miracles in their lives. When you are a worshipper, the testimonies you read of in the Scriptures and hear about will become your daily experience. Whenever a true worshipper prays, God is always quick to answer. When you worship, demons flee from you because they cannot dare to stay in a place where God is. This is the explanation for what happened in 1 Samuel 16:23:

And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

Beloved, live a holy life and spend quality time worshipping God daily for who He is and not just for what you want to gain from Him. When this becomes your lifestyle, you will see Him perform mighty wonders in your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God’s word is light. Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” When light is absent, people stumble and miss their way. I pray that the light of God will brighten your path and guide you through life, in Jesus’ name.

The word of God is also truth. John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth”. When you want to know the truth about anything, search through the Scriptures. When you want to know the truth about your health, don’t keep staring at a medical report; instead, focus on God’s word and believe in what He has said in His word concerning your health. (1 Peter 2:24) says that by His stripes, you were healed. This is a settled matter, and regardless of what any report says, good health and healing is the truth about you. When you want to know the truth about your finances, read through God’s word, not the economic report or forecast. Economists can say whatever they want to say, but you must choose to believe the word of the Lord. God’s word contains the truth about everything that concerns you.

God’s word is also life (John 6:63). If anything in your life or around you is dead, God’s word can bring it back to life. By His word, Peter’s dead business received a net-breaking, boat-sinking revival (Luke 5:1-7). By His word, the dead son of the widow of Nain jumped back to life (Luke 7:11-15). God’s word is alive. According to Hebrews 4:12, His word is living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword.

Hebrews 4:12 further tells us that the word of God reveals things that are ordinarily not easy to see or understand. There is nothing hidden under the sun that God’s word cannot unveil (Hebrews 4:13). Apart from unveiling the things that are hidden, God’s word brings peace amid storms. When Jesus and His disciples were trying to cross to the other side of a sea, they didn’t expect that they would be caught in the middle of a storm. The storm came, and it was so fierce that the disciples thought they would die. They began to panic, but thankfully, Jesus was in the boat, and His word calmed the storm (Mark 4:35-39).

Beloved, God’s word contains all that you need in life. All you have to do is study it, believe it, meditate on it, and apply it in your daily life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Careless words can drain a Christian’s spiritual battery. When a believer keeps speaking words that are contrary to God’s will for his or her life, such a believer will end up deflating himself or herself spiritually. When your heart is filled with God’s word, and your words agree with His word, you will remain strong in faith and vibrant in the Spirit.

Psalm 107:2 says,

Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

Do you know why the redeemed of the Lord must ‘say so’? It is because there is power in what we say. If you are the redeemed of the Lord and you keep speaking the words of the unredeemed, you will reap the fruits of the things you say. When a believer whose speech should be gracious and seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6) keeps speaking negative and careless words, it is only a matter of time before his or her life starts to look like the negative words that have been spoken. When things don’t go your way or when the economy looks unfavourable, do not forget that you are the redeemed of the Lord, and as a result, you are programmed for victory. Hence, you should not re-program yourself for failure and defeat through your words.

Fill your heart with the words of God so that His words will continually be on your lips no matter the things or situations that come your way, for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). If you, however, occupy your mind with wrong or negative words, those words will come to play when the storms of life arise. You can’t be bold enough to say that the Lord is your helper when you have not heard and believed that God will never leave you nor forsake you. What you keep hearing is what builds confidence or fear in you.

In any circumstance you find yourself, check what God’s word says concerning it; hold on to the word and speak it into the situation. Ensure that the words on your lips align with what God has said in His word, but to do this, you must fill your heart with His word. You must ensure that the words of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom (Colossians 3:16). When God’s word fills your heart, your words will be wholesome and full of grace, and your life will truly reflect His glory.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Galatians 5:16-18 tells us that the flesh and the spirit are constantly at war, and the one we feed is the one that will win. To live above the flesh, a child of God must keep feeding and filling his or her spirit with the word of God.

The story of Peter in Luke 22:54-62 is very sobering. He was one of the disciples whom Jesus sent to some cities and towns to preach the gospel and who returned with joy because devils were subject to them (Luke 10:17). He was also present when Jesus fed the five thousand (Mark 6:35-44) and raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44). At some point, he even walked on water (Matthew 14:28-29). As long as Peter fed his spirit, the devil couldn’t touch him. However, the moment he began to feed his ego by boasting that he would never deny Jesus (Matthew 26:34-35), he became weak spiritually. Jesus had warned Peter that the devil had targeted him to make him fall (Luke 22:31), but instead of running back to the secret place to fortify himself, he kept boasting about his inability to fall until he eventually fell. When you don’t feed your spirit, you will become vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. You will become overly sensitive to offences and will easily get annoyed and irritated by many things.

Feeding your spirit must be a regular exercise. In Matthew 6:34, Jesus said, “…Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” In other words, to overcome the evil of each day, you must feed your spirit every day. You must spend time in God’s word. Joshua 1:8 says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night…” You must also spend time in prayer so that you won’t become a victim of the enemy.

Some pastors have become so familiar with the word that they don’t see the need to study their Bibles and pray as before. They can cook up a sermon in a short time, and this makes them think they are okay spiritually. If you keep starving your spirit, it is only a matter of time before you will become dry. Don’t let the devil deceive you into thinking you are okay when you are not feeding your spirit. He wants to drain you so he can conquer you.

Beloved, feed your spirit every single day by studying the word of God and fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are different levels of breakthroughs. In Genesis 18:9-14, Abraham had a breakthrough, but it was a breakthrough that took 25 years to manifest. In Genesis 41:38-44, Joseph had a breakthrough, but that breakthrough took several years to manifest the way God showed him several years earlier in a dream. Moses also had a breakthrough that had been promised over a long period of time before its manifestation (Exodus 3:1-15). He had known long before then that God had chosen him to deliver the Israelites (Acts 7:22-25), but the manifestation took years.

There is, however, another level of breakthrough like the one recorded in (1 Samuel 16:11-13), where a shepherd boy was anointed as the king of Israel without prior notice. In Esther 2:15-18, a slave girl became a queen in a foreign land; that is also a new level of breakthrough.

When you read the book of Ruth, you will see certain lessons that will help you experience a new level of breakthrough. After experiencing sadness and sorrow, Ruth decided to follow her mother-in-law, Naomi, from Moab – her own country – to Bethlehem. Moab was a nation of idol worshippers, but she decided to forsake the idols she had grown up with to worship the God of Israel. She must have also left many childhood friends and close relatives behind – she practically left her old life to start a new one. You cannot keep holding on to the past if you want to experience a new level of breakthrough. You must let go of your past life and old habits to receive the new things God has for you.

Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:18-19

Ruth found her breakthrough in Bethlehem because she served and followed the good advice she often received from her mother-in-law. She was a hardworking woman, and her diligence made Boaz notice her among the other workers on his field and show her favour (Ruth 2:1-16). In Ruth 3:1-18, you will also see that it was Ruth’s obedience to Naomi’s advice that led to her becoming Boaz’s wife.

Beloved, if you want to experience new breakthroughs in your life, you must obey the word of God completely. You must also seek and follow godly counsel while ensuring that you are diligent in all you do.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Acts 4:21-30, after the apostles were imprisoned and threatened, they returned to their own company, and with one accord, they lifted up their voices to God. The first result of their prayers was that they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to preach the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31). Another result of their corporate prayers was the grace and power to preach the good news of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, as we see in Acts 4:33:

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

Beloved, do you want great boldness to do God’s will? Do you want to experience great power and grace? Then, you must live in unity with other believers. Whenever there is peace and unity among believers, God’s power is unlimited. In Acts 12:1-5, Herod began to persecute and kill Christians. He first arrested James, the brother of John, and because there was no resistance from the believers, he killed him. Afterwards, he arrested Peter and imprisoned him, planning to kill him after Easter. However, the church gathered together to pray continuously for Peter and did not stop until he was miraculously delivered from Herod (Acts 12:6-11).

We must also live in unity with other believers if we want to experience exponential increase. The devil understands the power of unity in the church; therefore, he constantly tries to do all he can to keep us in disunity by making us fight one another and gossip about ourselves.

In Acts 6:1-7, when the devil tried to cause disunity in the early church, the apostles quickly appointed faithful men to take care of the people who were complaining. Immediately the apostles solved the problem that threatened to divide the church, the word of God increased, and the number of disciples multiplied. Churches that are not operating in unity will not see the increase of God’s word and power among them until they deal with the things causing disunity.

Beloved, do not neglect the times set aside for corporate prayers in your local assembly. The church is a family, and a popular saying goes: the family that prays together stays together. This is true because the Bible says that one shall chase a thousand, but two shall chase tens of thousands.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Years ago, a pregnant woman was told by her doctors that her baby had died in her womb. The doctors told her that they needed to remove the dead baby from her womb because it was already decaying, and it posed a health risk to her. However, because the RCCG Congress was near, she told them, “Let me go to the congress first; if God does not perform a miracle, then you can remove the baby.” They told her, “If we delay the procedure for one more week, you will likely die.” Still, she insisted on attending the programme. On the first and second days of the programme, nothing happened. However, on the third day, God’s power came down so heavily that I could not stand; I had to ask for a chair while I was preaching. As I was about to sit down, God spoke and said that there was a woman in the congregation whose baby had died in her womb for a long time, and He was bringing the baby back to life. Instantly, the baby came back to life, and she delivered the baby in due time. Beloved, if your business, marriage, ministry, or any other part of your life has been pronounced dead, I decree that God will breathe new life into it, in Jesus’ name.

One of our members attended a programme where we anointed some handkerchiefs. Some days later, while driving to Lagos, he saw a crowd gathered on the road out of curiosity, he came out of his car and discovered that a motorcyclist had been knocked down by a vehicle, and he lay dead by the roadside. He was moved with compassion and then had a leading to bring out the anointed handkerchief and lay it on the corpse. He found his way through the crowd, laid the handkerchief on the dead man, and said, “Get up!” The onlookers thought he was mentally unstable until they saw the dead man come back to life.

God can restore dead things to life and make them as good as new. He can revive a dead business, breathe new life into it, and bring it to a place of global relevance. He can also revive a dead marriage and make it as good as new again. Nothing is too dead’ where Jesus is concerned because He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). If He raised Lazarus after he had been dead for four days, no case is impossible with Him (Luke 1:37).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When God wants to set the stage for new things, He often starts by giving new miracles and blessings. When He wanted to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He started by using Moses’ rod to perform several miracles that no one had ever seen (Exodus 4:1Z). When Jesus came to establish a new covenant, He performed so many new miracles that people said they had never seen such things happen before (Mark 2:12). Likewise, when it was time for the apostles to take the gospel beyond Jerusalem into Samaria, Judea, and other parts of the world, Peter’s shadow began to heal the sick (Acts 5:15). Personally, I have noticed that whenever God wants to take us to a new level in RCCG, He begins by introducing new miracles that have never been experienced in our midst.

Years ago, the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International had a convention in Port Harcourt, a city in Southern Nigeria and invited me to speak on the topic, ‘New Anointing’. As I spoke, I gave some examples of what God, in His infinite mercies, had done through me. When it was time to go home, the crowd began to surge forward such that I had to be guided into my car. A woman who had a sister that had gone completely mad decided that she would touch my car if she could not touch me. So, she took out a handkerchief, dropped it on the car I was in, and took it back before we drove off. On getting home, she asked six hefty men to hold her sister down. Waving her handkerchief, she said, “I have the solution in my hand.” She then took the handkerchief and laid it on her sister, and she became normal again.

When God wants to move you to a new level, He usually starts with new miracles. Hence, you must be on the lookout for such miracles in your life so you can understand your seasons. Beyond looking out for such miracles, you can also ask for them. In Acts 4:29-30, the apostles asked God to facilitate the spread of the gospel by stretching forth His mighty hand to heal the sick and perform signs and wonders. The result of this prayer was tremendous growth and an increase in the church (Acts 4:31-33).

Beloved, ask God for new miracles in your life today. By doing this, you will initiate growth into a new season of your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are two kinds of wonders – the good and the bad. In 2 Kings 5:1-27, there was a man called Naaman, who was the captain of the host of the king of Syria. He was a leper, and Elisha asked him to go and wash in River Jordan so he could be healed. When he did, his skin became like that of a newborn baby – this is an example of a good wonder. After this, Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, ran after Naaman and fraudulently collected the gifts Elisha rejected. When Elisha discovered this, he cursed Gehazi saying, “I command that the leprosy of Naaman will cleave to you.” Immediately, Gehazi was covered with leprosy and became as white as snow – now, this is an example of a bad wonder.

When God manifests Himself, He performs good wonders in the lives of His children. He is gentle to His children, but He is also a consuming fire to those who refuse His Lordship. In Exodus 12:21-30, the children of Israel enjoyed the good wonder of preservation and escape from the angel of death. However, at the same time, the Egyptians experienced God’s judgement. At the Red Sea, while the Israelites saw the mighty wonder of God as the sea parted for them to walk through it, the Egyptians were drowned by that same sea (Exodus 14:21-28). God is a God of wonders, but the type of wonders a fellow will experience from Him will depend on whether he or she is for Him or against Him.

Beloved, are you on the Lord’s side (Exodus 32:26) or in the devil’s camp? It is not only unbelievers who are not on the Lord’s side; carnal Christians are also not on His side. Paul said in Romans 8:7 that the carnal mind is enmity against God because it is not subject to God’s law and can never be. A carnal Christian wants to do things his or her way but not in God’s way. Such Christians are moved by what they see and not by God’s word. Anyone who lives like them will not enjoy God’s good wonder.

If you are not yet born again and you want God to make your life an example of a good wonder to others, come to His side today and surrender all to Jesus. If you are already God’s child, refuse to be a carnal Christian and totally surrender your mind to be constantly renewed by His word.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

If you hate something, you will do everything to avoid it. When I was in secondary school, I and two of my friends were the best in mathematics. However, even though we scored above 90%, our mathematics teacher would always tell us that we didn’t do well because we didn’t score 100%. At last, one day, we scored 100%, and we said, “Let’s go and see him to hear what he will say now.” We got to him, rejoicing, but our joy was cut short when he said, “Your mates are in the university, solving advanced maths, and you are rejoicing over 100% in elementary maths.” His comment made me hate anything less than the absolute best. This is why I get disturbed when I see people celebrating mediocrity.

Years ago, when secondary school results in Nigeria were presented as Grade 1, 2,3, and Pass, the principal of a particular college in Lagos was rejoicing because, for the first time in the school’s history, one of the students got a Grade 3 result. However, another college principal wept because, for the first time, a student went as low as having a Grade 3 result.

As seen in Deuteronomy 28:8-13, God’s will for His children is that they will be above ONLY. Hence, no Christian should ever settle for average. If you think you’ve attained your greatest height, you must know that it is someone else’s starting point. In Ezekiel 47:1-12, God showed Ezekiel a man with a measuring line in his hand, and for every thousand cubits he measured, the water level rose. It started from the ankle to the knee and then to the waist before it became a mighty river. Some people reach the ankle level of success and think they have arrived; they don’t understand that there are greater levels of success waiting ahead of them.

In 2 Kings 2:1-15, while the sons of the prophets were content with being average, Elisha pressed in for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. The sons of the prophet knew it was time for Elijah to be taken away, and they even knew the day it would happen. However, they were satisfied with having revelation without power. Elisha, on the other hand, didn’t settle for average, and the Lord used him so mightily that we can never forget his name. People who settle for average never stand out.

Beloved, make up your mind to be the absolute best that God has destined you to be. Don’t settle for average.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

PRAYERS FOR YOUR NATION

1. Father, I thank you for my nation. Thank you for all the storms you brought us through and for how far you have helped us.

2. Father, thank You for the resources You have blessed us with as a country. Please help us to use them wisely, in Jesus’ name.

3. Father, please help us to align our national values with Your perfect will. Keep perversion far away from us, in Jesus’ name.

4. Father, please let there be unity among the citizens of my nation. Let all parts of the country be united to foster growth and development.

5. Father, please let there be peace in this nation. Let there be no war or any kind of unrest, in Jesus’ name.

6. Father, I lift up every region in my country that is currently experiencing one crisis or another. Please, Lord, heal our land, in Jesus’ name.

7. Father, I place the economy of my country in your hands. Please, make the economy stable and let it grow to ensure that every citizen is well catered for.

8. Father, I place all the government ministries and parastatals in your hands, please take charge of them, in Jesus’ name.

9. Father, please help our leaders in every sector of the country to be transparent and accountable. Give them the wisdom to lead this country the right way, in Jesus’ name.

10. Father, please let Your revival break out in my nation. Set the young and old on fire for You, and let that fire spread all around the world, in Jesus’ name.

11. Father, let every Christian in my nation always be free to worship You. Let every agenda of the devil concerning Christians be destroyed, in Jesus’ name.

12. Your personal prayer points for your nation.

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye. [center][/center]

God loves believers, and He loves unbelievers too. In 1 Timothy 2:1-4, we see that He wants all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Just as God can send angels and other people to you, He also wants to be able to send you as He sent Phillip to the Ethiopian eunuch. He wants you to be the Answer to someone’s questions and the solution to people’s problems. He is looking for people to send like Peter, whom He sent to Cornelius’ house to extend the Goodnews to the Gentiles (Acts 10). When He sends you, I hope you won’t refuse the assignment, especially if the person He’s sending you to is considered to be a chronic sinner.

Nobody is too rotten to be saved. I have always said it; if I were God, I wouldn’t have saved Adeboye. I was really rotten and had blasphemed God several times before I gave my life to Christ. However, look at me now; God’s grace is enabling me to lead millions of people to Himself.

Paul was a terrorist who persecuted Christians. I’m sure that if God had sent some people to preach to him, they would have refused because he could have had them arrested immediately. It took a visitation from Jesus to bring him to his knees, but after that, he needed Christians to guide him. First, the Lord told Ananias about him (Acts 9:1-17). I am sure that if God had told some other Christians about Saul at that time, they would have shut down His voice, thinking it was satan trying to push them into trouble. However, Ananias was a true disciple who knew God’s voice and was ready to obey Him. He didn’t discriminate against Paul despite his sinful past.

Barnabas also didn’t discriminate against Paul. While other believers were scared of associating with Paul, Barnabas went to Tarsus to find him and bring him to Antioch, where they taught other people (Acts 11:25-26). The man who had formerly thrown believers in prison began to win souls for Christ.

Beloved, God can save anyone; no one is too far gone to be saved. He seeks believers like Ananias, whom He can send to those who have lived rough and reckless lives. He seeks disciples like Barnabas, who will look for such people and guide them in doing God’s assignment for their lives. Don’t discriminate against anyone; rather, help them get to know Christ more.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A Christian who refuses to grow spiritually will be controlled by what he or she should be in control of. Such a Christian will beg to have things that should ordinarily be in his or her possession.

Until you grow spiritually, there is a limit to what God can trust you with. Hence, you must take personal responsibility for your spiritual growth. Don’t depend on your pastors to do what you should do by yourself. Any Christian who does not grow spiritually will be ill-prepared to face the storms of life. He or she will be unable to take on responsibilities in God’s kingdom and will be at the mercy of every satanic attack.

When giving out important assignments, God will always bypass a spiritual baby for a more mature believer. This is why it is important for you to pay the price for spiritual growth. You need to consistently feed on the word of God and spend time in His presence.

Many years ago, when nobody lived at the Redemption Camp (now Redemption City), I would leave my house in Mushin, a suburb of Lagos every Tuesday morning and stay at the camp until Thursday morning. Apart from me, the only other people at the camp were the carpenters who were involved in the ongoing construction work. However, they would stop as soon as it was dark and retire for the day, leaving me alone to seek God’s face with all my heart all night. One night – I remember that night like it was yesterday – I prayed: “Father, I surrender all. It is only You that I want. I don’t want to be an ordinary pastor. I am not asking for gold, clothes, or fame. I just want You to empower me to do this work. If You’re not going to do it, please take me away.” That day, God answered my prayers, and there was a tremor in the camp that was felt as far as in Ijebu Ode, a town that is over 60 kilometres away. When you desire to grow spiritually, God will visit you in mighty ways that will shake your world for good.

Beloved, what is hindering your spiritual growth? Have you become too busy chasing after worldly pleasures? Have the cares of this life choked your love for God? Strive to continually grow spiritually so that you will not be tossed to and fro by the devil’s tricks (Ephesians 4:14).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Whenever demons get involved in people’s lives, they usually set up evil patterns in their lives that become difficult to break. Such patterns will become so strong that such people will feel helpless, even when they can see themselves heading towards destruction.

When you speak to people who are addicted to pornography or engage in a bad habit like smoking, you will often learn that the pattern started when things in their lives were beginning to look promising. The devil set up those evil patterns in the lives of his victims to ensure that they do not experience the things that God has in store for them. However, once the patterns are broken, they become free from his stronghold.

To break these evil patterns, it is important to ask the Holy Spirit for help. Luke 11:21-26 tells us that only a stronger man can take things that are in the possession of a strong man. When a demon tries to introduce an evil pattern into the life of a believer, the Holy Spirit helps him or her to prevent it. Many people make the mistake of relying on their strength to fight off the devil; however, that does not work. Instead, they should engage in a spiritual exercise that will cause them to be filled with the Holy Ghost. They can start worshipping God or praying in tongues. As they do this, they will weaken the devil’s influence in their lives. They must, however, be willing to continue in this practice indefinitely. As they continue to do this, they will discover after a while that they have become so strong in the Holy Spirit, and the yoke has been broken over them. Isaiah 10:27 says that the yoke will be broken by reason of the anointing.

Jesus said in Luke 11:21-26 that when a demon is cast out of a person, it will return to check the state of its former accommodation. If it finds the place clean and empty, it will repossess the person and invite seven worse demons than itself to also come in. This means that if an evil pattern has been broken over the life of a believer, he or she must continually grow in God’s grace. Such a fellow must pray, fast, study the Scriptures, and fellowship with other believers consistently. The deeper such a fellow goes in Christ, the more assured he or she will be of a permanent victory over all forms of evil patterns.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God’s ways are beyond natural human comprehension. He can choose to make a donkey talk (Numbers 22:28), provide resources in unusual places (Matthew 17:27), and use a sworn enemy to arrange for a fellow’s promotion at work like He used the Egyptians to sponsor the Israelites’ journey in the wilderness (Exodus 12:36). As a believer, don’t think you can understand all of God’s ways – all He requires from you is your faith and obedience. When you ask Him for something, you should do whatever He tells you to do and believe that He is more than able to meet your requests.

People who think that God is too slow and that they can handle things by themselves often get into trouble. Abraham learnt this the hard way when Sarah convinced him to help God by having a child through her servant (Genesis 16:2). That single decision is the cause of some of the major problems in the world today. If God has said He will do something, He will do it to perfection; you cannot do it better than Him.

In 2 Kings 6:1-7, the sons of the prophets wanted to build a bigger accommodation, and they came to tell Elisha. They decided to go beside the Jordan River to get wood for the construction, and while the others were excited to start the project, one of them asked Elisha to go with them.

Beloved, it is good to make plans and embark on projects. However, if you don’t involve God in all you do, your ‘well-laid-out plans’ can crumble. This was what happened to the sons of the prophets. While they were happily cutting down wood and gathering it for their building project, they suddenly had a setback. One of them had borrowed an axe, and while cutting wood with it, the axe-head fell into the water. Apart from negatively affecting the completion timeline of the project, this setback also meant that they had incurred some debt because the axe was borrowed. Thank God one of them had earlier involved Elisha. He simply asked them where the axe-head fell, cut down a stick, and threw it into the water. What happened next cannot be explained by science; the stick sank, and the heavy axe head swam.

God’s ways are not man’s ways, and only a fool will always try to explain how God works. When it comes to relating with God, faith and obedience is all He expects of you because His ways are past finding out.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 1984, a woman came to me from Oyo state in South-Western Nigeria for prayers concerning her finances. I told her, “Don’t worry, God will provide for you. You can go home now.” She said, “I cannot go home because I don’t have the money to travel back.” I didn’t have much then either, but I divided the little money I had into two and gave her one half – this happened in June. By the following August, she came back and bought a big cow for the church’s annual convention. God can turn people’s stories around and make their lives better in a very short time.

Years ago, I heard the story of a woman who was barren. Her pastor had been praying with her for the fruit of the womb for several years, but nothing happened. Finally, the pastor called her and said, “All the other barren women that I have prayed for have already become mothers. Why is your case different?” The woman then told the pastor that when she was young, she got pregnant and tried to have an abortion, which failed. To save her life, the doctors removed her womb. The pastor asked, “Do you mean you have no womb?” The woman replied, “Yes”. The pastor asked again, “Then why are you asking me to pray that you become pregnant?” The woman replied, “But you’re the one who taught us that with God, nothing shall be impossible.” From that day, the pastor began to avoid her. Anytime he saw the woman coming from one direction, he would walk away from her in the opposite direction. This went on for a while, and one day, the woman told herself, “It’s alright. If the pastor is avoiding me, I will look unto God and take my eyes off him.” That night, she had a dream in which she was standing naked in a room. A huge man came through the wall with the skin of an animal in his hand. She became so frightened that she couldn’t move. When the man got to her, he wrapped the skin of the animal around her and disappeared. She woke up, shaking and sweating, but immediately, she knew that God had come to give her a new womb. Today, she is the mother of many beautiful children.

Beloved, Jesus is the master at turning negative situations around. If you are currently experiencing any negative situation in your life, I decree that God will give you a mighty turnaround, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

James 1:5-7 says that you should only ask God for things in faith. It further says that if you doubt, you should not expect to get anything from God. I know that some situations can look scary and tough, but if you want to live above those situations, you have to believe in God. In Matthew 14:28-29, Peter’s faith was unwavering when he told Jesus, …bid me come unto thee on the water.” However, when he looked at the boisterous wind around him and stopped believing, he started to sink. No matter how tough things are, do not lose your faith.

When I got born again in The Redeemed Christian Church of God, I was extremely happy about my salvation, but I was very sickly. Every two weeks, I would be sick with malaria and would require medical treatment. At that time, whenever Christians talked about healing without medication, I did not believe them. I used to say, “You have shown me the way to heaven; don’t send me there too quickly.” Then, one day, I heard a testimony from an old man about how God miraculously healed him of a bent back, and immediately, my faith was aroused. I thank God that since that time, that faith has been getting stronger daily. If you want to see great miracles in your life, believe what God has said. If He has done mighty wonders before, He can do them again and again.

I once went to a Kenneth Hagin camp meeting in the United States of America and saw about 7,000 people in one convention. I had never seen anything like that before because, at that time, the entire congregation of The Redeemed Christian Church of God was less than 1,000. However, while on the plane back to Nigeria, I told those who went with me that, one day, our pastors alone would be more than 17,000. They didn’t believe me. Today, God has surpassed my expectations. When you have faith in God, He sets you up to break records. He makes you a wonder unto many when you believe.

Science says prove it, and I will believe you. However, God says believe Me, then I will prove it. When God asks you to do something, believe Him. Don’t try to add or remove from what He has said. Just believe, and He will do exceedingly abundantly above all that you ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God and Abraham had a conversation one night in Genesis 15:3-6, and Abraham reminded God that He had not given him an heir. In response, God told him to go outside and see if he could count the stars. He then told him that his children would be as many as the stars. You might wonder, “Why did God have to tell Abraham to go outside and look at the stars? Why didn’t He just tell him that his descendants would be so many that it would be impossible to count them?” I believe it was because God needed Abraham to see what he would be getting.

Similarly, in Genesis 13:14-17, God told Abraham, “All the land you see shall be yours.” He also said, “Move away from where you are, walk through the land as far as you can, and it shall all be yours.” God knew that for Abraham to own the land, he had to first have a vision of it. In any situation you find yourself, what you see is what you will get. In an economy where people complain that things are tough, if you see poverty, that is what you will get; likewise, if you see abundance, you will experience it. In a situation where doctors say there is no hope, if you see life, you will have life. All you have to do is regulate your faith to see only what Jesus has promised you, and that is what you will get.

In Numbers 13:16-33, Moses sent the twelve spies to check out the land of Canaan, and they came back with reports. While Caleb and Joshua saw themselves inhabiting the land, the remaining ten spies saw giants and a land that swallowed up its inhabitants. Joshua and Caleb saw God’s mighty ability, but the others saw themselves as grasshoppers. In the end, everyone got what they saw. The ten spies were swallowed up in the wilderness while Joshua and Caleb got into the land and inhabited it (Numbers 32:11-12).

Beloved, what do you see in your life, marriage, or career? Whatever you see is what you will get. If you see victory, you will walk in it. However, if you see defeat, you will experience it. God wants you to see correctly, and the only way to do this is to know what He says in His word. What has God said about your home, children, career, health, and life? Believe His promises concerning you, and they shall come to pass.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Revelation 3:20 says that Jesus is standing at the door of your heart right now, knocking and waiting for you to let Him in. Every time you hear a word from God that convicts you of sin, that is Jesus saying, “Let me into your heart so I can cleanse your heart of sin.” You have no idea what Jesus Christ can do for you when you let Him into your heart. The moment you let Jesus in, your past will no longer determine your future – only Jesus will. With Jesus living in you, your future will only get brighter and brighter (Proverbs 4:18).

You may say, “I already let Jesus into my heart some time ago.” That is good, but do you still get convicted of certain sins when you listen to a sermon or read your Bible? If yes, that means there are some parts of your life that Jesus hasn’t taken over yet, and He is knocking on the door of your heart so you can let Him in. There is no partial salvation; Ephesians 5:27 says that Jesus is coming for a bride without blemish or wrinkle. If there’s still a blemish in your life, surrender it completely to Jesus Christ today.

You may also say, “I have a good relationship with Jesus.” However, there is more. David described a relationship with God as a journey into the deep. He said, “Deep calleth unto deep.” (Psalm 42:7). After walking, eating, and talking with Jesus during His earthly ministry for three and a half years, John saw Him in a vision in Revelation 4:1, and Jesus told him, “…Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” There are always higher realms in God, and Jesus is standing at the door of your heart, knocking and calling you to come up higher. It is not enough to just confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour; there is more. God wants you to operate in His miraculous power (Mark 16:17-18). He wants you to be an agent of change, but you need the power of the Holy Spirit to do that. There will always be higher doors to enter and deeper realms to access in God.

Beloved, Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart today. He is calling you to higher and deeper levels in your relationship with Him. Open your heart to Him; He will beautify your life with His glory and make you an agent of change for His kingdom.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One can easily assume that everyone who attends church regularly or functions in a department within a church has encountered Jesus. However, in my experience, I have realised that many people are working hard in the Lord’s vineyard but haven’t had an encounter with Him. They know a lot about Him, but they don’t know Him.

Paul thought he knew God until the day he had an encounter with Jesus Christ. When you truly meet Jesus, you will become a completely new person. Before Paul met Jesus, he persecuted believers. However, when he met Him, his story changed. In 1 Timothy 1:13-16, he spoke about his horrible past as a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an injurious person, and how he obtained mercy from God. In Christ, he became a Chief Apostle (2 Corinthians 11:5) and fulfilled his destiny (2 Timothy 4:6-7).

Peter was just another fisherman from Galilee before he met Jesus. However, when he met Jesus, he was given a glorious destiny (Luke 5:10). Even when he failed and denied Jesus, his future was still secure because of his encounter with Jesus. When a man meets Jesus, his failures and weaknesses become part of his success story because God works all things together for his good (Romans 8:28).

Isaiah thought he knew God until he had an encounter in Isaiah 6 that changed his life. When he saw the Lord in His glory, he fell on his face and cried, “…Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5). After meeting the Lord, Isaiah was willing to go wherever the Lord sent Him. When you truly meet Jesus, all your excuses will be burnt away like chaff.

Beloved, if you genuinely want to meet Jesus, make it mandatory for yourself to study God’s word every day. Revelation 19:13 says that He is the Word of God. When you study the word of God, you are fellowshipping with Jesus Christ. The more of God’s word you study, the closer you will get to Him. It will be difficult at first because the devil will try to stop you, but as you keep at it, you will discover that you are being transformed because you are getting to know the Son of God for yourself.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is a popular saying that good luck is when opportunity meets preparation – this is very true. A person can dream about achieving a particular feat, but if he or she does not prepare adequately towards this, when the opportunity comes, the fellow will be caught unawares and it will become obvious that he or she never prepared for it. In 1 Samuel 17:12-50, you will observe that David had been preparing himself for war while he was in the desert tending sheep. He had no weapons, but he continually trained until he mastered how to use a sling perfectly. His ‘lucky day’ came when he encountered Goliath and defeated him with just one swing of his sling.

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
1 Samuel 17:50

Unlike David, Rehoboam wasn’t prepared for the throne of Israel. Although he was the son of King Solomon, who many consider to be Israel’s wisest king, he was very foolish. He was the heir to the throne, and it would have been expected that he would have been preparing for the day he would become king. Unfortunately, he wasn’t prepared for something that he knew was coming, and he failed (2 Chronicles 10:1-19).

When a student knows that a school examination is coming and he or she doesn’t prepare, such a student can be said to be foolish. As a member of staff in an organisation, when a fellow knows that there will be regular performance appraisals and doesn’t do his or her job well, that fellow is foolish and cannot be promoted. If a pastor who knows that he or she will preach a message on Sunday does not fast, pray, or study for the message, he or she is the devil hindering his or her own growth. When the time for a big breakthrough comes in your life, I pray that you will be prepared, in Jesus’ name.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 says that time and chance happens to every human being on the earth. This means that every human being on the earth will have opportunities to advance in life. However, only those who are prepared will recognise those opportunities when they come and maximise them.

Beloved, you must continuously increase your capacity, especially in areas you are seeking advancement so that when opportunities come your way, you will be prepared to make the best of them.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many years ago, I went to preach in Onitsha, a town in South-Eastern Nigeria. On my way back to Lagos, I needed to refuel my car, so I stopped at Asaba to buy some fuel. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get any. I kept driving until I got to Benin, but I still couldn’t get any fuel to buy. I continued my journey until I got to Ore. By then, the car’s fuel tank was on reserve. I didn’t know what to do. It was a Sunday evening, and I had to give some lectures the next morning. Then, God spoke to me, “Son, take your eyes off the gauge and keep driving.” I drove the car on reserve fuel from Ore until I parked in my house in Surulere (over 200km). God can bring something out of nothing, but for you to enjoy His blessings, you must be obedient to Him. When He says go, you should go, and when He says stop, you must stop. Proverbs 3:5 says that you should not lean on your own understanding.

In John 5:2-9, there was an account of a man who had been ill for thirty-eight years. Jesus saw him lying by a pool and asked him, “Do you wish to get well?” The sick man answered, “Sir, I have no man to put me in the pool when the water is troubled.” Jesus then said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” Immediately, the man became well and began to walk. His simple obedience to Jesus’ instruction to rise and take up his bed broke the bondage he was in for thirty-eight years. No matter how long a problem has existed, once God sends His word and you obey Him, you will have total freedom.

More than four decades ago, I was to travel outside Nigeria for the first time and had never been inside an aeroplane before. I was a lecturer at the University of Lagos and was to give a presentation in Sierra Leone. I was a bit anxious because I had never travelled outside the country, but then, somebody gave me instructions on how to clear myself at the airport. I listened, obeyed the instructions, and my journey was successful.

Beloved, when God gives you an instruction, don’t think you are wiser than Him. He knows the end from the beginning and the best pathway for your life. If you want to succeed in life, simply obey God’s instructions. Obedience always precedes the miraculous.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.