₦airaland Forum

An author once said, “Life is a challenge; meet it.” I would even go further to say, “Rise above it.” Nowadays, however, many young people are seeking a ‘soft life’; there is nothing like a soft life. When I was in secondary school, my teacher taught me that every human being brought a pillow into this world, which must be used before we leave. If some people choose not to use the pillow when they are young, they will definitely use it when they are old. According to my teacher, that pillow represents hardship.

If young people choose to put aside pleasures and go through the hardship of discipline to study, work hard, and nurture the right relationships in their youth, they will enjoy their old age. However, if they choose to party and play around in their youth, when they are old, they will either be lonely or have no choice but to work hard to make ends meet. What my teacher called a pillow is what the Bible calls ‘the yoke’ in Lamentations 3:27:

It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

Note that the Scripture above does not say ‘a yoke’, but ‘the yoke’. In other words, every individual has a yoke, and it is good for that person to bear it in his or her youth. People who don’t want to bear the yoke in their youth are lazy people.

Some people are born into royal families, but they may never have the opportunity to rule if they are lazy. Who, then, is qualified to rule? Anyone who wants to rule must be ready for hard work. Those who want to rule must be ready to bear the yoke in their youth. If you want to live a soft life in your youth, then you are not ready to rule. Ruling is hard work, and it is only the diligent that will bear rule, as Proverbs 12:24 tells us. There is no easy road to success; the fact that a fellow was born by a successful person does not mean that the person will succeed in life.

If you are a youth and you want to reign in life, shun laziness. You must also remember your creator in the days of your youth before the difficult days come (Ecclesiastes 12:1). You don’t own your life; take up your cross and follow Jesus so that it can be well with you all the days of your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is nothing like being a testifier and experiencing testimonies personally. When you read of mighty miracles in the Bible or hear testimonies of the great things God has done for His people, you might not fully understand His ‘Almightiness’. However, this will not be the case if you personally experience His supernatural intervention.

Before the spies came to Jericho in Joshua 2:1-23, Rahab had heard of the many mighty miracles of God. She hadn’t seen any of those miracles, but she believed them, and her faith eventually made her experience some of God’s miracles. When you hear a testimony or read about something that God did in the Scriptures, let it build faith in you. The faith built from the testimonies you hear can help you to also experience miracles, like the woman in Mark 5:25-34 who was reported to have heard about Jesus (Mark 5:27).

I struggled to believe in divine healing and health when I first became born again. In those days, I was always down with malaria, and I kept taking medications. One day, I saw an elderly man, whom I had always known to have a bent back, walking perfectly upright in church. I was eager to know what had happened to him, and while sharing his testimony he said that he had gone to evangelise as usual when someone started insulting him in the neighbourhood. The fellow told him that if his God is so powerful, He would have healed him from his condition. On hearing this, the man said that he got angry and stood straight. He said that even though his back was burning with pain, he stood straight because he couldn’t stand hearing someone talk about his God in that manner. On getting to his house, the pain disappeared completely. When I heard that testimony, my faith was stirred, and I knew that divine health was possible. I allowed Jesus to become my doctor, and by His grace, I have not had to take malaria medications ever since. l experienced a miracle because my faith increased when I heard someone else’ testimony.

Beloved, if you have heard a testimony from someone about a kind of miracle that you are believing God for, let it build faith in you. God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34); if He has given someone a miracle, He is willing and able to do the same for you. I pray that you will experience a mighty miracle from God today, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A lady, who had consistently failed her driving test for 17 years, attended one of our Holy Ghost Services. During the service, the word of God came, “There is somebody here; you will never fail another exam.” The next time she took the driving test, she passed.

When God’s word comes, negative cycles of frustration and pain come to an end. After Joshua and the Israelites crossed Jordan, they were met by another obstacle: Jericho. The city had formidable walls, and the gates were shut.

Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
Joshua 6:1

When the word of God came, the walls fell down like a pack of cards before the Israelites. I decree today that the word you need to overcome great and ancient obstacles will come to you, in Jesus’ name.

The sick man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5:1-9 had endured a terrible cycle of frustration, pain, and disappointment for 38 years. However, when the word of God (Jesus) came to him, he got his healing and was delivered from the long cycle of negative circumstances surrounding him. When the word of God came to him, everything turned around for good. In the name that is above every other name, the word that will turn your good dreams into realities and change whatever negative circumstances that exist in your life permanently will come to you. If you have been experiencing any form of bondage, God will destroy everything that has kept you in chains, in Jesus’ name.

In 2 Kings 4:1-7, the story of the widow of one of the sons of the prophets changed for good. When her husband died, he left his family in so much debt that his sons were going to become slaves. Thankfully, she didn’t keep her problems to herself; she cried out to God’s representative, Elisha, and her cry activated a word from heaven that changed her life. She got a miracle that not only brought her out of debt but also gave her and her children enough to live on for the rest of her life.

Beloved, you can get God to send His word to heal you and break you out of any bondage you might be experiencing if you cry to Him for help. If you stay quiet, nothing will change about the situation. However, if you cry to Him, He will send His word and deliver you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Prophecies can be conditional. For instance, Isaiah 1:12 says that you will eat the good of the land if you are willing and obedient. Also, Isaiah 3:10 says, “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him…” However, when it comes to decrees, God does not attach conditions. In Genesis 1:3, He said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

There had been many prophecies concerning Abraham, including prophecies that he would be the father of many nations and that his children would be as many as the stars in the sky. However, in Genesis 18:14, God simply said, “In nine months’ time, Sarah will give birth to a son.” That is a clear example of turning a prophecy into a decree.

As a child of God, there is always something you need to do to turn prophecies into decrees. When you provoke a blessing from God, He is likely to turn the prophecies He has given you into decrees. To provoke God into doing this, you need to honour Him. Honouring God does not always have to do with material things. Abraham didn’t give his visitors any gifts; he simply honoured them by hosting them in his home. You can honour God by simply obeying His commands, such as His command to win souls (Matthew 28:19-20). You can also honour Him by serving in your local assembly and honouring him with your firstfruits (Proverbs 3:9).

Another way to honour God is by having faith in His word. In Luke 7:1-10, when the centurion sent the elder of the Jews to plead with Jesus to come and heal his sick servant, Jesus was ready to do so until the man sent his friends to say, “Lord, you don’t have to come to my house because I believe Your word is just as powerful as You are. Just speak a word, and my servant will be healed” (Luke 7:6-. Jesus was amazed at the man’s faith, and his servant was healed immediately. Giving God thanks is yet another way to honour Him. In Luke 17:12-19, ten lepers cried out to Jesus for mercy, and He asked them to show themselves to the priests. They received their healing on the way, but only one of them returned to glorify God. Jesus then decreed his wholeness because he returned to give thanks.

Beloved, as you follow these principles, I pray that every good prophecy you have received will become a decree, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Ezra 5-7, a Shunammite woman compelled Elisha to stop by her house for a meal as he passed through her city. She kept on entertaining the prophet at her home every time he passed by, and eventually, she and her husband built him a little room in their house so he could stay and rest during his travels. After a while, Elisha, moved by her generosity, summoned her and told her that she would soon be carrying a baby. She conceived and gave birth to a son according to the prophet’s decree, all because of her hospitality.

Sometimes, when the appointed time for your miracle comes, you will suddenly have a very strong urge to be really generous and hospitable. You will desire to be a blessing to people even more than before. Hebrews 13:2 says that you should be mindful to entertain strangers as you may be entertaining angels without knowing it. The reason for this is that God can send an angel to deliver your miracle, and that angel can come in the form of a human being. If you are hospitable to the angel, you will get the miracle.

In Genesis 18:1-14, Abraham saw three men passing in front of his tent, and he invited them to eat, wash their feet, and rest a little. After they had eaten, one of the men asked him about Sarah and told him that she would give birth to a son. Their barrenness of many years ended that day because Abraham suddenly felt the urge to be generous to complete strangers.

When you start feeling an urge to be more generous than you’ve ever been, please don’t resist it. God might be trying to push you to do something that will launch you into your miracle. It must have been difficult for the widow of Zarephath to give Elijah the last meal meant for her and her son. Ordinarily, a generous mother will say something like, “I can do without eating, but I cannot give you my son’s meal.” However, she felt the urge to be unusually generous, and she didn’t resist it. In return, she had enough food for herself and her son throughout the famine.

Beloved, when you feel a strong urge to give, do not resist it; you might just be launching yourself into your next level. May God reward your kindness and hospitality towards others with abundant testimonies far beyond the imaginations of your heart and all that you are asking Him for, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

If a boy who was sent on an urgent and important errand by his parents stops to play football on the way, how do you think his parents will feel when they discover his foolishness? This is similar to what many people do concerning God’s assignment for their lives. God has sent everyone on earth to fulfil a purpose. However, many people put God’s purpose aside and start doing whatever they like.

Before your birth, God prepared an assignment for you to fulfil on the earth. Everyone created by God has a purpose (Ephesians 2:10), and God has a general plan into which His specific purpose for your life fits.

In Galatians 1:13-16, Paul said that God separated him unto Himself from his mother’s womb. By the end of his life, He said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” (2 Timothy 4:7). John the Baptist knew that God sent him ahead of Jesus to prepare a way for Him and announce His arrival to the Israelites (John 1:29-36). When Jesus came to him, he declared, “…Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). Because he did his assignment very well, Jesus gave this testimonial about him: “…Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:..” (Matthew 11:11). What will God’s testimonial about you be? You have a particular assignment on earth, and you must not let anything prevent you from fulfilling it. Determine not to allow anything stop you from becoming who God has ordained you to be.

While it is commendable for someone to know God’s purpose, it is also necessary for that fellow to fulfil God’s purpose God’s way. For example, Moses was destined to deliver the Israelites from Egypt, but he first attempted to do it his own way, and it almost cost him his life. God had to put him through a refining process that eventually set him on the right path (Exodus 2:11-15).

Beloved, God has a special purpose for your life, and He also has the blueprint you must follow to fulfil it. This is why you cannot afford not to have an intimate relationship with Him. Your relationship with Him will determine whether you will keep in step with Him to fulfil His purpose for your life or not. I pray that nothing will distract you from fulfilling God’s purpose for your life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Phrases like ‘God remembered’, as seen in 1 Samuel 1:9-20, might look strange because God knows the end from the beginning and cannot forget anything. However, when the Bible uses that phrase, it doesn’t mean that God forgot anything, but at that moment, He decided to pay attention to something in particular. If God has made promises to you in the past, rest assured that He has not forgotten about them. They will surely come to pass at the appointed time.

In 1979, my Father in the Lord, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, and a few of us attended a Kenneth Hagin campmeeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. The meeting ended on a Saturday, so we worshipped at a nearby church on Sunday. As it was our first visit, we were made to sit in the front row. During the sermon, the preacher suddenly got down from the altar, stood before Pa Akindayomi, and said, “Thus saith the Lord, ‘That which I promised you is about to come to pass.'” Pa Akindayomi didn’t understand English, so he asked me, “What did he say?” Because I didn’t want to miss the rest of the sermon, I said, “I’ll tell you when we get to the hotel, sir.” When we got to the hotel, he asked again. After I told him, he started crying. God had told him in 1952, “I am starting a church through you, and it will be known around the whole world.” At that time, the church was still only in South-West Nigeria. The old man was already preparing to go to heaven, so he thought that God had forgotten His promise. Today, God has taken RCCG to 197 nations in the world and still counting.

Has God promised you anything? Rest assured that He will fulfil it. However, His promises will only be fulfilled in His time. After many years of serving God faithfully, Zachariah and Elisabeth remained barren and must have thought that God had forgotten them. The God who does not forget visited them at His appointed time and gave them a son (Luke 1:5-25). God’s plan was to give them a great prophet who would be the forerunner of Jesus. When people thought it was too late for them to have a child, God said, “Now, it is time to attend to this matter.”

Beloved, men can forget their promises, but God can never forget His promises to you. Keep trusting Him, and He will fulfil His promises in your life at His appointed time.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 1963, when the late Namdi Azikiwe (popularly called Zik) was Governor General of Nigeria, he visited Ondo town. At that time, I was a teacher at Ondo Boys’ High School. Because the governor was going to be passing by, the whole town lined the route. I was standing behind an elderly man who was also a teacher at the school. As Zik was driving by in an open car, somehow, he spotted this elderly teacher in the crowd. Immediately, he stopped the motorcade, came down from the car, and stood before the old man. I don’t know exactly what they said to each other, but the old man began to cry. Eventually, we discovered that the old man was a teacher at the secondary school Zik attended and was responsible for his expulsion from the school.

God can turn things around for you such that when your enemies come, you will say to them, “See what the Lord has done.” When the Lord turned the story of the Israelites around after they cried to Him, the Egyptians, who hated them, gave them everything they asked for.

And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians. – Exodus 12:36

I can imagine some of the Israelites going to knock on the doors of the slave masters who had been beating them, demanding their favourite clothes and shoes. The slave masters didn’t have any choice but to grant their requests because God had stepped into the picture to turn things around for His people.

Bartimaeus was born blind, and for years, he had been sitting on a highway begging for alms. However, one day, as he sat as usual, Jesus came along. Bartimaeus knew that Jesus was the key to his turnaround, so he began to cry for help. As he shouted, people shouted at him to keep quiet. Thankfully, Bartimaeus didn’t obey them. Instead, he cried louder until Jesus attended to him. When Jesus called for him, those who told him to keep quiet were the same ones who said, “…Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee” (Mark 10:46-52).

Beloved, how hungry are you for a divine turnaround? If you really want one, you will yearn to get Jesus’ attention, just as Bartimaeus did. Don’t stop crying out to Him in faith; He is faithful and loving, and He will surely turn things around for your good.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As I conclude my discussion about divine visitation today, let me mention that another divine visitor you can receive is a minister of God. In 1 Samuel 1:9-20, Hannah was in Shiloh praying passionately, and God sent His prophet to her. The prophet simply issued a decree, and her womb was opened. In 1 Samuel 16:11-13, God sent another prophet to visit David and anoint him as king. Also, in 1 Kings 19:15-21, when the time came for Elisha to begin to fulfil his purpose, God sent a prophet, Elijah, to throw his mantle on him.

Whenever God sends one of His ministers to you, believe what God has sent him or her to say to you. When Elisha decreed God’s word during the severe famine in Samaria that food would become very surplus and cheap overnight, a top government official doubted it. He couldn’t believe how such a terrible famine, during which women ate their children to survive, would disappear overnight. However, Elisha wasn’t speaking his own words; He was speaking God’s word, and it came to pass (2 Kings 7:1-16).

When God sends His word through His ministers, anything is possible. The unbelief of the officer described in the paragraph above prevented him from partaking in the overnight miracle. He saw the miracle, but he didn’t partake of it because he spoke against God’s word (2 Kings 7:17). I pray that you will receive every word that God sends to you through His ministers in faith, in Jesus’ name.

In 2 Chronicles 20:1-30, we see how three countries joined themselves together against Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah. The situation was terrible, but instead of giving in to fear, Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast and asked his people to join him. As they prayed and sought God’s face together, His word came through Jahaziel, one of the Levites. God told them to relax because they wouldn’t need to fight the battle. He asked them to stand still and see His salvation (2 Chronicles 20:14-17). Humanly speaking, it was foolish to stand still when enemies were closing in on all sides. However, Jehoshaphat and the people believed God’s word and the prophets He spoke through.

Beloved, God’s word will sometimes defy human explanation and challenge human reasoning. However, God will always be God. If a genuine minister of God gives you a message from God, believe him or her and act accordingly. Believe God’s prophets, and you will surely prosper and be established (2 Chronicles 20:20).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I started discussing about divine visitation yesterday, and I said that people can have a divine encounter with God through His word. Today, in continuing my discussion, I will point out another way by which believers can receive divine visitation.

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 1:13-14 that angels are ministering spirits that are sent by God to minister to people. Sometimes, when God wants to visit His children, He sends His angels as divine visitors. For example, in Judges 13:1-25, when God wanted to tell Manoah that he and his wife would give birth to Samson, He sent an angel. Likewise, in Luke 1:8-20, when God wanted to tell Zechariah that he would have a child, He also sent an angel as His messenger. You may ask, “How will I even recognise an angel if one comes to me?”

Occasionally, the angel that God will send to you could be a human being. For example, in 2 Kings 5:1-14, the angel that God sent to Naaman when it was time for his divine visitation was a maid. It was the girl who said to his wife, “I know where my master can get his healing.” There are many stories of human beings that God used to bring certain people to the fullness of their purpose. May God send such destiny helpers to you speedily, in Jesus’ name.

Beloved, you must be hospitable to everyone you meet. This is because you do not know if the angel that God is sending to you will come in human form. Hebrews 13:2 says, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Imagine if Naaman’s wife had maltreated their maid, he would have probably died a leper. Some people have sent their angels away with their terrible behaviours; do not be like them. Apostle Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:10:

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Beloved, you must do good to everybody, regardless of their tribe, religion, social or financial status, or age, because you never can tell if they are angels that God is sending to you. Your kindness can open doors of abundant blessings to you. I pray that you will show kindness to the angels God sends your way so that you do not miss your divine visitation, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Genesis 18:1-14, Abraham got a divine visitation that turned his story around for good. For many years before that time, God had made promises to him, but he was still waiting for them to be fulfilled. His wife, Sarah, had even given up hope completely. However, after the divine visitation, laughter followed. For the next few days, I will discuss more about divine visitation.

There is something special about the visitation that Abraham experienced. The Bible says that the LORD visited him, and he lifted up his eyes and saw three men. I believe that one of them was God Himself because when you read carefully, you will find out that the Bible referred to the One speaking among them as ‘LORD’ (Genesis 18:13). This means that your divine visitor can be God Himself. For example, in 2 Chronicles 1:6-12, it was God Himself that appeared to Solomon.

You may say, “How can I expect God Himself to pay me a visit?” In John 1:1, the Bible says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Your divine visitor can be the Word. In Psalm 107:20, the Bible says that God sent His word, and it healed them and delivered them from their destruction. In 1 Kings 17:2, the Bible says that the word of God came to Elijah. Also, in 1 Kings 18:1, the word of God came again to Elijah with an instruction, “No more hiding.” I pray that God’s word will pay you a visit today, in Jesus’ name.

Some people have prayed, and God has heard them; however, He is waiting for them to study their Bibles so they can receive the Word He has sent to them to meet their needs and solve their problems.

When God sends His word, healing and deliverance follows, and everything that previously looked impossible will suddenly become possible. Are you aware that God has already sent His word to you and that His word says He has supplied all your needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19)?

Beloved, you do not have to wait for the next big revival or miracle service to have a divine encounter. God has sent His word to you already, and you can experience His divine touch just by engaging with the pages of your Bible. God’s word carries His power; engage with it regularly, and you will not miss your time of divine visitation, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Jeremiah 1:5, God said to Jeremiah, “…Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee…” You did not come to the world by accident; hence, God will not let the events of your life unfold by accident. As long as you are a child of God, everything that happens to you, whether you consider them good or bad, will work together for your good, as we see in Romans 8:28.

When you really consider all that God did to bring you close to Himself, you will know that He is great. Believe me, the mere fact that you are still alive today means that God has not finished with you yet. Before you were born, He saw all that you would go through in order to fulfil your destiny. Therefore, be at rest because God is in control. His thoughts towards you are of good and not of evil to bring you to an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11).

Not long after I joined the Redeemed Christian Church of God, God made it clear to me that I was fulfilling His purpose for my life. He told me very clearly that although I was an academic, I was to follow a spiritual leader who didn’t have formal education. At one time, the same person who invited me to the church advised me to leave. After I organised the first Christ the Redeemer’s Congress which was a huge success, he told me, “Now, we have found your ministry. You can organise it, and I will finance it; we don’t need this church.” However, I just smiled and refused his offer. There were people who made my life very difficult because I decided to stay in the church. There were several opportunities to leave, but God was merciful, and He showed me that I was properly positioned for everything to work together for my good.

Beloved, all things will work together for your good when you love God and stay in His purpose. However, you can’t disobey Him and expect that things will turn out for your good. You can’t leave the place God has asked you to stay, or stay where God has asked you to leave, and enjoy what God has prepared for you. If you are living in sin, turn to God today and repent. No matter how terrible your past is, once you turn to Him, He will make everything work together for your good.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God’s ways are perfect, and this includes His timing (2 Samuel 22:31). In Genesis 12:1-3, He promised Abraham, “Through your seed shall all the earth be blessed.” At that time, Abraham had no child, and 25 years later, nothing had happened. However, one day, Abraham was sitting in front of his tent, and his appointed time came. In Acts 2:1, the Bible says, “…when the day of Pentecost was fully come…” God didn’t act one minute too soon or too late.

Beloved, there is an appointed time for your miracle. When that day comes, nothing special might seem to be happening, but your miracle will not pass you by. You might just be going about your normal business like Abraham, who was just sitting in front of his tent. Moses’ appointed time met him at the backside of a desert while going about his shepherding duties (Exodus 3:1), and Peter’s time came while he was waiting in the upper room (Acts 2). For Saul of Tarsus, his appointed time came as he was travelling to cause havoc (Acts 9).

I received a prophecy in 1961 that I would be travelling abroad regularly. At that time, travelling abroad was a really big deal in my village, and I had not even been to Lagos State, where the international airport is located. However, when it was time for that prophecy to start manifesting, it was beyond my wildest imagination. Also, when I became the General Overseer of RCCG, I left my wife and children in Ilorin to live in a one-room apartment at Mushin (a relatively poor suburb in Lagos). I wanted to bring my family over to live with me, but I couldn’t do that due to the size of my apartment. I went to God in prayers and explained the challenges I was facing. I told Him to help me get decent accommodation. God’s response to me was shocking. He said, “Son, I have decided to build you a city.” I was asking Him for a boys’ quarters, but He was talking about a city. Today, Redemption City is the manifestation of that prophecy. These prophecies and more looked impossible when I first received them, but God has fulfilled them in my life according to His timing.

Beloved, if God has made promises to you, don’t be discouraged if you are yet to see them come to pass. God is not a liar; if He makes a promise, He will surely fulfil it (Numbers 23:19). Wait for His appointed time.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people believe that God only calls individuals into pulpit ministries – this is untrue. If God only calls people to serve Him on the pulpit, then it means that He is leaving other important areas of life to the devil. Every believer has a calling in one area of life or the other. In the Bible, we see God calling people into government. Joseph was called into leadership, and his obedience preserved the lives of his people (Genesis 45:7). Daniel was also called to shine God’s light in the government of idolatrous Babylon, and he obeyed. He served under several kings and fulfilled his calling to reveal the power and presence of God through his roles in the government (Daniel 6:25-28). Also, Nehemiah wasn’t called into the office of a priest; he was called to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, and he did this joyfully (Nehemiah 2:1-5). Esther stayed at her duty post in the government house before God called her into the influential position of the queen in the palace (Esther 2:16-17). Her submission to God saved the lives of the Jews when Haman, their enemy, plotted to destroy them (Esther 7).

God also calls people into business. Lydia of Thyatira was a seller of purple, an expensive cloth worn by kings and queens. Only very rich people could afford her wares, and God positioned her there so that she could use her resources to advance the kingdom (Acts 16:14).

God calls people to serve in different areas of life. Do you know the area He has called you into? People who live or move outside their places of calling will struggle because they have set themselves against God’s purpose for their lives. In 2 Chronicles 26:16-21, the Bible tells us about King Uzziah, who decided to operate in another office that God did not call him into. As Israel’s king, he enjoyed God’s grace and favour until he decided to operate in the office of a priest. He went into the temple to burn incense and didn’t return the same way; he came out leprous and was isolated. Whenever people operate in places God has not called them into, they become isolated from His grace and provision.

Beloved, if God has called you to serve Him in any area of life, focus on your calling in that area. Do not compare yourself to other people who are flourishing in other areas. Obey God wholeheartedly in your calling, and you will experience His abundant grace and provision.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A person’s lifetime is the period between the fellow’s birth and death. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says that there are seasons for everything and a time for every purpose under heaven. Everyone is assigned to a purpose here on earth, and after a while, regardless of whether they fulfil their purpose or not, they die. Once you leave the earth, another generation will come on the scene and play their own part according to God’s design (Ecclesiastes 1:4). The question is, during this period when you are playing your own part, will you make a mark in the sands of time? Will you fulfil your destiny or just pursue mundane things?

David followed after God so much that He called him “…a man after mine own heart…” (Acts 13:22). Little wonder he lived such an impactful life and is still regarded as Israel’s greatest king up until today. Another fellow, Methuselah, was only known for his day of birth and death. He was the oldest man recorded in the Bible, and apart from the fact that he had sons and daughters, nothing else was written about him (Genesis 5:25-27). Enoch, on the other hand, walked with God, and this made his lifetime count (Genesis 5:24). When a fellow walks with God and does His will like Enoch and David did, the person’s lifetime will count. The impact of that fellow will be felt long after he or she has crossed over to eternity.

God seeks a generation of people who will fear, love, and follow Him wholeheartedly. David called this generation ‘the generation that seeks God’s face’ (Psalm 24:6). When I was younger, people had shops with small peepholes that could only accommodate a person’s hand. If someone wanted to buy something, the shop owner would stretch his or her hands through the peephole to collect the person’s money and pass the goods out, after which the fellow would leave. However, if the fellow insists on seeing the shop owner, the shop owner would open the door so they can meet face to face.

Beloved, God wants you to seek His face and not just the blessings in His hands. If you want your life to matter, don’t focus on the things you can get from Him; seek His face so you can have access to Him. Don’t only ask God for material things; ask Him to show you His face so that when the world looks at you, they will see His glory (Exodus 34:28-35).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When God really wants to bless someone, He will go to any length to bless the fellow. In Job 1:8, God asked the devil if he had considered Job. You would think that God just wanted to boast about Job, but by the time you get to the end of Job’s story, you will realise that God was looking for an avenue to bless him with double the things he had already, as we see in Job 42:10: ” …the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” God wanted to bless Job, but He also wanted him to pass through a process that would prove that he was deserving of the blessing.

In Genesis 32:24-29, the Bible tells us that Jacob was left alone to wrestle with a Man until the break of the day. When the Man (who was actually a representation of God) could not defeat him, He touched his leg and dislocated it. Jacob kept wrestling, and the Man had to beg him to let him go. However, Jacob said that he would not do so until he received a blessing, which he eventually got. Clearly, it was an arrangement made by God, as Jacob could ordinarily not have overpowered the man. When God wants to bless you, He can do certain things that seem strange and might not make sense to you or anyone around you. I pray for you today that God will intentionally determine to bless you in this season, in Jesus’ name.

When God wanted to bless me, He led me to a small church in a little corner of Ebute Metta in Lagos, Nigeria. At that time, I was the most educated person in the church, the church auditorium was uncomfortable, and really, I had every reason not to stay. My spiritual father did not go to school, but I was a PhD holder! It looked as if it was only the church that was benefitting from my presence there, but in truth, I was the one who was to benefit by staying where God asked me to stay so that I could fulfil my destiny.

When God wants to bless you, the ingredients He will put together to prepare that blessing may not look like it, but if you cooperate with Him, at the end of the day, you will enjoy His blessings in abundance. If you are willing to submit to His process, He will use every opportunity to decorate your life with His blessings.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Over the past three days, I discussed how everything that happens on earth is according to God’s design and that we are actors in His grand play. Because God is the writer of the play, He can change some things in it, such as actors, scenes, sequences, and the like, to suit His grand vision. For example, in 1 Samuel 2:30, He told Eli, “I said indeed that you and your father’s house will stand before me forever, but now, I change my mind.” That is an instance of God changing the actors that would be involved in carrying out His grand vision. God is the Writer and Director of your life, and the earlier you cooperate and surrender to Him, the better it will be for you. I pray that you will never do anything that will cause God to change His mind concerning His good purpose for your life.

As the Director of your life, God can also change parts of your life that don’t fit His purpose anymore. In Jeremiah 18:1-6, Jeremiah was in his house when God told him to go to a potter’s house because He wanted to speak to him there. If I were Jeremiah, I would have asked, “Daddy, are we not speaking already? Let’s continue our conversation here.” Thank God Jeremiah was an obedient fellow, and as I mentioned in the just-concluded series, obedience will keep you at the centre of God’s will. He stood up immediately and went to the potter’s house, where he met the potter working on a vessel. As Jeremiah watched, the vessel got damaged in the potter’s hand, but instead of throwing it away, the potter remoulded it into another vessel. By the time he was done, it didn’t look like the vessel had once been damaged.

And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
Jeremiah 18:4

Beloved, God can change those damaged portions of your life if you surrender everything to Him. He can remould you into another vessel fit enough to fulfil His original plan for your life. Don’t give up on the promises He has made to you or the glimpses of the glorious destiny that He has shown you because of negative circumstances or past mistakes. He can change everything and make your life a beautiful story of His grace – only put your trust in Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As I conclude the teaching I started two days ago, I want you to take special note of Psalm 33:11. It tells us that God’s counsel will stand forever. This implies that no matter what anyone tries, God’s plan for your life can never be changed. Isaiah 46:10 says, “…My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:”

When things that do not seem to align with God’s plan for your life start happening to you, don’t despair; trust God and be confident that He is able to make all things work together for your good. For example, in the Bible, God showed Joseph a glimpse of His plan for his life in two dreams (Genesis 37:5-9). However, instead of keeping his mouth shut, he announced the dreams to his brothers and parents. His brothers got angry and sold him into slavery. They thought they were destroying him, but little did they know that they were helping Him towards his destiny. After he was brought into Potiphar’s house, tragedy struck again, and he found himself in prison. I’m sure the devil must have mocked him and asked, “Now, what has become of your big dreams?” However, God never fails to bring His word to pass; He hastens His word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12). The bigger the challenges, the more He will showcase His mighty power.

God had a great destiny prepared for David, but the moment the oil came upon his head and he was anointed as king, it seemed all hell was let loose upon him. He became a fugitive for 13 years, moving from one hideout to another. In his psalms, he recorded how he felt during that season (Psalm 88:15, Psalm 25:16). However, despite all he faced, he still became Israel’s king as God ordained. I am sure that was why he said, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).

Beloved, no matter how much the enemy tries to stop you from achieving that glorious destiny that God has prepared for you, I want you to know that all things will work together for your good when you love God, and you are aligned with His purpose (Romans 8:28). Loving God means that you must obey all His commands (John 14:15). Don’t lose hope when negative circumstances come your way. Trust in God, obey all His commandments, and He will surely bring you to a glorious end in Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I mentioned the importance of obeying God at all times because He wrote the script for your life. Not only did He write the script, He is also the Executive Producer, Producer, and Director of the play, Psalm 33:11 says, “The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.” What God wrote in His play is what we are acting out.

Actors aren’t meant to do what they like on stage; whatever the author of a play has written is what must be acted out. If some actors are proving stubborn, all a director needs to do is replace them. There are many examples of people in RCCG who had a role to play in God’s plan, but they either left the church or decided to disobey God. Since God’s agenda must be fulfilled, He simply replaced them, and they lost out on the things He had in store for them.

God can never be left without options. The moment He calls on one fellow to do something and the person disobeys, He will prepare another person to take over. An example is King Saul; the moment he started to disobey God’s instructions, He sent Samuel to anoint David as king in his stead (1 Samuel 16:1). When footballers are playing on a field, and one of them misbehaves or is not meeting up to the coach’s expectations, that fellow might be replaced immediately.

Disobedience positions people for replacement. In 1 Samuel 15:1-28, God gave Saul a special assignment and told him exactly how to go about it. He, however, disobeyed God and decided to do things his own way. His disobedience was a sin before God and he got replaced. Another person who got replaced because of his disobedience to divine instruction was Eli. Although God had given his ancestor, Phinehas, the covenant of everlasting priesthood in Numbers 25:11-13, He revoked it when Eli started acting his own script on the stage (1 Samuel 2:27-36). He was eventually replaced by Samuel, his protegee (1 Samuel 3:11-20).

Beloved, God loves you so much, but if you start disobeying His instructions deliberately, you have set yourself against His will. Those who keep disobeying Him will eventually get replaced if they don’t repent. Do not be like them; follow the instructions of the Executive Producer, Producer, and Director of your life. Play your part in His script obediently, and you will experience His glory in all aspects of your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When I got born again over 50 years ago, I had many questions because I was an academic. As a baby Christian, I had a lot of questions, and I believe my pastor would probably have gotten tired of me if I had asked all of them. I had question Iike, “Is it true that God knows the end from the beginning? If yes, did He know that Adam and Eve would eat the forbidden fruit? If He knows the end from the beginning, then He should have definitely known that Adam and Eve would eat the forbidden fruit. If He knew that they were going to eat the forbidden fruit, why did He plant it? If He planted it, and they ate it as He knew they were going to, why was it an issue?” I had many such questions, and eventually, I turned to God and said, “Daddy, You see my heart; You know I am not issuing You queries. I just want to understand Your word better. Can You please answer these questions?” Finally, I got an answer from God. I learnt from Him that the whole world is a stage, and all of us are actors, just as Shakespeare, an English poet, had written. There is a play written by the Almighty God Himself, and this is why Hebrews 10:7 says in reference to Jesus:

“Then said I, “Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”

Acts 15:18 says, “Known unto God are all His works, from the beginning of the world.” Before you were born, God wrote a play, and you and l are to be actors in it. He is the Executive Producer, Producer, and even the Director, and we must follow His instructions to be able to function properly and play our parts according to His design and desire. You can rest assured that His plans for you are great. Jeremiah 29:11 says that God’s thoughts towards you are those of peace and not evil to bring you to an expected end in Him.

Beloved, God has a great plan for your life, and He intends for you to fulfil it so you can enjoy His peace. However, you must follow His script as it is contained in His word. Trust and obey His word, and He will bring you to a glorious end.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When people say, “You can do better than your best,” they mean that a person can still improve on his or her greatest achievement. However, when we talk about excellence, it means that something is so good that it cannot be improved upon.

In Luke 1:31-32, the angel told Mary that the baby she was about to conceive would be great. In Philippians 2:9-11, the Bible says that God gave Him a name that is above all names. John 3:34 also says that God gave Jesus the Holy Spirit without measure. What determines how great a believer will become is how full of the Holy Spirit he or she is. Jesus was excellent because He did not carry the Holy Spirit in a measure; He was totally full of the Holy Spirit.

One of my children once came to me and asked, “Daddy, do you know the Bible very well? Who is Prochorus?” I asked, “Is that name in the Bible?” He then said, “I thought you said you know the Bible.” He asked again, “Who is Nicanor?” I told him I didn’t know. “Who is Timon?” I said, “You mean Simon?” He said, “No, Timon.” I replied that I didn’t know Timon. Then, he told me that all the names he mentioned were part of the first seven deacons. This shows that in a group of selected people with the same qualifications and experience, some of them will still stand out as being excellent. They all had the same qualifications; however, when asked to list the names of the first deacons in the Bible, most people will only mention Stephen and Phillip.

In Acts 6:1-8, we see that Stephen was excellent and did great wonders and miracles among the people because he was full of faith, power, and the Holy Spirit. Being full of the Holy Spirit is in different levels, and your level of thirst will determine the level of fullness you will operate in. Beloved, to achieve excellence, prioritise being filled with the Holy Spirit at all times. Spend quality time in God’s presence, praising and worshipping Him. As you do this, you will become full of the Holy Spirit, and you will be empowered to excel even above those who are considered to be the best.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Genesis 47:7-9, Pharaoh asked Jacob, “How old are you?” Jacob responded, “I have travelled 130 years; my forefathers travelled longer.” The question, ‘How old are you?’ simply means, how far have you gone in the journey of life? The moment you are born, you begin a journey on earth. However, when you die, that journey ends; then, you face eternity either in heaven or hell, depending on whether you gave your life to Jesus Christ or not.

Let me ask you a question: since you’re on a journey on the earth, are you travelling in the right direction? Do you know God’s ordained destination for you?

Today, many people travel through life without seeking to know God’s will concerning their destination – you cannot afford to do that. You were born for a purpose, and if that purpose is not fulfilled, you will answer to the Giver of the life you are living now. Your decisions, whether small or big, will determine your destination in life. In Genesis 13:10-11, Lot decided on where to settle based on how pleasant the place looked without finding out God’s will. That single decision changed the course of his life and those of his descendants forever.

Beloved, the One who set you on this journey has a pre-determined destination for you and a map for you to get there. He said in Jeremiah 29:11 that He will bring you to an expected end. While God reveals destinations, He does not provide the full details about the journey all at once. He told Abraham, “Leave your father’s house, and I will take you to a land that I will show you.” He also told the Israelites, “I will take you to a Promised Land.” He showed Joseph that he would become a great ruler, and He also told Peter that He would make him a fisher of men. All these people had an idea of the destination, but the map to get there remained with God. The map that shows how you will fulfil destiny is with God; if you stay close to Him, He will guide you. David said in Psalm 119:105:

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Beloved, if you lose your relationship with God, you will lose your map, and you will likely arrive at the wrong destination. Stay close to God, and let Him guide all your steps in this journey of life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

On the day of Pentecost, the disciples were gathered together in one room and in one accord when suddenly, there came a sound as of a rushing mighty wind (Acts 2:1-4). This wind shook the entire house, and until now, the world has not recovered from that event. Whether you believe it or not, God is about to shake the whole world. A great revival is here, and you can be a part of it.

In 1979, l attended a Kenneth Hagin camp meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with my Father in the Lord and four other brethren. We stayed at Mayo Hotel, and very early one morning, my Father in the Lord sent for all of us. When we got to his room, we saw him praying in the Holy Spirit more deeply than we had ever seen him pray before. It was at that meeting that he dropped a bombshell – he was going to be called to glory soon, and I would be succeeding him as the church’s leader. When he said that, we all began to pray fervently. We were still praying when suddenly, the hotel’s engineer came knocking at the door. As I was standing closest to the door, I opened it. The engineer then asked, “What kind of instrument are you playing?” I replied, “We are not playing any instrument; we are praying.” He didn’t believe me, so he entered the room and looked everywhere. As he was going out, he asked, “What did you say you were doing?” I replied, “We were praying.” Then I asked, “What is wrong?” He said, “The hotel is shaking, and we have traced the source of the vibration to this room.” The building’s foundation was tested in an attempt to trace the cause of the vibration, but nothing was found. After we left, the hotel was shut down because there were major concerns about the vibration. Since they could not detect the cause of the vibration and they couldn’t possibly have believed that it was as a result of our prayers, the hotel had to be shut down for 30 years. That was an event that preceded the revival we are witnessing in the RCCG today.

When believers pray together in unity, great things happen; we can influence the world effectively and win many souls into the kingdom faster. Beloved, if you want to be part of a revival that will shake the earth and reveal God’s glory, you must become accustomed to fervent prayers in unity with other believers.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Several Scriptures clearly tell us that God hates disunity, and He loves it when His children are united. He said in John 13:35 that it is by showing love to one another that people will recognise us as His disciples. God is so particular about unity that He said that if you come to Him with an offering and remember that your brother has something against you, you must go and reconcile with him before returning to give your offering (Matthew 5:23-24).

God wants His children to be united because He knows that there is little we can achieve individually. He knows that the moment we begin to operate as separate entities, it will be easy for the devil to gain entry into our territories, and we will not be able to do much to stop him. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says:

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

There are many Christians and Christian organisations around the world. In fact, Christianity is considered to be the most popular religion in the world. Why, then, are the governments of some nations establishing anti-Christian policies and persecuting Christians? The major reason is that many of us Christians are living in isolation. If we come together and decree a thing, it will surely come to pass. If we can come together and decide to turn the whole world around for Christ, we will be unstoppable.

When you look at all the times that there have been revivals in the past, one major thing you will discover is that a significant part of the body of Christ was united. At the upper room, when the disciples were all in one accord, the Holy Ghost came down, and three thousand souls were saved on that day. The Bible further says in Acts 2:46-47 that the disciples were united and more and more people were added to the church daily.

Look within your local assembly; is there unity among you? Look at the environment where your church is located; is your local assembly working in unity with the other churches in the community? If we can only put aside our differences and come together to form a united front against the devil, we will discover that nothing will be impossible to us.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When people are not free to worship God the way they should, it means that their souls are in captivity. For example, when God sent Moses to Pharaoh to release the Israelites, He said, “Let my people go, so they can worship me” (Exodus 5:1).

I thank God for freedom of worship in some nations. To a large extent, in such countries, people can go to church anytime they want and worship God however they want to. In some other nations, however, the government dictates what the church should do and not do. For example, they try to force pastors to join people of the same gender in marriage. One of the RCCG pastors in a particular country was arrested because he addressed some people as ‘Ladies and gentlemen’. They said it was an insult because not all of them were ladies or gentlemen. The aim of all this is to change the way Christians worship God and force them to worship Him the way unbelievers want them to. Beloved, God’s standard remains sure. You must not adapt to ungodly practices, especially within the church, just because the people at the top say so. When you adapt, that’s slavery. Slavery, in its simplest terms, is anything that hinders you from living life abundantly and serving God wholeheartedly. Whenever you see such things around you, guard your heart and your territory.

Many Christians are already adhering to the ways of the world because of ungodly policies, and you must pray that those chains of bondage be broken speedily. When the chain of bondage was broken in Egypt, the principal thing that Pharaoh said was, “Go and worship God the way you want.”

Often, policies that endanger people’s souls don’t appear to be evil at first. This is why we must be sober and vigilant as believers. We must be sensitive and careful about the things we permit within and around us. Many believers keep saying, “It doesn’t matter” until their consciences become seared with the hot iron of immorality and darkness (1 Timothy 4:2). If it doesn’t conform to God’s will, it matters to God, and it should matter to you too.

Beloved, if you have been chained such that you can no longer serve God wholeheartedly, I pray that God will deliver you today. Your soul escapes like a bird from those shackles (Psalm 124:7), and may you enjoy the freedom to worship God in spirit and in truth, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Strife is dangerous; it damages relationships and destroys homes, especially when it is allowed to linger. When Abraham took his nephew, Lot, with him to the land God promised him, he didn’t think that issues would arise between them. Lot enjoyed God’s blessings because of Abraham, yet he wasn’t wise enough to tell his herdsmen to honour and respect Abraham’s herdsmen. Despite this, Abraham didn’t get offended. Instead, he settled the issue with Lot amicably. He called Lot and said, “Please, let there be no strife between us, for we are brethren.” Abraham valued his relationship with God and his brotherhood with Lot above the issues they were having. He even humbled himself and asked Lot to choose where he wished to go first. Abraham understood something many people do not understand; he knew that whenever you allow strife, you give room to the devil.

During a Festival of Life event of RCCG in London, a Polish couple that had been waiting for the fruit of the womb shared the testimony of how God blessed them with a child. When the husband was sharing the testimony, because English is not his native language, he said, “Last year, I came from Poland to the ministers’ conference because somebody told me that anybody the G.O. touches becomes pregnant.” My wife was sitting next to me, and she said jokingly, “Don’t touch me; I don’t want another pregnancy.” While we were able to laugh about what the man said because we understood his background, it could also have been misunderstood because of what touches in that context could imply. Indeed, there are more complex cases where misunderstandings can arise between two people because one or both of the parties are not taking account of the background of the other party as they relate with them.

Beloved, learn to consider people’s backgrounds when relating with them; this will help you to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. There are people who, because of where they are from and the fact that I am old enough to be their parent or grandparent, when they come to see me, l expect them to prostrate. Whereas there are others who, because of where they are from, I do not expect them to prostrate; in fact, I will be surprised if they do. What is a greeting to some people may seem like an insult to you, and if you regard their greeting as an insult, you will develop unnecessary anger and strife, which will give room to satan.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Psalm 126:1 says that when God turned the captivity of Zion, it was like a dream. When God gives you some testimonies, you might pinch yourself from time to time to be sure that you are awake and not dreaming. In Psalm 23:5, David said, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:…” That testimony was good enough, but then he went ahead to say, “…thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” I am sure that some of the people around him asked, “What kind of testimony is this? Brother, are you sure you are not exaggerating?”

I’ll share one of such testimonies with you. While I was a lecturer at the University of llorin, my wife and I had this teapot from which we could pour five cups of tea. Whenever we wanted to eat breakfast, my wife and I would fill the pot. After we have both had two cups of tea, the first person to finish the second cup of tea would usually go for the last cup. On one occasion, the teapot was full as usual, and after we had both had two cups of tea, we discovered that the pot was empty! As we looked at each other with a confused look on our faces, the Lord said to me, “When you were praying, you said, ‘Lord, bless this food, join us as we eat. I thought you invited me.” I was thrilled to learn that the Lord Jesus joined us for breakfast. However, when I shared this testimony, the brethren looked at me like I had gone crazy because I said that Jesus drank tea. It became an embarrassment, such that l had to cry to God to show me a similar incident from the Scriptures. Then, He showed me that in John 21, after Jesus had risen from the dead, He appeared to the disciples, and they joined Him at the shore and ate fish and bread with Him. The Lord said that after He rose from the dead, He could eat fish and bread, and if they had tea, He could have drank it with them also.

Beloved, God is able to do exceeding abundantly above your wildest imagination (Ephesians 3:20). I pray for you today that He will give you a testimony that people will find difficult to believe when you share it, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is very good to share testimonies about God’s goodness to you as it will boost the faith of others and position you to receive more from Him. There are, however, some testimonies that people will either find hard to believe or conclude that God is partial. Several years ago, one of my spiritual sons visited me and began to share testimonies about God’s blessings over him, his family, and his ministry. At a point, he stopped and said, “Daddy, I’m the only one talking; you haven’t said anything about what God is doing for you.” I said, “Son, if I tell you all that God is doing for me, you will say that God is partial.” I pray, in the name of Jesus, that God will give you testimonies that will make people say, “Are you the only one serving God?”

To receive above-and-beyond testimonies, you must be willing to serve God above and beyond the ordinary. You must also be willing to pray and fast often. In 2 Corinthians 11:27, Paul said, “…in fastings often…” In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, he advised, “Pray without ceasing.” No wonder the Bible says that God performed special miracles through Paul (Acts 19:11-12). God used him for extraordinary miracles because he gave himself to serving God extraordinarily. When you sow your service to God sparingly, you will reap containable miracles (2 Corinthians 9:6). However, when you give yourself to God’s will and work bountifully, you will receive testimonies that exceed what you can ask or imagine.

A lady kept trusting God for a husband until she passed childbearing age. During one of our services, I asked everybody to ask God for something. She told God, “I have waited on you for a long time for a husband, but I haven’t gotten one; however, it doesn’t matter because I will serve you all the days of my life.” A few days later, a young man proposed to her. She looked at him and said, “Are you sure? You better go and pray again.” The man said, “I am sure; I have prayed.” The lady said, “Don’t you want children? I have passed childbearing age.” The man said, “I lost my wife, and I already have children by her.” After they got married, she got pregnant and delivered a set of twins! God saw her heart and gave her a testimony above and beyond what she could have asked for. May you receive miracles that are above and beyond your wildest imaginations, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Humans are normally subject to the laws of nature. For example, this is why it is ordinarily impossible for people to walk on water due to the law of gravity. At times, however, the laws of nature can be suspended so that they do not act as a barrier to God’s children. Matthew 14:22-32 tells us that Peter walked on water. When he began to sink, he cried out, and Jesus grabbed his hand. After that, they both walked back to the boat on the water. The law of gravity was suspended for Peter.

When God gets involved in a situation, the laws of nature can be suspended. In Acts 12:5-11, when the angel came to release Peter from prison, the chains that were used to bind him dropped off by themselves, and the prison doors opened of their own accord. I pray that if there are doors that have been locked against you, they will open of their own accord because of the Holy Spirit, and you will reach heights that your enemies do not want you to get to, in Jesus’ name. If you continue reading that account in Acts 12, you will discover that when Herod sent for Peter to be brought out for execution, the guards reported that they could not find him, and Herod commanded that they should be executed instead. God is about to spring a surprise on your enemies, in Jesus’ name.

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31

When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, He will make you mount up with wings like an eagle to rise above all barriers in your path. He will remove every embargo that the devil may have placed on you and every limitation that he may have put on your family and business. He will also make your feet like a hind’s feet and set you upon your high places (Psalm 18:33). A hind is a female deer, and she can run securely in very rough terrains. Nothing limits or hinders her from running on very dangerous grounds. Where other animals will stumble and fall, a hind will run freely without any stress. I pray for you right now; the Holy Spirit will lift you above every limitation in your life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I will conclude the teaching I started yesterday by narrating one of my experiences. Years ago, the Nigerian government wanted to ensure that all the people being paid pensions were still alive, so they directed all pensioners to show up in a particular place. I decided to also go since I had retired from the university as a lecturer. While I was there, a woman, who was also a pensioner, saw me and began to scream. She said that she had been pregnant for about 14 years, and she wanted me to pray for her. I laid my hands on her, prayed a simple prayer, and she delivered right there in that office. The people around there began to wonder who I was. When the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will become a wonder.

The Holy Spirit releases captives and sets people free to do God’s will. During Jesus’ human ministry, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Him, and he performed many mighty miracles. In today’s Bible reading, a woman, who had been bent over for eighteen years because of a spirit of infirmity, received her freedom and stood upright. She had been limited in what she could see and do, yet when Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, laid His hands on her, she stood upright immediately and glorified God. The people around also rejoiced for the glorious thing that had been done. At another time, Jesus met a man who had an infirmity for thirty-eight years. Immediately, Jesus told him to rise, take up his bed, and walk (John 5:1-9). In another place, He restored a madman who lived among the tombs to his right mind (Mark 5:1-15). He also raised Lazarus, who had been dead for four days (John 11:1-44). Jesus went about doing good because the Holy Spirit was upon Him (Acts 10:38). When He comes upon you, you will also go about doing good, healing the sick, and delivering those who are oppressed by the devil.

The Holy Spirit, however, doesn’t force people or try to make unwilling vessels a wonder in their world. Are you a willing vessel? Are you willing to do His will and obey His every command? I pray that you will come into an unusual dimension of the Holy Spirit, and through you, He will perform great and mighty wonders, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Acts 3:1-11, after God healed the lame man, everyone looked on in amazement because they had just witnessed something wonderful. Another wonder happened in Acts 5:14-16 as Peter’s shadow healed the sick. Likewise, in Acts 19:11-12, God performed special miracles through Paul such that his handkerchiefs and aprons healed the sick. Who turned them into such a wonder? The simple answer is the Holy Spirit.

When I was a lecturer at the University of Lagos, the dean of my faculty was Late Professor Chike Obi, a renowned mathematician. God later called me into full-time ministry and I resigned from the university system. After some years, Professor Obi, who was now retired, travelled all the way from his hometown to Redemption City to pay me a visit. I wasn’t at home, but he met my wife, and he told her that he would return. The next time he came, he saw me and said, “I just wanted to be sure that it is the same Adeboye that I knew who is now making waves all over the world.” I replied, “I am the same person, but the Adeboye you knew is a mathematician; the one before you now is a carrier of the Holy Spirit, and He makes a difference.”

In Psalm 71, David praised God for all He had done for him, and in verse 7, which is our memory verse, he testified that he had become a wonder. People who encounter the Holy Spirit become wonders to their world. Just as He turned the disciples, countless fathers in the faith, and even me into a wonder, He can do the same for you.

Before I joined RCCG, I experienced a lot of hardship despite all my degrees and qualifications. However, when I surrendered my life to Jesus and the Holy Spirit came upon me, l began to experience the supernatural wonders of God’s kingdom. Difficult things became easy, and the seemingly impossible became possible.

One of my daughters was told by doctors that she would never give birth because her womb was too small to nurture a child to the point of delivery. She kept having miscarriages, but the Holy Spirit stepped in and decided to make her a wonder unto many. She got pregnant again, carried the pregnancy to the point of delivery, and when she delivered, she gave birth to quadruplets. I prophesy that you will have a life-changing encounter with the Holy Spirit that will transform you into a wonder, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Why did a whole army choose to wait until morning to attack just one man as we read in Judges 16:1-3? I believe it was because they were afraid of Samson, and they knew they would need light in case he turned on them and they had to run. Who can make you a terror to the forces of darkness and use you to force open the gates of a city for the light of the gospel to flood in? The answer is the Holy Spirit.

I recall when we first started to hold crusades across Nigeria in our hunger to do God’s work. We would call all the ministers together at our chosen location, feed them, and explain that we wanted to hold a crusade in their city. They would come, eat our food, promise their full cooperation, and on the day of the crusade, they would all fix programmes in their churches so there would be nobody to attend our crusade. After some time, out of frustration, I told God, “Father, I want to do your work, but I’m spending and being spent without getting results.” God replied, “The fault is yours; you’re trying to do my work without the Holy Spirit.”

When secret cults were beginning to take over Nigerian universities, the Holy Spirit ministered to me to take the Holy Ghost Service to the universities. I started with the University of Ibadan, and when we told them we were hosting a Holy Ghost Service, all the students, lecturers, and the Vice-Chancellor came out. To make matters interesting, as I took the microphone that day, the rain began. Although we were in the open, no one left, not even the Vice-Chancellor! When we asked those who wanted to forsake their secret societies to come forward, because the Holy Spirit was there, thousands of people came out.

Beloved, above all you do, cultivate an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit, and He will not only empower you but will also transform your life. For example, before I became born again, I lived in fear and could not visit my village because I was afraid of the forces of darkness there. Nowadays, however, I announce my visits ahead because l have been empowered by my intimacy with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will make you a terror to the kingdom of darkness as He did with the early disciples (Acts 17:6) if you surrender your life to Jesus Christ and build an intimate relationship with Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.