₦airaland Forum

God cares deeply for all His children. In 2 Kings 4:1-7, we read about the widow of one of the sons of the prophets whose husband died and left her with a load of debt. When the creditor came and wanted to take her sons into bondage if she didn’t pay, she cried to Elisha, who told her to borrow many vessels and pour from the little bottle of oil that she had at home into them. The Great Provider stepped in, and she was able to pay off her debt and live off the proceeds of the oil she sold for the rest of her life. In John 6:5-13, Jesus fed 5,000 men, not counting women and children, with a boy’s lunch. To show that He truly cared, He multiplied the lunch until everybody was fed and there were twelve baskets of leftovers. These and many more stories show that Jesus truly cares.

Jesus also cares about us, not just our needs. He knows how fragile our human bodies are, and He wants us to be in good shape to do what He has called us to do. Years ago, there was a day l attended to people from 8:00am until 6:00pm when I managed to eat a little before attending our Bible study service. When I returned to my office, people were already waiting to see me. I kept praying for people until 10:30pm, and I was told there were ten more people waiting. By that time, my body was aching, and I was very tired. I asked God for what to do, and He said, “You don’t need to stand to pray for them. Sit down, touch their head, and let them go. They will receive their miracle.” I was surprised, and I said, “God, you mean I can talk to You, the Almighty, sitting down?” He replied that He has walked on the earth as a human, and He knows what it means to be tired.

Jesus knows our weak frame and cares deeply about us (Psalm 103:14). He is our High Priest who is touched with the feelings of our infirmities because He faced the same issues we now face (Hebrews 4:15). In 1 Kings 17:1-16, we see how God cared for His prophet throughout the famine; he wasn’t stranded at any point.

Beloved, put all your trust in God. He truly cares for you, and He will never leave you stranded.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jesus gave what many call ‘The Great Invitation’ to everyone (Matthew 11:28-30). He promised to give rest to everyone who comes to Him, and that includes you.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:31 that you should never worry. He wants you to cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). He owns you, so He will take care of you. The question now is, does Jesus really own you? Does He own the thoughts of your heart, the direction and focus of your eyes, and your resources? If He truly owns you, then you have nothing to worry about. However, if there are parts of your life that you haven’t surrendered totally to Him, then there’s cause for worry.

My Father in the Lord taught me that it is what your father has that he will take care of you with. If God is your Father and owner, then He will take care of you with pleasures forevermore because they are abundant at His right hand (Psalm 16:11). However, if the devil owns you and you do his will, he will take care of you with lies and torment because that is his speciality. When the devil owns a fellow, that fellow will always be in need, because true satisfaction can only be found in God. The devil has nothing good to offer his own. While he has slaves, God has sons, and as a son of the Most High, all things are yours (1 Corinthians 3:21). God is extending a great invitation to you today, just like the one Jesus extended to the crowd on the great day of the feast in today’s Bible reading. He is calling you to come and drink and to come and buy wine without money and without price. He is calling you to a life of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17).

I call heaven and earth to record this day… that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Deuteronomy 30:19

The ball is in your court. Do not live in anxiety, fear, and confusion; accept the great invitation to surrender completely to God so you can enjoy all the goodies He has for His children. When you choose life, you make the best choice, not only for yourself but also for generations after you. Beloved, accept God’s great invitation – choose life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Miracles are extraordinary events that defy natural and scientific explanations. Our God is a God of miracles, and He takes great delight in shocking doubters and sceptics. God does different kinds of miracles, but today, I will focus on His creative miracles.

God performs creative miracles when people have concluded that a terrible situation is beyond remedy – nothing is impossible for Him. In John 9:1-7, Jesus and His disciples passed by a man who had been born blind, and the disciples asked Jesus about whose sin was responsible for the man’s predicament. Jesus told them that it wasn’t a question of sin but that the man’s condition was intended to bring God glory. Jesus spat on the ground, made some mud, and put it on the blind man’s eyes. He then told the man to go and wash, and after he washed off the mud, he came back seeing. That is what I call a creative miracle – a miracle involving the act of creation. If the doctors have said that you have an irreversible medical condition, God will recreate the part of your body that is affected, in Jesus’ name. This was what God did in 2 Kings 5:1-14 when He healed Naaman’s leprosy and made his flesh become like that of a newborn baby.

I have seen numerous cases of women who didn’t have a womb but who gave birth to babies. Some of them had multiple births more than once. God is able to handle genetic issues, change blood groups, replace missing body parts, and even increase or reduce people’s weights and heights. A man who had childlike faith once sat listening to me. As miracles happened around the altar, he struggled to see all that was happening because his sight was blocked by people who were taller than him. He then said in his heart, “If only I was taller.” God heard him and told me that there was someone in the congregation who wished he was taller. He told me to tell the person to look down, and if he finds that his trousers have become shorter, he should know that there is nothing wrong with them because he is the one who had grown taller. When it was time for testimonies, he came forward with his wife, who testified that her husband had indeed grown taller. How do you explain that? God’s creative power was at work to make the impossible possible.

I pray that God will give you creative miracles, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A brilliant Bible study leader always taught married couples that when the wife is pregnant and is about to deliver, all they need do is bind all the bindables, loose all the loosables, command the baby to come out, and the baby will be delivered easily. When he got married, and his wife became pregnant and was about to deliver, he said the same prayers, but the baby did not come out. After his wife had been in labour for three days, he fell on his face and said, “God, just have mercy on me.” When he went back to see his wife, their baby had been delivered safely.

God is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4); His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him (Psalm 103:17). In Mark 1:40-42, a leper came to Jesus and said, “I know you can heal me if you are willing.” Jesus, moved with compassion, said, “I will,” and He did.

Beloved, when your prayers don’t seem to be answered, just ask God for mercy; He hardly ignores such a plea. In Luke 18:10-14, Jesus told the story of two fellows who went to the temple to pray. One of them, a Pharisee, told God about all his good deeds; the other, a publican, bowed his head and said, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” The man who cried for mercy was the one who returned home justified. When you ask for mercy, you acknowledge your helplessness before God, and He will respond to you with help. Bartimaeus’ cry for mercy reached Jesus’ ears, and he got his miracle. He didn’t only receive his sight; Jesus made him whole (Mark 10:46-52). The woman from Tyre and Sidon cried for mercy on behalf of her demon-possessed daughter, and Jesus helped her (Matthew 15:21-28). Those who ask God for mercy never leave empty-handed.

You need God’s mercy when things are good and when they are not so good. You need mercy when you are in need and when you are satisfied. When in need, God’s mercy will bring you answers to problems, and in good times, His mercy will preserve your blessings. The cry for mercy shouldn’t only be on the lips of those who are in trouble and need urgent help; even those who live in abundance and believe they don’t have problems must ask for mercy so nothing will tamper with their blessings.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

PRAYER POINTS:

1. I thank You Lord for helping me thus far. It is only by Your guidance and help that I have come so far in this journey of life.

2. Father, I acknowledge You as my only source. Please, let me continually enjoy Your blessings and abundance in every aspect of my life, in Jesus’ name.

3. Father, please help me to dwell in Your presence at all times. Please surround every area of my life with the fullness of joy from Your presence, in Jesus’ name.

4. Father, please banish barrenness in my life forever. I reject any form of barrenness, and I decree that I will be fruitful in everything I lay my hands on, in Jesus’ name.

5. Father, please let me enjoy divine health for the rest of my life. Let my body, mind, and spirit be healthy at all times, in Jesus’ name.

6. Father, I entrust my future into Your hands, please make my path brighter and brighter every day. Guide me towards Your divine purpose for my life, in Jesus’ name.

7. Father, please help me to serve You with all my heart until I see You in glory.

8. Father, please don’t let me make grievous mistakes in my journey of life. Help me to follow Your will for my life, and let me finish well, in Jesus’ name.

9. Father, You promised to never leave me nor forsake me. Please, let Your presence continually abide with me, in Jesus’ name.

10. Father, please help me to depend on You all the days of my life. Give me the grace to reject alternatives to Your will for my life, in Jesus’ name.

11. Father, please guide me at all times. Help me to always hear Your voice telling me which way to go, in Jesus’ name.

12. Your personal prayer points for yourself.

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When you partake of the Holy Communion, you are eating Jesus’ body and drinking His blood, as we read in 1 Corinthians 11:23-34. You are not just touching His body and blood, you are ingesting Him, and you can boldly say to anyone, “Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

When I was an interpreter for my Father in the Lord, I usually looked forward to Holy Communion services. Then, we partook of the Holy Communion once every year, and was always excited because I knew that my spiritual battery would be recharged. Papa would be preaching, and I would be interpreting, thinking to myself, “Papa, please hurry up so we can get to the Communion.” By the time we finally got around to drinking the wine, I usually had to control myself from dropping the cup because I would be shaking from head to toe. I cherish partaking of the Communion so much because I always experience a new infilling of the Holy Spirit every time I drink the wine.

The Holy Communion is not an ordinary meal; the moment God’s minister blesses the bread and the wine, using the words of Jesus Christ in 1 Corinthians 11:24-26, they become sacred. The wine in the Communion represents the blood of Jesus, and this blood cleanses from all sin. The blood also causes every evil to pass over us as it did with the Israelites on the night the destroyer killed all the firstborns in Egypt (Exodus 12:21-30). This means that the blood of Jesus protects us and grants us victory over the enemy (Revelation 12:11). This is why those who drink it unworthily (in sin) fall sick and die (1 Corinthians 11:27-30). Those who drink it worthily experience a resurrection power from within, producing healing, deliverance, intimacy with God, and more.

When you take the Holy Communion, you have come to dine at the table of the King of kings, and it is important that you do not have anything that will mark you as an enemy of the King as you approach His table. Ensure that you examine yourself and get rid of anything that would expose you to the wrath of the King. Get rid of sin, doubt, and everything that would not allow the power in Christ’s body and blood to manifest in your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Ezekiel 37:1-14, Ezekiel found himself in a valley that was full of dry bones. When God asked him, “Can these bones live?” The prophet, considering the seemingly impossible situation before him, answered, “Lord, only You can tell.” In other words, he was saying, “This is beyond my faith.” God asked him to prophesy, and as he did, the dry bones came back to life.

Most ministers of God know that He can do all things. However, sometimes, the faith of even the greatest ministers can be terribly shaken. Sometimes, God will ask me to do something, and despite my faith in Him, I will say, “Daddy, this is beyond my faith.” He will ask me to prophesy all the same, and I will just obey and leave the fulfilment to Him.

When you hear a minister of God prophesy, and it is beyond your faith, please don’t speak against the prophecy. Even if you don’t believe the prophecy, control your mouth not to speak against it because the consequences may be severe. In 2 Kings 7:19-20, a top government official said it was impossible for Elisha’s prophecy to be fulfilled; he saw the prophecy come to pass, but he died before he could partake of it.

In Mark 9:14-27, Jesus’ disciples were unable to deliver a demon-possessed boy, and his father had lost hope. When Jesus arrived at the scene, the boy’s father’s request for compassion was filled with doubt. I know this because Jesus said, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Instead of sinking further in unbelief, the man cried out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief,” and he received his miracle.

When situations are beyond your faith, cry out to God for help to believe. He can increase your faith to help you cooperate with Him to birth the impossible. Don’t hinder your miracle because of unbelief. God wants you to be willing to do whatever He demands, like the servants at the wedding in Cana (John 2:5-.

Beloved, when God brings situations that are beyond your faith your way, He wants to glorify Himself. At such times, it is not about what your faith can do but what God can do with your obedience and whatever measure of faith you have.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I discussed how every part of your life was created to give God pleasure. Today, I want to show you that you were also created to give God glory.

In John 9:1-7, the disciples asked Jesus about what was responsible for a blind man’s situation, and He replied that it was not a question of sin but that God’s glory might be revealed. The Lord spat on the ground, made some mud, put it on the blind man’s eyes, and asked him to go and wash. The blind man came back seeing.

Glory belongs to God; He is the Father of glory (Ephesians 1:17). God is very jealous of His glory (Isaiah 42:, and everything you do must give Him glory. If you try to hinder God from getting glory, He will only use you to get even more glory, as He did with Pharaoh. Even today, God is getting glory from the destruction of Pharaoh and his army because he tried to hinder the Israelites from worshipping and giving God glory (Exodus 15:1-4). Those who try to take God’s glory will bring God’s judgment upon themselves if they don’t repent. When Nebuchadnezzar’s heart was lifted because of his accomplishments, God made him roam the forest for seven years like a wild beast (Daniel 4:28-33). After eating grass like an animal, his understanding returned to him, and he gave God the glory He deserved (Daniel 4:34). It took a terrible experience for Nebuchadnezzar to give all the glory to God – do not be like Him. Always give God the glory that is due to His name. Herod also learnt to give God the glory the hard way. However, unlike Nebuchadnezzar who got a second chance, he was eaten up by worms until he died because he didn’t give God the glory (Acts 12:20-23).

It is a terrible and fearful thing to fall into the hands of our God, who doesn’t share His glory. When God does something for you, don’t act like you did it all by yourself; acknowledge Him and give Him the glory. Some men of God have allowed the power God gave them to deceive them into thinking they are very important. Stop stealing God’s show because you are absolutely nothing without Him. When God does anything through you, He does it for His name’s sake. Don’t ever forget that you are what you are by the grace of God. God deserves all the glory, and He must have it all.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God created the heavens and the earth in the beginning (Genesis 1:1-3). Revelation 4:11 also says that He made all things for His pleasure. Thus, He can control all things, and this is why the wind and the sea obeyed Him (Mark 4:35-41).

You were made for God’s pleasure, but He cannot get any pleasure when your body is sick. In Mark 3:1-5, Jesus saw a man with a withered hand in the temple and must have thought to Himself, “Hand, I didn’t make you to be withered; I made you for clapping.” The man with the withered hand didn’t pray or ask for healing; the Lord healed the hand because it wasn’t giving Him pleasure.

There was once an elderly man who was driving his Ford car when it suddenly broke down by the roadside. As he stood by the car looking confused, a rich man stopped right next to him and asked if he could help. The rich man got out of his car, opened the trunk of the faulty car, touched a few things, and attempted to start the car. Immediately, the car started. Amazed, the old man turned to the rich man and asked, “Why did you stop to help me?” The rich man replied, “My name is Henry Ford. I made that car to run, not to stop by the wayside.” Beloved, the One who made you is passing by now, and He will deal with everything in your life that is not giving Him glory, in Jesus’ name.

When something is not as God created it to be, it doesn’t give Him pleasure. If there is any part of your life that is not revealing God’s purpose, rather than complain, begin to speak God’s counsel over it. God does all things after the counsel of His will, and when you stand on His will concerning anything, that thing must align to give Him pleasure (Ephesians 1:11).

In Mark 8:22-26, a blind man was brought to Jesus. Jesus led him out of the town, spat in his eyes, and put His hands on him. When He asked the blind man if he saw anything, the man replied, “I see men as trees walking.” Even though he could now see, his eyes were not working optimally. Jesus didn’t leave him to ‘manage’ the eyes; He laid His hands on him again, and he saw clearly. God wants every aspect of your life to perform optimally; nothing less than this gives Him pleasure.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When I was a lecturer at the University of llorin, after my morning lectures, I would leave the campus, go home for lunch, and relax before returning for my evening lectures. I was also serving as the pastor of the RCCG parish in Ilorin then, so our living room was constantly filled with people. One afternoon, after eating, l lay on the couch in the living room to rest before returning for my evening lectures. I closed my eyes so people walking around would think that I was sleeping and not disturb me.

While lying down, someone grabbed my hands and legs and bent as if to kiss me. Initially, I thought it was my wife, but then I realised that whoever could hold my hands and legs at the same time must be much taller and stronger than her. I opened my eyes immediately, and the being (I really couldn’t make out what it was) vanished. I wondered what had just happened as I felt a cold sensation run down my spine. l shook it off and went for my lectures. While I was on the campus, I started experiencing a terrible stomach ache, which led to severe stooling and vomiting. On returning home, I had to practically crawl from my car to the bathroom. Then I asked, “Lord, why is this happening to me?” and He responded, “I just wanted you to get a glimpse of the battles I fight for you that you are not aware of.” Immediately He said that, the stomach ache, stooling, and vomiting stopped.

You have no idea how much God protects you as you go about your daily activities. You may think that you go and come safely because you are very careful or because you are a good driver, but believe me, your carefulness or driving skills cannot get you out of an accident that the devil has planned; only God can guarantee your safety. If you think that you are surrounded by security personnel, what will happen if they face a terror group with more sophisticated weapons than them? This is why Psalm 127:1 says that the watchman watches in vain if the Lord is not watching over the city.

Beloved, some people have plied the same routes you ply and gotten kidnapped or killed. Also, the same kind of food you eat is what has caused the death of others. You should constantly thank God for your safety; you will not be alive without Him (Lamentations 3:22).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Anytime you please God, He will do something really amazing for you. In 2 Chronicles 1:6-15, Solomon pleased God. He wasn’t pleasing men or trying to get their approval; he wanted to please the God of wonders. Today, people are still talking about Solomon because of the great things that God did in his life. God prospered him physically – throughout his life, there was no war because God silenced all his enemies (1 Kings 5:4). God also prospered him mentally and materially – his wisdom and riches were so great that God said that no other king will ever be like him. If you read 1 Kings 3:15-28, you will see an example of how God blessed Solomon.

When you please God in your sowing, He will give you multiple wonders so that long after you are gone, your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will still be reaping from the harvest. I pray that God will open the eyes of your understanding to know that harvest is a wonder; all you need to do is sow in such a manner that pleases God and leave the rest to Him. Very soon, the world will come to you and ask why you are so successful.

When a person’s ways please the Lord, He summons forces on earth, in heaven, and underneath the earth to come to that fellow’s aid. As we read in Proverbs 16:7, even those who do not like the fellow will have no choice but to bless him or her.

When Isaac asked Esau to prepare him venison so that he could eat and bless him before his death, Jacob brought a delicious meal to him, and Isaac began to rain blessings on him because he enjoyed the food so much. Isaac was so pleased that he blessed Jacob with the dew of heaven, the fatness of the earth, plenty of corn and wine, and the gifts of men (Genesis 27:28-29). If an earthly father can bless his son who pleased him with such blessings, how much more our heavenly Father who owns all silver, gold, and the cattle upon a thousand hills (Haggai 2:8, Psalm 50:10)?

When your ways please God, and He blesses you, nobody can hinder your blessings. No human being, demon, witch, or wizard can oppose you when you please God. Abraham was too blessed to be cursed or hindered by any evil power. Beloved, please God in all your ways, and His blessing will rest upon you and your household, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The first thing to understand about harvests is that they ultimately come from God. 1 Corinthians 3:6 says, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” Also, harvests come in different levels, which Jesus identified as thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold (Mark 4:20).

Some Bible scholars believe that a thirtyfold harvest results from giving to the household of faith (Galatians 6:9-10). When you help a fellow Christian, you are sowing into a soil that will bring forth at least thirtyfold. When Dorcas was sowing into the lives of the people in her church, she didn’t know that she would reap a harvest of resurrection. Her seeds were so precious that they sent for Peter to raise her from the dead (Acts 9:36-42).

There are Bible scholars who also believe that you will reap a sixtyfold harvest when you sow to a minister of God (Matthew 10:41). When you do something for your pastor, and he or she says, “God bless you,” your seed will return at least a sixtyfold harvest, just as we see in 1 Kings 17:10-16. The widow of Zarephath and her son had given up on life before she honoured Elijah with their last meal. She experienced a massive turnaround, and throughout the grievous famine, her jar of flour never ran out, and her jug of oil never became empty (1 Kings 17:16). Furthermore, apart from material blessings, when her son died, God brought him back to life (1 Kings 17:17-24).

Some Bible scholars also believe that giving to the high priest will yield a hundredfold harvest. Hebrews 5:1-4 tells us that the high priest is someone God has chosen to represent men before Him. The highest spiritual authority God has ordained over you is a representative of Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16), and if you give to such a fellow, you can rest assured that God will bless you a hundredfold and more in return.

Where and how you sow your seeds play a significant role in determining the level of harvests you can get from God. You should, however, ensure your sowing is done out of love to honour God and not just because you want a harvest from Him. God wants you to give cheerfully and sacrificially (2 Corinthians 9:7, Mark 12:41-44), and He judges the intent of your heart (1 Samuel 16:7). I pray that you will experience bountiful blessings as you honour Him with your giving, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I will discuss what it means to sow on good ground. Mark 4:20 tells us that the seeds which fell on good ground brought forth a harvest. This implies that they did not fall by the wayside, they were watered by God, and they were not suffocated by thorns. For you to sow on good ground and reap bountiful harvests, you must do the following:

1. Honour God with your resources and obey all His principles for financial success.


Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Proverbs 3:9-10

2. Cheerfully support God’s work financially. Giving towards God’s work can be by supporting a kingdom project, blessing a church, or sowing into the lives of God’s servants.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7

3. Give to the poor and the needy. When you stretch out your hands to bless the less privileged, God blesses you in return.

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
Proverbs 19:17, ESV

4. Be generous. Generosity attracts God’s blessings; whatever you give to others, you will receive in multiple folds.

The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
Proverbs 11:25

5. Wait for God’s instructions before making financial decisions. When you seek His face before making decisions, He will guide you along the right path, but those who hastily make deals or investments without seeking God get their fingers burnt.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

Beloved, if you have been sowing your seeds by the wayside, on stony ground, or among thorns, the good news is that if you change your ways and start living by the principles above, you will experience the harvest that comes from sowing on good ground. I pray that the Lord will restore all that you may have lost from sowing wrongly, and your seeds will produce great harvests from now, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I will continue my discussion on the different kinds of soils by examining thorny grounds. Thorns are dangerous, and they choke everything they come in contact with. When people lead lifestyles that drain them financially because they want to show off, they are sowing on thorny ground. For example, such people may rent apartments that their income can hardly sustain, buy expensive clothes and jewellery that they cannot afford and get into unnecessary debt just to sustain their fake lifestyles.

When you live an extravagant life, you are putting your money in thorny ground. An adage says, ‘Cut your coat according to your cloth. Beloved, you must learn to live within your means and not make lifestyle decisions based on resources you do not have – some people fall into this trap because of their circle of friends. The Scripture says that blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly (Psalm 1:1). If you have friends who spend lavishly without counting the cost, you might follow suit and end up in debt.

Thorns can also refer to things that cause pockets to have holes. When the Israelites returned from exile in Babylon, they started building the temple, and at some point, they stopped and concentrated only on building their houses and empires. Haggai rebuked them for becoming self-centred and neglecting God’s house, telling them that they will never be satisfied with the things they have because of their attitude (Haggai 1:4-6).

God will not release His wisdom for financial abundance to those who will consume the wealth He gives them on their lusts. If all you care about is yourself, you are filling your ground with thorns because selfishness chokes God’s blessings upon a man’s life. Many people pray and fast for financial breakthroughs; however, few receive financial wisdom for such breakthroughs because God cannot trust them not to waste the wealth He gives them on their lusts. Can God trust you to continue to put Him first after He has blessed you financially? Will you still care for His kingdom when you arrive at your desired financial destination?

Beloved, ask the Lord to remove any attitude that tends to choke His blessings in your life and promise Him that you will always put Him first so that He can pour His blessings on you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I explained that the quality of soil determines the level of harvest that a seed can yield. When a seed is planted in some soils, it will not even germinate. In Mark 4:4, we see that some seeds that fell on the wrong kind of soil did not germinate because birds ate them.

Some scholars have suggested that the wayside refers to money spent on regular wild parties and other similar vices. When people throw parties, people will come, eat, drink, and say ‘thank you’; however, that is where it all ends. Such people might say, “Others will invite me to their parties also.” This is true, but we do not live by parties; we live by daily bread. If you want God’s wisdom for financial prosperity, you must be prudent with your spending.

There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
Proverbs 21:20

Only fools spend everything they have at once. Some people spend all their earnings recklessly. For example, some unbelievers drink and buy alcohol for others. Such people are unwise because, like the prodigal son, they will eventually be abandoned by those they lavished their money on.

The wayside can also refer to actions that expose people’s finances to satanic attacks. In the parable of the sower, the seeds that fell by the wayside were eaten by birds, and as Jesus explained in Mark 4:14-15, the birds represent satan. When Christians do not pay their tithes, they are robbing God and throwing their finances on the wayside for satan to devour. Paying your tithes makes the Lord rebuke the devourer for your sake (Malachi 3:8-11).

When believers, including ministers of God, steal God’s money or take anything that doesn’t belong to them without permission from the owners, they are exposing themselves to the devil’s attacks. Someone once said to me, “I learned that your Festival of Life programme in the UK has become very big.” I said, “Yes, sir.” Then, he said, “How much is the church’s income from the service?” When I told him that I didn’t know, he didn’t believe me. I told him that the UK pastors were in charge and that they know that the Bible is clear that anyone who acquires wealth wrongly would die suddenly (Jeremiah 17:11). Those who steal God’s money are inviting satan to feast on their lives and finances.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Seeds have the potential to become harvests, but not all fulfil that potential. John 12:24 says that except a seed falls to the ground and dies, it abides alone. Every seed remains alone if it is kept in a bag or on a shelf; it can be eaten as it is, but it won’t be multiplied. Isaiah 55:10 says that God gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater. Beloved, you can choose to either be a sower or an eater. If you keep eating everything that comes to you, what then will you sow in order to have a greater harvest?

Wise people set apart good seeds to be sown into good soils, and they get great harvests. Money that is put aside for investment is a seed, while the place, person, or business that it is invested in is the soil. The better the soil, the better the harvest will be. You must learn to recognise good soils and water your seeds to ensure they yield the best harvest.

Over the next few days, I will discuss the different kinds of soils and the ones you should invest in or avoid. Today, however, I will explain some vital keys to financial wisdom.

Job 36:11 tells us a secret to accessing God’s wisdom for financial prosperity: obey and serve Him. When you obey God, He will show you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches in secret places (Isaiah 45:3). How obedient are you to God concerning your finances? Do you honour Him with all He has given you? Do you pay your tithes faithfully? Do you give to the needy and poor?

When you obey God, He will give you supernatural ideas that will make you thrive in the midst of famine, just as He gave Isaac. Isaac wanted to relocate when famine hit the land, but God told him to stay put, and he obeyed. His obedience gave him access to God’s wisdom, and despite the famine, he reaped a hundredfold that same year (Genesis 26:1-12).

Job 36:11 also talks about service as a key to God’s wisdom for financial prosperity. How you serve God matters. If you serve Him grudgingly or carelessly, He will not trust you with the wisdom to make wealth. Jesus told us not to cast our pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6-7); He won’t cast His before swine too.

Beloved, serve God acceptably in reverence and godly fear (Hebrews 12:28), and He will bless you with financial wisdom, among other things.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Years ago, I suddenly discovered that I was having trouble with my hearing. I called one of my daughters, who is a doctor, and asked her to check my ears. When she checked them, she exclaimed, “Oh God!” She then said that both ears had growths inside, and she encouraged me to go to the hospital. I smiled and told her to give me seven days, after which I would allow her to do whatever needed to be done medically if the growths were still there. I knew that I have a Father who is the Doctor of doctors, so I spoke to Him after she left. I said, “Father, please give me new ears because I need to be able to hear people say ‘amen’ when I pray.” When she returned on the seventh day to look into my ears, she exclaimed again, “Oh God!” But that time around, her exclamation was a positive one because Jehovah Rapha had healed me.

Do you know that it is possible to live without falling sick? Do you know that healing is your bread if you are a child of God? However, for God to be the Lord that heals you, you must diligently hearken to His voice (Exodus 15:26). You must do whatever He tells you to do and obey Him promptly. When the ten lepers saw Jesus and cried out to Him for healing, He asked them to go and show themselves to the priests (Luke 17:11-14). Doing that was risky because if they got to the priest without being healed, they might have been stoned to death. They took the risk to obey Jesus, and they were healed. Likewise, the man who was born blind received his healing when Jesus asked him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam (John 9:7). He chose to obey Jesus, and he returned with his sight.

Beloved, it is God’s will for you to enjoy healing in all areas of your life. It is the Father’s good pleasure for you to live in sound health, but you must hearken diligently to His voice. What has God asked you to stop eating or drinking? What has He asked you to start doing? Be prompt to obey Him, and you will enjoy healing and sound health in all areas, in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Jeremiah 23:6

Jehovah Tsidkenu means ‘the Lord our righteousness’. All our righteousness comes from God; He is the Source and Standard of righteousness. If you are not righteous before Him, then you are not righteous. The world is not our standard; the Lord is.

Once you become a child of God, He puts His Spirit within you, and He begins to work in you to fulfil His perfect will (Philippians 2:13). He begins to guide you and show you the right ways to do things.

Before I surrendered my life to Christ and became sanctified, my heart was so hard that I just didn’t know what it meant to cry. For example, I happened to be the favourite son of my biological father because I was his last son, and I really did love him too, but when he died, I did not cry. However, when the Holy Spirit came into me, He made my heart tender. He taught me how my heart should be and the right way to respond to things. Now, when I see people crying, tears will often begin to well up in my eyes too. I am no longer hard-hearted because the Holy Spirit has shown me and is still showing me my heavenly Father’s righteous, loving, and compassionate ways of doing things.

Knowing God as your righteousness will set you free from trying to please Him by your power. The Bible says that it is not by power, nor by might, but by the Spirit of the Lord (Zechariah 4:6). Our Father is a good Father; He shows us His ways and gives us His Spirit to help us follow them perfectly. It is not by how many laws and commandments you can keep but by how yielded you are to the Holy Spirit.

Beloved, the Bible makes it clear that Christ has been made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30). Since Christ has become our righteousness, we can no longer live for ourselves. When we put on the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our righteousness, we receive the empowerment of His Spirit to stop making provisions for the flesh to commit sin (Romans 13:14)
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I once had an extremely wealthy friend who lived in Australia. By the time he was about to die, he had billions of dollars in his bank account. When the Lord sent me to preach to him, he told me that every time he closed his eyes to sleep, he would find himself among dead people. Thus, he was always afraid to sleep. Despite his great wealth, he had no peace. Anyone who hasn’t given his or her life to Jesus cannot experience His peace.

When people surrender their lives to Jesus Christ, they feel a great peace within them. This is a common experience to everyone in Christ. When you surrender to God, you will realise that you have been carrying a heavy load in your heart for so long. Jehovah Shalom lifts that load off you and gives you peace. Jesus described this in Matthew 11:28:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

What has been troubling you? Just surrender it to Jehovah Shalom, and you will experience peace like a river. God wants to give you peace from all your struggles, but you must hand your burdens over to Him; you cannot carry them alone. No matter what is happening around you, if you have Jehovah Shalom, you will not be shaken. God’s peace is in degrees. The more you know Him, the greater your peace becomes.

Psalm 119:165 says, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” This is a promise; as you follow God, you will enjoy great peace.

In Isaiah 54:13, the Almighty God says that He will teach your children, and they will enjoy great peace. When God spoke about Abraham in Genesis 18:19, He said, “I know Abraham, for he will command his children and household to keep my way.” No wonder Isaac had great peace. In Genesis 22:1-18, when his father bound him to lay him on the altar to be sacrificed, he remained calm. He had great peace because he had been brought up in the way of the Lord.

Beloved, Jehovah Shalom wants to multiply His peace in your life and in the lives of your descendants, but for Him to do so, you must love His laws and ways.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:
Exodus 17:15

God fights for His children whenever they are being threatened. In Revelation 12, when satan started a riot in heaven, God didn’t move a finger; He just let Michael, the archangel, deal with the situation. However, when it comes to His children, He rises in defence of them.

The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
Deuteronomy 28:7

The above Scripture says that God will scatter the enemies that come against you in seven different directions. Whenever God’s children are threatened by the enemy, He rises up to defend them.

Years ago, a military ruler in Nigeria wanted to convert into a civilian president. He consulted some occultic people, and they said that there was a man in the Redemption Camp (now Redemption City) whose prayers would not let that happen. The military ruler then instructed soldiers to come and arrest me. In those days, whenever they arrested anyone, that fellow was not likely to return alive. Fortunately for me, l got to know of the plan, and to be honest, I was afraid. I went out to pray that night, and after praising God for a few minutes, I said, “Lord, about this matter,” and God said, “Don’t worry about that; I have settled it. On Friday, during the Holy Ghost Service, tell everyone to wish each other a happy new year.” Even though we were in June, I did as God instructed, and by Monday, the whole country heard the news that the powerful military ruler had died. God rose to fight for me, and I didn’t need to lift a finger. I decree in the name of Jesus, anyone plotting your downfall will fail and fall. No plan of the enemy will prosper against you, in Jesus’ name.

Beloved, no weapon formed against you shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17). This is because the Lord is Your banner; He is Jehovah Nissi. When people gather against you, do not fret. Rather, rest in the Lord, who is your mighty protector, defender, and refuge. Just as He fought for the Israelites and defeated the Amalekites in Exodus 17, He will fight for you. He will save your children from the hands of the enemy and preserve all that concerns you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psalm 23:1

Before David confronted Goliath in 1 Samuel 17, he was a shepherd boy in charge of his father’s sheep. One day, a bear came to attack the sheep, and he killed the bear. On another day, a lion came and took a lamb out of the flock; he went after it, delivered the lamb, and killed the lion. David didn’t allow predators to take any of the sheep; he protected them fiercely, even when it meant endangering his life. If David, a mere man, could be so protective of his sheep, how much more the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ? As long as the Lord is your Shepherd, you are assured of supernatural provision, protection, restoration, healing, abundance, and many more divine blessings.

Beloved, the Lord is your shepherd; you are His responsibility. This is why He said in Matthew 6:25-33 that you shouldn’t be worried about what you will eat or wear; just seek Him first, and all the things that people chase after will be added to you naturally.

You must, however, note that only sheep can have the Lord as their shepherd. Matthew 25:32 says that God will separate His sheep from the goats. In that particular Scripture, Jesus used ‘His’ when referring to sheep, but when referring to goats, He used ‘the’. Goats are not for God; only the sheep are His. The question is, are you a sheep?

In John 10:27, Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice. When was the last time you spent time with God to hear His voice? Do you even know His voice? Psalm 100:3 says that the sheep do not belong to themselves; they are like clay in the hands of the potter. According to Matthew 25:33-40, the sheep have love in their hearts; they feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the lonely. Also, the sheep enjoy the Shepherd’s protection when predators attack. Are you a sheep in God’s fold?

The height of a shepherd’s love for his sheep is when he gives his life up for their sake, and Jesus did this when He died on the cross (John 10:11, John 15:13). Beloved, have you accepted the everlasting provision of the Good Shepherd for your salvation? If you haven’t, you need to do so right now. When the Lord is your Shepherd, you have everything you need. Being a sheep in God’s flock is the best thing that can ever happen to you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.
Ezekiel 48:35

Whether you believe it or not, whether you feel Him or not, the Lord is always with you. The three Hebrew boys seemed to be alone when they confronted the king, but when they got into the fiery furnace, it became clear to everyone that Jesus was there with them (Daniel 3:8-30).

When God is with you, nothing can stand in your way. There’s a story I love to tell about three little but distinct fishes that were being terrorised by a mother shark and her baby in the ocean. One day, they called a prayer meeting and invited the Lord to come. When the Lord came, He asked them what the problem was and what they wanted. The first fish said, “I want to have eyes all over my body so I will be able to see the sharks when they are approaching from any angle.” The second fish said, “Lord, give me powerful wings so I can fly out of the ocean when the sharks are pursuing me.” The Lord granted the two fishes their requests, and when He turned to the last fish to ask what it wanted, it said, “All I want is for you to be with me everywhere I go.”

When the Lord left, the sharks came again, and the fish with many eyes was their first target as it looked beautiful because it had eyes all over its body. The fish saw them coming and swam towards a beach. It saw a pool of water on the beach and jumped into it. Unfortunately, when the sun rose, the pool dried up, and the fish died. When the sharks went after the fish with wings, it flew out of the water, but an eagle that was flying by quickly grabbed and ate it. The third fish remained safe because whenever the mother shark and her baby approached it, they always saw the shadow of a man following it, and this scared them off. The fish that asked for God’s presence survived and thrived in the midst of danger.

Beloved, God’s presence is your only guarantee against the terrors of life. He alone can keep you safe. Jehovah Shammah means ‘the Lord is there’, and when God is there with you in your office, business, family, or any other area of your life, nothing evil done against you will prosper.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The name Jehovah Jireh was coined by Abraham after his experience with God on Mount Moriah. He had gone there to sacrifice Isaac, but God had already provided a lamb for the sacrifice instead of Isaac. He called the name of the place Jehovah Jireh because he was basically saying, “God meets needs before they even arise.” In that passage, Abraham had no idea where the ram came from. In the same vein, you also do not need to know how God will provide for your needs. All you need do is trust Him and know that He will provide.

God can send help to you from anywhere, even from places you are not aware of. When I became General Overseer, I visited my village, and a local businessman said to me, “You are a General Overseer now, and there is no house here in the village for your guests to stay in. I will supply you with blocks to build a house, and you can pay me whenever you have the money.” I thought to myself, “Oh, what a miracle from God.” I then built a very small house. However, the day the house was roofed, the businessman sent a messenger to demand immediate payment for the blocks. I didn’t have any money, so l cried to God, “Father, I was not ready to build a house. It was this man who brought the idea to me, and now, I am in trouble. Please help me.” I prayed all night and then fell asleep. In the morning, I had a visitor who said that God told her to travel all the way down from the North to the Redemption Camp to give me an envelope. When she saw me, she asked, “I am looking for the head of this church.” I replied, “That is God” Then, she said, “I know, but I am looking for His representative.” I said, “That is me.” She then said, “God told me yesterday to bring you this envelope.” I had never met her, and I haven’t seen her again since then. I opened the envelope, and it was the exact amount that I owed the businessman.

Our God is truly Jehovah Jireh – the Great Provider. You may not know where, when, or how your needs will be met, but rest assured that He will always provide.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 1 Samuel 7:12, when Samuel said ‘Ebenezer’, which means ‘thus far hath the Lord helped us’, he knew what he was talking about. He knew that God had helped Israel in Exodus 12:1-51 when He humbled Pharaoh, their oppressor, and set His children free. In the name above every other name, every force that has been holding you down will let you go. If they don’t want to let you go gently, they will release you by force, in Jesus’ name.

Samuel knew that God had helped Israel to cross the Red Sea in Exodus 14. He knew that the Lord spoke through Moses and told him that they would never see the enemies they had seen that night again. He knew that God had helped them in Exodus 15:22-26 when they got to Marah, and they couldn’t drink the water because it was bitter. The Lord had prepared help ahead of time and He turned the bitter water to sweet. Whatever has been causing you to weep will end now, in Jesus’ name.

Samuel also knew that God had helped Israel in Exodus 17:1-6 when they were thirsty; the Almighty God brought water out of the rock. He brought something good out of nothing. Things may be hard right now for many people, but I have good news for you; this year, you will experience God’s help more than ever before, in Jesus’ name.

Ebenezer signifies hope. I don’t know how far the journey is, but everything is going to be alright. As long as you are connected to the God who has brought you thus far, He will keep helping you. Ecclesiastes 9:4 says that as long as you are still breathing, there is hope for you. God has not brought you this far to abandon you. He is too faithful to leave you now.

Are you discouraged, sad, or anxious for a breakthrough? Lay your fears, anxieties, and sorrows down, and put on the garment of hope because Ebenezer is here; He has come to help you. Hebrews 13:5-6 says:

…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Anyone who trusts in Ebenezer will laugh at last because His help never fails. Begin to laugh and rejoice because your help has come.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

PRAYERS FOR MARRIAGES:

1. Thank you, Lord, for the gift and blessings of companionship in holy matrimony.

2. Father, please let this year be a year of testimonies and uncommon joy for all the married couples in my family, church, and community, in Jesus’ name.

3. Father, please destroy all the plans of the enemy to corrupt the institution of marriage. Let the sanctity of marriage be preserved as you have designed it, in Jesus’ name.

4. Father, please give all married couples the wisdom and understanding to relate with each other according to Your will, in Jesus’ name.

5. Father, bless everyone who is of marriageable age in my family, church, and community with the right spouses, in Jesus’ name.

6. Father, let your peace reign in all marriages currently experiencing storms and attacks from the enemy, in Jesus’ name.

7. Father, please bless every married couple in my family, church, and community that are trusting You for the fruit of the womb with godly children. Let none be barren, in Jesus’ name.

8. No weapon fashioned against my spouse (or future spouse) will prosper, in Jesus’ name.

9. Father, please bless my home, and let my home indeed be heaven-on-earth, in Jesus’ name.

10. Father, please let my marriage bring honour and glory to Your name, in Jesus’ name.

11. Father, please don’t let me and my household miss the marriage supper of the lamb, in Jesus’ name.

12. Your personal prayer points concerning your marriage and other marriages and homes around you.

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

My Helper is alive, and He does not CHANGE (Hebrews 13:. He is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the One who was, is, and is to come (Revelation 1:. He has helped me thus far, and He will help me until the end. This is my hope and confidence.

It is dangerous to be hopeless; never lose hope. In 1 Kings 19:1-8, when things were not going the way Elijah expected them to go, he asked God to kill him. However, in 1 Kings 21:1-24, you will see in verse 20 that Ahab, whom he had been running from, said to him, “Have you found me, my enemy.” The one who was pursuing Elijah was now the one running away from him. In the name of the Lord of hosts, all those who have been pursuing you will run when they see you. Don’t let anybody tell you that your case is hopeless; they are not your God, and they are not the ones who brought you this far. If they say it is too late for you, tell them that they don’t control time. God is the One who controls times and seasons, and He didn’t bring you this far to abandon you.

God’s word is a treasure chest of hope. Whenever a situation seems hopeless, declare His word. He has said that though your beginning was small, your latter end will greatly increase (Job 8:7). His word also say that nothing is impossible with Him (Luke 1:37). Since God is involved in your life, every impossibility becomes possible, in Jesus’ name. He has promised to bless and increase you and your children greatly (Psalm 115:14). He also said that as long as you follow Him uprightly, your end will be peace (Psalm 37:37).

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
Romans 15:13

God is the God of hope. When He gives a man hope, He accompanies that hope with joy and peace. In His presence, there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). Beloved, anything that makes you feel hopeless is not of God; it wants to suck out your joy and make you lose your peace – don’t allow it. Stay in the word of God and put on your garment of praise. I pray that today, you will receive good news that will make you full of hope and joy, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many secret societies promise people riches, power, and other good things of life. If you have been invited to join such a group, I advise you to run because all their promises are lies, and once you join, you will realise that it is a trap of the devil and it is usually almost impossible to leave. You will also find out that the devil will demand your soul in exchange for the glittering things that were used to lure you in. These things, however, cannot measure up to your soul, as shown in Matthew 16:26.

Yes, your friends might already be making so much money than you thought possible. They will tell you they are enjoying life and might even be calling you a fool for not joining them in doing things that God does not approve of. Beloved, I can tell you for a fact that they are only pretending as most of them wish they never joined in the first place because the prices they have paid outweigh the benefits they claim to enjoy. Why trade your soul for things that have no eternal value? Only God’s blessings make people rich without adding sorrow, heartache, or trouble.

“The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.”
Proverbs 10:22

The devil doesn’t give anyone free things. If he gives riches, he will take things that money cannot buy, including children, health, peace of mind, and the destinies of future generations. Like Esau who sold his birthright for a plate of porridge and later lost his true blessings, those who chase after riches from ungodly sources and evil associations become shortchanged eventually. They inherit sorrow at the end of the day.

Our Father’s ultimate desire is to give His children all things richly to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17). He gives His children the power to make wealth, but the condition is that they remember and acknowledge Him in all their ways.

“But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”
Deuteronomy 8:18

Beloved, when you seek God first, He will add every other thing you need to live a successful life (Matthew 6:33). God’s ways of making people rich might not be as fast as many people desire, but His ways are sure, proven, and everlasting.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Becoming the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21) is a great responsibility because people should see God’s righteousness in you. This does not give you the liberty to sin; rather, it gives you the responsibility to reflect Christ in a perverse world.

I once travelled from llesa, a town in Western Nigeria, to visit my Father in the Lord in Lagos. As I was driving to see him, I remembered that I shouldn’t visit a man of God empty-handed. When I got to Surulere in Lagos, I saw an orange seller by the roadside and stopped to get some. When I arrived at his place, I presented the oranges, and as he ate the first one, he said, “Ha! This orange is sweet. Did you buy it on the road?” I replied, Yes, sir” I understood the question; he wanted to know if I bought the oranges on the way before I got to Lagos. I should have told him that I bought them in Surulere, but I said “Yes.” Immediately, I became uncomfortable because the Holy Spirit convicted me. Consequently, I cleared my throat and said, “Papa, the question you asked; the answer is ‘no’. I bought the oranges in Surulere.” The old man looked at me, smiled, and said, “Holy Spirit.”

As the righteousness of God in Christ, you cannot enjoy sin any longer. You cannot lie conveniently or steal without remorse. Just as Papa knew that it was the Holy Spirit who convicted me, people must see a change in your actions and attitude if you truly carry God’s righteousness.

“Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance”
Matthew 3:8

John the Baptist made the statement in the Scripture above to the Pharisees and Sadducees who had come to his baptism. He told them that it wasn’t enough to claim to be righteous when their actions contradicted their claims. This applies to you too; your actions should not contradict God’s word. Righteousness means right living; therefore, your lifestyle must reflect God’s standard pattern for life. It must reveal God’s truth, peace, and love to the world. God has a standard which is summarised with this bold message: “…Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Timothy 2:19).

Beloved, God wants you to be filled with all the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of His name (Philippians 1:11). Don’t just claim to be the righteousness of God in Christ; live it!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There was a couple who had just joined the church. After some weeks, we noticed that the wife stopped coming, so we decided to visit her. When we did, she said that she stopped coming because ever since she started attending services, she lost the ability to fly in the middle of the night to her coven of witches. Just by attending our services, the spirit of witchcraft in her became paralysed. Just as I mentioned yesterday that people can contact demons by associating with demon-possessed people and staying in demonic environments, people can also become spiritually vibrant by associating with godly people and staying in Spirit-filled atmospheres.

The quality of your association will impact the state of your life. If you are surrounded by people who despise godly things, you can’t expect to enjoy freedom in life. 2 Corinthians 6:14 says you must not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Anyone you will call your close friend must also be a friend of Jesus. However, if your friends love God and desire His presence fervently, you cannot remain spiritually lukewarm.

Also, what you listen to, watch, and read plays a huge role in how much liberty you will enjoy in all areas of your life. You cannot study the Bible diligently every day and remain in satan’s bondage. As you read God’s word, His light will fill your heart, and you will receive life-saving directions and instructions. As you fellowship with God’s word, you will become enlightened in His ways (Psalm 119:130). Enlightened people cannot be easily deceived or swayed by the devil’s lies. They are not ignorant of the devil’s devices, and therefore, he cannot take advantage of them (2 Corinthians 2:11). Apart from God’s word, you should also fellowship with godly materials, songs, and videos. Let your eyes be fixed on things that will always uplift and strengthen you in God. Fill your environment with godly things that will push you to seek God more and more. As you do this, you will enjoy greater spiritual freedom, and everyone who encounters you will perceive and receive the fresh breath of heaven.

Beloved, spend time with people, things, and places where God’s presence abides, because in His presence, there is freedom, joy, and all-round peace and prosperity.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The aroma of food from a kitchen can cling to you such that people will know that you have been to the kitchen. Likewise, when you go to a place where demons operate, they can cling to you. This is why Proverbs 21:16 says that the man who wanders from the way of understanding will remain in the congregation of the dead.

Beloved, you should not unwind in nightclubs where devil-inspired music is played, and all sorts of evil things are happening. You would be opening up your heart for demons to come in.

A young fellow once went somewhere he shouldn’t have gone to and came back loaded with demons. He couldn’t sit or stand; he could only lie down like a vegetable. He was brought to the RCCG Headquarters, and when I saw him, I was led by the Holy Spirit to say to him, “I want to pray with you. Kneel.” He said, “I can’t kneel.” I then said, “I command you to kneel.” He replied, “In whose name?” I responded, “In the name of Jesus.” He then said, “That’s different” as he knelt down. I prayed for him, cast the demons out of him, and said, “Get up.” He said, “I can’t stand up.” I replied, “I command you to stand up.” He then said, “In whose name?” I responded, “In the name of Jesus.” He again said, “That’s different” and got up. I then told him, “You can go home, have your bath, and go to work.” He replied, “I can’t walk.” I said, “I command you.” He replied, “In whose name?” I responded, “In the name of Jesus.” He walked home by himself and was free from that day on.

Many people are demon-possessed today because they went to the wrong places and associated with the wrong people. When you walk with godly people and constantly engage in godly activities, you are inviting God’s presence to abide with you; when you do the opposite, you are inviting the devil and his demons to fellowship with you. The devil is not a gentleman; he will not leave because you are tired of him or think that his time is up. Wherever he enters, he has a threefold mission; to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).

Child of God, if you don’t want to be in any form of bondage, flee every appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Don’t entertain the devil in any way (Ephesians 4:27) so you can maintain your liberty in Christ.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A major characteristic of mountain-moving faith is that it also moves the believer. In other words, when you have faith, you’ll begin to make moves in line with your faith. David had faith in God that he would kill Goliath, therefore, he boldly went to meet the king for permission to fight the giant. When Goliath charged at him, David didn’t back down; he ran towards the giant and eventually had Goliath’s head in his hand (1 Samuel 17:51-54). If you truly believe, you’ll start moving towards the outcome you want.

Years ago, I was down with malaria on a day we were to have a Bible study in church, so I stayed back at home. I lay in bed and decided to listen to a sermon. The sermon was about faith, and as if the preacher could see me, he said, “What are you doing on the bed if you know that Jesus’ stripes have already healed you? Get up!” That stirred my faith, so I got up and decided to go to church. My entire body ached, but somehow, I made it to church and sat at the back. During the praise and worship session, I ignored the pains in my body and danced. After a while, I felt the urge to urinate, and by the time I left the toilet, the sickness had vanished.

My Father in the Lord once conducted a revival in our church in Ilorin, a state in Southern Nigeria, and God moved him to say, “If there’s anyone here trusting God for the fruit of the womb, go and buy the appropriate clothes for the gender of the baby you want.” A woman heard this, and when she got home, she bought a cot and clothes for a baby boy, which she displayed for everybody to see. Her neighbours laughed at her, saying that she had gone mad out of her desperation to have a child. She ignored them, held on to the word of the man of God, and nine months later, when the baby boy arrived, it was her turn to laugh.

Beloved, start making your own move of faith now. Whatever you are trusting God for, make moves towards it as if you have gotten it already, just like the woman I mentioned in the paragraph above. I declare that the Almighty God will give you a miracle that will surprise everyone around you, in Jesus’ name. However, you have to take a step of faith.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I believe that the most potent force in the world is a Christian’s faith. There is no mountain that your faith cannot move. In Mark 9:23, Jesus Christ said:

“… If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

When Jesus says ‘All things’, He really means ALL things. This is why, whenever you need something from God, you must not allow any form of doubt to creep into your heart. James 1:6-7 says that if you doubt, you shouldn’t expect to get anything. When someone told Jairus that his daughter had died, the Bible says:

“As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe”
Mark 5:36

In the Scripture above, Jesus wanted to ensure that Jairus’ faith was intact, and because he remained in faith, before that day ended, his daughter, who had died, came back to life.

In Matthew 15:21-28, a woman came to Jesus, crying for help. Jesus ignored her and acted as if He couldn’t hear her at all. However, at the end of the day, He turned to her and said, “Woman, great is thy faith.” In other words, He was saying that even if He had not wanted to grant her request, He would grant it because of her great faith.

If you can only have faith, all things are possible to you. When you read through the Bible to study those whom Jesus healed of their sicknesses and diseases, you will notice He often makes this statement – “Thy faith has made thee whole.” In essence, what made them whole was their faith in the fact that Jesus had the power to heal them. Those who didn’t have faith didn’t get many miracles (Matthew 13:58).

Beloved, when you come to Jesus for something, I want you to have it at the top of your mind that the One whom you have approached is the creator of the entire universe. He can snap His fingers, and the whole world will disappear. He once brought water out of a rock. There is absolutely nothing that He cannot do. What you consider as a very big problem is too insignificant to be a problem to Him; just rest in the fact that you have brought the matter to the Almighty God who can do all things (Jeremiah 32:27), and start rejoicing.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.