₦airaland Forum

When I became the General Overseer of RCCG, I was so concerned about the church’s growth that I would fast, pray, and preach for years without taking any rest or going on holiday. Suddenly, I discovered that whenever I preached for more than 15 minutes, I would lose my voice. I followed numerous recommendations from people to combat the issue, such as drinking tea with honey, but it persisted.

One elderly woman discovered what was wrong with me and said, “You are suffering from what is called ‘teacher’s disease’. You keep teaching without resting your voice, and now it is in rebellion.” I asked her for the cure, and she said, “Don’t talk for 15 days.” I responded, “How am I going to do that with my busy schedule?” She answered and said, “When your voice no longer lasts for up to five minutes when you preach, you’ll do what I said.” Therefore, for the first time since I became General Overseer, I took a holiday and went to Germany. I stayed with the Nigerian ambassador there, who had a sauna in his house. He told me that it warms the body from the inside out, and when I entered, I must exit after 15 minutes at most because I would have been sweating profusely. I went into the sauna, and 5 minutes later, I hadn’t sweated. Ten minutes later, I still hadn’t sweated. It wasn’t until after 15 minutes, when I was supposed to be out, that I began to notice a little sweat. I stayed in the sauna for 45 minutes before any real sweat came out. I had put my body under so much stress that it wasn’t functioning as it should anymore. Since then, I have learned that I must not overwork myself and must rest from time to time if I am going to fulfil the assignment that God has given me.

In Exodus 20:1-17, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, and you will notice that four of the verses emphasise the law of the Sabbath. God emphasised the need for His people to rest on the Sabbath Day and keep it holy. To emphasise its importance, God revisited the issue of the Sabbath in Exodus 31:12-17, instructing Moses that anyone who violated the law of the Sabbath should be put to death.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Elijah must have used up a lot of stored-up spiritual energy when he prayed, and fire fell from heaven in 1 Kings 18:36-38. After that, he drew upon the same reservoir of spiritual energy to summon rain from heaven. It had not rained for three and a half years, and the sky was absolutely clear, but he put a significant demand on his reservoir of spiritual energy by praying until it started raining (1 Kings 18:41-45). Furthermore, he used even more spiritual energy to run faster than the king’s chariot (1 Kings 18:46) for a distance that some Bible scholars estimate to be about seven kilometres. After doing all these, he hadn’t rested or taken time to recharge his spiritual energy when he received news that Queen Jezebel was after his life. His spiritual energy had been grossly depleted, so he ran for three days and nights to save his life. By the time he got to the juniper tree in 1 Kings 19:4-8 he was so weak and spiritually drained that he prayed to God to end his life. As soon as he said this prayer, he fell asleep because he had not slept for more than three days. The angel of the Lord came to wake him up to eat, and after eating, he fell asleep again, even though he was aware that Queen Jezebel was still after his life. The angel of the Lord had to wake him up a second time to eat again because he needed strength for the great journey ahead of him. You must also take time out to rest and recharge your spiritual energy if you want to run the race ahead of you successfully.

In Genesis 1:1-31, the Bible describes how God created one thing after another. It was a lot of work, but as the account progressed to Genesis 2:2, which is today’s memory verse, you will see that God rested. Beloved, you cannot be wiser than God. If God Himself rested after creation, then you must also create time to rest from time to time. Do not finish one demanding task after another without taking time to rest. Many people have overworked themselves to the point of exhaustion, but this is not God’s plan for anyone. He wants you to know when and how to take rests so you don’t burn yourself out.

Beloved, I pray that the Almighty God will shower you with His wisdom so you will know how to preserve your strength, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I mentioned that you should recharge your spiritual energy whenever you feel a hunger in your spirit. This is very important; however, you should also continue to refuel your spiritual energy even when you don’t feel a spiritual hunger so that you can be prepared ahead of any emergency. This is what I refer to as ‘extra oil’. Extra oil is the reservoir of prayers and fasting that you have previously done and the Bible verses you have memorised that will come in handy when you are suddenly faced with a challenge. That is why you should always pray, fast, and study the word of God more than you think is necessary, because on days when you need a quick spiritual surge of power, it is from the reservoir that you have built that you will quickly recharge your energy.

For example, temptations can arise on a day when you are not fully charged, and you will need strength to resist them. It is from your extra oil that the strength will come. Likewise, if danger suddenly shows up or disaster strikes, you will need to switch to a war mode quickly, and that can only happen when you have a reservoir of oil in you. In such moments, you can start by speaking in tongues. As you speak in tongues, you will draw from the extra oil in your reservoir, and before long, you will feel a surge of power, and then you will be able to solve the problem at hand. However, nothing will happen if there is no extra oil in your reservoir, even if you speak vehemently in tongues when facing a disaster.

Child of God, nobody prepares for war on a battlefield. Oftentimes, commanders and soldiers plan their battle strategies long before wars break out. In Matthew 26:36-44, the Bible recounts how Jesus spent time praying earnestly in the Garden of Gethsemane before he was arrested. While He prayed, His disciples slept; therefore, when challenges arose, they had no extra oil to draw from, so they fled. Peter denied Jesus, and all the other disciples fainted on the day of adversity because their strength was small (Proverbs 24:10).

Beloved, pray more than you think is necessary before the day of adversity comes. Prayer is never a waste. Speak in tongues often, and spend ample time in God’s presence so that when the day of adversity comes, you will have more than enough extra oil to draw strength from.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God created man such that he would constantly need refuelling. That is why He made sure that every day would be followed by a night so that, if you have worked very hard during the day, you can sleep and refuel your energy at night. Also, after you have eaten breakfast and worked for some time, you are expected to take a break for lunch to refuel. The Almighty God created hunger to remind you that you are running low on energy, so you can go ahead and recharge by eating. In the same way batteries must be recharged from time to time so they can remain effective, you must constantly recharge yourself spiritually so that you will not become spiritually ineffective.

Whenever you begin to run low on spiritual energy, there will be a hunger in your spirit, and you will feel the need to refill. When that hunger comes, please don’t ignore it. Start fasting and praying immediately to recharge your spiritual energy. If you allow the hunger to persist, you will become weak, and this may cause you to faint in the day of adversity (Proverbs 24:10).

God, in His infinite mercy, has also provided the Holy Communion as a very effective way for Christians to refuel spiritually. The wine of the Holy Communion represents the blood of Jesus, and since the life of the flesh is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11), then the life of Jesus is in His blood. You cannot drink the blood of Jesus worthily and remain weak. People who belong to occult groups understand the power of blood. When members of the occult want to receive more power, they are asked to make sacrifices that involve blood. The greater the power they seek, the greater the sacrifices required. In most cases, those who rise to the highest levels of such groups are asked to drink the blood of their victims for quicker and greater empowerment. As children of God, when we partake of the Holy Communion, we partake of the blood of our risen Lord. Hebrews 12:24 tells us that the blood of Jesus speaks better things than that of Abel. When you are weak, the blood of Jesus will speak strength and might into you.

Beloved, never wait until you are completely drained of your spiritual strength. Whenever you find yourself getting weak spiritually, partake of the Holy Communion to recharge yourself, and you will receive fresh energy from the endless life of Christ.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I discussed some benefits of having the fear of God, and today I will discuss how having the fear of God can give you access to the secrets of His heart.

The Bible says in Psalm 25:14 that the secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will reveal His covenant to them. God shares His secrets with those who fear Him, just like we humans tend to confide in those who believe in us and hold us in high regard.

Abraham was someone who feared the Lord, and in turn, he was given access to the secrets of God’s heart. When God wanted to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, He said, “…Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do,” (Genesis 18:17). God can only say such about the people who fear Him because He knows that they will cherish His secrets.

Daniel was another person who gained tremendous insights because of how he feared and honoured God. He was taken into captivity at a young age, but his fear of the Lord led him to remain faithful to Him. The Bible says in Daniel 1:8 that he purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat. He honoured God by being faithful to Him even in a foreign land and also led his companions to do the same. God, in turn, honoured his decision by making him and his companions ten times better than their peers (Daniel 1:20). When the king had a dream that none of the magicians in the land could tell or interpret, God revealed it to Daniel (Daniel 2:19).

Beloved, when you fear God, you will never lack spiritual knowledge and insight because God will always make sure that you have access to it. Proverbs 1:7 says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, and Psalm 111:10 also says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Everyone who feared the Lord in the Bible had access to uncommon knowledge. If you want to access that kind of knowledge, you have to fear God. If you want God to give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches in secret places, just as He promised in Isaiah 45:3, you must honour Him with your thoughts, decisions, and actions. I pray that the Almighty God will give you access to the secrets of His heart as you honour Him with your life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10); therefore, anyone who does not fear God is not wise. He is a Consuming Fire (Hebrews 12:29), and those who do not fear Him are truly foolish because even a mad dog fears fire. Psalm 111:10 also means that those who fear God become wise.

Apart from wisdom, however, there are many other benefits to fearing God, and Psalms 112:1-9 outlines many of them. One of the benefits is that the seed of a person who fears God will be mighty upon the earth (Psalm 112:2). That same verse also tells us that the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Psalm 112:3 says that you will have access to wealth and riches when you fear God. Also, Psalm 112:7 says that you will not be afraid of evil tidings. People who fear God do not need to be afraid of anything because He will deliver them out of the hands of all their enemies and everything that can harm them.

Those who do not fear God will find it easy to commit sins, and this can bring a curse upon them and their descendants. For example, Gehazi’s lack of fear for the Lord caused him and his descendants to become carriers of the leprosy that was previously upon Naaman (2 Kings 5:20-27). Whenever a person acts in a way that shows that he or she does not fear God, such a person robs his or her children of the opportunity to be great and exposes them to curses rather than blessings.

Joab was another person whose lack of fear for the Lord brought curses upon his lineage. In (2 Samuel 3:27-29), the Bible details how he tricked Abner and murdered him in cold blood. When David heard about it, he placed a curse on Joab’s lineage that sicknesses, leprosy, poverty, weakness, and untimely death would befall Joab’s family and his descendants. People who do not fear God purchase trouble for their children.

Beloved, if you want your future and that of your children to be glorious, you need to have the fear of God in you. If you’re going to have peace of mind in your old age, you must fear God. The reason I am sure that my tomorrow and those of my children will be alright is that I fear the Lord. I pray that your life and those of your descendants will be filled with blessings and not curses, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The devil has two types of captives: the willing captives and the unwilling captives. An unwilling captive is someone who has entered either willingly or unwillingly into the trap of the devil but now wants to be delivered. Such a fellow will be set free from the devil’s hold when an anointed child of God prays for him or her. A willing captive, on the other hand, is someone who also gets into the devil’s hold either willingly or unwillingly but refuses to repent or be delivered because of the perceived benefits he or she is getting by serving satan. Even if such a fellow is forcefully delivered, he or she will return to the devil’s camp, and this time around, the bondage will be much worse because the demon(s) that were previously cast out will be multiplied sevenfold (Matthew 12:43-45).

Many years ago, we discovered that a witch was among us in the church. We prayed for her to be delivered; however, she remained in bondage. We then asked her if she wanted to be free, and she said, “No. Do you want me to lose the power that I use to control my husband?” Such thinking is very unfortunate because those who serve the devil are headed for eternal damnation if they do not repent.

A woman whose children were dying one after the other went to seek help from a prophet because she needed him to pray to God for their protection. While waiting for him, his wife asked her why she wanted to see her husband. She explained why she had come, and the prophet’s wife gave her a kolanut to eat, telling her it would solve her problem and that she didn’t need to wait for her husband again. When she went to sleep that night, she suddenly found herself among some witches in the spirit realm. They welcomed her and promised to protect her children if she joined them. She agreed based on their promise, and after some time, it became her turn to supply the blood that the coven would drink. At that point, she surrendered her husband to be sacrificed. More time passed, and it became her turn again to supply blood. This time, however, the witches asked her to sacrifice her children. That was when she decided to seek God’s help to save her children from the devil’s plan. Thank God she came to the church, and God delivered her.

Beloved, the devil offers nothing good or lasting. For everything he gives, he takes a thousandfold in return. I pray that God grants you the grace to avoid his traps, and if he currently has any hold over you and you are willing to be set free, I decree your liberty now, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 1 Kings 1:1-49, one of King David’s sons decided to crown himself king by staging a coup to overthrow his father. Solomon’s mother was informed of the development, so she went to David and reminded him that he had promised that her son would succeed him as king. That same day, Solomon was crowned king, meaning that Israel had three kings on that fateful day: David, Solomon, and the son who decided to make himself king. Solomon might not even have been aware of the events that led to his coronation; however, because his mother rose and entreated the king on his behalf, he was crowned king.

There are certain things that children might miss if their parents don’t rise to pray for them. A child may not know his or her left from right and may not even be qualified for an exalted position; however, his or her parents’ prayers can elevate that child into that position. The authority that parents have over their children, both naturally and spiritually, is great, and they must learn to use it effectively. Any parent who does not pray for his or her child is like a mother hen who watches as a hawk carries her chick away, leaving the chick to fight for itself. The chick lacks sufficient strength to fight a hawk; however, if its mother joins in the fight, it would have a better chance of being saved.

If you are a parent, do not keep quiet over your children’s destiny so that the devil will not tamper with it. Cry out to God to show your children mercy early in their lives. In Psalm 90:14, Moses prayed that God should satisfy him and the children of Israel early with His mercy so that they would rejoice and be glad all the days of their lives. He knew that the secret to lasting joy and gladness was to start enjoying God’s mercy early in life.

Beloved, if you are a parent, do not neglect your spiritual responsibility over your children. Like Moses, ask God to show your children His mercy early in their lives. Let your prayers position them for opportunities early in life. Your children will begin to enjoy supernatural favour that some people only get to experience as adults if you pray for them now. I pray that God will shower His mercies over you and your household, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Years ago, one of my daughters in the Lord came to me and said, “Daddy, a young man approached me and said he wants to marry me.” I congratulated her, but she replied, “Daddy, my father told me that I was dedicated to a river goddess when I was born, and a covenant was made that whoever I marry is going to die on our wedding day. I don’t want the young man to die.” I told her that I know someone stronger than the river goddess. We prayed a simple prayer, and she left. The next time I saw her, she was happily married and already had a baby. I declare that any evil force that might be hindering your progress is destroyed today, in Jesus’ name.

A new and greater covenant can cancel a previously existing one. For instance, if you want to break a covenant with someone, all you need to do is enter into a covenant with someone greater; the greater fellow can release you from the lesser person’s covenant by force. If a person enters into a covenant with the devil, the moment he or she enters into a covenant with God, He will wipe out all evil covenants from the fellow’s life. God’s covenant is superior to any other covenant. Our God is stronger than the strongest; therefore, once a person enters into a covenant with Him, He will bind any strong man who was previously in charge of the fellow’s life and throw him out.

It is also important to note that the devil still seeks to retain his strongholds in the lives of people even after they have become born again. A stronghold is a deeply entrenched evil pattern that the devil has instilled in a person, and it must be addressed. Otherwise, the person will continue to operate under its influence even after he or she has become born again. Such strongholds typically include bitterness, pride, generational curses, anger, and other similar issues.

Beloved, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 urges us to pull down strongholds and cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. If you are a party to any evil covenant or are under the influence of any demonic stronghold, cry out to God today to deliver you by His mighty power. I join my faith with yours and decree that you are completely free from any evil covenant or demonic stronghold that might be in your life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God is faithful; He never breaks His promises, nor does He go back on His word. James 1:17 says that there is no variableness nor shadow of turning with Him. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:, and He never breaks His covenants. However, if a fellow breaks a covenant he or she has made with God, then God is under no obligation to keep His part of the covenant.

In Numbers 25:6-13, God made a covenant of eternal priesthood with Phinehas, Eleazar’s son, because, in his zeal for the Lord, he struck a man and his concubine dead. However, in 1 Samuel 2:27-31, God told Eli, “I entered into a covenant that you and your father’s house will stand before Me forever, but since you have broken the covenant, I am saying, let it be far from Me.” Eli’s carelessness annulled the covenant God made with his ancestor, Phinehas. As a result of the broken covenant, God’s hedge of protection departed from Eli’s household, and his two sons died on the same day. When Eli heard the news of their death, he also died that same day, along with the wife of one of his sons. This illustrates the importance of a covenant and that the consequence of breaking one is usually death.

The death of a person who is a party to a covenant typically releases such a person from fulfilling his or her part in the covenant; however, God remains faithful to His covenants, even after a person He is in covenant with dies. Deuteronomy 7:9 says that He keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments to the thousandth generation. Exodus 34:7 tells us that He keeps mercy for thousands. When you keep your covenant with God, it will extend to your descendants. When God promised Abraham that through his seed, all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 22:18), that promise found its ultimate fulfilment in Jesus, who came 42 generations after Abraham, approximately 2,000 years later. When God promised David that he would always have a seed to sit on the throne (Psalm 89:3-4,29), He never broke His side of the covenant. That covenant was also fulfilled in Jesus.

Beloved, remain faithful to your covenant with God, for in doing so, you will release immeasurable blessings upon yourself and your descendants for generations to come.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When you enter into a covenant with the Owner of the earth and the fullness thereof (Psalm 24:1), the One who owns all the gold and the silver (Haggai 2:, He will prosper you and add no sorrow to it (Proverbs 10:22).

The devil often lures people into entering into a covenant with him by promising them great wealth. However, such prosperity always comes with many sorrows. I recall the story of a man who went to a herbalist and entered into a covenant with demonic forces so that he could become incredibly wealthy for seven years, after which he would die. He swallowed a charm the herbalist gave him, but he didn’t get rich; instead, he had a seven-year countdown to his death. A few days before the seven years expired, the man ran into the church and told us his story. We told him to give his life to Jesus Christ, and He would protect him. He agreed, and we prayed a simple prayer with him. Right there, in the presence of everyone in the church, he vomited what he had swallowed. We rejoiced with him, and for a while after that, he attended church services regularly. After some time, however, he stopped coming, so we decided to conduct a follow-up. When we visited him, he said that the herbalist had told him he had swallowed the first charm incorrectly, so he gave him another one to swallow. Before long, he became wealthy. When the seven-year period stipulated by the covenant was close to expiring, he thought to himself, “The covenant is here in Nigeria. I will travel to London, and the demons won’t be able to reach me there.” Unfortunately, he died on a plane as he flew to London. Only God’s covenant of prosperity will make a fellow rich and add no sorrow with it.

Malachi 3:10 is a vital part of God’s covenant of prosperity. When you pay your tithe, God will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing upon you that will be so great that you will not have enough room to contain it. Furthermore, Proverbs 3:9-10 encourages us to honour God with our firstfruits. God doesn’t need money; He can provide for anything He wants to do, but He asks to be honoured. Beloved, once you are in covenant with God, He will always provide for you and make sure that you never lack. May your life always reflect the blessings of the Lord, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The devil lures many people into evil covenants with the promise of protection; however, complete protection only exists in God. Romans 8:31 says, “… If God be for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:37 further says that we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. This means that, if you are in a covenant with God, you will not have to fight any battle, because He will always fight for you. Many times, you would have won the battle before you even realise that someone was trying to attack you.

I ran away from my village after some people threatened that they were going to ‘eat me for breakfast,’ and for 13 years, I could not return. However, after I met the Lord Jesus Christ, I was able to visit my village, and I even attended a wedding where I saw many of the people who had threatened to kill me through diabolical means. I was much younger in the faith at the time, so I had a lot of zeal but not much wisdom. I was asked to preach at the wedding, and I delivered a powerful sermon that hit them hard with the word of God. Some months later, those people went to the mother of the lady who got married and told her that it was her daughter’s wedding that provided a platform for me to insult them. They further said that they had been waiting for an opportunity for revenge, and the opportunity had presented itself now that her daughter was pregnant. They told her, “We will see if your daughter will give birth, unless we are not the ones in charge here on earth.” The lady’s mother became frightened and came to me. I told her not to worry and assured her that on the day her daughter would give birth, all those who had threatened her would fall asleep. To the glory of God, things turned out exactly as I said; her daughter gave birth while those who threatened her were sleeping. The baby they swore would not be born is now a medical doctor.

Beloved, God said that He will be a wall of fire around you in Zechariah 2:5, and anyone who chooses to confront the Consuming Fire will not live to tell the story. Never be afraid of any force, person, or situation that threatens to harm you. Cry out to God in such cases, and He will show up to defend you and give you victory.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The devil often uses the promise of promotion to lure people into making covenants with him. For example, I have heard of cases where those in authority would ask someone due for a promotion at work to enter into an evil covenant by joining a secret cult before the promotion is granted. Beloved, if you ever find yourself in such an ordeal, I urge you never to enter into such covenants.

Psalms 75:6-7 tells us that promotion comes from God. When He says yes, nobody can say no. When God decides to promote you, it doesn’t matter what anybody may try because you will reach the position that He intends. He controls the heart of kings; therefore, if anyone in authority threatens you, saying, “You will not be promoted unless you join us,” take your stand as a child of God, and never give in. Just hold on to God, and in the end, you will emerge victorious.

Sometime ago, one of my spiritual sons came to me and said, “Daddy, I am tired of being in one spot for so long: I want to move forward. I have an interview tomorrow, please pray for me.” I replied, “Let us pray,” and he said, “No! Just speak a word.” Then I told him that the interview would be successful. He went for the interview and came back beaming with joy. He said, “Daddy, I prepared hard for the interview, but they only asked me three questions: What is your name? Which post did you apply for? When do you want to start?” I congratulated him, and he said, “Daddy, please speak another word.” I obliged and responded, “Your promotion will be rapid.” The next day, He came back dancing for joy. He said, “When I resumed this morning, I was asked to go to the boardroom. The people who interviewed me the previous day were seated there, and they said, ‘Our Managing Director resigned yesterday. Are you ready to take on the post?” I replied, “Congratulations, that’s a rapid promotion.” He told me to speak another word, and I said that God would complete the good work He had started in him. The next day, he came back to me almost speechless as his salary had been doubled! Then he said I should speak another word, and I jokingly responded, “Do you want to collect the company from the owners?”

Beloved, I pray that my Father will surprise you with rapid promotions, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Years ago, a highly influential man in an Islamic nation, where church planting was prohibited, invited one of our missionaries to establish a church within his compound. When the church started, his wife said to him, “With your position in government and your influence in this nation, you allowed a church to be established in your compound?” He looked at his wife and said, “Don’t you dare say a word against these people!” I believe that it was easy for the RCCG to plant a church in that nation, and indeed many nations in the world today, because of God’s covenant with its founder, Pa Josiah Akindayomi.

One of the gains of being in a covenant with God is that you will keep getting greater results than your peers as long as you keep fulfilling your part of the covenant. God will keep giving you results that are beyond your efforts. What other people struggle to get will come to you easily because of His covenant with you.

In Exodus 19:5, God said, “If you will keep my covenant, I will make you a peculiar treasure.” This means that people will take a look at you and wonder why God loves you so much. Several times, when I wake up at night and reflect on all the good things God is doing in RCCG, I usually say, “Lord, how can you love us this much?” Some people might claim that it is because we fast and pray, but believe me, some people fast more than we do. I recall vividly that when I became the General Overseer, I had some of my friends join me in a 36-hour non-stop prayer session. We thought this was a remarkable feat until we heard of a man who prayed non-stop for so much longer! I may not have spent as many hours in prayer at a stretch as that person, yet what God has done for RCCG is unprecedented and truly remarkable. Indeed, there are immense gains in being in a covenant with the Almighty God.

Another gain of being in a covenant with God is protection. When a king took Abraham’s wife, God intervened by appearing in the king’s dream. He went the extra mile to protect her and instructed the king to ask Abraham to pray for him, as we see in Genesis 20:1-18. Beloved, there are immeasurable blessings that flow from being in covenant with God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Proverbs 31:1-9, one of the things King Lemuel’s mother taught him was that there were certain things that kings should not do. She told him that kings should not give their strength to women, nor should they follow the ways that destroy kings, nor should they drink wine or strong drink. If a fellow does the things that kings shouldn’t do, it is expected that such a person would either never become a king or would be dethroned if he or she is already a king.

To fully enjoy the gains of any covenant with God, you must be ready to fulfil its terms and conditions by surrendering totally to Him and obeying all His instructions. Once you decide to serve God with all your life and do whatever He says, sooner or later, people will come to you and say, “Tell us your secret; how are you flourishing in every area of your life?!”

Many people attribute the remarkable progress of RCCG to my academic background; however, they are unaware that we are reaping the benefits of the founder’s covenant with God. God called the founder of the church, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, a man who never attended school, and told him that if he could meet certain conditions, He would establish a church through him that would spread around the world. God helped Pa Akindayomi, and before his death, he fulfilled all the conditions that God gave him. Today, the RCCG is present in over 195 nations worldwide. The church is where it is today because of God’s covenant with my Father in the Lord.

God cannot be mocked. Anyone who obeys the terms of His covenant will reap its gains. In Deuteronomy 29:9, Moses told the Israelites that if they kept God’s commandments, they would prosper in all that they did. Prosperity is a major gain that those who keep God’s covenant will enjoy. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all enjoyed abundant prosperity as a result of God’s covenant with Abraham. Father Abraham was described as a man who was blessed in all things (Genesis 24:1), Isaac was described as being very great (Genesis 26:13), and Jacob was described as a prosperous man (Genesis 30:43).

Beloved, God has given His children all things to enjoy richly (1 Timothy 6:17). However, you must fulfil the terms and conditions of God’s covenant with His children to truly enjoy prosperity in all areas of your life. May your life reflect the gains of God’s covenant abundantly, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Holiness is living a life that reflects God’s character, and it is the major weight of a covenant with Him. Anyone who is in a covenant with God must be like Him (1 Peter 1:16), and this requires doing all that He asks. In return, the fellow will get many blessings from Him (Deuteronomy 28:1-14).

Some people think that life will become a bed of roses when they become believers; however, Jesus never promised that. In Matthew 11:28-30, He said that everyone who comes to Him should carry His yoke. This means that being a child of God does not mean that a fellow will not bear any weight of God’s covenant, only that the weight will be light and easy to carry with the help of the Holy Spirit. Philippians 2:13 says: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” God is willing and able to help you fulfil the terms of your covenant with Him if you allow Him.

When you enter into a covenant with God, you will no longer be permitted to do many of the things that unbelievers do. For them, those things may be right, but not for you. Paul said that although all things are lawful, not all things are expedient (1 Corinthians 10:23). Some people may argue that listening to worldly music is not a sin; however, for someone who has made a covenant with God, it is wrong. Some may dress seductively, but God will not approve of you dressing like that. You will get stricter instructions because of your covenant with God, but He will always empower you to obey Him.

The good news is that if you carry the weight of God’s covenant well, you will enjoy its fruits forever. God entered into a covenant with my Father in the Lord, Pa Josiah Akindayomi and gave him certain conditions, and in return, He said that He would start a church through him that would spread around the world. Thank God Pa Akindayomi met those conditions, and when he passed away, God proceeded to fulfil His part of the covenant. Beloved, play your own part; carry the light yoke of God’s covenant of salvation and see Him move into action to fulfil His part of the covenant by showering you with His blessings. I pray that your life will be filled with God’s glorious blessings, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Genesis 17:1-8, God made a covenant with Abram and promised to make him a father of many nations, then changed his name to Abraham. God never lies, so all the promises that He made to Abraham were fulfilled. Numbers 23:19 says: “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” When God makes a covenant with a person, He always fulfils His part, and this gives the fellow access to everything he or she will ever need on earth. These things include long life, prosperity, favour, blessings, joy, peace, divine health, and everything good. The devil, on the other hand, is unable to keep any covenant he makes. He breaks his promises at will because he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).

People often enter into covenants with other parties to receive something from them, while also giving something in return. The real weight of a covenant, however, comes when one of the parties involved is unable to fulfil their obligations. In most cases, a heavy weight of death is the consequence for breaking a covenant.

When people join secret societies, they enter into covenants. When they do not do the things they are asked to do in the group, the penalty is usually death. You might be asking yourself, “Why would anybody want to join a cult knowing that it could lead to their death?” Some people claim that they join secret societies because they need protection, while others say that it is for prosperity and other benefits. It is important to note that the devil lures them into such societies with the promise of those things, but in return, he takes their souls and destroys them. What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul (Matthew 16:26)? A soul is too heavy a weight for anyone to surrender to the devil.

Beloved, do not allow the devil to tempt you into establishing an evil covenant with empty promises, and if you have entered into any covenant with hell and signed a pact with satan, Jesus can set you free if you run to Him. He will not cast away anyone who comes to Him (John 6:37). I pray that the Lord will establish His covenant of peace with you and your household, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To understand what a covenant is, it is helpful first to understand what a contract is, as it is a more familiar concept. A contract is a written and signed agreement between two or more parties which outlines the expectations and responsibilities of all the parties involved in an interaction. The moment a contract is signed, all parties involved are bound by it, and typically, the contract will outline the consequences of what will happen if any party breaches the agreement. Such consequences may include penalties, damages, and other similar outcomes.

A covenant is also a contract, but one that is signed with body fluids, mostly blood. This means that when body fluids, especially blood, are involved in a contract, a covenant has been established. For example, in Genesis 17:1-14, God entered into a covenant with Abraham, and to sign that covenant, every male that was born into Abraham’s household was to be circumcised, beginning with Abraham himself, even though he was almost 100 years old at the time. A covenant is no joking matter, primarily because the penalty for breaking it is usually death. This is why today’s teaching is very important.

When a man and a woman come together to exchange body fluids, particularly through sex, they are entering into a covenant. They may not know it, but they have become bonded with each other. This is why it is important for a husband and a wife to only have sexual relationships with each other, because the devil usually takes advantage of extramarital sexual intercourse to pass on demons between those who indulge in it.

Many years ago, a boy was barking like a dog and was brought to me for deliverance. When I investigated the matter, I discovered that he had been sleeping with a dog in his house. In other words, he had entered into a covenant with that dog, and the devil had obviously attacked him through that. In the same vein, when a fellow sleeps with someone who is not his or her spouse, certain things will be passed from that fellow to them, and you can be sure that they are not good things because the act that was committed was contrary to God’s will.

Beloved, do not neglect the Almighty God’s instructions about keeping yourself sexually pure. Do not allow the devil access into your life by engaging in illicit sexual acts. I pray that the Lord will continually empower you to overcome all forms of sexual temptation, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Referencing the example I gave in the first paragraph of yesterday’s teaching, if God gives you an assignment, He will provide you with the resources you need to execute it. Some of those resources will be around you, and others will be within you. As we see in Luke 12:48, to whom much is given, much is expected, so the more resources God gives you, the more results He expects from you.

People who feel that God has not given them enough resources must be careful that they do not become like the servant who despised the talent his master gave him, as we read in Matthew 25:14-40. Some people feel that the resources they have are insufficient and try to wait for God to give them something better or more before they can start being faithful with the little they have. Beloved, this is a wrong mindset. A person who cannot be faithful with what he or she has received should not expect to receive more. God only gives more to those who have proven themselves faithful in little things.

I hail from a village that was not on the map. My father was so poor that people who were also poor called him poor. Even though my parents were poor and I did not have many resources growing up, God gave me one talent, and that is my brain. I used the talent God gave me very effectively by studying diligently, and gradually, I acquired many more resources with it. The Lord gave me salvation in 1973, and from that point onward, I became a very useful vessel in His hands. When I reflect on the great things God has enabled me to achieve despite the limited resources I started out with, I always praise the Lord for His faithfulness. Indeed, when a fellow is faithful with little, more will be committed to him or her.

Child of God, look around and within you, and you will see all the great gifts that God has given to you. Don’t fail Him; please, use those gifts to win more souls to the Kingdom of God. Use them to gain so much influence that when you speak, people will be willing to listen and serve the same God that you serve. I pray that the Almighty God will use you to accomplish mighty things in His Kingdom as you serve Him faithfully with the gifts He has given you, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

The farther you want to go in life, the more you must invest in yourself. For example, if you are driving a Car with a tank full of petrol from Lagos, which is in South West Nigeria, to somewhere in Northern Nigeria, you will need to refuel your car at some point during the course of your journey. However, if you were only going to Ibadan, which is also a city in the South West of Nigeria, you wouldn’t need to stop on your way to buy more petrol.

Anyone who wants to go far in life must invest resources that include holiness, hard work, knowledge, and good interpersonal skills in his or her life, while avoiding unproductive habits such as binge-watching movies, scrolling aimlessly on social media, wild partying, and the like. Discipline is required to go far in life. I recall when I was a child, my mother would compel me to stay indoors and study while my friends were outdoors playing football. I used to complain a lot about it, but she insisted until it became a part of me. One time, I was at my uncle’s place, where a masquerade show was taking place on the street, and everyone was outside watching the show except me. My uncle came to me and asked why I didn’t go outside to watch the show, and I responded, “The fellow everyone will watch someday does not sit around watching shows.” Many years later, when God had lifted me, he reminded me of that day and said, “Today, the whole world is watching you.”

Beloved, what you invest in yourself is what will determine your height in life. While the other captives in the king of Babylon’s palace were busy dining and feasting on the king’s delicacies, Daniel and his three counterparts focused on consecrating themselves to the Lord (Daniel 1:3-12). I believe that they were not the only Jews in the king’s palace at that time, but they were the only ones who went on to do exploits because they invested the right resources in themselves.

Child of God, if you have big dreams that you want to see come to pass, then you must pay the price to invest in yourself. You must also let go of unnecessary weights, such as laziness and a lack of self-control, as well as impurities like sin, which can hinder you from fulfilling God’s plans for your life. I pray that you will fulfil God’s plans for your life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

You should always ask yourself this question, especially as you advance in age: “What will people say about me when I am gone?” The truth is that the way you are living your life now will determine what people will say about you when you are gone. This is why you must strive to create a good legacy and guard it jealously. You must never trade it for anything, no matter how enticing it may appear.

Beloved, your legacy will include the name you will leave behind after you exit the earth. While King Hezekiah was a good king, he left a bad legacy for his descendants. In (2 Kings 20:1-11), the king of Babylon sent emissaries to check on him, and he foolishly showed them all the treasures in his house and kingdom. His actions exposed his kingdom and consequently his descendants to the enemy. When Isaiah told him that the consequence of his foolish actions would be the captivity of his children and that all the treasures of his land would be carted away by the king of Babylon, he replied, “Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?” Surprisingly, he was okay with the captivity not happening in his time, but in the days of his children. His actions were clearly unwise. Hezekiah sold his legacy just because he wanted to display his wealth. His descendants would always remember him as the one who exposed them to the enemy and made them lose the kingdom. Proverbs 13:22 tells us that a good man will leave an inheritance for his children’s children. He will not deprive them of their inheritance or give them a bad name that they will be ashamed of. I pray that you will not open the door for the enemy to torment, afflict, or capture your descendants, in Jesus’ name.

Every family that is battling one ancestral problem or another was exposed to it by someone in their lineage; do not be such a person. If you have done things that you are not proud of, and you know that those things can affect your children and their descendants, run to God for mercy today. Ask Him to cleanse you with His blood and rewrite your family’s story. No matter how old you are, as long as you are alive, there is still hope of leaving a good legacy for your descendants.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When God anoints a person, He expects him or her to use the anointing to edify His people and spread the gospel. As we see in 1 Peter 5:2-4, God does not want the anointing to be used for personal gain.

I often tell the pastors under my supervision that when God uses them to perform a miracle, they must never demand or expect any reward from the person who received the miracle. In Matthew 10:8, Jesus told his disciples that they had received the anointing freely and they should also give it out freely. The One who performs miracles is God, not the people He has anointed. Therefore, you should never feel entitled to anything from anyone who gets a miracle from God through His anointing upon you. Some self-professing ministers of God even go as far as selling olive oil, water, handkerchiefs, and other similar items that they claim have been anointed to those who come to them for prayers. Such conduct reveals that they are hirelings who are looking to exploit God’s sheep rather than being shepherds who should nurture and feed them.

Beloved, you are not to use the anointing that God bestowed on you to manipulate people. Some people demand that they should be called ‘Father in the Lord’ just because God has used them to heal headaches. Being anointed does not qualify anyone to become a lord over others; rather, the anointing ought to be used to serve people. Peter knew that such temptations would arise, which was why he told some church leaders in 1 Peter 5:2-4 to feed the flock of God willingly and with a ready mind. He also warned them not to use God’s anointing upon their lives for selfish gain.

Jesus Christ, our perfect example, exemplified how to use the anointing God bestows upon a person. He went about doing good and healing those who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38), and also served His followers (John 13:3-15). Beloved, like Jesus, use the anointing you have received from God to bless those He has sent you to; do not use it to exploit or victimise others. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, and you will give an account of all the things He has given to you one day. Always remember that the anointing you have received from God is a tool to serve Him, edify His people, cater to their needs, and spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In today’s world, many people are selling their salvation for all kinds of mundane things. Some have sold their salvation for money, while others have sold it for fame or positions. There is, however, nothing in this world that is worth trading your salvation for. Anything that a person wants to acquire that will require the person to commit a sin is a trap of the enemy to get the fellow to sell his or her salvation and end up in hell. In Matthew 16:26, Jesus asked His disciples, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” These questions still apply to us today. There is no gain in trading the salvation of your soul for anything because nothing in this world is as precious as your soul.

Esau is an example of someone who traded something precious for something mundane and temporary. In Genesis 25:29-34, he chose to despise his privileged position in his father’s house for just a bowl of pottage. He sold his birthright so cheaply just because he was hungry, and in Hebrews 12:17, the Bible says that he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. In like manner, Judas sold his salvation for money in Matthew 26:15, 27:3-5. He threw everything he had learnt from Jesus down the drain for 30 pieces of silver. Whatever lures a person to trade his or her salvation only wants to destroy the fellow. It might offer immediate pleasure and instant gratification, but the devil ultimately aims to use it to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).

One way the devil tries to lure believers into trading their salvation is by making them believe that some sins are not as important as others and telling them that such sins do not matter. However, there is no act of sin that is not significant; every sinful act matters in God’s sight. Every little compromise is a step out of His protective and merciful covering. Ecclesiastes 10:8 says that a serpent will bite whoever breaks a hedge. In other words, sin exposes a fellow to the attack of the enemy.

Beloved, do not toy with sin because it only offers a one-way ticket to hell. I pray that you will not trade the salvation of your soul for anything in the world, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

1. Lord, I thank You for my neighbourhood. Thank You for Your protection and mercy over me and my neighbours.

2. Father, please surround my neighbourhood with Your peace. Let us have no cause to live in fear or sorrow, in Jesus’ name.

3. Father, please let there be all-round growth and development in my neighbourhood, in Jesus’ name

4. Dear Lord, please surround my neighbourhood with Your glory. Let there be no outbreaks of sicknesses and other manifestations of evil, in Jesus’ name.

5. Father, please bless all my neighbours with peace, joy, and sound health. Let everyone in my neighbourhood experience Your goodness, in Jesus’ name.

6. Father, please bless all our leaders with wisdom to make the right decisions that will benefit my neighbourhood, in Jesus’ name.

7. Lord, I decree that there will be no natural or man-made disasters in my neighbourhood, in Jesus’ name. Please keep us under the shadow of Your wings perpetually.

8. Dear Lord, please draw everyone that is yet to be saved in my neighbourhood so they can surrender their lives to You. Let them experience Your salvation, in Jesus’ name.

9. Father, please send help to the needy and vulnerable in my neighbourhood. Let them experience Your mighty provision, in Jesus’ name.

10. Father, please let Your love reign in my neighbourhood. Help us to be united and truly love one another, in Jesus’ name.

11. Father, please break every hold of the enemy over the youths in my neighbourhood. Let Your righteousness reign in their lives, in Jesus’ name.

12. Your personal prayers for your neighbourhood.

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

What a person will become during his or her sojourn on earth will not depend solely on the fellow’s efforts. African elders have an adage that says, ‘Hustling and bustling does not translate to wealth.’ This is true because, for instance, dockworkers who offload cargo from a ship from sunrise to sunset typically would earn only a fraction of what the Chief Executive Officer of a wharf, who sits in an air-conditioned office, sipping tea and merely signing documents, would earn. At the end of a month, the fellow’s salary might even be more than what a hefty, hardworking dockworker will earn in a whole year!

Ecclesiastes makes it clear that the fact that a fellow can run swiftly does not mean that he or she will win a race, and the fact that a fellow is strong does not mean that he or she will defeat an enemy. The passage goes on to say that bread is not to the wise, neither are riches to men of understanding. This means that a fellow’s advanced level of education alone will not determine how wealthy he or she will become.

I recall that I was in Redemption Camp (now Redemption City) sometime between 1983 and 1984, spending time alone with God, and crying to Him. I said, “God, I’m not asking for clothes, a car, or a house. I was minding my business as a lecturer at the university when You asked me to come and serve You. I agreed, and I really want to serve You; however, I need power to do Your work. I don’t want to be an ordinary pastor; I want to excel.” In desperation, I added, “God, it is either You empower me, or You take me home.” My prayer touched Him, and that night, the entire campground shook due to an earthquake that sent tremors as far as ljebu Ode, a town several kilometres away. The Lord visited me and empowered me with His anointing to excel.

Beloved, you need God’s anointing to excel. It is God who gives power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18), it is only His anointing that can teach you everything you need to know (1 John 2:27), and it is only through Him that you can do all things (Philippians 4:13). This is why you must cry out to God to anoint you just as I did several years ago. I pray that my Daddy will empower you to excel, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Yorubaland, where I come from, the elders have an adage that says, “The lantern cannot see its own bottom. What they mean by this saying is that, no matter how knowledgeable a fellow is, there are areas in the fellow’s life that will be hidden from his or her view. This is why you must be willing to receive feedback from others who can see you more objectively than you can see yourself.

In Revelation 3:15-17, the Lord said that some people, according to their own judgment, believed they had everything going well for them because they were rich and appeared not to lack anything; however, by His own standards, they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

If a person is too proud to receive feedback, people will see the fellow walking towards a ditch and leave him or her to fall into it. Proverbs 24:6 says that in the multitude of counsellors, there is safety. People who are open to corrections and feedback tend to escape many troubles, while those who think they know it all often stumble into avoidable problems.

Jesus is described as the wisdom and power of God in 1 Corinthians 1:24, yet when He came to earth, He sat under teachers, listening to them and asking them questions (Luke 2:46-47), and the Bible recorded that He grew in wisdom (Luke 2:52). He was also open to feedback, as we see in Matthew 16:13-16, where He asked His disciples to tell Him what other men, and even they themselves think of Him.

In Acts 18:24-28, Apollos was already an established teacher of the word before he met Aquilla and Priscilla. When they heard him teach, however, they recognized that he needed further insight and knowledge of God’s word. As a result, they took him aside to expound the way of the Lord to him more perfectly. Submitting to their mentorship and feedback helped Apollos become a better teacher of the word, who mightily proved to the Jews through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Saviour.

Beyond submitting to mentors and being open to learning and growth, how a fellow receives and processes feedback will determine whether he or she will grow or remain stagnant. Beloved, if you want to grow in wisdom, you must be willing to humble yourself to listen and learn from others. You should also ask the Holy Spirit for guidance at all times. I pray you will continue to grow in wisdom and favour before God and man, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is one thing to stand for Jesus, and it is another to keep standing for Him until the end. To stand in Christ until the end requires God’s help (Jude 1:24), and you must consistently enquire from Him to know how you are standing. 2 Corinthians 10:18 says:

For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

Many people commend themselves based on their own standards, when, in truth, they have already fallen. God knows those who are still standing in Him; His foundation is sure and He will not allow anyone build falsehood upon it (2 Timothy 2:19). Matthew 7:21-23 tells us that on the last day, many people will approach God with confidence, thinking that they ought to be in heaven, but He will send them back and call them workers of iniquity. They will try to defend themselves using their own standards of judgment, which may include the wonderful works they did in God’s name, but they will still be rejected.

Prophet Isaiah thought he was standing for God until he visited God’s throne room and realised that he was a man of unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5). Beloved, never assume that you are standing in Christ; consistently examine yourself by His standards to ensure that you are still in the faith. You can do this by constantly weighing your actions and attitudes against God’s word. For example, how do you react when you are addressed in a manner you consider disrespectful? When people praise you, do you enjoy their praises and bask in pride, or are you quick to redirect them to God, the giver of the gifts you are being praised for? When there is an opportunity to serve, do you avoid it and demand to be served because of your position and achievements, or do you quickly humble yourself, as Jesus did, to serve others? Would you rather have things your way all the time or allow the Holy Spirit to have His way? God’s word is the mirror with which you can always check whether you are standing in Him or not.

James 1:23-25 urges us not to be hearers of God’s word alone, but also doers. Don’t be like a man who sees his blemishes in the mirror and fails to correct them. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the areas you are not walking as uprightly as He desires, so that you can make necessary adjustments immediately.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

1 Corinthians 10:12 says that any man who thinks he is standing should take heed, or else he will fall. That tells us that a person can be standing today and fall tomorrow if he or she is not careful. Overconfidence can make someone who has been standing in the Lord for a long time fall. In my 53-year walk with God, I have witnessed many people fall due to overconfidence. They believe that because they have been standing in the Lord for a long time, they are now above certain temptations, and typically, such a mindset would make them careless.

As a Christian, the devil is watching you at all times; if you become careless in any area, he can use that to bring you down. I have heard some men of God boast that they can be in the same room with a naked woman, and nothing will happen. My question is, why is a man of God in a room with a naked woman that isn’t his wife in the first place? If a man of God puts himself in such a position, he is already on the verge of falling. I always tell my children that under no circumstances should a man have a female secretary or personal assistant. This is because the man will spend long hours working with the fellow, possibly into the night at times. If such a man places so much confidence in his ability to resist temptation, it may eventually become his undoing.

Overconfidence has also led many people to ignore the basics of their salvation. For example, some ministers of God believe that some Bible study meetings are now beneath them because of their anointing. Some others believe that they don’t need to listen or take notes when someone they consider to be below them in hierarchy is preaching. Some even hold other meetings during praise and worship sessions. Actions like these show overconfidence and often lead to a fall.

Beloved, never allow yourself to become overconfident in your walk with God. Do not let any exploits that you may have done in the past distract you from following the basics of your salvation. You can never outgrow walking circumspectly, studying the word of God, fasting, and fellowshipping with other believers. No matter your level of growth in the Lord, you can’t outgrow these things. I pray that the Almighty God will keep you standing in Him unto the end of your race here on earth, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

This statement, ‘A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian,’ is not a direct quote from the Bible, but I have found it to be very accurate. If you don’t make prayer your lifestyle, you will be too weak to overcome the devil’s temptations when they come. In Matthew 26:41, Jesus told His disciples:

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Some people claim that they want to live above temptations, but they always find themselves failing. If you check carefully, many individuals who face this challenge often have a weak prayer life. Even though they desire to live a holy life, they are too weak to withstand the devil’s temptations because they are not prayerful. For example, Peter failed to pray sufficiently at the Garden of Gethsemane, so it was not surprising that he denied Jesus three times after he had claimed that he was willing to die with Him. If Jesus had not prayed for Peter, the devil would have succeeded in sifting him away (Luke 22:31-32, 39-46).

As a Christian, you must gather strength in the place of prayer to remain standing when temptation arises. Proverbs 24:10 says that if you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. People who sleep when they ought to pray will faint in the day of adversity because they didn’t build strength in the day of peace. Every human being will face a day of adversity. Jesus faced His at Golgotha, but He was well prepared for it. Before His crucifixion, He prayed intensely to the point that His sweat was as great drops of blood (Luke 22:44). Therefore, when Judas betrayed Him, Peter denied Him, and the other disciples deserted Him, He responded with love and kindness. Even when He was crucified, He asked God to forgive those who crucified Him (Luke 22:34). Only someone who has developed spiritual strength and stamina in the days of peace can respond like Jesus did in the day of adversity.

Beloved, do you know why Apostle Paul urged you to pray without ceasing in 1 Thessalonians 5:17? It is because you have a relentless foe, the devil, who will tempt you without ceasing. However, being a prayerful Christian will give you a constant edge over him and ensure that you are not caught unawares in any way. Like the apostles in Acts 6:4, give yourself continually to prayer. May the Almighty God continue to strengthen you, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A believer who does not study the Bible regularly will not know the right way to respond to temptations, and hence, will keep falling in and out of sin. I know this because Jesus overcame all the temptations of the devil by quoting the Scriptures (Luke 4:1-12). From Ephesians 6:16-17, we see that after faith and salvation, a believer needs to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Any Christian who does not study his or her Bible regularly is a soldier who is without a sword. The word of God is both a weapon of offence and defence against the temptations the enemy throws at you.

David said in Psalm 119:11:

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

The verse above tells us that to overcome sin, a person’s heart must be filled with the word of God; therefore, you must keep studying the word of God and meditating on it at all times. Living according to the word of God sets us apart from the world and makes us sanctified vessels unto God (John 17:17). As you keep studying God’s word and obeying it, you will discover that the things of the world that used to entice you are no longer enticing to you. When the devil comes to offer you those things, you will be able to respond, “It is written,” and he will have to leave you alone for a while. God’s word empowers you to be sensitive to the traps of the devil and overcome them. The more you immerse yourself in God’s word, the more fortified you will become against the devil’s attacks.

Proverbs 1:17 says that it is vain to spread a net in the sight of any bird. Just as a bird will not enter a net that it knows to have been spread to capture and kill it, God’s word will make you sensitive to see the traps of the devil. It is your victory kit over satan’s wiles. Do not neglect your weapon of victory; study your Bible constantly. Know God’s word concerning every aspect of your life so that when the devil tries to deceive you in any area, you will know what has been written about it and be able to use that knowledge to shut him up. At that point, sin will no longer have any power over you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I discussed how you can avoid temptations by staying away from people, things, or places that may tempt you, and generally fleeing every appearance of evil. I also established the fact that everyone will be tempted at one point or another, as Jesus Christ Himself was tempted in all points (Hebrews 4:15). Today, I will explain how you can overcome temptations, just as Jesus overcame all the temptations that came His way.

The first thing you must take note of is that God will never allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

When a temptation comes your way, you must know that you already have the strength that is needed to overcome it. The reason people fall to temptations is that they do not use the strength that God has made available to them. They place great focus on the shiny things the devil is tempting them with instead of the strength and grace that God has given them to overcome such temptations.

A man of God once came to me and said, “Daddy, I don’t know why I keep falling into adultery with some girls in my church. I usually don’t know what I am doing until I am through with the act.” I responded to him, saying, “While you are about to remove your clothes, you know that you want to do something bad, but instead of stopping you decide to focus on the ‘pleasure’ the devil is putting in front of you instead of listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit that is telling you to stop in that moment. Sometimes you even go as far as locking the door to ensure that even if God wants to send someone in to stop you, it will not work. That is why you always fall. Listen to the Holy Spirit anytime He says, ‘Stop.'”

Beloved, use the grace that God has made available to His children to stop them from falling into temptation. There is always a way out of temptation; listen to the Holy Spirit, and take the way He shows you. Do not let the devil have victory over your soul.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

All human beings will face temptations at different points in their lives. Even the Lord Jesus Christ was tempted in all points while he was on the earth (Hebrews 4:15). If the devil could tempt Jesus, then no one is above temptation. Despite this, however, certain temptations can be avoided.

James 1:13-15 says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” This means that if there is any lust in your life, you must confront and overcome it; otherwise, it can be used to draw you into sin, and sin brings death. To choose life, you must mortify the works of the flesh by the help of the Holy Spirit (Colossians 3:5). However, even as you’re mortifying your flesh through the help of the Holy Spirit, you must avoid people, places, and things that may tempt you. For example, if a man knows that he struggles to be faithful with money, he should not accept responsibilities that would put him in charge of other people’s money until he has successfully mortified the lust for money through the help of the Holy Spirit.

Beloved, temptation is like a bird; it can fly over your head, and you may be unable to stop it from doing so. However, you can prevent it from building a nest on your head. If you let it build a nest on your head, then it is only a matter of time before your head is filled with its poop. This is why it is better to walk away from situations or things that can tempt you, because when you give in to temptation, you might soon realise that it has taken over your life. At a time when some pastors under my watch had motorcycles, I forbade them from carrying ladies on their bikes. This is because the close physical contact that occurs during such motorcycle rides might sow a seed in both of their hearts that may germinate into something dangerous in the future.

James 1:12-16 instructs us to flee every appearance of evil. Child of God, immediately you sense any form of temptation around you, flee!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.