₦airaland Forum

Every great minister of God must have had their days of little beginnings, and their greatness today testifies of their faithfulness over time. If you get discouraged during your days of little beginnings, you will deny yourself the opportunity to experience the great moves of God.

In 1980, while travelling throughout Nigeria, supervising our church programmes, and making sure that everything was in order, I had an unforgettable experience. I was preaching in a town called Warri when suddenly, I saw an open vision. In the vision, I saw that a young boy, who was born blind, received his sight. As I wasn’t as mature as I am now, I didn’t wait for God to give me the details of the vision before I said, “There is a young boy here who is blind, God wants to open your eyes. Come quickly!” Nobody moved. I continued, “I know what I saw. Maybe it’s your son, and he’s at home. Go and bring him quickly; I will wait.” Still, nobody moved. I knew that my God doesn’t lie, so I said, “Okay, I will wait for one hour after the service. Maybe you don’t want to miss what’s going on now. After the service, go and bring the boy.” I waited after the service, but no one brought any boy to me. Sadly, after the time elapsed, I left for Akure, which was my next stop. Because I waited an extra hour for the blind boy, I got there late, and someone else was already preaching when I arrived. Suddenly, while the sermon was going on, an elderly man got up. He had a young boy with him, and they began to move towards the altar. The boy was blind, and as I looked closely, I saw that it was the boy in my vision. The father wanted prayers for his son, but I knew that the protocol officers were going to turn him back, saying, “You can’t go to the altar while the preacher is preaching.” I ran towards the officers to say, “Please don’t turn them back. I saw this boy in a vision; he is about to receive a miracle.” However, before I got to them, the boy heard my footsteps, turned towards me, and his eyes opened.

Beloved, God proved Himself mighty in my days of little beginnings, and He has remained faithful up to now. He will prove Himself mighty too in whatever phase you are currently in your life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Some people think that they can become successful without working hard. I was at a students’ programme, and I became alarmed when some students were said to have spent all their time praying and fasting instead of spending time to study and prepare for their exams. When I inquired further, they said that they believe that the Holy Spirit would help them. They cited my experience about the Holy Spirit teaching me how to solve a complex mathematical problem from the Bible. I told them that I had already studied, laboured, and battled with 186 simultaneous equations for 18 months before the solution was revealed to me through a Scripture in the Bible.

The work of the Holy Spirit is to remind us of what we have learned. Therefore, you should start every endeavour by putting in the required effort. If you fail to prepare and work hard, you will fail, and the Holy Ghost will console you. In God, there is no room for laziness.

Hard work and diligence are vital to getting to the top. While we must pray, fast, and study the word, we cannot do away with hard work. Great men work hard; that is why they turn out great.

Beloved, staying at the top is more difficult than getting there. It takes greater effort to remain a champion than to become one. A philosopher once said, “The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”

Proverbs 22:29 says that diligent men stand before kings. If you are not diligent, you will not get anywhere. You cannot afford to fold your arms and expect God to work for you. Paul said that he planted, Apollos watered, and God gave the increase. If they did not plant or water, they would not have received any increase from God (1 Corinthians 3:6). If Paul, the great apostle laboured fervently and diligently, then you have no excuse to be lazy.

“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”
John 9:4

The Scripture above are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. If our Lord worked and diligently did the will of the Father, every believer must follow suit. Just like Him, we must also do the works of Him that has sent us, and to do them successfully, we must steer clear of idleness and laziness.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the names of the Holy Spirit is ‘The Comforter’ (John 14:26). Jesus made a promise in John 14:18: “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” He is ‘The Truth’ (John 14:6), so when He says that He will not leave you comfortless, He really means it. Many times, however, when someone is grieving and the fellow is not open to listening to Him, he or she will not receive the comfort that He gives.

God is a Comforter; I am saying this from an assurance in God’s word and from my experiences. I have gone through many tough times, and God has always been there to comfort me. Many years ago, I used to know a fantastic young boy; I was very proud of him because of his passion for the things of God such as evangelism and Bible study. During his mandatory National Youth Service programme, he died. When he died, the other Christian Youth Corps members came together and started praying for him to return to life. After a while, he came back to life, sat up and said, “God asked me to come and tell you that you are disturbing Him,” and then he died again. When I heard of his death, I was very sad for weeks. Then, one day, God asked me, “Why are you so sad?” I responded, “Because you took this boy from me.” God replied, “No. You are sad because your boy went to heaven ahead of you. Tell me, if you are going to a new country that you have never been to, wouldn’t you like someone you know to be there, waiting to receive you?” I said, “That is true.” Then He said, “Your boy has only gone ahead of you to receive you when you also get to heaven.” Immediately after that conversation, my spirit was lifted.

When God said that He will never leave you nor forsake you in Hebrews 13:5, the purpose of that statement is so that you can have comfort in the knowledge that He is with you all the way. If you are currently experiencing heartbreak from any sad occurrence, I can tell you assuredly that Jesus is sitting right beside you, putting His hand around your shoulder and comforting you. You only need to open up to Him so that He can heal your broken heart. He loves you more than you can imagine, and He doesn’t want to see you sad. Allow God to comfort you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

My God is called the Consuming Fire (Hebrews 12:29). However, He doesn’t consume His children but rather, their enemies. God is so jealous about His children that when enemies gather against them, He ensures that they scatter in seven different directions (Deuteronomy 28:25). He promised to protect you such that not even a strand of your hair will be lost (Luke 21:18).

I wouldn’t be alive today if my God is not a protective father, and I can tell you a lot of stories about the numerous times He has protected me from danger. When I moved into the camp that has now grown to become Redemption City with my family, there were snakes everywhere. Some of those snakes were so big that they would fill up the trunk of a Mercedes Benz car. I remember, on one occasion, I entered my children’s room and found a snake there. I don’t know exactly why I went into the room; I just know that God moved me to go there because He wanted to protect my children.

God also protects against spiritual forces. So many times, the devil has tried to attack me, especially in the early days of my ministry when we were just learning to deal with a lot of spiritual attacks from the kingdom of darkness. On one occasion during a Holy Ghost Service, there were two witches in the congregation planning to attack me. One spoke to the other and said, “It is time; let us attack him now.” Though there were thousands of people in the congregation, God opened my ears, and I heard them. I stopped the service immediately and asked them to come out if they did not want to incur God’s wrath. To everyone’s surprise, they came out and confessed. If God had not revealed it to me, the story might have been different.

If you are a child of God, you must walk in the consciousness of His protection over you. Don’t be afraid of the arrows of the enemy; they cannot come near you because God protects you. I am so conscious of God’s protection over me that if I am walking and my leg hits a stone, I will turn to Him and say, “Lord, I hope I have not offended you in any way. If I have, please forgive me.” This is because His word says that He will give His angels charge over me so I wouldn’t dash my foot against a stone (Psalm 91:11).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I narrated how God helped me to complete my PhD thesis by teaching me how to solve a complex mathematical problem through His word. Today, I want to share with you another dimension of how God teaches His children.

During my postgraduate studies at the University of Lagos, my supervisor, an Indian, gave me an assignment just before he travelled. When he returned, I had made significant progress, which made him ask me, “Enoch, I know that you are a Christian, so you wouldn’t lie. Who helped you?” He didn’t believe in God, but he knew that Christians do not lie. I knew that if I said ‘Jesus’, he would laugh at me, so I said, “Professor Emmanuel,” referring to one of the names of Jesus (Matthew 1:23).

When you become intimate with God, you will start operating on a level of wisdom and understanding that is above your peers. The closer you are to God, the wiser He will make you. You will begin to answer questions in such a way that it will be obvious to people that you are being taught by God. You will look at difficult situations, and God will impress their solutions in your spirit. By the time you execute the solutions that God gives you, people will think that you are very smart, whereas you only have a teacher who is greater than all teachers.

In Galatians 3:27, the Bible says:

“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

In Yorubaland, where I come from, there is a saying that when the leaf stays long with the soap, it also becomes soap. Being baptised into Christ signifies that you are now one with God. As you grow in Him by praying regularly, fellowshipping with other believers, studying your Bible, evangelising, and so on, you will start living the same way Christ would have if He were still physically on the earth. You will start operating on a level of wisdom that is higher than that of those around you because you have surrendered to God and are completely sold out to Him.

Beloved, God is the greatest teacher of all; in Him lies all wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:2-3). If you put your trust in Him and lean not on your understanding (Proverbs 3:5), He will be your teacher.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

While I was studying for my PhD, I was faced with 186 simultaneous equations, which I had been trying to solve for 18 months. With no solution in sight, it looked like I would have to pick a new problem to solve, meaning that my 18 months of efforts would go to waste. One night, around 10pm, after battling the problem and still not making progress, I decided to read my Bible and go to bed. I was reading Exodus 14, where the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, and I heard God’s voice, “That is the solution to your problem.” It didn’t make sense to me that the story of the crossing of the Red Sea would be the solution to a PhD thesis problem. However, God said further, “Go and bring your equations.” I obeyed, and He started teaching me, instructing me to put some equations on the left and some on the right. By the time I finished, I realized that all the ones on the left had something in common, likewise the ones on the right. Then, God said, “Now, solve the equations on the left together and those on the right together. Then, bring the two together.” God taught me Mathematics with the parting of the Red Sea, and after five hours, my thesis was ready. It was so good that the external examiner said that he had no questions for me.

God teaches His children through His word. If you are an ardent student of the Bible, every now and then, as you study, He will teach you things that will make difficult situations become easy for you. David said in Psalm 119:105:

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

Sometimes, the solution to your problem may come from just simply reading the Bible without necessarily having a man of God lay hands on your head. Unfortunately, many Christians don’t read their Bible, and that is why they continue to struggle with simple problems for many years. Jesus said in John 8:32:

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Having a knowledge of the truth through God’s word will ensure that you live victoriously. Students know that if they don’t study their textbooks, they will fail their exams. Your Bible is the textbook of life; study it so that you will not fail in life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I became the General Overseer of RCCG about 45 years ago. At that time, the total income of the church was less than my monthly salary from the university I resigned from. The church had 39 other members of staff, and after paying them, there was usually nothing left for the General Overseer. As a human being, I turned to God and said, “Lord, I told You to leave me alone where I was lecturing, afterall, I was already pastoring. After collecting my salary, I always deduct money for food and fuel for my car, and the rest goes to Your work. Now, what I am getting from the government is no longer available, and this is the income of the church. What guarantee do I have that I will survive?” Then, God made me a promise, “Son, I have only one guarantee to give you; wherever you go, I will be with you.” Truly, God hasn’t failed me: in 45 years, I have neither borrowed nor begged. Indeed, God provides.

When you see someone who cannot testify to the fact that God provides, it is likely that you have found someone who is stingy, even to God. If you pay attention to my story in the first paragraph, you will see that even when I was a lecturer, almost all my money was given to God. Hence, whenever I am in need, He has never failed me. Luke 6:38 says that it is when you give that it shall be given unto you. The widow of Zarephath understood this, so when God, through Prophet Elijah, asked for her last meal, she gave it. In return, she had more than enough food to last her throughout the famine.

God has been so gracious to many people such that giving Him all their money is not enough to say ‘thank you’ to Him. Despite this, when He asks them for just a little of what they have, they would say ‘no’. Apart from being stingy to God, a lot of them are also stingy to people around them, especially the less privileged. Proverbs 21:13 says:

“Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.”

Beloved, if you want God to provide for you, don’t be stingy to His work, men and women of God, those around you, or the poor. The liberal soul will surely be made fat (Proverbs 11:25).

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. – Mark 9:23

Sometime ago, we had a Holy Ghost night in Canada. After the programme, some people rushed to touch the chair I sat on. However, one particular woman didn’t bother; she just went to my wife’s chair, knelt there, and prayed to God. The doctors had told her that she had no womb and that she shouldn’t bother trying to have children. While on her knees, she said, “Lord, the woman who sat here has a womb, and she doesn’t need it anymore. Transfer her womb to me.” By the time she came to testify, she had given birth to five children. She miraculously had a womb transplant by just touching the chair of the original owner of the womb. This is just one of the little things that God can do. He resurrected a dead man after four days in John 11; there is absolutely nothing that God cannot do. One major thing that can limit His ability to work wonders is unbelief. As powerful as Jesus was during His earthly ministry, He could not perform many miracles in His own hometown because of their unbelief (Matthew 13:58).

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He would often say to those that He was about to heal, “Your faith has made you whole” (Mark 5:34). In other words, without faith, they would have remained sick.

That big challenge in front of you can be easily solved by God if only you believe. Praying about a problem is not enough; the real question is, “Do you believe that God can solve it?” I have seen many people pray without believing that they will receive answers to their prayers, and because of their unbelief, they miss out on their miracles. James 1:6-7 says:

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Nothing is impossible with God; all you have to do is ask Him in faith. Philippians 4:6 says that when you are praying, you should present your requests to God with thanksgiving. In other words, as you are making your request, you should thank Him simultaneously because you know that He has done it already.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Hopelessness is dangerous; no matter how bad things get, you must never lose hope. In 1 Kings 19:1-8, when things were not going as Elijah expected, he asked God to kill him because he had lost hope. However, in 1 Kings 21:20, Ahab, whom he was running from, said to him, “Have you found me, my enemy?” The one who was pursuing Elijah had started running from him.

Beloved, don’t let people tell you that your case is hopeless; they are not your God. They did not bring you this far, and so, they cannot control your future. If they say that it is too late for you, tell them that they do not control time; only God controls times and seasons, and He didn’t bring you this far to abandon you. Your tomorrow is going to be alright; therefore, you should remain hopeful. My Helper is still alive; He does not change (Hebrews 13:. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the One who is, was, and is to come. If He has helped me thus far, He will help me until the end.

I have countless testimonies of times when it looked like all hope was lost, but God stepped in and did the impossible. I remember after my wife had undergone three Caesarean Sections, and the doctors said that she must not get pregnant again. However, we were inspired by Luke 1:37 to try again. Throughout her pregnancy, we didn’t see any doctor. When it was time for her to deliver, she had a prolonged labour, and after three days, I became very afraid. I heard the devil tell me clearly, “Stupid man, you claim to have a PhD; your wife is going to die tonight, and you will see what her relatives will do to you.” When I heard that, a holy anger rose up within me, and I said, “Listen devil, if my wife dies tonight, I will ask the General Superintendent for permission to preach on Sunday, and the first thing I will say is ‘there is nothing my God cannot do.” Shortly after that, I heard the cry of a baby coming from the maternity ward. My wife was the only one in the ward, so I knew it was our baby.

When God starts something, He finishes it; He doesn’t abandon His children halfway. He is faithful and will see to it that all ends well. Beloved, never lose hope.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Years ago, a young man was involved in a road accident in which everyone else died except him. He was taken to a hospital and was in a coma for several days. While still in coma, he would occasionally regain consciousness and shout, “Jesus.” Then, he would relapse. This kept reoccurring until he regained full consciousness. He recovered fully, and He is still alive as I write this.

No matter how helpless a situation is, when you call on the name of Jesus, everything turns around for good. The name of Jesus is enough to bring down any mountain. Philippians 2:10 says:

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;”

A young boy, who was the son of a Muslim cleric, gave his life to Christ. His father felt embarrassed that his son had converted to Christianity, and after many arguments and persuasions, it became clear that his son was unwilling to reverse his decision. Feeling frustrated, the father got his fellow clerics to produce a charm to attack his son. One day, he called his son’s name with the charm, and as expected from a son who hears his father’s call, the boy answered. As he answered, the young boy looked up and saw a big rock coming towards him. Immediately, he shouted, “Jesus!” and it disappeared. It was a spiritual attack, but it failed at the mention of the name of Jesus.

The name of Jesus is powerful and potent all by itself. This is why you must learn to use it in the face of impending danger. However, you should not call the name of Jesus in vain or as a mere exclamation. Do not call the name of Jesus casually so you do not attract the wrath of the owner of the name. Even as a human being, you would not like it if people toy with your name; how much more the Most High God? Exodus 20:7 says:

“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain”

Beloved, you will overcome whatever challenges you face if you call upon the name of Jesus. As the Bible says in Romans 10:13, whosoever calls on the name of Jesus shall be saved.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 18:18

The above Bible passage shows how God sees us as His children and the authority He has given to us. It says that we are so powerful that we can decide what happens in heaven. If we bind something on earth, the hosts of heaven will validate it. It is important that we know how powerful we are because Psalm 49:20 says:

“Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.”

A lot of Christians are perishing because they don’t realise that they are sitting in a place of honour. Witches and wizards are tormenting children of God who are seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6) but acting like helpless chickens because they don’t know who they are.

Jesus said in John 14:12 that you will do the works that He did and even greater. You can do everything that Jesus did in the Scriptures and even more. In Mark 11:13-14, Jesus cursed a fig tree that appeared fruitful but, upon closer inspection, was barren. Overnight, the tree withered completely from its roots because the process of divine curses operates from the roots upwards, just like divine blessings. Furthermore, Jesus said:

“For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”
Mark 11:23

Some years ago, during a visit to a state capital in Nigeria, I was told about a tree at the centre of the town that could not be uprooted. In fact, the state government had to construct a road around the tree because it could not be uprooted. I stretched my hand towards the tree and declared in the name of the Lord that the tree be cursed. That very night, a storm hit the town, and by the next morning, the tree had been completely uprooted. The tree got uprooted because a son of the living God who understands his authority issued a command that had to be obeyed. You can do the same and even more if you are truly in right standing with God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Sometime ago, a lady in one of the RCCG parishes was sacked unjustly from her workplace. Shortly after that, she embarked on a journey, and highway robbers stopped her and took her car away. Days later, while she was trying to cook, her kitchen caught fire. All these occurrences happened within a week. Interestingly, the following Sunday was Thanksgiving Sunday, and she danced and rejoiced more than everyone else. Everybody stared at her because she was the last person they expected to be dancing like that. However, she told them, “I lost my job, not my salvation. They stole my car, but they didn’t steal my life. My kitchen caught fire, but I am not going to hell. Whatever the devil has tried, I am still here.” That is the testimony of someone who had an intimate relationship with God before challenges came, and He never lets such people down (Jeremiah 17:7-.

If anyone tells you that you will never face challenges because you are a Christian, that fellow is not telling you the whole truth. Challenges will come, but your response to them will be determined by how much you love God. If a challenge pushes you away from God, then your love is small. Some people confess their undying love for God, singing that they will always follow Him, whether through storms or fires. However, when challenges come, they forget their confession and turn away from Him.

If telling the truth about a situation at work will cost you your job, will you lie to save your job or tell the truth and bear the consequences? You may claim now that you will always tell the truth, but what will really determine what you will do in that situation is your love for God now. Your love for Him must be built from today if you will remain standing in the face of challenges.

In Daniel 3, the three Hebrew boys were confronted with the option to either bow to an idol or be thrown into fire. They chose fire, and that shows real love for God. That love was not cultivated on the day the king gave the command for them to bow; they had been cultivating it long before then.

Beloved, build your love for Christ now. Study your Bible diligently, pray without ceasing, and keep fellowshipping with other Christians so that when the day of adversity comes, your love for God will keep you standing.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Some people who are not Christians become very rich because they understand the principle of sowing and reaping. If those who do not know God benefit from this simple principle, how much more God’s children?

During a Kenneth Hagin camp meeting several years ago, a call was made for a special offering to be collected. Then, one man got up and said, “Brothers and sisters, please give very generously this evening because the total amount you all give is what my wife and I will give.” There were about 17,500 people in attendance. When the offering was counted, it amounted to about $3.5million. He got up again and said, “Brethren, is this all you can do?” I said to myself, “This fellow knows something that I do not know,” so I cornered him after the meeting and asked, “What is your secret?” He said, “Five years ago, I started a business with $500, and I told God, ‘This company is Your company. I will not insult You by giving You 10 percent; I will keep 10 percent, and You will have 90 percent. It is up to You to prosper the company if You want to.” He continued, “Sir, today, I have a turnover of $50million.”

I learnt a major lesson that day. Though I do not give God 90 percent yet, I am on my way, and He has already blessed me beyond my expectations. If you see someone walking in glory, try and find out what their story is. If you see someone prospering much more than you, and you are both children of the same heavenly Father, find out their secret.

The Bible says that God blessed Abraham in everything (Genesis 24:1). He was rich in cattle, houses, lands, and servants. Today, billions of Christians say, “Abraham’s blessings are mine.” However, the same Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son at God’s instruction (Genesis 22:10). He also obeyed God to leave his father’s house to an unknown land (Genesis 12:4), lived in tents in the land God showed him, refusing to become attached to anything God blessed him with (Hebrews 11:9), and gave tithes to God (Genesis 14:20). Those who will enjoy the blessings of Abraham must do his works.

Beloved, there’s always a story behind every glory. Don’t just ask God to give you the glory you see on others who are shining today; try to find out what they did to walk in that glory.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

If Christ is in you, your hope is glory (Colossians 1:27). No matter who you are, as long as you have Christ in you, you can hope for God’s glory. Isaiah 3:10-11 says that while it will be well with the righteous, it shall be ill with the wicked. No matter your past, as long as you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour and you’re living according to His will, you have been made righteous, and it will be well with you. Those who aren’t born again cannot be righteous; God sees them as wicked (John 3:18-21), and He has said that it shall not be well with them (Isaiah 3:11).

l always tell my children at the beginning of each year, “It’s going to be well with me this year.” I know this because the One who said that it shall be well with the righteous never discriminates. What He says to one, He says to all (Mark 13:37).

God is not a man that He should lie; when He says something, He will do it (Numbers 23:19). When He makes a promise, and you meet the conditions of that promise, you will receive it at the appointed time. The promise of a glorious tomorrow for you, according to Colossians 1:27, is conditional, and the condition is that Christ must be in you. Those who refuse to be connected to Jesus cannot see His promises fulfilled.

A man once asked me to tell him about his future, and I replied, “That is easy. Are you born again?” He answered, “No.” I then told him that his future would be terrible. He said, “How do you know? You don’t even know me, neither do you know my name. You’ve not even prayed.” I then said, “That is unnecessary. Isaiah 3:11 says, Woe to the wicked, for it shall be ill with him.” Then, he said, “What if I said I am born again?” I replied, “I would have told you that your tomorrow will be alright.” He then said, “What if l am willing to be a child of God now?” I replied, “Your tomorrow will be alright.”

God is not a respecter of persons (Romans 2:11); no matter your background, His word is true for everybody.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

After Jesus was crucified, Peter thought that it was the end of His ministry on the earth. Therefore, in John 21:3, he told his colleagues, “You know what, if I can’t go forward, at least I can return to where I am coming from. Brethren, I am going back to fishing,” and they decided to follow him. However, while he was fishing, the Lord met him and restored him. The same Peter, who thought that the end had come in his walk with Christ, began to heal the sick with his shadow, as we see in Acts 5:15:

“Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.”

If you have failed God at one time or the other, or you feel that God cannot use you again because of the sins you have committed, let me tell you, if you repent and forsake your old ways, God can still use you mightily. He specialises in using the most unlikely people in powerful measures.

Beloved, don’t be like Samson, who disappointed God. He deviated from the path that God laid out for him and started engaging in sin. Eventually, the enemy captured him, and he lost the connection he had with God. However, when he prayed to the One whose mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), that connection was restored. Not only was the connection restored, Samson also received the power he had lost. In one day, he killed more Philistines than he had killed in his entire life. God had apparently forgiven and restored Samson, but he never forgave himself, and so, he asked to die along with his enemies (Judges 16:17-30). If you are backslidden, the Lord can still restore you if you will allow Him to. Go back to Him in prayers, start studying your Bible, and begin to walk with Him in obedience in fellowship with other Christians. You will see that as you take one step towards Him, He will take 99 steps towards you.

I have seen many backsliders completely restored by God. In fact, you will never know that they were once backslidden. When they genuinely repented, God took charge of their lives and used them powerfully. Beloved, if you have strayed from God’s path, He can do the same for you if you repent genuinely and come back to Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing God’s word. Revelation 12:11 also tells us that testimonies are powerful weapons that can defeat the devil. This is why I keep sharing testimonies. I have discovered that many people don’t often remember the Bible passages I quote during my sermons, but they remember the testimonies. When you look back at the things the Lord has done, you become confident that you can overcome any obstruction that may come your way.

In 1 Samuel 17:1-51, when David confronted Goliath, his testimonies gave him the assurance that he would win. He said, “The God who delivered me from the lion and the bear will deal with Goliath.” God has kept you alive until now, and He will keep you unto the end, in Jesus’ name.

Bartimaeus, in Mark 10:46-52, was a blind man who was begging by the roadside. He heard that Jesus was passing by and began to cry for help. How did he know that Jesus can open blind eyes? I’m sure it was because he had heard testimonies of miracles that Jesus had performed. So, when he heard that the same Jesus was passing by, he knew that his miracle had come.

Several years ago, I shared a testimony about how my wife delivered a baby naturally after she had delivered three of our children through Caesarean Sections. The doctor had told us, “No more babies,” and we agreed. Thereafter, we became born again, and one day, I read the Bible passage that says, “…with God nothing shall be impossible,” and I believed it. My wife and I agreed that we would have another child, and this time, we would not involve any doctor. The baby was born safely by God’s grace. I shared the testimony for the first time in Kaduna, a state in Northern Nigeria, as I preached a message titled, ‘10 steps to your miracle’ (The original sermon note I used can be accessed in the Open Heavens International Centre). A woman who attended the programme wrote all the steps in her notebook. She had undergone two Caesarean Sections and was pregnant with her third baby. When she was about to give birth, she took the notebook and began to follow the steps. While she was still acting on the steps, the baby came.

Beloved, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:. If you have heard someone share a testimony concerning whatever situation you are going through, have faith that your miracle will also come.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As discussed yesterday, God is the source of all help, and He is able to help you in any situation. He said in Jeremiah 32:27, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” He told Sarah in Genesis 18:9-14 that she was going to have a son, and she laughed. He responded, “Is anything too hard for the Lord to do?” Your case is not too hard for God; He can do ALL things.

One of my daughters had been believing God for the fruit of the womb, but the doctors told her that she could never have a child. One day, a relative called her husband and said, “Stop wasting your money because your wife cannot have a child.” When he asked why, the relative said it was because witches had removed her womb. Soon after that, she came to a Holy Ghost Service, and the word of God came thus, “There is someone here, you have no womb, but God says He will give you a set of twins.” That month, she became pregnant. When she was set to deliver, her husband asked the doctors to perform a Caesarean Section on her. The surgeon took out the twins and said, “I have been practising medicine for 34 years; this is the first time I have brought out a set of twins without a womb.” We rejoiced over that testimony, and several years later, I got a phone call from her saying that she wanted to visit me with her twins. I was expecting her to bring the twins that we all rejoiced over, but she came with a new set of twins! There is a God who can do the incredible and surprise you beyond your wildest imagination. I pray that as He lives, He will give you a miracle today, in Jesus’ name.

Not only is God able to help you, He is also willing. In Mark 1:40-45, a leper came to Jesus and said that he knew Jesus could make him clean, but he wasn’t sure if He was willing. Beloved, you may be thinking, “I know God is a miracle worker; I have seen Him working, and I have heard countless testimonies, but I am not sure if He is willing to help me.” I decree, in the name of the One who called me, your day has come. Go ahead and ask Him for help, and you will receive that help, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Psalm 121:1-2, David said:

“I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.”

This passage implies that help is always available with the One who made heaven and earth. The question is, will you seek your help from Him? In Psalm 46:1, David said, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” God’s help is ever-present, especially in times when you are in trouble. God is the helper of the helpless.

A lady was barren for several years, and her pastor had prayed for her continually, but nothing happened. One day, the pastor called her and said, “Woman, everybody I prayed for has given birth. What’s the issue?” The woman told him that when she was in secondary school, she got pregnant and tried to abort the pregnancy. In the process, she began to bleed badly and had to be taken to the hospital. In a bid to save her life, the doctor had to remove her womb. When the pastor heard this, he said, “You mean you have no womb? Why are you asking me to pray for you to be fruitful?” She then replied, “Sir, you are the one who taught us that with God, all things are possible.” From that day onward, the pastor began to avoid her. She noticed it and decided to lift up her eyes to the hills, not to the pastor or the General Overseer, but to the Lord who made heaven and earth and who is always present to help. One night, she dreamt that a huge man approached her, holding the skin of an animal. She was so terrified by the size of the man that she couldn’t move. As she was completely naked in the dream, the man came and wrapped the skin of the animal around her waist. When she woke up, she discovered that she was menstruating. By the time she was giving her testimony, she had given birth to five children.

Beloved, don’t look up to any pastor, evangelist, or General Overseer for help; rather, look up to the source of all help. Nobody can help you without God’s permission anyway. Rather than looking up to people, why not just go straight to the One whom they also rely on for help? Your help is always available with Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

For every action or inaction, there are consequences. This is why you should consider it a great privilege when you have people around you who can correct you whenever you do something wrong so that you do not have to suffer terrible consequences. Unfortunately, some people do not listen to corrections. The Bible refers to such people as servants.

“A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer.”
Proverbs 29:19

You can choose between being corrected by words or by consequences. If you are wise, you will choose to be corrected by words so that you can avoid the consequences that come with doing the wrong things. Those who are wise do not wait for people to correct them. Rather, they regularly ask the people around them for feedback to know if they are on the right track or not. In Matthew 16:13, Jesus Christ asked His disciples, “Whom do men say that I am?” In other words, He was asking, “Based on my character and words, what is the impression that I give people about myself?”

Beloved, it is important that you regularly give people the opportunity to tell you what they think of you, especially when you are a leader. You can make it anonymous so that they can give you honest feedback.

It is quite possible for someone to grow to a level where people begin to say he or she is infallible, even in situations where the fellow knows that he or she has erred. It is important to avoid this pitfall and ensure that you still have people around you who will always tell you the truth. You should never outgrow corrections. Even when people criticise you with evil intentions, you can ignore their motives and listen to see if there is really something that you need to correct or improve on.

Beloved, you will avoid so many troubles in life if you are the kind of person who listens to corrections. If people correct you once or twice and they see that you got angry, they will leave you alone. This will be dangerous because, even though they can see you heading towards a ditch, they will let you fall into it. Even God will leave you alone after He has corrected you over something for a while and you refuse to listen (Romans 1:28). May God not leave you to destroy yourself, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the context of today’s topic, a son is someone who looks like you and has some of your traits. In 1 Samuel 22, David accommodated people who were vagabonds, and he later raised them to become valiant men like himself. Jesus Christ spent only three-and-a-half years with His disciples, but by the time He left, they had been so transformed that they were just like people who had gotten formal education (Acts 4:13). When someone has spent some time with you, can other people notice a positive difference in him or her?

The Bible says that if you delicately bring up a servant from childhood, that servant will later become a son to you (Proverbs 29:21). Childhood here refers to a time when a person doesn’t understand much about life. If you have people working with you, raise them like they are your children. Correct them when the need arises, teach them the things they need to learn and don’t give up on them while they are still working on their weaknesses. After a while, they will become just like sons and daughters to you.

Many people say that they cannot tolerate nonsense when, in reality, they are just impatient with people. Such people forget that patience is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:17). Many of the people who support me today were initially rough around the edges, to put it mildly. However, the Lord helped me to train them. I didn’t give up on them, and after a while, they became like sons to me, handling sensitive assignments. If you want to be successful as a leader, you have to learn to invest in people.

In Yorubaland, an adage says that the one whose children will be many cannot be short-tempered. Sometimes, the reason people are lonely is that they have driven the children God sent to them out of their lives by their intolerance. There are many people with great potential out there that can become great if someone trains them. However, this is not to say that you should continue to tolerate people who persistently do terrible things or engage in criminal acts. After many warnings and efforts to change such people, if they refuse to change, you can handle the case as Paul did in 1 Corinthians 5:5. However, if people are generally of good behaviour but have some negative traits and are willing to become better, don’t use your impatience to throw them out into the world.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As I conclude my discussion on the forces that can obstruct a person’s progress, I want you to know that the real wall of Jericho hindering people’s progress may actually be they themselves and not necessarily a spiritual force or a relationship. No matter how much support such people get in order to progress in life, if they have certain bad habits or traits, they will still not make progress. Romans 8:31 says:

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

The answer to the above question is ‘we ourselves’. Even if the Almighty God is for you, you must ensure that you are not against yourself. Certain negative traits can make a fellow work against himself or herself in the journey of life. These traits are hindrances to progress. For example, laziness is a great hindrance to progress. King Solomon, considered by many to be one of the wisest people who ever lived, said in Proverbs 6:10-11:

Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

When we were building what has now become Redemption City, I knew some people who worked with us who were lazy. If only they were hardworking, considering all the work that was done then, they would have been very wealthy by now. Nobody wants to give opportunities to a lazy fellow. This is because lazy people will eventually waste the opportunities that are given to them.

Another trait that can be a wall of Jericho to a person is talkativeness. Proverbs 29:20 says that a fool has more hope for tomorrow than the one who is always quick to talk.

Dishonesty is yet another trait that can be a wall of Jericho to a fellow and hinder his or her success. This is because nobody will trust people who lack integrity to handle sensitive responsibilities. Jesus Christ said in Luke 16:10 that whoever is faithful in a little will have more committed into his or her hands. If you say one thing and turn around to do something completely opposite, it will be difficult for you to have access to the things that you have been asking and trusting God for.

Beloved, be wise. Don’t be the wall of Jericho in the path of your progress.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I will continue the discussion I started yesterday on the factors that can hinder a person’s progress. Sometimes, the wall hindering your progress could be someone you have a relationship with. Many people don’t know it, but sometimes, even the people you love may be a hindrance to your progress.

In Genesis 12:1-5, Abraham took Lot with him when God called him to leave his family behind and go to a place that He would show him. However, it wasn’t until Lot separated from him in Genesis 13:14-17 that God spoke and showed him the land He had promised.

The spiritual authority a person submits to can also hinder the fellow’s progress (1 Kings 13:1-24). This is why you must carefully choose your spiritual father or mentor with the Holy Spirit’s guidance. John 15:20 says that the servant cannot be greater than the master. Whomever you choose to be your master will determine how far you can go. Prayerfully choose someone who is constantly growing so that there won’t be a limit to your progress.

Another kind of person that can be a wall of Jericho that is hindering your progress is your friend. To a great extent, those you call your friends will determine how far you will go in life. This was why Solomon warned his son in Proverbs 1:10-15 not to keep company with certain kinds of friends.

When I became born again, one of the first things I did was to change my friends. It was painful, but if I had remained in their company, I would never have come this far in life. Amnon would have lived a long and good life as a son of David, but he ended up badly because he had the wrong friend. In 2 Samuel 13:3, the Bible says, “But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab…”

There are some people who pose as friends but are actually like the wall of Jericho. If you have such friends, stay away from them because they are enemies of progress. If you have a friend who you only gossip with, but you never pray or discuss the Bible, that friend will become a hindrance to your progress. If you have friends whose pieces of advice are always contrary to what the Bible says and are always encouraging you to reduce your dedication to God, such friends are a wall of Jericho between you and God’s perfect plan for your life. Beloved, please run away from such friends.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Joshua 6:1-20, the children of Israel were close to the promised land, but a mighty wall stood in their way. Joshua knew that their progress would be affected by the wall, and God gave him the strategy to bring the wall down and lead His people into what He had prepared for them. When it feels like something is obstructing your access to God’s promises, you first need to identify exactly what it is so you can ask God for the strategy to overcome what is hindering your progress. If you have not identified what is stopping your progress, you may be fighting the wrong battles while the actual enemy remains unchallenged.

In many cases, the forces of darkness are the wall of Jericho that hinders the progress of people since the devil’s only job is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). If you notice that something bigger than you is blocking your way when you are about to succeed in an endeavour, you need to pray against that force. The good news is, Isaiah 54:17 says:

“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”

Beloved, if you are a child of God and you’re serving Him diligently, you have the legal right to condemn whatever forces that may arise against you. Some of these evil forces are stubborn and will not stop if you tell them to go just once. Hence, you need to pray and fast persistently before they go. Jesus said in Mark 9:29 that some demons cannot be overcome except by prayer and fasting. If you have done all these and you still cannot see any change, you probably need to find someone who can join you in prayers so you can engage the prayer of agreement. Deuteronomy 32:30 says:

“How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?”

You can also ask a minister of God with higher authority to pray for you. After taking these steps, there is no force that can stand in your way.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I explained how dangerous a curse from God can be and how you must avoid it. Just as a curse from God is powerful, a blessing from God is also extremely powerful. The best thing that can happen to anyone is for God to bless him or her. When God blesses you, every force in heaven, on earth, and underneath the earth will work to favour you. Also, there will be no sorrow added to the blessing (Proverbs 10:22).

There are several passages in the Scriptures that talk about the blessings of God and how you can attract them. Unfortunately, many Christians just read about the blessings and claim them without paying attention to what to do to attract them. Owing to my training in mathematics, whenever I see a blessing in the Bible, I always want to know what the condition of getting that blessing is. I know that if the conditions are not right, no matter how hard I try, I will not get the desired result. Therefore, I always pay more attention to the conditions needed for God’s blessings than the blessings themselves.

Deuteronomy 28:1-14 is filled with many blessings that God has promised us. However, when you study that Bible passage closely, you will see that the condition to getting the blessings is that you hearken diligently to the word of God. If God looks at you and sees no sin, you are already blessed.

“Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”
Romans 4:8

To attract God’s blessings, you must live a holy life. You cannot continue going against God’s word and expect Him to keep blessing you. When you start living a holy life, you will discover the real meaning of God’s blessings. I thought I was successful before I met Christ; I was a young lecturer at the university, growing steadily in my career. However, no matter how much my salary was, by the middle of the next month, I would be borrowing money from my driver to fuel my car. Then, I met Christ and started living a holy life. He blessed me, and all of a sudden, the same salary that wasn’t usually sufficient became enough to cater for my needs.

Beloved, start living a holy life from today, and you will see the real meaning of being blessed.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When you check through the Scriptures, and you see the impact of God’s curse on any person or group of people, if you are wise, you will do everything possible to ensure that God doesn’t get angry with you at all. The power of a blessing or a curse is dependent on the spiritual authority of the fellow who is placing the blessing or curse. Since God is higher than the highest, a curse from Him is so potent that nothing can break the curse except God Himself. Since there is no remedy to a curse from God, any wise fellow will avoid anything that will make God curse him or her.

Since God placed a curse on the ground after the fall of Adam (Genesis 3:17), man has had to toil and sweat on it with limited returns. I pray that you will make it to the millennial reign of Christ because by then, we will be having robust harvests monthly and not the little yearly harvests we are having now (Revelation 22:2-3).

If you read the story of Cain in Genesis 4:9-15, you will notice that the moment God cursed him, everyone he encountered wanted to harm him, even without provocation. When you read the Scriptures and come across something that God forbids or that would attract a curse from Him, you should stay away from such a thing. For example, He said in Malachi 3:8-10 that those who don’t pay their tithes are robbing God, and they will attract a curse on themselves. Even without the promise of overflowing blessings for paying your tithe, the curse alone should make you pay your tithes faithfully. Also, in Deuteronomy 28:15-20, God said that if the children of Israel did not hearken to His voice and obey His commandments, certain curses shall come upon them and overtake them. This is why you must ensure that you live a life that is in total obedience to God’s commandments and principles.

Lastly, when you meet a true Christian, a descendant of Abraham by faith, don’t try to place a curse on such a fellow because the result will be that you will attract God’s curse on yourself (Genesis 12:3). Beloved, God’s curses are very terrible, and they are irreversible except if He has mercy on you. Do all you can to avoid God’s curses.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A curse is a summon to spiritual forces to work against someone or a group of people, while a divine curse is a summon to all forces in heaven, on earth, and beneath the earth to do the same. No matter how strong you are, I’m sure you don’t want any spiritual force to work against you; hence, you must avoid curses.

In Judges 9:5-57, we see an example of a curse impacting an entire city. Jotham had escaped being killed by his brother, Abimelech, who had killed seventy of his brothers, and he responded by placing a curse on Abimelech and the men of Shechem who helped him. Three years later, God allowed an evil spirit to execute the curse, leading to chaos and destruction in the land and, ultimately, Abimelech’s death.

I heard a story when I was young that helped shape my actions as I grew older. It was reported that a young man who was travelling on a journey passed by an old man and laughed mockingly at him for no reason. The old man responded by saying, “I may be too weak to do anything, but the basket is never satisfied with water.” After saying this, he continued on his way. Suddenly, the young man felt an intense thirst, so he rushed to the nearest hut to drink some water before continuing his journey. Shortly after, he became thirsty again, and he stopped at another hut to drink more water. After many more similar stops, some people sensed that something was amiss. They questioned him, and he told them the old man’s statement. They shouted, “Ah! That is a curse.” They found the old man and begged him to forgive the young man. He agreed, released him from the curse, and immediately, the intense thirst stopped.

Beloved, avoid actions that can attract curses to you. Honour elders, and do not cheat or hurt other people. If you have done nothing wrong and someone curses you, it will not come to pass because a causeless curse will never come into effect (Proverbs 26:2).

When you study your Bible, you will see that certain actions can attract curses from God; avoid them like a plague. If a man’s curse can be as powerful as the one in the story I shared above, how much more curses from God? I will discuss more about avoiding God’s curses tomorrow.

If there‘s any curse currently operating in your life, I decree that it will be broken today, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

During natural childbirth, a woman is required to push the baby out. No matter how many times she pushes, until the baby comes out, she must keep pushing. The moment she gives the final push that brings the baby out, she becomes a new person – a mother.

As a Christian, you will never be done pushing until you have put on a new body in Christ. No matter how much you have achieved in the past, you must keep pushing until you see the Lord in glory (Philippians 3:13-14). Many people started out right; they achieved many great things for God, but as time went on, they stopped pushing. They stopped fasting and praying as they used to, and they missed the glory that would have been theirs.

At a time when there was serious persecution against Christians in Russia, five Christian boys were captured by Russian soldiers and thrown into a freezing pond in the middle of winter. The soldiers started a fire and said that those who would deny Jesus could come out of the pond and warm themselves by the fire. Slowly, the boys started freezing, and at a point, one of them called out to the soldiers and said that he was ready to deny Jesus. As one of the soldiers went to get him out, the Lord opened his eyes, and he saw five angels holding crowns, one for each of the boys. However, the angel holding the crown of the boy who had denied Jesus was turning back to return with the crown. That boy had suffered for long for Christ, but at the tail end, he gave up and missed his crown.

Beloved, it doesn’t matter how much you have done for God; if you give up now, you will miss your crown. Don’t let the pleasures of this life distract you; don’t let the lure of sin take you out of the way of righteousness. Keep pushing by praying, studying your Bible, fasting, attending fellowships, and living holy. Do not be weary in well doing (Galatians 6:9).

In Philippians 3:13, Apostle Paul said, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,” Forget the things you have achieved in the past; they are not as important as the things you must do for God in the future. I pray that you will keep soaring until the end, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The longer you have spent on earth, the wiser you are expected to be. This is why people never ask how young you are, rather, they ask how old you are. In reality, they are asking, how much wisdom have you garnered? This is in line with Job 12:12, which says, “With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.”

In Yorubaland, when people do not act their age, they are called Agba iya, meaning ‘old for nothing’. When people are unserious with their lives, even though they are advancing in age, they are called agba iya. May you not be old for nothing, in Jesus’ name.

Proverbs 22:15 says that there is foolishness locked in the heart of a child. Therefore, everybody starts out being foolish. This is an interesting fact about life; the child of a servant and that of a president will both start the journey of life alike as newborns. However, their choices in life will determine how they will end.

For the first 18 years of my life, I walked around barefooted. Today, by God’s grace, I can wear a different pair of shoes every day for a whole year if I choose to. This is because I have walked with the ancient of days, and His Holy Spirit has continually given me wisdom that I have applied to make my life better. Regardless of your age, you can walk in wisdom if you yield yourself to the instructions of the Holy Spirit; He is the source of all knowledge and wisdom (Colossians 2:1-3).

When I was younger, I had an older brother who was tall and strong. One day, he erred, and my father beat him such that he cried like a baby. When I saw my ‘strong’ brother crying, I determined never to do anything that would make my father beat me. If you are wise, you will not make some mistakes in life; you will recognise danger and avoid it as much as possible.

If you know the consequences of an action and still take that action, you are an agba iya. Committing sin and refusing to repent leads to eternal separation from God. If you are wise, you will choose to be holy because that is the only way to see God (Hebrews 12:14).

Beloved, if you haven’t been wise with your decisions so far in life, it is time to yield to the Holy Spirit and surrender to His leading.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When I see Christians celebrating because they have been promoted to higher positions of influence in God’s kingdom, I wonder if they really know what serving God is about. When someone is promoted from leading 10 people to leading 100 people in God’s kingdom, such a fellow should be sober. This is because the demons that will be posted to bring him or her down will not only increase in number but also in rank. Also, he or she will become accountable to God for more people. It is tough enough to be accountable for one person, let alone multiple people.

When Joshua was promoted to become the national leader of Israel, God had to tell him multiple times to be courageous. Why then do people celebrate when they are given greater assignments in the kingdom? Could it be because their focus is not on the work but on the prestige and benefits that come with the new office?

If God puts you in charge of the souls of men, you must recognise that at the end of your life here on earth, you will give account to God for every soul that He put in your care. In John 17:12, Jesus said:

“While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”

If Jesus could give an account of the people in His care while He was on the earth, how much more His disciples? This is why James 3:1 says that the judgement for those who are leaders in His kingdom will be greater than that of others. Therefore, the more people you are teaching the word of God and discipling, the more people you will have to account for. This invariably means that when God promotes you, you have to work, fast, and pray more.

When I was pastoring just a few people within one state in Nigeria, I used to sleep all night. During this period, one day, I saw my Father-in-the-Lord praying all night, and I was worried. In the morning, I asked him if all was well. He laughed and told me that I would understand later. Now, I understand because all-night prayers have also become my lifestyle.

When you serve God, He will promote you, however, you must take the promotion as an opportunity to work harder.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Nowadays, many see God’s call as a call to a higher social status. Even though God rewards those who work hard to please Him with influence and wealth, His call to service is a call to put Him first in everything. In Matthew 19:16-24, a rich man, who had been careful to obey God’s commandments, approached Jesus and said, “Lord, I have obeyed all your commands, and I have kept all the law, but somehow, I feel that something is missing. What do I lack?” Jesus replied: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” On hearing this, he became sorrowful because he had many possessions and obviously valued them more than following Jesus. Beloved, when God calls you, following Him must be your only focus, and you should be ready to surrender anything He asks of you, including your life (Luke 14:26).

Those who will heed God’s call must see Him as their only source. This is why in Numbers 18:20, God told Aaron that he would have no inheritance among the Israelites because He would be his inheritance. In Ezekiel 44:28, God said that He would be the inheritance of His priests.

God is not against you taking up secular jobs (except He has specifically told you not to); however, He wants you to see Him as your only source. If God calls you, no matter how wealthy or influential you are, He will first take you through a wilderness to be sure that you are serious about serving Him and that you are not just serving Him for material gains. If you lose patience in the wilderness season and start going after material things, you are not fit for the call. This is why we have many half-baked ministers of God today; when God was building them in their wilderness season, they rebelled against Him and found alternatives.

Those who will be used mightily by God must be willing to trust Him wholeheartedly. Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith, it is impossible to please God. Faith is built when you let go of everything you can rely on and focus on God alone. The good news is, after He has truly seen that your faith is solely in Him, He will begin to raise you up, and when God raises you, there is no limit to how far He can take you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are people who claim to have been called by God, but when you look closely, you will realise that they are only going into ministry because they failed at everything else. Today, I will be discussing some of the things God looks for in the people He calls into service.

Anyone who will receive the call of God cannot be lazy. God does not call lazy people. If someone is lazy, that fellow is useless to himself or herself. When you look at everyone whom God called in the Bible, you will discover that they were all busy people. Jesus called Peter after he had fished all night – lazy people don’t work all night. When Elisha received the call of God through Elijah, he was on the farm plowing with twelve yokes of oxen before him (1 Kings 19:19).

God works with the principle He stated in Luke 16:10:

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”

If you are not faithful in the earthly work that you are doing now, God will not commit souls into your hands. Jesus asked in Mark 8:36, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” In other words, He was saying that just one human soul is more valuable than the entire world. Therefore, souls are too precious for Him to commit into the hands of a lazy person.

God is not lazy. Jesus Christ said in John 5:17 that His Father works, and He works too. Since Amos 3:3 says that two cannot walk together except they agree, then you cannot work with God if you are lazy.

People who are lazy and want to serve God in ministry are people who want to eat without working; this is totally against the will of God. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says that those who do not work should not eat. After God created man, the first thing He gave him was work.

“And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”
Genesis 2:15

The Scripture above shows how important work is to God. Beloved, the next time you see lazy people claiming that God has called them into ministry, stay away from them because God does not call lazy people.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I’ll be concluding my discussion on letting go of all the old things that can limit God from doing new things in your life. I pray that nothing will hinder the new things God has planned for you this year, in Jesus’ name.

For 430 years, the children of Israel were in captivity in Egypt (Exodus 12:40). They were in bondage under Pharaoh and the Egyptians until one night when God decided to bring them out. God did a new thing, and a nation was born in one day. God is not bound by time or any other limitations around us. He said in Jeremiah 32:27 that nothing is too hard for Him to do.

God can do new things in strange ways that will cause men to marvel at His great wonders. It is in the realm of men that we say that there is nothing new; after all, Ecclesiastes 1:9 says that there is nothing new under the sun. However, God dwells above the sun; He dwells in the heavens and does as He pleases (Psalm 115:3).

Now, when God says that He will make all things new, there are certain things He expects from a fellow who is about to enter into His newness. As I mentioned yesterday, God will not put old wine in new wineskins (Luke 5:37-39). Thus, if you are going to enter into the new things that God has in store for you this year, you must be prepared to reposition yourself.

The question, however, is, how can you position yourself for the new things that God wants to do in your life? You can reposition yourself through persistent prayers. Jesus once told the story of a widow who wanted a total turnaround in her life. For a long time, she had been tormented by her adversary, and she kept going to the judge for help. Her persistent visits eventually made the judge to arise and help her. Jesus told this story to emphasise the importance of persistent prayers in changing things (Luke 18:1-5). Prayer births new things or levels; it is like a pot in which new things are cooked before they are served.

Beloved, don’t let the adversary keep you trapped in your old level. Cry unto God like the Israelites, and He will surely do a new thing in your life (Exodus 3:7-. Engage the power of prayer to enter into the new things that God has prepared for you and your family in this new year.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.