₦airaland Forum

Power can simply be defined as the ability to do work. Sometimes, you can tell that a person is powerful based on his or her physical appearance. However, there is another kind of power that cannot be judged based on physical appearance alone. For example, in Judges 15:14-15, when Samson took the jawbone of an ass and killed a thousand Philistines, amongst other great acts he performed, the Philistines could tell that he had extraordinary strength. This was why they asked Delilah to find out the source of his extraordinary strength (Judges 16:4-5). What they didn’t know was that the Holy Spirit always came upon him to give him the power to do the things that he did. Unfortunately, sin made him lose his power (Judges 16:20).

Not long after I got born again, I got a letter inviting me to my village for a programme. When I told my mother that I was going to honour the invitation, she became afraid because I had run away from the village after some people threatened to have me for breakfast. By this, they meant that they were going to kill me using diabolic powers. I told my mother that I was now born again and no weapon fashioned against me can prosper. She replied that I didn’t look different at all, and asked how I was sure that I was now powerful. I told her that an electric wire that has electricity running through it and one that doesn’t, both look alike. However, anyone who touches the one with electricity will know the difference. When you become born again, greater is He that is now in you than He that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

There are certain things that are needed to keep a fellow strong. Just like a bodybuilder is careful about eating healthy and exercising regularly, you also must be careful about what you let into your spirit. You must also constantly engage in spiritual exercise. When a Christian allows negative things into his or her spirit man, such a fellow will be contaminated. If you listen to worldly music, watch worldly movies, or view sensual pictures and videos on social media, you are reducing your spiritual strength.

Beloved, pray and fast regularly to maintain and increase the power of God within you. As you do these and live holy, the power of the Holy Ghost within you will grow, and God will be able to use you for greater exploits in His kingdom.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Genesis 18:16-33, Abraham was walking towards Sodom with the three ‘men’ who had visited him. On their way, the Lord told him of His plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of their numerous sins. I believe that God told Abraham His plan because He wanted him to intercede for the people in those cities.

Abraham interceded, and God accepted everything that he said. However, there were not enough righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah, so they still ended up being destroyed. This shows that even when God calls for intercessors to pray against destruction in a particular nation or city, if He cannot find enough Christians there, the land may still be destroyed.

When Abraham was interceding for Sodom, his nephew, Lot, must have been on his mind. I am sure that he quickly did a little bit of Arithmetic and counted Lot, his wife, and his daughters. He also probably assumed that Lot’s daughters had fiancés whose parents were also there. After his quick calculation, he must have come to the conclusion that there must have been at least ten children of God in the city. That must have been the reason he settled with God and said, “Lord, if you get to Sodom and find ten righteous people, will you spare the city because of them?” God accepted, but unfortunately, there weren’t up to ten righteous people in the city. I pray that whenever God visits your hometown, He will find more than ten righteous people there, and His mercy will prevail over judgment.

This is why you should do something urgently about your hometown. You must make sure that the light of the gospel shines there so that even if some people commit evil acts that should ordinarily draw the wrath of God, He will consider His children and spare the land. Ensure that you regularly preach the gospel to the people of your hometown so that you can turn as many souls as possible to the path of righteousness. The Bible says that if you do this, you are wise, and great glory lies ahead of you (Daniel 12:3).

Jesus specifically told His followers to start preaching the gospel from their hometowns when He said in Acts 1:8 that they shall be witnesses unto Him in Jerusalem first before progressing to Judea, Samaria, and the rest of the world.

Beloved, preach and teach the word of God to the people in your hometown. This is God’s will, and as you obey, you and your hometown will be blessed tremendously.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 2 Samuel 22:7-10, we see that when God hears the cry of one of His children and arises on behalf of that fellow, the whole earth will tremble, and the foundations of heaven will shake. This means that when God steps into a situation, His impact will be felt immediately.

Do you know that it is possible for you to get God to rise on your behalf? Psalm 144:5-6 says:

“Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.”

When the battle you are facing is becoming too great for you, and you need urgent divine intervention, you can specifically ask God to arise and come down to the earth for your sake, and He will do so. God sits in the heavens and controls everything that happens on the earth because the earth is His footstool. However, every now and then, when His children are facing some tough battles, He prefers to arise and come down by Himself to fight for them. Psalm 68:1-2 says:

“Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.”

When you become overwhelmed, and all you need is for your enemies to be scattered, cry unto God and say, “Oh Lord, Arise!” He said in Psalm 50:15 that you should call on Him in the day of trouble, and He will answer you. I have discovered from the Scriptures and from personal experiences that whenever a genuine child of God is faced with overwhelming situations and circumstances, and he or she cries for God to arise and fight the battle, God always shows up.

In 2 Kings 19:14-19, King Hezekiah cried to the Lord when a mighty army decided to wage war against Judah. He knew that Judah did not stand any chance against the mighty Assyrian army; therefore, he reported the matter to God. God arose for Judah, and in that same night, the angel of the Lord went into the camp of the Assyrian army and killed 185,000 soldiers. Hezekiah did not even need to raise an army to fight against the Assyrians; God took care of them Himself.

Beloved, do not despair when you are faced with seemingly impossible situations. Cry unto God, and He will surely arise to deliver you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is a terrible thing to miss the time of divine visitation. In Acts 3:1-11, the Bible tells us of a man who was born lame and who was always sitting at the gate of the temple. He could have decided to sit anywhere else in Jerusalem and beg for alms, but he chose to position himself where God would easily find him. He chose to sit at the gate of His temple, and the day of his divine visitation eventually came. You never can tell when the Almighty God will pay you a visit.

If you are a member of your church choir, there is usually a time that is allotted for rehearsals. If that is where God expects you to be at that particular time, He can decide to visit you there with your blessings. Some people left the place that God expected them to be, and by doing so, they were not available at the time He sent their miracle to them. When you are feeling tempted not to go where God expects you to go, or you feel like leaving where He expects you to be, whether it is a church service or a place of spiritual assignment, it means that the devil is trying to make you miss your blessing. May you not miss your day of visitation, in Jesus’ name.

Apart from missing the time of divine visitation by not being in the right place at the right time, the devil also tries to get believers to be in the wrong places so that he can carry out his evil plans on them. There was a man who was killed when some robbers came to his house. The robbers had been watching him closely, and they knew that he was supposed to be in church at that time. However, on that particular day, he decided to stay at home rather than attend church service. When the robbers were caught, they confessed that they decided to rob the house because they thought that the man would be in church. When they met him at home, they couldn’t let him live because he saw their faces.

Beloved, be consistent in your walk with God and in your service to Him. Surrender all to Him and be diligent in doing what He has called you to do. He will surely visit you and reward you as you keep doing what He tells you to do (Ephesians 6:.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is no place in the Bible that says you are to fight for yourself. Rather, what the Bible says is, “The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:14). Also, the memory verse for today says that you should not avenge yourself, for vengeance is the Lord’s.

The reason God tells you not to fight for yourself or avenge yourself is that you belong to Him, and He is responsible for you. Therefore, if anyone comes to fight you, He is the One who will stand up to fight. Hence, whenever you fight for yourself, you are telling God that you own yourself and you can take care of yourself. In essence, you are telling Him to stay out of your matter. Believe me, if God stays out of a person’s matter, he or she is finished (Lamentations 3:22).

Some people think that they are strong, therefore, they are quick to stand up to any fight. As for me, I know that I am not strong at all. If you see any strength in me, it is because Christ strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). Without Christ, I am just a weakling. This is why, whenever I am faced with any opposition, I always tell whoever is confronting me, “If it is me you are fighting, you have won, even before the fight starts, because I have no power. However, if it is God you are fighting, then I pity you.” This has always been my disposition because God has assured me of rest and safety in Him. I know that in quietness and confidence shall my strength be (Isaiah 30:15), for I am more than a conqueror through Christ who loves me (Romans 8:37). Ever since I made the decision to put all my trust in Him, He has never let me down and He never will (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Beloved, you are stronger when you are quiet and confident in the ability of the Lord to fight for you. People who confront you already think that they are stronger than you, therefore, when you shout and try to fight for yourself, you will only make them feel stronger. However, when you are quiet but confident, they will know that the One who is greater than the greatest is behind you, and they will leave you alone. If they however choose to continue to challenge you, they will be destroyed by the Lord of hosts whom you put your confidence in.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When people sing, dance, and even cry while worshipping God, it will look as if they are worshipping God in spirit and in truth. However, only God knows those who are truly worshipping Him and those who are just faking it.

In 1 Samuel 15:20-31, we see one of the major indicators of fake worship. Saul was only worshipping God so that the elders, and all the people of Israel, could see that he was worshipping. If you only worship God in church for people to see you, then that is not true worship. When genuine worshippers worship God in public, it is an offshoot of what they have been doing in private. They actually prefer to worship God in private so that they can freely express themselves, rather than in public, where they would be conscious of the people that are around them.

Another indicator of fake worship is when your worship consists only of clapping, singing, and dancing, without seeking to know and obey God. If you do not seek to do His will at all times, but only like to sing worship songs, you are only enjoying good music; you are not truly worshipping. Real worship is about pleasing God, not just singing, enjoying good music, and feeling good about yourself. True worshippers daily seek to know God and obey His commandments. They give their hearts completely to God and seek to glorify Him with everything in their lives. This is because, 1 Corinthians 10:31 says: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

True worship comes from the heart; it is not a jamboree. True worshippers are so in love with God that they worship Him by serving Him and giving to His work in tithes and offerings. They also worship God by putting Him first in everything that they do. They are addicted to spending time in His presence and cannot imagine being separated from Him. Like David, a true worshipper would say:

“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”
Psalm 42:1-2

The essence of true worship lies in obedience and glorifying God in our lives, rather than offering sacrifices to Him with our mouths only. Are you truly worshipping God?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Questions like, “Do you know who I am? Do you know who you are talking to? How dare you speak to me like that?” are borne out of pride. The truth is that every human being was made from the dust of the ground and will eventually return there (Genesis 3:19). It is only the grace and favour of God that has brought us this far (1 Corinthians 15:10). If you think that you are successful because of how smart or brilliant you are, my question for you is, did you create your brain? Could you have single-handedly created the opportunities that you had while climbing the ladder of success?

The Bible tells us in Colossians 1:16-17 that all things exist in God and were created by Him and for Him. Everything we are and have is by God’s provision and by His grace alone. This is why Ephesians 2:8-10 tells us that no one can boast before God.

Even though I can be considered brilliant because I obtained a PhD in Mathematics, I could have ended up as a farmer in my small hometown, Ifewara, if God had not given me the kind of mother that I had. She supported my dream to go to school in every way she could, and if this had not happened, I would not be where I am today. This is why I cannot afford to be proud because I know my humble beginnings, and I did not get to where I am today solely by my efforts. God raised me by His grace and mercy, and He can also pull me down. In the Bible, even though King Saul was initially aware of his humble state before he was crowned king (1 Samuel 15:17), pride began to set in his heart as time went by. He got to a point where he began to feel like he needed more respect from people. Consequently, he lost his position and the kingdom was taken away from him (1 Samuel 15:22-31). By the time we get to 1 Samuel 16:1, God was telling Samuel not to waste his time praying for Saul because He had rejected him.

Beloved, do not allow pride into your heart. The moment a fellow becomes proud, destruction is waiting at the door (Proverbs 16:18). Never forget about God’s abundant grace, and be careful never to think that you are superior to other people. God is the One raising you and all the glory must be given to Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I will be concluding the teaching I started yesterday on prophesying with wisdom. In 2 Samuel 12:1-15, God sent Nathan to announce King David’s punishment. As a wise prophet, Nathan knew that the way he communicated God’s message would determine if he would leave the palace alive that day or not. Therefore, he started the message with a parable. When the king himself pronounced judgment based on his parable, he said, “That fellow is you, sir.” There is a powerful lesson for you to learn from here: when God sends a message through you to someone, you must be careful about the way you relay that message to the fellow.

If God tells you something about somebody, don’t be in a hurry to tell the fellow. Ask God for wisdom to relay the message in the right way so that no one gets in trouble because of the prophecy. Over time, I have learnt to do this. This is why I often give prophecies in the form of parables. If God has told me something and I am to share it with the public, if I know that the thing can be tough for some people to swallow, I will say it in the form of a parable. This way, I communicate God’s message with wisdom.

I have also seen people who use the gift of prophecy to destroy families. If God tells you something about someone and He says you should tell the fellow, after asking God for wisdom on how to relay the message, you might also need to advise the fellow on how to use the information that he or she now has. This is because such a fellow might not have the same level of wisdom and understanding as you. If he or she lacks understanding or is not mature enough to handle the message appropriately, the devil can take advantage of this and push the fellow into taking actions that will cause more harm than good. If you know that the fellow may not use the prophecy correctly, and God is not compelling you to reveal the message, you may decide to just approach the person with general advice and guidance concerning that issue. This way, you can help him or her without causing any trouble.

Beloved, the gift of prophecy is to perfect the saints, not to confuse or endanger them (Ephesians 4:11-12); use it wisely!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The gift of prophecy is special. It is a great honour for God to choose someone as a vessel that He can speak to and communicate His mind concerning situations. However, great wisdom must be applied when using the gift of prophecy.

First of all, it is not everything that God tells you that you should tell others. There are certain things God tells you that are for your ears only. If you become so excited that you start telling them to people that He has not permitted you to share them with, you might cause more harm than good. God likes to share secrets with those that are close to Him. If He tells you a secret, you should ask Him if it is okay to share it with anyone. The moment He tells you a secret, and you tell someone that He has not permitted you to, He might stop speaking to you.

You must note that the gift of prophecy should not be used to show off that you are close to God. Prophecies must be handled with care because some people might not be able to receive, understand, and interpret what God is saying correctly.

When God tells you something about a particular fellow, you are not to say that thing in public except He specifically asks you to do so. If the fellow He spoke to you about is a public figure, find a way to send a message to him or her privately about what God told you. When God told Samuel that King Saul had offended Him, Samuel did not announce it to the entire kingdom. Our God is not a gossip. If He gives you information about someone, it is not for you to discuss it with the whole world. You must pay particular attention to this, especially when the prophecy is not a pleasant one. Even if such a fellow would have received your prophecy well, hearing it in public might make him or her defensive, and as such, the aim of that prophecy will be defeated. Also, God can change His mind about such a fellow if he or she begins to do the right thing as we see in Isaiah 38:1-5. If instead of telling the fellow privately, you announced the prophecy to the whole world, if God changes His mind, you will be left to defend what you had prophesied.

Beloved, be slow to speak (James 1:19). Ask God for wisdom on how to handle the things that He reveals to you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

These days, many people attempt to modernise Christianity. However, the Bible says in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. God is never going to change; therefore, such people are only compromising on their faith.

It is okay to introduce technology into the work of God. It is also okay to use new approaches to share the gospel. However, the ancient landmarks must remain intact. The moment a fellow begins to explain away some of the basic principles of Christianity in the Bible, that fellow is already on the wrong path. For example, 2 Corinthians 6:14 says clearly that believers should not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Some youths, in a bid to be modern, say that it is not bad to marry someone who is not a Christian. They claim that they are practising a less rigid Christianity than that of their parents. This can be potentially dangerous because someone who is an unbeliever will not understand the things of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14) and will most likely oppose them or persecute the believer because of them.

Some people say that I am old school, and I agree, after all, I serve the Ancient of Days. However, I have been standing in the faith for over 40 years, while many ‘modern Christians’ are nowhere to be found. Without the ‘old school’ landmarks, you cannot remain strong in the faith. Some youths say that their parents are too rigid with the way they serve God. You may think some of the things that they do are not necessary, but believe me, they would not have achieved the results that they have today if they had not served God with such commitment. Denying one’s self for the sake of the gospel shows a believer’s level of commitment, and God rewards commitment (Hebrews 11:6).

If you are keeping the ancient landmarks, I want to encourage you to continue. Some people may laugh at you or call you a religious fanatic, but you must stand firm in your commitment to God and not compromise on God’s principles. In the past, I was also laughed at, but see how far God has brought me now.

Beloved, give yourself completely to God, and do not compromise on His standards; the whole world will soon come to the brightness of your rising in Christ.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Before God called me into full-time ministry, my dream was to become the youngest Vice Chancellor in Africa. I thought I had a great dream, and so, I pursued it with everything that I had. What I did not think of was, after becoming the youngest Vice Chancellor in Africa, what next? I thought I had my tomorrow all figured out, but the truth is, I was short-sighted. I thank God that He came in to give me real hope for my tomorrow.

It is good to be ambitious but believe me, any ambition that negates the will of God will only cause more trouble than good. Isaiah 45:9 says:

“Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?”

Beloved, you are God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). Do not try to go in a different direction from the will of God if you do not want to go astray; the clay that argues with its potter will end up broken. The only way to achieve genuine success in life is to go on the path that your creator made for you. You should find out God’s purpose for your life and walk in it.

You may ask, “How do I discover the purpose of God for my life?” If a product does not understand its purpose, it can get a hint by staying close to its manufacturer. As it spends time with its manufacturer, it will begin to notice what the manufacturer uses it for and realise its purpose. God is your creator; spend quality time with Him daily. As you do this, He will begin to give you specific instructions and use you for certain tasks. These instructions and tasks will tell you clearly what His purpose for your life is.

Peter thought that his purpose was to be a fisherman. He went about fishing so diligently that he worked all night, even when there was no catch. However, when he came in contact with Jesus, He told him, “Follow me, and I will make you a fisher of men.” As he followed Jesus, he fulfilled God’s purpose for his life.

Beloved, stay close to God, and He will reveal His purpose for you here on earth. Make up your mind to obey His instructions, and you will indeed fulfil your destiny.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As we see in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, the rapture is the sudden taking away of the dead in Christ along with believers who are alive to meet with the Lord Jesus Christ and spend eternity with Him. Many people, however, feel that the rapture is not real because they have heard of it for so long and it hasn’t happened yet. Whatever anyone thinks about the reality of the rapture does not matter. It is in your best interest to study and believe only what the word of God says about it. The Bible says that the day will come like a thief in the night and you must be prepared if you do not want to be left behind (1 Thessalonians 5:1-.

A key characteristic of the major prophecies in the Bible is that they sounded unbelievable when they were spoken. When Isaiah prophesied that a virgin would give birth in Isaiah 7:14, it seemed very unreasonable. At that time, most people must have watched to see if a virgin would really give birth. It wasn’t until centuries later that Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ. Whether the people believed Isaiah’s prophecy or not, God’s word came to pass. In the Bible, there were numerous prophecies that seemed impossible but have come to pass. If the Bible has been so accurate, it is wise to believe that it is absolutely right about the rapture.

When Noah announced to everyone that a flood was coming to destroy the whole earth, they laughed at him. He started building the ark, and they laughed even more. Years passed, and no flood came. Just before he went into the ark with his family, the people were still drinking and rejoicing like every other day, but a few days after, they had all drowned. Today, many people are living recklessly, ignoring the reality of the rapture. However, the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:52 that the rapture will happen suddenly. Only those who are prepared for it will be saved while the rest will be left on the earth to suffer.

One thing I know for sure is that the day the rapture happens, many people will be caught by surprise. There will be a lot of regrets from people who heard about the rapture, but who lived their lives without bothering to prepare for it by giving their lives to Jesus Christ and living holy. Unfortunately for them, it will be too late because the rapture will only happen once.

Beloved, are you ready for the rapture?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
John 16:24

Jesus Christ said in the above passage that it is possible for you to be full of joy. In other words, He was saying that it is possible for you to have absolutely no sorrow. There are many people who look good on the outside but are dying on the inside. A lot of people have sorrows that they can’t share and problems that they hide beneath their appearance. However, God can take away sorrows completely and heal the broken-hearted (Psalm 147:3). If you are currently experiencing sorrows or problems that you cannot share, you will be healed today, in the name of Jesus Christ.

Many years ago, one of my daughters came to me and asked me to pray for her. I asked her what she wanted me to pray about, but she said that I didn’t need to know and that when the prayer is answered, she would come back and share the testimony with me. I prayed for her, and to the glory of God, some days later, she came back to share her testimony with me. She was well over 20 years old, but she was still bedwetting. She said that she never travelled with her friends on trips where they had to spend the night together, but that with just a simple prayer, the problem was over. In the name of the Lord Jesus who made it possible for you to be reading this teaching now, if there are any secret sorrows in your life, they will disappear today.

Jesus Christ said in John 16:24 that the way to get all your sorrows turned to so much joy that you will be filled with it, is to ask Him. It may seem like a simple instruction, but it is a very powerful one. Rather than cry or worry, just pray. Matthew 6:27 says that no matter how worried you are, you cannot add an inch to your height.

Beloved, stop worrying. Rather than spending time to worry, use that time to pray. Philippians 4:6 says:

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

When disturbing thoughts wake you up at night, get up and pray. As you pray and sing praises to God, the sorrows will be lifted from your heart and will be replaced with joy. I pray that henceforth, your life will be filled with joy, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Every now and then in the Bible, you read about people who got ‘unplanned’ miracles. For example, in the Gospels, Jesus would be going somewhere, not planning to pray for anyone along the way, but somehow, someone would get a miracle from Him. One of such people is the woman with the issue of blood in Mark 5:21-34. Jesus was on His way to raise Jairus’ daughter from the dead when she met him. She pushed through the crowd that followed Him until she was able to touch His garment and get her miracle. In doing so, all the sufferings in the last 12 years of her life vanished. If she had not done what she did, she might have died a sick and wretched woman.

Do you know that you can get a miracle even when a minister of God is not praying for you? You can be at a programme, and while a ministration is going on, if you say to yourself just like the woman with the issue of blood, “If I can just touch the hem of His garment, I will receive my miracle,” God will do it.

One of our drummers in RCCG had been waiting on God for the fruit of the womb. One day, while the Holy Ghost Service was going on, he said in his heart, “If the General Overseer can just look at me, I will have my child.” I didn’t know what was going on, I just looked his way, and he was very excited. Nine months later, his baby came. There was also a woman many years ago who had heard of the great things God was doing through us. She decided to come for one of our programmes and said in her heart, “If I can just see the man of God, I will receive my healing.” When I came up, she asked those around her to confirm that the fellow on the altar was me. When they confirmed it, she started rejoicing, and she got her miracle.

If you have faith, you can get your miracle at any time. Even if a minister of God does not mention your case or lay hands on you during a ministration, you can get a miracle from God through him. You don’t have to wait for a minister of God to pray for you. You can get a miracle through him or her with your faith.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When God moves, He distributes miracles along His path. When you read through the Bible, you will see many instances where this happened. For example, in Genesis 18, He was going to Sodom, but on His way, He stopped at Abraham’s tent to give him a miracle. Also, in Luke 7:11-15, Jesus was going into the city of Nain and He saw a dead man being carried to his grave. He touched the coffin, and immediately, the dead man came back to life.

Psalm 97:3 says that fire goes before God. In other words, He has a convoy that goes before Him that is made of fire. This means that whenever He is moving, fire goes ahead of Him, clearing everything that is evil, and preparing the way for the One whose name is ‘Consuming Fire’. Even if you are not the one that God is coming to see, as He is passing by your house, everything that is considered evil in your home will be dealt with. When the One who is passing by is the Almighty God Himself, then no sickness, pain, sorrow, poverty, or anything evil, will remain.

Beloved, this is why it is good to have Christian neighbours. If you have Christian neighbours, every now and then, God will come to visit them. When He comes to visit them, since you are nearby, you should receive a miracle as well. This is why you should do something about the salvation of the people who live close to you, as well as everyone you interact with regularly. The Bible says that righteousness exalts a nation (Proverbs 14:34), therefore, if you are surrounded by righteous people, God will move more frequently within your community, ensuring that you and the entire community are continually blessed in Him.

You should note, however, that the Consuming Fire hates sin. Therefore, when He moves, everything that relates to sin in His path will be destroyed. This is why you must abstain from sin because you do not want to become a victim of the Consuming Fire whenever He is moving around you.

Beloved, ensure that you live a holy life and also surround yourself with true children of God so that whenever God moves around you, you will receive a miracle.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God has many children, but as every parent knows, there is always that one child that is a favourite. Even though they do not like to admit it, their relationship with that child goes beyond regular parenting; it often extends into friendship. Likewise, God doesn’t just want you to be His child, He wants you to be so close to Him that He can consider you His friend.

Jesus loves His friends so dearly that He said that He was willing to lay down His life for them (John 15:13). Do you have a friend who can inject himself with a disease so that you will not be infected with it? This can be likened to what Jesus did in Matthew 8:17. Can any of your friends take a bullet for you? Jesus did more than this when He was beaten by Roman soldiers and hung on a cross. This means that Jesus is the best friend that anyone can ever have.

People often tell tales of friends that they used to have. While it is common for people to betray friendships because of selfish interests or terminate them because of disagreements, the friendship of Jesus Christ lasts forever. Whether you are going through a storm (Matthew 14:24-25), or you are caught in a fire (Daniel 3:22-25), He will never leave your side. Even when He knows that you can betray His friendship, He will remain your friend indeed (Luke 22:31-32). The Bible says in John 13:1 that He loves until the end.

What does it take to become a friend of God? John 15:14 tells us that we can become His friend by obeying His commandments. This goes beyond staying away from sin; it means that when He says, “Don’t eat, I want you to fast today,” you should do it. When you are tired, and all you want to do is sleep, if He says, “Let us discuss before you sleep,” you should push the sleep aside and pray. When He says, “Give me your car,” you should do it. Abraham was called a friend of God in 2 Chronicles 20:7 because, when God asked him to sacrifice his son in Genesis 22:1-3, he was ready to do it.

Beloved, when God instructs you to do anything, you should make the necessary sacrifices and obey Him promptly. Nothing in this world should be too big for you to sacrifice to God. This is the only way to become His friend. Are you ready to become God’s friend?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In conclusion of the teaching I started two days ago on gender and sexuality, I will like to share an experience I had with you. Some years ago, I was in one of the Western nations to preach, and a journalist interviewed me about my views on same-sex marriage. I told the fellow interviewing me that God made men and women to reproduce after their kind. Then I asked, “Is it possible for people of the same gender to produce offspring?” I concluded by telling the interviewer that if everyone was getting married to someone of the same sex, the world will come to an end in this generation.

As a child of God, whenever you have the opportunity to speak about homosexuality, don’t beat around the bush. The reason evil thrives is that good people are too afraid to say the truth. Don’t keep quiet when people say that they are sexually attracted to people of the same gender as them. Don’t judge or condemn them, rather, tell them the truth with love. Condemning them will only make them put up a fight, and our God is not a God of condemnation, but of love. Speak to them in love, but still show them from the Scriptures that what they are feeling is not from God because He clearly speaks against it. Tell them that you are willing to pray with them and help them overcome that feeling.

Romans 1:20-32 tells us what happens to people when they are left to their reprobate minds; such people cannot end well unless they repent. Stand firm against homosexuality and do everything you can to show people that are sexually attracted to individuals of the same sex the right way to live from the Scriptures. Lot stood firm against homosexuality in Genesis 19:1-7, even when he was under severe pressure. He did not allow the men of Sodom to come into his house to have sexual relations with the angels that he invited in, even though they pressed on him greatly and were going to break into his home.

Beloved, I know that in some countries, the government has made it illegal to speak the truth as regards homosexuality. However, we have a greater government in Christ, and we must represent Him everywhere we go. Do not stand by and do nothing while people are on their way to destruction; you have a responsibility to save as many as you can (Jude 1:17-23).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I will continue my teaching on what the Bible says about gender and sexuality. The Bible makes it clear in Leviticus 18:22, that it is an abomination to have sexual relations with someone of the same gender. Homosexuality might have been painted as normal in some societies, but anyone who engages in it is committing an abomination. Leviticus 18:22-30 says that if people who engage in homosexuality do not repent, their souls will be cut off from amongst the people. It says further that the nations and places in which such acts are encouraged will be punished and will not know peace. Do not imbibe these ideologies from such societies; the word of God is ‘yea’ and ‘amen’. God’s word says that such people and societies will be punished, so we must stay away from their ideologies and intensify our prayers for them.

When you read about Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities that God destroyed with fire and brimstone, you will see what can happen to societies that are defiled by homosexuality (Genesis 19:1-25). Even though they were initially said to be flourishing and seemed like the perfect places to live in (Genesis 13:8-12), they were eventually destroyed due to the wickedness and immoral acts of their inhabitants. Even after they were invaded by enemies and Abraham came to their rescue in Genesis 14:1-16, they continued proudly in their abominations, and this eventually led to their destruction. In Isaiah 3:9, the Bible says:

“The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.”

Beloved, do not partake of such evil rewards. Don’t believe the lie that some people are born homosexual. Homosexuality is an abomination before God because it was not part of His original design; it is a devilish act that is intended to destroy the lives of people and tamper with the work of God. If you have been engaging in homosexuality, pray to God for deliverance from the manipulation of the devil, and see a genuine minister of God to pray with you.

Beloved, God loves you and brought this message to you so that you can either be delivered or be used to deliver others.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

We live in a world today where many are confused about their sexuality and gender. Some Christians are also confused about what to believe concerning the topic. Over the next few days, I will be digging deep into the Scriptures to explain the truth about sexuality and gender.

First of all, I will like to emphasise that God created man in His own image, and He created them male and female (Genesis 1:27); anything outside this is not God’s design, neither is it His will. When an artist creates a masterpiece, the artist puts his or her signature on it. Every human being is God’s masterpiece and is uniquely made, such that no two people in this world have the same fingerprints. If someone takes a masterpiece and decides to change something about it, it immediately ceases to be a masterpiece. People who decide to change their gender are destroying the essence of their creation. They are telling God – their creator – that they can do a better job at creating.

One thing I know is that my God does not make mistakes. Therefore, when someone says that she feels like she is a male trapped inside a female body for instance, I immediately know that the devil is at work and is trying to manipulate her to destroy her body which is God’s masterpiece. Changing God’s original design concerning our bodies can be disastrous because the Bible warns that our bodies are God’s temple and that God will destroy whoever defiles His temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). There are records of many people who have altered their genders admitting that they are suffering serious health and emotional trauma as a result of their decisions. A person cannot tamper with God’s masterpiece and not suffer the consequences if he or she does not repent.

One of our pastors was arrested because he addressed a group of people as, “Ladies and gentlemen.” They told him that not all of them were ladies or gentlemen. When I heard this, I wondered, “How many genders did God create?” Your body is the temple of God, and any advice to disfigure it is from the devil. If you feel confused about your identity, draw closer to God, study your Bible, and pray more than ever before. Also, speak to a Christian counsellor who holds firmly to God’s position about gender and sexuality. God will show you who you really are in Him and His purpose for your life. He had a plan for you, even before you were formed in your mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.”
1 Timothy 5:6

Even though people who live for pleasure appear to be living a normal life, the reality is that they are actually dead. This particular kind of people seek worldly pleasures only and have no self-control. As a matter of fact, they can be likened to zombies. A zombie is a fictional entity that does not have a mind of its own. It is controlled by a basic urge to feed and is literally a dead man walking.

If you are always lured by things that give your flesh pleasure, it means that your flesh is ruling over your spirit. This also implies spiritual death. You must gain full control over yourself. Do not let the urge to sleep overcome the need to work. Do not let the urge to eat overcome the need to fast. The key to remaining in control of your life is to be disciplined. The price of discipline far outweighs the cost of indiscipline. A fellow who always gives in to pleasure will die poor. This is what the Bible tells us in Proverbs 21:17:

“He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.”

Nobody ever achieves anything great by giving in to pleasure all the time. Anyone who does this will come into this world and leave unnoticed.

Being a lover of pleasure is so dangerous that the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 that you should not associate with people who only seek the pleasures of life. It says that you must turn away from people who love pleasure and themselves more than they love God. A tree does not eat its own fruit. It exists to cater for the needs of others. In the same vein, people are created to impact others and contribute positively to society. They are not created to only serve themselves.

When some people talk about self-love, what they are actually talking about is selfishness. If you want to really live, then you must make an impact on those around you. Anyone who is only living for himself or herself is already dying. The best way to impact those around you is to bring them out of darkness into the light of Christ. This is the true essence of living as a Christian, as you were chosen to bear fruits (John 15:16).

Beloved, ensure that you remain truly alive by not only seeking your own good but also the good of others.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The lips are a very sensitive part of the human body. In Isaiah 6:6-7, when the angel wanted to help Isaiah, he put a coal of fire on his lips. Even though that must have been very painful considering how sensitive the lips are, the experience ensured that Isaiah became a changed person.

Nothing touches fire and remains the same. In Acts 2:1-14, Peter stood boldly to address and preach to a large crowd of people after the Holy Ghost had descended on the Upper Room congregation like cloven tongues of fire. This was the same Peter that denied Jesus three times out of fear. From the day a believer gets a kiss of fire, everything about him or her changes completely; the impact of the fire will abide with him or her forever.

When you see someone who is always ready to do the will of Christ and go all out for Him, that fellow has been kissed by fire. This is why after Isaiah received that kiss of fire, all he could hear was God saying, “Whom shall we send, who will go for us?” and his response was, “Lord, send me” (Isaiah 6:1-. When you are kissed by fire, you will begin to hear the heartbeat of God concerning the nations of the world, and your response will be, “Lord, send me anywhere to do your work, and I will go.”

Paul did God’s work with great zeal. That zeal came upon him in Acts 9:3-6 when Jesus appeared to him in a great light on his way to Damascus. That light was not from an electric bulb; it was from the fire of God, and the moment Paul’s body touched it, he was kissed by fire and was changed forever. From that moment, he went to every length to do the will of God.

The reason many Christians find it difficult to do great exploits for God is that they have not been kissed by fire. Some of them want to serve God in greater capacities, but they lack the required zeal because they have not been kissed by fire. If you are a pastor, and you want to have an army that is willing to join you in doing great exploits for the kingdom, pray for them to be kissed by fire. The moment they are kissed by fire, the zeal of the Lord will take over their hearts and all they will long for is to do His will at all times.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I will conclude my teaching on vision by emphasizing that you can become what you see. In Genesis 30:25-43, Laban agreed to give Jacob all the speckled sheep in his flock as wages. However, because he wanted to cheat him, he secretly removed all the speckled sheep, leaving only plain-coloured sheep within the flock. Despite this, Jacob peeled tree barks and made marks on them. He placed the marked barks at the place the sheep usually drank from so that whenever they came to drink, they would see them. He also ensured that the animals faced the marked barks whenever they were mating. Before long, the plain-coloured sheep started producing speckled offspring until the speckled sheep were more than the plain-coloured ones within the flock. Jacob changed the DNA of the sheep by changing what they saw.

2 Corinthians 3:18 says that as we keep looking at Jesus Christ, we are transformed into His image. You should pay attention to what you are looking at now because that is what you will become in future. Deliberately fix your attention on the things and people that will influence you to become what you intend to become in the future.

The first time I went to South Korea to attend Dr. Yonggi Cho’s church, I saw that they held seven services in a fifty thousand seater capacity auditorium on that Sunday. They had to beg those who had come to the services that day not to come the following week. I saw something that depicted what I wanted to become, and so I took that vision to God and cried to Him about it. Some years later, I went back there and this time, I was able to meet with him and he said, “I have heard of you, will you please pray for me?” I caught a vision the first time I went there and God began to align things to make me become what I saw. When I went back, I was a different person. If you have a vision and you remain focused on it, you will become what you see in your vision.

Lastly, what you indulge in will determine your destiny. In Judges 16, Samson kept indulging in the wrong things. He kept visiting harlots and committed all manners of atrocities; that was why he died young. Gehazi could have become a greater prophet than Elisha, but his love for silver and gold made him end up as a leper (2 Kings 5:25-27).

Beloved, what vision are you holding on to?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I will continue the teaching I started yesterday on vision. Beloved, I want you to know that your future depends on what you can see today. If you see a glorious future, you can have it (Genesis 13:15). When we acquired The Redemption Camp in Texas, USA, God told me, “As far as you can see, it is yours.” I walked as far as I could that day and today, everything I saw has become ours – I wish I had walked farther! God has put so much power in your vision that it attracts whatever it is focused on. Therefore, you must be very conscious about what you set your eyes on. The Bible says in Colossians 3:2:

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Your eyes must be set on things above, and not on worldly things. Even when flashy things surround you, your vision must remain glued to things above. My wife and I visited a wealthy man, and he showed us a house he was building. That was the first time that I saw a tap made of gold in a bathroom. Right there, my wife heard God say, “Daughter, heaven is far more beautiful.” In 2 Timothy 4:6-8, Apostle Paul was joyful about the crown of righteousness that was laid up for him. While other people saw death, he saw a coronation. This is why he said in 2 Corinthians 11:22-33 that he endured beatings, hunger, and all manners of sufferings; it was because of the things He had seen.

Beloved, don’t put your focus on earthly possessions and titles. If all you see are perishable things, all you will get will be perishable. This is why the Bible tells us in Matthew 6:19-20 that we should lay our treasures in heaven where they cannot be destroyed. On the other hand, if you see beyond perishable things, you will get both the perishable things and things that are imperishable. This is what the Bible says in Matthew 6:33:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

The only limit to what you can lay hold on in the future is what you can see today. The things you can see will drive you to take all the necessary steps to attain them. Beloved, there is nothing better than setting your eyes on God because when you have Him, you have everything else.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Proverbs 29:18 says that people perish without a vision. If a fellow has no vision of the future, he or she will live recklessly and will likely end up in ruins. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul said that he had an end goal, and that was why he always kept his body under control. When I see a fellow’s lifestyle, I can tell if he or she has a vision or not.

I recall a time in the 1980s when I was about to conclude a 40-day fasting exercise and a pastor visited my office. He met me lying on a mat because I was very weak from not eating for over a month. At this time, RCCG had an auditorium that was 100 x 50 metres. When he saw me in that state, he said, “Why are you fasting so much when you already have the biggest auditorium in Africa? What else are you looking for?” I ignored him because he could not see what I was seeing. To him, I had reached the height of success. However, I was seeing an auditorium that was as big as a city, and I needed to subdue my body to achieve my vision.

Joseph saw the future, and that was why in Genesis 39:1-12, when his master’s wife asked him to lie with her, he said, “I cannot offend the One who gave me dreams about my future. I know where God is taking me, so I must practise restraint.” Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus endured the cross because of the joy that was set before Him; the joy of seeing many souls being reconnected to God.

Many of my relatives and friends thought that I was crazy when I moved my family to the place that is now Redemption City many years ago. They said, “How can you, a senior lecturer in a university that was living in a mansion, relocate to this jungle without electricity?” They were seeing a jungle, but I saw a city. Hebrews 11:8-10 says that Abraham was living in tents because he saw a city whose maker and builder is God.

What have you seen about your future? How are you living your life today so you can achieve your dreams? If you really have a vision for your life, that vision should drive you to be awake while others are sleeping and keep going while others are giving up. Don’t lose sight of your vision of the future; keep your focus on God, the author and finisher of your faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING

1. Lord, I thank You for my life. It is not by my power or might that I am still alive today. I am truly grateful Lord.

2. Father, thank You for Your mercy and grace towards me. Thank You for keeping me and showing me Your mercies from the beginning of this year until now.

3. Thank You Father because I am born again. Thank You for saving my soul and redeeming me from destruction in the hands of the devil. I am so glad that I will reign with You in eternity.

4. Father, thank You for all the answered prayers. I am really grateful that I can call on You at any time. Thank You also for the unanswered prayers because I am confident that You have my best interests at heart.

5. Father, I thank You for always protecting me from evil. You cause me to dwell under the shadow of your wings, and I am truly grateful Lord.

6. Father, I thank You for providing for me daily. I am grateful for all that You have given to me, and I know that You will continually take care of me all the days of my life.

7. Father, thank You for all my family members and loved ones. Thank You for the privilege of having people that I can call my family and friends.

8. Thank You Father for the local assembly where I worship You. Thank you for the pastors, ministers, workers, and members. Thank You for all You are doing in our midst and Your plans and purposes for us.

9. Thank You Lord for always fighting my battles for me. Thank You for always giving me victory and for making me more than a conqueror in You. I am truly grateful Lord.

10. Thank You Father for being my Lord. It is only because of You that I can face tomorrow. You are very special to me Lord; without You, my life has no meaning.

11. Thank You Lord for the doors of opportunities and blessings that you have opened unto me. Thank You also for the closed doors because I know that all things are working together for my good.

12. Your personal prayers of thanksgiving to the Lover and Keeper of your soul.

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Children often look up to their parents, and this is no different in God’s kingdom. A son might strive to learn all he can from his father in the Lord and even pray to carry his spirit. However, what do fathers stand to gain from their children in the Lord? When you consider the fact that there was a school of prophets in Israel, where Elijah could have gotten many people to help him, you will realize that he did not really need Elisha.

The primary reason a father sticks close to his children in the Lord is usually that he wants to pass his knowledge and anointing to them. He does not want everything he has gotten from God to die with him; he wants to pass them on to people that will carry on after he is gone. Thus, it is the willingness of fathers to teach, and their children in the Lord to learn, that builds such a strong bond between them. Just as in the case of Elijah and Elisha in 2 Kings 2:11, fathers will one day be taken from the earth, and their children in the Lord will be faced with the reality of carrying on to greater heights without them. How ready are you for the time you will need to carry on from your father in the Lord?

Your vision in your walk with God must go beyond your father in the Lord, otherwise, when he is gone, your walk with God may be affected. My Father in the Lord was a great man of God. He fasted and prayed more than anyone I knew at that time. He saw visions of the future, and I learnt a lot from him. However, he told me that he never fasted beyond 21 days at a stretch. Not long after he went to be with the Lord, I moved beyond that and started fasting for 40 days at a go once every year. He saw the Church spreading across the world, and that has come to pass, however, God has further expanded the vision to other areas like establishing the Redeemer’s University where young people can obtain a university degree and be equipped spiritually while doing so.

If you want your father in the Lord to be proud of you, while you are learning all you can from him before he leaves the earth, you must also see beyond him in your daily walk with God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Sometimes, when you hear from God, it may be a rebuke. However, you must still open your heart to Him despite the rebuke. In any case, I would rather God rebuke me than stay silent. If a Christian only wants to hear sweet things from God but never wants to listen to His rebuke, he or she will eventually stop hearing from Him. You should be glad when God rebukes you because Hebrews 12:6 says that it is the child the father loves that he chastens. When David was rebuked in 2 Samuel 12:1-14, he did not harden his heart, rather, he repented, and God continued to walk with him.

How do you react when you hear a rebuke from your pastor? Do you harden your heart or do you make amends immediately? No matter how influential a believer is in ministry, or how gifted the fellow is in the Holy Spirit, if such a person hardens his or her heart against God’s rebuke, God can reject such a believer (1 Samuel 16:1). Psalm 51:17 says:

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

If you want God to keep walking with you and speaking to you, you need to have a broken spirit and a contrite heart. God is not moved by mere religious activity; He is most interested in a relationship with you. However, just as it is impossible to have a good relationship with someone that you cannot correct when he or she offends you, God will not dwell with hard-hearted individuals. He said in Isaiah 57:15:

“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

Beloved, when God rebukes you, whether through His word, a fellow believer, or directly by Himself, never harden your heart. Hardening your heart against His rebuke will only lead to destruction as we see in Proverbs 29:1:

“He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

Do not despise rebuke from God, rather, embrace His correction as evidence of His love for you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God talks to His people; the only problem is that many do not listen to Him. Psalm 95:6-8 says that if you want to hear His voice, you should not harden your heart. If God has been talking to you and you have been disobedient, He will keep quiet, and you won’t hear Him again.

You need to hear God so that He can guide you. The primary way to hear from God and be guided by Him is to study your Bible. However, what should you do when the situation you need guidance about is not specifically addressed by the Bible? Whenever you need to make decisions on such matters, you need to hear from God directly.

There are times when you can clearly see what God wants you to do in the Scriptures. However, you still need to hear from Him on how to go about what He wants you to do. For example, when Paul wanted to go to Asia in Acts 16:6-7, the Spirit of God forbade him. You might ask, “How can the Spirit of God stop Paul from going to preach since it is written in Matthew 28:19 that we should go into the world and teach every nation?”

Some years ago, I wanted to hold a crusade in Benin, a state capital in Southern Nigeria. We had prepared everything for the crusade, but to my surprise, when I went to ask God about it, He said that we should go to Ede, a town in South-West Nigeria instead. I told Him that we had just concluded a crusade in Ilesha, another town in the same state as Ede and that the inhabitants of Ede would have most likely been in attendance. However, since God is my Commander-in-chief, I obeyed Him.

During the crusade in Ede, the king was in attendance, and when he got on the stage to speak, he announced that he would be gifting the church with whatever quantity of land we desired. We initially decided to ask for 50 acres of land, however, when I went back to hear from God, He told me to ask for 500 hectares, and I obeyed. Today, that portion of land is where Redeemer’s University and The Redeemed Christian School of Missions are situated. If I had hardened my heart, I wouldn’t have gone to Ede, and I wouldn’t have received the blessing.

Beloved, when you are dealing with God, don’t harden your heart. Listen to Him with an open mind, be committed to obeying Him, and He will speak to you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Elderly people carry valuable gems of wisdom. No matter how educated you are, some lessons cannot be learnt in classrooms; they are only taught in the ‘classroom of life’ and are learned by experience. Even though I have a PhD, I have learnt to defer to the wisdom of the elders from time to time. This is why you will always hear me say, “The elders have a saying,” because there are valuable things that I have learnt from the elders that all of my formal education did not give me.

I was privileged to sit at the feet of my Father in the Lord, Pa Josiah Akindayomi. Every week, I would visit him to ask questions, and he would teach me valuable lessons. I was also privileged to learn from Pa S.G Elton. Every two weeks, I would travel to Ilesha to sit at his feet. He taught me many things, even though I didn’t agree with some of them initially because I felt that they were incorrect. However, as I grew older, I began to realise that he was correct. One of the things he taught me was that I should always remember that I am not God, irrespective of the level of the anointing that I operate in. He also taught me that God does whatever He pleases, and all that I have to do is to take my burdens to Him in prayer and go to bed. This is why, if you ask those close to me, they will tell you that I have no difficulty sleeping. No matter how big the problem is, once I have prayed, I go to sleep.

Beloved, even if your parents and the elders around you are not as educated or sophisticated as you are, listen to them. Whatever things you disagree with or that seem hard for you to understand, keep them in your memory regardless. One day, when you are wiser, you will likely refer to them. Do not joke with the moments you have to spend with elders, whether they are related to you or not. Tell them to teach you some of the things they know and do. Some natural remedies to sicknesses died with some elders because the generation after them did not learn about them when they had the opportunity. Some important principles of life have also been lost in this manner.

Learn all you can from the elderly ones, especially the Christian elders that you still have around you, before they go to be with the Lord.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The last words of a dying man are usually very important and must be given the utmost attention. More importantly, we should pay extra attention to the last words of Jesus before He left the earth because they are extremely important. When my Father in the Lord was about to leave the earth, he sent for me, but unfortunately, I had gone to Akure, a state capital in Western Nigeria, to preach. Up until today, I still wish that I was there to hear what he wanted to tell me at that crucial moment in his life.

In John 3:16, Jesus said that God loves the whole world and sent Him to die for everyone, but when He was saying His last prayers in John 17:9, He said, “I’m not praying for the world, I’m only praying for these people that You have given me.” This means that if a fellow is not born again, he or she cannot experience certain benefits of God’s love. As a matter of fact, Jesus Christ said that He will deny such a fellow before His Father on the day of judgement (Matthew 10:32-33).

Those of us that are truly born again must also pay close attention to Jesus’ last words before His crucifixion and death. In His final prayer before His arrest and crucifixion, He said:

“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”
John 17:20-21

It is very important to Jesus Christ, the Head of the church, that believers are united. God’s glory can only be seen upon the church when there is unity and when Christians are of the same mind. In Psalm 133, the Bible tells us that God’s anointing and blessings will flow freely within His church when we are united as brethren. You should not hold grudges or keep malice with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Even though a Christian belongs to another denomination and you have a disagreement, bear in mind that you both belong to God, and all Christians are His children.

Beloved, ensure that you always show love to the Christians around you in spite of your differences. Make up your mind to honour the last words of your Lord and Saviour by striving for unity with other believers (Ephesians 4:1-3).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Hearing is critical to all humans. For example, you will immediately know that you need to get out of the way when you hear the blare of a car’s horn behind you. Beyond hearing in the physical, it is also critical for believers to be able to hear from God as we see in Isaiah 30:21.

Due to my training as a mathematician, I have learnt to delve into things that are not obvious. For instance, many Christians miss out on the fact that Elisha and Elijah were talking as they walked together in 2 Kings 2:11. When I studied that Scripture, I wondered what their discussion was about. Also, in Daniel 3, when the three Hebrew men were with the fourth man in the fire, what were they talking about? What did Jesus discuss with Moses and Elijah in Matthew 17:1-9? What was so crucial that they came down from heaven to discuss with Jesus? In 2 Corinthians 12:1-4, Paul said that he heard words that were not lawful for a man to speak. What were those words? In Revelation 10:4, John heard some things and wanted to write them down, but the angel told him they were not to be written; they were for his ears alone. What did he hear? I am really curious about these and many more of such conversations.

God made the world with words. Words are very powerful, especially when they come from God. The Bible says that the entrance of His word always brings light to the hearer and to situations (Psalm 119:130). You cannot live an effective Christian life if you do not hear from God. The Bible teaches that if you believe, you will see the glory of God (John 11:40). However, this faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). Psalm 107:20 says, “He sent His word, and He healed and delivered them.” The question is, how do you receive God’s word?

To receive God’s word effectively, ensure that nothing distracts you and that you are totally focused on listening to His word. Move away from distractions, so that you can hear exactly what God wants to say to you in that moment. Also, pray for God to open your spiritual ears so that you can understand what is being said.

In Revelations 2:29, the Bible says that those that have ears should hear what the spirit is saying. You have spiritual ears; ensure that they are not deaf to what the Spirit of God has to say to you at every point in time.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Christian walk is very unique. This is because Christianity is dependent on an individual’s ability to believe. As a result of this, Christians are generally called ‘believers’. A scientist might say, “Prove it to me, and I will believe you,” but in Christendom, God says, “Believe Me, and I will prove it to you.” This is the mystery of Christianity.

To an unbeliever, our faith is proof that we, as Christians, are not wise. This is because a natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:14). However, in 1 Corinthians 1:27, the Bible tells us that God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. For example, it does not make sense to unbelievers when we say that a virgin gave birth to Jesus Christ. Most times, they think to themselves, “How can a virgin give birth?”

Jesus said something very important in Matthew 18:3. He said that only those who are like children will inherit the kingdom. In other words, you must believe Him like a child believes his or her parents, whether what they say makes sense or not. Many people make the mistake of trying to relate with God logically. This is impossible because the Bible says that God’s ways and thoughts are beyond human comprehension (Isaiah 55:8-9).

There are people who argue against Christianity with logic. Do not argue with such people because you cannot explain Christianity logically. Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:23-25 to avoid unnecessary arguments with people concerning the truth of God’s word.

The way to prove that God is real is not through arguments but by the display of power as Elijah did in 1 Kings 18. Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:20: “For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.” Furthermore, John 4:48 says, “…Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” No matter how hard you try, you cannot win anyone to Christ by an argument. Once you have shared the gospel of Christ with unbelievers, commit their hearts to God, as it is only the Holy Spirit that can convict and convert them. Do not argue with them about your Christian faith, rather, ask God to use you for signs and wonders so that when they see the power of God, they will surrender without any argument.

Beloved, I pray that the power of God will be evident in your life and that He will use you to lead many people into His kingdom, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.