₦airaland Forum

A person’s strength of character is best revealed in the midst of adversity (Proverbs 24:10). You will be surprised at the level of unbelief demonstrated by many who claim to be children of God when they are faced with adverse situations. At such times, fear makes many lose their hold of God’s infallible word; this is what happened to the disciples in Mark 4:35-41. They were so afraid of the great storm threatening their lives even though Jesus was right there in the boat with them. At that moment, they forgot all the great deeds they had seen Him do and all the powerful things they had heard Him teach. Think about yourself, how do you react when you are in trouble like the disciples? Do you blame God, or do you act as if He is not even there with you at all? You must always remember that Jesus Christ is with you in the boat of life. Not only is He with you, but He can also feel the turbulence of the boat and will come to your aid once you call on Him. Hebrews 2:18 says of Him:

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

He personally promised to be with you always, even to the end of the world (Matthew 28:19-20). How comforting! In addition to this promise, He also said to you in Isaiah 43:1-2:

Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

I must, however, point out that only the redeemed of the Lord can lay claim to His promises in this Scripture. Have you been transformed by the redeeming work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary? Do you have the assurance of salvation in your heart? If you are genuinely saved, I congratulate you. Nevertheless, our Lord wants you to demonstrate faith in Him by trusting Him in the midst of adversity. It is impossible to please God without having faith in Him (Hebrews 11:6). I, therefore, encourage you with these words of the Master in Mark 11:22 that says:

…Have faith in God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

PRAYERS FOR CHILDREN

1. Father, thank you for the gift of children. Thank you Lord for all the children around me; thank you for their lives, health and sound mind.

2. Father, I ask for mighty testimonies over all the children I come in contact with. Let me always have reasons to rejoice over them.

3. Father, please build a wall of fire around all the children in my family, church, and community. Make them untouchable to the devil and his agents, in Jesus’ name.

4. Father, please surround the children around me with the right people. Do not allow them to be influenced wrongly, in Jesus’ name.

5. Father, pour out Your Spirit on all the children around me. Let them blossom and flourish in your goodness and grace, in Jesus’ name.

6. Father, please provide the parents around me with the resources that they need to take care of their children. For the children without parents, Lord, You are the Father of the fatherless; please send help to them.

7. Father, as we celebrate Children’s Day across the world today, please remember those who are looking up to You for children of their own and grant them answers to their prayers, in Jesus’ name.

8. Father, give all the children in my family, church, community, and the nation as a whole, hearts that yearn for You. Let them grow up pleasing You and doing Your will at all times, in Jesus’ name.

9. Father, please give all the children that are connected to me in one way or the other good success in their academics. Give them the wisdom, knowledge and understanding to excel, in Jesus’ name.

10. Father, please let Your supernatural guidance abide with every child in my family, church, and community. Guide them in every area and at every stage of their lives so that they don’t make costly mistakes, in Jesus’ name.

11. Father, please break any generational curses that might exist in the lineage of all the children around me. Please raise a standard against every evil plan of the enemy concerning them, in Jesus’ name.

12. Your personal prayer point for all the children around you.

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Peter’s encounter with Jesus at the Lake of Gennesaret is a pointer to the fact that our Lord is indeed a generous rewarder (Luke 5:1-7). He allowed the Lord to use his boat as a pulpit and was rewarded with such a great catch of fish that his boat began to sink; he had to call additional hands to help him manage his breakthrough.

There are many areas of service that attract God’s generous rewards. One of such is partnering with God to advance the agenda of heaven; this was what happened in Peter’s case. Another act that brings heavenly rewards is obedience to the Lord’s instructions. You can see this in the story of Abraham, who obeyed God when he was instructed to get out of his father’s house to a place God would show him (Genesis 12:1-4). He obeyed, even though he did not know where he was going. As if that wasn’t enough, when he was eventually blessed with Isaac, the child of promise, he was asked to sacrifice him as a burnt offering, and again, he obeyed. As a result of his obedience, God rewarded him with an everlasting covenant of blessing and multiplication (Genesis 22:15-17).

Another area of service that receives God’s attention for generous rewards is hospitality. An example is the story of the Shunammite woman who was so generous to Prophet Elisha that the Lord rewarded her with a son – a gift money could not buy (2 Kings 4:8-17). The story of the widow of Zarephath is another example of how God rewards hospitality (1 Kings 17:9-16). She sacrificed her last meal and that brought about meals that sustained her family throughout a famine. The Bible says in Hebrews 13:2:

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

God also rewards people who host His presence in their homes. According to (2 Samuel 6:11-14), God blessed Obed-Edom so much for housing the ark of the covenant that he became the envy of the king. This is a great lesson to those who are reluctant to submit their homes as house fellowship meeting centres. Such people don’t know the blessing they are missing out on by denying God the use of their space.

Beloved, as Hebrews 11:6 declares, our God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek, serve, obey, and honour Him. Use this to your advantage today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The joy that comes from knowing God is immeasurable. However, joy is just one of the many benefits enjoyed by those who know Him. From Daniel 11:32, you will understand that those who know their God will be strong and do exploits. As a Christian, you do not have to be fearful about the challenges that come with everyday life. God has empowered you to overcome whatever obstacles you might encounter. The Bible says in Romans 8:37:

…we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Furthermore, knowing Jesus empowers you to walk in victory every day and to be bold in the face of trials (Proverbs 28:1). Fear can paralyse a fellow, but God has not given you the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Knowing God and understanding His perfect love for you enables you to live above fear. The Bible says in 1 John 4:18:

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

After his encounter with the Lord, Paul was so full of joy from knowing the true God that he penned the words of Philippians 7:11, in which he confessed wholeheartedly that Jesus was everything to him. Even after he had attained great heights in the Lord, he still longed to know Him better because he discovered that the more of Jesus he knew, the more joyful, fulfilled, satisfied and hopeful of eternal life he became. I pray that you will experience this type of joy, in Jesus’ name.

Beloved, knowing Jesus increases your faith in Him, and as you increase in faith, you please God more. The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6 that without faith, it is impossible to please God. The joy of having eternal life is drawn from knowing Jesus. John 17:3 says:

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

To know Jesus is to know peace because He is the Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6). Knowing Jesus is knowing prosperity and abundance (Matthew 14:14-21), (2 Corinthians 8:9). Knowing Him is knowing divine healing and, better still, divine health (1 Peter 2:24). All these and more are the benefits of knowing our Saviour. Beloved, do you truly know Jesus?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Deuteronomy 8:18, the Lord reveals Himself as the source of power for prosperity. It is the blessing of the Lord that gives riches without any sorrow (Proverbs 10:22). Those who desire to prosper without sorrow will therefore pay attention to the path of prosperity He has set out in His word. Deuteronomy 8:6-18 also contains truths from God’s word that can deliver any soul from the bondage of poverty. Your Father in heaven wants you to prosper greatly, and so, we will examine a few of these truths today.

Firstly, the Lord told the children of Israel that the land He was giving them was being taken care of by Him from heaven. In other words, the land would yield its best to them because He was in charge of it, not because of their own efforts. To emphasize this, the Lord described the land to them further, saying in Deuteronomy 11:12:

A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.

Therefore, to prosper in this world, you need to look away from the present economic situation around you and focus on the economy of heaven that is managed all year round by the Almighty Himself.

For the economy of your life to respond to the laws of heaven, you must be subject to the laws of heaven. Many people get excited about God’s promises but fail to do their part, therefore, they do not experience the fulfilment of the promises. God gives those who acknowledge Him as their Creator, Redeemer, and Lord the power to prosper. Do you regard God as your Creator? Do you honour Jesus Christ as your Redeemer, or do you take His death for granted by going back to sin even though you have been saved? For God to prosper you, you must honour Him as God indeed. Today, He is asking you the same question He asked the Israelites in Malachi 1:6:

A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear?

If you truly desire the power to prosper from God, you must ensure that your life honours Him. You must also ensure that you fear Him and love Him with all your heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many children of God do not fully comprehend the fact that our God is Omnipresent. When you really understand this truth, your heart will be filled with resounding joy, irrespective of whatever situation you might be going through. In Psalm 46:1, the psalmist revealed Him to us as the Present Help. To reassure us of this, God spoke to us through His prophet in Isaiah 43:2, saying:

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

To further convince us beyond any shadow of doubt, God manifested Himself in the flesh and said to us in Matthew 28:20:

…lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

How comforting and encouraging this is. No wonder Paul was able to say in Romans 8:31:

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

The reason no one can be against you is that the presence of God is always there to chase any kind of danger and shame away from you. It was the Present Help who saved me from the financial embarrassment of not having enough to feed the crowd that came for one of our conventions. My wife came to me asking for additional money to keep feeding the crowd when the convention was just halfway through. I did not have any money, but the Lord showed up in His usual way of proving Himself mighty in my life. He sent people to me who met this need, and in the end, we had more than enough to feed the crowd. Another time, I was almost stranded during one of my trips to a foreign country because my flight was delayed for one day, and I had spent all the money with me. I prayed to the Present Help, and before I went to bed that night, I had more than enough for the rest of my trip.

In Psalm 46:1-7, you are encouraged to be of good courage because God is with you in spite of the enemy’s plans to harm you (1 Peter 5:.

Beloved, to enjoy this divine comprehensive insurance, you need to belong to the family of the Present Help. Give your life to Him and make a commitment to love what He loves and hate what He hates. You will begin to experience His presence wherever you go.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

From my experience as a lecturer before going into full-time ministry, I know that in a class, not everyone’s focus is on understanding what is being taught. Some students are focused on the teacher’s clothes, some on how he talks, others on impressing other students, and so on. What is worthy of note is that those who focus on less important things lose a whole lot in the end.

This same thing plays out in God’s kingdom; many Christians do not focus on the right things. All some Christians want from God is a new car, a new house, a promotion and so on. I pity such Christians because they might get what they are focused on but lose out on the more important things they have ignored.

Jesus Christ said that you should seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all other things shall be added to you (Matthew 6:33). In other words, if you just focus on making it to heaven by being righteous here on earth, cars, houses and other material things will automatically come your way. I am a living testimony of what Jesus said in this verse of Scripture. I set my focus on the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and now, I can’t count how many of these other things I have. The best part is that I am also on my way to heaven.

Why focus on things that are temporary instead of things that are eternal? Focus on the eternal things, and the temporary things will follow. Many people never reach the heights that God has ordained for them because somewhere along the line, they take their focus away from heaven and start pursuing material things. Their prayers change from, “Lord, help me to love You more” to “Lord, give me this and that.” You need to remember that when the roll is called up yonder, none of these things will matter anymore. Ask anyone who has had a near-death experience, and they will tell you that material things, as flashy as they may seem, are not worth all the attention given to them. From now on, make Paul’s admonition in 2 Corinthians 4:18 your lifestyle:

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The most difficult instruction Jesus Christ gave to His disciples is probably what we have in Luke 6:35. He wants us to love our enemies if we are to be genuine children of God. What are we to do about this seemingly difficult command? Firstly, you should note that His commands are not grievous (1 John 5:3). Also, when you consider the benefits of being a child of God, you will realise that what the Lord commands is just a little price to pay. Amazed by these benefits, John the Apostle wrote in 1 John 3:1:

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:

The commandment of the Lord to love your enemies is not just a New Testament doctrine. God commands us to do so because He is love Himself (1 John 4:7). He loved us even when we were in His enemy’s camp as sinners (Romans 5:, and since He has commanded us to be perfect even as He is (Matthew 5:48), it means that we have to be like Him in all things (Ephesians 5:1), even in loving our enemies.

Why is it so important to God that you love your enemies? One reason is that it practically reflects the true nature of your Father, showing Him to be different from what the devil portrays Him to be (Genesis 3:1-5). When unbelievers experience such uncommon love from you, they are convinced beyond reasonable doubt that your God is good. Many people testify that they gave their lives to Christ because of the benevolent acts of Christians. Your perceived enemies today may be your best Christian brothers and sisters tomorrow if only you will heed the Lord’s instruction to love them.

Through your love, their wickedness will melt away. One of my relatives, who was an idol worshipper and was well known for his wickedness, decided to follow me to church when he experienced the goodness of the Lord flowing through me into his life. When he was confronted by others as to why he abandoned his deity and foolishly followed me to serve the Lord, he confessed that he was left with no other option but to join me in serving Jesus Christ because of the love I had shown him. He asked those questioning his decision, “Can’t you see how my life has been spiritually and materially transformed?”

Beloved, be good to your enemies and never repay them with evil.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It takes clean hands to ascend to the hill of the Most High God and receive from Him. Isaiah 59:1-2 says:

Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

When you ask God for something, and He does not give it to you, please check your life first before you start complaining. Are your hands clean? Are you living holy? The Bible says that if you are not living holy, you are at such a distance from God that He cannot even hear your prayers. Because people who are living in sin are far away from Him, He will not hear them. God hates sin and cannot come close to sin at all. If you want anything from Him, stay away from sin.

Some people feel that they can force God to do things for them. Since they do not want to stop their sinful lifestyles and also know that God will not hear their prayers, they will seek an anointed man of God to pray for them. They believe that God will answer the prayers of the anointed man of God. Several times, I have prayed for people for healings, deliverance, and breakthroughs without results. On several occasions, I have cried to God, “What is going on? This fellow is your child, why are you not answering my prayers?” A lot of times, God will say, “You don’t know the whole story.” It doesn’t matter how anointed a man of God is, God cannot be compelled to listen to his prayers over sinners.

My Father in the Lord, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, used to say that it is what a father has that he will use to take care of his children. If God is your father, He will take care of you with His goodness. However, if your father is the devil, he will take care of you with the evil that surrounds him. If you want the blessings of God, ensure that you surrender your life to Him in totality and live holy. The Bible says that without holiness, no one can see God (Hebrews 12:14), so if you truly want to abide in His presence and experience His abundant goodness, holiness must be your lifestyle.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7

The above passage tells us clearly that the Holy Spirit which God gives to us is not a Spirit of fear. This also implies that fear is not a feeling, but a spirit, and that spirit is not from God. As Christians, whenever we find a spirit that is not of God around us, we must banish such a spirit immediately. Today, fear is banished in your life, in Jesus’ name.

The antidote to fear is faith. Ephesians 6:16 says: “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” When this Scripture was written, soldiers had to go to war with shields as it was essential for their survival against the attacks of the enemy. Likewise, we are to quench the fiery darts of the enemy with the shield of faith.

What are these fiery darts? They are the imaginations through which the spirit of fear creeps into a man’s life. This is why 2 Corinthians 10:5 says:

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

The knowledge of Christ casts down fearful thoughts and imaginations. The more of God you know, and the more aware you are of His power and love for you, the less afraid you will be. You must subject every negative thought to the truth of God’s word. When the thoughts come, you should respond with the word of God that counters them. As you do this over and over again, you will overcome those fears.

You cannot know God without studying His word, hence, to truly banish fear from your life, you need to study God’s word consistently. The Bible says in Romans 10:17:

… faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The more of God’s word that you constantly listen to, the more your faith will grow. This will ensure that there is no room for fear in your heart. Study the word of God and meditate on it every day. Memorise His word, especially the portions that speak specifically to the fears you have. As God’s word dwells richly in your heart, every form of fear will disappear.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Revelation 22:15 tells us that as far as God is concerned, liars and dogs are in the same category. John 8:44 says that the devil is a liar and the father of lies, so, if you tell a lie, you are declaring openly that your father is the devil.

Years ago, I travelled to Ilesha and on my way back to Lagos, I decided to visit my late father in the Lord. I was close to his house when I remembered that he had taught us not to visit men of God empty-handed. So, I stopped to buy some oranges in Surulere. As my father in the Lord was eating the oranges, he said, “Wow, these oranges are sweet, did you buy them on the road?” I understood that the road he was asking about was the road between Ilesha and Lagos, not Surulere, however, I said, “Yes sir”. The moment I said so, the Holy Spirit said, “You lied”. I said, “What is the difference? After all, I bought them at the roadside in Surulere.” Again, the Holy Spirit said, “You lied”. I said, “How does it affect the sweetness of the orange?”

The Holy Spirit did not leave me alone, so I said to my Father in the Lord, “Papa, you asked a question just now. I actually bought these oranges in Surulere.” The old man nodded his head and said, “Hmmm, Holy Spirit.” He knew who was dealing with me. This is why it is surprising that many Christians have gotten so used to lying, even in the church. A lying tongue is an abomination to God (Proverbs 12:22). God is irritated by lies, irrespective of where it is told.

If God hates lying lips, it means that the prayers of a liar will be unanswered. God does not want to hear the voice of a liar. This is why many are struggling; the lies they love to tell have become a barrier between them and God. Lying can cut a man’s life short. In Acts 5, the man and woman who lied to God’s representative fell down and died. This is a warning to every child of God who tells lies. God does not want you to be destroyed. Do not tell lies.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Exodus 22:2-3 says that the death penalty is appropriate for a thief. Proverbs 29:24 also says that if you partner with a thief, you hate your soul. You are not allowed to steal as a child of God. Stealing means taking that which does not belong to you without the permission of the owner or using that which is not yours as if it were.

When I was a lecturer, I wrote a personal letter and wanted to use an official envelope. Then, God said, “Don’t!”. I replied, “Why not?” He said, “That’s for official letters, not personal letters.” I responded, “Lord, how much does an envelope cost?” and He said, “If you know an envelope is that cheap, go and buy yours.”

Jeremiah 17:11 tells us:

As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.

The scripture above is saying that if a person acquires wealth by fraudulent means, it will not last, and the fellow will eventually regret his or her actions. For example, in 2 Kings 5:20-27, Gehazi fraudulently sought to amass material possessions from Naaman but ended up becoming a leper.

Several years ago, I was chairman of a high school’s board of governors. I decided to help the school by building a boys’ and girls’ hostel, a school hall, and the principal’s quarters. The principal decided that it was also an opportunity for him to build a small house in his hometown with some of the resources provided for the school’s building project. So, as the school buildings were being constructed, he was also building his little mansion. When he finished, somebody surfaced and said, “Who built on my land?” He said, “I bought this land from so and so.” The real landowner replied, “You bought it from the wrong fellow.” The principal said, “Okay, let’s not argue, how much do you want for the land?” The man said he was not selling the land and asked him to remove his house. The house is still there today, uninhabited. The landowner didn’t bother using the land, he clearly didn’t even need it. All the principal’s efforts were wasted, and his dreams were dashed because the word of God is clear.

The life of a thief is a terrible one. His days are full of curses, and there is no peace for him at all. Beloved, it is only the blessing of God that comes without adding sorrow (Proverbs 10:22).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

These days, many people have tried to water down the standards of God because of modernisation. However, the Bible clearly states in (2 Timothy 2:19) that God’s foundation stands sure. God said clearly in Malachi 2:16 that He hates divorce. Mark 10:9 also says clearly:

What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

The moment a man and a woman are joined together in holy matrimony, they are no longer two people but one flesh. Just as you cannot decide to cut yourself into two and continue living, a married couple should never be divorced – God hates divorce. They are joined until death separates them. This is why my late Father in the Lord used to say to brothers who were about to get married in the church, “Once you carry her, you have carried her for life.” Luke 16:18 says that if you divorce to marry someone else, you are committing adultery. The court may give you papers of divorce and a new marriage certificate; however, in heaven, you are recognised as an adulterous fellow. If you are married, know this very well, God does not intend for you to ever get divorced; marriage is a lifetime commitment.

Knowing that the moment you are married, you are joined to your spouse for life, you must take extra caution to marry the right person if you are yet to be married. If you have not heard from God with several confirmations, don’t get married yet. It is better to be single and make heaven than to be married and have your marriage lead you to hell. Believe me; you will be doing yourself a lot of good if you wait on God to lead you before you get married.

If your marriage is troubled, getting a divorce is not the solution. You have already made a vow before God that you will be with your spouse until death separates both of you, and you must uphold that vow (Ecclesiastes 5:5). Rather than considering divorce, go to God, the One who created the institution of marriage and cry to Him for help. Is there anything too hard for Him to do? (Jeremiah 32:27). The answer is ‘No’, for nothing is impossible for Him to do (Luke 1:37), and this includes providing a solution to the problem in any marriage.

God hates divorce, and if you are truly His child, you will not want to do anything your Father hates.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Matthew 6:9-13, the Lord was teaching the disciples to pray. He said in verse 13 that they should cry to the Father, “Lead us not into temptation and in case we have already fallen into trouble, then deliver us from evil.” This part of the Lord’s prayer bothered me for a while. Can God really lead someone into temptation? Then I read in Proverbs 22:14:

The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

This means that when someone is abhorred of God, such a person will be pushed into the mouth of a strange woman so that he can be destroyed completely. You will understand this better when you read 1 Corinthians 3:17:

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

So, if you notice that it is becoming very difficult to overcome any temptation, you should go on a retreat for some days and cry to God for mercy. He has promised that He will always make a way of escape for you (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Watch your steps. Don’t get yourself into a situation where God will say, “I have had enough of you. Go ahead and do as you like, and we will see the result of your actions.” Have you toyed with sin and said to yourself, “There was no repercussion for the things I did in the past, so all is still okay?” Don’t deceive yourself; everything you do on earth is recorded in heaven, even your idle words (Matthew 12:36). If you don’t stop, one day, God will open that book and say, “Is this person taking me for a fool? I will show him that I am not a fool and cause him to destroy himself.” May that not be your portion, in Jesus’ name.

Now, I know there might be someone reading this now who is still not willing to stop sinning. This is the kind of fellow described in 1 Timothy 4:2.

The truth is, your holiness does not help me in any way; it helps you. I am not asking you to live holy so that I can make it to heaven, I am asking you to live holy so that you will not spend eternity in hell. I have done my duty by bringing this message to you. A word is enough for the wise.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people dwell on their past achievements in the kingdom of God. They talk about the days they were on fire for God, how they used to pray for long hours, and how they used to win souls for God. Currently, however, you cannot see any sign of that same zeal they talk about in them. These are the kind of people we call ‘old soldier’ where I come from in Nigeria.

An old soldier in this context is someone who used to be very active in the army but who, after a while, became old, unfit and irrelevant. Old soldiers, in this sense, are Christians who used to be very vibrant, win souls for God, heal the sick, and perform many wonders in Jesus’ name. However, somehow, they started to lose their zeal and became unfit, so that now, when people are talking about zealous Christians, they hardly mention them. Such Christians have moved from hot to cold in the things of God. If this describes you, then you need to retrace your steps and return to your first love.

You need to go back to the days when you put God’s will above your comfort and convenience; the days when the things of this world were not enticing to you and all you cared about was doing the will of God. You need to go back to those days because being an old soldier in the body of Christ is a very dangerous thing. Jesus Christ said in Luke 9:62 that if anyone places his hand on the plough and looks back, he is not fit for the kingdom of God. To God, past glory is gone; what is more relevant to Him is your current spiritual state. In Ezekiel 18:24, He said that if someone has been righteous all his life but turns around and starts sinning, if that fellow dies in sin, he or she will be condemned. As far as God is concerned, the path of the righteous will shine brighter every day until the perfect day – which is the day he sees Jesus in glory.

Like Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:13, forget those old days of glory and begin to seek God afresh. Make your Bible your best friend more than ever before. Intentionally set out quality time to pray daily. Look for a vibrant fellowship of believers that you can associate with regularly and ensure that your zeal for God’s kingdom keeps growing.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the ways the devil attacks and hinders God’s plan for people’s lives is to lead their hearts into a state of hopelessness. It is unfortunate that some people in the church today have yielded to the devil’s devices and are living a life that is full of hopelessness.

In Ecclesiastes 1:1-14, we see the richest and wisest king in the world speak with a tone of depression and loss of hope. This tells us that money, power, and all the material things of life cannot give anyone joy and hope. Those who allow the deceitful pleasures of sin to erode the love for God from their hearts will one day look at themselves and feel empty. This was what happened in King Solomon’s life as we see in 1 Kings 11:3:

And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

The Bible warns us in Hebrews 3:12 that we should take heed, “…lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Solomon departed from God, and his life became empty even though he was a rich king.

There is no joy or satisfaction in having material wealth and losing your connection with God. Mark 8:36 says:

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Money and fame cannot give you hope. Only Christ in you can give you hope for a better tomorrow. With Christ, you not only have high hopes for your future here on earth, but you also have an assured future in eternity. If you have Christ, hold on tight to Him because that is the greatest possession you will ever have. 2 Peter 1:3 says:

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

If you have backslidden at one point or the other, do a self-examination, identify where it all went wrong, and go to God in genuine repentance. You should also ensure that you seek help from other believers around you. Never be too proud to speak to someone that can help you regain your connection with God. If your heart has been turned away from God, I pray that He will restore your connection with Him and take away every feeling of hopelessness you might be experiencing, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Whether you believe it or not, God has a plan for your life. Even if your parents weren’t planning to have a baby when they had you, as long as God formed you in your mother’s belly and made you come out of the womb alive, He has a plan for you. Jeremiah 1:5 illustrates this clearly:

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Believe me, the plan that God has for you is a good one. He made that known in Jeremiah 29:11. The question now is, are you walking in line with His plan for you? It is not enough for God to have a good plan for your life; if you refuse to live according to His plan, it will look like there was none in the first place.

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Isaiah 30:21

God is willing to guide you in the direction you should go at every point of your life; He is willing to be your compass all through life. Another question you must answer is, are you willing to draw close to Him enough to hear His voice? After you have heard His voice, are you willing to obey Him, even when He asks you to do something that seems foolish? Only those who draw close to God, listen to Him, and obey Him completely will fulfil His plan for their lives.

I thought I was on the right path when I was trying to become the youngest Vice Chancellor in Africa. I thought that was a good plan until I met God and drew close to Him. Thereafter, He began to whisper into my ears which way to go at every point. When He told me to leave my job and become the General Overseer of a church whose total monthly income was not up to my salary, that was a hard thing to do – thank God I obeyed. I did not become the youngest Vice Chancellor in Africa, but today, many Vice Chancellors call me Daddy. The Redeemed Christian Church of God also owns a university that has been rated as the second overall best in the country. God’s plans will always be far greater than anything you can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I will conclude my discussion on the qualities that make the devil’s bait effective: the devil ensures that his bait invokes his prey’s pride. In Genesis 3:6, Eve ate the forbidden fruit because she felt that it could make her wise. When you are lured to do something to show off, beware!

Usually, the enemy catches people who think that they can never be caught (1 Corinthians 10:12). When a fellow says, “I believe in holiness, and I practise it, so the devil can never get me,” he or she should take heed. For example, in Luke 22:31-34, the Lord said to Peter, “Satan desires to have you.” Peter said, “Lord, even if it involves death, the devil will not overpower me.” Jesus replied, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

In Judges 16:4-21, we discovered that Samson fell because he was over-confident. Delilah did not hide her intentions, she clearly asked for the secret of his power to know how to overpower him. Samson thought that with his track record, he could not be captured and so, he decided to play a game with the devil. Don’t play games with the devil, he has been around for a long while. His track record shows how many great people he has destroyed. (1 Thessalonians 5:22) says, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” If it looks like evil, don’t think that you can withstand it. Run!

I know someone who said that he joined one of the secret cults on his campus because he was curious. He said he did it for fun, believing that he would not get involved in the terrible things they do as if that were possible. Don’t joke with the devil. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:18 that pride goes before destruction. Proverbs 29:23 says that a man’s pride shall bring him low.

Some years ago, a lady was to be employed as my private secretary, and I said, “No way!” I know the nature of my work; I work day and night. What will I say I am doing alone in my office at night with another man’s wife. Some people came later and said, “Sir, we thought you were anointed.” I said, “I know, but does the anointing turn your body to stone?”

If you think you cannot fall, you are already on your way down because your pride will make you get close to the trap enough for it to eventually catch you. Pride goes before a fall.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I will discuss the second quality that makes the devil’s baits effective. The devil uses baits which are pleasant to the eyes and taste to get people in his trap. For example, Eve considered the forbidden fruit to be pleasant to the eyes and good for food when the devil tempted her with it (Genesis 3:6). Presenting sin as if it is pleasant is an old trick of the devil to trap man, and every believer must be wary of it.

If a fellow is controlled by physical senses, he or she becomes vulnerable to the devil’s bait. This is why you must be dead to the flesh. When people always want to satisfy their flesh, they will not be able to control their sexual desires, eating habits, and so on.

The very dangerous thing about the devil’s bait being pleasant to the taste is that if a fellow tastes it once, it can become difficult to stop, just as I described three days ago. The key to avoiding the bait is not to taste it at all. Yes, it looks attractive, but you must not go near it at all. An African proverb says, “What you should not eat, you should not sniff.”

Ask anyone who is addicted to something bad, and they will tell you it all started with a taste. Those who masturbate only tasted it once, and when they saw that nothing happened to them, they did it again and again until they found out that they had become addicted. Those who are addicted to alcohol usually start out as casual drinkers before becoming heavy drinkers. When the trap snaps shut and many of these people look back at their lives, they regret the first day they ever tasted the enemy’s bait. If a snare is prepared by the fowler and you stay away from the bait, you will not be caught in it.

During the Nigerian civil war, there was a slogan used by one side of the conflict: “The price of safety is unresting vigilance.” Please, my beloved, stay as far away from the devil’s bait as you can. If you are addicted to a sinful habit, you need the power of the Most High God to break free from it. Seek help from a spirit-filled man of God and you may also consult a Christian professional counsellor to break free from that addiction.

By the grace of God, you will not become the devil’s prey, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I promised to discuss the three major qualities that make the devil’s baits effective. The first bait the devil ever used was the forbidden fruit. When you read Genesis 3:6, you will see all the qualities of the devil’s bait in the fruit. Eve saw that the fruit was pleasant to the eyes. The fowler’s bait is usually attractive and difficult to ignore.

The devil studies a fellow and knows the things that he or she is attracted to. You will hardly see a man commit adultery with a woman he considers ugly. The bait the enemy will use is usually attractive. Don’t be fooled by its attractiveness; it has death in it. In Judges 16:4, Samson ‘fell in lust’ with Delilah and threw all caution to the wind. The devil used his attraction to her to bait him into a trap that eventually destroyed him. There are probably things around you that you are attracted to that are sinful or that may cause you to sin. It is a trap that you should beware of so that you will not become prey to the devil.

If a man is attracted to light-skinned women, the devil will put them all around him as temptations to commit fornication or adultery. If he is attracted to flashy cars, the devil will keep bringing flashy cars his way. If he lets his lust for flashy cars push him to steal, then the devil has caught him. This is why Christians must circumcise their hearts to change their affections.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Colossians 3:2

Do not be too attracted to the things of the world. You must soak yourself in the word of God. Let His word abide in you so much that the only things that are attractive to you are the things that please Him. Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it flows the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). Beware of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). If you discover that things of the world are becoming more attractive to you than the things of God, it means that you are vulnerable to the devil’s snare. Declare a fast for yourself, go on a retreat and spend quality time in God’s presence till that lust dies.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
Isaiah 49:24

According to the word of God, anyone who catches prey with a trap like I described yesterday can legally lay claim to it. There are lawful captives of the enemy. We have tried to cast demons out of people before, and they would say, “You are trespassing because this fellow belongs to us. They walked into our trap.” For example, I once had a student who was on his way to his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) station when he fell sick. The doctor said he was allergic to rice. When they brought him to me, and as I was about to pray for him, the Lord said that he had to make restitution. It turned out his father stole a neighbour’s bicycle to pay his school fees, and the owner placed a curse on the thief. His father died from an allergic reaction to rice, and now the son was on the same path. If that had not been revealed to me, we would have prayed in futility because the boy was a lawful captive.

I told him to buy a bicycle for the man’s son because the man was late. Incidentally, when he returned after doing so, I was about to eat rice. He ate my rice, finished it, and nothing happened to him. Another boy was brought to me for prayers because he was barking. This boy had been having sex with their dog in the house. I prayed, but the barking did not stop. I advised the parents to keep bringing him for the Holy Ghost service every month and be hopeful that God will have mercy and deliver the lawful captive from his captor. When a fellow walks into the trap of the enemy after being lured by his or her lust, the devil can lawfully lay a claim on the fellow.

In James 1:12-16, Apostle James tells us clearly that God does not tempt anyone, but rather, people are tempted by their own lusts, which result in sin and then death eventually. The bait the devil uses does not usually look like death. The bait has three major qualities to make it effective: it is usually attractive to the prey, it is pleasant to the prey’s taste, and it invokes the prey’s pride.

I will discuss these qualities in detail in the following days because I believe God that after this study, you will never fall into the devil’s trap.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible teaches that there are some people called fowlers who hunt for souls. A very good example of a fowler is an adulteress (Proverbs 6:26). The Bible says that she hunts for precious life. The chief of all fowlers is the devil (1 Peter 5:.

A fowler uses a snare to entrap prey. I grew up on a farm, and we used to get our meat by trapping animals. In the evenings, we would get traps, dig into the soil, put the traps in the hole, cover them with leaves, and sprinkle soil on the leaves so that everything would look normal. After setting the traps, we would put baits (usually corn) on both sides of the traps and then go to bed. At night, when an animal sees the baits around a trap, it will go close and eat some of the corn. When it sees that nothing happens, it moves forward, eats a little more and then goes on until it finishes all the corn on one side. Since it has eaten all the corn on one side, it ignorantly attempts to cross over to eat the corn on the other side, and suddenly, as it steps on the trap, it snaps shut and catches the animal. By morning, it is in our cooking pot. There are countless people in hell today because they tasted sin and nothing seemed to happen, so they kept sinning until they got caught in the devil’s trap.

Many young ladies from good homes who were taught to keep their virginity have ended up badly because they had sex once, and since nothing happened, they continued until they got pregnant, contracted a disease, or became fully immersed in that terrible lifestyle. One thing a trapped animal experiences when the trap snaps shut is great fear. Likewise, one of the signs that a fellow is in trouble is fear.

The one who is caught in the trap of the fowler is called prey. Interestingly, prey sounds like pray. If a Christian does not pray, he or she will become prey. Psalm 91:3 says that the one who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will be delivered from the snare of the fowler. If you don’t want to fall into the snare of the fowler, your secret place with your Father must be on fire. If your altar grows cold, you may soon find yourself in the devil’s cooking pot. Pray fervently for at least one hour every day, and it will be difficult for you to be the devil’s prey.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God broke protocols when Solomon became king in 1 Kings 1 as he was not the heir apparent. Adonijah strongly believed that he was the rightful heir to the throne, and he even attempted to coronate himself while David was still alive. In spite of Adonijah’s actions and all other factors that seemed to disqualify Solomon, God moved in the latter’s favour and ensured that he was crowned king.

Some years ago, one of my sons came to me and said, “Daddy, I need a new job, and I have been invited for an interview. I applied for the Deputy Managing Director position, and I will be going for the interview soon.” I was about to pray for him when he said, “No, don’t pray, just say a word.” So, I said, “The interview will go well.” He said, “Amen,” and left. He returned the following day, excited. He said, “Daddy, when I got to the interview, they directed me to the boardroom and asked me only three questions, ‘What is your name? What post have you applied for, and when can you start?’ I told them I will start tomorrow.”

I congratulated him, and he said, “Daddy, speak another word.” I said, “The Almighty God who has given you the job will promote you rapidly.” The following day, he returned, trembling. He said, “Daddy, I got to my new workplace, and the same people that interviewed me said that after I left, the Managing Director resigned. They asked if I was ready to become the new Managing Director, and I said yes.” I congratulated him again, and he said, “Daddy, speak another word.” So I said, “The God who has begun a good work in you will perfect it.” Believe it or not, the following day, he was back. This time, he was almost speechless. He said, “Daddy, I got to my workplace, and I was told that they discovered that the former Managing Director resigned because their competitor offered him double the salary they were paying him, and since they didn’t want me to leave, they had doubled my salary.” I congratulated him again, and he said, “Daddy, speak another word.” This time, I said jokingly, “Do you want to take over the company from the owners?”

My God does not need to follow protocols when He wants to promote His children. Psalm 115:3 says that He does as He pleases. I pray for you today that God will break all protocols and take you to the very top, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Light can be shining brightly outside, but if your eyes have grown dim, it will not matter because you will be unable to experience its brightness. Genesis 27:1 says that Isaac waxed old, and his eyes became dim that he could not see. This tells you that when a person’s vision dies, it means old age has set in.

In Ecclesiastes 12:1-3, when Solomon said, “…those that looked out of the windows be darkened,” that was his way of saying, “When your eyes can no longer see as a result of old age”. So, one of the ways you will know that you are in your old age is when you no longer have visions. Joel 2:28 tells us that you get to an age when visions become replaced with dreams. The right visions drive people to run (Habakkuk 2:2) to ensure that they are fulfilled, while those who dream usually do nothing to bring their dreams to reality.

Some years ago, I was talking to three elders who are also my special friends, and I told them that the definition of old age is ‘dreamers’. As long as you still have a vision you are pursuing, it means you are not yet old. This is why I sometimes joke that only those who are older than me are elders because I am still pursuing my vision. So, I am still young, even at 82. It is pathetic to see young people who are already old because they have no vision. Yes, they talk about dreams for their future, but they are mere wishes because you don’t see them pursuing them at all. When I see such young people, I often think to myself, “Young fellow, where is your vision?”

When a person becomes a dreamer instead of a visioner, then the fellow is old. Such a person’s day, which is the time he or she has to spend on the earth, is almost over. The word of God says in Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” In other words, when a person’s vision is gone, the fellow is on his or her way out.

I believe God is talking to a specific reader of this devotional. You had great visions, but now, you have forgotten about them. Wake up!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To some, eternity seems like a far-off idea that should not be given much thought. However, it is a reality you must not lose sight of. The truth is, everyone will have to ask themselves, where will I spend eternity? God has provided answers to this question in the Bible and has made them plain and accessible because He does not want eternity and the events surrounding it to take anyone unawares. It is therefore surprising that some Christians live in this world without eternity on their minds. Such Christians can be easily spotted from their lifestyles and attitudes toward the things of God. They live as if they will be on earth forever, whereas Hebrews 13:14 says:

For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

This was not the lifestyle of the heroes of faith. From the things they set their affections on and their confessions, people could tell that they were eternity-minded. Hebrews 11:13-14 tells us that they saw themselves as strangers and pilgrims on earth. Hebrews 11:16 says:

But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

What a glorious testimony this is. I desire this for myself, and I pray that you will also have such a testimony, in Jesus’ name.

Don’t let the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches blur your vision of the place Christ has prepared for you. Eternity is real, and where a person spends eternity is determined by the way he or she lives in this present world (Romans 2:3-10). The place Christ has prepared for you is a place where you will no longer die, it is a place of joy and pleasant experiences (Revelation 21:1-7). On the other hand, there is another place where whoever rejects God’s grace in Christ will spend eternity. This place was prepared to punish the devil and his demons, but those who live their lives to please the world, their flesh, or the devil will also partake in it (Matthew 25:41). It is a place of everlasting fire and pain. May you not be found there, in Jesus’ name. To escape this horrible and eternal torment, give your life to Christ today, and if you have done so, live holy and remain eternity-minded.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Revelation 1:8, our Lord Jesus Christ reveals Himself as the Alpha and the Omega. Later on in Revelation 21:6, He describes Himself as the Beginning and the End. For further emphasis, in Revelation 22:13, He said, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” This means that everything starts and ends with Him.

From the Scriptures above, you will clearly see that you cannot start anything without God’s permission, and you cannot finish anything without His approval. This is good news for you, especially if you are about to embark on a project. Just talk to the Alpha and Omega about it.

God is the One who began this world, and He is the One who will end it. In other words, everything in this world is under His control, therefore, when you are close to Him and let Him guide you throughout your life, you will have a better quality of life because the One in control is your guide. This is why Proverbs 3:5 says:

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

God knows what will happen before it happens. He knows where there is danger and where your blessings are hiding. He said in Isaiah 45:3 that He will show you the treasures of darkness and the hidden riches in secret places. He knows these things because He is the Beginning and the End. This is why David wrote confidently:

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Psalm 23:1-2

If I may ask, who is your shepherd? Who guides you through life? For me, I know that I am too foolish to go through life on my own, and this is why I have made the Beginning and the End my shepherd. When I was looking to buy land for the Redeemed Christian Church of God’s campground, I admired a particular location because it was on a major road, and in my own limited mind, it was perfect. However, God guided us to the location we are now, which has now proven to be so much better because He is the End. Those who let Him guide their decisions never regret it.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people who claim to trust God with all their hearts surprisingly depend on their own understanding and attempt to strategise their way through life. The question, however, is, how deep is our understanding? Do we understand as much as God does? You must understand that two captains cannot be in charge of a ship at the same time. It is either you let God take the wheels of your life, or you leave Him out of it. You cannot be in the driver’s seat and only remember God anytime you run into trouble; you must trust Him totally and rely on Him for everything. If you are truly a child of God, you must always be led by Him (Romans 8:14).

Trusting God does not start out easy; He will work on you, and as He leads you, He will mould and shape you to become a better person. When you trust God to lead you, everything you touch prospers. Abraham was a man who trusted God completely, and he prospered greatly. He left everything he ever knew for a land that God said He would show him. He left without a plan; he was determined to trust God all the way. Shortly after, he grew so big that he had 318 men who could go to war with him living under his roof (Genesis 14:14). He was so rich that he rejected a king’s gift so that the king would not take glory for his prosperity.

When you trust someone, you don’t ask unnecessary questions. When you board a plane, you trust that the pilot knows what he is doing and that he will take you safely to your destination; you don’t ask to see his license or inspect the condition of the plane. If you can trust human beings with your life that much, how much more the Most High God?

I learnt to trust God very early in my Christian walk because my Sunday School teacher taught me that if a son is at the top of a high place and his father asks him to jump, he will not ask questions because he knows that his father will catch him. The moment I learnt that, I began to trust God so much that once He says “Jump,” I jump, knowing that He will catch me. Everything we have achieved in The Redeemed Christian Church of God to date has been purely based on trust. When He says move, I move. No arguments.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:23

The above passage tells us clearly that God wants your spirit, soul, and body to be preserved blameless until His coming. This is opposed to what many people say about God only caring about our spirit and soul, and not our body. God cares about your body, and He wants it to be blameless. He cares about what you wear (1 Timothy 2:9), how you use your body (1 Corinthians 9:27), and if you get a tattoo or not (Leviticus 19:28). He cares as much about your body as He cares about your soul.

The truth is, the state of your soul will determine the state of your body. What is inside will show on the outside. Many years ago, I invited some ministers to teach at The Redeemed Christian Bible College. They told the students that I was too legalistic by placing restrictions on how they use their bodies and that God only cares about the soul. By the time I got back to the class, the students had believed the people I invited. I needed to convince them otherwise, so I went to get two oranges. One orange was yellow, and the other was green. I raised both oranges up in the class and asked, “Which of these two oranges is ripe?” They all pointed at the yellow one. I asked again, “How did you know?” They said it was obvious from the outside that it was ripe on the inside. With that, I told them, “If Christ that you claim to have on your inside is not showing on the outside, it is likely that you do not have Christ in the first place.”

Whether we like it or not, people look at your outward appearance and make conclusions about Christianity based on what they see you do with your body. If you look like the people of the world, they will believe that you are just like them and that there is nothing special about you. They will not listen to the gospel you are preaching if you are dressed like a harlot or a hooligan. Don’t make someone turn away from the gospel because of your outward appearance, keep your body blameless.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

For someone reading this, it is possible that God has promised you many great things in the past, but you have not yet seen those things manifest. This was what happened to Abraham and Sarah. Years before, God had spoken to Abraham, promising him that he will be a father of nations. However, more than 25 years passed and not a single child was born to somebody who was supposed to be the father of nations. Eventually, in Genesis 18, God showed up for him. I pray for you today, God will show up for you and give you that long-awaited miracle, in Jesus’ name.

I remember when I became the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, I did everything I knew in line with the word of God to make the church grow. Every month, I organised a three-day seminar. I taught the Bible, preached, fasted and prayed. People would come for the programmes, and as soon as we finish, they would vanish. When I get to the church the following Sunday, at times, the congregation will even look smaller than what we had before the programmes. One day, some weeks before my birthday in 1986, God ended my barrenness. He asked me, “What do you want for your birthday?” and I said, “I want a miracle for every member of my congregation.” That was the beginning of the Holy Ghost Service. Today, all that you see happening in RCCG is an example of what God can do whenever He decides it is time to fulfil His promise to you. I pray that before the end of this year, everyone will see clearly that God is smiling on you, in Jesus’ name.

When God makes you a promise, you can rest assured that He will keep His promise. However, many people have missed out on the fulfilment of God’s promise due to a lack of faith. If God promises you something and after waiting for a while, you begin to think that God lied to you and won’t fulfil the promise, it may never come to manifestation. Romans 4:20 says that Abraham did not stagger at the promise of God, even after waiting for up to 25 years.

God is a promise keeper. However, if you want to see His promises concerning you fulfilled, you must accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, live holy, have faith, and wait patiently on Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The reason Solomon was extremely grateful to God in 2 Chronicles 1:6-12 is that he realised that he didn’t deserve to be king. His father was an adulterer and his mother an adulteress. His father was also a murderer who murdered his mother’s first husband. How could God pick the fruit of such a union and make him king? Solomon indeed had every reason to be grateful. If you look at your life closely, you will also see that you don’t deserve many of the things that God has given to you, including your life. I think you should really give Him thanks.

When people see me dancing in agbada at least once a year to praise God in my mother tongue, many of them do not understand. The day I asked God how He could choose the product of a sinful relationship like Solomon to be king, He also asked me, “Is your mother the first wife of your father?” I had no more questions because, based on the circumstances surrounding my birth, I don’t deserve to be called to pastor His sheep. I am always grateful to God because to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48). Even the fact that I am here in this world is something to be grateful for. My mom had made up her mind that she wasn’t having any more children because she already had as many girls as she wanted and a boy. However, the boy died, and people begged her to give birth again. She agreed, and I was born. Coming from that background, and also considering all the sins I had committed before giving my life to Christ, it is a privilege that God could save a soul like mine and make me a pastor. So, I know why I dance and sing praises to my God.

When we say, “Let us thank God,” those who feel that they deserve everything they have don’t see the importance. For some of them, they believe God chose them because He had no choice and so, they don’t bother. However, for some of us, we know where we are coming from and the things we survived. I grew up amongst scorpions, snakes, and all sorts of wild animals, and was surrounded by witches, wizards, and the rest. For me to have survived in that kind of environment, I cannot keep quiet when it is time to thank God. Will you do the same?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I will conclude the teaching I began two days ago on how to pray effectively. Many people make the mistake of giving up on their prayers when it appears as if God is not responding. Such people are only cheating themselves when they do that. To really get the desired results from prayers, you have to be persistent. Isaiah 62:7 says:

And give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

You are to give God no rest until He has answered your prayers. Jesus Christ said in John 16:24 that you should ask, then you will receive so that your joy may be full.

From Luke 18:1-8, Jesus Christ assures you that if you keep knocking on God’s door, asking Him for something, He will give it to you. According to Him, even the wicked judge gave the widow what she wanted, how much more the good shepherd. This tells you right away that if you keep praying about that issue, no matter how long it takes, God will answer you. There are prayer points I prayed for 15 years before I got answers. I did not stop after praying for a few weeks. I kept knocking on heaven’s doors, telling God, “I will not let you rest until you have answered me,” and He answered me eventually.

This is an attitude that you must also imbibe. Some people get angry that God has not answered their prayers after a while and so, they stop praying. God is not your servant that you can command as you please; He is the King of kings. If you want something from a king, you must learn to humble yourself and keep asking until He is ready to give it to you. If you ask for a little while and go away without receiving anything, who would have lost? You or him?

You may say, “What if God is not willing to answer my prayer at all?” You have to keep asking Him until He answers you. This is why you must pay attention to hear what He will say when you pray to Him. Don’t just keep asking, seek to hear from Him. The Holy Spirit is always available to teach you what prayer points to pray, and if He is the One teaching you how to pray, you can be sure that you are praying right.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I discussed the importance of being totally focused while praying. Today, I will continue the discussion on how to pray effectively.

When you pray, you must note that prayer is not a one-way conversation but a dialogue between you and God. In other words, prayer is not complete when you only talk to God and do not give Him the opportunity to speak back to you. In fact, whenever I pray, and I don’t get a response from God, I become worried because I really want to hear what He has to say. Even if his response is a rebuke, at least I know He has heard me. Habakkuk 2:1 says:

I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

You are to stand on your watch until you hear what God has to say. It is not just a time to pour out all your complaints, wait to hear from Him too.

The reason many people don’t hear from God is that they just come to the place of prayer and start making requests. Isaiah 55:6 says that you should call on Him when He is near. You must first draw Him near to you before you call on Him. Psalm 100:4 says:

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.

The Scripture above means that if you want to go near God, as you enter into His courts, you should come with praises and thanksgiving.

In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus taught the disciples how to pray. He started with praise, saying, “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” It is this praise that gets you into His courts and then gives you an audience with Him. Before you pray, praise God first. For a prayer session of one hour, spend at least 50 minutes praising Him. After you have praised Him sufficiently and He has drawn near to you, you can be sure that He can hear you and that you will receive answers to your prayers.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.