₦airaland Forum

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

David said in Psalm 119:11:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I was shocked when I heard someone say several years ago that he was preparing to go to hell. He even said that he wanted to take my Father in the Lord, me, and one other person along with him. The most shocking thing was that the individual who made that statement was a senior minister in the church at that time.

Revelation 21:8, 26-27 lists the types of people who are already preparing to make the lake of fire their home. These people probably know God and have seen His mighty works at different times; however, they still choose to live a lifestyle that opposes His ways. I may not be able to talk about each of the types of people elaborately here, but I will comment on some of them below.

There are people who are too afraid to bear God’s name; therefore, they deny Him before men. In Matthew 10:33, Jesus said that He will also deny such people in the presence of His Father. There are also those who refer to themselves as atheists. They claim not to believe that God exists, whereas it is untrue because they know deep within themselves that He exists. He calls out to them every now and then, and they can feel Him reaching out to them. However, they choose not to believe in Him. They don’t even want to hear God’s word or study it because they just don’t want to believe. There are also those who do abominable things, those who murder, and those who are sexually immoral. All such people who have chosen such lifestyles will go to hell if they refuse to repent. Regardless of how saintly they may appear, their final home is in the lake of fire. Likewise, those who outrightly serve the devil, such as witches and wizards, cultists, and those who belong to associations that engage in evil acts, will also end up in the lake of fire. Lastly, liars will also suffer the same fate and end up in the lake of fire.

Beloved, I want you to honestly evaluate your life. If you discover that you fall into any of the categories of people listed in Revelation 21:8, 26-27, I urge you to repent now and change your lifestyle because the lake of fire is a place of unending sorrow. I pray that when Jesus comes back to the earth, you and I will enter into paradise with Him, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye. [center][/center]

Yesterday, I mentioned that some people treat the earth as their home and final resting place. There is, however, another set of people who see heaven as their home and conduct their lives in a way that ensures they will end up there. I am one of such people. I also mentioned yesterday that the earth and everything inside it are temporal. In Revelation 21:1, the Bible says that this earth will pass away someday, then verse 2 says:

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

The Scripture above makes us understand that when the earth passes away, people who did not take the earth as their home, those who remained faithful to Jesus Christ, the Husband of the Church, will be in a new Jerusalem that will descend from God out of heaven. When you read the passage in Revelation 21:1-11 further, you will find out that as genuine Christians, we will dwell with God in the same city and be with Him at all times. There will be no more sorrow or weeping for us forever. This is why I do not mind sacrificing anything in this world as long as I make it to heaven. This is because I know that when I get there, it will be joy forevermore. Indeed, as Romans 8:35-39 says, nothing will ever separate me from the love of my Father, and I am determined to spend eternity with Him. This earth is not my home; therefore, nothing here is as important as my goal of making it to heaven. When people see me still going on long prayer walks at my age, travelling from place to place to preach the gospel, giving to the poor, and spending and being spent for God, they may not know it or understand it, but I am laying up treasures for myself in heaven because that is my final destination; that is my home.

I have been shown glimpses of heaven in visions a few times before. Anyone who has experienced the beauty of heaven will not desire to be anywhere else because God’s glory lightens the city, and the Lamb is the light in it (Revelation 21:23). Beloved, do everything possible to ensure that you make it to heaven. I pray that I will see you there, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people today conduct their lives as if the earth is their home and final resting place. Such people focus solely on gathering treasures here on earth and practically worship material things. For them, the things that they see and own are far more important than everything else. They want to drive the best cars, live in the biggest houses, eat the most exotic foods, and gather as much money as they can at all costs. All they care about are vain things, and nothing else matters to them.

The Bible tells us in James 4:4 that friendship with this world is enmity with God. This means that anyone who loves the things of this world more than anything else, cares so deeply about material things, and is willing to do practically anything to acquire material possessions is an enemy of God. The same Scripture refers to such a fellow as an adulterer or adulteress. This is because, as Christians, God, our Maker, is our Husband (Isaiah 54:4), and He is the One who owns us. Therefore, if someone or something else succeeds in taking our hearts away from our Husband, we are committing adultery.

Beloved, I would like you to read 2 Corinthians 4:18 carefully and ensure you memorize it. I would love it if you could make it your watchword henceforth, because it is important to understand that all the things you see around you are temporal. For instance, a car that used to be flashy ten years ago is no longer flashy now. Likewise, the most sophisticated phone ten years ago has become outdated today. The things of this world are temporal and have no eternal value. However, the devil uses them as bait to distract people from things that are truly valuable and those that have eternal consequences. For instance, many young ladies have been lured into engaging in illicit sexual activities because they want to use the latest phones and wear the best clothes. They traded their virginity for material possessions, and they can never recover what they have lost, whereas they can lose what they thought they gained.

Child of God, take heed to the words of Jesus in Mark 8:36-37. Nothing on earth today is as valuable as your soul, and nothing is worth losing your soul in hell over. Don’t fall for the devil’s lies; keep your focus on God and His kingdom rather than the things of the world. Earth is not your home; you’re only passing through.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I am always praising God, and there are several reasons I do so and will continue doing so. One of the reasons I always give praise to the Almighty is that He always fights my battles for me. He is the Mighty Man of War, as Exodus 15:3 tells us.

While I was a lecturer at the University of Ilorin in Kwara State, Nigeria, I would often return home from the school campus in the afternoons to have lunch and rest for a while before returning for my evening lectures. One particular afternoon, I finished my lunch and lay on the couch in the living room to rest. At that time, I was also the pastor of a parish, and many people would often come and go from my living room. I knew that if anyone saw my eyes closed, they would think I was sleeping and wouldn’t bother me, so I closed my eyes, put my hands together and put them under my head like a pillow. Suddenly, someone came into the room and grabbed my hands with one hand and my legs with the other hand while attempting to kiss me. At first, I thought it was my wife, but I realised that a person who could hold my hands and legs at the same time must be very tall, so it couldn’t be her. I opened my eyes, and the being vanished. Instantly, I felt a cold sensation all over my body. I got up, got into my car, and drove to the campus for my evening lectures. Not long after, I began to vomit and pass stool at the same time. When returned home, I had to crawl out of the car to go to the toilet, and I asked, “Daddy, what is this? I am Your son. Why is this happening to me?” God replied, “Son, I just want you to see a little bit of the battles I am fighting for you.”

Many people think that they are alive because they are wise. However, if God allows them to experience a little bit of the battles He fights for them daily, they will know that they are alive only because of His grace. Beloved, you are alive today, not because you can keep yourself alive, but because God is fighting your battles for you. This is why you must thank Him always. He neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121:4), and that is why He can fight your battles even when you are asleep.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the ways that believers can preserve and maintain their position as children of God is by putting Him first in everything. In Genesis 22:1-18, God tested Abraham to find out who was more important in his life: God’s gift to him (Isaac) or the Giver of the gift (God). He asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son, and he passed the test. Abraham put God first and chose to obey Him. He knew that the God who quickened his dead body to bear a son could also raise his son from death (Hebrews 11:17-19). When he passed the test, the Almighty God made a promise to multiply him exceedingly, and today, Abraham’s seed can be found everywhere. When you put God first, He will single you out for mighty miracles.

In 1 Kings 17:8-16, a man of God met a widow and asked her for food. The widow responded that all she had was just enough for her and her son to make one last meal before they die. However, she eventually gave up the meal to feed the prophet, and for the rest of the famine, she and her son didn’t suffer hunger. In Luke 4:25-26, the Bible tells us that there were many widows in the land of Israel whom Elijah could have been sent to at that time. However, I believe that God singled her out for an unending supply because He knew that she would put Him first.


One way to put God first in your life is to give Him your firstfruits. I find it surprising when some people struggle to offer their firstfruits to God. In Proverbs 3:9-10, God says that when you honour Him with your firstfruits, your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. You cannot put God first in your finances and experience scarcity or lack. Just do as God has said and leave the rest to Him.

Another way to put God first is to make His priorities your priority. One of the most important things to God is the salvation of souls. In Luke 19:10, Jesus said that He came to seek and save the lost. Winning souls and making disciples are important to God; therefore, they should be important to you also. Beloved, tell others about Jesus today, and become actively involved in their spiritual growth. Go the extra mile to ensure that someone else follows Jesus, and the Almighty God will single you out for His marvelous miracles.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I discussed how a fellow who has been delivered must praise God to sustain his or her freedom. Today, I will discuss thanksgiving, perpetual worship, and genuine service to the Lord as steps a person must also take to maintain his or her freedom.

In Luke 17:12-19, ten lepers cried unto Jesus for mercy, and He told them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they went, they discovered that they were healed, but only one of them returned to say “Thank you” to Jesus. He returned praising and glorifying God with a loud voice. He was not shy about giving thanks to God, and Jesus gave him an extra miracle; He made him whole. An African adage says that a child who is grateful for a gift he or she receives today will definitely receive more gifts in the future. When you give thanks to the Almighty God for what He has done for you, beyond retaining what He has given you, you will also position yourself to receive more from Him.

Worshipping God perpetually is another step to sustaining deliverance and freedom. In 2 Kings 5:1-17, God delivered Naaman from the yoke of leprosy. After his deliverance, Naaman made up his mind that he would only worship the Almighty God for the rest of his life, and I am sure that his deliverance remained permanent. You must also make up your mind that you will spend your life worshipping God and Him alone. You should also have a place where you can meet with God to worship Him regularly, regardless of its size or unconventional nature. I remember a time when the only place I could worship God without disturbance was in my bathroom. You should also ensure that your heart is always prepared to worship Him at all times.

Another key to sustaining deliverance and freedom is to serve God genuinely and wholeheartedly. When the Lord takes away a fellow’s burdens, the fellow should serve Him with his or her whole heart and be committed in the place of service. In Mark 5:1-20, after Jesus had delivered the mad man of Gadara, He told him to go about preaching the gospel to his friends. When you submit yourself as a tool in the hands of God to expand His kingdom, the devil cannot possess you again. I pray that as you thank the Almighty generously, worship Him perpetually, and serve Him wholeheartedly, He will preserve your victories and increase His blessings in your life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When someone who is under the burden of the yoke of satan cries out to God genuinely for help, God steps in and delivers such a fellow. However, after receiving the deliverance, there are certain things the person must do and continue to do so that the ‘taskmaster’ (the devil) will not lay a heavier burden on him or her. For example, God heard the cry of the Israelites when the Egyptians enslaved them, and He came to their rescue (Exodus 3:7-9), but there were steps they had to take to ensure that they were not re-enslaved by their Egyptian taskmasters.

Matthew 12:43-45 tells us that if a person becomes free from a burden of demonic possession and remains empty, the burden will return in a worse form because the evil spirit that left the person will return with seven other spirits that are more wicked than itself, so that the latter end of the person will be worse than the first. I pray that in any area the enemy wants your latter end to be worse than your beginning, the Almighty God will frustrate his plans, in Jesus’ name.

When a fellow has been freed from a burden, the first thing that he or she must do to keep the enemy away and ensure that the burden that has been lifted does not return is to praise God continually. Acts 3:1-8 tells the story of a lame man who lay by the Beautiful Gate of the temple. When God visited him and took away his burden of stagnation, poverty, and shame, he began to walk, leap, and praise God without caring about anyone who was watching him. This man was born lame, and before his healing, he was already above 40 years old (Acts 4:22). This means that he was being carried from one point to another for over 40 years and must have been unable to enter the temple unaided. He might have been praying silently, “God, I wish I had legs so I could enter the temple and dance and praise You as You deserve.” This must have been why he leapt and praised God with so much joy when he received his deliverance.

Beloved, has God been good to you? Has He taken away your burdens? Praise Him abundantly, everywhere, and at all times. As we see in Psalms 149:1-9, fill your mouth with high praises to God. Dance and use musical instruments to praise Him, for He alone is worthy of your praise.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I mentioned that admitting there is a burden and recognising the need for God’s help to remove it is the first step that people who are under the yoke of satan must take to become free from his bondage. Today, I will discuss the next step that such people must take to gain their freedom.

While admitting the need for help is the first step to gaining freedom from satan’s bondage, the second step is to be willing to be helped. In John 5:2-9, Jesus asked a man who had been sick for 38 years, “Do you want to be made whole?” Ordinarily, one would think that there is no need to ask a man who had suffered for so long if he wanted to be made whole. However, Jesus asked him the question because He knew that not everyone wants to be helped; some people love their burdens and do not want to be set free from them. Exodus 21:1-6 tells us that when slaves love their chains, their owners should pierce their ears and brand them as slaves for life.

No matter how long a slave has been in slavery, the day such a fellow decides that he or she wants to be free marks the beginning of his or her journey to freedom. For example, the day the woman with the issue of blood in Matthew 9:20-22 sought Jesus for her deliverance was the day her bondage of 12 years disappeared. The Almighty God can deliver anyone who is under the devil’s yoke, even a lawful captive (Isaiah 49:24-26); however, he or she must be willing to be delivered.

Beloved, any Christian who is still indulging in the pleasures of sin is under the devil’s bondage and is clearly not willing to be free. Anyone who claims to be a believer but keeps company with people who lure him or her to sin is under satan’s yoke and cannot be free until he or she decides to cut off such relationships. It is not enough for a person to just declare that he or she wants to be free; the person’s actions must show a willingness to be free. Such a person must live a holy life and must be committed to praying, studying the Bible regularly, and fellowshipping with other believers. God will fight for such a person and give him or her total freedom.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God does not want anyone to be under satan’s yoke. This is why Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). God is more than able to break the enemy’s yoke over anyone (Isaiah 10:27), but such a person must first admit that he or she needs to be delivered.

Years ago, a man brought his wife to me and said, “Daddy, help me. My wife is a witch.” I asked the woman if it was true, and she denied it. I then told her that if she was indeed a witch, as her husband claimed, we could pray with her, and she would be delivered. However, she insisted that she wasn’t a witch because she wasn’t willing to be delivered. I then prayed, “If you’re not a witch, you will continue to prosper; however, if you are, I bind whatever demon is operating in you.” Three months later, she was brought back to me with her body so swollen, as she had doubled in size! Apparently, the demon that I bound inside her and had been feeding on her and defecating in her.

The first step for someone who is under the devil’s yoke to become free is for the fellow to admit that there is a burden that he or she needs to be freed from. Until the fellow makes such an admission, he or she cannot be free. Likewise, if the person is okay with where he or she is and is satisfied with sickness, loneliness, barrenness, sorrow, or pain, he or she will remain under the burden of satan.

Sometime ago, a man was coughing badly, and he was brought to me for prayers. In the past, I would have gone ahead and prayed for him without asking questions, but from experience, I had learnt to ask questions. Therefore, I asked him, “Sir, how can I help you?” Even though it was clear that he was sick, I knew that I needed to ask him what he really wanted, just as Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he wanted in Mark 10:46-52. To my surprise, the man said, “I want you to pray that the cough leaves slowly.”

Beloved, are you under satan’s yoke in any area of your life? Admit that you need God’s help and cry to Him to break it off immediately and completely. He will come to your aid speedily and deliver you, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Luke 5:1-7, Peter fished all night but caught nothing. He must have been frustrated, and I can relate to how he must have felt because I love to fish. I often go fishing to relax, and sometimes, within five minutes of throwing my hook in the water, I make a catch. On other occasions, however, I might spend an hour without catching any fish. Peter’s efforts that night were in vain, not because he wasn’t working hard, but because things just weren’t working out for him.

When I was still a lecturer at the University of Lagos, an advertisement was made for a position at a company, and a professor applied. He was invited for an interview, and on getting to the venue of the interview, he found out that the chairman of the panel of interviewers was his former student who had graduated recently. When the professor saw him, he said, “l am sorry. I have come to the wrong room.” However, the young man told him that he was in the right room. The professor felt ashamed because he was definitely not where he was meant to be in his career.

Some people fail in their careers and academics not because they are lazy, but because they are carrying heavy burdens of opposition from the devil that prevent them from being successful. Such people will not be able to succeed despite their best efforts. However, when Jesus, the Burden Bearer, steps into their lives, their situations will turn around for good.

A young man once came to me for prayers. He told me that his boss always opposed him because of his Christian faith. The boss went as far as saying that he would never get promoted as long as he was his boss. Due to that, the young man remained stagnant in the company. I prayed with him and decreed in the name of Jesus that every mountain that was blocking his way should be removed. Shortly after, his boss was transferred to another location, and the young man was promoted. After a while, the boss was moved back, but by then, the young man had already been promoted to the same level as his former boss. Just one decree in the name of the Burden Bearer turned his situation around.

Beloved, are you experiencing stagnation in your career or academics? I decree today that every burden of opposition against your career or academics is removed now, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

While my mother was still alive, I went to visit her on one occasion, and a man was brought to me so I could pray for him. The man told me he needed help, but when I looked at him, I could not see anything visibly wrong with him. When he saw the puzzled look on my face, he told me, “Watch.” He dug into his hair and brought out a cockroach. He said, “I’m not a magician. I’m only showing you the kind of spiritual affliction I have.” He dug his fingers into his hair again and brought out another kind of insect. Then he asked me to listen closely as he brought his arm near my ears. When he did that, I began to hear the sound of motorcycles reviving. After all these, I asked him to surrender his life to Jesus, and he did. Then, I cried to the Great Deliverer to intervene in his situation, and he left. Two weeks later, I returned to see my mother, and the man came back to see me. This time, he was rejoicing because he had been completely delivered. His skin glowed, and he looked radiant. I decree that if you are carrying any form of spiritual burden, you are set free henceforth, in Jesus’ name.

Spiritual burdens come in different forms, some of which include oppressions, addictions, suppressions, and demonic possessions. Mark 1:23-27 tells us the story of a man who was possessed by a demon. When he saw Jesus in the temple, the unclean spirit in him cried out, “Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.” Immediately, Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and cast it out of the man. We do not know how long the man had been in that situation; however, when he encountered Jesus, the spiritual burden he was carrying was instantly lifted.

Beloved, are you carrying a spiritual burden? Are you battling addictions or demonic oppression? I want you to know that Jesus, the Burden Bearer, can lift that burden off your shoulders. All you need to do is honour His invitation in Matthew 11:28. I pray that the Burden Bearer will remove any form of spiritual burden that is in your life or the lives of your loved ones today, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I will discuss marital burdens as another category of burdens. Satan hates everything God has created, including the institution of marriage. This is why he always tries to disrupt the holy matrimony between a man and a woman. Sometimes, he focuses on keeping a man and a woman from ever getting married, and at other times, he visits a husband and his wife with different problems that will keep them from enjoying peace and rest in their home.

John 2:1-11 tells us about a wedding in Cana of Galilee. The bridegroom must have thought that everything that was needed for the wedding had been provided. However, they suddenly ran out of wine. I am sure that they felt ashamed until the Almighty God intervened.

1 Samuel 1:1-20 tells us the story of Hannah, who was barren. Her adversary mocked her daily, and as a result, her life became unbearable. She didn’t plan to be barren, but barrenness came nonetheless, and there was nothing she could do about it. The Burden Bearer stepped into her situation, however, and she gave birth to six children, among whom was the renowned prophet, Samuel.

Sarah was also under the yoke of barrenness until the Burden Bearer visited her and her husband in Genesis 18:1-6. Before the Burden Bearer intervened in their marital situation, Sarah had been barren for decades, which was why she laughed when she heard that she would give birth to a son the following year. If you have been looking for the fruit of the womb and have lost hope that you will ever carry your own child, I want you to know that the Burden Bearer is also the hope of the hopeless, and He will surprise you. In the name that is above every other name, I decree that every barren woman who is reading this devotional will sing for joy soon.

Beloved, there is no marital challenge that the power of God cannot subdue. The Lord can command peace to reign where there is chaos and disunity, and He can still the storm in any marriage. If you are married and are currently experiencing any storm in your marriage, I pray that the Burden Bearer will step into your marriage now and cause you to sing a new song, in Jesus’ name. Also, if you are of marriageable age and are yet to be married, I decree that the Almighty God will settle you maritally with a godly spouse, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I will discuss the burden of debt as another category of burdens. Some years ago, we had a housemaid who would always sing, “the fire is burning the bush, and the bush is not consumed. How great is our God!” every time we asked her to bring up a song during our family prayers. One day, it occurred to me to ask her what the unconsumed bush she always sang about was. When I did, I discovered that she became a housemaid because her parents were heavily in debt and could not pay their bills. Therefore, we decided to pay off all the debt. After paying the debt, the next time we asked her to suggest a song when we wanted to pray, she sang something different. This time, her song was, “He has done it for me. What my father cannot do, He has done it for me.” If you are under any burden of debt, I pray that this will also be your song soon, in Jesus’ name.

2 Kings 4:1-7 tells us the story of the widow of one of the sons of the prophets who was in debt. When the creditors threatened to sell her sons into slavery as a means to offset the debts, she cried unto the Burden Bearer, as there was nothing, she could do on her own, and the tide turned. God gave her more than enough to pay her debts and live comfortably with her sons.

It is God’s desire for all His children to live debt-free because debts are heavy burdens, and debtors are always at the mercy of their creditors. This is why Proverbs 22:7 says that the borrower is a servant to the lender. The only thing God permits you to owe other people is love ( Romans 13:8 ). If you are currently struggling under a heavy burden of debt, call unto Him today and ask Him to turn your financial situation around for good. No matter the size of the debt, the Burden Bearer will step in and help you to overcome it. As 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, He is able to make all grace abound towards you and give you sufficiency in all things. He will not only ensure that you become debt-free, but He will give you the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18) and make you a lender to nations (Deuteronomy 15:6). I pray that God will bless you with His abundance and indeed make you a lender to nations, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I will discuss material burdens as another category of burdens. The devil seeks to put material burdens on people because he knows that when someone is living in poverty, it will be easier for him or her to fall into temptations that involve material things. The widow of Zarephath and her son watched their material food supplies deplete daily until they had only one meal left. To make matters worse, a severe famine had struck the land; everything was dry, and they had no hope of finding another meal. Therefore, they resolved to eat the only meal that was left and prepare for death. However, the Burden Bearer stepped into their situation and turned things around such that what wasn’t enough became sufficient to sustain them throughout the famine (1 Kings 17:7-16). I pray that the Almighty God will deliver you from any material burden that may be in your life, in Jesus’ name.

There was once a very wealthy man who had a quarrel with his wife. As the quarrel got heated, she told him that by the time she was finished with him, he would travel everywhere within Lagos on foot. The man laughed because at the time, he had 14 cars. Unfortunately, however, things began to go downhill for him, and at one point, he had one car left and 50 kobo in his pocket. Then he began to think to himself, “If I use the 50 kobo with me to fuel my car, I will have nothing to eat. However, if l buy food, I will have to walk everywhere I need to go, just as my wife had said.” That was when he came to Jesus Christ, and Jesus took over his situation. When he shared the testimony of his turnaround, he was dedicating two new houses at once.


In Haggai 1:2-8, Haggai rebuked the Israelites for abandoning God’s house and living just for themselves. He told them that they were experiencing a lack of material resources as a result. The people sowed much but reaped little, and the little they earned wasted away. Beloved, if you want to experience material prosperity, seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness wholeheartedly. Mind His business, and He will ensure that you live in material abundance all the days of your life. If you have lost any material thing, turn to God today, and He will restore it to you, just as He promised in Joel 2:25.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In John 19:16-17, some Roman soldiers were leading Jesus to Golgotha to be crucified, and they made Him carry a heavy cross. He had been thoroughly beaten earlier and must have been very weak, yet they made Him carry this heavy burden by Himself. On the way, they met a man from Cyrene named Simon, and I believe that God prompted them to compel him to assist Jesus in carrying the cross to the place He was to be crucified (Matthew 27:32). Simon is an example of a burden bearer; he helped Jesus to lift His heavy burden.

Beloved, Jesus Christ wants to help you carry every burden that might be weighing you down. This is why He said that you should come to Him with whatever burdens you may be carrying so that He can relieve you of them and give you rest (Matthew 11:28).

It is important to note that there are different categories of burdens. Today, I will discuss physical burdens. For example, Naaman had a physical burden, which was in the form of an incurable disease (2 Kings 5:1). Likewise, Luke 13:10-17 tells us about a woman with a spirit of infirmity who was bent double. Everywhere she went, people could see the visible manifestation of the burden she was carrying; no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stand up straight. Also, in John 5:2-9, the Bible tells the story of a man who had been by the pool of Bethesda for 38 years. He had a long-standing physical burden, and I imagine that his family and friends had abandoned him because of his infirmity. By God’s mercies, however, Jesus, the Burden Bearer, approached him and lifted his long-standing burden instantly.

Mark 3:1-6 also tells the story of a man who had a physical deformity. One of his hands was withered, meaning that it was dead and was no longer useful. He was limited because he could only use one of his hands. However, when the Burden Bearer met him at the synagogue, He had mercy on him and made the withered hand whole like the other. I pray for you that in every area you may be experiencing limitations due to a physical ailment, the Almighty God will step into your case and restore you completely.

Beloved, are you feeling overwhelmed by any physical burden? Do not despair; rather, approach God’s throne of grace and cast it upon Him. He will carry your burdens for you and remove every limitation in your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I am always concerned when I see married couples who don’t spend quality time together. Many of such couples spend the whole day away from each other at work and only come home to sleep at night, then they are off again in the morning. Even on weekends, they either go to work again or attend other engagements without their spouses. This ought not to be so because when you truly love someone, you will always find a way to spend quality time with him or her, and the more time you spend together, the more your love will blossom.

Years ago, a woman who was sick confessed to me that she actually didn’t want to be healed because when she was hale and hearty, her husband wasn’t spending quality time with her. However, now that she was sick, he always returned home immediately after work. Husbands and wives should not abandon their spouses because of work or any other commitment. They must spend quality time with them to build strong bonds.

Married couples must also pray together. It is unfortunate that some married couples hardly ever pray together. They may attend prayer meetings, where they spend hours praying with others, but when they return home, they are often too tired to pray together. One way that married couples can maintain strong, loving relationships with one another is by praying together regularly. Prayer strengthens marriage bonds and solidifies the love between a man and his wife.

My wife and I have been married for 59 years, and we regularly create time to laugh and have fun together. We are lovers, not just a man and a woman who are living together under one roof. Husbands and wives should play with one another. They shouldn’t be so serious that they cannot spend time laughing with their spouses or making them laugh. When laughter is always heard in a home, there will be fewer reasons for friction. Husbands and wives must be intentional about creating time for fun activities with one another that will lighten the atmosphere in their homes and fill it with joy.

Lastly, married people should take time to shower their spouses with compliments. They must not take them for granted; instead, they should seek ways to express how special they are and thank them for everything they do. I pray that God will strengthen the relationships between all men and women who are joined in holy matrimony, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jeremiah 32:19 tells us that the Almighty God is mighty in works. God loves doing mighty works. Unfortunately, however, in Mark 6:1-6, Jesus could not do mighty works in His hometown because of the people’s unbelief. Unbelief or doubt will hinder a fellow from experiencing God’s mighty works in his or her life. When they are absent, however, the fellow’s life will reflect the mighty works of the Almighty God.

God delights in doing mighty works, and He seeks sons and daughters who will partner with Him to do them. He is on the lookout for men and women who will do greater works than the Lord Jesus Christ did while He was on earth. There is, however, the need to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ if you want to be eligible to do greater works (John 14:12).

Beloved, you don’t need to attend a seminary or attain a particular position to do mighty works; all that is required is your faith. When it was almost time for Jesus to ascend into heaven, He commissioned His disciples to preach the gospel all over the world and told them about the mighty signs that would follow them. He told them that they had the power to cast out devils, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, and lay hands on the sick (Mark 16:15-18). The only thing that qualified them to do all these was for them to believe in Him.

Child of God, God wants to do mighty works through you. He wants to use you as His battle axe to destroy the works of darkness (Jeremiah 51:20), but you must believe in Him for this to happen. It is true that He is sovereign and can do whatever He pleases, but He wants you to have faith in Him so all things can be possible for you (Mark 9:23). Have you allowed unbelief to cheat you out of the mighty works that God wants to do in you and through you? If you have, ask for His mercy today. Fill your heart with His word because hearing God’s word continually will grow your faith. Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. You must also flee from anything that will dampen your faith.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:, and the marvellous things He has done for others and through others, He can do for you and through you. Only believe!
Get up and work.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One way the enemy cheats many believers is by making them look down on the praise and worship sessions in their churches. Such believers either do not participate in the sessions or wait until they are over before they enter their churches. They think that praising God and dancing before Him is childish, or that they are too spiritually mature to dance and praise Him. In God’s sight, however, we are all children because a thousand years is as a day before Him (2 Peter 3:. This means that in God’s eyes, nobody on earth today is up to a day old.

Praise is one of the most potent weapons Christians have. Psalm 22:3 says, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” This means that your praise attracts God’s presence, and when God visits a place, He does not come empty-handed. He comes bearing gifts, healings, and blessings. When Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah used praise as their weapon, their enemies turned against one another and killed themselves until they were utterly destroyed (2 Chronicles 20:22-24). Some battles can only be conquered when you praise and dance recklessly before God.

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
Acts 16:25-26

In the Scripture above, Paul and Silas offered a sacrifice of praise to God in prison. God responded by causing a great earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison, opened all its doors, and loosed every prisoner’s chains. No one can praise God wholeheartedly and remain bound. When you praise God with your whole heart, He will arise in His might to help you and bless you.

Beloved, you must never allow yourself to get to a point where you think you have outgrown praise. Michal thought that praising God was beneath her royal status; as a result, she remained childless throughout her life (2 Samuel 6:16-23). Always come before your Father as a child and praise Him with all your heart. In Psalm 50:23, He said that whoever offers praise to Him glorifies Him, and when God is glorified in your life, His beauty will radiate through you and everything that concerns you. I pray that as you praise God, His glory will keep manifesting in your life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The first time I visited the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison was in 1975. I went there with an elderly pastor, and we saw a young man playing the piano and dancing joyfully. I asked the elderly pastor whether the young man was about to be released, and he responded that the man didn’t have any hope of being released because he was serving a life sentence. I then asked the pastor why the young man was so joyful despite his circumstances, and he replied that the man was joyful because he had met Jesus Christ while in prison.

Beloved, if you are going through a bad situation, I want you to know that no matter how bad it is, you have a reason to rejoice as long as you have Jesus. Colossians 1:27 says that Christ in you is the hope of glory. When Christ is in a fellow, no matter what he or she is facing, such a fellow has hope for a glorious future.

A songwriter once wrote a song that says, “I am glad I belong to Jesus.” Another songwriter wrote, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.” These should be your declarations as a believer, even when the enemy knocks you down. Proverbs 24:16 says that the righteous may fall seven times, but they will surely rise again. This means that negative situations cannot keep you down permanently. When the devil arranged for Jesus’ crucifixion and death, he thought he had won. However, 1 Corinthians 2:8 tells us that if the princes of this world had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Had they known that Jesus’ death would be their utter destruction, they would have tried to prevent Him from dying. In Acts 16:19-34, the devil thought he had succeeded in shutting Paul and Silas up by getting them arrested. He didn’t know that God needed them to be in prison so they could show the jailer and his household the way to salvation. The devil’s attempts to make you fall will only lead to God being glorified in your life.

Child of God, are you going through a tough and uncertain situation? Rejoice because Christ in you is your hope of glory. Don’t despair or be discouraged. Rest assured that whatever you are passing through will give God a platform to announce His glory in your life, so long as you remain in Christ. May Christ indeed reveal His glory in your life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Years ago, I visited a country which had one of the largest cemeteries in the world. On top of every grave in that cemetery, there is a concrete slab, and some homeless residents of that city lived in tents that were built over these slabs. For that reason, the cemetery was called ‘the city of the dead.

Beloved, do you know that people who have not given their lives to Christ or who claim to have done so but are still indulging in sin are living in a spiritual city of the dead? Ephesians 2:1-6 tells us that we were once dead in our sins and trespasses before Jesus made us alive through His death and resurrection. He went to the city of the dead and took the keys of hell and death from satan (Revelation 1:18). Jesus died so that nobody would have to experience the torture of eternal death. If you are currently living in the city of the dead, I implore you to escape from there right now by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour before it is too late. Turn to Him today, and He will change your address from the city of the dead to the Kingdom of Life.

If you are God’s child, it is your responsibility to preach the gospel to those who haven’t given their lives to Jesus Christ. Don’t be so busy minding your business that you neglect the Lord’s business of witnessing to lost souls. Sometimes, the blessing you desire is hidden in your obedience to the Lord’s command to preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations.

Years ago, a lady was praying to God for a husband, and God told her, “Go out and win souls. Your husband is not part of My family yet.” She obeyed and focused on preaching to the lost. About six months later, she came to me and said, “Daddy, I have a problem.” I asked her what the problem was, and she said, “One of the converts that I have just won to Christ says that he wants to marry me.” I asked her to pray about it and accept his proposal if she’s convinced about him. Today, they are one of the best couples that I know.

Beloved, if God has saved you from the city of the dead, don’t be selfish; reach out to those who are still living there so they can also join you in His Kingdom of Life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Sometime in 1975, my Father in the Lord, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, came to stay with me in my little house in Ilesha, a city in South West Nigeria. Even though it was a mud house that was plastered with cement, I was happy to host my Father in the Lord. When it was nighttime, we prayed together, and I prepared to go to bed. As I went into my room to sleep, I saw that he was still on his knees, praying, and when I woke up to use the toilet in the middle of the night and again around 5am, the old man was surprisingly still on his knees, praying. I was worried, so l asked if there was a problem, and he said I would soon understand. I have followed in his footsteps since then, and I truly now understand that, as believers, we ought to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Beloved, God has called all His children to a life of prayer. Unfortunately, however, many believers don’t see any reason to pray when things are going well for them. They feel that there is no need to pray because they are not experiencing any challenges. However, if you are a genuine child of God, you must pray without ceasing.

No matter how much you pray now, you can always go higher in the place of prayer. Never let your current prayer lifestyle, no matter how vibrant you think it is, make you feel as if you are doing your best. Keep pushing to be better so you don’t begin to relax and lose your fervency. When I became the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, I went with six of my best friends to Ilorin, a state in North Central Nigeria, to pray for 36 hours nonstop. After the 36 hours of prayers, God revealed several things to us. We felt good with ourselves, and we thought we had achieved something unbelievable. The following week, however, I was told about a man who prayed nonstop for 30 days!

In Genesis 32:24-30, we saw Jacob wrestling until he obtained a blessing from God that changed his life for good. Beloved, God expects you to hold on to Him in prayer without fainting (Luke 18:1). Do not relax or boast about any milestones you might have reached in the place of prayer; rather, always seek to exceed them. May the Lord continually empower you to wait on Him as you should in every season of your life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In His wisdom, God often takes His children through different paths on their journey to greatness. He uses each step to refine their character and to separate them from anything that could hinder or destroy them after attaining greatness. For example, before Joseph became great, God took him through a pit, Potiphar’s house, and prison, so as to build his character in preparation for the role of a ruler in Egypt. Psalm 105:18-19 says that he was laid in irons until God’s word came. God’s word tried him as gold is tried in fire until he was certified fit for greatness. David also had to go through God’s process on his way to becoming a king. His path to becoming a king was marked by numerous challenges, including a period of exile in the wilderness.

The path to greatness is often paved with many challenges. The process of attaining true greatness is never easy, but it is always worth it. Apostle Paul described the process as ‘our light affliction’ in 2 Corinthians 4:17. However, no matter how tough the process gets, it is nothing compared to the far exceeding and eternal weight of glory that God has prepared for us.

People who want to become great without going through God’s process do not usually last if they eventually become great. Like King Saul, they often end up losing their place because of habits and weaknesses that should have been addressed. Those who choose to follow God’s process, however, always emerge purified like precious gold. They become men and women whom God can trust with great resources and other people. Even our Lord Jesus Christ followed God’s process, and when the time came for Him to fulfil God’s assignment, He was baptised, and God’s Spirit came upon Him (Matthew 3:16-17). He didn’t start performing miracles the moment He was born, because God never raises a fellow without first ‘trying’ and preparing him or her.

As we see in Exodus 13:17-18, God guided the Israelites through His process by making them take a longer route on their journey to the Promised Land. He didn’t want them to run back to Egypt at the first hint of war; He wanted to help them become a strong and resilient nation. Beloved, is God currently taking you through a refining process that you find difficult? I implore you to endure the process, as it is part of His plan in preparing you for true and lasting greatness.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.
Psalm 27:4

In the Scripture above and many other instances in the Bible, David expressed his desire to dwell in God’s presence. In Psalm 63:1-2, he expressed his yearning to seek God early and see His power and glory. In verse 6 of the same chapter, he said that he remembered God upon his bed and meditated on Him in the night watches. Also, in Psalm 130:6, he said that his soul waited for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning. Watchmen always look forward to daybreak when they would be free to rest and relax, and David likened his intense desire for God to their longing for daybreak.

Beloved, what or whom are you seeking? In John 12:20-21, certain Greeks went to worship at the feast in Jerusalem, and when they saw Philip, they said, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” If God gives you a blank cheque today, what will you ask for? Will you ask for things that will perish with time, or will you ask to see Jesus? People who seek God only for material things will never truly be satisfied because they will ultimately fade away. However, those who genuinely seek God and His Kingdom always find Him (Jeremiah 29:13) and become truly satisfied, as every other thing they need is added to them (Matthew 6:33).

God will always draw near to those who draw near to Him (James 4:; He showed this clearly in His relationship with David. Do you want God to love you in a special way? Do you want His presence with you at all times? Then your deepest desire should be to always please him (1 Thessalonians 4:1) and to continually grow in your knowledge of Him (Philippians 3:10).

Child of God, what is your deepest heart cry? What keeps you awake at night? Do you regularly think of how to amass material things for yourself or how to know God more? Whatever you are hungry and thirsty for will determine what you will get, and as Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled!” I pray that you will truly seek God’s face and experience the beauty of His holiness, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The account of some of Joshua’s great exploits can be found in Joshua 12. The chapter highlights all the kings he conquered and the lands he possessed. It was indeed a long list of victories, and any fellow who achieved the things Joshua did would be proud of such exploits. However, in the next chapter, which is Joshua 13:1-5, God told him that even though he was now old, there remained much land to be possessed. God then went ahead to list all the lands that remained unconquered, making him know that there was still so much to do.

Beloved, there is a set time when you must do the works of Him who sent you. In John 9:4, Jesus said, “l must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” For every human, there is a daytime and a nighttime. The daytime is the portion of a fellow’s life when he or she is young and agile. In the daytime, a fellow has the strength to go around preaching the gospel of Christ and can fast and pray as long as he or she wants to. However, by nighttime, the fellow’s strength would have abated. Also, when some people’s nighttime comes, they become sick and are unable to continue working. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to do God’s work now, do it with all your strength and focus. Even if you are well advanced in years, the fact that you are alive means that there is still so much you can do for God, just as He showed Joshua in Joshua 13:1-5.

There are 24 hours in a day. Approximately half of those hours are characterised by the presence of sunlight, and during those hours, most people work on their goals. After those hours of light, darkness descends.

Jesus said in John 11:10 that if a man walks in the night, he stumbles. This means that NOW is the time to serve God and carry out any assignments He might have committed into your hands. You must get to work now because when the night comes, no one, including you, will be able to work. Therefore, work while it is still day. Don’t procrastinate God’s work. Heal the sick, preach the gospel, cast out demons, mentor the next generation, and let your light so shine before men that they may glorify your Father in heaven.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

PRAYERS FOR ELDERS

1. Father, I thank You for the elders in my family, church, and community. Thank You for Your protection, provision, guidance, and blessings in their lives.

2. Lord, please help the elders around me to flourish mentally, physically, and spiritually, even in their old age. May they not be victims of ailments in their old age, in Jesus’ name.

3. Father, let the fire for Your kingdom keep burning in the lives of the elders in my church. May they continue to bear fruits in Your kingdom, in Jesus’ name.

4. Lord, please continue to shower the elders around me with Your wisdom so they can lead the younger ones in the right way.

5. Lord, please surround all the elders around me with Your peace. Let sorrow and anxiety be far from them, in Jesus’ name.

6. Lord, I pray that the elders in my family, church, and community will fulfil the number of their days. May their lives not be cut off before their time, in Jesus’ name.

7. Father, please let all the elders around me experience Your ever-abiding presence in deeper ways as they age, in Jesus’ name.

8. Father, please let the elders around me be surrounded with love and compassion. Let none of them lack care and support in their old age, in Jesus’ name.

9. Father, please stretch out Your healing hands towards any elder who is sick. Restore their health speedily, in Jesus’ name.

10. Father, please surround every elderly person grieving the loss of a loved one with Your overwhelming comfort. Let them experience Your joy and peace that passes all understanding, in Jesus’ name.

11. Lord, please save the souls of every elderly person yet to know You and restore those who may have backslidden to You before they leave the earth, in Jesus’ name.

12. Your personal prayers for elders.

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Philippians 3:5-14, Paul recounted some of his great achievements. He stated that he was of the stock of Israel, a descendant of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, circumcised on the eighth day, and a Pharisee. After listing his achievements and attributes, he went on to say that he counted them all as loss and dung for Christ.

Paul was clearly one of the most knowledgeable apostles in the Bible. He was a lawyer and a Pharisee who had studied under a renowned teacher, Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). For comparison, we can say that he attended the best university and studied under the most distinguished professor there. He had everything to boast of in terms of knowledge. However, when he gave his life to Jesus, he laid all his accomplishments at the Master’s feet and allowed the Lord to use them for the advancement of His Kingdom. He humbled himself and submitted to Ananias, a disciple of Christ in Damascus and went on missionary trips with Barnabas, a Levite. Paul didn’t allow his past achievements to stop him from pursuing the Lord wholeheartedly.

The secret to Paul’s achievements in his walk with God can be found in Philippians 3:13:

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before

Paul was always ready to learn more. He never allowed what he had learnt previously to rob him of the things that God wanted to show and teach him. This must be your disposition if you want to walk closely with God and achieve great things in His kingdom. Lamentations 3:23 says that God’s mercies are new every morning. If you keep holding on to yesterday’s mercies, how will you be able to receive today’s portion? There is always more beyond what you have, and God can always give you more than what you have received from Him already. However, it is only as you humble yourself to receive from the Lord that you can get more from Him. One of the greatest enemies of growth is an ‘arrival’ mentality. The moment people think that they have ‘arrived’ (gotten to the peak of success), they stop growing immediately.

Beloved, ask God to help you cultivate a heart that is ever hungry for Him and that constantly seeks to achieve greater exploits in His Kingdom. He will supply you with His grace in abundance so that you will keep soaring in Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Judges 16:4-26, Delilah manipulated Samson into revealing the secret of his strength, then she passed it on to the Philistines. Armed with this information, the Philistines shaved off his hair while he was asleep on her knees, captured him, plucked out his eyes, and imprisoned him. However, after a while, his hair began to grow again, but he never regained his sight. The same man who killed a lion with his fists, killed a thousand people with the jawbone of an ass, and carried the heavy gates of a city up a hill, now needed a young boy to guide him so he wouldn’t trip and fall because of his involvement with a Philistine woman against God’s law. Those who toy with sin are in grave danger of losing their sight like Samson.

The devil and his cohorts are referred to as the rulers of the darkness of this world (Ephesians 6:12), and they want everyone to live in darkness with them. This is why they will stop at nothing to make believers lose their spiritual sight. Christians who lose their spiritual sight often begin to call good ‘evil’ and evil ‘good’ and become slaves to the things they had once conquered. This is why a man of God who had once preached against sin, for example, can turn around to say that adultery is not a sin. Such a fellow might even misquote Scriptures to justify his blindness. The devil often causes believers to lose their spiritual sight by exploiting their weaknesses and causing them to fall into sin, as he did with Samson. Before Samson fell, the Philistines studied him carefully to discover his weakness, and they noticed that he had a lustful desire for women, so they connived with Delilah to bring him down. Likewise, the devil studies people to discover their weaknesses, so he can tempt them into committing sin, and then take their spiritual sight. Don’t fall into his trap!

Beloved, do you find yourself falling into some particular sins repeatedly? Are you living in sin while still trying to show up like a devoted Christian? Don’t let satan succeed in removing your spiritual eyes so he can imprison you. Approach God in humility and ask for His help. He gives grace to the humble (James 4:6), and His grace will help you overcome sin (Romans 6:14). May you never lose your sight, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.