₦airaland Forum

In 1 Kings 19:13-18, you will see that God told Elijah to anoint three people to replace him. This is because you can see pride in Elijah’s response when he says, “And I, even I only, am left…”. There is only one “I AM” and that is God Himself (Exodus 3:14). This is why, when Jesus Christ called Himself ‘I AM’ in John 8:58-59, the Jews were furious that He compared Himself to God. Of course, at that time, they did not know about John 1:1 and 14, which says Jesus is God who became flesh and dwelt amongst us. The name I AM must be reserved for God and God alone.

When you search the Scriptures, you would discover that the words ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘my’, ‘mine’ are the languages of pride. That was the language of Satan in Isaiah 14:12-15. When you find someone always saying ‘I’, ‘my’, you know you are most likely dealing with a proud fellow. Beware of this because the higher you go, the greater the risk of you saying ‘I’, ‘my’, ‘me’ all the time.

We see an example in the strong and anointed man of God called Samson. In Judges 15:14-16, where the power of God came upon him and he killed thousands of soldiers with a jaw bone, he said, “With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men’: There was no, “Thank You, Lord” to the One who sent down the power; it was all about himself. Even when God had clearly restored his strength in Judges 16:25-28, when the enemies had caught him and plucked out his eyes and he wanted to pray just one more prayer before dying, what did he say?

And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
Judges 16:28

It was about him all the way. That is why, as strong and anointed as he was, he fell so low that he ended up blind and grinding corn for his enemies before dying with them.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Another way by which a person exhibits pride is by comparing their achievements with those of others. Our Bible reading yesterday (1 Kings 19:13–18) showed us that God asked Elijah to anoint his replacements. There is a big lesson to be learnt there. You must never have a ‘holier than thou attitude’ or feel you are doing better than others. You may be more talented or hardworking; however, you must remain humble at all times. The point at which you become proud is where your rising stops. King Saul is another example of this (1 Samuel 15:25-30).

1 Peter 5:6 tells us clearly that our humility is required before God promotes us. In other words, once you become proud, you become too heavy for God to exalt. You cannot rise without the grace of God, so remain humble, no matter how much you think you have already achieved (James 4:6).

The word of God says clearly that those who compare themselves among themselves are not wise (2 Corinthians 10:12). There is only one true judge and that is God. The teacher is in the best position to see his or her students’ mistakes. For example, if we were to ask Joshua, “How well have you done?” he most likely would have said, “Extremely well” since he achieved what Moses could not. However, God said:

Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.
Joshua 13:1

God was essentially saying that Joshua failed because he could not finish his job. Don’t ever think that you are perfect because, if we were to count iniquity, no one would be able to stand (Psalm 130:3). Just thank God for how far He has brought you and pray for others around you. Nobody is better than the other; we must prefer one another in honour (Romans 12:10).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Death is likened to sleep in (1 Corinthians 15:51). In other words, a believer who is spiritually asleep is actually in a state of spiritual death. 1 Thessalonians 5:5-9 tells us clearly that we should stay awake spiritually, be watchful and sober. Matthew 24:42 says you must stay awake and be watchful, for you do not know what day your Lord is coming. Romans 13:11 encourages us that the Lord’s coming is nearer now than when we first believed.

Some believers keep going in and out of spiritual sleep. They feel it is normal to be cold and hot. I pity such people because their end is not usually good. A good example of this is Samson, who slept and woke up a number of times but the last sleep put him into the hands of his enemies. You may have slept a few times before and woken up again; however, you had better stop because there is always the last time a man would sleep and wake up to find himself being tortured by the enemy. If you used to love God with all your heart, but recently, other things have been competing with Him in your heart, then you are sleeping. God is saying to you like He said to the Ephesus Church in Revelations 2:4-5, “Return to your first love”. Ephesians 5:14 says if you awake, Christ will shine on you again.

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Ephesians 5:14

Beloved, get back to your first love now. Put away those sins that easily beset you. Go for a retreat, look for fellowships with genuine believers, make a habit of spending quality time daily in prayers and Bible study. Jesus is ready to shine on you again if you are willing to wake up and get back to Him. He loves you and He is calling you back home. Don’t let the devil or anyone else hinder you from going back to the One who loves you enough to die for your sins. When He shines on you, everything the devil stole during your time of slumber shall be restored and you will become a better person at the end of the day.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The sleeping state of a man is a state when he is unaware of his surroundings and unable to change things around him. The enemies usually exploit this time to do evil. When a person sleeps spiritually, the devil would use that opportunity to steal from the fellow and destroy valuable things in his or her life.

During one of our conventions some years ago, there was a heavy rain and one of my children came to me and said, “Daddy what happened? You were supposed to be on the mountain praying”. I said, “I fell asleep; it was the rain that woke me up”. At first, when I awoke and saw the rain, I asked God, “Daddy, how could this be?” He replied, “I allowed it to rain because the crowd coming tonight will be much, so I need to cool the place down in readiness for them”. While I was asleep, the Devil was hoping the rain would discourage people from coming for the programme however, he did not know that God would make it favour us.

Believe it or not, as long as you are a Christian, the devil will fight you and if he finds you asleep spiritually, he will seek to devour you. If however, you are awake, you can resist him and he will flee from you. That is why we are warned in 1 Peter 5:8 to be vigilant. Stay awake so you can fight the enemy off. In Judges 16:19, it was while Samson was sleeping in the lap of a harlot that his supernatural strength was taken from him. It is important to note that when the devil wants to make a person sleep, he would provide things to please his or her flesh and this closes the person’s spiritual eyes. Sometimes, the devil uses money or career opportunities that take people away from their first love. That is why, no matter how good things get, you must always be spiritually alert.

The reason I still go out on prayer walks at night, even at my age, is to avoid sleeping off. Sometimes, you need to get up and go somewhere uncomfortable so you can pray. Don’t allow the pleasures of this world drive you away from the presence of your Father in heaven.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Matthew 15:8

You are in a state of spiritual sleep when you profess to love God with your mouth, but your heart is far from Him. You are sleeping spiritually when you are no longer excited to spend time with the One you call your Father. David prayed to God to restore unto him the joy of his salvation. This means he had lost the joy he used to feel as a child of God (Psalm 51:2). When material things become more important than the spiritual, when you believe natural laws more than the word of God, then you are sleeping spiritually. I believe God that you will awake from every spiritual slumber today, in Jesus’ name.

For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.
Isaiah 29:10

When you see someone who keeps trying to cope with a problem instead of praying, it means he or she is already sleeping spiritually because the fellow cannot see what the devil is doing. If you make a decision when you are spiritually asleep, that decision is likely to be wrong because you would be spiritually blind. Before you decide on whom to marry or enter into a business venture with, make sure you are spiritually alert. When you sleep spiritually, you cannot discern spirits correctly. You would believe any false prophet who says things that appeal to you; you would embrace a wolf in sheep’s clothing and hand over your pearls to pigs.

A leader in the Church cannot afford to sleep spiritually because the devil can attack the people under his or her leadership and God says their blood would be on that leader’s head (Ezekiel 33:6-7). Therefore, if you are a leader in the house of God, more than anyone else, you must be spiritually alert. God forbid someone dies and goes to spend eternity in hell because of your spiritual negligence.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Prayer For The Youths

1) Father, thank You for the life of all our youths and for Your unfailing love over them.

2) Father, please draw all our youths to You. Let them love and serve You genuinely, in Jesus’ name.

3) Father, please use our youths to win their generation to You, in Jesus’ name.

4) Father, please help all our youths live holy and do not let the devil rob them of their inheritance in You.

5) Father, please grant excellent success to all our youths and bless them mightily, in Jesus’ name.

6) Father, please destroy every agenda of the enemy to turn the hearts of Christian youths away from You, in Jesus’ name.

7) Father, please give our youths the grace to honour their elders so that their days can be long on earth.

Father, please give our youths wisdom, knowledge and understanding so they can improve and not destroy what their parents will hand over to them, in Jesus’ name.

9) Father, please pour out Your Spirit on all our youths and use them to bring about a revival in Your Church.

10) Father, please drive away every evil spirit causing depression, drug addiction and so on, far away from all our youths.

11) Father, please help all our youths to fulfill Your will for their lives, in Jesus’ name.

12) Your personal prayer point for the youths in your family, Church and neighbourhood.

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many times we pray and it seems like God cannot even hear our prayers, not to talk of answering them. We even see other people getting their prayers answered seemingly easily and wonder what our offence is that God has not answered us. In Genesis 30, the Bible says Rachel had no child for Jacob while Leah had birthed child after child for him, even as she aged. It must have really seemed as if God was not hearing Rachel’s prayers at all, but in verse 22, the Bible says: “And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.”

One major prayer point that you must pray when it seems like God is not hearing your prayer is, ‘Remember me, oh Lord’. The first thing that happens when God remembers a person is that the fellow’s prayer would be answered. If you have been praying for one miracle or the other and there has been no answer, God will remember you this month, in Jesus’ name. Psalm 65:2 says: “O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come”.

God hears prayers but the Bible says that if He is to answer, there are certain conditions that must be satisfied. For example, in Isaiah 55:6, the Bible says you must seek the Lord while He may be found and call on Him while He is near. Thus you may have been praying for a while, not even sure whether He is near or not because you cannot see Him, but when He chooses to remember, He Himself would draw near to you.

The second thing that happens whenever God remembers someone is that doors begin to open for the fellow. You may have been knocking on some doors that have stubbornly remained shut, but the One who remembered Rachel is He who has the key of David; when He opens, no man can shut and when He shuts, none can open (Revelation 3:7). If the enemy has shut a door against you, in the name that is above every other, this very day, it will be opened. All you need is for God to remember you. The Lord will remember you today as you pray, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Barrenness can also be described as fruitless efforts. It could take different forms, some of which could include physical, material, academic or ministerial barrenness. I pray that the Almighty God will put an end to every form of barrenness in your life today, in Jesus’ name.

Physical barrenness refers to when a married couple is childless. One of my daughters was told that there was no way she could carry a child because her womb was blocked. At one of our programmes, God spoke through me that there was someone whom the doctor had said couldn’t have a child, but that the fellow would have twins. She believed the prophecy and held on to God’s word. To the glory of God, she became pregnant and went abroad to deliver through a caesarean section. To the surprise of the surgeons, she didn’t even have a womb. This was about twenty years ago. Recently, I got a phone call from this daughter of mine, and she said she wanted to bring the twins to me for a visit. I was surprised when she arrived, because she was carrying a new set of twins. The first set were now in the University and God, in His mercy, gave her another set of twins. God did what only He can do. If He could do it for that daughter of mine and you have been asking Him for a child, He will give you twins also, in Jesus’ name.

Material barrenness refers to when a person works tirelessly with nothing to show for it – like Peter, who fished all night and caught nothing (Luke 5:5). Thankfully, Peter accepted Jesus into his boat, obeyed the Lord’s instruction and got a net breaking catch (Luke 5:1-7).

An example of academic barrenness is when a lecturer works very hard but can not publish papers and as a result, does not get promoted. Such people are referred to as academically barren. Ministerial barrenness can be observed when a pastor prays, fasts and evangelises but his Church does not grow.

Whatever form barrenness might have taken in your life or in the lives of your loved ones, I declare that it shall come to an end today, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday we discussed how the resurrection of Jesus Christ confirmed His Lordship. This, in essence, establishes that only the One with the power over death can be Lord indeed. Today we shall look at another aspect of Jesus Christ’s Lordship – His dominion over all calamities and sicknesses, as seen in Isaiah 61:1. Luke 4:18 also corroborates this:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.

When Jesus was confronted face to face with the madman of Gadara, for example, He demonstrated this virtue as the Great Deliverer and Miracle Worker when He cast out the demons that had held the madman captive for years (Luke 8:26-39). Jesus came to preach the gospel to the poor for all-around salvation, and rebuked with authority all who tried to oppose Him. For example, He preached: “Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves” (Matthew 23:15). To this and many of His teachings, it was said: “And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Matthew 7:28-29).

Our Lord Jesus Christ was asked to prove His Lordship in John 10:24-25. All He did was to simply refer His ‘interviewers’ to the work that His Father had been doing through Him. He said: “the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.” (John 10:25).

As children of God, we must be able to represent Jesus Christ adequately. All you need is to give your life to Jesus and live by His commandments.

I prophesy to you today: you will graduate from being a miracle consumer to a miracle worker, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Lordship of Jesus Christ was confirmed and established the day He resurrected from death because no one has ever done that by himself. The Bible says: “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). This was repeated with greater emphasis according to the account of Luke on the Mount of Transfiguration where God, the Father, spoke to the inner caucus who were to spread the news later. The account says:

While he hath spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
Luke 9:34-35.

Even after all these, the world still had not accepted Him as the Lord.

However, from John 8:46 when He boldly questioned, “Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?” up to His death in Matthew 27:54 when the soldiers said to themselves, “….. Truly this was the Son of God”, the Lordship of Christ was being confirmed and established. In Matthew 28:1-6, we read the account of the resurrection of our Lord:

And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
Matthew 28:5-6

Apostle Paul wrote: “But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain” (1 Corinthians 15:13-14). May the Lord bless you as you exercise your faith in the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

The Bible says that anyone who believes in Jesus will not be condemned however, those who do not believe in Him are condemned already because they did not believe in the name of the only begotten son of God – Jesus Christ (John 3:18).

Which group would you like to belong to?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There was this man called Mordecai — Esther’s uncle. There was also Haman – an officer of the king, who hated Mordecai. Haman expected everybody to bow to him, but Mordecai wouldn’t bow to anybody except God. Haman decided to hang him and destroy his people completely. Haman got the king to sign the death warrant of all the Israelites.

When Mordecai heard of the decree from the king, he went to Esther, who was then the queen, for help. Esther replied in Esther 4:1-17 that they should all fast, and then she would go and see the king. They fasted for just three days and things began to change from that point. By the time we got to Esther 5:1-6, Esther appeared before the king without being summoned and the first result of the fasting was that instead of the king asking her to be killed, he spared her life. Fasting can change death to life.

The next thing that happened is that Esther found unusual favour before the king The king told Esther that though he is yet to know what she wants, but she should consider it granted already, even up to half of his kingdom. When you fast, you get more than you ask for. By the time we get to Esther 6, the king couldn’t sleep until he honoured Mordecai. A good deed that Mordecai did many years previously, which had been forgotten, made the king restless until it was repaid. When you take fasting seriously, all your past benefits that you have been denied can be brought forward and handed over to you.

In Esther 7, the enemy of the entire nation became completely uprooted, and then in Esther 8, the house of Haman was given over to Esther. Proverbs 13:22 says that the wealth of the wicked is laid up for the just; do you think the wicked will let go of his wealth easily? You get it by fasting and praying. Wealth changes hands when you fast. Mordecai also got promoted because promotion comes from God (Psalm 75:6-7), and since fasting draws you closer to God, it leads to promotion.

Finally, in Esther 8:3-17, the Jews were saved from destruction, and the Bible also says all the people around became Jews because they were afraid of the Jews. Fasting is a powerful weapon of warfare. Begin to use this weapon from today.

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When you start fasting, you will notice changes which show that your flesh no longer controls you. First, fasting will bridle your tongue. During a fast, it becomes clear to you that many a time, you don’t gain anything by talking. James 1:26 says if you say you are religious and you cannot control your mouth, you are deceiving yourself. Thus, as you fast and talk less, you also sin less.

Fasting also helps you to control your temper, particularly prolonged fasting, because you would have no energy to fight anyone. When you get angry easily, it is because you have a lot of energy; let me see how you will get angry when you have been fasting for twenty-one days and nights! If anybody offends you, you would simply say, “God bless you, just leave me alone”. Ecclesiastes 7:9 says clearly that you should control your anger because anger rests in the bosom of fools.

You should ask yourself how come your body hates fasting. Galatians 5:17 says the flesh lusts against the Spirit. In other words, your flesh wants to fight the Spirit. If we do not say there is fasting tomorrow, you can wake up and not eat until 2 p.m., but once we announce that there will be fasting, some people would eat until midnight and still wake up hungry. This is because the devil does not want you to fast; this should tell you that fasting is good for you. When you learn to fast, you will be amazed that there are certain agents of darkness in your life that you have been coping with, but they move easily when you fast. Matthew 17:14-21 tells us that there was a demon the disciples tried their best to cast out but could not, without fasting and prayer. There are certain mountains that won’t move unless you back your prayers with fasting.

In Exodus 17:8-13, when there was a war to be fought between Israel and the Amalekites, Moses went to the mountain top and lifted his hands, while Joshua was below the mountain, fighting. Whenever Moses’ hands were up, the children of Israel would be winning the battle, but when his hands came down, they would start losing. The spiritual controls the physical. The solution to that lingering problem could just be some days of fasting in addition to your prayers.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The flesh is a very powerful weapon in the hands of the devil. Galatians 5:17 says the flesh and the Spirit are always in constant war against each other. The flesh always wants you to commit sin, while the Spirit wants you to please God. If the flesh wins the battle, then ultimately, the devil has won over your soul; that is why you must put your flesh under your control at all times, and one of the major ways to do that is to fast often.

Only a few select people have fasted for forty days and forty nights. The only three recorded for us in the Scriptures are Moses, Elijah and Jesus Christ. It will interest you to know that only the three of them were there on the mount of transfiguration, glowing like the sun. Today’s message is not for the faint-hearted; it is for those who really want to grow.

Don’t let anybody tell you that fasting ended when Jesus Christ said, “It is finished” on the cross; fasting is for now. In Matthew 9:14-15, some people came to Jesus Christ and complained about His disciples not fasting. He said that after His death, resurrection and ascension, the people would fast. Fasting is for now, and we will fast until the Bridegroom returns. When He returns, there will be no need for fasting anymore because 1 John 3:2 says that when He returns, we shall see and be like Him. When the rapture comes, those who are not dead will have their bodies transformed to become like the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. At that time, we won’t need food; whatever He eats in His new body is what we will be eating, but until then, while your body is still the way it is, warring against the Spirit, you must fast to remain in the light of Christ.

There are those who will tell you fasting is not for the age of grace. They are big liars. Paul – the Apostle of Grace, said in 2 Corinthians 11:27 that he fasted often. He fasted often so he could subdue the flesh, and it would not cause him to be cast aside (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). Apostle Paul said many people run a race, but only one will win. If you want to enter the Kingdom of God, then you must make fasting your lifestyle.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When a child is born, everybody is at his or her beck and call. The child is not expected to do any chore in the house. However, as the child begins to mature, he or she may then be sent on one errand or another. It is the same way in the Christian walk. When someone has just become born again, the fellow is being fed by the mature Christians. When he or she comes to Church, the workers would direct him or her on where to park the car, where to sit and attend to whatever needs he or she may have. As the fellow continues in the Church and becomes a mature Christian, he or she would no longer be comfortable with just being served, but would rather now want to serve in the house of God too.

A Christian that is growing spiritually becomes increasingly responsible. Such a Christian will sacrifice his or her time, because he or she is now living for God. There are however, those who have been attending Church for years, yet they don’t do anything else apart from attending Church services. How can you be coming to Church without being a responsible part of the running of the house of your Father? While others may be thinking of what God can do for them, a Christian that is growing spiritually will focus on what he or she can do for God.

Beyond working for God, a Christian that is growing spiritually is always willing to give to the things of the Kingdom. Just like Paul, he or she does not mind spending and being spent for the progress of the Kingdom of God. While others are arguing about whether to pay tithe or not, a Christian that is growing spiritually is willing to give 100% of his or her income to God. A Christian that is growing spiritually will not complain when the Pastor says there is a need to be met in the Church; in fact, he or she would want to be the first person to meet that need.

Many years ago, there was a rich man who regularly gave towards Church projects and still helped supervise those who, unable to give financially, contributed their labour. One day, we suddenly saw him removing his clothes and joining in the physical labour. Surprised, we asked why and he said God had just told him, “Big man, well done; the people doing the work will get the reward that you will not”. Cheerfully giving your money, time, and energy to serve God are some of the signs that you are growing spiritually as a Christian.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Some people take the work of Christ as an excuse for being lazy. They think that because of God’s many Promises, they can relax and not work. That is a big lie. Even Paul-the Apostle of grace, worked (1 Corinthians 4:12).

Anointed as he was, he laboured with his own hands. Students who refuse to study but say: “It is written; the Holy Spirit will remind us” should note that He would only remind them of what they have studied. If you don’t study, what would He remind you of? The youths in our Churches and nations must stop looking for quick money and work diligently. You have the internet and many things that have made your work easier. Those who work hard never beg. They become strong, wealthy and very great. Don’t spend all your time on social media or watching television. The people you are watching are working hard to make something of themselves.

Many years ago, I was in my uncle’s house on a visit from school. One day, there were masquerades outside the house, and everyone watched and cheered them while I was studying inside. He came to me and said, “Won’t you go and see the masquerades?” I responded with a Yoruba proverb translated, “The person who will be watched does not go around watching people”. My uncle reminded me of that day recently because now, I am being watched. If you want to be great, you cannot be spending countless hours watching videos on social media. Get out there and work. Some people only pray and fast and then complain when things don’t get better for them. Praying and fasting are not the keys to success; they can only enhance your efforts. If you put in no effort, then what will it enhance? One million multiplied by zero is equal to zero.

One of my sons says that you must pray like you will not work and work like you will not pray. As prayerful as I am, even at my age, I wake up before the sun is up every morning to work. I don’t say because I prayed for six hours last night, then I should sleep all morning today; that is not how I got to where I am now. Believe me honestly, if you are lazy, God will not use you. He needs diligent people; that is why Hebrews 11:6 says He only rewards those who diligently seek Him.

Proverbs 23:21 says: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. If you are lazy, you would end up being clothed with rags. Some people don’t want to work hard; they just want to get rich overnight. It is not going to happen. Proverbs 19:15 says clearly: “Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.” The word of God is settled; if you are lazy, you will suffer hunger.

With all humility, I know many who came out into full-time ministry around the same time I did. Today when we meet after several years, they look at me and say, “Ah, God has been faithful to you”. I say, “No doubt about that, He has been faithful.” However, I always add very politely, “Nobody can accuse me of laziness”. If you say I am a lazy man, I will look at you closely and say, “You must be related to the devil”. Someone said, “You just finished the Holy Ghost Congress – a whole week of activities. And before the Congress, you spent weeks fasting and praying. In preparation, you even inspect everything, including the toilets. You then finish the congress, and a few days later, you are going a-fishing. Why not sit at home and tell your children to go and do the work?”. I said, “Thank you. As long as God gives me strength, I will be occupied for Him “. The word of God is clear; if you are lazy, you can’t expect His blessings.

You have to learn to be diligent. Proverbs 12:24 says: “The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.”

Do you know what the above passage means? It means that if you are lazy, other people will rule over you in every sphere of life. If that is not what you want, then you must give no room to laziness in your life. Only those who are diligent will rise to the level of ruling others; Those who refuse to be diligent are mean men who will be ruled and controlled by the diligent. Proverbs 22:29 says, “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men”.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the major benefits of being a child of God is prosperity. Deuteronomy 8:18 says that God gives us the power to get wealth. In 3 John 2, He says clearly: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”

One thing is clear from these Scriptures: God wants us to be prosperous. 2 Corinthians 8:9 even says that Jesus became poor so that we can be rich. The question now is: why does God want His children to prosper?

Firstly, no father would want his children to suffer. His children suffering would make him look like an irresponsible father. God wants you to prosper simply because you are His child. Psalm 128:1-2 backs this up: “Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.”

After you have become prosperous however, God wants you to use that wealth to build His Kingdom. Zechariah 1:17 said: “Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.”

After God has prospered you, He expects you to use that prosperity to spread the gospel of His Kingdom abroad. He expects you to do things to advance His kingdom on earth and win more souls for Him. This means that if you are prosperous and not sponsoring Kingdom projects, then you need to have a change of mind. You need to be more concerned about using your money for God than for any other thing.

David wondered how he could be living in a palace, when his God is being worshipped in a tent (2 Samuel 7:2). This made him set out to build a temple for God. He was so determined to spend for God that even when God told him not to build the temple, he did not keep his money to himself; rather, he provided everything that Solomon needed to build it. If you have this kind of heart, you would see how God will promote and bless you even more than you can imagine.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When you are about to take any action, one thing that should always be on your mind is not the benefit you would get from doing it, but what the end of it would be, in line with God’s word. For example, you may see an opportunity to earn extra money by cheating someone but stop and think about what the Bible says would be the end of those who cheat, as seen in Deuteronomy 25:15.

There was somebody who sold land to us around the Redemption Camp some time ago. We had paid for the land, but then he suddenly said he was taking it back. I advised him against such an action, then he began to chant incantations, claiming that, “The vulture eats rituals with impunity”. I laughed and said, “Of all the birds in the world, you want to compare yourself to the vulture? You want your life to be like that of the vulture looking haggard and terrible?”

After some back and forth between us during which he accused me of wanting to put a curse on him, he said, “Let me tell you, I am the eagle who eats cursed meals and still becomes fat”. I told him to go and ask the elders how eagles die. Hunters normally don’t get to kill an eagle because it flies so high so they usually can’t reach it when it is young and strong. It would swoop in, pick your chicken, and no matter how much you curse it, it would not be bothered. However, when the eagle gets old and isn’t as fast as it used to be, little birds would begin to tease it. The eagle usually dies of hunger in old age. It is the end that matters.

After about four years, during which time the man had sold our land to other people and made a lot of money out of it, he developed a strange medical condition that made his stomach so huge that when he stood, his stomach could touch the ground.

Beware what you do today because, God cannot be mocked; whatsoever you sow, you will reap (Galatians 6:71). You may say, “What about the people we see around who cheat others, yet keep getting rich?” David wondered the same thing and God gave him the answer in Psalm 73:3-20.

Don’t be one of those who will have such a disgraceful end.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Psalm 50:14-15 says that when you pay your vows, you can call on God in the day of trouble, and He will answer. In other words, if you make a vow and you fail to redeem it, do not be surprised if you call on God in the day of trouble and He does not answer you. Today, many Christians just make vows casually. Many a time, even when making the vow, they have no intention of paying it. Don’t postpone the payment of your vow when you can do it now. God sees those who do that as fools.

A vow is like a deal. When you make a deal with someone and you don’t fulfil your part of it, it is like stealing from that person. It is foolish to try to steal from God because what you are keeping away was provided by Him in the first place. If you made a deal with God, fulfil your part speedily. Worse still, some people make vows because they want the Pastor to pray for them at that moment, without any intention to fulfil it. How can you lie to God to receive blessings from Him? Is that not the height of foolishness?

Once you make a vow to God and the devil sees that you want to pay that vow, he will start telling you to defer it to later, saying that you don’t have enough yet or that God understands. Don’t listen to his lies so that God doesn’t see you as a fool.

One interesting thing about fulfilling a vow made to God is that the One you made it to has the ability to give you far more than you have promised to give Him. If you fulfil your vow, He would pour His blessings on you, but if you refuse to, He would also withhold what He would have given you in return. Hannah made a vow to God that she would give Him her son if He would bless her with one. This was after many painful years of waiting, and she didn’t know if she would ever have another child again. Imagine her holding her child in her hands at last and then giving the child over to God. Going back home without her child must have been a great sacrifice. She did it because that was her vow, and God gave her five more children in return (1 Samuel 2:21). Job 22:27-29 says it is those who pay their vows that can decree a thing, and it is established. It is foolishness not to pay your vows.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As a child matures, he or she would get to the point when the parents can hand over some of their duties to him or her. In the same vein, as we mature in Christ, we are to start doing the works of Christ. That is why Jesus said in John 14:12 that we are to do the works that He did and indeed, greater works.

Jesus was a teacher of the word. Apostle Paul said in Hebrews 5:12: “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

“There comes a time in the life of a Christian when he or she ought to have started teaching others the gospel of Christ. Many believers don’t get to this level because they only read their Bibles rather than study deeply. When you read, you read to be informed, but when you study, you study to be transformed. It is after you are transformed by the word that you begin to long to see that same transformation in others, and that longing pushes you to start teaching it. There are those who have memorised the longest chapter in the Bible, but they cannot teach the simple doctrines of faith because the word hasn’t transformed them. Don’t just read the Bible, study it. When you experience the transforming power of the word, you will be eager to start teaching it too.

Another work that Jesus did which we are also expected to do, is the working of miracles. Miracles are not the exclusive reserve of Pastors only; they are for all Christians. Jesus said in Mark 16:17, “These signs shall follow them that believe”. As long as you are a child of God, when someone is sick around you, you are to lay hands on them so that they can recover. Many Christians don’t do this because while they have been in the faith for long, they have not been deliberate about their spiritual growth. Such people don’t spend quality time in God’s presence, praying, studying His word and seeking His anointing.

You must be deliberate about your spiritual growth because our Lord Jesus Christ expects you to grow in Him and perform greater works than He did during His earthly ministry.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

After you have become born again for a while, the devil will try to test your faith. It is as you overcome these challenges and remain standing that you become mature in the things of God. At this stage, you would no longer be satisfied with the milk of God’s word; now, you would desire strong meat. A mature Christian wants to go deeper and not remain in the shallow waters of the word and ways of God.

Newly born again Christians, also referred to as ‘baby Christians’ must grow to the point where they can face trials and remain standing in Christ. Every Christian has low moments when the flesh seems to be rising above the spirit - periods when he or she could fall into sin if care is not taken. In such a period, someone who has been in Christ for a while but hasn’t been feeding on the word of God constantly is likely to fall. Proverbs 24:10 says: “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” The day of adversity will definitely come, but what will keep you standing is how much strength you gathered before that period.

How much of God’s word have you been consuming? How much praying have you been doing? How deeply rooted have you been in the things of God? These are the things that will go a long way in determining whether you will remain standing in the day of adversity. Know that the more mature you get, the bigger the adversity the devil is likely to bring your way, but we find solace in (1 Corinthians 10:13), which says: “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.”

Thus, if a trial made you turn your back on God, it is not that trial really that brought you down, but rather your weakness in spiritual things. Jesus Christ said in Luke 9:62 that if any man lays his hand on the plough and turns back, then he is not fit for the Kingdom of God. You have already laid your hands on the plough; build up your faith by engaging in spiritual activities like praying, Bible study, fellowshipping with other believers and so on. All these are required to enable you stand when the day of adversity comes.

Beloved, if you keep your Christian walk on a shallow level, you are likely to look back eventually and not make it to the Kingdom of God at the end of the day.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When there is an evangelistic outreach, the most beautiful part of the Scripture is usually preached so that unbelievers in attendance can be won for Jesus. The preacher would typically tell the congregation that when they come to Jesus Christ, they would find healing, deliverance, freedom, promotion and so on, and indeed, all these are true. Once they give their lives to Christ, they become fresh Christians. Fresh Christians are however, required to remain fresh at all times, just as we see in Matthew 18:1-6. Yes, new converts are baby Christians who should grow into spiritual maturity, but they must never lose their freshness in Christ as they constantly renew their minds (Romans 12:2).

There are many distinct characteristics of fresh Christians. The very first thing is an insatiable hunger to know the word of God (1 Peter 2:2). People who just genuinely gave their lives to Christ don’t go late for fellowship. They even usually sit in front where there would be no distractions because they just have this strong desire for the word of God. Unfortunately, you see many people who have been born again for a long time forgetting this desire they once had. When you mature, you are supposed to advance to strong meat, but many fail to do this and rather become stale though they usually claim they have become mature. A Christian becomes stale when he or she stops feeding on the word of God daily.

Beloved, if you no longer spend quality time studying your Bible daily, you are becoming a stale Christian. Unless that hunger returns and you begin to feed on the word of God daily again, you are a dying Christian.

Another distinct characteristic of fresh Christians is that they cannot stop talking about Jesus. They are not ashamed of Christ at all. A Christian who has become stale however, will see himself or herself as too big to preach the gospel to everyone, forgetting Jesus’ command in Mark 16:15 and His warning in Matthew 10:33.

Freshness or staleness in Christ is not determined by how long you have been born again, but by your attitude towards the things of God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are many preachers today who say that once a person is saved, he or she is forever saved, so the fellow would go to heaven even if he or she keeps committing sin. That is a big lie. My own Bible says clearly in Romans 6:15: “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.”

Real grace enables you to live holy rather than permit you to commit sin. What the grace of God does is give you the ability to live above the dictates of your flesh. It is by grace that you are saved (Ephesians 2:4-5). After that, the grace of God that brought you salvation will then teach you to live holy.

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world’. This is the true work of grace that the Bible talks about.

Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
2 Timothy 1:9

Please ignore anyone who tells you that the grace of God allows you to commit sin. That is a message from the devil, carefully put together to send many people to hell. The devil knows that no sinner will enter into heaven, so he carefully crafted this message for Christians to ensure that they continue to sin even after responding to the altar call, but he will fail over you, in Jesus’ name.

I have had big men of God argue with me over this subject and each time, I tell them, “Let us assume that you are correct, and once I have given my life to Christ before, heaven is sure even if I keep committing sin. That means if rapture takes place or we both die, we will both go to heaven. But if you are wrong, that means if rapture takes place now or we both die, I will go to heaven, and you will go to hell. Either way, I am still correct. I would rather choose the safe path”. What about you?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Those who don’t end up in the City of God will end up in another place that I cannot describe as a city. I can only describe it as a place of endless sufferings because it is a land of unimaginable horrors. All the residents of this horrific place are in constant suffering for eternity. That place is called hell fire (Mark 9:47). The first thing you need to know about hell fire is that it is a place of torment. Luke 16:23 describes the experience of a man in hell as follows: “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

” All occupants of hell are tormented non-stop. In Mark 9:48, Jesus tells us some of the things that torment them: “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”

The passage does not say ‘the worm’ does not die, but ‘their worm’. In other words, worms will be coming out of the body of the people there, and these worms cannot be killed. They just keep eating their victims up. Also, there is an unquenchable fire there that keeps burning the occupants of hell non-stop. In Matthew 25:41, Jesus said the fire is everlasting. Revelations 14:11 says the smoke of their torment in hell goes up forever and that there is no rest day or night; the torment just goes on without stopping for eternity. A drop of water will be a luxury to the people in hell (Luke 16:24). Can you imagine such torment? There is no nightmare that can compare to the actual experience of hell fire.

There are many passages in the Bible where Jesus described hell as a place where there will be a lot of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. Even assuming that the torments are the cause of their wailing, what then would make them gnash their teeth? Gnashing of teeth is something people do when they regret their actions or inactions. The people in hell will be gnashing their teeth for eternity, regretting that they did not live holy lives when they were on earth. You are still here on earth, so you have the opportunity that those people will give anything to have again. You have the opportunity to repent and start living holy now. If you delay until it is too late, you would remember this message in hell and wish you had listened. Choose wisely.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is more to that glorious city I told you about yesterday. Apart from all the material and emotional benefits of being in that city, the weather there is perfect. There is neither extreme cold nor heat; everything is just perfect. In fact, all the heat you endure from our sun here is not there because there is no sun. The source of its light is glory, as seen in Revelation 21:23.

Imagine a place where everything is perfect, including the weather. A city where everything is flawless. In this city, animals that we currently fear and refer to as wild animals will no longer be feared. Isaiah 11:6-8 says: “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den”.

This indeed, is one city that is worth sacrificing everything to get into. That is why Jesus said that it would be a great loss if a person were to gain the whole world and yet lose his soul (Mark 8:36). This is because everything in this world is of no value when compared to life in The City of God. Don’t let anything stop you from ending up in this city. You must be so desperate that if your hand would hinder you from entering the city, you should cut it off. If your eye would hinder you from entering the city, you should pluck it out (Matthew 18:9).

Beloved, stay completely away from sin so that you can end up in this glorious city. It is worth it to sacrifice everything you have today just to end up in this city. No amount of money, fame, power or material possession should stop you from making it to heaven. Nothing at all is worth sacrificing your opportunity to get into this glorious city where the Lord Himself is the light; nothing at all.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are great and beautiful cities in this world. There are cities where the streets are all clean, there are well kept parks, the taxis are luxurious cars and so on. However, as beautiful, organized and perfect as these cities may appear, there is one that makes them all look greatly underdeveloped in comparison.

In this city, the streets are paved with the purest kind of gold you can imagine (Revelation 21:21). The gold trinkets and accessories that people wear and show off in this world are all of low quality compared to the one we will be walking on in that city. Clearly, this city is one where there will be absolutely no poverty. In this city, all struggles will be over. The government of this city is so efficient that they ensure that nobody lacks anything; in fact, the poorest fellow will be living in a mansion. John 14:2 makes this abundantly clear. That great city is one of great wealth and privilege, where one would not want for any good thing.

Not only does the government cater to the material needs of every citizen of this city, it also provides for their emotional needs.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Revelation 21:4

This is one city I will give anything to relocate to. How can one become a citizen of this city? Revelation 21:27 tells us:

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

To ensure that your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life, you must surrender all to Jesus and accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, then commit to living holy for the rest of your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jesus is the Way where there is no way. John 11:39-44 tells us the story of Lazarus. He died and had been buried for 4 days. When Jesus and His disciples got to the tomb and He asked that the stone be rolled away, Lazarus’ sister said to Jesus that it was too late already. She was confident that if Jesus had come before her brother died, Jesus would have healed him. Her statement also implies that she felt that if Jesus had arrived when he had just died like in the case of Jai rus’ daughter, or just before he was buried like in the case of the widow of Nain’s son, Jesus would have been able to raise Lazarus from the dead, but since he was already dead and buried for 4 days; there was no way out. Jesus Christ, the Way where there is no way however, simply asked that the stone be rolled away and then called Lazarus out of the tomb.

There was one of my sons whose country I was visiting. I had expected to see him at the airport, but he wasn’t there. I asked after him and was told that he was in the hospital dying. I went to see him in the hospital and was taken to a special ward where hopeless cases — people who the doctors were sure would soon die, were kept. I prayed for him that Saturday and by the following Wednesday, my son was discharged, completely whole. Beyond his healing, however, everyone in that ward with him also got discharged that day.

There comes a time when a person could look at all the options in front of him, and none of them would look like a way out of his problem. At that time, the only One who can make a way where there is none is Jesus. When the Israelites were between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army, humanly speaking, there was no right decision to take. They would die if they turned to fight the Egyptians because the Israelites had no military training or weapons. The Red Sea was in front of them, so there was no question of moving forward. It was clear that their fate was in the hands of Pharaoh, but that was before The Way stepped in. The moment Moses cried to God about their situation, a way was created where there had been none and the Egyptians were destroyed in their stead.

Surrender all to Jesus today and call upon Him to make a Way for you where there is no way, and He will answer You.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In John 14:1-6, Jesus promised to come and take us to be with Him where He is. The question now is, “Where is He?” The disciples saw Him when He was ascending, so we can see from their account where He went in Acts 1:9-10: ‘And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel”.

Clearly, Jesus ascended to heaven. Now, He said in John 14:6 that no one can get to the Father in heaven except through Him. This is very clear. Many people say there are many ways to heaven; that is a lie. Jesus is the one and only way to heaven. No religion or belief outside of Jesus Christ can get you to heaven.

Now, who are those whom Jesus Christ will take upwards to heaven when they leave this world? Ephesians 5:27 tells us: “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” The only people whom Jesus will take to heaven to be with Him are those who are without spots or wrinkles. If you are unholy, when you leave this earth, Jesus will not take you upward with Him to Heaven, and the other option is to go to hell.

There are many people who call the name of Christ now, but when they shut their eyes here on earth, they will wake up in hell. Your attendance in Church is not a guarantee of your entry into heaven; the fact that you are a zealous worker or even a Pastor does not mean that you will go to heaven. Only an intimate relationship with Jesus, The Way upward, can guarantee your entrance into heaven. Eternity is not something to play games with. Some will be spending eternity in heaven with Jesus and His angels, enjoying forever, while others will be spending eternity in the lake of fire with the devil and his demons, suffering forever. It is time to stop the pretence and truly surrender to Jesus. It is time to put religion aside and have a real relationship with Jesus Christ. It is time to stop being a Christian only on Sundays; let your lifestyle always reflect Jesus. It is time to be on the way to heaven, in all sincerity of heart.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jesus is The Way upward. He said in John 12:32: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” Jesus is always drawing people upward. Believe me honestly, the only person who can truly promote you is Jesus Christ. If you don’t believe me, read Psalm 75:6-7:

For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.

God is the promoter. If man lifts you, man will bring you down. In any case, man is limited in many ways. A man may want to lift you with his position, but what if he gets fired before he fulfils his promise? Who even told you that the fellow would be alive by the time you need his help? The only One who can guarantee your upward movement is God. That is why He is the only real way upward.

When I was to turn 40 years old, I had a vision where God showed me two graphs. In mathematics, we call them parabolas. One was a head-up parabola, and the other was a head-down parabola. At the turning point of each of these parabolas was written 40. I knew clearly that this was referring to my 40th birthday. The Lord then asked me, ‘Which of these graphs do you prefer?” I chose the head-down parabola because it meant that at 40 years old, I would be at my lowest point and from there on, it would be upward movement as opposed to the other graph, which implied that I was at my highest point at 40. The Lord then said that if I wanted Him to keep promoting me, I had to let go of all my big titles and simply be addressed as ‘Pastor’. True to His word, since then, I have been going upwards. Humility is key for anyone who wants Jesus to lift him or her higher. The Bible says:

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.
1 Peter 5:6

If you want God to promote you beyond your peers, you must surrender your life to Jesus Christ and emulate His humility.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jesus is the Way forward. In Luke 5:1-7, Peter had fished all night but caught nothing. He wasn’t lazy, but he was still considered a failure. When Jesus stepped into his boat however, all of a sudden, there was a way forward. Just like Peter, many people find themselves going around in circles. When Jesus steps into your boat, your forward motion would become accelerated.

One of my sons came to me and said, “Daddy, I’ve been on one spot for more than 12 years. I have applied to an organisation now and have been scheduled for an interview, so I need prayers to succeed”. I was about to pray for him when he said, “No, don’t pray, just say a word”, so I said, “Go, and the interview will go well.” He said amen and left. He returned the following day excited. “Daddy, I prepared for that interview like no man’s business. When I got there, they only asked me three questions, ‘What is your name? What position did you apply for? When can you start?’ I told them I would start tomorrow”. I congratulated him and he said, “No, speak another word” and I did. The following day, he came again, trembling, “Daddy, I got to my new place of work and was told that their Managing Director just resigned; they then asked me to become the new Managing Director”. Again he asked me to speak another word, so I did. The following day, he was back. This time, he was almost speechless. “Daddy, they discovered that their Managing Director resigned because their competitor offered him double the salary they were paying, and since they don’t want me to leave, they doubled my salary”. I congratulated him again, and he said, “No, speak another word”. This time, I said jokingly, “Do you want to take the company over from the owners?”

When I was a lecturer in the University, I had a driver, but then, somehow, by the middle of the month, I would have become so broke that I would be borrowing money to fuel the car from this same driver whose salary I was paying. I was being relatively well paid but somehow, I wasn’t moving forward in life. I then met Christ and everything turned around – not because of any brilliance on my part, but rather simply because I gave my life to Christ and began to live holy. This can be your story too, if you do the same.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.