₦airaland Forum

In Exodus 12:1-24, God instructed Moses to tell the Israelites to prepare and eat a special meal before their deliverance from bondage in Egypt. The bread they ate had no yeast in it, and the meat was from lambs that had no spots or wrinkles. That meal was a similitude of the Last Supper Jesus ate with His disciples before He laid down His life to deliver those who believe in Him from the bondage of their sins. We call this divine meal the Holy Communion today and eat it in remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ, just as He commanded (Luke 22:19-20). When we partake of the Holy Communion, we symbolically eat the body of Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God, and drink His blood. This divine meal brings great blessings and deliverance upon those who eat it worthily.

Eating the Holy Communion worthily and with understanding empowers you to have dominion in every area of your life. When people in the occult want to ‘fortify themselves, they usually seek to eat the flesh of virgins and drink their blood because they know that there is great power in purity. As believers, what we eat at the Lord’s table is the flesh and blood of the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 43:3).

Beloved, you should note that just as the Holy Communion brings deliverance, it can also bring bondage and damnation when eaten unworthily (1 Corinthians 11:28-30). Those who eat it unworthily are those who have not surrendered their lives to Jesus and those who have confessed Him as their Lord and Saviour but still engage secretly in sin. For example, Judas became possessed by the devil when he ate the Holy Communion with sin in his life (John 12:4-6), and this eventually led to his destruction (Matthew 27:3-5). If you still engage in sin, please ensure you repent and surrender all to Jesus today. Doing this gives you a brand-new beginning (2 Corinthians 5:17) and qualifies you to become a child of God so you can enjoy all the blessings that come from eating this special meal.

The blood of Jesus gives us victory over our adversary (Revelation 12:11), and His flesh not only delivers us from the path of destruction but brings us into the new and living way of salvation, as we see in Hebrew 10:20. I decree that you will indeed experience deliverance as you partake of the life and power of God at the Holy Communion table.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When a fellow is obsessed, it means that the person’s mind has become completely preoccupied with someone or something, such that the fellow loses control of his or her emotions concerning that person or thing. Most cases of obsession are demonically induced and often lead to the destruction of the victim unless God intervenes. For instance, some people are obsessed with food; they can never stop eating. If a believer is in this situation, he or she will be unable to fast and will become an easy target for the enemy.

Some people’s obsession is alcohol; they cannot stop drinking. Substance abuse and uncontrollable sexual desires are other forms of obsession. Going by Judges 16:1-21, we can say that Samson’s obsession with women was what destroyed him. Excessive sleeping is another obsession that some people have. The Bible says that if a fellow loves sleeping too much, he or she will end up in poverty (Proverbs 20:13). The devil often turns people’s inordinate affections to obsessions aimed at destroying them.

I recall the story of a teacher who had a bicycle. He was so obsessed with his bicycle that whenever he got to a muddy part of the road, he would come down from the bicycle and carry the bicycle across the muddy portion of the road. When a person becomes obsessed with someone or something, the enemy can make that person a slave through that avenue. He will usually make the person fight anyone who attempts to set him or her free. The devil usually targets young people with obsessions because he wants to make them his slaves for life. When teenagers become obsessed with hard drugs, for example, they waste their youthful years on the unprofitable venture. Many of them lose their lives early, while those who manage to grow into adulthood are usually unable to start a fresh life unless God intervenes.

Beloved, flee every inordinate affection. Don’t allow the enemy to turn them into an obsession that will suck out your essence and destroy your future. Rather, be obsessed with God and His word. This is what Jesus meant when He said that you should love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). Therefore, spend quality time with God worshipping Him, praying, studying, and meditating on His word daily. This is how to avoid or escape from inordinate affections and demonic obsession. The Lord will keep your mind at rest and bless you abundantly, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When the devil decides to torture his victims through vexation, he attacks them intermittently with problems that hurt and embarrass them. To achieve this, the devil assigns a demon or demons to operate in the victim’s life at regular intervals. In Matthew 17:14-18, Jesus was coming down from the Mount of Transfiguration when a father brought his son to him. The father narrated how a demon came at intervals to cause his son to throw himself into the fire and into the water. The demon wasn’t always troubling the boy, but it would come from time to time to push him to harm himself. Some people are perfectly okay in one minute, and in the next minute, they suddenly find themselves in trouble. For example, people with epilepsy are attacked at intervals, and the seizures sometimes come when they are in public places, thus causing them a great deal of embarrassment.

In the 70s, there was a lady in The Redeemed Christian Church of God who had a child who was suffering from the vexation of the enemy. The child had regular seizures, and whenever she rented a new apartment, her son would have one of such attacks. In those days, people believed that such attacks were contagious, and as such, the landlords of the apartments she rented would chase her out of their houses after such incidents. This sister had been moving from one house to the other until one day when, right in the centre of the town she lived in, the child had an attack. What she had been trying to hide became a public thing, and everyone around her at that moment fled. When this happened, she grabbed the child, looked up to the Almighty God and prayed. She said, “Father, my secret is out, and I have no help. Please, arise on my behalf.” That was the last day the child had an epileptic attack.

The Lord will always arise for those who call upon Him in truth. Psalm 145:18 says, “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth!” Beloved, have you been experiencing the vexation of the enemy? Has he been coming into your life at intervals to steal, kill, and destroy? Surrender your life to Jesus if you have not done so. Promise Him that you will live according to His will from now on, and call upon Him to deliver you. He will surely rise in your defence.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When a fellow is repressed, the devil sits on the fellow and pushes him or her down. An oppressed person remains stagnant, but a repressed person declines steadily. The devil not only prevents a repressed fellow from rising, but he steadily destroys the fruits of the person’s previous efforts.

In Judges 6:1-6, the Israelites offended God, and He handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. The Midianites would allow the Israelites to plant and care for their plants, but as soon as it was time for harvest, they would come in their multitudes to wipe out all the harvest. When the devil represses a person, he causes that fellow to work hard for something and then attacks and leaves the fellow worse off than when he or she started.

Repression destroys all of a fellow’s efforts to increase. Some people make lots of money but cannot account for how they spend it. It is as though they have bags with multiple holes that steadily leak away their resources and progress. Even when they make a lot of money, they remain in debt. When I was younger, an incident happened in our village. A rich man used his riches to forcefully take away a piece of land that belonged to another person. The other person said, “No problem. Even though I don’t have the money to fight you in court, we will see.” The rich man started building on the land, but the man he grabbed the land from did not say a word. The day the building was roofed, the original owner of the land went at night to plant a charm in the building, and by the next day, there were cracks in every corner of the building. The cracks were so bad that the rich man had to pull down the entire building. He tried to erect a building on the land several times, but cracks kept appearing. As a result, he wasted a lot of resources without achieving his goal.

Beloved, if the devil has been repressing you in any form, I decree today that, whether it is your fault or not that the enemy has been pushing you down, it is your year of jubilee. I pray that the fire of God will descend and deliver you from any form of repression that might be in your life, in Jesus’ name. God’s plan is for you to increase and move from glory to glory, and this will be your portion, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Deliverance is not only for those who are raving mad or evidently possessed by demons. A person can be under the influence of demonic forces and still look normal. In Mark 1:23-27, a man went into the synagogue with an unclean spirit. He probably looked normal until Jesus showed up. On seeing Jesus, the demon inside him began to manifest itself, and Jesus eventually evicted it from its host. I decree that any demonic force that might be disturbing you will be evicted today, in Jesus’ name.

The devil and his demons disturb people in different ways, one of which is through oppression. A lady once said that she always felt like she was carrying something invisible that was as heavy as a bag of rice on her head until God intervened. That is an example of oppression. To oppress is to prevent someone or something from rising. It also means to prevent someone or something from increasing. Even ministers of God can be under the devil’s oppression. In such cases, such ministers might preach excellently, fast regularly, pray fervently, and study the Bible diligently, but their ministries will remain stagnant. However, when God’s deliverance comes, their efforts will begin to yield great results.

In Exodus 1:7-14, Pharaoh commanded his people to deal wisely with the Israelites because he didn’t want them to increase. He oppressed them in different ways to prevent them from rising. Many years ago, a young man’s Head of Department (HOD) decided to prevent him from being promoted. The HOD took the man’s file and hid it so that whenever it was time for evaluation, it would not be found. After a while, the man gave his life to Jesus, and shortly after doing so, there was a military coup, and the fallout affected some people at his workplace. The HOD was forcefully retired, and a new HOD was appointed. When the new HOD decided to go through the files of everyone in the department, he noticed that the man’s file was missing and ordered a thorough search. They searched everywhere in the office until the file was eventually found in the place where the former HOD hid it. The new HOD discovered that the man hadn’t been promoted for years despite his diligence, and he instantly gave him a double promotion.

Beloved, I pray for you; the fire of God will consume every force that might be oppressing you and hindering your success, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I want to conclude this series by discussing another kind of trap which the devil uses. This trap is very subtle but potent in keeping people under his bondage. It is something I would like to call a trap of hypnosis. In this case, the devil hypnotises an individual by trapping his or her mind and taking control of it.

In Matthew 16:13-23, Jesus asked His disciples who He was, and one of them, Peter, accurately described the person of Jesus. When he gave that description, Jesus announced that he could only have gotten it from a divine revelation. However, the next moment, when Jesus was telling the disciples about the things that were to come, Peter rebuked Him and said that He was not going to die. Immediately, Jesus said, “Get thee behind me, satan…” In a split moment, the devil had put Peter in bondage and was controlling his thoughts and speech, such that he started speaking as the devil’s puppet without knowing it.

One major tool the devil uses to hypnotise people today and take control of their minds is social media. He pushes certain ideologies to them consistently, and after a while, they begin to think the thoughts that he wants them to think. We see this everywhere in the world today; things that were considered shameful and an abomination a few decades ago are now seen as normal in society. The devil particularly targets children, ensuring that they learn all sorts of abominable things at a tender age so that he can take control of their fragile minds. As a child of God, you must beware of this subtle but very dangerous tool that the devil is using to bring people into bondage.

Many times, the devil sneaks his evil ideas into songs and movies, and by so doing, he subtly introduces them to unsuspecting people, hypnotising them without their knowledge. This is why (1 Thessalonians 5:17) says that you must pray without ceasing. To avoid this trap of the devil, you must remain in touch with the Holy Spirit at all times by studying the Bible diligently, meditating on it at all times, and praying without ceasing.

Beloved, watch, pray, and guard your heart with all diligence (Proverbs 4:23). You must take heed lest you fall (1 Corinthians 10:12) because Jesus Himself said that if it were possible, even God’s very elect will be victims of the devil (Matthew 24:24).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As I continue with my discussion on satanic bondage today, I will tell you how to deal with willing captives and prevent them from harming you.

Mark 16:17-18 tells us that if a true child of God prays for the deliverance of a slave of the devil, such a slave will be delivered unless the slave refuses God’s deliverance, as we saw in the cases of the witches I mentioned yesterday. For willing slaves who do not want to be delivered or have been forcefully delivered but repossessed, one way to compel them to seek deliverance is by putting them in a bondage of your own as long as they remain in the service of the devil. I will share an instance of this with you.

Some years ago, a man came to me claiming that his wife was a witch. The wife denied it and said it was his mother who was a witch. The Holy Spirit revealed to me that there was a snake inside her, so I said, “There is no need to quarrel. I will pray that if you are a witch, whatever demon is inside you will be bound. If you are not a witch, nothing will happen.” She asked me to say the prayer, as she thought nothing would happen. I did, and they left. A few weeks later, they came back to me. Her stomach had become swollen because the snake inside her had been bound, so it could not go out to defecate. The snake started defecating inside her, which caused her stomach to start swelling. This time, she was more than ready to be delivered.

I must warn, however, that if you want to bind someone who is a willing slave of the devil, you must ensure that you are strong enough spiritually to bind the spirit in them. In Matthew 18:18, Jesus said that there are some levels of spiritual authority that you need fasting and prayers to operate in. You must fortify yourself spiritually through the spiritual exercise of fasting and prayer to be able to handle some demons. Also, you must ensure that you are not living in disobedience to God’s word. 2 Corinthians 10:6 says that except your obedience is complete, you cannot condemn any disobedience. Beloved, ensure that you submit completely to Jesus Christ and be committed to your spiritual growth; this is the only way to fully exercise the authority you have in Christ.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I have observed over the years that there are two major categories of victims who are entrapped in the devil’s bondage. The first category are the victims who are not aware that they have been entrapped by the devil, while the second category are those who are fully aware. Within this second category, there are two major sets of people: those who want to be set free and those who do not. Today, I will be discussing the set of victims who know that they are in bondage but do not want to be set free. It may sound strange that some victims do not want to be set free from bondage, but from Exodus 21:2-6 and my personal experience, many people actually fall into this category.

For example, I have met witches who like the fact that they are witches and don’t want to be set free. I recall a particular incident that occurred years ago. A married couple started attending our church, but after a short while, the wife stopped coming. When we followed up with her, she told us that since she started coming to our church, she had been unable to fly to her witchcraft meetings at night. Since she wanted to continue flying to her meetings, she stopped coming. Deliverance was available to her, but she preferred to be in bondage.

In another instance, another woman, who was a witch, came to our church, and we prayed for her to be delivered. When nothing happened, she told us, why are you praying for me to be delivered? This is the power I use to control my husband such that he drives me to my boyfriend’s house, waits for me in the car, and when I am done having fun with my boyfriend, he drives me back home. Do you want me to lose that power?” She held on to her bondage even though deliverance was available to her.

If God wants to set someone free from bondage, but the person does not want to accept His offer, then that fellow will remain in bondage, since that is what the fellow wants. Such a person is a willing captive, and even if the person is forcefully delivered but does not submit to God, he or she will be recaptured and repossessed again (Matthew 12:43-45). Tomorrow, I will discuss how you can ensure that a willing slave of the devil is unable to harm you and how you can possibly compel them to seek deliverance.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Hunters usually use the favourite foods of their targeted animals as bait in the traps set to capture them. Once the animals see the food, they rush towards it, and as they begin to eat it, the traps capture them. This is the same way the devil traps humans; he studies those he wants to trap to find out the things they usually lust after. Then, he provides those things to them on a platter of gold. If they are not discerning, they will get carried away by their lust, and while they are ‘enjoying’ what the devil has provided, they will suddenly find themselves in bondage, and it will take only the grace and mercy of God to bring them out. I will turn 84 years old in a couple of months, and believe me, I have seen many great destinies that have been entrapped and destroyed by the devil with this method. I pray you will never be entrapped by the devil, in Jesus’ name.

I have always told my biological and spiritual sons, “If a lady smiles at you seductively, run as fast as you can in another direction.” 2 Timothy 2:19-22 says that you should flee youthful lusts. Flee means that you should run as if you are terrified. Don’t wait around to see what will happen; just run! Yoruba elders have a saying, “What you must not taste, you should not smell.” No matter how sweet poison smells, once you know it is poison, you will not sniff it. Likewise, once you see something that can destroy your destiny, flee!

Some people might say, “| gave in to temptation, but nothing has changed. In fact, things are getting better for me.” They should not be deceived; the devil is only doing everything to make them relaxed in the prison he has built for them. When you buy a chicken with the intention of killing it and preparing it for a special occasion, you will likely feed the chicken very well in order to fatten it up. The chicken might think it is enjoying, but you know that you are fattening it until the day it will be slaughtered. This is what the devil does; he ensures that his victims feel relaxed until the day of slaughter because he doesn’t want them to seek help. He always collects more from his victims than he gives them.

Beloved, all gifts from the devil have sorrow attached to them; only God’s blessings come with no sorrow (Proverbs 10:22).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

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Do you know anyone who used to be a Christian but has returned to the world? If yes, what have you done to restore such a person back to Christ? You might say that you have once tried unsuccessfully to talk to him or her about returning to Christ; however, have you tried again? Will you allow the fellow to remain on the path to hell just because you don’t want him or her to reject your counsel again?

Many years ago, some church members and I followed up on a church member who had backslidden, and thankfully, he returned to Christ. However, after a while, he backslid again and left the church. We did everything we could to get him to return until it got to a point where l said, “I’m tired. I’ll leave this man to do whatever he likes.” Many years later, I went to preach at the University of Ife. After my ministration, I wanted to return to Lagos, but God told me to travel in the opposite direction. I did not know where God was leading me to until I got to the neighbourhood where this brother lived. It was at that moment that I knew what God wanted me to do. I went to his house, and when I got there, his wife hurried to tell him that I had come to visit them. He did not believe it; he thought she was playing a prank on him until he came out and saw me waiting for him. That visit was all it took for him to return to the faith. He probably said to himself, “If you could still remember me and reach out to me after all these years and all the rejection, then your love for me is real, and I am returning.”

Beloved, don’t give up on anyone who has backslidden. Keep following up on them prayerfully, and never give up until the Holy Spirit convicts them to return to the faith again. Just one more phone call or visit from you may save such people from spending eternity in hell. Intentionally go after backsliders and restore them to the Lord. In Jude 1:22-23, the Bible talks about having compassion on such people. Keep reaching out to them, and never stop interceding on their behalf until they are restored. Remember, there’s a great reward for winning souls, as the Bible says that those who turn many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever (Daniel 12:3).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When God says you should be fruitful, He is not just talking about you being successful materially and having children; He is also talking about you winning souls.

In John 15:16, Jesus said:

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, being fruitful is primarily about leading people to Christ and ensuring that they grow and remain in the faith. A soul won to Christ is a fruit that brings eternal joy to God and also to you. The Bible says in Luke 15:7 that there is so much joy in heaven when a soul is saved from eternal damnation and won into the kingdom of the Almighty God.

God wants us to multiply spiritually. This is why Bible scholars often refer to Matthew 28:18-20 as the Great Commission. Jesus commands us to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. To make disciples means to teach others to follow Christ just as you are following Him. This involves preaching the gospel to unbelievers and mentoring other Christians with the word of God to help them grow in their walk with God. God wants you to make disciples; He wants you to reproduce yourself.

Apostle Paul understood this principle and taught it to Timothy. In 2 Timothy 2:2, he said, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” He instructed Timothy to pass on what he had learned to faithful believers who would teach other believers in turn. This is the multiplication God desires – fruitfulness that extends beyond you to others and continues through generations.

Beloved, the Bible says that a person who wins souls is wise (Proverbs 11:30). Are you spiritually fruitful? Are you leading others to Christ? Are you teaching and mentoring others in the faith? If you have not been doing these, it is time to start. Begin with those around you – your family, friends, colleagues, and neighbours. Share the love of God with them and invite them to experience the blessings you enjoy in Christ. When you do all these, you will be truly fruitful, and God will make you shine like the stars forever and ever (Daniel 12:3).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Sometimes, some people who appear to have attained a level of success begin to relax in their efforts to advance in their respective fields of endeavour. They feel they are on top of the world because of the success they have achieved. However, no matter how successful or prosperous a person has become, there are always greater levels to attain. This is why I always tell those who are close to me that success is a journey, not a destination.

For example, people who have attained a great level of financial success can be classified as rich or wealthy. The rich have a level of abundance, but truly wealthy people are those who have so much abundance that they don’t have to think twice before they buy anything. I once heard of a truly wealthy man who went on a morning walk one day and bought a car factory he saw on his way just because he felt it wasn’t well kept. He was so angry at the state of the factory because that was the factory producing the brand of car he rides, so he negotiated with the owners and bought it immediately.

There is, however, a level of success that is greater than just being wealthy; it is a level that Psalm 92:12-14 refers to as ‘flourishing’. A flourishing person is described as righteous, planted in the house of the Lord, and fruitful even in old age. People at this level live according to the will of God, meditate on His word day and night, and prosper in all they do (Psalm 1:1-3). Isaac is a good example of someone who flourished in the Bible. God commanded him to stay in Gerar even though, humanly speaking, it didn’t seem like the right thing to do. However, he obeyed and flourished in the land (Genesis 26:1-14). He kept prospering until he became great and very great to the extent that the king pleaded with him to leave the kingdom because he had become greater and more prosperous than the entire nation.

Beloved, God desires that you flourish (3 John 1:2). His design and perfect will for you is not only that you become prosperous in everything you do but that you keep flourishing until you leave the earth. This is why Proverbs 4:18 says that the path of the just shines brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. I encourage you to be like Apostle Paul; forget your past successes and keep reaching for more (Philippians 3:12-14).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Growing up, my father was so poor that even poor people called him poor. However, God decided to pick the son of a man whose colleagues said could never build a house and began to do great things through him.

It is rare to find someone with two honorary doctorate degrees from prestigious universities. After I had received seven of such honorary doctorate degrees, I thought to myself that it was a perfect number already, and I decided not to receive such degrees again. Shortly after, I got a letter from a university in the U.S.A offering me yet another honorary doctorate degree. I tried to politely decline this by telling them that I would not be available on the day of the award ceremony because of other engagements. However, they decided to come and award me the degree in Nigeria. Beloved, God can move you from good to very good.

Elisha seemed to be doing really well as a farmer (1 Kings 19:19-21). However, he left everything and became Elijah’s servant. In 2 Kings 4:8-17, a Shunammite woman compelled Elisha to eat in her house. He accepted her invitation and kept going back there to eat whenever he passed by. The woman then decided to create a small apartment for him within her home so that he would be able to stop by, eat, and rest properly anytime he passed by on his travels. After some time, the Spirit of God prompted Elisha to ask her if she needed anything. At this time, Elisha had become so influential that kings obeyed him. He had moved from good to very good.

Elisha’s exploits were so profound that kings started talking about him (2 Kings 6:11-13, 2 Kings 8:4-5). In the same vein, God wants you to move to a higher level of influence and grace. However, the question is, can He trust you with the hearts and ears of kings? When Naaman came to Elisha for healing, Elisha didn’t take advantage of him (2 Kings 5:16). Likewise, when the king of Syria sent soldiers to arrest him, he captured them, fed them, and let them go back unhurt to their master (2 Kings 6:22).

Beloved, if you want God to keep taking you higher, you must not be greedy, and you must be compassionate. You must also never harbor unforgiveness in your heart. Make up your mind to remain faithful to Him forever if you have yet to do so, and He will continue to take you higher.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To subdue means to overcome and then exercise dominion. In Genesis 39:1-6, Joseph was brought into Potiphar’s house as a slave. However, God’s blessing made a way for him, and Potiphar put him in charge of everything in his house. When Joseph ended up in prison after his master’s wife lied against him, he was asked to be in charge of the prison’s affairs (Genesis 39:20-23). Eventually, Joseph ended up being a mighty ruler in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh.

And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41:42-44

According to Philippians 2:9-11, you can control situations and circumstances because of the name of Jesus Christ. Likewise, Mark 16:17-18 says:

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

As a child of God, you have access to the name of Jesus Christ, and this means that you should operate in dominion – you should be unstoppable. In Acts 5:17-29, when Peter and his colleagues were imprisoned, the angel of the Lord came at night and set them free. When Peter was captured and put in prison again in Acts 12:1-17, God moved again and set him free.

Beloved, your story will only get better than it is currently so long as Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour. Proverbs 4:18 says that the path of the just is as a shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day. This means that, no matter what the enemy has done, your life is to be better today than it was yesterday. Believe in the name of Jesus wholeheartedly and use His name to subdue any negative situation that arises around you. This way, you will indeed walk in dominion, and nothing will be able to stop you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is good to grow, but according to Genesis 1:27-28, your growth should be in multiples. God’s original plan for us is to increase by multiplication and not just by addition. Increase by addition is good, but that is a basic expectation. For example, it is expected that a child should be promoted from one class this year to the next class the following year. However, if a child is moved two or more classes higher than his or her current class within the space of one year, that commands special notice.

As a child of God, you are not like everyone else; you are special, and this means that you are not only expected to increase but also to multiply in every area of your life.

In Genesis 26:12-14, we can see that Isaac sowed in the land, and in the same year, he had a hundredfold harvest. Deuteronomy 1:11 also says that God can multiply you a thousandfold. In Genesis 21:1-7, Abraham and Sarah had one son, Isaac. However, in Genesis 25:21-26, the Bible recorded that Isaac gave birth to a set of twins. If you read further to Genesis 35:22-26, you will see that one of the twins gave birth to 12 sons. In Genesis 46:27, the 12 sons had become 70 people and in Exodus 12:37, their number had increased to 600,000 men, excluding children and women.

Child of God, stop limiting yourself by only seeking to increase by addition. Instead, you should aim for multiplication because that is your God-given mandate. When I became the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, I was 39 years old. God had told my Father in the Lord that his successor would take the church around the world, even though the church was only in Nigeria at that time. If I were seeking increase by addition, expanding to one new country per year to establish God’s kingdom, the church would only be in about 45 countries at the moment instead of the over 190 countries that the RCCG is currently established in. There was no way we could have achieved our God-given mandate without multiplication.

Beloved, to truly fulfil God’s purpose for your life, you should seek to multiply. He gave you the mandate to multiply right from the beginning of creation in Genesis 1:28. Don’t limit your potential by having a mediocre mindset about increase. Trust God to enlarge your coast exponentially, and by His grace, you will begin to multiply.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Divine restoration is God’s act of bringing a person or something back to its intended state. For example, when something that God created to be full becomes empty, a divine restoration will be required for it to become full again. God can restore what seems to have been lost forever. No matter what the case may be, I want you to know that you serve a God who can raise dry bones and make them a mighty army (Ezekiel 37:1-14). I pray for you right now that the Lord will restore whatever things you have lost that seem impossible to regain, in Jesus’ name.

In Mark 8:22-25, we see the story of a man who was blind and was brought to Jesus for healing. Jesus spat on his eyes, touched him, and asked if he could see. The man said that he could see men as trees, walking. This tells us that he was probably not born blind; he must have seen trees and men before then. He used to see, but for some reason, he became blind. Jesus gave him a second touch, and then, he began to see clearly. The man had a divine encounter that restored his sight. I decree a divine restoration of any good thing you might have lost, in Jesus’ name.

In Genesis 18:9-14, when God paid Abraham a visit and said that Sarah would have a baby in nine months, Sarah laughed. This was because, at that time, she was 90 years old. In Romans 4:17-21, the Bible described Sarah’s womb as ‘dead’. Nevertheless, God has the power to reverse the irreversible. If He could make the womb of a 90-year-old woman to carry a baby for nine months and cause her to deliver safely, what can He not do? In Jeremiah 32:27, the Almighty God said:

Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

Beloved, do you need a divine restoration in any area of your life? Call on God today, and He will restore anything in your life that is not working as He intended back to its original state. Don’t continue putting up with what is not working in your life as God intends. He can restore everything the enemy might have stolen from you. Cry out to Him in prayer with faith in your heart, and you will experience a divine restoration to His original plan for your life, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 2 Samuel 7:1-16, God told David, “Even if your son offends me after you have died, I will only discipline him; I will not take My mercy away from him. I will establish your throne forever, no matter what happens.” This was why Jesus, the King of kings, introduced Himself as the root and the offspring of David in Revelation 22:16. That is a very good example of an irreversible blessing. When you read 2 Samuel 7:1-16 closely, you will notice that God’s pronouncement came just after David decided to build Him a house. This was something no one had ever done for Him before then.

In Genesis 22:1-8, God gave Abraham a little test by asking him to sacrifice his son. When Abraham passed the test, God swore by Himself to bless him.

…By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Genesis 22:16-18

God did not need to swear because once He speaks, it is done. However, He swore to show that the blessing He was pronouncing over Abraham could never be reversed. This tells us that in order to get an irreversible blessing from God, you have to do something that will touch His heart. God can bless you irreversibly when you do something that impresses Him.

Another person who can pronounce an irreversible blessing on you is your father. In Genesis 27:30-33, the Bible says that not long after Isaac blessed Jacob, Esau returned from hunting. When their father discovered that he had blessed the wrong fellow, he told Esau that Jacob had been blessed and that the blessing could not be reversed. When you read the passage closely, you will also notice that Jacob got this irreversible blessing just after he had made a special meal that pleased his father. If you can do something that pleases your father such that he blesses you from his heart, the blessing will be irreversible. I pray that God will give you irreversible blessings, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many times, when we come across a blessing while reading the Bible, we tend to rejoice and ‘claim’ that blessing. However, as a Mathematician, I have learned that for certain equations to work as expected, certain conditions must be met. Thus, when I see a blessing in the Bible, I always want to dig deeper to see the conditions that must be met for me to enjoy the blessing.

Some Christians don’t enjoy some blessings God has pronounced upon them primarily because they are either ignorant of the required conditions or have failed to fulfil them. Therefore, it is very important that you know the conditions that are attached to God’s promises so you can fulfil and maintain those conditions in order to enjoy the blessings.

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Genesis 12:1-3

In the Scripture above, God gave seven blessings to Abraham based on the following conditions: He instructed him to leave his country, kindred, and father’s house in search of a land He would show him. So, for Abraham to enjoy these blessings, he had to fulfil all the conditions that God gave him. Abraham left his father’s house and his country in search of the land God promised him as he was instructed, but he took one of his kindred (Lot) with him, thereby flouting one of the conditions. As a result, the blessings God promised him remained on hold until Lot separated from Abraham in Genesis 13:14-15.

Deuteronomy 28:1-14 contains some very beautiful promises. However, you should not get carried away by the promises alone; you should also take note of the conditions attached to them. God said that you must hearken diligently to His word and not turn away from it in order to enjoy the blessings. If you read further down in verses 15-68, you will see the consequences of not fulfilling the conditions the blessings were hinged upon.

Beloved, if you meet God’s conditions, you will enjoy His blessings. However, if you do not meet them, you will not be able to receive or enjoy them.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God loves His children so much (1 John 3:1), and He desires to give them blessings without any sorrow (Proverbs 10:22). However, as a responsible Father, He will not answer some prayers from His children when He knows they are not yet mature enough to handle what they are asking for. For example, no responsible father will give his five-year-old child a car to drive, no matter how much the child asks or begs for it. Likewise, before God gives you some blessings, He will ensure that you have the capacity to handle them and that they will not harm you in any way or distract you from fulfilling His purpose for your life. He will not give His children things they ask for that would end up affecting their destinies negatively or destroying them.

3 John 2 says:

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

God wants you to prosper and be in good health, but that is only as your soul prospers and you increasingly become spiritually mature. This is why you must ensure that your soul is prospering by feeding it with the word of God regularly. When you do this, you will begin to prosper and enjoy God’s blessings in every other area of your life.

Joshua 1:8 says:

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Beloved, when you fill your heart with God’s word, it will set you up to enjoy His blessings and have good success. The Bible also says that if your delight is in the word of God and you meditate on it at all times, you will be so blessed that you will be like a tree planted by the riverbank that not only brings forth its fruit in due season but also never has withered leaves. The Bible further says that all you do will prosper (Psalm 1:2-3).

There are, however, different kinds of blessings you can receive from God. Over the next two days, I will be discussing two of them, which are conditional blessings and irreversible blessings. I pray that God’s blessings will overshadow you, even as you keep growing spiritually and your soul prospers in Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As I conclude this series today, I want you to know that God made man with the authority to operate in the physical, soulish, and spirit realms. God made us this way so that while we are still living on earth, we can also have a connection with Him in heaven.

God gave man a body so he can live in the physical world and a soul so he can think, feel, and choose (Genesis 2:7). Then, in Job 32:8, the Bible says, “But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.” In other words, we can connect with God through our spirit to receive inspiration from Him. This combination makes us special and differentiates us from animals, plants, and even angels.

In the physical realm, our bodies interact with the world through our physical senses: sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell. Beyond that, we have a soul; we have a will and emotions that allow us to think deeply, make decisions, and establish relationships. For example, you can look at people and discern their true intentions even when they try to conceal them. The most important part of man, however, is his spirit. Our spirit allows us to connect with God. It is through our spirits that we hear from Him, understand spiritual truths, and receive Him into our hearts. Romans 8:6 says, “For to be carnally minded is death…” In other words, if people operate in the physical and soulish realms but their spirits are not connected to God, they are as good as dead because they are not operating in their full capacity as human beings.

Beloved, paying attention to the physical realm only will cause you to pursue temporary and intangible things. In Ecclesiastes 2:11, Solomon said, “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.” Focusing only on your emotions will cause you to be misled because your feelings cannot be trusted. If you make a decision based on how you feel when you are sad, for instance, before long, you might realize that you have made a terrible decision. The only way you can function in your full capacity and walk in God’s perfect will for your life is when your spirit is connected to the Lord.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Psalm 8:4

The love that God has for man seems so unbelievable that the psalmist had to ask the question in the passage above. His love is immeasurable and everlasting (Jeremiah 31:3). He loves us so much that when Adam fell in the garden of Eden, He put together a redemption plan for us so we could be restored to Him. He also gave us the right to sit with Him because of His tremendous love for us. Ephesians 2:6 says that God has made us sit together with Christ in heavenly places.

In Yorubaland where I come from, we often say that the house of the fellow you love is never too far. Because of God’s overwhelming love for us, He came all the way from heaven to save us. He loves us so much that even the strands of hair on our heads are special to Him.

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. – Matthew 10:29-31

Whenever I hear Christians say that they doubt in their hearts whether God will answer their prayers or not, I wonder if they truly know how much God loves them.
Romans 8:32 says:

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

If someone loves you so much that he or she gave you his or her only child, what else is so big that the fellow cannot give to you? I want you to know how much God loves and values you so that when you go to Him in prayer, you will know that you are speaking to someone who is willing to give you anything you ask for and who wants only the best for you (John 14:3-4).

Beloved, God loves you more than you can ever imagine, and it grieves Him when you don’t even realise how special you are to Him. Spend quality time with Him daily so you can learn more about His love for you and know the many wonderful things He has prepared for you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Man is very special because he has the capacity to accommodate the Spirit of God inside him. This is such a magnificent thing because God is so big that heaven is His throne and the earth is His footstool (Isaiah 66:1), yet He decided to make Himself so little that He can dwell inside us (John 14:16-17). In Exodus 25:1-9, God asked Moses to build a sanctuary to house His presence. However, after Jesus died for our sins, He made every child of God His temple. This means that if you are a child of God, He is living inside you, and everything that answers to God also answers to you. What a tremendous privilege!

I remember when I joined The Redeemed Christian Church of God. I thought I was a very wise man, after all, I was a university lecturer. We had many non-literate people in the church back then, and I used to look down on them. However, one day, I thought to myself, “These people may not be educated, but they are always radiating joy while I am always worried about one thing or the other. They seem to be so much at peace, but there is always a storm raging inside me.” I decided to give my life to Christ that day, and the first thing I experienced was peace. All my anxieties and worries vanished, and for the first time in my life, I was truly joyful. The joy I felt inside me was so much that the next morning, my boss in the office noticed that I was joyful without me saying anything to him.

Man was not originally made to be anxious about anything. It is the fallen nature that made us lose our joy. The good thing, however, is that Jesus came to restore us to the original plan of God. You will experience peace and joy when you become the temple of the Most High God because Psalm 16:11 says that in the presence of God, there is fullness of joy, and Philippians 4:7 says that the peace of God that passes all understanding will flood your heart indeed.

Beloved, if you have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you cannot be a part of God’s original design. The Lord wants to come into your heart (Revelation 3:20), and I encourage you to let Him in. He will lift all your heavy burdens (Matthew 11:28), and you will begin to experience peace and joy like never before.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Over the past two days, I discussed God’s original plan for mankind, which is to have dominion over the earth and everything in it. I also noted that some Christians are not operating in this God-given dominion because they have not grown spiritually as they ought to.

Another set of Christians who are not living in dominion as God intends are those who have grown spiritually but are still not conscious of the tremendous power they possess. They still fidget when the devil threatens them and see certain acts of dominion as being exclusive to ministers of God. However, the Bible says in Mark 16:17-18 that every believer can cast out demons, heal the sick, and operate in dominion as God intends.

Years ago, while praying, I said, “Lord, give me power to perform miracles for you,” and He responded, “Keep quiet. What have you used the power I have already given you for? Have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit?” I said, “Yes, Lord.” He then continued, “What does Acts 1:8 say?” I quoted it to Him, and He responded, “Since the Holy Ghost has come upon you, then you have power.” I then said, “But I don’t feel powerful,” and He replied, “Did I say that the just shall live by feelings or faith?” This happened in the middle of the night, and the next morning, I was asked to pray for a little girl who had been so sick that the doctors had given up on her. I was afraid that she would not be healed if I prayed for her, but I remembered my conversation with God and proceeded to pray for her.

While I was praying, the girl went limp. I immediately thought to myself, “I’m in trouble. It seems this girl has died.” When I finished praying and opened my eyes, I saw that she was sleeping. She had not slept for days, and when she woke up, she was completely healed. From that day on, I started using the power that God has given me to take dominion over situations.

Beloved, when power is stored without being used, it remains dormant. However, when it is used often, it grows. As Peter used the power he received from the Holy Spirit, he grew from having to drag a lame man to his feet (Acts 3:1- to his shadow healing the sick (Acts 5:15-16). The more you use the power God has given you as a believer, the more dominion you can exercise.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I explained that God’s original design for mankind was for us to have dominion on the earth and everything in it; however, man lost that dominion when sin crept in, but Jesus Christ came to restore us to our original state. I also explained that once you become born again, you become greater than everything around you because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). Unfortunately, many Christians are still living under the bondage of the devil. They have dominion as God intended originally but fail to exercise this dominion.

Beloved, you cannot exercise dominion as a baby Christian. Galatians 4:1 says:

To really take your place as a child of God, you must grow in the Spirit by praying and studying the word of God diligently and regularly. Many Christians brag that they have been born again for many years; however, spiritually, they are still babies because they haven’t grown as they ought to. Some Christians should have grown spiritually to the point of being able to raise the dead by virtue of God’s anointing upon their lives, yet they do not have the courage to lay hands on someone suffering from a headache.

As a child of God, you should desire God’s word so much because it is the food you need to grow spiritually. 1 Peter 2:2 says, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” Jesus also said in Matthew 4:4 that man should not live by bread alone but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.

Beloved, if you want to walk in the dominion that God intends for you to operate in, you should live by God’s word just as you survive and function physically by eating food. Like Jeremiah, who said that he ate God’s word (Jeremiah 15:16), you must also consume God’s word even more than you consume physical food. You must also pray regularly. In fact, when you study the word of God regularly, it will push you to pray because as you study, you will find yourself longing to speak to the One whose word you are studying. Prioritize spending quality time with God daily by praying and studying His word, and you will indeed walk in dominion in every aspect of your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When you look at the stars, the moon, and the beauty of nature generally, it is hard not to wonder what makes us humans so special that God cares so much about us. This is exactly what David was asking in Psalm 8:4.

From Genesis 1:26, we see that God made us in His image and gave us the responsibility and dominion to rule over all His creation on earth (Genesis 1:26-28). Therefore, you and I have God’s mandate to be in control of the earth. God, however, didn’t stop there; He went further to say in Matthew 18:18 that He will uphold our decrees here on earth from His throne in heaven. Unfortunately, when man sinned, he lost his place and the dominion God had given him at creation. That was why God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to restore us to His original design and reinstate our dominion.

If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, you have become greater than everything in this world (1 John 4:4). If you are yet to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, I implore you to do so now. This is because, if you can truly let go of sin, situations will no longer control you; rather, you will control them. The economy will no longer decide what happens to you; instead, you will thrive, regardless of what happens in the economy.

The devil and all his demons are afraid of the children of God because they know that God has made His children sit together with Christ in heavenly places, far above all principalities and powers (Ephesians 2:4-6). This is why, whenever someone I have not met before comes to me for prayers, the first question I ask such a person is, “Are you born again?” If the fellow is not born again, even if I pray and the problem is solved, a worse problem might come on him or her because the person is still prey to the devil.

Beloved, the foundation of every genuine solution to any problem you can ever have is in Jesus Christ. You must repent from any sin that may be in your life and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour if you are yet to do so. Ensure you live a holy life by adhering to His word and obeying all His instructions. When you do these, you will enjoy good success and truly live in dominion over every challenge that comes your way.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A lot of people want to worship the only true God, but they are limited by many factors. For example, Pharaoh prevented the children of Israel from leaving Egypt to worship God until a divine intervention compelled him to let them go. After God’s intervention, he could not even wait until morning before releasing the children of Israel to go and worship God. That very night, he called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said,” (Exodus 12:29-31). However, after making this pronouncement and releasing the Israelites, the Egyptians still went after them with the intention of bringing them back into bondage, but God silenced them in the Red Sea, and the Israelites were finally free to worship God (Exodus 14 and 15).

You probably want to worship God, but something is hindering you. You want to praise God and tell people about how great He is, but then, occasionally, you remember one little problem in your life that has lingered for a long time. That problem might be so bad that people around you have even been asking you where your God is. You look at that problem, and suddenly, it becomes a struggle to praise God. I decree that the Almighty God will intervene in your situation and silence whatever might be hindering you from worshipping Him the way you really want to, in Jesus’ name.

Many people want to do mighty things like building churches for God, helping the poor, sponsoring crusades, and so on. However, the only hindrance they have is a lack of finance. If you are one of such people, I pray for you today that you will receive the abundance you need in order to do anything you want to do for God, in Jesus’ name.

Revelation 4:11 says, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” God created all things for His pleasure. He created your hands to clap to Him in worship, He created your mouth to praise Him, and He created your legs to dance for Him. Therefore, anyone, whether in the government, in your family, or anywhere at all, who tries to hinder you from worshipping God and giving Him pleasure will face His wrath like Pharaoh did if he or she does not repent.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

All humans have the freedom to worship whatever they want to. Even in countries where people are restricted from worshipping publicly, nobody can restrict anyone from worshipping his or her 'god’ privately. This freedom to worship has been given by God; however, you must be vigilant at all times to know who or what you are worshipping because who or what you worship will determine what you become (2 Corinthians 3:18).

It is important that you examine your priorities because they are pointers to the people or things you actually worship. Some people do not know that their phones have become the god they worship. They take their phones everywhere they go, even into the bathroom. Their eyes are always glued to their phones as they spend hours browsing through them. If they don’t have their phones with them, they will begin to panic and will not be able to function normally. Sadly, this god often leads them into anxiety, depression, and many health challenges.

What you give your attention and resources to eventually shapes your values, thoughts, and behaviour. If your focus is primarily on material possessions, your social status, or even other people’s opinions, they can easily become idols in your life. You must examine yourself regularly to know the things or people that mostly occupy your thoughts and what you exert most of your energy on. If these things or people are not aligned with your purpose in Christ, then you need to take heed, lest you fall (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Another subtle, yet common object of worship these days is work. Many Christians allow themselves to be trapped in the cycle of work such that they neglect their health, families, and walk with God. I know the value of hard work, so I work very hard and encourage people to do the same. However, when work becomes the source of your identity, it has taken God’s place in your life. You must also be careful not to worship comfort and convenience. Today, many youths talk about living a soft life, and unfortunately, their pursuit of this soft life has become the god they worship.

Beloved, the freedom of worship is a precious gift that God has given to you; however, you must use it to worship Him alone. You must also be mindful and disciplined to ensure that you are not worshipping an idol at any time. Keep your total focus on God at all times, and He will reward you with His grace and peace.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Nigeria, there is a common saying that everyone has the freedom of speech, but freedom after speech is not guaranteed. As funny as this statement sounds, it is very true in the spirit realm. Proverbs 6:2 says:

Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

God doesn’t stop you from speaking, but you must be careful so that the things you say do not bring you into bondage.

Sometime ago, a woman who had been looking for the fruit of the womb for many years told God in her desperation, “Lord, just let me get pregnant once, then you can take my life on the day of delivery. I just want this reproach to be over.” When it was time to deliver, she came to RCCG’s maternity clinic. For days, this woman remained in labour. Her condition was so bad that they had to call me to pray for her. After asking her some questions, we discovered what she had said earlier, and I said to myself, “If this woman wanted to die, why then did she choose to come here?” Apparently, she did not want to die anymore. We cried to God for mercy, and He answered. She delivered safely and went home with her baby in good health. Imagine if there was no man of God available to cancel the pronouncement she had made on herself in her desperation; she could have died.

2 Samuel 1:1-16 tells us the story of a young man who was destroyed by his words. After Saul’s death, this man, who was an Amalekite, ran to David to tell him that he had killed Saul, even though he was not the one who killed him (1 Samuel 31:1-6). He thought telling David that he had killed Saul would grant him favour before David, but the opposite was the case, and his words became his death sentence. When David heard him say that he had killed Saul, the anointed king of God’s people, he commanded one of the young men with him to execute him.

Beloved, be mindful of the words you speak, especially when you are highly emotional. Do not allow your emotions, whether excitement, happiness, anger, sadness, or frustration, to push you to say things that can put you in bondage and hurt your destiny. I pray that you will always speak with wisdom and grace. May your words never bring you into bondage, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, I mentioned that you must open up your heart to the light of God instead of allowing bitterness to envelop you. When you become angry and bitter anytime someone offends you, you are opening yourself up for spiritual attacks.

If you see through every hurt or betrayal that you experience, you will understand that the real target is your heart. The devil wants you to allow bitterness in your heart so that when he is sending his arrows against you, they will have a place to land. Many times, when the devil’s agents try to attack a Christian and do not succeed, they do everything they can to get the believer to become angry. Once they can get the believer to become angry and bitter, their attacks will land on him or her. This is why you must always put on your armour of light and not allow anger and bitterness to creep into your heart – it is for your own protection.

Anytime the devil sees someone whom he cannot make angry or bitter, he has seen someone who has defeated him already. In 1 Samuel 18:14, the Bible says that David behaved himself wisely. This means that he avoided anything from contaminating his heart. Even when King Saul was trying to kill him, he did not get angry or try to retaliate. In 1 Samuel 24:2-7, he had the opportunity to kill Saul, but he only cut a piece of his robe. Even when he did that, the Bible says that his heart smote him. This shows that he was a man whose armour of light was intact. As a result, he eventually became king, just as God intended. I believe that if he had killed Saul, he would not have become king, even though it was God’s original plan for him.

If you want God’s plans for you to come to pass, don’t allow bitterness into your heart; don’t give room to the devil to destroy your destiny. When some Christians do not retaliate when people hurt them but rather turn around to bless them, the world will call them fools, but they know what they are doing. Such Christians will be careful not to allow a moment of bitterness or anger to tamper with their glorious destinies in God.

Beloved, do not give room to the devil in your life; keep your armour of light intact so that you can fulfil your God-given destiny.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many believers are dealing with darkness inside their hearts because their hearts are full of bitterness and anger. Some of these believers are angry with God, their spouses, children, parents, etc. I understand that the world is a wicked place, and it can be easy for bitterness to creep into your heart. However, instead of allowing bitterness to envelop you, you must open up your heart to the light of God. The word of God is light; let this light become an armour that protects you from darkness.

Romans 13:12 admonishes us to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light. Light is an armour, and just as a soldier needs armour to survive the attacks of an enemy, light protects you from any arrow of bitterness that the enemy might shoot against you. To put on the armour of light, you must cast off the works of darkness. You cannot overcome the prince of darkness when you have the works of darkness in you. Sin is the greatest work of darkness. If you are still living in sin, you must repent, put on the armour of light, and live righteously.

As I have progressed in life, I have experienced betrayals from different people. I have been hurt by people who are far from me and people who are very dear to me. I have been hurt by unbelievers and even by some ministers of God. However, despite all these, I haven’t lost my joy. I haven’t stopped being kind, even to those who betrayed me. Even though they may have hurt me, my heart is protected by the armour of light, which will not allow darkness to creep into my heart.

Beloved, don’t keep malice, and don’t focus on people who have hurt you. Ephesians 6:12 says: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” The real enemy is the devil, who wants to plant a seed of bitterness in your heart so you can be filled with darkness. Don’t let him succeed; rather, put on the armour of light by subjecting all your thoughts to the authority of Christ, casting off every sinful habit and meditating on God’s word at all times. As you do this, I pray that your heart will be filled with joy, and you will continually experience the peace of God that passes all understanding.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When God said, “Let there be light” in Genesis 1:3, it simply meant that there was darkness before then, and at that moment, light was yet to come. “Let there be light” signifies an end to sorrow and the beginning of joy. In Psalm 30:5, the Bible says that sorrow may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Sorrow changes to joy when light comes. Likewise, confusion gives way to clarity at the entrance of light.

If you are driving on a dark highway and suddenly, your car headlamps malfunction, you might find yourself in total darkness. In such cases, it is wise to quickly look for a safe space to park the vehicle because it is not safe to drive in total darkness. This is why darkness is associated with stagnation; there is usually no movement in an environment that is totally dark. If whatever is wrong with the car is corrected, however, and the headlamps begin to work again, then you can continue your journey. Whenever there is light, there is usually progress. I pray that light will come into your life in this new year, and there will be an end to stagnation. This year, you will experience progress and joy, in Jesus’ name.

In Acts 3:1-8, we read about a man who was born lame. For many years, he was carried to the same spot daily so he could beg for alms. He had been stagnant all his life; however, when the Almighty God decided to visit him, not only did he start walking, he was jumping and praising God. Light shone on him because he had met Jesus through Peter and John, and he experienced a great turnaround. When the light of God comes into your life, you will move forward and upwards.

People normally sleep at night, and this is why Apostle Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:7 that those who sleep do so in the night. There is usually no movement when people are asleep. However, when the day breaks, light comes, and people awake from their sleep to go about their daily activities. Stagnancy gives way to progress when light comes. Beloved, I pray for you that the light of God will shine on every aspect of your life. There shall be no stagnancy in your life, and throughout this year, you will only move forward and upwards, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the things that happened in Genesis 1 was that God changed confusion to clarity. The Bible says that the earth was without form; however, after the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, beauty and order came out of the formless earth.

Before God appeared in Genesis 1:2, the earth was dark and empty. Emptiness is not a good thing. If a student is said to be ’empty-headed’, for example, it implies that no matter how hard the student studies, he or she won’t be successful academically. After the Spirit of God intervened in Genesis 1:2, however, emptiness gave way to fullness. You will discover that God called everything that followed immediately after that intervention ‘good’.

When the supernatural collides with the natural, the natural must give way. For example, in Judges 14:5-6, the Lion of the tribe of Judah easily overcame the physical lion that roared at Samson because the Spirit of God was upon him. Believe me, you cannot achieve anything meaningful this year with your natural abilities alone (John 15:5). However, if you yield to the Holy Spirit, you will have outstanding success in all areas of your life.

When you yield to the Spirit of God, He overshadows you. This means that He will be in control of your words, thoughts, and actions. When this happens, you will experience a supernatural change in your life, and you will come into a realm of endless possibilities.

Beloved, yield completely to the leading of the Holy Spirit this year. Spend quality time praying in the Holy Spirit daily and rely on His leading in all you do (Romans 8:14). If, however, you have not surrendered your life to Christ, you must do so before you can receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Confess your sins, promise God you will not return to them, and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. After you’ve done this, ask God to baptise you in the Holy Spirit and seek a genuine minister of God to pray with you so you can receive His baptism with the evidence of speaking in tongues. You must also fast regularly if you want to subject your flesh to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Lastly, you must study the Bible diligently every day and obey all of God’s instructions. If you do all these, the Spirit of God will move mightily in your life, and everything that has been termed impossible will become possible.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.