₦airaland Forum

One thing every child of God must always remember is that our Father is the Unchangeable Changer. In Genesis we read how God changed a chaotic situation to a peaceful and orderly universe. The Unchangeable Changer effected the changes without Himself being changed.

“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
Genesis 1:2-3


The Almighty God – the Unchangeable Changer, changed the unfruitful situation of Sarah to fruitfulness (Genesis 21:1). He did the same thing for Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1) and turned Jacob’s life around for good by changing his name to Israel, as recorded in Genesis 32:24-32. This clearly proves that what God did in the life of the father of faith (Abraham) He could do in the life of his descendants also. This is why I know that you will encounter this Great Changer who does not change. As He did for those who sought and called Him in the past, so will He do for you today, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Some time ago, a certain young man who was afflicted with the spirit of madness asked his relatives to bring him to the Redemption Camp. As his feet touched the ground of the Redemption Camp, he was delivered completely, even before anybody could pray for him. Apparently, the Unchangeable Changer was already waiting for him. I also recall the case of a highly educated fellow who was unable to get a job in spite of all his qualifications. He surrendered his life to Jesus and we prayed a simple prayer for him. Before he got home that day, three employment offers were waiting for him.


The Unchangeable Changer changed his hopeless situation and he began to sing a new song. I have good news for you: Jesus Christ never changes; if He did it before, He can certainly do it again. As the Lord was performing miracles during His earthly ministry, so is He still doing today. Beloved, put your trust in Him and He will not let you down because He is the Unchangeable Changer. If you would only call on Him now, He would change your situation for the better in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible says in Romans 8:5:
…they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

There is therefore the need to find and put on the ‘new man’ according to Ephesians 4:24. This however, can only be possible through our reliance on the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

To put on the ‘new man’, we must accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. When one submits to the lordship of Jesus Christ, the fellow must endeavour to grow in that new experience so that he or she would not fall away. 2 Peter 3:18 says:
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…

When a born-again person is not growing, the old man will resurface. We have many of such among brethren today – troubling the Body of Christ because they are not growing in grace.

Are you one of those who believe that the Gospel of the Lord is outdated and no longer relevant to the 21st century Christian? Are you living your life without any concern for holiness? You need to repent so that the adamic nature will give way to a godly lifestyle anchored on the fear of God. This forms the foundation for growing in grace and living holy. This is what Jesus meant when He said:
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matthew 11:29


Apostle Paul said further in Galatians 5:16-17:
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh Iusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Beloved, Ephesians 4:24 is an express command from God. Let us put on the new man – created in righteousness and true holiness, as the perfect image of the Almighty God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One major sign of a person who has become born-again is the newness of the life he or she lives. This change of spiritual living standards is always obvious. When Zacchaeus the publican encountered Jesus Christ in Jericho, his life did not remain the same. The notoriously corrupt tax collector said:
“… Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”
Luke 19:8

These days however, many people confess that they have become born again but still carry on with their sinful lifestyles as though nothing in them had changed. The thief is still stealing and yet he claims to be born again. The adulterous woman who succeeded in snatching another woman’s legally wedded husband is still living comfortably with the man, yet speaking in tongues! When a person truly becomes born again the person’s life must show that a transformation has occurred.

John the Baptist, when addressing those that came to be baptized by him encouraged them to bear the fruit of genuine repentance. Genuine repentance leads to a total turnaround from past sinful living. The Bible says:
“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:”
Matthew 3:7-8

The religious leaders of John the Baptists time humbled themselves and came to him to be baptized for their spiritual growth. This is a lesson for those claiming to have risen through the ranks and files of established Churches and ministries: there is an ever present need to seek spiritual growth. This may also account for many of the older generation embracing the Pentecostal experience. Such people should however be sure to bring fruits meet for repentance, forsaking their past sinful habits and lifestyles.

A regenerated spirit is one that has undergone a change. There may be a need to change friends, eating and dressing habits and so on, in order to conform to the image of the Son of the Living God.

May the Lord make you a new creature indeed, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible says in Proverbs 16:18:
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

As we see in Isaiah 14:12-15, Lucifer, who later became the devil, was thrown out of heaven because of pride.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isaiah 14:12-13


When the devil realized that pride leads to destruction, he made it one of his major weapons. He deceived Adam and Eve, telling them that when they ate the forbidden fruit they would be as wise as God.

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Genesis 3:6

Adam and Eve fell. The glory of the Lord that covered them departed and they realized they were naked and exposed. Pride disgraces its hosts beyond measure. The story of Pharaoh is another case in point. It was pride that caused him and his soldiers to drown in the Red Sea. One would expect that after experiencing the ten terrible plagues God sent to him and his people, Pharaoh would humble himself before the Most High, but instead, he remained stubborn, asking “Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go” (Exodus 5:2)?


By the time he realized that the Lord is the Almighty, it was too late for him to repent. To escape the spirit of pride you need to be genuinely born again and sanctified so that the mind of Jesus Christ may be in you. Philippians 2:5-7 describes the humility of Jesus Christ in spite of His greatness. Humility elevates while pride destroys. Choose wisely.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

While it is true that there are spiritual pacesetters in the body of Christ today, it is however most unfortunate that such people are quite few. 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7 says:
And ye became followers of us, and of the lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost. So that ye were ensamples to all that believe In Macedonia and Achaia.

One thing we can learn from the apostles of old is that they received the word of God with joy. Modern-day Christians however, have a habit of selecting what part of the word of God to obey. Nowadays, preachers carefully select messages that would not be considered ‘offensive’ by their congregations. Let every minister of God take heed to the following words:
Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that await a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
Romans 2:21-22

Apart from warning evildoers and sinners against wickedness, a spiritual pacesetter must live by what he or she preaches. A Christian must shine brightly as light in this world (Matthew 5:14), living by the word of God. Acts 1:1 says:
…of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.

Jesus practiced His teachings. The early disciples also preached the gospel and lived their lives according to the word of God. They preached the gospel with both their words and their lifestyles.

Christians should set the pace for unbelievers in holiness. We are called to be examples to our generation. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:16:
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

God expects Christians, as ambassadors of Christ in this world, to live by example. May you not disappoint God in your daily living, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is victory in holiness. When the eyes of a child of God are opened to this revelation, he or she would begin to live righteously. Proverbs 14:34 presents a two-edged sword of the truth: while righteousness exalts a nation, sin or unrighteousness brings reproach that comes in the form of defeat to a people.

In Daniel 6:19-23, Daniel said:
“My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.”

Here is victory in holy living, confirmed by the testimony of the prophet. The Bible says in Hebrews 1:9 “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”

Heaven and earth shall pass away but the word of God shall remain, according to our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:35. Some Christians claim that it is impossible to live holy. Like I always tell my children in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the fact that you are not living holy does not mean it is impossible to do so. The Bible says:
“Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
1 John 3:7-8

A person is either holy or sinful there is no midpoint. No sinner will make it to heaven. For this reason, Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil in our lives. You are righteous by grace. This grace is what removes boasting because it is not you but Christ in you. This however, does not make us deny that God helps people to live holy. Pray earnestly for the grace to live holy because of the blessings that come with it. Daniel triumphed over all his enemies; they perished in his place because of his life of holiness! I pray that the grace to live holy will come upon you today and you will live every day in victory from now, in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are many avenues through which demons can possess an individual. One of them is alcoholism. The consumption of alcohol is a subtle habit that opens the door to various types of sins, all directed by one demon or the other. These include violence, sexual immorality, pride, evil imaginations, folly and so on. It is unfortunate that some believers are beginning to consider ‘moderation’ in the consumption of alcohol, quoting Ephesians 5:18 out of context by insisting that the Bible does not caution us against drinking alcohol, but rather against getting drunk. Sadly, it is this liberal approach to the handling of the issue of alcohol consumption that is increasing demonic operations in the lives that are supposed to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

How does alcoholism invite demons? One of the symptoms of demonic possession is sorrow and in Proverbs 23:29-35, a question was asked “Who hath sorrow?” and the answer was also provided straightaway “…they that go to seek mixed wine.” The Scripture goes ahead to warn “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright” Proverbs 23:31.

The demon of sorrow is given access through the consumption of alcohol. In addition, Proverbs 23:29-35 says “Thine eyes shall behold strange women…” Here, the demon of sexual immorality is set in motion by alcohol. A married person does not remember his or her marriage vows when put under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol has been known to promote all sorts of sexual immorality, including incest.

Genesis 19:31-38 tells the story of how two sisters got their father drunk and took turns to sleep with him. The products of these incestuous acts were the Moabites and Ammonites – two nations that later became enemies of the Israelites.

The word of God is forever settled; turn your back completely on alcohol. Alcohol creates an avenue for the devil to operate freely in the life of a person.

I enjoin you to stop creating an avenue for demons to possess you; rather, seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit and the Lord will do wondrous things through you.

I pray that you will be delivered from every demonic activity in your life today, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Holy Spirit baptism is very important to every heaven-bound Christian for many reasons. The first is the personality of the Baptizer – the Holy Spirit Himself. The Holy Spirit, being the third person in the Trinity, plays the role of the preservation of the believer after salvation. The Bible says and grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).

There are lots of virtues the Holy Spirit imparts on believers when they receive His baptism. For example, in John 7:37-39, we read of the flow of the rivers of living water symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Just as water is very important for the survival of the physical well-being of man, so also the living water or water of life is very important for spiritual well-being. The spirit of a Christian can get dehydrated and ultimately become dormant due to the lack of this living water.

Another fundamental blessing from the Holy Spirit is what we find in the instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ in Acts 1:8 - power. The disciples of old would not have been able to face the Jewish elders had they not received power from the Holy Ghost. Without the baptism of the Holy Spirit there can be no power or boldness for Christians to evangelize and witness to the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says in Acts 4:31:
“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

The Holy Spirit also enables a believer to pray without ceasing when he or she speaks in tongues. This is the promise of our Lord in the Great Commission – that we shall speak with new tongues (Mark 16:17).

Beloved, do you lack boldness as a Christian? Are you hesitant about sharing your conviction on the Lordship of Jesus? Are you rising and falling into sin because you think it is impossible to withstand the wiles of the devil? Are demonic forces tormenting you? Pray earnestly for the baptism of the Holy Spirit today and you will receive power and boldness for victorious Christian living, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Some Bible scholars have classified damnation into three major categories – temporary, long-term and eternal. Temporary damnation may come as a result of an error in judgment after which the victim is vindicated. Long-term damnation could be for life here on earth, whereas eternal damnation – which is the worst, is forever. Our Lord Jesus Christ said in Luke 12:4-5:
And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Many people choose eternal damnation indirectly by escaping the temporary one that godly living may pose to them. In the midst of trials and tribulations, some children of God deny their Lord. We should never bow to the enticement of the devil. Rather, we should heed the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, although this may expose us to some temporary challenges. This is the reason Jesus said to His disciples:

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33

In order to escape eternal damnation, we must accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is unfortunate that there are many churchgoers today who do not really believe the gospel. Some think the gospel is no longer relevant. They believe that Christ came to redeem man from eternal damnation, yet refuse to live by His standards, according to our Scripture reading of today. Accepting the gospel requires our submission to the lordship of Jesus Christ over our lives.

A true believer cannot do anything merely because he or she feels like. Everything a believer does must be in the name of the Lord Colossians 3:17. We cannot afford to follow the world; rather, we must learn and follow God’s will at all times (1 John 2:15-17). May the Lord give us hearing ears and obedient hearts to live according to His perfect will, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people do not know that God always has replacements for the people He appoints for one task or the other. God cannot be held to ransom on any issue or event. This is the reason He always provides alternatives.

When a child of God becomes swollen-headed and he or she begins to disobey Him in matters like soul-winning, tithing, offering, payment of first fruit and so on, such a fellow is on the way to being replaced. I pray that you will successfully complete all assignments God has given you. He will not have cause to replace you with another person, in Jesus name.

The betrayal of Jesus Christ by Judas Iscariot was predicted in Psalms 41:9 which says:
“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”

Thus, before Judas Iscariot chose to be a betrayer, God had already seen it. Acts 1:16-26 says also that Matthias was chosen to replace Judas. May you never be replaced by God in Kingdom projects, in Jesus name. Another lesson we can learn from this as children of God is that whenever a way seems blocked, God has more than a thousand alternative ways to replace it. Romans 8:28 says "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Beloved, learning from the experience of King Saul and Judas Iscariot, we must be very careful about the way we lead our lives so that what happened to them may not happen to us. The Bible says "Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted" (1 Corinthians 10:6).

God has alternatives for any child of His who would not be law-abiding. Let us therefore be wary of doing what would make God replace us with someone else. There are many examples of people who lost their enviable positions and by implication, their relevance in the society due to deliberate or careless mistakes.

Beware of divine replacement; serve the Lord diligently!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Human beings have been in search of the way back to their Maker since the fall of the first man. Man was sent out of the Garden of Eden and he became a wanderer, without the peace he once had when he had access to his Maker. This is the primary reason man invented various types of religions, hoping to access God through them.

God however, decided to reveal Himself to people like Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, among others who sincerely loved Him. This category of people received divine help to impact their generations by pointing them in the way to the Almighty God. Jesus said it plainly:
“…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.”
John 14:6-7

When one of Jesus’ disciples asked Him to reveal God the Father to them, Jesus responded by saying “he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9)

Jesus Christ is the perfect revelation of God the Father. It is through His teaching that we know that God is a Spirit and whoever wants to worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). He told us that unless we are born again, we cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3). Religious activities are exercises in futility without this new birth experience. Until Jesus came, even scholars of the Jewish religious laws were ignorant of these principles of God’s Kingdom. Therefore, we must always look unto Him for direction if we want to make it back to the One who created us in His own image. Part of our Bible reading today says “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2).

Also, Jesus Christ Himself said in John 3:14-15:
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

I encourage you to look unto Jesus for salvation, deliverance, healing, breakthroughs and eternal life. You will experience abundant life here on earth and in eternity with God, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

We must consider practical ways of saying 'Thank you' to the Lord. When you are truly grateful to someone, it will be difficult to hide it. Your gratitude will be evident in everything you do and this truth is confirmed in 2 Samuel 6:14-22. When David considered how he had been surviving both seen and unseen battles of life, he could not help dancing and leaping for his God.

The Almighty God has kept us alive to date, and like David, we must practically demonstrate our gratitude through dancing and offering of heartfelt praises to Him. For the preservation of our lives alone, we must bless the Lord. In Psalms 144:1, the Psalmist blesses the Lord for teaching his hands to war and directing his fingers to fight right. We must realize that not all fighters win the battles of life. This is what made David write:
“Bless the Lord O my soul…Who redeemeth thy life from destruction…”
Psalm 103:4

Considering the numerous battles David fought in his lifetime, particularly against King Saul and his own son – Absalom who staged a coup against him, one should know that but for God, David would have died a premature death. This is why he described Gods benevolence as loving kindness and tender mercies. Oh, how I wish we all would appreciate Gods kindness as much as David did. Moreover, David recognized that the mercies of God to him were of tender types – not one but many. Little wonder that in 2 Samuel 6:14-22, he literally praised the Lord to the consternation of his wife who despised him for dancing passionately for the Lord.

Apparently, Michal had never seen her father – the former king praise God in that manner before so it was strange to her. Little wonder God replaced him with David, who would genuinely praise and worship Him.

A practical application of a heart of gratitude brings to mind the mindfold blessings of God. It leads to genuine thanksgiving and appreciation of all the miracles and wonders of God that we receive daily. Let somebody shout Hallelujah!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Ingratitude is dangerous, particularly when it is directly shown against the Almighty God. There are many things we enjoy from Gods benevolence, but we often take them for granted. At a point when David seemed to be forgetful of the goodness of the Lord, he decided to preach to his soul, according to the Bible reading of today.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:”
Psalm 103:1-2

In Psalm 103:1-5, David took some time to list the blessings of God upon his life so that he would not overlook any of them. The first thing he mentioned is the benefit of forgiveness he enjoyed from the Holy One of Israel. One wonders if modern day Christians appreciate the blessing of forgiveness like David did.

Another blessing David listed in his collection of Gods benefits is divine healing. How often do we take time to really appreciate God for our health and well-being? How well do we thank Him whenever He heals us? There are numerous sicknesses and diseases for which there is no known cure. Do we even remember to thank God for medication that works when we take it?

May the Lord grant you divine health, which is far superior to healing, in the mighty name of Jesus. However, we must remember the words of the Lord to the Syrophoenician woman:

“…it is not meet to take the children’s bread and to cast it unto the dogs.”
Mark 7:27

In other words, before we can have access to divine health or at least divine healing which are some of the benefits of being a part of Gods kingdom, we must first become born again (John 3:3). For those of us who are children of God, we must not take God’s grace and blessings for granted because we cannot remain in sin and expect grace to abound Romans (6:1). Let us show our appreciation by living for Him alone and by glorifying Him in our bodies as Paul enjoined us in Romans 12:1-2. Furthermore, the Bible in Deuteronomy 6:12 urges us not to forget all what the Lord has done for us.

Make a habit of counting your blessings and testifying to God's goodness at all times.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The heart is one of the most vital organs required for mans continued existence both physically and spiritually. Physically, the heart is required to sustain human existence and spiritually, it is also required to stay alive in the Lord. A popular adage says the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart, meaning that the core issues of life are matters of the heart. This is exactly what Proverbs 4:23 is saying.

The things that mould life come from the heart. The Bible says the heart is evil - deceitful, desperately wicked and who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9). At conversion – when a person becomes born again, the heart is impacted and made receptive to the word of God. It therefore becomes a dwelling place for the word of God, so that it can be transformed to bring forth virtues, victories and so on. For this to occur however, God's children must work constantly on their minds through studying, meditating on and memorizing the word of God.

Basically, a heart would be found in one of these four states: (a) the roadside state (b) the stony state (c) the thorny state (d) the good-soil state (Matthew 13:1-23). The state of an individual’s heart is however determined by the fellow. The heart is the seat of knowledge but until knowledge is stored in it, the owner (of the heart) cannot benefit from it. Please ask yourself "What kind of knowledge do I receive and retain in my heart?"

It is also important to note that the mouth is the outlet to the heart (Matthew 12:34). Hence, a good relationship between the heart and the mouth determines the course of a man’s life whether good or bad. In other words, the issues that mould a life stem from the heart through the mouth. Indeed, the state of the heart presents the true identity of a person. It is the first place God looks at before relating with man. We see this clearly in 1 Samuel 16:7 where God said:
“…the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

What would God see if He were to look into your heart today?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is one thing to choose the right partner in marriage and it is another to choose the right approach to courtship. A wrong approach to Christian courtship can still lead to problems or failure even when the right choice has been made. Therefore, believers in courtship must be holy through and through if they would eat the good of the land of marriage (Isaiah 1:19).

Sister, you must know that a man will typically be at his best during courtship. He would call you by different pet names, please you and make you feel secure. However, once the wedding ceremony is over and you begin to live together, his shortcomings will be more exposed to you. The saying that love is blind may appear true but the one that also says marriage is an eye opener has equally been proven to be true now and again.

Men are however not the only ones guilty of this. Brother, you will also discover a lot more about the personality of your wife after the wedding ceremony. This is why the world recommends that couples should cohabit during courtship but should this be found among children of God? The simple answer is No! Ephesians 4:14 says:
“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”

The fact that you are in courtship does not give you the license to begin to cohabit. Trial marriage has no place in Christianity; it is whoredom. Some so-called sisters also try to seduce naive brothers to get them pregnant and the result is what the world calls a shotgun marriage one not properly prepared for. God abhors this seriously (Hebrews 13:4).

Christian courtships must be characterized with sincerity. You must be able to share your past and present experiences with your would-be spouse. You both should also lay your future bare in the hands of Jesus Christ. While there may be sincere disagreements during courtship, you would have to prayerfully re-evaluate it if the relationship is rife with troubles from the sinful demands of your partner. A broken courtship is better than a broken marriage. Be warned!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Apart from the choice of whom to serve, the choice of a life partner in marriage is another fundamental decision that can affect a person’s destiny positively or negatively. A wrong choice in marriage may override the choice to serve God. Solomon chose to marry many strange women and they influenced him to forsake God and serve idols. The choice of a life partner will go to a very large extent in either strengthening or weaking a person’s relationship with God. Solomon did not want to forget God who had done so much for him, but his choice of wives caused him to err.

Many people make costly mistakes because they do not seek God’s guidance. No matter how much you know, depending on God in making a choice is a sign of meekness and humility. God still chooses the right marriage partner for His children who are willing to trust and obey Him. Psalm 25:9 says:
“The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.”

Judgment in the above Scripture means decision-making or preference, thus, it is saying God will guide the meek in making choices. Even if you have basic knowledge in the area where you have to make a choice, you still need to depend on God. Lot chose a piece of land that he knew would be very good for agriculture. He surveyed the land, assessed its prospects, knew it would sufficiently support animal husbandry and thus, chose to relocate there. His knowledge was good, but it was limited because he did not know what the future held for that land. God eventually destroyed the land in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah Genesis 13:9-11. There appears to be nothing wrong in Lot making a choice, however, his mistake was that he did not seek God’s guidance. Relying solely on one’s knowledge can ruin such a person’s destiny and lead to eternal damnation. This is why Proverbs 31:30 says:
“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”

Seek the face of God and sound Christian counseling before choosing a life partner. Do not choose by sight and human knowledge alone; God’s guidance is key to making the best choice in all that concerns you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

PRAYERS

1) Lord, we thank You for all the nations of the world. Father, in our nation, let there be light. Please, bring an end to every darkness in Jesus name. Let Your light shine so every darkness of poverty, corruption, stagnation and backwardness can come to an end swiftly, in Jesus name.

2) Lord, take over our nation. Set it aflame with the fire of revival in Jesus name. Let revival break out in our nation, in Jesus name.

3) Father, please rid our land of every evil. Lord, please raise an army of great leaders that will fight and overcome all the ills in this nation not with physical weapons but with Your grace and righteousness, in Jesus name.

4) Lord, expose all those troubling our nation from the east, west, south and the north. Let all those who have made up their minds to trouble our nation be exposed and disgraced, in Jesus name.

5) Father, please put an end to the violence and bloodshed in our nation, in Jesus name. Heal our land and have mercy on us, in Jesus name.

6) Father, let peace reign in our nation and let us begin to prosper more and more, in Jesus name. Please make our country great, in Jesus name.

7) Lord, we cancel every satanic agenda against our nation, in Jesus name. No weapon formed against our nation will prosper, in Jesus name.

Father, please visit our nation with many blessings. Lord, open the windows of heaven and pour out great blessings on our nation, in Jesus name.

9) Father, let there be unity in our country. Take away every iota of disunity, in Jesus name. Let us stop fighting one another, in Jesus name.

10) Father, let the policies of our nation favour the Church of God. Let Churches thrive in all the nations of the world, in Jesus name.

11) Lord, help the leaders of this nation to lead righteously and with the fear of God in Jesus name.

12) Your personal prayers for your nation.

Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 we see terrible things that man does on the earth. However, being born of water and of the Spirit brings about a change, that is, divine transformation (John 3:3). John the Beloved said something deeper concerning this spiritual new birth:
“This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.”
1 John 5:6

The mystery of the new birth cannot be understood except through the Spirit of God. In the same epistle of John we read:

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”
1 John 3:89

There are two main steps by which we can experience this divine transformation: genuine repentance when a person voluntarily submits his or her will to the Lord, and the power in the blood of Jesus Christ – being sanctified by the power in the blood of the new covenant that is far superior to the blood of animals.

“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”
Hebrews 10:4

Therefore, for divine transformation, Jesus Christ is the answer.

Every born-again child of God must pass through the process of change and become transformed, irrespective of how morally upright such a person may have been before salvation. That heart that has hitherto been trained to view things in the way of the world must be renewed and tutored to henceforth view things spiritually, in line with the will of God. Romans 12:2 says And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

May the Lord - the Greatest Transformer, start the required change in your life today, in Jesus name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Walking with God requires living holy because He is holy. Amos 3:3 says “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.”
Genesis 17:1

Psalms 24:3-6 shows us some fundamental requirements for an acceptable walk with God. The first is clean hands. If your hands are defiled you cannot walk with God. What is it that defiles a person’s hands? Blood money is one. Money belonging to another person or organisation that you took unlawfully is another. Also your hands could be defiled through an illicit premarital or extramarital association. Proverbs 6:27-29 says:
Can a man take fire in his bosom, And his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, And his feet not be burned? So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; Whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.

Only a person with a pure heart can effectively and acceptably walk with God. Jeremiah 17:9 says:
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Romans 3:23 says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. At the same time 1 John 1:7-9 says if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

May the Lord deliver you from anything that works against your walk with Him, in Jesus’ name. The act of walking with God is not a call to relate with Him as His equal, but one of total submission to His authority and an absolute commitment to follow Jesus. This was made clear in Luke 9:23 and Philippians 2:12. Determination to serve God in holiness, righteousness, in spirit and truth creates the right foundation for walking with the Lord.

Holiness requires dogged determination. Ask yourself in every situation “What would Jesus do?”

Make up your mind to be holy, and the Lord will help you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Walking with God requires knowing His ways. However, His ways are more often not our ways. The Bible says:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9.

Psalm 103:7 gives us food for thought when it says “He made known his ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel”.

Moses knew God’s ways but the children of Israel knew only His acts through the miracles they experienced or enjoyed. The lesson here is that it is more blessed to know the ways of God. It is more important to know God’s mind and accept His will than merely seeking miracles. The sad thing about miracle seekers is that they are not always stable, even with what they experience. The children of Israel are typical examples. In Deuteronomy 8:1-6, God says that His people should remember all the ways in which He led them for forty years. He gave them food and water that they did not labour for, by His spoken word. Even their clothes and sandals did not wear out (Deuteronomy 8:3-4).

Deuteronomy 8:1-6 shows that people of God should not obey Him only because of what they would eat or drink. Many today are on their way to hell because of what they would eat, drink or put on. This is the truth that Jesus knew and quoted victoriously when the devil wanted to trap Him through food in Luke 4:4:
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Jesus taught His disciples, reassuring them that as long as they walked with God through His word, all their needs would be met. He said in Matthew 6:25:
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Beloved, I encourage you to begin to walk with God according to His word from today and you will experience His almighty benevolence, in Jesus’ name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Walking with God is highly rewarding when we are ready to pay the price. Walking with God requires perfect obedience to His word. Failure to do this brought calamity upon humanity in the garden of Eden. The Bible in Genesis 2:16-17 says: And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

The first man and the first woman did not keep to these terms. This is exactly what is still happening today. People find it difficult to live by the letter of the Holy Bible, claiming it is old-fashioned. The question is: What did God say concerning His word and the latter days? Matthew 5:28-29 says:
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Beloved, walking with God requires your obedience in all the ways which the Lord has commanded us to. Obedience to God’s commandments is vital to the peace and prosperity of His children. This is why Deuteronomy 5:33 says ”Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess”.

Furthermore, Hebrews 13:8 says “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever”.

Beloved, do not believe those who say that any aspect of the laws and commandments of God is obsolete in this 21st century. If you want to enjoy the wonderful benefits of walking with God in this world so that your eternity with God will be guaranteed, then you must do everything in your power to be obedient to all the commandments that Jesus teaches in the Bible.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Man is wonderfully and fearfully made. Created in the image of God, man is a god to other forms of creation, according to Psalms 82:6, which is re-established in John 10:34. God Almighty created man for a divine purpose and for His pleasure Revelation 4:11. At the same time, God has prepared a reward for every man who chooses to fulfill His purpose for his life (Revelation 22:12).

In Matthew 25:19-21, we read of the faithful servant who made good use of the talents given to him by his master and received a commendation. Jesus Christ said in John 15:16:
“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.”

The Lord is encouraging someone reading this devotional today that He is taking note of your labour of love in the Church and to humanity. Though your pastor or head of department may not commend you, the Almighty God will reward you handsomely if you will not be weary in well-doing, according to Galatians 6:9 which says:
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Peter asked the Lord what their reward would be, seeing that they left everything to follow Him. Jesus answered in Mark 10:29-30 and said:
“Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospels, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.”

Beloved, accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour if you haven't done so yet. After this, begin to work for Him, serve Him and His Church through soul-winning and sacrificial giving. You will surely be commended. Recall that Revelation 22:12 says "I come quickly and my reward is with me…"
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the shortest verses of the New Testament which is also our memory verse today (1 Thessalonians 5:16) says Rejoice evermore.

Today, we read about the command Weep Not. This command is easier read than obeyed, but then, it should still be obeyed. A widow lost her only son and Jesus Christ commanded her not to weep! The Lord is saying to you also don’t weep, but rather, rejoice because He will intervene in that situation that is drawing tears out of your eyes. Weeping doesn’t solve any problem; it is merely an expression of sorrow.

Weeping could be detrimental to those who indulge themselves in the habit. Weeping blurs vision and reasoning both physically and spiritually. Weeping, particularly when God says don’t weep in such situations that appear unpleasant, is an indirect protest against Gods command, and anything that we do contrary to the command of the Lord is an act of rebellion. The Bible assures us that Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning (Psalms 30:5). We are most blessed if we believe this Scripture. Weeping blurred Mary Magdalene’s vision on the resurrection morning to the extent that she mistook Jesus Christ for a gardener (John 20:11-15). Jesus tried to console her but she did not recognize Him.

“Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.”
John 20:15

An antidote to weeping is reading Gods word concerning His promises for us in the time of trouble. Another one is high praises to God who specializes in reversing the irreversible. The Bible says that when David was distressed at Ziklag because the wives and children of he and his men had been taken away captive by raiders, he appealed to God for His consoling word. He was not only consoled but also assured of full restoration (1 Samuel 30:1-. Seek and speak the word of God that is applicable to your challenge in the time of trouble, then praise Him. You will surely laugh last!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible's instruction to study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth simply means to carefully research and meditate upon the lives of those who obtained God’s approval. Learn those things they did that earned them Gods approval. The following are the things he did to attain this goal: One, he forsook the worldly glory and approval to gain the approval of God through the righteousness that can only be found in Christ. Two, he sought to know more of Jesus Christ in order to do His will; he was never satisfied with a life of mediocrity. The apostle made bold to say:
“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample”
Philippians 3:17

Beloved, any Church leader who cannot say what Paul said above is not worth following. Show me your leader and I will tell you who you are. I will even tell you how far you can go in the Christian journey. When I gave my life to Christ, I was blessed with a leader who was heaven-bound. That was my late Father-in-the-Lord – the founder of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Any time I looked at him, I saw the glory of God and the image of Jesus Christ in him and knew if I could follow his footsteps I would make it in my Christian walk. He was completely transparent, a lover of the cross of his Master and Saviour. He did not only teach but practiced what he taught to the letter. Paul, the apostle wrote:
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, l preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
Galatians 1:8-9

It is necessary for Christians to prove all things and hold fast that which is good, according to 1 Thessalonians 5:21. We are to abstain from all appearance of evil. I advise you to seek out genuine teachers of the word of God and learn from them because only the truth and nothing but the truth can set you free from the errors of the end times. Jesus Christ is the Truth.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible says in Jeremiah 31:31 "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah"

Jesus Christ is the foundation of the new anointing; He makes things new, including our ways of life and worship. This is the truth that Jesus explained to the woman He spoke with at the well in Samaria, according to John 4:19-24. The woman was arguing for the old dispensation but Jesus said:

“Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”
John 4:22-23

Before Jesus Christ ascended to be with His Father, He promised His disciples the power of the Holy Ghost - Acts 1:5, Acts 1:8. The coming of the Holy Ghost brought the new anointing. One thing the new anointing does is that it convicts us of sin, according to John 16:7-8. Another thing to note is that your anointing needs to be updated or else it becomes obsolete. How do we renew or update our anointing? The Bible says "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2).

The Scripture above clearly tells us that (1) we must not conform to this world as it brings new ideas and the philosophy of men to derail us, (2) rather, we must be transformed as we had conformed prior to our salvation, according to 2 Corinthians 5:17, (3) we must do this by the renewing of our minds against the old ways of life we are used to, (4) by this, we will be able to distinguish good from evil and (5) ultimately, we shall safely arrive at the perfect will of God for our lives. With the renewed anointing, we are shielded from seducing and lying spirits. We are properly groomed into all godliness without having to struggle on our own, according to Zechariah 4:6.

Surrender your life to Jesus Christ, not only as the Saviour from sin but also as the Lord of your life. Only then can the blessings of the new anointing be yours.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In John 21:1-6, we read about the disciples encounter with the resurrected Jesus at the Sea of Tiberias where they had gone fishing. In spite of all their hard work, they had caught nothing. Jesus came to them, but they initially did not recognize Him. He then teased them, asking Children, have ye any meat? The answer was obviously negative. When you are not where you should be, you are on the wrong side and this can bring untold hardship and sorrow.

Jesus had compassion upon the apostles and gave them a directive to cast their net to the right side of the boat for a catch. They obeyed and hauled in a mighty catch. Every child of God must always strive to be on the right side of the Lord doing His will, obeying His word and walking according to His ways.

“And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other”
Genesis 13:10-11

Lot greedily chose the land that seemed good for his flocks without consideration for the elderly uncle who brought him out to choose first. Unfortunately, it was the wrong side; it was a place marked for destruction. The land was totally destroyed and Lot lost everything except two of his daughters. He even lost his wife to the destruction.

“Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind, and she became a pillar of salt.”
Genesis 19:24-26

Beloved, please come to the Lords side today if you are yet to answer His call. Repent and accept Him as your Lord and Saviour. He will prosper and give you all-round rest as He has promised, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Numerous blessings await anyone who knows Jesus, spends time reading, studying and meditating on the word of God. Apostle Paul prayed that he might know Jesus the more (Philippians 3:10) because he knew that doing so would bring a lot of blessings.

What does it entail to know Jesus Christ?

It takes staying with Him, learning of Him, doing His bidding and loving people unconditionally. He said in Matthew 11:28-29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me…

There are lots of things we must learn of Jesus if we really want to know Him as He is. For example, Jesus Christ was confronted with the three categories of sin: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life when He was tempted by the devil to engage in a show of power. However, He refused to jump from the pinnacle of the temple, according to Luke 4:9-13. Jesus overcame by His obedience to the word of God. Against one of the temptations, Jesus said in Luke 4:4 "...It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."

The more we know Jesus Christ, the more we want to conform to His image, the suffering He endured and His death on the cross.

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny Himself.”
2 Timothy 2:12-13

Anyone who lacks the knowledge of Jesus Christ is an alien to God and thus short-changes himself or herself. The Bible says:
“And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”
Daniel 11:32

The apostles of old understood the importance of knowing the true God, thus one of them said in John 14:8 …shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

Our knowledge of Jesus Christ is all we need for our cases to be permanently settled. My prayer is that you will know Him today in Jesus name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are occasional followers of Jesus Christ and there are those who are permanent as well. The occasional followers of Jesus Christ typically opt not to live completely according to the Lords standards, choosing what and when to obey. They choose a life of partial obedience to the word of God. Once, when Jesus was teaching these standards, the Bible says in John 6:66
"From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him".

To be with Jesus means to live by His teachings. He once lamented in Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? He said further in John 8:31-32 …If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Two things are clear in Acts 4:13-14: One, if you have been with Jesus indeed, boldness will be your trademark. The Bible says:
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
Romans 8:15

When a so-called child of God is living in fear, we must check whether he has been with Jesus indeed. Two, someone who has been with Jesus lives a daily miraculous life. This is another trademark of genuine followers of Jesus Christ as we read in Acts 4:13-14. The Bible says:
“And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.”
Acts 4:14

I have taught in the School of Disciples that what our Master Jesus did, we can do also, and even more, according to His promise. When this happens, we become genuine ambassadors of Christ on earth. As Christ’s ambassadors, we shall bring the whole world to their knees, saying Jesus is Lord. We are light and salt indeed if we choose to be with Jesus, living according to His standards, as written in the Bible. The blessings of being with Jesus include learning from Him and when we do so, we shall find rest for our souls, according to Matthew 11:29. If you are yet to give your life to Christ, make up your mind, not only to come to Jesus today, but also to stay put. Don’t be an occasional or casual follower of Jesus Christ.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are many so-called praise songs that are not celebrating the beauty of Gods holiness and are thus unacceptable to the Lord. The sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving can produce abundant prosperity, according to 2 Corinthians 9:11. Let us consider prosperity through the sacrifice of thanks, as we see in John 6:11-13.

We as children of God need to understand that God has numerous ways by which He can do whatever He says He will. We should not waste our time in trying to pre-empt God or dictating to Him how our blessings or prosperity should come. We are to simply pray for what we want with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6).

When the battle against the children of Israel raged in 2 Chronicles 20:1-37, King Jehoshaphat merely obeyed the voice of the Lord by appointing choristers to sing unto God. Who would have thought that soldiers from the attacking nations would go to war with so many precious jewels and expensive clothes? God had purposed to bless His people because He knew from the onset that they would praise and bless the beauty of His holiness and He had to compensate them for giving Him His due!

Another lesson we must learn from this story is that our praise and worship must be inspired by the Holy Spirit. Some of our so-called songs of praise are from our carnal man, not the Spirit.

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
John 4:23-24

When we give God heartfelt praise and worship, He in turn showers us with blessings. However, if we deny Him the praise He is worthy of, He would also deny us His prosperity. In John 6:11-13, our Lord gave thanks upon five loaves and two fishes; the response of His Father was phenomenal - five thousand men were fed to satisfaction. Many of us are so ungrateful. How blessed we would be if we could learn to offer God the sacrifice of thanks.

Let us cultivate the habit of giving God worthy praise and thanksgiving and He will bless us with abundant prosperity.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Towards the end of His earthly ministry, our Lord Jesus Christ gave us an assignment, commonly called the Great Commission: to preach the gospel to every creature.

He however, mentioned a requirement we would need before going out to witness to the whole world about Him - the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:.

Embarking on the work of missions without the power of the Holy Spirit is suicidal. This is the reason we have casualties among modern day missionaries because some of them are not spiritually-equipped. While they have the zeal, many lack the spiritual empowerment for the work at this present time, just like Uzzah when the Ark of the Covenant was being moved.

“And when they came to Nachons threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there… for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.”
2 Samuel 6:6-7.

Presumptuous sin killed Uzzah. This is the reason David prayed that God should deliver him from presumptuous sins:
“Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins…”
Psalm 19:13

We need to be endued in the Holy Spirit before we can be effective missionaries. While the missionary mandate must be kept by genuine children of God, we must be sure to receive the power of the Holy Ghost before we start. We must therefore be baptized in the Holy Spirit. I pray that as many as are thirsty for the baptism of the Holy Spirit shall be satisfied with it today, in Jesus name.

Going by the gift which the Holy Spirit offers us in Acts 1:8, we can see the reason every missionary and soul-winner must be possessed by the Holy Spirit. For example, the word of wisdom is necessary for effective evangelism. A preacher without the Holy Spirit is a mere orator. A missionary needs the gifts of prophecy and discerning of spirits as a weapon against the deceit of the devil. Of course, without speaking and praying in tongues, a missionary’s prayer life would be in shambles. I pray that every soul-winner using this devotional today will be adequately equipped by the Holy Spirit for exploits, in Jesus name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The issue of praise and worship cannot be over-emphasized. As a matter of fact, the primary and original reason God created man and indeed all things for His pleasure as we see in Revelation 4:10-11:
“The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 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.”

Despite the fact that we are created for the purpose of praising and worshipping God, the Lord still daily loads us with benefits Psalms 68:19. One of these benefits is the victory that God gives to us when we sing His praise, according to 2 Chronicles 20:18-22.

Another thing we must learn from 2 Chronicles 20:22 is that the Bible says:
“...he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness…”
2 Chronicles 20:21

It is not all so-called praise and worship singers who are genuine and acceptable unto the Lord; some are unto the flesh. I have often told my children in the faith that they should be mindful of the type of song they sing in the name of praise or worship. Some of these songs are from the pit of hell, coated in Christian lyrics. Any song, display, dance, drama or general work of art that promotes promiscuity is unacceptable in the sight of God and will do the opposite of what genuine songs of praise and worship do. Our song should come from a pure heart, its presentation void of pride and ulterior motives.

It is unfortunate that the origins of some so-called songs of praise and worship are demonic shrines. They are so melodious and we embrace them without knowing the implication. From today, let us allow the Holy Spirit to give us songs that the Trinity will appreciate. Let us sing of the beauty of Gods holiness for irreversible victory over our adversaries. It is only when our praise or worship is truly inspired by the Holy Spirit that it can indeed be an indomitable weapon of spiritual warfare.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When God said Let us make man in our image, after our likeness in Genesis 1:26, little could anyone know what it would entail. By this divine decision, man was made responsible for his actions and inactions because he is a small god (Psalms 82:6). Man, therefore had to take responsibility for his livelihood after the fall in the Garden of Eden. In spite of the need of man to have a means of livelihood however, our Lord Jesus Christ still cautions:
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Matthew 6:33

John 15:5 reveals to us how to fulfil the law of fruitfulness. At creation, man lived in all-round abundance – physically, spiritually and materially because God bestowed His blessing upon him and his wife. With little effort, the man found great reward for his labour. This therefore shows us clearly that to be fruitful, you must have an intimate relationship with the Living God. The first law of fruitfulness is to make Jesus Christ our Lord – we must be born again, that is, we must agree with Romans 3:23 that all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, then quickly do something about it. This acceptance must be followed by the genuine repentance from our sins and unrighteousness.

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”
Acts 3:19

It is time the children of God understand the secret of fruitfulness: abiding in the Son of the Living God – the True Vine. We must leave behind every anxiety about what or who we want to become, focusing instead on living each day for God. The Bible says:
“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
2 Corinthians 8:9

With the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, we are abundantly blessed of the Lord, and we know that God’s blessings make us rich without any added sorrow (Proverbs 10:22).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.