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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.

The Almighty God is the greatest conservationist of all. Right from Genesis we read how God commanded Adam to make sure the beautiful garden He had given him did not suffer decay or any pollution, as we see in Genesis 2:15.

There are many ways one can pollute the land or any God-given gift. The land can be polluted by sin of all sorts, particularly idolatry and human sacrifice. In Genesis 2:15 we are confronted with the seriousness God attaches to the preservation of His creation. In Deuteronomy 18:9-13, God outlines what His chosen people must avoid so that the land that was destined to flow with milk and honey might remain blessed perpetually. It reads in part:
“When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.”
Deuteronomy 18:9

Idolatry is the most grievous sin against God, according to Exodus 20:3. When Adam decided to obey the devil rather than the Lord, he chose another god for himself. Many people think idolatry is when they put an image on the ground and begin to worship it. There are idolaters in the Church – people who choose to obey the devil rather than God. They are always at Church programmes but never do what God wants them to do. The Bible says:
“And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.” Ezekiel 33:31

By disobeying the word of God, people pollute the land, bringing eternal curses upon themselves and generations after them. This was exactly what the first man did and God cursed the land because of him, according to Genesis 3:17. To keep the land which the Lord has given us to inhabit, we must obey Him and live according to His word. When we do this, our land will be free from evil and it will yield great increase for our pleasure, according to Deuteronomy 28:1-13.

I encourage you to give your life to Jesus Christ today and begin to live according to the word of God from now.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The law of the Sabbath is not an end in itself but a means to an end and that is rest. Rest is a divine blessing which God bestowed upon His creation, particularly mankind. Even the land He gave man to inhabit must enjoy a sabbatical rest (Leviticus 25:2).

“And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made”
Genesis 2:2

Rest is not just a commandment from God, but also an act of divine benevolence. Exodus 20:8-11 says:
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

Some children of God are not benefiting from the sabbatical ordinance because they are obsessed with the goals they have set for themselves. While it is good to set goals and have a vision for ones future (Proverbs 29:18), you must be careful not to be a law breaker; you must not break the sabbatical law. You must take time to rest as and when due. Another reason God would want us to observe the Sabbath is so that we may find time to enjoy the fruits of our labour. God desires that man should enjoy the labour of his hand. Solomon said:
“There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.” Ecclesiastes 2:24

I pray that you will not labour for another person to enjoy your harvest, in Jesus name. This prayer can only be answered if you set aside at least a day every week to rest and commune with God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God decided to make man the chief of all His creation. This was in order to make the man overseer of all of creation. God decided to make man a small god – a similitude of Himself, to rule the earth on His behalf (John 10:34). Psalms 82:6 says we are gods. To be called a god is marvelous.

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattled, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Genesis 1:26

God created man in His own image, blessed the man and gave him dominion over the whole of creation. However, this was not without clear-cut instructions on how the man should exercise his dominion. It is unfortunate that the 21st century Church is guilty of exercising unlimited freedom acting as though Jesus Christ had saved us into lawlessness and unguided freedom. This is the reason human beings must live up to Gods expectation as gods to the rest of creation, according to Psalms 82:6. Apostle Paul asked in Romans 6:1-2:
“What shall we say? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

We must jealously guard our position in God’s creation and redemption. Our first parents lost it; we found it in Christ and so we must be careful not to take the grace of God for granted anymore. Jesus Christ restored us to this prestigious position and the Scripture confirms it thus:
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
1 Peter 2:9

The divine assessment of the whole of creation is:
“And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good….” Genesis 1:31

My prayer is that, in whatever way you may have fallen short of Gods perfection, may you be restored, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Our God is not just the God of creation; He is also the God of abundance. When God creates, He does not do so sparingly. He is still in the business of creation, according to John 5:17 which says:
“…My Father worketh hitherto, and I work…”

This is why the provision He made in the universe has not been exhausted.

An end has come to every form of un-fruitfulness and lack in your life today, in Jesus name. Our God is also the God of variety - He created both great and small in different forms. This knowledge must have informed Apostle Paul’s assurance to the Philippians that the Almighty God would supply all their need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

Another lesson we could learn from Genesis 1:20-30 is that God blessed His handwork to be fruitful and to multiply. We can thus see how foolish anyone would be if he or she agrees with the devil that God hates him or her. Our God is interested in the prosperity of His people. The Psalmist understood this and wrote:
“… Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.”
Psalm 35:27

Nobody cares about us more than God. His care, mercy and love are incomparable. Jesus said in John 15:13:
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Romans 8:32 also 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?"

This is why He said in Luke 12:31
“But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

In light of the above therefore, trust God for all you need in life because His name is Jehovah-Jireh (The Lord our Provider). Do not cut corners to be rich; if you do, this would have grave consequences. May the God of abundance meet all your needs this season, in Jesus name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Our God is the God of distinction; He is not an author of confusion. A man chooses to be confused when he does not want to do the right thing as ordered by God and so pretends that he does not know what God wants from him. When God creates, He does so with precision and purpose. He created lights for a purpose and darkness for another. God commanded:
“And let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.”
Genesis 1:14

The God of order is that God of distinction. When He wanted to create man, for example, the Bible says:
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:27

God, in His infinite wisdom, created mankind as male and female, yet some people feel the need to change their gender as though He did not know what He was doing when He created them! God does not make mistakes. Our God is the perfect God of distinction. He created the day for work and the night to rest. If for any reason we do not rest in one night, the following day should compensate for the loss of rest. Failure to observe rest produces stress, sickness and ultimately death. Little wonder life expectancy in the last fifty years has been on the decline. Achievements that should normally have taken forty years to accomplish are realized in fewer than thirty, at the price of dying earlier.

The God of distinction says in His word:
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?”
2 Corinthians 6:14

He then commanded in 2 Corinthians 6:17-18
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

A lot of people have mixed many profane things with the sacred. The God of distinction will never lower His standards. It is our duty to live up to His standards.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is power in the word of God. The word of God has creative power. The power in the word of God created space where there seemed to be none, according to John 1:1-3. The word of God will always make a way where there is no way and a space where there is no space. When the Israelite's got to the Red Sea and it seemed that they were shut between it and the hosts of Pharaoh, the Lord spoke through Moses that they should move on. It takes faith in God to obey such a command, but thank God they did and their obedience paid off because the word made an expressway in the sea for them to pass through. Exodus 14:15-16 says:
“And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the mist of the sea.”

Another lesson we should learn here is that we should always talk to God about our challenges. Moses did this effectively and every time he did, God spoke. This made Moses a problem-solver because he always heard from God. Also, when God speaks, it is done. All that is required for the ultimate manifestation is for us to take the necessary action in obedience to His word. My life is a testimony of the power in the word of God. The word of God has increased my faith in the past and is still doing so. It was the word which came to me during a family devotion that strengthened me when we were trusting God for our first natural birth. Indeed, it came through one of the children as we were considering the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea when the power of God made a way where there was none. The Bible says in Exodus 14:16
“But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it”

It was Moses who divided the sea under the influence of Gods word. The word had established it ahead:
“…and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.”

The children of God moved forward in faith and it came to pass. We must be both hearers and doers of the word (James 1:22,25). My prayer for you is that, as you obey the word of God, you will begin to do the impossible, in Jesus name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The first challenge that confronted the earth was darkness and this is what God first dealt with in the creation story, according to Genesis chapter one. May the Lord deal with every form of darkness that has hitherto plagued your life in Jesus name. When an individual gropes in darkness, he or she is likely to fall into a pit and thereby end his or her life prematurely. In other words, darkness is potentially harmful. This is why there must be light and there will be light in your life today, in Jesus name.

God said let there be light and there was light (Genesis 1:3). One lesson we must quickly learn here is that it was when God spoke His word that the miracle of light occurred.

Many modern-day Christians close up their hearts to the word of God. This is the reason many are in the Church for years and their lives remain the same. They came sick and remain sick; they came bound and remain bound. What a waste of opportunity! My prayer is that the word of God will penetrate your life today and you will experience the miracle of the light of the Living God.

When there is darkness, there can be no positive activity. God knew this and that was the reason He first tackled the problem of darkness when He created the earth. The devil represents the darkness in this world and that is why you need the light of God. Revelation 12:12 says: “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”

When there is no activity because of darkness, stagnation is inevitable. When God says Let there be light, it could mean the recovery of sight to the blind. It could mean healing to the sick or the coming of a joyous morning, according to Psalms 30:5. Let there be light could mean the end of suffering and disappointment.

Thus, if you are reading this devotional and are yet to come into the light of God in Jesus Christ, today is the day of salvation, healing, breakthrough, and deliverance; now is the acceptable time (2 Corinthians 6:2). You need the light of God today. Go for it in prayer.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

l am convinced that the question God asked of Adam long ago Where art thou? (Genesis 3:9.) is as relevant today as it was then. It is not a question that an individual should wait for God to ask him or her, but rather one that each person should ask him or herself at any given time. A sincere approach to answering this question would do one a world of good, both in this life and eternity.

From the day a person is born, the fellow begins a return journey to where he or she is from (Ecclesiastes 12:1-7). That is why people normally ask How old are you? and not How young are you? No matter how young you are, you are growing older every day. Hence, God, Himself asks where you are now. You should ask yourself the same question regularly. Ask yourself How far have I gone in fulfilling the purpose of my life and salvation?. To answer this serious question, you need to first of all answer some of the following: Where was I yesterday and where am I today? Am I increasing spiritually or decreasing?, Am I increasing financially or decreasing? The truth is that it is the will of God that His children should have all-around prosperity. Are you really bearing fruit? Your assessment of where you were in the past and now will tell you whether you are really serving the purpose of your existence. This is very important.

Since you gave your life to Christ, how many souls have you won for Him?, Since you gave your life to Christ, what is the level of your growth in the service of the Lord? It is unfortunate that some people gave their lives to Christ some ten, fifteen years ago yet remain benchwarmers while some who came in three, four years ago have become pastors and Church leaders, flourishing in one ministry gift or another.

God has also planned that we should prosper financially and materially. If you are not prospering financially and materially, could it be that you have been hiding from your Creator, the Redeemer of lost destinies? Could it mean that your sins have not been forgiven because you have not genuinely repented of them? Could it mean that you have not been obedient to the word of God?, Could it be that you have been hypocritical about your Christian walk? You can experience a great turnaround today. Jesus is calling "Son of man, where are you?" I expect if you have not yet positively responded to this call, that you would say Here I am Lord. God bless you as you do so, in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

1. Lord, we thank You for our youths and pray that as You raised David to be King, please raise youths who will lead righteously in Jesus name.

2. Father, please help our youths to fear You and to say no to unrighteousness. Let them stand for the truth and righteousness always, in Jesus name.

3. Father, send help to all our youths; help them spiritually, financially, mentally, economically, emotionally and in every way. Let our youths have all that they need to fulfill their destiny, oh Lord.

4. Father, we cover all our youths with the blood of Jesus. We will not bury our youths, in Jesus name. We cancel every plan of the enemy to kill our youths, in Jesus name.

5. Father, please protect our youths from the decadence of this generation, in Jesus name.

6. Lord, help our youths submit to authority and training so that they would be prepared for their glorious future, in the mighty name of Jesus.

7. Father, we lift our youths to You; they will not be evil doers in Jesus name. They will not trouble the nation and its progress, in Jesus name.

8. Father, You said in Your word that the glory of the youths is in their strength. Lord, let the youths use their strength to serve You. Don’t let them give their glory to the devil, Lord.

9. Father, You said in Your word that our young men will see visions. I pray for every visionless youth now, that You give such a vision – one that will draw them closer to You, far away from the devil and sin.

10. Father, amongst the youths, please raise prayer warriors, great evangelists, great men and women of God, who will serve You with all their hearts.

11. Father, we frustrate every agenda of the devil to lead our youths astray – whether it is through bad friends, the media or any other means. The agenda of the devil is frustrated now, in Jesus name.

12. Your personal prayer point for the youths, especially those close to you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Scripture contains a lot of "fear not" statements from God to His people. Fear is one tool the enemy finds most useful in making the children of God suffer failure, pain and destruction of destiny. Many a time, the things people are afraid of are not real, but their minds paint an imaginary picture of the object or situation out of proportion with the reality and the enemy helps to blow it up. Thus, people become afraid of things that should not instill fear in them. Certainly, there are some situations that are truly terrifying, but the Lord our God still charges us not to be afraid, He wants us to know that with Him backing us up, nothing and no situation can have us at its mercy. Isaiah 41:10 says:
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Fear is an enemy; it paralyses the potential for greatness. The Bible says fear has torment (1 John 4:18). Fear makes the one full of it disobedient to God; fear makes a fellow lift his or her situation higher than God. Such was the case of King Saul who confessed that he had sinned because he feared the people and obeyed their voice, even against the instruction of God (1 Samuel 15:24). Being fearful is a sin that can lead one into eternity in the lake of fire. Revelation 21:8 says:
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremonger, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Of these sins, fearfulness is number one on the list. You have no business being fearful. Jesus our Lord is greater than any human being no matter his or her status; He is greater than any situation. Nothing and no one is a match for Him.

Colossians 2:15 says Jesus has spoiled principalities and powers. Isaiah 8:12-13 says we should not fear their fear, but fear only God. Once we fear God, we would have no one else to fear. You cannot claim to fear God and others at the same time.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Peace is an essential ingredient for progress; it is an important factor for man’s well-being and good health. Our God is the author and controller of peace. There is the peace that comes from the conditions of our environment - physical and non-physical.The fact that someone is a child of God and loves Him does not necessarily mean such a person will not have problems. Fear takes away a person’s peace, but when you put your trust in God, He keeps you in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). This perfect peace comes only through surrendering one’s life to Jesus Christ Romans 5:1.

There is however something that can keep children of God from experiencing the peace of God – the root of bitterness. While this root of bitterness could affect a fellow’s behavior towards those against whom he is harboring such a feeling, the more dangerous effect of it is ultimately felt by the bitter person. Bitterness in the heart of a person creates room for hatred, envy, and anger; it breeds un-forgiveness and unhappiness. Indeed, the word bitterness itself depicts what it offers - a "bitter experience". It hinders the flow of joy and peace.

How does it originate? It comes when one feels unfairly treated by another person or an organization; it is a feeling of being injured, whether physically or otherwise. Examples would include a sister being jilted in courtship, a fellow catching his or her spouse in adultery, an employee being short-changed by his or her organization, a person being raped, and so on.

Are you battling against the root of bitterness resulting from some experience or the other?. Please note that it is not in your interest to harbor it. Bitterness eats its host up; it negatively affects the physical well-being of the individual, as well as causing a strained relationship with God.

You may have heard me tell the story of a man whose wife had died, leaving behind an only daughter with a striking resemblance to the mother. The daughter was a great consolation to this man, but the lady’s husband was constantly maltreating the lady, to the point of threatening her life. The root of bitterness that sprang up in the lady’s father resulted in him becoming swollen, defying all medical care. He only became healed after forgiving his son-in-law. To retain your God-given peace, remove all forms of bitterness in your heart today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.