₦airaland Forum

It is impossible to offer the same service to two human masters at the same time, let alone God and mammon. Whoever tries to do so will lose ultimately. This is because God will see you as unserious and you will get nothing from Him. Mammon (Money), on the other hand is not reliable. Psalm 49:6-7 says
“They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.”

Why is mammon compared with God and not the devil? It is because mammon represents the material things of this world and that is what the devil has been using to compete against God. The devil won against Adam and Eve but thankfully, he failed against Jesus when he tried to lure Him with earthly treasures. So, who is your master – God or mammon?

Once you have chosen to serve God:
You should no longer steal to make money because it is the blessing of God that makes one rich without sorrow (Proverbs 10:22). You will not rob to become rich. “Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.” (Proverbs 9:17-18).

You must not lie or falsify records to become wealthy. Proverbs 11:4 says “Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.”

You must not lie or falsify records to become wealthy. Proverbs 11:4 says “Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.”

You must learn to give generously to Kingdom projects. You must always put Him first.

In Joshua 24:15-24, some people decided to stay on the side of God and Joshua warned them that they would be consumed if they served other gods. Dear reader, you must make up your mind today to serve God and not mammon. He will surely take care of you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

These days, people just call anyone ‘Daddy’ in the church, and not necessarily out of respect as it is done in the Yoruba culture. You need to be careful who you call your father; Apostle Paul told the church in Corinth that they have only one father but many instructors, as seen in 1 Corinthians 4:15.

I miss the good old days when we all use to call each other ‘Bro’ or ‘Sis’. The choice of who you call your father has a lot to do with your destiny. In 2 Kings 3:11-12, the only introduction that Elisha needed was that his Father-in-the-Lord was Elijah and Jehoshaphat immediately concluded that “The word of the Lord is with him.”

First, you cannot be greater than your father, at least not while he is still alive. Luke 6:40 says
“The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.”

Whoever your father is sets a limit to how far you can go in life. This information alone is enough to make you careful with respect to whom you refer to as ‘My Father-in-the-Lord.’

Secondly, anointing flows from the head downwards, so if you don’t check that the character of whoever you make your head is very good, well, he could be passing a dangerous anointing to you. It is from my Father (Pa Josiah Akindayomi) that I learnt that holiness is the master key; it is from him that I learnt discipline. His anointing was not the kind that you use to extort money from congregants; it was not the kind that needed a special concoction for it to work. I inherited the pure anointing of God from him.

It is not wise to choose a Father-in-the-Lord by yourself; ask God who your father should be. Your destination in life will determine whom you should understudy. The affluence, eloquence and large congregation of a man does not necessarily make him fit to father you. My Father-in-the-Lord has none of those things. He was illiterate, yet God told me to submit to him. Today, I give God the glory that Pa Josiah Akindayomi was my Father-in-the-Lord.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In my book The Mathematics of Answered Prayers, I explained my points using simultaneous equations, but here, we will be using simple algebra. For your prayers to be answered, you will need to apply the following algebraic equation.

F (P+W+R+JN) = Answered Prayers

Faith (F) is the constant variable that must affect every other element of your equation before your prayers can be answered. Hebrews 11:6 says:
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Without faith it is impossible to please God and of course if you displease Him, how would you expect Him to answer your prayer?

The next thing you need is to Praise Him (P). Psalm 100:4 shows that praise attract God’s attention and make Him willing to hear you. In fact, if you just praise God and don’t make any requests, He will ask you for what you want. This was the case with Solomon after he had given a thousand burnt offerings to God without making any request. God told him in a dream to ask for whatever he wanted (1st Kings 3)

Pray with reference to the word (W) of God. Before you bring a request to God, find out what His word says about it, then quote it back to Him; this is praying according to His will. James 4:3 says we ask and do not get our miracles because we ask amiss. When you ask according to the word of God, you cannot ask amiss. After this, present your Request (R). Lastly, make sure that you are presenting your request in Jesus’ name (JN). When you pray in the name of Jesus, you are placing the personality of Jesus behind your request and since God cannot deny Him anything, He will not deny you. He will attend to your request just as He attends to the requests of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is always something we desire, and sometimes we have to wait a little before we get it. A secondary school student is waiting to graduate, then gain admission to a higher institution of learning, get a job and so on – and that is just within the family circle. In career, ministry, business, there is always something we are aspiring to get. Our attitude while waiting can seriously influence whether we will get it or not.

While waiting, never stop asking. John 16:24 says that you should ask that your joy may be full. If your joy is not yet full, don’t stop asking. I ask until my joy overflows. Daniel 10:12-13, Daniel had been praying for a long time and God had actually sent the answer to his prayers, but the Prince of Persia blocked the angel that was bringing the answer, until Angel Michael came to his rescue. Daniel did not stop praying all the while that he was waiting for the answer to arrive.

The second thing you must do while waiting is to remain holy. Galatians 6:9 says:
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Don’t go back to the world because the answer to your prayer has not yet come. Don’t look for alternatives to get your requests granted. Stay put with God. There was a particular sister in need of the fruit of the womb, for whom my wife and I were praying. At some point, she became weary and consulted a herbalist who did some charms for her and she got pregnant. That was over twenty years ago; up till now, she has not delivered the baby. Anything gotten from the devil must have been traded for something more precious than what he appeared to have given. I have noticed from my little walk with God that when He delays a miracle, it is because the glory that is coming with it will be great. Elizabeth and Zechariah had to wait until six months before Jesus was to be born because their first child – John, the Baptist was to be the greatest of all the prophets. Your miracle is coming with great glory, don’t miss it by looking for alternatives to Christ.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.”
Leviticus 19:13

My God does not use people and dump them. If you work for Him faithfully, you are sure to get a very handsome reward for your efforts. In the above passage, He said that we should never allow any labourer’s wage stay in our hands overnight. If He said this, how then would He not reward you when you labour for Him?

Now, what is the work God wants us to do? In Luke 10:2 He said “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few.” The harvest He is talking about is the souls that need to be won to Christ. He needs labourers to go out and win souls. He needs souls-winners. When you win a soul, you make Him happy, but more than that you secure great benefits for yourself too. In the parable of talents in Matthew 25:21, the Master did not take the extra talents from the servants that multiplied theirs; He left it with them as their reward. Even the one talent that the unprofitable servant did not multiply was not kept by the master but rather, given to the person who had ten talents. In John 12:32, He said if He is lifted up, He would draw men to Himself. This also implies that He will draw men to the fellow who is lifting Him up. I must tell you that I am really enjoying the benefits of being a soul-winner. Due to the fact that I keep raising my Father for people to accept Him into their lives, He has drawn many men to me. Now, I have many children-in-the-Lord all over the world such that there is hardly any city I visit wherein there wouldn’t be someone ready to host me in their home for the duration of my stay.

John 15:2 says that any Christian who does not bear fruit will be separated from Christ. The unprofitable servant decided not to bear fruit and was not only cast away, but sent into outer darkness where he wept and gnashed his teeth forever (Matthew 25:30). It pays to be a profitable steward of God. Are you one?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When hunters want to catch an eagle, they tie a big hen in a place when the eagle can easily spot it. When the eagle is flying and it sees the hen, it rejoices, then it flies down to pick the hen. Unknown to the eagle, the hen is tied down. When the eagle carries the hen and attempts to fly with it, it pulls hard, triggering a heavy basket that falls over, trapping it there until the hunter comes. The hen is the eagle’s weakness; it cannot resist going for it, so the hunter use that against it. This is the same way the devil traps Christians who fail to deal with their weaknesses. That is why you need to discover and deal with your weakness fast before it destroys you.

Dealing with a weakness takes conscious painstaking effort. If your weakness for example is money, you need to consciously resist any temptation to steal. After you have resisted a few temptation to steal and it looks like you have gotten over that weakness, don’t be deceived to relax; stay alert. Moses had one weakness and that was anger. He seemed to have dealt with this weakness as the Bible recorded that he was the meekest man on earth.

“Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.”
Numbers 12:3

When the Bible says someone is meek, the fellow is really meek. However, he relaxed and that same weakness that seemed to have been dealt with was what put him in trouble (Numbers 20:8-12). Just like hunters, the devil is very patient. Once he knows a person’s weakness, he will wait until the fellow relaxes, then strike. David’s weakness was women and that brought a curse upon his lineage such that up until today, the sword has not departed from Israel; the nation is always involved in one war or the other (2nd Samuel 12:10). Not dealing with your weakness can bring generational consequences. Stay alert; deal with that weakness and never take the devil’s bait.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Backsliding is horrible. In 2nd Peter 2:20-22, the Bible says it is better not to have tasted salvation than to have been saved once and then backslide. Hebrews 6:4-6 says:
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”

The passage describes backsliding as though the backslider were actually crucifying Jesus Christ again. In Acts 1:15-20, the Bible tells us of the sorrow and torment of Judas Iscariot. Luke 15:11-17 tells us of the depression of the prodigal son. In Psalm 51, after David had lost the joy of his salvation, he cried to God for it to be restored to him. The devil knows what it is to be close to the Almighty God and then to be far from Him. He is aware of the sorrows of backsliding and losing contact with God; that is why his greatest desire is to lure you back to sin, but you will overcome him in the mighty name of Jesus. 1st Peter 5:8 says:
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

Just as God is looking for people to set aflame for His kingdom, Satan is looking for people to devour (John 10:10). The fact that he is seeking, however shows that he cannot devour everybody. He shows you all the glitters of the world and uses them as bait. Don’t ever let these things entice you. The moment you get to the stage where the pleasures of this world do not matter to you anymore, he knows he has lost you. I pray for you just as Jesus prayed for Peter: the devil will not get you in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Our God is a builder – He builds lives, and He has a plan for every single person here on earth. Jeremiah 29:11 says:
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

The moment someone surrenders his life to Christ, He begins to build the fellow into something great. However, every time the fellow backslides, the building will be affected. I also like to use the analogy of a sculptor for this. A sculptor may decide to carve a lion out of a piece of wood but find it uncooperative, breaking easily, and thus decide to carve a cat from what is left of it. If at some point while sculpting, the piece of wood breaks again, the sculptor may then decide to make a rat with what is left of the wood. If the wood breaks yet again such that it cannot be salvaged, the sculptor could turn it to firewood.

Every time you backslide, you frustrate the ultimate plan of God for your life.

Each time a person falls out of the faith, they are just like that piece of wood that keeps breaking. When they get back on their feet, God may decide to continue with what is left, but believe me, except by divine mercy, they cannot be what He originally planned for them. God’s original plan for Samson was that he would deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines and then be their leader, but he didn’t fulfil destiny. Gehazi could have become a great prophet than Elisha, but he ended up with leprosy. Backsliding can cost you your destiny; beware.

The main danger of backsliding is being thrown into hell fire. Some people get the chance to stand again after backsliding, but not everyone does. Judas Iscariot had been falling and rising while he was Jesus’ treasurer (John 12:6), but one day he fell and never had a chance to rise again. It is a disaster for anyone who has had an encounter with Christ to still end up in hell.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia."
2nd Timothy 4:10

Who was Demas? Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 1:24 tells us that Demas was a fellow labourer with Paul, Just like Luke. How could anybody be that close to Paul and end up back in the world?

I want you to get something clear: there is no one above the possibility of backsliding. The Bible says that Moses spoke to God face to face; he had seen His wrath, yet he disobeyed Him. Don’t think you are above the possibility of backsliding. This was Samson’s mistake. He had won so many battles that he started to feel invincible, so he relaxed in the lap of Delilah. Apostle Paul said that he kept his body under subjection so that he would not miss heaven (1st Corinthians 9:27)

Backsliding does not happen at once; it is a gradual process. The Devil makes this process so slow that the one backsliding may not even realise it. When a person reduces the time spent praying and/or reading his Bible and starts attending fewer Christian programmes, before long, it will be normal for the fellow to go a whole day without reading his Bible or talking to God. Once there is a separation, the devil will begin to introduce little things that don’t look like sin; if the fellow accepts those, then he will bring in the little sins and before long, he would have started doing things he once vowed never to do again. The devil may be many negative things, but he is no fool.

Check yourself: are you reducing the time you spend reading your Bible and talking to God every day? Are you beginning to have certain desires that you thought were already dead? If the answer is yes, then you urgently need another piece of iron to sharpen you; you need to be in fellowship with other Christians who can help rekindle your fire.
Take heed, the devil is on the prowl (1st Peter 5:.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It amazes me when I see Christians trying to copy the world. It is even more shameful when we see Church leaders following worldly trends. The world is now dictating how we dress, sing and dance in the Church. it appears that a lot of people in the Church no longer follow Christ but the world. While Jesus Christ said that we are the salt of the earth, He said further that if the salt loses its savour, it becomes useless and will be trampled upon by men. I pray from the depth of my hearth that we will not lose our savour in the mighty name of Jesus. We must not, in a bid to be acceptable, lose our savour. The sad thing is that the people of the world know the truth and they wish that they had the discipline to embrace the ways of God, but when they see you copying them, you make it more difficult for them to leave their lifestyle.

The problem is that we don’t understand the kind of power we carry. When it comes to fashion, our God has been wearing the same clothes from the day of creation and up till now, it is not outdated (Psalm 104:2). In music, He is the best, such that if you were to visit heaven just once and hear the angels singing, you would not want to come back. Talking about dancing and feasting, our God throws a party in heaven every time one single soul surrenders his/her life to Christ. Everything our God has is better than what the world can offer; the problem is that we are not seeking Him for inspiration. If we did, we like the Psalmist would say:
“I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditations.” Psalm 119:99

Technology is good. We can use it to reach more people for Christ. However, dressing like the world does not bring more people to Christ, neither does drumming the beat of worldly songs to our own choruses, or dancing like the people of the world. While we are adopting new technologies, we must not adopt worldly culture. We must be the perfect reflection of who Christ is.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is a popular adage that says “Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are.” This saying is very true. No matter how spiritual you are, 1st Corinthians 15:33 says that “Evil communications corrupt good manners.” There are certain friends who would pull you back and there are others who would help you grow spiritually and in other areas of life. Choose your friends wisely. Before I became born again, I had friends with whom I regularly drank alcoholic wines. Then, I met Christ and my lifestyle changed. When my friends visited, I served them non-alcoholic drinks, and before long, they realised that things were different, and withdrew from me. It was painful to lose my friends then, but I let them go because I didn’t want them to drag me back to the world. Today, God has replaced those friends with a lot of brothers and sisters all over the world. I have made new friends who have helped me in my walk with God. It is this kind of friends that you should have too – friends who will draw you closer to God, challenge you to pursue your dreams, pray with you when you are down and whose positive impact on your life will be evident to all. I must warn you that such friends are not many, but even if it is only one of such you can find, he/she is better than a hundred others who would pull you down.

Jesus is the best friend that any man can have. He said in John 15:15 that:
“….I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

Jesus’ friendship should be your standard. If you cannot see through a person’s lifestyle that they have a relationship with Jesus, then they should not be your friend. While Matthew 22:39 says that we should love our neighbours as ourselves, we are only to have a few true friends. Jesus loved everyone when He was on earth, but He kept His inner circle small. Don’t hate those you cannot be friends with. You must love them; just don’t share intimate things with them. Set clear boundaries.

Remember, Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Though many people seem to have forgotten, I want to remind you today that the wages of sin is still death. Death is a salary for sinners as stated in Romans 6:23. The sinner cannot dodge it; you work and you must get paid. Ezekiel 18:20 says:
“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”

There are three categories of death. One is physical death. Sickness is an agent of physical death. In Mark 2:5, Jesus forgave the sin of the paralysed man before healing him. If sin does not get out of the way, sickness would remain and eventually kill the fellow. Jesus told the man at the pool of Bethesda after healing him that if he went back into sin, a worse illness would come upon him (John 5:14). Physical death could come through sickness when sin is in the life of a man.

The second category of death is material death. In Deuteronomy 28:15-24, there is a list of curses for those who will not obey God. If you read that scripture, you would be amazed at how many of those curses have to do with poverty. Many people are wallowing in poverty simply because they refuse to let go of sin. If only they could turn a new leaf and live holy, they would enjoy great blessings they never thought possible.

Lastly, there is spiritual death. This is the most dangerous; it is separation from God. In Genesis 3:8-10, Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and the moment they heard the voice of God, they ran. God wasn’t the one chasing them; It was their sin. When you commit sin, you automatically run from God; the intimacy between you and Him is destroyed. Once the devil sees that you and your protector are now apart, he attacks with all kinds of issues. Spiritual death leads the sinner to eternity in hell. May you not experience spiritual death in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“…Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.”
1st Corinthians 8:1

One of the biggest problems facing this generation is what is called ‘too know’ in Nigeria local parlance. In the past, it was the University lecturers and professors who had this problem, but now that we have the internet, everyone feels very wise. Knowledge is good, but you must be careful that it does not make you puffed up. When something is puffed up, it is difficult to get anything into it because it is already full of air. One who feels he has a lot of knowledge may not be able to acquire more. If you feel like you know all about computers for example, when someone comes to teach about them, you would have the tendency to ignore the fellow. No matter how much knowledge you have, your disposition should still be that of someone who knows nothing.

Several times, I have been under ministrations where the fellow ministering did so from a Bible passage that I know well, yet I learnt something new from it. A wise philosopher once said “The only thing I know is that I know nothing.”

The phrase ‘Knowledge puffeth up’ means that the knowledgeable is often proud. God hates pride. James 4:6 says that God resists the proud. To resist means to push against the enemy. When someone is teaching, and you begin to correct the fellow in your heart, watch out: pride has set in. You are calling for God’s resistance.

Lastly, ‘Knowledge puffeth up’ can also mean that the knowledgeable is so swollen up, that he goes about boasting. As we can see from Romans 1:22, some, in professing themselves to be wise, become fools. There is no wisdom in being talkative. Wise people talk only when necessary.

Get as much knowledge as you can, but never get puffed up. Just like 1 Corinthians 8:2 says, no matter how much you know, never think that you know all.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

While generally sorrow is a bad thing, godly sorrow is good; it brings about repentance. If you fall, first admit sorrowfully that you have made a mistake, then go to God pleading for mercy. David was a man who had godly sorrow, that is when even though he made many mistakes in his lifetime, he kept on moving forward. He said in Psalm 51:3:
“For I acknowledge my transgression; and my sin is ever before me.”

Several times in the scripture when David made a mistake, the Bible says his heart smote him. You will not make progress if you are always shifting blame. Only failures make excuses.

Godly sorrow leads you to learn from your mistakes. David never repeated any of his mistakes because he was truly sorry for his sins. If for instance, you fall into fornication because you were close friends with someone of the opposite sex, godly sorrow will alert you the next time you are getting close to someone who could make you fall, so you can break off that relationship.

Having godly sorrow does not mean feeling rejected by God when you do wrong. The feeling of rejection is a trap of the devil to keep us out of God’s light. 1st John 1:9 says:
“If we confess out sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

God is always happy to forgive and reconnect with anyone who has erred from the faith, as long as they confess their sins. When God has had mercy on you and welcomed you back into His light, you must run away from anything that can make you fall again. The doctrine of grace which teaches that you can continue in sin once you are born again is a strategy of the devil to eradicate godly sorrow. He raises up preachers to tell you that the Most High God does not mind if His children are unholy. That is a big lie!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The moment you become a child of God; you have His Spirit within you.

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
John 3:6

Being born of the Spirit, you must learn to walk in Him so that you are not drowned by the world and its ways. Fish is born inside water and so cannot survive outside it. Birds are born to fly and can only thrive when they are flying, not when they are hopping. We are born of the Spirit so we thrive when we walk in Him.

When an eagle wants to kill a land animal, it takes it to the air. That is its territory. In the same way, you cannot win the world by using its principles; take the battle to the spiritual realm. While you do all that is required in the physical to succeed in life, engage in the spirit realm to win in the battles of your life.

Think in the Spirit. Many of our thoughts leave out the Holy Spirit and thus limit our success. If you always put God in the equation, everything becomes possible. To walk in the Spirit, you must always be attentive to what He is saying at all times. You must ask the Holy Spirit for directions before you take any step. Before you speak, ask Him to give you utterance. Anyone who will walk in the Spirit must pray in tongues regularly; you must also sing in the Holy Spirit (1st Corinthians 14:15).

The basic secret of progress is consistency. If you will walk in the Spirit, then you must consistently be close to Him. You can’t decide to follow His lead when you are in trouble and then go your own way when you think everything is fine. If you want to walk in the Spirit, then you must surrender completely to Him, whether it is convenient or not.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The temptation to commit just one little sin is a trap that the devil uses to get many Christians. He tells them that they have been faithful all through and it wouldn’t hurt if they just indulge in this little sin; after all, many other people are doing far worse. Beloved, don’t fall into this trap of the enemy. The Bible says in Galatians 5:8-9 that:
“This persecution cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”

James 2:10 says:
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

This is why Jesus said that if your entire body is holy except your eye, then you should pluck it out, because that little eye can bring trouble to the whole body (Matthew 5:29). It would be very sad for you to have done and avoided all you should as a Christian, only to go to hell because of “one little sin.” There is no little sin in the eye of God. Sin is sin and any soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:20).

The good news is that grace is available to overcome even the greatest of temptations; all we have to do is go to God and ask for help. Hebrew 4:15 tells us:
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

One seemingly little sin would always lead to another and the web would continue till you are fully entangled in the devil’s trap. 1 John 3:8 says:
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning…”

That seemingly little sin can send you to hell. Submit completely to God, resist the devil and he will flee! (James 4:7).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.”
2nd Corinthians 12:14

It is very sad that these days, many pastors are not after souls, but rather, what is in the possession of the souls. Jesus’ instructions is “Feed my sheep” not “Get fed off my sheep.” We should all learn from the example of Apostle Paul. He was a man who was willing to spend and be spent for the sake of the flock. Even when they didn’t seem to be reciprocating his love for them, he loved them even more. As a pastor, Head of department or leader in whatever capacity, you need to check your motivations from time to time. Are you more interested in what the people have or in the prosperity of their souls? When you are more interested in what they have, you will find yourself excusing the sin of one fellow because he is rich while you condemn the same when committed by someone poor. You would find yourself visiting only the rich members of the Church or your department/unit as the case may be, while you hardly check on the poorer ones. Indeed, the Church needs money to do a lot of things, but are we supposed to look to human warned against this prudential treatment in the house of God in James 2:2-4 which says:
“For If there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here unto my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?”

God sent us out to bring souls into His kingdom, not money. Don’t leave the most important for the least important.



This charge is to every Christian and not just pastors and leaders in the Church alone. Ensure you bring the word of God to the fore in every situation or gathering you find yourself in. God is relying on you to feed His sheep and bring the lost ones into the fold.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 8:11-12

The words above were spoken by Jesus when He saw how great the faith of the Centurion was. He attested to the fact that He had never seen such great faith in Israel. This man was considered an unbeliever, yet he had faith that was greater than that of everyone Jesus had met.

A chronic unbeliever who has an encounter with Christ would likely hold on to Him fervently. On the other hand, the one who has been a Christian for a long while, especially since childhood, has a great tendency to begin to take Jesus for granted. In Luke 7:36-47, Jesus dined at a Pharisee’s house, but the man did not even offer to wash His feet; he took such an august visitor for granted because he had known Him for long. Many Christians are fervent in the first few months or years after they encounter Christ, and then begin to relent. This could be because the memory of their salvation experience is beginning to wane or they may have seen other Christians slipping and still looking holy. Beloved, it is very dangerous to forget your salvation encounter with Christ, very dangerous to take examples from people who are not as fervent as you; rather, take examples from those who have gone higher than you in the faith.

Hold on to Jesus for dear life! When He gives you an instruction, obey immediately. Always go early for Church services; if you are a worker in the Church, serve to the best of your ability. Make Him a priority in your life; increase your commitment to His Kingdom rather than reducing it. I pray that you will not be replaced in the kingdom of God in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today is my wife’s birthday and there are so many lessons that women, especially young brides can learn from her. She is a powerful woman, I know that. She has many people who take instructions from her, but as powerful as she is, and even though she has seen me in my weakest moments, I have no doubt that I am her head. It does not matter what is on her itinerary, if I say “I would like you to go with me to so and so place” the best she can do is try to convince me otherwise. If I insist, she would cancel whatever she was to do and come along with me. The Bible in Ephesians 5:23 says:
“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church….”

The husband is the head of the wife. No matter how educated or successful you are, your husband is your head and you must regard him as such at all times. It is a terrible thing for a husband to feel his wife is his head. Many men are misbehaving in their marriages simply because they want to establish that they are the head of their wives.

Also, my wife is my number one fan. She wrote in the book Mathematics of Marriage – which we co-authored, that as my help meet she knows she cannot help me without my instructions, so when they come, her response is “Yes sir”. Busy as she is, she still cooks my meals and serves me herself. Many young ladies these days leave everything to the house help. My wife still trims my nails for me. There was a time when I was a teacher and was staying far from town. She had to cut my hair during that period. She is the only partner of the Adeboye Corporation; she doesn’t delegate her primary duties to anyone else. Just like the virtuous woman described in Proverbs 31, I safely rest on my wife. Anything I uphold, she upholds too. Can your husband rely on you?

Make up for your husband’s weaknesses, celebrate his success, be his number one cheerleader.

I wish my lovely wife a Happy Birthday.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.”
Luke 8:10

Many people of the world think they understand spiritual things. They look at the things that we do and start to judge. They tell us that we are not doing it right; they even go to the extent of trying to teach us how God wants us to do things. How do they know the mind of God when they themselves are living outside His will? Just as stated in Luke 8:10 above, the things of God are parables to them. They can look, but cannot see them; they can hear, but cannot understand. They can read the Bible but cannot comprehend it because the letter killeth, but it is the Spirit that gives understanding (Isaiah 11:2). 1st Corinthians 2:11 says:
“For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the Spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”

No one can understand the mind of God except through the Holy Ghost, so anyone who does not have the Spirit cannot know His mind.

Being a mathematician, when I heard about the principle of tithing, it made no sense to me. 100% of my salary was not enough to cover my expenses for the month, talk less of the remaining 90% after the tithe was paid. I however decided to try it and amazingly, I had more than enough to see me through the month.

When next you hear unbelievers condemn the principles of God, don’t bother arguing with them; just say the truth you know and move on. Pray that they should encounter Christ and also have the Spirit of God within them so they can understand the ways of God too.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“The sacrifices of God are broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou will not despise.”
Psalm 51:17

One of the fastest ways to commit spiritual suicide is to believe that you are a giant in the Christian faith. Believe me, there is no giant in Christianity. Man’s righteousness is like a filthy rag before the Most Holy One. Many years ago, during a meditation session at a conference, I fell into a trance in which I found myself among angels. They were all so pure that you could practically see through them; then I looked at myself and I was disgustingly filthy. This was surprising then because I was already a holiness preacher. If anyone had told me I was that dirty, I would have argued with them, but I could see it for myself.

Everyone may see you like a spiritual giant, but don’t be fooled; to God, you are still a baby. Never come before Him stating all your credentials – “I pay my tithe, I preach the gospel, I forgive my neighbour… so Lord, You have to hear me.” That is spiritual pride and God resists the proud (1st Peter 5:5). If anyone owes the other anything, you are the one that owes Him. Tell Him “Lord, please have mercy on me in this area where I need Your intervention. Remember my dedication to your Kingdom and please have mercy on me. “When you pray thus, He responds quickly.

David was a man after God’s heart because he always came humbly before Him. Despite his achievements and feats for God, he never boasted in His presence. He always came seeking mercy. That is the kind of man that God can call “A man after my heart.” You may have done many great and mighty things for God; remember Moses. Even after all he had done for God, he still did not get to the promised land. It is only those who remain babies in the hands of God who can reach the promised land of Heaven. In Matthew 5:3, Jesus said:
Blessed are the poor in Spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Are you humble or proud in spirit?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the commandments of God that is considered by many as impossible to keep is found in Matthew 5:48; “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” It is generally believed that perfection is not achievable by any human being. The biblical concept of perfection involves two main ideas which are wholeness and purity. Wholeness involves bringing something to maturity while purity refers to sanctification. Perfection can be seen from three major perspectives in the Bible and these are physical, moral and spiritual. Physical perfection talks about something that is outwardly spotless, clean in the manner perceived to be right at all times, while spiritual perfection focuses on holiness and sanctification.

If a person is examined and is lacking in just one of these aspects, he loses his perfect status. For this reason, many scoff at any talk of perfection among believers. However, when God says be perfect, He expects us to take it seriously. I have always told my children that perfection is achievable and that it is a matter of personal conviction. It is made possible through salvation, sanctification, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. 2nd Timothy 3:16-17 says:
“All scripture…. Is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect…”

The Journey to perfection starts with the word of God. Scriptural teachings must be the basis for the development of our personal ideology and worldview. Every rebuke and admonition in the Bible must be strictly applied to our lives. A perfect Christian is he who is born again, sanctified and has learned by experience to discern between good and evil. You can do all things by the grace of God (Philippians 4:13). May you receive the grace to succeed in your journey towards perfection, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the beginning, God instituted marriage as the perfect solution to the problems of a lonely man who needed a companion and help meet to fulfil the Genesis 1:28 divine mandate to “… Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it.” Having proffered a perfect and permanent solution to the human need for companionship and support, God warned us against separation or divorce in Matthew 19:6 by saying:
“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

The Bible does not imply that the man and woman will become physically merged, but that through the marriage covenant they become spiritually bound as one – united in love, faith, Spirit and purpose. That is way marriage comes with grave implications for those who become unequally yoked with unbelievers, or those who get bound to the wrong partners. Such cases often lead to crises, instability and unfulfilled destiny. Nevertheless, God frowns at any form of separation or divorce; rather, He is particularly interested in upholding the sanctity of marriage. I pray for anyone going through a marital crisis: The Prince of peace will intervene in your marriage today, in the mighty name of Jesus.

God hates divorce and He states this clearly in Malachi 2:16. He further states in 1st Corinthians 7:10-11 that: “….Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.” In God’s plan, only death can nullify the marriage covenant, as explained in Romans 7:2-3.

All Christians must thus ensure they uphold the sanctity of marriage through love, humanity and peaceful co-existence with each other (Ephesians 4:1-3).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Prayers
1. Praise God for your nation. Bless Him for all the natural and human resources that He has given your nation.

2. Father, please have mercy on my nation for all the sins that have been committed on our land. Lord, please have mercy.

3. Father, cause a great revival to break forth in my nation like in the days of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

4. Father, hear the cry of the poor, oppressed and needy in my nation.

5. Father, arise and let the enemies of my nation scatter.

6. Father, give the leaders of my nation wisdom to govern us correctly in the mighty name of Jesus.

7. Lord, destroy every disease the devil is using to take the lives of people in my nation.

8. Father, make my nation great spiritually, economically, technologically, and in all other positive ways.

9. Father, put an end to terrorism, wars, crime and disunity in my nation.

10. Father, let all the lawmakers and government officials in my nation carry out their duties according to Your leading.

11. Father, breathe into the educational sector of my nation so that our future will be bright.

12. Special prayer request for your nation.

I Join my faith with yours and pray that the Lord will grant all your requests for your nation, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Worship draws God’s attention. In fact, John 4:23 says that God is actively searching for true worshippers.

When Bartimaeus wanted to get the Lord’s attention, he called Him “Jesus, the son of David.” In Yoruba land where I come from, when you really want to get something from a man, you start by recounting his antecedents and achievements. We have never needed God’s attention more than now, so this is the time to increase our worship of Him.

When you worship Him, He shows up in a great and unique way. In Acts 16:26, Paul and Silas worshipped Him and He showed up in an earthquake. In 2nd Chronicles 20:22, Jehoshaphat and his people worshipped the Most-High God and He made their enemies destroy one another. When you are faced with a battle, deploy the weapon of worship and watch the mighty power of God make you victorious.

At a wedding in a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the groom fell and died just as he was about to sign the marriage register. The pastors began to cry to God in prayers for the young man’s life to be restored, but instead of coming alive, he got colder. Someone then remembered what I had always taught about praises, so he told everyone to switch to praising God. They had only been doing so for a few minutes when God showed up; the groom came back to life and the wedding ceremony continued. God always shows up when we worship Him in Spirit and in truth. John 4:24 says:
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth.”

God loves to be worshipped. He wants to be called the Holy One of Israel, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Rock of Ages, The Mighty Man of war, the Lord of lords, the Lord Strong and Mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, the King of kings, the Almighty God. Go ahead; take some time now to worship Him from the depth of your heart.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Prayer is another part of the Christian life that is fast becoming unpopular, but its power has not reduced one bit. When I was a lecturer in the University of Ilorin, my Father-in-the-Lord – Pa Josiah Akindayomi came on a visit and passed the night in my house. Before I went to bed, he was praying; when I woke to ease myself in the middle of the night. He was still praying. Worried, I asked him the next morning what was wrong. He responded that I would understand soon. He passed on and I became the General Overseer of the Church; with the enormity of the task I faced, I started praying all night also. The country needs prayers so that ungodly policies will not stand; you need prayers so that you don’t fall for the tricks of the devil in these end times. Your children need prayers against the perverseness of this generation.

The Devil knows that if he can attack a Christian’s prayer life, then he can get that fellow. That is why he brings all sorts of distractions to take your mind off prayers. Your work, family responsibilities, social media, television and even church activities are all things that he ensures take your time such that you have little time left for prayers. I pray for you: Your prayer altar will receive fire in the mighty name of Jesus.

Many of the struggles that we experience today would not even have existed if only we prayed. You can move mountains and change seasons with your prayer. You are only short-changing yourself when you don’t pray. James 5:16 says:
“…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

1 John 5:14 says:
“And this the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.”

Seeing all these promises in the ever-true word of God, you know that prayer can solve many of those issues that have lingered too long. As a Christian, you should pray at all times (1st Thessalonians5:17).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Fasting is highly underrated in this generation, whereas we need it now more than ever. If you used to fast once a month before, it’s time to increase it because we are in perilous times and it will take great strength to remain standing (Proverbs 24:10). When Jesus had to cast out a particular demon that the disciples had not been able to, He explained to them that:
“Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.”
Matthew 17:21

Those who fast a lot see their decrees come to pass speedily. Elisha – a biblical personality with tremendous anointing, was almost always on the mountain. In 2nd Kings 4:25, the Shunammite woman found him on Mount Carmel. In 2nd Kings 6:15-17, when the king sent an army to arrest him, he was on a mountain. When fifty soldiers with their captain went to arrest him in 2nd kings 1:9-10, they found him on the mountain, yet could not go up; they had to ask him to come down.

The word ‘mountain’ in the context refers to fasting. There is a level of fasting you get to where the enemies cannot reach you; that is the point I want you to get to this season. Jesus, during His earthly ministry, fasted forty days and forty nights. If indeed you want to do greater works than Jesus did, you must be ready to fast more than He. When Jesus was on earth, He said His disciples did not need to fast, but that after He left, then they would (Mark 2:19-20). Now He has gone, so we must fast.

If you have not been fasting before, start; take it one day at a time and if you feel hungry before the time to break, go and pray. As you pray, the hunger pangs will cease. Also, when fasting, avoid talking so much as it weakens the body more quickly.

Fasting will kill your flesh and awaken your spirit. it will bring you closer and closer to God. Also, ensure you break your fast with healthy meals and eat in moderation. You will discover that your thinking will be sharpened as your body will become healthier and your brain will even become more efficient.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I was a mathematics lecturer before I went into fulltime ministry and I know that in every class I taught, while there may have been many students there, not everyone’s focus was on understanding what was being taught. Some students were focused on the lecturer’s clothes, some on how he spoke, some on impressing the other students and so on.

The same applies in the kingdom of God. Many people call themselves Christians, but only a few have the right focus. All some people want from God is a new car, a new house, promotion and so on. I pity such people because they will get what they are focused on and lose out on the more important things. Jesus Christ, in Matthew 6:33 says:
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

I am a living testimony of the efficacy of this scripture. I set my focus on the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and now I can’t count how many of these other things I have. The good part is that I am also on my way to Heaven.

Focus on pleasing God; stop chasing shadows and pursue the substance. If you get the substance you will automatically have the shadow too. Many people never reach the heights that God has ordained for them because somewhere along the line, they take their focus away from heaven and start pursuing material things.

Ask anyone who has had a near death experience they will tell you that material things, flashy as they may seem are not worth all the attention given to them. From now, make Paul’s admonition in 2nd Corinthians 4:18 your lifestyle:
“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Consecration to Christ means that you are completely immersed in Him. True consecration is really lacking these days. Many people are holding on to Jesus with one hand and the world with the other. How do you explain a Christian who claims to have given his life to Christ but consults a witch doctor over a negative situation that has lingered for long?

A consecrated fellow may go through a lot of suffering for the Lord, but he will count it all Joy as long as God is still with him. Paul was so consecrated that even when God warned him about being apprehended if he went to preach to the Jews, he still went (Acts 21:11). He was so consecrated that he declared publicly:
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”
Galatians 2:20

I once saw someone on Dove Television saying that, in the past, the only thing Christians cared about was being used of God, but these days, people are more interested in how they can use God. Many Christian sisters compromise their faith because they want to get married; many wear revealing clothes to attract men, some attend ungodly gatherings with the hope of finding their future spouse there, while some even have sex before marriage so as not to lose the man.


There was this female missionary in a hostile community who was abducted and handcuffed early on her wedding day. Instead of crying, she smiled, kissed the handcuffs and said “Lord, I didn’t know I was so special that You didn’t want to share me with anyone else. How beautiful is Your wedding ring to me.” She was so consecrated that instead of seeing a failed wedding ceremony, she saw the handcuff as a ring, symbolic of her divine union with Christ.

Are you truly consecrated to Christ?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The kind of tongue you have is determined by the kind of words rolling off it regularly. If your tongue is regularly used for dirty slangs, worldly music, abusive words and the like, the devil marks it as his. If that same tongue now turns around to cast out demons, they would only have a good laugh at its expense because a house divided against itself cannot stand (Mark 3:25). A tongue that belongs to the devil cannot cast him out.

“And He called them unto Him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan.
Mark 3:23

In Mark 3:22-27 when the people accused Jesus of casting demons out with the power of the devil. He said that was impossible because Satan cannot cast himself out. In other words, as powerful a weapon as your tongue is, if it is of the devil, it cannot work against him. Now you see why people use the word of God in certain situations to no effect. Many people pray in the name of Jesus, but He does not show up for them because He shows His own. It is good to prophesy, it is good to make confessions, but the power of your prophecy is determined by the owner of your tongue.

On the other hand, if your tongue is used to preach the gospel, if the word of God regularly comes out of your month, if you use words that are seasoned with salt and avoid dirty language, then God marks your tongue as His. He touches that tongue with a coal of fire and every word that comes out of it will come out with power. Then you can command demons and they will obey; you can speak to situations and they will do what you say. Matthew 18:18 says:
“Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Nuclear weapons are to be handled with the utmost care. Your tongue is the most potent weapon in your body; it is your nuclear weapon. The Bible, in James 3:5 says:
“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!”

When the devil wants to find out a person’s secret in order to bring him down, he begins to ask questions so that the fellow can share his secret with him, the devil needed to know Samson’s secret in order to bring him down, so he sent Delilah to ask him questions. Up until Samson’s tongue gave him away, all the devil’s efforts were futile.

Do you know that your tongue can either deliver you from your enemies or cause you to be entrapped by them?

Many times, in a bid to boast, we let out our secret to the enemy. Not every testimony should be shared in public, especially when it is not yet complete. You also have a digital tongue – what you say online. The enemies are taking note of what they can use against you, even on the internet. Many people have lost great opportunities because of what they said on the internet many years past. Some people are so loose with their digital tongue that kidnappers can even track them via their social media pages. Be careful what information you divulge to your enemies.

“Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.”
Proverbs 21:23

Watch your utterances when you are angry. You can’t take back your words even after the anger has abated. When you are happy also, be careful what promises you make, what testimonies you share – bridle your tongue (Psalm 32:9). Ask God for wisdom to know what to say and what not to say at all times, and He will grant you your request (James 1:5).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people, especially the youth, have fallen into temptations that initially appeared like opportunities. These temptations often come in the form of employment opportunities with very attractive salary packages, juicy offers for marriage, wonderful business opportunities, or an open invitation to travel abroad and so on. Many of these irresistible offers camouflage terrible vices like prostitution, drug trafficking, gang-sterism, forgery, cultism, impersonation, and the like. God is calling out to you today: Ignore the devil’s offer and have no relationship with satanic agents.

Christians must know that the devil’s offer is nothing but well-packaged temptation. Beware of entering into any relationship with satanic agents and be extra careful with their seemingly attractive but sinful propositions. Temptation is the pressure to yield to influences that can lead one away from God and into sin. However, falling for the devil’s trick to disobey God usually has devastating repercussions as evidenced by the fall of humanity in Genesis 3:1-7. There are other examples of temptation in the Bible but the mother of them all is that of Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew 4:1-11.

To avoid having any relationship with sin and the devil, Matthew 26:41 says “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation…” Watchfulness begins with the admonition of Proverbs 4:23 to “Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.” This is what Romans 12:2 referred to as “…the renewing of your mind.” Which is best done by filling your heart with the undiluted word of God. The next level of watchfulness is found in James 1:26 that cautions us to keep the mouth bridled in order not to sin with our tongue. Finally, 1st Peter 4:7 says:
“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayers.”
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.