₦airaland Forum

Jesus came for one assignment: to shed His blood for the remission of our sins. 1st John 3:8 says:
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

For Jesus to erase your sin, all He needs you to do is confess them. It does not matter how badly you have sinned, the moment you confess and ask Him to be your Lord and Saviour, He will cleanse all that unrighteousness away.

The devil however will keep coming to remind you of all your sins. When he comes, quote 1st John 1:9 to him:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Tell him that the fellow he is talking about is dead because 2nd Corinthians 5:17 says that when you give your life to Christ, you become a new creature and old things have passed away; all things have now become new. Don’t ever allow the devil to make you feel guilty for sins that no longer exist as far as God is concerned.

After confessing your sins, you are to forsake them. Proverbs 28;13 says
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

Forsaking your sins means following away anything connected to your old lifestyle and sincerely resolving never to go back to it. If you still hang around the same friends and places that made you sin, enjoying the same worldly music or movies that your ‘old man’ used to love, then you are unwilling to let God erase your past. Confess your sins and forsake them today, you will experience peace like never before.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jesus is the Shepherd of sheep, not goats. John 10:27 says:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

The sheep is totally dependent on the shepherd while the goat is stubborn and disobedient. No matter how anointed you are, if you are disobeying or ignoring God in any way, you are behaving like a goat.

Jesus Christ said His sheep hear His voice and follow Him. Did you see any part of that passage that talked about the sheep asking questions? No. When Jesus gives an instruction, His sheep obey immediately. They trust Him and know that He will not mislead them.

Has God been telling you to reach out to certain people for so long but you are stalling? Has He been asking you to write a book, but you are wondering if people will buy it? Has He been nudging you to sow something into His work, but you are wondering how you will cope after sowing the seed? Obey today. It is a dangerous thing for God to stop asking or nudging you to do something, because it means He has found someone else. Act fast before He gets a replacement for you.

Many times, His instruments don’t make logical sense, but that is exactly what a miracle is – something that is logically impossible. A long time ago, God asked me to tell the Pastors in The Redeemed Christian Church of God not to contribute for feeding during the annual convention anymore; that He would use me to feed the people. I was afraid, so I ignored the instruction until He said “You are about to lose a miracle”. I quickly announced it, though my plan was to sell the two cars we owned back then to pay for the feeding. I had decided that, once the provision ran out in the middle of the convention, I would simply announce that the programme was over, assure everyone that they had receive their miracles and could go home. What little faith I had! It’s been over twenty years now and I have not had to sell any car to feed the people during our programmes.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When we talk of Christian perfection as demanded by our Lord Jesus Christ, many think the demand is a ‘mission impossible.’ This is not true, especially when we consider the ‘grace factor’ which is exclusive to those who are born by the Spirit of God (John 3:3-5). Now, what are the ingredients of perfection?

The first is grace according to our text. It is grace that imparts on us the divine nature and power (1st John 2:15-17). Peter entreats us to add virtue to our faith. Virtue is the behaviour that exhibits excellence. Virtue also must be accompanied by knowledge or else your good intention may be evil spoken of. To knowledge we are encouraged to add temperance if we are not going to be guilty of being arrogant because the Bible says: “…Knowledge [without temperance] puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” (1st Corinthians 8:1). You must be patient with others – dealing with them with understanding. However, chief among these ingredients is charity which in modern language is love (Matthew 22:39).

“For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”
2nd Peter 1:8-9

We can see in the above scripture that, indeed, perfection has ingredients which, when present in our lives as Christians, bring us to the level of perfection as required by the law of liberty (James 1:25). Here we see the need to be well-grounded in the word of God. The problem with modern-day soul winners is that they do not do due diligence in feeding converts with the sincere milk of the world – precept by percept, line upon line according to Isaiah, the prophet (Isaiah 28:9-10).

Beloved, we must be perfect, even as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Worship is the most important part any meeting with God. Anyone who is not baptized in the Holy Ghost should not be in the choir. A good voice is not the qualification to be a worship leader. There is a difference between a talented singer and an anointed one – which are you?

Worshipers are supposed to glorify God and it takes the Holy Spirit to do this. In John 16:13-14, Jesus Christ said it is the Holy Spirit who would glorify Him. John 4:23-24 tells us that God is a Spirit and those who worship Him are to worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

While the presence of God is felt when some singers get on the stage and miracles happens, others do so without the same results because they have not connected with the Holy Spirit. Our Spirit are lifted when singing hymns and choruses – not because they were written by angels but by people who were filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit breathed on them and they wrote what He inspired them to write. The Spirit never dies, that is why hymns are evergreen. When next you are writing a song, remember that the letter kills but the Spirit makes alive (2nd Corinthians 3:6).

If you are a chorister, seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit if you are a Pastor, make sure that everyone who climbs on the altar to lead worship is baptized in the Holy Spirit. Let there be no instrumentalist who is not baptized by the Holy Spirit. Worship is like food to God: let us be very careful with the kind of food we bring to His table. If there are no instrumentalist, we have a ten-stringed instrument provided by God – our hands. God made voices and hands before musical instruments. If that is the only pure thing you have to offer Him, He is fine with it.

“O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto the God with the voice of triumph.”
Psalm 47:1
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 1st Kings 18:38, the fire consumed the water. In this context, water represents tears and sorrow. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter who licks up your tears and gives you comfort. For all those tears you shed at night behind closed doors, God sees you and He will send His Holy Spirit to comfort you. Note that Elijah had purposely asked that water be poured on the sacrifice. There are certain sorrows that are self-caused; the Holy Spirit comforts us in such also (John 14:18)

That is why I have good news for anyone who may have made several mistakes in the past: the Holy Spirit will wipe your tears and give you a fresh start in the mighty name of Jesus.

The fire also consumed the dust. Humans are made out of dust (Genesis 2:7). The dust represents human flesh. One of the names of the Holy Spirit is the Transformer as we see in 1st Kings 18:46:
"And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel."

When the Hand of God (another name of the Holy Spirit) came upon Elijah, he became stronger and faster than chariots drawn by horses. He was transformed. In Judges 15:14-15, we see the Holy Spirit transformed the jaw bone of an ass into a weapon of warfare. Romans 8:11 say:
“But of the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you”

When the fire of the Holy Ghost comes on you, you no longer live by the flesh but by the Spirit. The moment you are baptized by the Holy Ghost and fire, you become transformed. May you experience the transforming fire of the Holy Spirit, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The fire is proof that your offering has been accepted (1st Kings 18:38). No offering is acceptable to God except it is by fire. Always pray to God to send down fire to take your offering up before you drop it. In Judges 6:19-21, when the angels put his staff on Gideon’s offering, fire fell.

The Holy Spirit as fire also has the power to consume wood. Every piece of wood has the potential to become fire, hence the term firewood. Every piece of wood will die an ordinary death unless fire comes upon it. every Christian has the potential to become a mighty man or woman of God. Unfortunately, many Christians will die without performing a single miracle for God because the fire never came to change their wood (gifts) into firewood (manifestation of the gifts). Even though Jesus had said he would make Peter a fisher of men, he still needed the fire to come upon him on the day of Pentecost, after which he preached a single sermon and won three thousand souls on that same day.

There is something great that God has deposited in you, a great purpose God has for your life. You did not become a Christian just so that you can go to Church, shout Hallelujah, eventually die and go to Heaven. You were created for greater things, but that hidden potential will not find expression until the fire of the Holy Ghost comes upon you.

The fire also consumed stones which are representative of hardship and poverty. God says in 3 John 2:
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”

He wants you to prosper; it is the devil who brings hardship and poverty. When you see someone struggling so much, yet with minimal results, it is very likely that a demon is behind it. Once the fire of the Holy Ghost comes upon that fellow, the demon will flee and an end will come to suffering in his/her life.
You need the fire of the Holy Ghost.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Acts 2:3 tells us straightaway that there is a link between the Holy Spirit and fire. In Exodus 3:2, The Spirit of God spoke to Moses as fire burning in a bush. This was no ordinary fire as the bush was not consumed.
Hebrews 1:7 says:
“And of the angels saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.”

Hebrews 12:29 says our God is a consuming fire. This verse is talking about the Holy Spirit. For you to fully understand this aspect of the Holy Spirit, let us look at 1 Kings 18:38:
“Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.”

When Elijah prayed and fire fell from Heaven, it consumed the offering, the wood, the stone, licked up the water and the dust round about the altar. This is certainly no ordinary fire!

When you see a man who has fire, tread gently around him. Ananias and Sapphira were careless with the fire and paid with their lives (Acts 5:1-10). The fire also must not be grieved. When Jesus says that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven (Matthew 12:31), it is because the Holy Spirit is fire and carelessness can be fatal. That is why I pity people who fake speaking in tongues and joke with it. If only they knew who they were toying with, they would never try that.

The fire of the Holy Spirit is not the exclusive right of a limited number of people; you too can carry the fire of God if you are willing. It was not only the Apostles that were at the upper room when the fire of the Holy Ghost came, but it rested on every single one of them, including Mary the Mother of Jesus and His brothers (Acts 1:13-14). The fire of the Holy Ghost can come upon you too if only you would lead a life of intense prayers and supplications.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Holy Spirit can move massively, so massively that you would even think there is a storm. In Exodus 14:21, when Moses lifted his hand across the Red Sea, the Bible says the east wind blew all night, massively, until the Red Sea parted. Moses described it thus in Exodus 15:8:
“And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.”

Now, while the speedy move of the Holy Spirit within a man is to work miracles, the massive move of the Holy Spirit is to birth an unusual passion for the things of God such that you would bear and do anything for the sake of the gospel. When the massive wind hit the Red Sea, the water received unusual strength such that the floods stood upright as a heap. When a timid person like Peter preached to thousands of people such that three thousand people surrendered their lives to Christ, you know the wind of Holy Spirit has moved massively.
“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men” Acts 5:29

This was Peter – the formerly timid Peter, speaking boldly to the rulers of the city. Sometimes within him – a force that was pushing him to do whatever was required for God, had strengthened him greatly. Oh, how I wish Christians of today could catch this fire! Christians today are too careful for their lives. No one wants to go on missionary trips again, no one is willing to take the gospel to war-torn areas where it is really needed; we prefer to stay in our comfort zones and talk about Jesus from there. Many of us these days cannot preach the gospel in the face of the slightest opposition, allowing and even partaking of atrocities because we are afraid of what people will say if we oppose them. God has not given us the spirit of fear (2nd Timothy 1:7).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Holy Spirit can blow like a mighty rushing wind as recorded in Acts 2:1-4. Occasionally, the Holy Spirit has to move speedily to intervene, especially when things are about to get out of hand, just as in judges 15:14:
“And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.”

When an urgent miracle is needed, the Holy Spirit moves speedily. Whenever you need the Holy Spirit to move speedily, speak His language. As you build momentum speaking in tongues, the wind of the Holy Spirit and His power will begin to build up within you. When you have felt the wind and power strongly within you, let it out by speaking a word into that situation and you will see changes.

However, do not wait for a dangerous situation before you begin to call upon the Holy Spirit to move speedily. Many times when challenges come, they don’t give enough time for speaking in tongues. Make speaking in tongues a lifestyle. Speaking in tongues for at least one hour every day. Build up the wind of the Holy Spirit in your inner man so frequently and fervently that every word that comes out of your mouth is fire. When a man of God speaks to situations in public and things begin to change, the man must have spent time building up the wind of the Holy Spirit in himself privately.

When you have the mighty rushing wind of the Holy Spirit within you, every decree you make is accomplished speedily. Make speaking in tongues a lifestyle. It is a pathetic thing to be called a child of the most powerful being in the world and not have any power. Every night when I go out on prayer walks, I am building the wind of the Holy Spirit within me by speaking in tongues for hours. Start today, the Holy Spirit will take over and make it your lifestyle.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The first sign of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was that there was a sound of a mighty rushing wind that filled the upper room (Acts 2:2). Before the apostles saw the fire, they heard the sound of the wind. In Genesis 2:7, the Bible tells us that when God formed man, He breathed life into him. From the innermost being of the Almighty God came a little bit of wind that went into a lump of clay to make it into a living soul. Ecclesiastes 12:7 says:
“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”
What God breathed into the dust that turned it into a living soul was the spirit. We can see therefore that there is a link between the Holly Spirit and the wind.

The Spirit can blow gently like a breeze. In Judges 13:24-25, the Bible talks about how the Spirit began to move Samson at times. Samson was growing up and the Spirit, in form of a breeze was moving him, shaking him a little. Occasionally, when someone is experiencing the Holy Spirit for the first time, he may find himself shaking just a little; not violently or convulsing as in when manifesting demonic possession, but just shaking a little bit. That is the Holy Spirit moving like a breeze. Sometimes, when worshipping God – alone or even in a congregation, when the Holy Spirit takes over, a little shaking may be experienced; that is the Holy Spirit moving as a breeze. You need to be sensitive at times like that so the Holy Spirit can do His complete work in your life.

On the day of Pentecost, the wind came into the room and filled the whole place. In Genesis 1:1-2, when God made the Heaven and the earth, and the earth was void and without form, the Spirit moved over the whole earth. This tells you that when the Holy Spirit is moving during the service, it is not the time to begin to look around; but to be in and be moved by the Spirit.

Key into the manifestation of the Holy Spirit during private or corporate worship and trust Him to work wonders in your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When going to speak to someone or a group of people who are religious, but not born again, prayer is an excellent tool to draw their attention. In Nigeria for example, if you want to evangelise in a bus, because the people generally believe that prayers are effective, you can start with a short but powerful prayer asking God for journey mercies. When you have their attention, you can go ahead and preach.

“Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.”
John 4:48

When people see signs, they will believe. Ask the people you wish to evangelise if they would like you to pray with them concerning any need they have. After you have prayed and God has answered the prayer, it will be easier to convince them to accept Christ. Many years ago, I had a team of youth who I had trained in evangelism. I had taught them that, when they encounter anyone who wouldn’t listen to them, they should simply ask if there was any issue the fellow wanted them to pray with him about. One day, they got to the house of a herbalist who was antagonistic. They said “Baba, we know you are very powerful, but is there anything at all that you have not been able to solve? We want to pray about it. “He told them that every time he got married, once the bride got pregnant, she would begin to bleed and bleed until she died. Now he had married again and his new wife was pregnant but, like all the others, she had begun to bleed and was close to death. My children prayed a simple prayer and left. They had only been gone for a little while when they heard someone calling them from afar. They looked back and saw the herbalist chasing after them. When he got to them, he said his wife has stopped bleeding and he was ready to accept Jesus into his life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Everybody responds to love. If you want to talk to someone about accepting the one who is Love Himself, then you should at least show some love to the fellow first and foremost. An evangelist must be full of smiles at all times. The person you are going to talk to may be going through a hard situation and your smile may just brighten his/her day.

You should always ask yourself when going on evangelism “What does this person need?” If the need is taken out of the way, then he/she can listen to you. You can’t be talking about Christ to someone who is hungry and expect him to listen, but if you came with food, then they would. A woman with a crying baby is more likely to listen to you if you help calm the baby first. 1st John 4:16 says:
“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”

There is nothing too big for you to do if you want to win a soul to Christ. If you meet the fellow washing clothes or their car, join them. Don’t feel too big to do it. When you show humility, they see Christ in you and can easily believe your message. God throws a party in heaven when one single soul is won to Christ. What could be too hard for you to do to make your Father that happy?

If the people you’re sharing the gospel with perceive you as someone who cares about them, they would see God like that too. If on the other hand, they see you as someone who only cares about himself and does not seem to be behaving like the loving God they have always heard of, they push your message aside. Now, I know that some people will try to take your love for granted. If you cannot find a polite way to stop them from doing that, then allow them. If your message does not convert them at least they will never forget your Christ-like character.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Matthew 4:19, Jesus likened evangelism to fishing.

“And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

When you want to go fishing you need to have some bait that will attract the fish to you before you catch it in your net or hook. This is the same way we must approach evangelism. If you make it obvious while approaching people that you have come to preach the gospel, they are likely to put a front, but if you approach them with a possible point of interest and they warm up to you, then you can present the gospel to them.

In Acts 17:22-26, Paul wanted to win a community for God. Having noticed that they were already ignorantly worshipping God at an altar dedicated to “THE UNKNOWN GOD”, he decided to start from there. When you want to preach to someone, find out their interest or curiosities first, then start from there. If you approach a person to discuss his/her area of interest, you would definitely get their attention and then you can present the gospel afterward.

One day, I was on a plane and seated beside me was a man who had on gold necklaces, a gold wristwatch and even his walking stick was gold. I said to him, “Sir, do you know my father? He owns plenty of gold. He even has gold factories all around the world.” I had the man’s full attention. He asked “What is his name?” I said “His name is Chief Emmanuel” and then I went on to describe God some more to him. By the time I was through, he was eager to meet my Father, so I introduced him to Jehovah, the King of all kings. I am sure nobody had ever presented God to him that light before, so it was easier for him to accept. If you are preaching to a farmer, speak the language of farming that he understands; if you are talking to politicians, tell them Someone somewhere has been a leader even before we were all born and no one has ever been able to overthrow Him. Get good knowledge about the person you want to preach to and approach them from their area of interest. The Holy Spirit will do the rest.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is unfortunate that many people go on evangelism without any preparation. They take secular assignments more seriously than the one most important to God. There are certain things you need to do before you go out on evangelism in order for it not to become a futile exercise.

First, you must ensure that you spend quality time in prayers, soaking in the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples in Luke 24:49:
“And, behold, I spend the promise of the Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

After intense prayers and the infilling of the Holy Spirit, when you speak to sinners, your words will come out like fire and many souls will be won to Christ like it happened for Peter on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41). During this period of intimacy with God, boldness to preach is developed. Peter was a very timid man; he even denied knowing Jesus when a young girl identified him as His disciples (Matthew 26:69-74), but after spending time in the upper room, he was facing rulers of the land and telling them boldly that he would not stop preaching the gospel (Act 4:8-13). Mark 3:27 says:
“No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.”

Evangelism is a spiritual battle. The devil is the strong man referred to in the passage above. If you would rescue the sinner out of the strong man’s bondage, you must first bind him – bind the demons that have kept that fellow or community in captivity first, then frustrate all their activities and plans to keep the person or community captive for life. That way, the coast would be clear for you to rescue them from the hands of the devil.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Old Testament, until Jesus died and rose, was the dispensation of God the Father. The millennium – when Jesus Christ will return to reign for a thousand years will be the dispensation of God the Son. We are however now in the dispensation of God the Holy Spirit.

So, who is the Holy Spirit? He is the third Person of the Trinity (2nd Corinthians 13:14). He is the Comforter. John 14:16 says:
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.”

He is the teacher (John 14:26). He is the One who reveals the future (John 16:13). He is the glorifier of Jesus (John 16:14). He is the Source of divine power (Acts 1:. You may then wonder: If He is the third Person of the Trinity, what is the Trinity? Well, the Trinity consist of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). When we say the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, we recognise that human beings can only sympathise, it is the Holy Spirit who knows how best to comfort anyone who is sorrowful. Friendship with the Holy Spirit means joy forever.

The Holy Spirit is the One who can teach you the deep secrets of God. He not only teaches well, He also brings to your remembrance whatever you have forgotten. The Christian life becomes more joyful when from time to time, the Holy Spirit tells you what is to come. When God gave Jesus the name that is above every other name, the Holy Spirit went into action to ensure that everywhere the name of Jesus is called or used in prayer by His children, miraculous results are produced. The Holy Spirit gives the power to raise the dead, to make the lame walk and make the barren conceive. The moment you become born again, the Holy Spirit seals you as a child of God. So, whenever the devil sees God’s seal on you, he knows that you are untouchable. The fruit of the Holy Spirit also distinguishes you and helps men identify you. Indeed, as Jesus said in Matthew 7:20, by their fruits you will now be able to identify a child of God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When it comes to having a pure heart, many people need serious prayers. A lot of people while not committing sin physically do so in their hearts. As far as God is concerned, what happens in the heart is of greater consequences than anything else because the heart is meant to be His throne.
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
Proverbs 4:23
Be careful what goes in and out of your heart, Jesus said that it is not what goes into the mouth that corrupts but what goes out of it (Matthew 15:11). Since we also know that it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34), then it means that there are certain channels through which things go into the heart to corrupt it. One of such ways is through the ears. 1st Corinthians 15:33 says evil communication corrupts good manners. No matter how good you are, if you keep staying in the company of people who talk dirty, soon your heart will be full of dirt. No matter how holy you are, if you are a regular at places where worldly music is the order of the day, your holiness is only a façade, the heart will have been polluted. You must be careful what goes into your heart through your ear gates.

Your eyes can get you into trouble also, if you don’t control them. Jesus said if you look at a woman with lust, you have already committed adultery (Matthew 2:28). What kind of movies do you watch? If someone is indecently dressed around you, just look away because your heart must remain pure. You can’t view nude pictures and claim that you are so spiritually strong that they will not move you. If you are really spiritually strong, the Holy Spirit will make those pictures repulsive to you. The internet is another means through which the devil feeds the eyes with corrupt images and ideas these days. Which websites do you visit? Who do you follow on social media? If you want a pure heart, you must keep evil away from your eyes and ears. Feed on the word of God instead.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“…If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
1 John 2:15

To love the world is to be materialistic to chase material things so much that you leave God behind. God wants us to be prosperous, but not materialistic. In fact, the reason God has not prospered many people is because He knows that when He prospers them, they will forget Him.

There are many things we chase that we don’t need; we just want them by all means, and God may not be ready to give them to us yet. Due to this insatiable hunger, the devil begins to suggest means by which you can get what you want, how you can cut corners so you can enjoy the pleasures that you so much desire. The devil is watching you; when he notices that you love jewelry so much, he will always bring the most alluring pieces your way and then suggest how you can cut corners to get them. It is not enough to always cast the devil out when he brings such suggestions, if you don’t work on your mind to stop loving the things of the world, he will soon be back, and sooner or later, he will succeed. Many young ladies have jeopardized their destinies simply because they wanted to marry rich men, only to find out that the wealth was just a disguise for the demon in the man.

One thing about materialistic people is that they are never satisfied; they are in a rat race to satisfy their selfish desires. This is no surprise because Ecclesiastes 5:10 says:
“He that loveth silver shall be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.”

Why should material things prevent you from getting to heaven? Jesus said you should seek first His kingdom and righteousness, then He will add all these things to you (Matthew 6:33). Anything that you desire more than God, that you can offend God just to acquire, is dangerous and can destroy you. Beware.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Rubies are precious stones considered to be next in value to diamonds. The value of a stone is determined by its purity. A Christian woman has been bought by the blood of Jesus and you can never put a price on that.

To be far above rubies is to sit with Christ in heavenly places far above principalities and powers. To be far above rubies is to be a woman of virtue – filled with the Holy Ghost and bearing fruit, a woman whose mouth is controlled by the Spirit of God, having a quiet spirit. She can hear the Lord when He speaks.

To be far above rubies is to be a woman of prayer – not the one who sleeps all night. A woman who is far above rubies is a warrior – a prayer warrior. Many of us are here today because of the prayers of our mothers but how many of us pray for our children?
“She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.”
Proverbs 31:15

To be far above rubies is to be a woman who is trustworthy. Sister, are you trustworthy? Can your husband’s heart, sister’s heart or church members’ hearts safely trust you? Any woman operating below this standard has lost her value and like salt without savour, will be thrown on the ground to be trodden on. Nobody throws gems or precious stones on the floor.

A woman who is far above rubies is a mother – she nurtures. This goes beyond carrying a child in your womb; it is about serving others with your gifts and resources so they can prosper. Deborah was such a woman. In Judges 5:7, she said:
“The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.”

Deborah’s generation was preserved because of her. What will your generation say about you? My sister, you are far above rubies; don’t live as though you were less.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

We are always engaged in battles and the greatest weapon of our warfare apart from holiness is praise.
When you are going to war against odds that are far too great for you, the only way to win is by praising God. That was the strategy of Jehoshaphat. He knew that there was no way he could defeat those three great kings, so instead of calling a meeting with the general of his army to plot strategies, he went to God in praise.
“And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?”
2nd Chronicles 20:6

These were Jehoshaphat’s words to the Most High God. There is no way God would hear such words of praise from His child and not pay attention to the fellow. When Jehoshaphat was through, God told him: Don’t worry boy, I will fight this battle myself. When you pray, you fight your battles, but when you praise, God fights for you. On the day of the battle, Jehoshaphat appointed singers, not soldiers to go to the battle field. 2 Chronicles 20:22 says:
“And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.”

By the time they got to the battlefield all their enemies were already destroyed; all they had to do was to take the spoils of war. As you sing and praise God henceforth, all your enemies will be destroyed:

If you have already been captured by the enemy, put in prison and bound, the only way to get out is by praise. If you don’t believe me, ask Paul and Silas (Acts 16:25-34). When you are in any impossible situation, deploy the weapon of praise. Praise has never failed me before. It will not fail you either, in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

PRAYERS

1. Praise the Head of the Church, glorify the One who established the Body of Christ, bless His name, adore His excellency, exalt Him above all things.

2. Father, let Your fire fall and put an end to all forms of lukewarmness in Your Church.

3. Father, let your fire fall and consume any agent of the devil, any plant that You have not planted in Your Church.

4. Father, You promised us that the gate of hell will not prevail against Your Church; destroy every enemy of the Church today, in the mighty name of Jesus.

5. Father, empower Your Church as in the days of old so that miracles will become commonplace again amongst us.

6. Father, unite Your Church like the Apostles were united at the Upper Room so that we can begin to do the impossible. Remove strife, envy and unhealthy competition in Your Church.

7. Father, let Your Church not be ordinary, let our voices be heard and impact felt all over the world in the mighty name of Jesus.

8. Father, please help every local assembly that needs Your help in one way or the other.

9. Father, raise faithful men who will be sold out for You in this generation, to serve You with all their heart and their might.

10. Father, every assembly or denomination where there is conflict, please Lord, calm the storm.

11. Father, every group, society or establishment terrorising Your Church, if they refuse to repent, send Your fire into their midst and let them destroy themselves in the mighty name of Jesus.

12. Pray for your local assembly.

I join my faith with yours and pray that God will grant your requests in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the suffering of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:”
1st Peter 5:1

If there is glory to be revealed and the best is yet to come, it means that the future is superior to the present. Hence, a sensible person will not sacrifice a glorious future on the altar of the present. Peter in the scripture above was telling the elders to be willing to sacrifice the present for the future.

The desire for instant gratification is a lethal weapon in the hand of the enemy. In Genesis 25:28-34, we are told that Isaac loved Esau and was thus ready to hand over the baton to him. Esau however lost his future for his present. Whenever Esau killed an animal, he ate it immediately. Jacob on the other hand kept the few animals he could lay his hands on. When it was time for Esau to prepare a delicacy for his father so as to get the firstborn’s blessing, he didn’t have any meat, so he had to go out to hunt; Jacob on the other hand who obviously had delayed gratification had meat in the backyard that he quickly cooked, served to his father and got the blessing before Esau got back. If you Esau has restrained himself from eating just one of all the animals that he had previously hunted, if only he had delayed gratification a little, things would have turned out differently.

Peter said there is a crown of glory that never fades away (1st Peter 5:4). Don’t trade the pleasures of today for that crown of glory. You don’t want to miss that for anything. The things that look alluring to you now are just tools in the hands of the devil as he fights hard to ensure you don’t get that crown that never fades. The fight will not end until you get the crown. Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus set His eyes on the joy ahead, hence He was able to endure the pain He suffered. Set your eyes on that incorruptible crown and all the pleasure of this world will mean nothing to you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Food and relaxation are good, but if excessive, can be dangerous. If fasting for even one day has become difficult for you, then your flesh is exerting too much control over you. Even in marriage, if you cannot go one week without being intimate with your spouse, then you really need to get yourself under control.

Humans are actually spirit beings; the flesh is just a container that helps us to operate in the physical world. Many however have given the container priority over its content – the spirit. The spirit is suppose to be in control of the flesh and not the other way round. What happens mostly however is that, a fellow will look flesh and healthy in the physical, but spiritually, he is weak and dying. The purpose of your flesh is to keep you alive, not to kill you. If you let it dictate to you, it will end up killing you. In 1st Corinthians 9:27. Apostle Paul urges us to subdue our flesh.

When I first became born again and was introduced to fasting, I thought “These people want to kill, me!” But I eventually tried it and found it most rewarding. When you decide to start putting your body under control through fasting, it will be difficult at first, in fact, it may feel like you are trying to kill yourself. That is just the flesh battling for the position of authority that it has always enjoyed. At that time when it seems really difficult, energize your spirit with prayers. You will discover that during the prayers, your flesh will be suppressed and its voice will be silenced.

I leave you with the words of Apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians 6:12-13:
“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.”
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.”
2nd Kings 6:14

The night is supposed to be for rest and relaxation, so how come the king of Syria sent an army against Elisha at night? If you ask any military person, they will tell you that the best time to attack the enemy is when they are relaxed – at night. Secret societies hold meetings at night; it is also then that witches fly to their covens. Fortunately, angels are also active at night. Those who are wise pray at night.

In Acts 23:23-35, we see how military operations were constantly being carried out at night. The night, though generally known as a time to rest and relax, is also a time for soldiers to move. Soldiers are deployed at night; both heaven and hell send out soldiers at night. A lot of things that are observed in the day time would have been decided and executed at night. That is when you can move what you want moved or stop what you want stopped, in the spirit. If you slack at night, you have given the enemy easy access to sow tares in your field.

Beware of what you do during your time of relaxation. It was during the period of relaxation that Noah got drunk (Genesis 9:20-27). A man rescued by the Lord with his family when the entire world was wiped away relaxed, and got drunk. One of his sons mocked his unclothedness causing him to pronounce a curse on the young man. Samson was relaxing in the lap of Delilah when his hair was cut off and he lost his strength. The enemy always looks out for when a person is relaxed so he can attack him then.

Don’t relax in your study of the Bible, don’t relax in prayers, don’t relax in evangelism, don’t relax in giving, don’t relax in working for God. All the devil needs to attack is a little time when you are relaxed. Don’t give him that opportunity. Stay alert at all times (1st Peter 5:.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The word ‘Fresh’ does not only mean something newly created, it could also mean ‘new impact’. For example, when somebody goes for a refresher course, it is the same person and the same course, but now he is doing it so he can make new impact.

‘Dew’ is an embodiment of freshness. It refreshes everything it touches and makes it blossom. In Hosea 14:5 God says:
“I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.”

From this passage, it is clear that the dew, which symbolises freshness, makes things to blossom anew. So, when we talk about fresh oil, we are talking about an anointing that makes dry things blossom. It is an anointing that makes the beautiful more so, the fruitful to abound even more and the great even greater. It is a dangerous thing when the anointing of a man begins to go stale. This is what happened to Saul and we see the link between Saul’s stale anointing and the absence of dew, from David’s statement in 2nd Samuel 1:21 “Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you… for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.”

When a man has been doing many exploits, and all of a sudden, his frequency begins to reduce, he needs fresh oil. When someone is well on his way to fulfilling his destiny and somehow, he begins to slow down, he needs fresh oil. Lack of fresh oil is what turns champions into ex-champions. I know that any boxer who does not keep refreshing his skills, no matter how good he is will soon be beaten in the ring. As long as the oil remains fresh on your head, great miracles and exploits will not cease in your life. Every time the oil is refreshed, you move from one level of glory to a higher level. If you are tired of being on a level for long and you want to go higher, seek fresh oil. Ask the Lord to anoint you afresh.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Any Christian who does not face battles from the kingdom of darkness is either considered irrelevant or a relic. As long as you remain relevant, there will be battles to fight. So, if the devil no longer fights you, if he no longer tries to discourage you, it is not time to rejoice; it is time to check and see if you are still relevant in the kingdom of God. The Bible did not record that any of the first seven sons of Jesse who were not chosen to be kings ever had to fight lions and bears. When Paul was still in the world persecuting Christians, he never had to run for his life or get stoned by anyone, but the day he gave his life to Christ and became an evangelist, he faced battles everywhere he turned.

The day you stop taking examinations is the day you stop getting certifications and promotions. While Goliath was bragging, even though everyone was still calling Saul the king, he had become a relic. In fact, 1st Samuel 16:14 says:
“But the Spirit of LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.”

You will become a relic when you stop being battle-ready at all times. Those who are still making waves and troubling the kingdom of Satan must expect the enemy to fight back. In science, we learnt that for every action, there is always an equal and opposite reaction. In other words, the bigger the waves you are making, the bigger the reaction of the enemy, so you need to be battle ready at all times.

To be battle-ready means that you have the armour of God on at all times. This means that you must live a righteous life (the breastplate of righteousness), your salvation must be intact (the helmet of salvation), your faith, must be strong (the shield of faith), you must always meditate on and memorise the word of God (the sword of the spirit), you must gird your loins with the word of God (the belt of truth), and preach the gospel everywhere you go (the sandals of the gospel). Praying without ceasing (1st Thessalonians 5:17) must be your life style.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.”
Isaiah 60:1

There are two basic instructions in the passage above – Arise and Shine.

‘Arise’ could have different meanings to different people. To the dead, ‘arise’ could mean resurrect, for example, Jairus’ daughter in Mark 5:35-42. From now on, anything dead in your life will arise in the mighty name of Jesus. To someone sleeping, it means to awake. If you have been sleeping spiritually, the Lord says “Arise!” To one who has been stagnant, it could mean 'move'. Everything that has been on one spot in your life will arise now in the mighty name of Jesus. To the person already moving, it means ‘increase in speed’. You many have been struggling to have just enough to pay the rent and eat. I command that as from today, struggling is over in your life; you will have more than enough to take care of your basic needs in the mighty name of Jesus.

To one already running, it means ‘fly.’ Those flying have left struggling behind. I decree, from now, you will fly in every area of your life. To the person already flying, ‘arise’ means to move from great heights to greater heights.

I decree that your breakthrough will be a wonder to all those who hear it. You will experience a level of greatness that only a few people have ever experienced in the mighty name of Jesus.

The second instruction in Isaiah 60:1 is to shine. To shine means to show your light. Matthew 5:14-16 says you are the light of the world. God wants you to use your talents for His glory.

Whatever you do, wherever you are and whoever you are, ensure you make an impact to the glory of God. Help those around you, console the broken-hearted, preach the gospel to sinners, heal the sick and raise the dead. It is possible. This is God’s will for you. Arise and shine!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The first thing God said before creation was “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). Thousand of years later, in John 9:5, Jesus Christ said:
“As long as I am the world, l am the light of the world.”

He was and is the light. Light gives vision and vision is so important that without it, people will perish (Proverbs 29:18). How great you will be is determined by what you can see. In 2nd Kings 2:9-15, when Elisha requested a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, the later said he had asked for a hard thing, but that if he ‘saw’, he could have it. Elisha saw and he got the mantle. In Genesis 13:14-18, God told Abraham that all he could see was going to be given to him. Then God advised him not to stay in a place, but to move around so he could see more. This is why exposure is good. These days, being exposed has become even easier with the internet. You can ‘see’ any part of the world from your phone or computer.

When my Father-in-the-Lord was alive and we would have a crowd of over a thousand people at our Conventions, I thought that was big. Then, I saw hundreds of thousands at Kenneth Hagin’s Camp meeting. I was also at Dr. Yonggi Cho’s church in South Korea and I saw that every Sunday, they held seven services and would appeal to those in attendance not to show up the next Sunday so those who couldn’t attend that week could attend the next. My prayer point changed! I realised I needed to expand my vision greatly. I did and by God’s grace, millions of people attend our programmes.

Get exposed through books, the internet, travelling or talking to more experienced people. Ensure that you expand your horizon every day. Light gives vision and vision gives confidence. When God opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant to see the chariots of fire surrounding him and his master, his confidence grew (2nd Kings 6). Vision will also enable you to endure until the end (Hebrews 11:24-27). From today, receive light that will help you overcome all challenges in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”
Luke 12:15

Having ‘life abundantly’ does not refer to material things. Ecclesiastes 5:10-12 says he who loves silver and gold will never be satisfied and the abundance of the rich will not let him sleep. A Christian is not identified by how prosperous he/she is. Although God wants us to prosper financially, it is even as we prosper spiritually (3rd John 2). He is more concerned with the prosperity of the soul than material blessing which is an addition. Matthew 6:33 says “but seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all other things shall be ADDED…”
True Christians are known by their fruits of righteousness and holy lifestyle.

A young man came to Jesus and said he wanted to follow Him. The Lord asked him to sell all he had before he could, and he went away sorrowful (Matthew 19:16-24). Many have lost their place in Christ due to the love of wealth. Today, some rich people are depressed because they cannot give up their wealth for Him.

One day, a professor who had just given his life to Christ said to me “Pastor, ever since I became born again, I have just been full of joy, I hope it is not dangerous to be too happy.” I said “That is the joy of the Lord, enjoy it.” He was a successful man, but all the while, he had not experienced joy until he met Christ. He got abundant life.

Abundant life in Him means you can fulfil your destiny. Peter wanted to be a millionaire fisherman, but Jesus told him that he would become a fisher of men. In Psalm 23:5, David did not say that the table was filled with assorted food, instead anointing that ran over. Abundant life is overflowing anointing.

In God’s presence there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). This is the promised abundant life – joy like a river. Stay content in Christ so you can have abundant life. Remember, godliness with contentment is great gain (1st Timothy 6:6).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people are so focused on today that they miss out on what is most important — the end. Esau had a bad beginning, but somewhere along the line, he repented. Instead of killing his brother, he hugged him. He became so successful that he had four hundred bodyguards. Levi started with a curse but later became the first born of the Most High God because he chose to be on the Lord's side, One of the criminals crucified along with Jesus started badly but made it to paradise. Paul the Apostle started as a persecutor of Christians but ended as a great evangelist and Apostle. However, King Saul started well but ended badly. As for me, I will end well. What about you? Your future is in the hands of two people— God and you.

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever."
Hebrews 13:8

Since God is unchangeable, righteous, and His word is yea and amen, His part is settled. This means your future is in your hands. Hence, you can direct it as you wish, positively or negatively. Some have chosen to sell their future like Esau did in Genesis 25:29-34. Today, many have exchanged their future for financial gains. As a sinner, even if you pay tithe and offerings, know that no amount of money can compare with God's plan for your future. An uncontrolled weakness can also damage the future. Moses compromised his future after forty years of ministry because of uncontrolled temper (Numbers 20:7-13). David brought a curse on himself and his lineage because he committed adultery and murder.

However, you can save your future by sowing into it. In 1 Kings 17:8-16, the widow of Zarephath sowed her last meal, then she and her son had enough to eat for the rest of their Iives. You too can secure your future through absolute obedience to God. As soon as Elijah dropped the mantle on Elisha in Kings 19:19-21, the latter surrendered all and never looked back. If there is anything you have done in the past that can destroy your future, I break its hold over you now in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is impossible to deceive God because He knows ALL things, including the thoughts of your heart and the motives behind your actions. In 1 Samuel 15:13-15 for example, King Saul told Samuel that he had already obeyed God’s commandments as regards the Amalekites. However, the latter heard the noise of animals. The King then lied that they were for sacrifice to God. Why would anyone try to deceive God? In the first place, he should have asked himself if oxen sound differently for the Prophet to know which is from Amalek and which is not. He should have known that Samuel was acting based on divine knowledge. You can 't hide anything from God!

Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit and never got a chance to repent (Acts 5:1-11). They would not have died if they had simply been honest about how much they sold the land for and how much they kept back. They were not forced to sell; they just wanted to deceive the Holy Spirit and they paid dearly for it. DO not attempt to deceive God.

Many years ago, when the Redeemed Christian Church of God was small, one man joined us and became very active almost immediately. In fact, we thought he was a blessing until God revealed his true identity. I was on a lengthy fast when he came to see me. There and then, God told me he was a spy, operating from the church so he would not be easily found. I confronted him and he tried to cover up. I told him he wouldn't last beyond the next seven days. Within the week, God had exposed him and he was picked up by the then military government of Nigeria. God cannot be deceived.

Paying less than your tithe is deception to God; it would have been better if you didn't pay at all. Telling a lie to the marriage counselor in your Church that you and your fiancée/fiancé have not had any sexual relations before marriage is trying to deceive God. As an usher, changing the remittance figures is trying to deceive God. It is dangerous and thus, has grave consequences. Don’t do it.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Persistence is a major mark that sets great achievers apart. While most people give up on their dreams along the way, the persistent keeps going until all goals are accomplished. Jesus Himself said the persistent always get what they want (Luke 1 8:1-9). It is not enough to pray; do so until something happens.

When others get breakthroughs, before you feel frustrated or jealous, why not take time to know how long they have been trying before they became successful?

During one of the Holy Ghost Services at the Redemption Camp, I waved my hands as I stood on the altar. As I did, miracles started to happen. It is possible for some Pastors who saw that happen to wonder "Why can't I also wave and have miracles happen? I serve the same God as this man, I also pray and fast regularly" but they may not know that before that day, I had been praying for that manifestation for about fifteen years — that miracles should happen just at the wave of my hands. John 16:24 says ask, that your joy may be full. I prayed for fifteen years. That is persistence.

Don't get tired of hitting that hard spot with your drops of water. You may just be at the edge of your breakthrough. Sometimes, it may appear that nothing is happening yet despite the promises of God. The truth however, is that a lot is actually happening on the inside and soon it will manifest in the open. God's method is:
"For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:"
Isaiah 28:10

God nurtures little things to greatness through a process. Don't despise your days of little beginnings (Zechariah 4: 10); greatness is coming if you persist - in prayers, hard work, sowing seeds, working on your marriage, and in attaining that great height. As long as you are sure you are working in God's will, persist. You will succeed because determined and focused people always get what they want.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” Psalm 37:25

An old man who had walked with God wrote the verse above. You could tell he had seen a lot in his lifetime. However, he had never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging for bread. This is good news – there are immense benefits in our sacrifice of righteousness.

You must know that righteousness benefits you and not God. Likewise, if you want to live a life of sin, it is you who will pay for it, not Him. Staying away from sin is for your own good. What are some of the rewards of righteousness?

1. No matter the kind of trouble a righteous person faces, it will never overcome him/her. The righteous will never be moved. No matter how great the storm, when it is over, he/she will still be standing (Psalm 55:22).

2. The righteous is always ahead of everyone else because he/she knows God's secrets (Proverbs 3:32). James 5:16 says it is the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous that avails much. Thus, it is the prayers of the upright that are answered.

3. Blessings are also transferred to the seed of the righteous. Psalm 112:2 says that the seed of the upright will be mighty. I have always said that my children - biological and spiritual will be greater than I. This is because I know that if I live righteously and convince my children to do so too, the matter is settled. If God makes your children great, you will reap the benefits while you are alive, and when you are gone, your name will remain relevant. At least for the sake of your children, live holy.

Isaiah 3:10 says it will be well with the righteous and they shall reap the fruit of their doings. It pays to be upright; I am determined that as long as I live, holiness will be my lifestyle. Have you made that decision also?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.