₦airaland Forum

In the spirit realm, certain people are termed 'untouchable.' These ones have a wall of fire around them that makes them too hot to be touched - even by the devil. The moment you become a child of God, you have access to this group.

Some Christians have once been secure, but somehow, the devil seems to be touching them now. If you are in this category, it could be that God deliberately allowed the devil or you have backslidden and exposed yourself to danger. Job was untouchable until God permitted the devil. He was untouchable because he lived a holy life and prayed regularly.

If you are still telling 'small lies', the devil will not need any permission from God before he touches you because he is the father of lies (John 8:44). In Joshua 24:9, King Balak invited Balaam to curse the people of Israel, but instead of curses, blessings came forth. They were untouchable by the plagues until they fell in the hands of beautiful ladies who seduced them into sin thereafter.

"Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord."
Numbers 31 : 16

If you would not be vulnerable, you must have no business with the devil. Check your prayer life. A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. Each day without prayers makes one cold and the devil will be waiting until such a person has grown cold enough so he can touch him/her. That is why the devil tries to dampen the prayer life of an individual he hasn't been permitted to touch.

When you become too busy to pray as you used to, watch out! That is the devil trying to make you vulnerable so he can touch you. Never let your prayer life get cold. May you receive divine help in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is a mistake common to some children and enemies of God – they underrate the efficacy of prayer. Prayer is the control tool in the spiritual realm. While it may appear that nothing is happening in the physical, the truth is things are shaping up in the spiritual.

Someone could argue that prayer does not put food on the table, but that’s not true. Sometime ago, one of my spiritual daughters abroad delivered a set of twins. Unfortunately, not long after, they lost their means of livelihood and life became very difficult. One day, there was nothing to eat and the husband was not home. So, the woman resorted to praying, and petting the twins who were crying in hunger.

Meanwhile, a Christian group in the neighbourhood was evangelising from door-to-door. According to their schedule, they had finished from the day, but the leader of the group said “Let us go to one more house.” Incidentally, they went to my daughter’s house. When he had finished preaching, she apologised for not having offered him anything to drink, because there was nothing at home. He was surprised. He asked for her husband and she explained that he had no means of income but was out of the house at the moment. Immediately, the evangelist left for the supermarket to get food for the family and their babies. When he returned, he asked my daughter to tell her husband to see him in his office the next day. The husband went and got a new job. Imagine if my daughter had not prayed; the family could have gone hungry that night and their conditions may have persisted.

Prayer does not give you the liberty to stop working and working does not mean you should stop praying. It simply makes you work fruitful. Instead of excessive worrying, get on your knees and pray. Before you talk to that person you think can be of help, talk to God.
“Pray without ceasing.”
1st Thessalonians 5:17

Pray always. When you do so, nothing will be impossible for you to achieve.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”
Matthew 5:44

As Christians, we are called to a lifestyle of love – unconditional love even towards enemies and unfriendly people.

Some years ago, I went to see a man in his office and although he knew I have arrived, he kept me waiting. He probably thought I would get angry and leave, but I waited patiently. Finally, after several hours, he came in to attend to me and met me smiling. He found it hard to believe. “You waited?” He asked and I responded “Yes sir.” Immediately, his previously unfriendly countenance towards me changed. Today, that ‘unfriendly’ man has a house in Redemption Camp. Responding with love to those who wrong you will confuse and win them over to your side.

Have people been hurting you with their words and actions? From now on, smile and do good to them. Is anyone persecuting you because you are a Christian? Why not pray for them to have an encounter with Christ, so they can change? When you respond with love to those who hate you, some may see you as a fool and try to advise you otherwise. Ignore them and obey the counsel of Jesus because 1st Corinthians 1:25 says “…the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Don’t abuse or insult anybody, your words should be seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6). Don’t try to avenge yourself because vengeance is of God and not man (Romans 12:19) Don’t pray for your persecutors to die because God is not interested in the death of a sinner (Ezekiel 18:23, 32). No matter what you are going through in the hands of anyone, always respond in love. By doing so, you will save yourself and the person too and this is the will of God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The central message of Christianity is love, so much so that when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He answered:
“..thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Matthew 22:37-40

Hospitality is the duty of every Christian and in fact, should be our way of life. See every encounter you have with people as an opportunity to show forth the love of God. Help people. You should never be rude or unaccommodating to anyone. God expects you to be hospitable to anyone you come across. In Genesis 18:17, God who says He wouldn’t do anything without first telling His friend Abraham did not send angels to him directly. He only asked them to take the route through Abraham’s house at the time he would be outside. He expected that Abraham would call the angels in and host them. Being a true child of God, he did not disappoint his father. Imagine, he hosted angels! (Genesis 18:1-16)

Many Christians have missed their blessings because they were not as hospitable as they should have been. That sweaty fellow you did not offer a bottle of water could have been the key to your prayers being answered. Many of us are hospitable to our guests, which is good, but we can actually do better. Have you considered the widow on your street, the beggar on your way home and other disadvantaged people around you?

I must add that hospitality is not limited to giving out material things. It could also be shown through warmth and friendliness to people – a word of encouragement or just a smile. From today, decide to be a true Christian and be hospitable to everyone you come across. God will bless you for it.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
Proverbs 18:21

Your tongue is the most powerful part of your body. According to the Bible verse above, it can kill and as well bring to life. This is why you must be very careful how you use it. Many people don’t realise how powerful the tongue is, so they kill things that should be alive in their lives and resurrect what should be dead. From now on, don’t say you are poor; Confess wealth. Stop saying you are sick; say you are healed. Don’t speak evil about your country; speak good only. Speak positively into the lives of your children while you reject negative things. Don’t refer to them as disobedient; call them obedient. Don’t call them liars, thieves or prostitutes; rather, always use positive words to describe them. What you say activates spirits to function; don’t activate the wrong spirits in your children just because you want them to feel hurt or remorseful. Speak exactly what you want into their lives; it may be difficult, but it is worth it.

Aside from speaking into a child’s life or situation, you also need to start speaking into the atmosphere. There may be no situation that you want to change with your tongue at the moment, but you can just begin to say that you and the children God has given you will live long and serve Him for the rest of your lives. You could say that though a thousand may fall on your left and ten thousand on your right, not a strand of your hair will be hurt. You could also say that you will be the head only and never the tail. Confess always that your tomorrow will be alright. Take a cue from the Shunamite woman in 2 Kings 4:18-37. She told her husband ‘it shall be well’ and it indeed was well with them.

Make it a habit to consistently use your tongue to speak what you want daily. Soon enough you will see your life turn around for good and to God’s glory.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Indeed, I was puzzled when I first saw David described as a man after God’s heart. This was someone who had committed grave sins that made God angry. How could he then be a man after God’s heart? Then I studied David. I realised that he never repeated the same offence. Every time he offended God, he would become very sorrowful, genuinely repent and competently stay off that offence forever.

Once, he counted the Israelites when he shouldn’t have and God was angry with him. David repented and never did so again. Another time, he stayed back from war when kings were to be at the warfront. In his idleness, he slept with another man’s wife and to cover his tracks, killed him. The moment God confronted him with his sin; he became repentant and never missed any war again until he was old and weak. David was a man after God’s heart because he never repeated the same mistake.

Today, unlike David, many Christians have made a habit of repeating mistakes. They commit a sin; ask for forgiveness, and days later, return to it. When the Pastor asks why they keep backsliding, they claim they cannot help it. God is not mocked. No one can be tempted beyond their capacity to resist (1st Corinthians 10:13).

If you truly resolve in your heart not to commit a sin again, you would not. You don’t want to commit fornication anymore, yet you keep staying alone in an enclosed place with the opposite sex. You don’t want to steal the money kept in your care by the organisation again, yet you count it alone without a witness. Don’t fool yourself. If you came across a rabid dog and managed to escape, wouldn’t you take an alternative route next time?

“Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
1st Thessalonians 5:22

Once you can recognise anything that could lead you to evil, the Lord says flee! Don’t join the multitude to commit sin. If it happened once, repent and forsake it. Don’t let it happen again.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I am always surprised when I see people question God. Usually, they ask “Why me?”

“But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.”
Psalm 115:3

God is sovereign, He does as He pleases. If the kings of small towns or villages in Yorubaland could be called ‘Kabio o si, which means ‘None can question you’ how much more the King of the entire Universe – the One who laid the foundations of the earth and created all things? It is a complete insult to question God.

One man who questioned God in the Bible was Job. He had suffered a lot: he lost his children and all his wealth in a day. To make matters worse, incurable diseases showed up on his body and even his wife turned against him. it is strange that all these happened to him despite God testifying that he was a perfect and upright man (Job 1:. It was so frustrating for him that his questions occupy several chapters in the book of job. You may think his actions could be justified given all he had been through but God didn’t take it lightly. Like He is keeping quiet for most of the people questioning Him now, God didn’t say anything to Job until chapter 38. By the time He was through with His response, it was Job’s turn to keep quiet. He was dumbfounded and afraid, realising the might of the One he had been questioning all along.

God is not your peer – stop questioning Him. He can see what you are going through and He cares. Instead of questioning Him, why not go to Him in prayers and supplication? In John 11:20-33, you will observe that neither Mary nor Martha queried Jesus in spite of their anguish. Rather, they worshipped and honoured Him. Little wonder Jesus responded to their tears with compassion and raised their brother from death. He cannot ignore the tears of His children. Cry to Him for help, ask Him for a way out of the situation, call other believers to pray with you, and you will begin to see changes in your situation.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Prayers
1. Father, thank You for instituting marriage, thank You for giving me such a wonderful spouse. I adore You for making us meet each other and get married.

2. Father, make me a better husband/wife to my wife/husband.


3. Father, let the purpose for which You brought us together come to pass.

4. Father, give us a couple wisdom to raise a godly family.

5. Father, provide for all the needs of my family (mention the needs).

6. Father, every generational curse – either from my lineage or from my spouse’, destroy it today in the mighty name of Jesus.

7. Father, give us as a couple long lives. Don’t let us die young; let us fulfil Your purpose for our lives.

8. Husband: “Father, help me to love my wife like You love the Church.”
Wife: “Father, help me to submit to my husband as my head.”

9. Father, let every force breaking marriages fail over my marriage.

10. Father, wherever my spouse is weak, give me strength to lift him/her.

11. Father, make my marriage a godly model for other marriages to follow in the mighty name of Jesus.

12. Special prayer request for your marriage.

I stand with you in agreement today and pray that God will grant your requests in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jesus likes to be in the company of His co-labourers. Like we saw in His earthly ministry, at a time He was with ‘the five hundred’, then with ‘the seventy’, followed by ‘the twelve’, then ‘the three’, and finally ‘the one beloved’.

Imagine being a beloved in God’s company; you would be able to safely rest on His chest (John 13:23-26) and feel His heartbeat. You would hear secrets He won’t reveal to others.

“He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.”
Psalm 103:7

If there is going to be only one beloved of God in my generation, it must be me. I know I am God’s beloved because once in a while, He tells me secrets. He can tell you too, you only have to rest your head on His chest first.

He can’t trust you with His secrets if all you do is offer hasty prayers to Him rather than getting lost in His presence for hours every day.

The one who will receive special revelations from God must rest on His bosom daily. When by God’s grace, I announce the prophecies at the beginning of a new year, it is because I have spent time resting my head on the chest of my Master. Such revelations don’t come during five minutes prayers, they come with extended fellowship with God. During the Holy Ghost Service, when by the inspiration of God, I say “There is someone here….” It is because I have shut myself in, fasting and praying, spending time on the chest of my Master for days before the programme.

If your head is just by the chest of the Master, you would have noticed that His heart is beating for souls. He is seriously looking for labourers who will win souls for Him. You can’t be His beloved and not talk to someone about Christ at every opportunity you have. If you want to become a beloved of God, start behaving like one right away.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Blessings are in levels. It could be general or special. God causes the rain to fall on both the good and evil; He makes air available to everybody. These general blessings. But He can also reserve special blessings – the greatest of them, for His beloved.

In order not to be seen as partial, He puts up His beloved for great blessings and then leaves them to take critical decisions. Elijah asked the widow of Zarephath to surrender her last meal to him, and after she did, God blessed her with an unending supply of food. If anyone should ask God in future, “Why did You send Elijah to that widow of all the widows in the land?” He would turn to them and ask, “Can you surrender your last meal?”

When He loves you, He will put you in line for irreversible blessings by asking you for a serious sacrifice. The moment you do it, He will bless you greatly. In Genesis 22:1-18, God told Abraham to sacrifice his son to Him, but as soon as he lifted the knife to kill the boy, God stopped him and swore by Himself saying “In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.”

Generally, God’s favourite will not lack any good thing. David, the man after God’s heart said confidently “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). When God loves you, He will ensure that all your needs are supplied even before you make a request and if you want more, He will give you in abundance. In 2nd Samuel 12:8, He told David:
“And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.”

If you would obey Him absolutely from now on, God will put you in line for an irreversible blessing in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are so many benefits attached to being the beloved of the Most High God, even to the point of enjoying sound sleep.

“…For so he giveth his beloved sleep.”
Psalm 127:2

For every benefit though, there would be an attendant cost and yes, it is costly to be God’s favourite. Firstly, God chastens His own. What others could get away with would result in chastening and disciplines for God’s beloved, should he/she attempt same.

A long time ago, when construction measurements were typically done in feet, I hired a man to do some work on the campground. However, instead of measuring the feet, he measured in meters. The Holy Spirit told me twice to correct him, but I refused thinking “As a professional, he should know the difference between feet and meters; since he doesn’t know, let him suffer for it. “After he was done, one of his workmen offered me a handshake. The man was huge and his hand felt like it was made of iron. The pain shot straight to my brain. I turned to God and asked “Lord, why?” He said “I told you to correct his boss but you refused.” “Ah, but this punishment is too much for the offence” I grumbled. His response was “You are special to me, so I cannot take any nonsense from you.” If you want to be the beloved of God, then you must obey Him totally and adjust immediately when He chastens you.

Secondly, God sends His beloved on special assignments which are sometimes dangerous. When Goliath was to be killed, He sent David. When He needed to redeem mankind, He sent His only Son, Jesus. This is because He has put so much in them that He knows they will not disappoint Him.

For every successful mission God’s special children embark upon, He gives special rewards to them, just like Jesus was given a name that is above every other. Do you want to be the beloved of Jesus? If yes, get yourself ready for special chastisements, assignments and rewards.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Testimonies are very powerful. Revelations 12:11 confirms that the devil can be overcome by the word of our testimony. That is how important it is.

When it is testimony time, some people say to themselves “Let others mount the podium; I am too big for that.” Have you observed that those who frequently share testimonies always have new ones? This is because when you talk about what God has done in the past, He will be compelled to do more.

A testimony is a weapon of warfare. 2nd Chronicles 20:1-30 shows this clearly. King Jehoshaphat knew how to give testimonies. Three different armies had gathered to destroy him, so he began to testify: God, are You not the One who did this? Are you not the One who did that? Then God told him there was no need to fight that battle. Jehoshaphat and his people only had to sing and God destroyed these armies for them.

David was another man who knew how to give testimonies. There was nothing God did for David that he kept quiet about. This is perhaps why Israel won all their battles during his reign and he has remained to date the greatest king Israel ever had. In fact, his testimonies are all over the book of Psalms. He said in Psalm 103:2:
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:”

There is a lot to gain from sharing testimonies and a lot to lose from keeping God’s wondrous works to oneself. Have you been hiding your testimonies? Why not start relaying your testimony at every opportunity you have, even if it is with just one person and see what God will do in your life.

Some people say I love telling stories; the reality is that I actually just love bragging about what my God can do. I have noticed that the more of His great wonders I share, the more He does in my life. Share your testimony today and you will begin to experience more wondrous blessings from God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Perhaps, the most sorrowful period of my life was when my wife was pregnant with our fourth child. Before we met the Lord, we had three children, all delivered through cesarean sections. We had decided not to have any more because the doctor said she couldn’t have a natural; delivery and further surgeries may not have been safe. We became born again and one day, we came across Luke 1:37: “For with God, nothing shall be impossible.” These words gave us the assurance to have another baby.

Throughout the pregnancy, we didn’t see any doctor. Some of our friends were quite apprehensive. They said my wife could bleed to death during labour because she could rupture any of the three points where she had been sutured during her previous deliveries. I kept saying “No, that is not written in my Bible.”

On the delivery date, she laboured for several hours to no avail. Then the second and third day passed and the baby was still not born. I was becoming really tense. On the third day, the devil whispered to me very clearly “Stupid man, you claim to have a PhD; fool, your wife is going to die tonight and you will see what her relatives will do to you.” Suddenly, a holy anger rose up within me and I said “Listen devil, if my wife dies tonight, I will seek permission from the General Overseer to preach on Sunday, and the first thing I will say is there is nothing that my God cannot do.” Immediately after, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit strongly with me and I began to pray. Not long after, I heard the cry of a baby. My wife was the only one at the maternity so it could only have been ours. After a short while, my Father-in-the-Lord, who had been with us all through, came out of the maternity and told me, “Baba aburo (father of a new-born), go and say hello to your wife.” My joy knew no bounds.

Indeed, weeping may endure for a night, but joy surely will come in the morning (Psalm 30:5). Dear reader, hold on to the word of God, keep confessing it, shut the devil up in times of discouragement and very soon your joy will become full in the mighty name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As we have seen from yesterday’s study, some Christians have little faith, and of course, they would not believe miracles can happen through them.

How I wish that the crowd at the Holy Ghost Services of the RCCG in Nigeria would have great faith to go out and start performing miracles. What a great revival that would bring! Jesus did not give the right to perform miracles to only a set of Christians, He said in Mark 16:17 that it is for believers.
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;”

Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He came to die for our sins? Do you believe that He is coming back soon to take His children to Heaven? If your answer to both questions is ‘yes’, then you are a believer. Therefore, you are fully qualified to work miracles. Don’t be afraid, just go ahead and pray, then leave the rest to God.

A long time ago, when my faith was not as strong as it is today, whenever someone came to me for prayers, I would just pray and expect miracles to happen later. One day, a woman came for prayers with her child who was about ten years old and had been dumb from birth. As I began to pray “In the name of Jesus….”the child said “Amen”. I nearly jumped out the window – I was that afraid. There I was, not expecting an immediate miracle but before I even prayed, it had happened.

Imagine if I had stopped praying after trying a few times without seeing any instant miracles. The truth is that no great ‘miracle evangelist’ was so from birth; rather, he/she continued praying for people even when the results were not obvious, then one day, the miracles started happening. If you are a true believer, the power to work wonders is already in your hands, just go ahead and pray. If you pray for one person and nothing happens, pray for the next. Just keep praying, the miracles are coming.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1

Having faith means believing something that you are yet to see physically, so much so that you can feel it already. If you are hoping for a baby for example, faith is you hearing him/her cry; carrying and feeding him/her even when the baby has not manifested physically. Faith is the currency of operations in the spiritual realm which controls the physical; it is the greatest currency in the world. With faith, everything is possible. (Mark 9:23).

However, there are different categories of faith. Some people have no faith at all. They believe in total impossibility and are consumed by fear. Some have little faith as Jesus pointed out in Matthew 6:30. These ones believe that impossibilities can be possible, but only for certain people like their Pastor or the General Overseer. They don’t believe they also can work miracles.

However, there is faith as the grain of a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20). This faith, though small, can move mountains. It is the starting point for a man of faith. There is also great faith, according to Matthew 15:21-28. It is the kind that does not accept “No” for an answer; it is persistent. Not only does the fellow with great faith believe that all things are possible, he also endures even when manifestations are delayed. Your faith will become great in the mighty name of Jesus.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). The volume of His word in you determines your level of faith in Him. If your faith will increase, you must be addicted to God’s word. Meditate on it day and night. Season your words with the scriptures at all times (Deuteronomy 6:7-9).

When the word of God dwells richly in you, your faith will be great and nothing will be impossible to you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The problem with some 21st century Christians is that they do not know the value of heavenly investments, which yield dividends both in this life and eternally. This is unfortunate because they focus more on earthly investments and this is the exact opposite of our Lord’s injunction in Matthew 6:10-21. Earthly investments are prone to corruption. Jesus explains in the parable of the rich fool that choosing earthly investments over heavenly ones is not wise.

“…then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Like 12:20-21

The Bible also says:
“Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly makes themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”
Proverbs 23:5

A story was told of a young man who was attacked by hoodlums on his way home, the very night he gave his life to Jesus Christ. They asked him, “Your money or your life: which do you want to surrender?” To their amazement, the young man said, “I am sorry, I do not have either of the two things you are asking for!” The gang leader, out of curiosity at the response of the young man asked “What do you mean you do not have life or money to surrender?” The young man replied, “I am just coming from the Church where the pastor persuaded me to give my life to Christ and I did. At the end of the service, I was also asked to give my substance to God’s work and I emptied my pockets for the work of Jesus who saved me without any charge!” The leader said “I see, because you have amused me this evening, I will let you go, but next time, always remember to reserve something for us!” As funny as this story may sound, it carries an eternal truth: Investing in the Kingdom of God is the best decision you can ever make as it yields both earthly and heavenly rewards.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Isaiah 40:31, Christians who wait upon the Lord are compared to ‘an eagle’ – often referred to as the ‘King of birds’. There are many kinds of birds; why did the Lord choose the eagle and not the parrot or some other kind for this illustration? The answer is not far-fetched. Several distinguished factors set the eagle apart from the parrot and indeed other birds. While an eagle is big, strong and a high flyer, the parrot is weak and cannot fly as high. While one may enjoy the company of a parrot, when serious issues are to be discussed, it is usually shut out while ‘an eagle’ is invited. Are you a parrot or an eagle?

The eagle does not talk much; it tends to act instead. It doesn’t move with a flock, like many people with gossip cliques today. Perhaps this is why it soars above storms – it has an immense ability to use the storms to its advantage. How you use your mouth can determine if you will overcome a storm or be subdued by it. Watch it! Talk only when necessary.
“He that keepeth his mouth keepth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.”
Proverbs 13:3

Going by the above, the less you say, the less likely you are to get into trouble and vice versa. Words are powerful, so be careful with them. You cannot retrieve any utterance. Matthew 12:36 says we shall be held accountable for every idle word we speak, so always think before you speak. You don’t have to respond every time you are criticized. You don’t have to always say what’s on your mind. Bridle your tongue before it puts you in trouble.

Ask yourself: Why do I talk too much? For some, it’s because they like noise and cannot stay quiet. Some want to impress; others talk to show they are good debaters and yet others, to display how current they are. If you talk too much, control your tongue or excuse yourself whenever you find yourself in such situations and soon enough, you will find yourself talking less and with moderation.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As much as food is necessary for humans to stay alive, it could also be the cause of untimely death for some. This is primarily because such people have refused to exercise moderation and care in their food intake. Proverbs 23:2 says you should control your appetite, exercise restraint even if it appears you may die by doing so. Don’t be like Esau who, because of hunger, in Genesis 25:32 claimed:
“Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profits shall this birth right do to me?”

Listen: You will not die by exercising discipline on yourself. It is indiscipline that kills. Sometime ago, some rats were used for an experiment. They were put in two groups – A and B. The ones in the first group – A, were fed very well, thus they grew fresh and robust while the ones in group B were given fewer rations, so they were not as fat as those in the first group. After some time, all the rats were injected with the same measure of a disease. Those in group A died while those in B survived.

The researchers found a strong connection between overfeeding and the failure of the rats in group A to survive the disease. Watch the quantity of food you consume, especially when you are about to go to bed. It may be difficult at the start, but keep at it, your body will adjust.

Avoid junk and genetically modified food. As much as possible, reduce how often you take canned food. In fact, eating too much processed food has been linked with the development of cancer. It is best to eat organic fruits and vegetables as they are healthy. Grow some of your food if you can.

God is interested in your spiritual wellbeing but He is also very interested in your health. That is why He took care of sicknesses through the stripes on His body (Isaiah 53:5) before His crucifixion for your sins at Calvary. He needs you to take care of your body because the healthier you are, the more effective you will be in His service.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

This generation is generally called the digital age because with a handheld device, you can connect with anyone in the world. This is actually very good but the concern is in such devices taking total control of you. These days, many are so preoccupied with their phones that they do not have time for God and what matters to Him. For some, the first thing they pick when they wake in the morning is the phone and not the Bible. Others can spend one hour on social media yet cannot spend same studying God’s word or praying. This shows that such hearts are more drawn to the phone than God. Don’t give the devil the liberty to rub you of God’s blessings.

Are you not already giving a phone the place of God? Have you observed that the position many take when using a phone is such that their heads are bowed? This is dangerous; remember, He is jealous God (Exodus 34:14). Exodus 20:2-3 says:
“I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

If you have to delete some applications on your phone that you are addicted to, do so. If it will take you to place a Bible over your phone at night so when you reach out for the latter in the morning, it is the former you would pick instead, do so. Put measures in place to ensure you priorities activities that will make you grow spiritually.

Many Christians now prefer electronic Bibles. However, with the Bible applications on phones and tablets, there would be distractions from other applications on the device and the Spirit in the word of God cannot minister to the distracted mind. If you must use the electronic Bible, it would be best to go offline to cut off distractions from calls and messages. I play the audio Bible before I go to bed so that all night, God’s word is being read aloud in my room while I am sleeping. You can do this too.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The blood of Jesus is a very potent weapon in the hand of a believer; unfortunately, some don’t use it at all while others underutilized it, allowing the devil to take undue advantage.
“…and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.”
Exodus 12:23

It is also a marker. In the verse above, God asked the Israelites to mark their door posts with the blood of a pure lamb, so when the angel of death sent to kill the first born of the Egyptians saw it, they would be spared. Jesus is our Lamb and His blood is purer than that of any other. When it covers your life, the devil cannot touch you. I decree in the mighty name of Jesus: any evil coming your way this year will pass over once it sees the blood of Jesus.

A couple once complained to me about the quarrels in their home. They lived alone, but whenever either spouse kept money anywhere in the house, they would not find it. Each time, both would deny ever taking the money. While we were talking, it occurred to me that the situation could be the devil’s manipulation, so I told them to cover their money with the blood of Jesus when next they wanted to keep any in the house. I knew that when the devil came for the cash and saw the blood, he would be unable to touch it. They obeyed and money stopped vanishing in their home. All your possessions that the devil keeps touching are covered with the blood of Jesus from now on.

Now that you know the power in the blood, begin to use it effectively. Plead the blood on everything that belongs to you so the devil will never be able to touch it again.

However, Jesus’ blood is only potent in the hands of a believer. So, if you are still stained by sin, ask to be washed in it today. Only then can the blood work mightily for you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Blood of Jesus is the most powerful substance I know. I know how powerful it is because I have used it countless times and it has worked for me. The most important thing that the blood of Jesus can do is wash away sins. Every sinner carries a burden of guilt. However, the moment the fellow surrenders his/her life to Christ, the blood of Jesus washes away his/her sins. From that moment, the fellow is completely pure and none of his sins exist anymore. Isn’t that wonderful? If you are still carrying the burden of sin, I advise that you ask Him to cleanse you with His blood today and you will experience great peace like never before.

Aside from washing away sins, the blood of Jesus is also a potent weapon to overcome Satan. Revelation 12:11 says:
“And they overcome him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony…”

Is Satan tormenting you in any area of your life? Just plead the blood of Jesus on it and you will overcome him.

The greatest covenant anyone can enter into is a blood covenant. If it so happens that your forefathers have entered into a covenant with the devil and you have noticed certain trends in your lineage, the blood of Jesus is the only thing that can break it. A long time ago in my family, one of our fathers impregnated his maid and his wife at the same time. While the wife was well-cared for after her delivery, the maid, because of her status, was given food without oil – very dry and unappetising, despite having delivered a son. The maid, hurt, placed a curse on the family and from that moment on, any child born and given anything with oil to eat died. The family found out and oil became forbidden for children in the home. Then I met Christ and His blood overcame the ancestral curse in my family.

The blood of Jesus is powerful enough to overcome Satan and all his demons.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

You cannot claim to love what God loves and not hate what He hates. The Bible has made it easy for us to identify the things that God hates by listing them out in Proverbs 6:16-19:
“These six things doth the LORD hath: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”

Today we will only discuss two of the things God hates as seen in the passage above. The very first thing on the list is “a proud look.” God hates pride. James 4:6 says God resists the proud. In other words, if you are proud, forget about being a friend of God because He hates pride. But if you love Him, you too would hate pride. You would not raise your shoulder everywhere you go, you would not look down on others nor insist people call you by a title or greet you in a certain way.

The next thing on the list is “a lying tongue.” God hates lies. It amazes me when I see Christians lying and then they will say it was a white lie. Do you think there is a section in heaven for those who tell white lies? The Bible says ALL liars shall have their part in the lake of fire (Revelations 21:. The white, black and multicoloured liars are all going to hell because God hates lies. Stop telling lies. Jesus is called “The Truth” (John 14:6), so anything like a lie is irritating to Him. On the other hand, the devil is the father and lord of lies (John 8:44).

Anyone who still lies no matter the colour cannot claim to be a friend of God; the fellow is rather a child of the father of liars – the devil. Choose to become a child of God today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is a popular saying that the friend of my friend is my friend. If God is your friend, then you would love anyone or anything He loves. For example, God loves children. He likes having them around Him (Matthew 19:14) and He ensures that their angels stand face to face with Him (Matthew 18:10). I hope you love children too, because if you are always mean to children or you are indifferent when others are mean to them, then you cannot claim to love God.

So what are the things God loves? He loves fellowship. When Jesus was to start His ministry on earth, one of the first things He did was to appoint disciples to keep Him company (Mark 3:14-19). He said wherever two or three are gathered in His name, He will be present (Matthew 18:20). He loves it when we come together to fellowship. Are you excited when it is time for fellowship or are you reluctant to spend time with the brethren? One reason God loved David is found in Psalm 122:1:
“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.”

He was always excited to attend Church meetings. Are you excited whenever it is time to go to Church? Are you one of those the Pastor has to fellow-up closely before they are seen in Church? Make out time to enjoy fellowship with the brethren from today; God loves it.

God also loves all human beings dearly. He sent His only Son to die for the world – not just the Jews or Christians alone. Some people forget that their house help is also amongst the people that Jesus came to die for, so they ill-treat them whereas Jesus loves the fellow so much that He died for him/her. Jesus said that the second greatest commandment after loving God is to love your neighbour as yourself (Mark 12:31). Have you seen people in the scenarios described in Matthew 25:42-43 and ignored them?

If you truly love God, then you would love people around you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, I will be focusing on the married. It is sad that many married people are still having crushes with persons apart from their spouses. If there is any fellow aside from your spouse you are admiring unduly, you must see such a person as the devil and get rid of them immediately. One of my sons once told me that he was always excited to resume in the office every Monday because he would get to see his secretary again. I told him to fire her immediately. Nothing and no one is worth your marriage.

What is married woman doing on the phone with another man for countless minutes? Why would a married man be spending so much time with another man’s wife? Why would you prefer to discuss intimate issues with your ‘friend’ of the opposite sex instead of your God-given spouse? Oh, you may say “I am not doing anything with the fellow; we are just friends.” That is exactly where it starts from. The devil knows you are a Christian and would not fall for someone just like that. So, he makes you become good friends with the fellow and before you know it, you would have fallen. May you not fall for any strategy of the devil in the mighty name of Jesus. If you have any friend that you talk to more than your spouse, break that friendship now. Proverbs 5:18 has this to say:
“Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.”

Spend more time with your spouse and make him/her your confidant. Exchange compliments. The reason many people have crushes outside their marriage is mostly due to a distance between the couple. They no longer communicate as they used to. When they talk, it is only on serious issues about the children or other family needs, instead of talking/gisting about just anything as they used to in the early days of their marriage. They no longer go out to fun places or take walks together except they are going for family functions. If there is no distance between yourself and your spouse, no crush can come between you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A crush is a brief but intense infatuation for someone.

To the unmarried, I want to tell you that a crush is likely to crush you if you base your decision concerning whom to marry solely on your emotions. It is often said that love is blind and this is very true. Samson had a crush on Delilah (Judges 16:4-18). Oh, I wish he had crushed the crush so that he could see Delilah’s true character before he fell into her trap. This is someone who sold him into captivity and ultimately his untimely death. If there is someone that you admire, before you jump into a relationship with the fellow, pray first. Study the fellow’s behaviour. After you hear from God yourself and get confirmations (2nd Corinthians 13:1), then you can involve your Pastor and commence courtship.

If you are not yet ready for marriage, then a crush is an agenda of the devil to distract you from your goals and to crush your destiny. You had better crush that crush before it crushes you. 1st Corinthians 6:19 says:
“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you….?”

The devil knows that any sexual sin is a sin against your body – the temple of God and once it is committed, that body ceases to be God’s temple, so he can now touch and destroy it. Amnon – David’s heir apparent had a crush on his half-sister Tamar and instead of crushing it, he let it grow. He discussed it with the wrong person who gave him ungodly counsel that he acted on (2nd Samuel 13). He paid with his life and caused a deep rift in his family… all because of a crush. You have a lot to loose if you let that crush grow and your entire life to gain if you crush it now.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

People are naturally influenced by what they constantly see or hear. Thus, every Christian is at risk of being influenced by the world around them. This is why we must always remember that though we are in this world, we are not of it (John 15:19). Our major influence should be the word of God. Romans 12:2 states:
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
The above passage warns us against being influenced by the world. It counsels that our minds must be constantly renewed so that we can do the will of God which is clearly written in His word.

How often do you read your Bible? If you don’t read your Bible at least in the morning and evening, it is likely that you are already being influenced by the world. This is because something you don’t interact with regularly cannot have more influence on you than that which you relate with frequently. You must read your Bible daily. You must also ensure that you memorise and meditate on a scripture daily.

Many Christians today live like the world around them: They hardly pray before making decisions, even though Proverbs 3:5-6 says you should not lean on your own understanding but acknowledge Him in ALL your ways. They ignore the poor and hungry even though Matthew 25:45 says that not showing care for the hungry and destitute translate to not showing care for Christ. They walk around with high shoulders because of their leadership position or wealth, whereas our Master washed the feet of His disciples and even said whoever will lead amongst us must be the servant of everyone else. What really influences you – is it the word of God or the world? If the word of God has any influence on you, it would show in your lifestyle. You wouldn’t need to tell people that you are Christian before they know that indeed, you are a child of God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

This present time is often called the digital age. The internet possesses great benefits, but it is also fast becoming a curse. You can hardly visit the internet without a worldly picture popping up; they are either asking you to register on a dating site or advertising something with a half-naked woman. It is probably not so harmful for mature Christians, but what of our children who visit this same internet regularly? Less than fifteen years ago, we had magazines which were untouchable to children because of their explicit content, but today, the children have access to everything through their smart phones! May God protect our children from the perversion of this world in the mighty name of Jesus.

The internet allows everyone to voice what they believe in. The problem is not with the people putting such things on the internet, the problem is with Christians who are not putting Christian content there. Many Christians are into advertising, yet they champion advert campaigns with half-naked models. In other words, they have been recruited by the devil to voice his own beliefs. If the children of the world are posting dirty things on the internet and you are joining them to do so, it is a shame.

On the other hand, if you have a social media account and you are not posting godly messages, then you are handing the world over to the devil on a platter of gold. I wonder why we Christians can’t ensure that no one goes on the internet without something concerning Jesus popping up. The devil is using the internet to corrupt our children; are you going to sit back and just watch? Won’t you fight for the spiritual sanity of our children? If there are five sets of explicit content on the internet, let us outmatch them with ten godly ones. 2nd Timothy 4:2 admonishes:
“…preach the word, be instant in season and out of season….”
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When a carpenter is working on a piece of furniture, he has a picture of what he wants the finished work to look like. He puts in a lot of effort to make the piece of wood into what he has in mind, and if it is not smooth as he wishes, he smoothens it to the desired state with some sandpaper. Jesus Christ is our carpenter and He has a picture of what He wants us to be as He works on us; however, every now and then, we exhibit certain behaviours which can hinder His ultimate plan, so He employs the sandpaper (a person or situation) to smoothen us out. The experience, however, is always painful as noted in Hebrews 12:11 but it is for our own good. If a piece of wood being sandpapered could express itself, it would scream in pain, but the beauty of the outcome will make it worthwhile. Hebrews 12:6 clarifies this:
“For whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth.”

When God wants to smoothen you out, He will put someone in your life as a piece of sandpaper, until you are well-polished. Your sandpaper could be your boss in the office or your pastor in Church. despite their harshness, see the sandpaper in them. There is probably a behaviour that God wants you to shed or acquire from working with that boss or pastor.

The most frequent piece of sandpaper I have seen God use on people is their spouse. He knows that you can resign in an office or leave a church, but your contract with your spouse is for life. So, He often uses our spouses to smoothen us out. The problem with most people however, is that instead of submitting to the process of change and becoming better, they choose to fight their spouses. Its no wonder many have remained on one spot for very long. Yield to change. Listen to what your God-fearing spouse is trying to correct in your behaviour – it is for your own good. If you allow yourselves to be smoothened by each other, you would advance fast in life and your home would be a better place to raise your children in. Your latter Years would also be more pleasurable.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

An ambassador is an accredited person who represents his/her nation in a foreign country. When a country chooses a person to serve as an ambassador, it means the fellow has characteristics that reflect who they are and who they want the world to see them as. Many Christians, even Pastors call themselves ambassadors of Christ whereas Christ’s testimony about them is “I know you not” (Matthew 25:12). It is not just about claiming to be Christ’s Ambassador, it is about living the lifestyle of Christ (Matthew 7:21-23).

How do we know those who are true ambassadors of Christ? Jesus said it is by their fruits that we will know them. Is the fruit of the spirit evident in your lifestyle? Do you show love to those around you? Are you patient, meek, full of joy? Are you at peace in your mind and following peace with all men? Are you gentle? Do you have faith in God? If these things don’t describe you correctly, then you are not an ambassador of Christ. Jesus said in John 14:9 that if you have seen Him, then you have seen the Father. That is a true ambassador. Can people look at you and have a good picture of who Christ is?

A powerful Muslim cleric once said that if he can find ten Christians like Adeboye, he would convert to Christianity. This shows how scarce true ambassadors of Christ are. The moment you call yourself a Christian, people begin to watch your lifestyle; what they see in you will determine how they take Christianity. Ephesians 6:20 states:
“For which I am an ambassador in chains, that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly as I ought to.”

While true Christians are saving souls from grasp of the devil, don’t be the one to turn them away from Christ. If you will not live the lifestyle of Christ, don’t go around parading yourself as a Christian. Jesus said He knows His sheep and His sheep know Him (John 10:14). The end is very near; if you do not repent and change your ways, you would soon have to join your real father – the devil. I pray that will never be your story.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The statement “You are the salt of the earth” means that without you, the earth cannot be sweet. Hence, the sweetness of this world depends on you.

One of the ways by which you can be like salt in your world is through the words of your mouth. Colossians 4:6 says:
“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

Always speak soothing words to the downtrodden, never use harsh and abusive words and ensure your words are healing rather than killing those who hear them.

Another way to be the salt of the earth is to show kindness to others. Your little act of kindness is a great factor in making the world a sweet place for some other person(s) to live in. In Matthew 25:34-46, there is a list of people to whom you are expected to always show kindness. These include the hungry, the prisoners, the sick, those who have no clothes and so on.

If you don’t do these things, then you have lost your savour and Jesus said in Matthew 5:13 that salt that has lost it savour is good for nothing but should be cast out and trodden under the foot of men. You may say: But this world is very wicked place, how can I use nice words and perform kind acts in such a place? Well, that is exactly the point. When you cook a cup of rice, you don’t add a cup of salt to it. The salt is always little compared to the rice. You should not expect the whole world to be salt too; it is your duty to influence others with your savour and bring out the sweetness in them. You cannot afford to become bitter just because others around you are.

Remain the salt of the earth. Don’t be weary in doing good. Your reward will surely come if you don’t give up (Galatians 6:9)
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“….I am the light of the world:”

In the scripture above (John 8:12), Jesus introduced Himself as the light of the world, then turned around to say that we (Christians) are the light of the world in Matthew 5:14.

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”

In other words, we share similar characteristics with Jesus Christ. Now, if you have the great characteristics that Jesus Christ had while on earth, why are you hiding them?

Light is supposed to shine wherever there is darkness; why do you sometimes go in the midst of darkness and hide your light? Jesus never shied away from shining the light of the gospel on anyone that He saw living in darkness. Darkness can also mean confusion; when people are confused and do not know what step to take, they are in darkness. When you find yourself amongst people who need direction on what next to do, you should ask God for guidance and relay what He tells you to them. Shine your light to clear the darkness. Don’t join them in being worried and confused; if you do, you are hiding your light under a bushel. The fact that you are there should give them confidence that direction will soon come, because they know you are light.

You must note however that light usually goes off when disconnected from its source. The reason many Christians have stopped shinning as light in their world is because they have lost their connection to the first Light – Jesus Christ. Once you disconnect the bulb from electricity, it will go off. Even though everyone can see the bulb and hope to get some light from it, they cannot, because it is not connected. If darkness is thriving around you, then you need to check your connection to the source. Do you still pray often? Do you still spend time studying the Bible? Do you still fellowship where the iron in other Christians can sharpen yours?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A Peacemaker is a person who pursues peace at all times. When the fellow is offended, his response to the offender is to ensure that peace reigns. Sometimes, they take all the blame and suffer some consequences, but they are happy at the end of the day because all they are after is peace. Also, when they see other people in a quarrel, they intervene to ensure that they make peace with each other. God loves these people so much; Jesus specifically said that they will be called the children of God. Of course, they will be called the children of God because Jesus Christ is the prince of Peace.

Now, if the peacemaker is a child of God, then whose child is the troublemaker? When you always choose quarrel over peace, who do you resemble? A troublemaker may not know it, but he is not a child of God as he does not exhibit the characteristics of God, rather those of the devil. If whenever you see two people quarrelling, you begin to say things that would fuel the anger of one or the other and cause the quarrel to become more heated, you are a troublemaker. If you have a reputation of always retaliating against anyone who offends you, you are a troublemaker. If you are one who likes to cause quarrels amongst your colleagues, friends or family members, then you are a troublemaker; you need to repent and change your ways.

Many times, we want to make peace, but we don’t want to be seen as a weakling. The reverse is however the truth. It takes strength to control one’s ego, anger and work towards peace. Hence, it is a strong but wise person that will seek peace.

Whenever you’re tempted to fight, remember that unbelievers don’t read the Bible, hence it is we the Christians that model Christ to them. If you claim that the Prince of Peace lives in you and you are the quarrelsome type, many unbelievers will not want that your ‘Prince of Peace’ to live in them. Secondly, making peace with others is one of the prerequisites to making it to heaven on the last day. Hebrews 12:14 says:

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.”
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.