₦airaland Forum

Down through the ages, visualizing the future has always been one of the attributes of great men and women. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect example of a person who kept His focus on the future He saw ahead of Him. Hebrews 12:2 reveals that this attribute helped Him to accomplish His task on earth. He endured His arrest, humiliation and death, even though He had the power to prevent it all, because He knew the glorious future awaiting Him after His work on earth was done. When He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and one of His disciples tried to defend Him by drawing his sword, Jesus commanded him to stand down, saying in Matthew 26:53-54:
“Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?”
Those who can visualize their glorious future ignore the present obstacles in their way, forging ahead to reach their goals. An example of such person is Joseph. Even though his childish disposition exposed him to the fury of his brothers, resulting in his enslavement and imprisonment, the glorious future he saw kept him undeterred. He kept faith in the God of his fathers and would not be corrupted by the promiscuity of his master’s wife. In Genesis 39:9c, His response to her evil advances was this:
“how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

Beloved, the ability to visualize the future will enable you work hard and live holy, even in the face of hardship, suffering and persecution. Students who catch a glimpse of the honour awaiting them at the end of their academic programmes will ignore any suffering attached to their burning of the midnight candle. A pregnant woman endures the pain of labour because of the joy of another life coming through her. As a child of God, it takes seeing the glory awaiting us in the future to endure the attacks of the enemy. Having seen this future glory, Paul in 2nd Corinthians 4:17-18 wrote:
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
We must not allow the present situation in the world to becloud our vision of heaven. Our Lord said we should not let our hearts be troubled, for He will soon return to take us home (John 14:1-3). We must keep this vision of the glorious future alive in our hearts.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Our God is a benevolent God who gives generous rewards for good deeds. In Hebrews 11:6, He is called a “Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him”. Thank God that Jesus was very clear on what our rewards would be when Peter asked Him what would become of those of them who had left all to follow Him. In Matthew 19:27-29, He assuredly affirmed that all our labours in His kingdom would be adequately rewarded here and hereafter. As if our Lord knew that there would be a disciple like Enoch Adeboye who would also ask, “What about us, the latter-day generation of Your disciples?” He therefore added in Matthew 19:29:
“And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive and hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”

Time and again, the Old Testament shows God rewarding good deeds in the lives of the patriarchs and matriarchs of old. Abraham is a great example of this; he got a child of promise in old age as a reward for being hospitable (Genesis 18). The widow of Zarephath is another example; God provided her with food for three and a half years during a time of famine because she gave her last meal to God’s prophet (1st Kings 17:9-15). Obed-Edom accommodated the ark of God in his home and within three months, the rich King David envied him, because the Great Rewarder had blessed him so much (2nd Samuel 6:10-12). No wonder the Holy Spirit says in Hebrews 6:10:
“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”

Looking through the New Testament, we also see Peter who left everything at the Lake of Gennesaret to follow Jesus now having at least one cathedral named after him in almost all the nations of the world. Our God is the greatest giver of rewards. I therefore encourage you to serve Him with all your heart, and you will not regret it. Even if your pastor seems not to acknowledge your service, your Father in heaven who sees your work for Him in secret will reward you in the open (Matthew 6:18). Be encouraged, and keep up your good work.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Beloved, the Lord is asking you today if you are a shining light in darkness. He is asking you this question because He has already declared who you are in this regard, saying in Matthew 5:14:
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”
He there wants to know how well you have done in fulfilling His word. To remove doubts from the hearts of those who think perhaps the time to shine is sometime away in the future, the Holy Spirit said in Isaiah 60:1:
“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.”
Beloved, it is time to shine in this dark world. The darkness in the world is becoming thicker and more palpable by the day, and for this reason we have no more time to waste. We have allowed darkness and its agents to be comfortable for too long now. Some decades ago, when a Christian was present in an organisation, no matter how young, small or low in rank he was, the agents of darkness in that establishment could not be comfortable. It is however disheartening that nowadays Christians are not just making them comfortable, they are also joining them to perpetrate works of darkness, such as fraudulent practices, looting and even modern occultism. While excusing themselves for not shining as light, some children of God say, “The agents of darkness are a lot more than the children of light.” They fail to recognise that even a little light is able to overcome any form of darkness, because the Bible says in John 1:5:
“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

In order to successfully shine in a world filled with palpable darkness, you need to recognise that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, and He wants to shine through you to illuminate the darkness in this world (John 8:12). As the Light of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ shines through you when you stand as His witness in words and lifestyle. In other words, you must speak of Him everywhere and also represent Him through your lifestyle. He has done His part by dying on the cross, and now He continues His priestly ministry in heaven, interceding for us at the right hand of power. He left us in the world to bear witness to the Light that He is, so that darkness may vanish from our world. We must not disappoint Him in this assignment. Beloved, we have no excuse for not shining in the darkness of this world. Although we have no power of our own, we have been empowered to shine through righteous living, good works and showing love to the oppressed and downtrodden. Let us therefore arise, shine and give glory to our Father as we drive away the darkness of evil in our society.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Contrasting the world of godliness with that of ungodliness, the Holy Spirit sent us this command, saying in 2nd Corinthians 6:17-18:
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
Because our God is a jealous God, He has always desired those who are called to be His special people to stand out as distinct from the ungodly. Enoch is a perfect example in this regard – God completely took him away to be with Him (Genesis 5:24). God also commanded Abraham to get out of his father’s house and country for an exclusive encounter with Him (Genesis 12:13). Beloved, God has not changed His standard of separation for consecration today. More than ever before, He wants us to take a stand for Him in these perilous times, especially as the devil is on rampage to gather as many people as possible to be with him in hell. Speaking on his range and the urgency of his mission, Revelation 12:12 says:
“Therefore rejoice, ye heaves, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”
If the devil had a short time when this verse was written, how much more now! We therefore need to be on our guard against his fury and wiles.

God is encouraging you today to make up your mind not to compromise your Christian faith on any issue at all. One area of compromise is participating in the excesses of the children of this world: excesses of parties, clothing, jewellery, leisure and so on. Due to extravagant living, a lot of Christians have gone into debt in their bid to compete with treasury looters. Some Christians with access to the treasury have even joined the world in looting. What a shame! We must be on our watch so as not to be overtaken by the subtle advances of the devil, which can shipwreck our faith. This is why the Holy Spirit warns us in 1 Peter 4:7 to watch in the place of prayer. Beloved, are you really watching in prayer? You can only take a stand for God when your ears are open to what He is saying to you in the place of prayer concerning issues of your daily life. Our Lord told the disciples to watch and pray so that they might not enter into temptation, but instead of doing this, they fell asleep (Matthew 26:41). No wonder they could not take a stand for Him in His hour of tribulation (Matthew 26:55-75). Are you watching in the place of prayer today?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is only natural for every human being to desire to attain a higher position, output or level of productivity in every sphere of endeavour. However, it is sad that not everyone is ready to pay the price needed to attain this higher level. Do you desire to go higher in your pursuits in life? Anyone who desires advancement in their career, ministry, business or academics must acknowledge that in God’s created order, you cannot expect an output where there is no input. In other words, there is a price to pay to obtain anything good in life. In Daniel 1:8, we have a good example in Daniel who desired to make excellent strides in his pursuits. When he and his friends were enrolled in the University of Babylon, they immediately determined in their hearts that they would graduate with first class honours and distinctions, even though they were in a strange land. To Daniel and his colleagues, it was necessary for them to defer the delicacies and luxurious lifestyle of a minister-in-making. The result of their choice to make sacrifices in order to achieve their goal is clearly seen in Daniel 1:20, which say:
“And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.”

Daniel 3:14-18 further tells us about the price paid by three of Daniel’s colleagues before they were promoted to higher levels of their profession. The king they served had decree that all subjects must worship his graven image, but Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego declined to do so because they served a God who alone is worthy of worship. That decision was to cost them their lives, but rather then being bothered by this, they boasted of the saving power of their God, going further to tell the king that even if their God decided to take them home through the furnace, it would be better than bowing to a lifeless image made by men. The story ended with this great report in Daniel 3:30, saying:
“Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.”
God is looking for those who will take a stand for Him. Will He find you doing so in this world that pushes godliness to the background? Are you ready to stand on the principles of the Bible in a world controlled by the philosophy of men? The decision is yours to make. If people like Esther and the apostles of old could do it, you can do it too, and God will be glorified in your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Although God created man with glory and grandeur, this glory left him after sin entered his life. Thereafter, man became a shadow of his former self, because not only did God’s glory depart from his life, he was also sent packing from the garden of glory that used to be his home (Genesis 3:22-24). In the midst of this calamity, God devised a plan to redeem the destiny of mankind by raising a glorious generation to Himself from amongst men. However, this generation could only come to be through the righteousness of God, because a glorious generation is that generation that fears the Lord and walks in His righteousness. Describing the qualities of this generation, Psalm 24:4 says:
“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.”
In other words, the glorious generation is that generation of people who walk in purity of heart, the works of whose hands are clean, the words of whose lips are pure and the souls of whom are sold-out to God. We therefore deceive ourselves if we call ourselves the glorious generation but our character calls into question the holiness of God we claim to represent.

Children of God in this generation must endeavour not to be like the Israelites who were liberated from bondage in Egypt with the destiny of a glorious generation but ended up grieving the heart of God. It is sobering to read God’s description of that generation in Hebrews 3:10, saying:
“Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.”
Unfortunately, this generation that was supposed to enter into God’s rest in a land flowing with milk and honey ended up perishing in the wilderness. This should serve as a great lesson to us today. 1 Peter 2:9 declares that God has destined us to be a glorious generation. Nevertheless, we have to live a life that reflects we are indeed a glorious generation, through purity of heart, our manner of speech, the integrity of our works and a soul that is sold-out to God in love. Even though we live in a perverse world, we can still stand out as God’s shinning standard. Beloved, remember that gold is brought out of dirt, so choose to be among the glorious generation that worships God in spirit and in truth, even in the midst of this crooked generation.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As a witness of the resurrection and saving power of Jesus Christ, I groan in my spirit whenever I see anyone who professes to be a child of God, like myself, suffering under the burden of sickness. I have zero tolerance for sickness in the lives of my children in the faith and all fellow believers. This is why we frequently organise meetings where we stir up faith in the hearts of believers to receive their healings. We do this for one singular reason expressed in Psalm 155:2: we don’t want unbelievers to doubt what we say about our God. Divine healing is proof that He reigns in the affairs of men. Those who don’t believe in our God will believe when He moves to heal diseases and sicknesses perceived to be incurable, like He did for the lame man at the temple’s gate (Act 3:1-4:4). God healed him, and that singular miracle created a platform for Peter to preach God’s word, bringing five thousand souls to the Lord. Pastors and preachers of God’s word must desire healing, not only for themselves but also for their ailing congregants, so that God’s word in their mouth will be established. This is why Jeremiah, a prophet of God, cried unto God for His healing in Jeremiah 17:13-16.

Another reason why you and I must live in perfect health is found in Isaiah 53:5, which says:
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
Our healing confirms that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and Saviour of the whole world. Healing is part of the package delivered to us through His work of atonement. When we minister healing to the world in the Name of Jesus, we establish that the word of God we preach is the eternal truth that should be embraced. When people of other faiths are afflicted with seemingly incurable diseases and we tell them of the healing virtue in the Blood of atonement, the healing they receive after believing our message stands their faith in Christ on the firm foundation of God’s power. Such people will treasure their salvation and hold on to their faith to the very end. This is why Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 2:4-5:
“And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
Let us begin to desire and ask God for the gifts of healing more than ever before, because when we manifest these gifts, our assignment of evangelising to the world will be much easier. Do you desire the gifts of healing? Ask God for it today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

An adage from the Igbos in Eastern Nigeria says, “A stubborn fly follows the corpse into the grave.” This mirrors what the Holy Spirit is saying in Proverbs 29:1. Unfortunately, there are many people who behave like the proverbial stubborn fly; one example is Pharaoh in Exodus14:5-13. After experiencing the power of God through the ten plagues, he still stubbornly decided to chase after the Israelite's. Amazingly, he did not learn from the consequences of his stubborn attitude, which had cost him and all other Egyptians their firstborns (Exodus 12:29-30). He also witnessed an event that had never happened before – the parting of the Red Sea. This should have cautioned him against continuing on the path of destruction he was on. However, like the stubborn fly that followed the corpse into the grave, Pharaoh and his hosts went after the children of Israel and they got buried in the belly of the sea. Another sad example of the stubborn fly is Haman, who was after Mordecai’s life (Esther 3-4). Even after his wife and closest friends warned him against ,going after a man who carried the Abrahamic covenant, he did not listen to them, until he died on the same gallows he had prepared for Mordecai (Esther 6:10-13, Esther 7:9-10).

Beloved, you need to examine your relationship with God today to see if you are not like the stubborn fly. Self-examination is a vital tool recommended by the Holy Spirit to prevent us from being buried with the dead corpse of sin and the world. He said in 2nd Corinthians 13:5;
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”
Have you left your first love, like Demas, and still adamantly refusing to change in spite of the warnings of the Holy Spirit through His ministers and teachers of His word (2nd Timothy 4:10)? The Lord is saying to you today in Revelations 2:5:
“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”
May the Lord give us hearing ears in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The midnight cry in Matthew 25:1-13 is a shout proclaiming the commencement of an important event just like the announcement of the arrival of the bride and groom at a wedding reception by the Master of Ceremonies (MC). At such a time, you will observe different kinds of people. There are those who will not hear what the MC announced at all because they are lost in their own world, either chatting with friends or fiddling with their phones. Some will be so busy running up and down to attend to other matters that they will totally ignore the MC’s announcement but will stubbornly sit down instead of standing to honour the bride and the groom. These different reactions to the bride and groom’s arrival depict what will happen when our Lord returns as a groom to take His bride home. It is therefore important that we quickly examine our level of preparedness for this event and make necessary adjustments where necessary.

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
1st Thessalonians 4:16-17

From this scripture we understand that the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, and according to Matthew 25:1-13, this event will occur at a time symbolized by the characteristics of midnight, when most people are fast asleep with little or no expectation of His return. Speaking of what will happen prior to His return, the Lord said in Matthew 25:5:
“While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.”
I believe this is the reason why the coming of the Lord will be with a shout, in order to wake everyone up. I also perceive an ongoing revival that is gaining momentum, which will serve as a wake-up call for sensitive believers.

At the Lord’s coming, the Holy Spirit reveals to us that the dead in Christ will rise first (1st Thessalonians 4:16). The question is, are your dead to the flesh, to sin and to worldliness? Paul testified that he was crucified with Christ, what about you? Are you crucified with Christ indeed, or are you confronting to the dictates of the world (Galatians 2:20; Galatians 5:24; Romans 12:2)? Only those who are dead to this world of sin will hear the midnight cry. Those who have died in Christ have a new type of life in Him. Only those who possess this life and remain faithful to the cross of Jesus Christ will be qualified to meet the Lord at His coming. May you be ready to meet the Lord when the midnight cry rings out in Jesus’Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In our walk with God, we must never lose sight of the fact that we are mere mortals saved and empowered by grace. Those who arrogate the power and capabilities of God to themselves end up being disappointed when faced with the reality of their own limitations and inadequacies. Such people find it hard to forgive themselves when they make mistakes, and this is a dangerous place to be in. Those who remain down after falling from grace are, more often than not, those who can’t forgive themselves for the errors they made. We must always remember that we need Jesus as our all in all. He Himself said that we can do nothing without Him (John 15:50). As we go through life, things will happen that might shake our faith, but what is important is that our faith remains unmoved. Some of those who have gone ahead of us also had their faith shaken, but it is because they remained unmoved that we celebrate them as heroes of faith today. One of such persons was John the Baptist.

In John 1:29, John the Baptist confidently announced the arrival of the Lamb of God, the Messiah, who would take away the sins of humanity; thus bringing an end to four hundred years of silence in the prophetic realm in Israel. He clearly knew who he was and what he was talking about. Many of those who heard his declarations about Jesus Christ believed him and followed Jesus, including some of his own disciples (John 1:35-42). However, in Matthew 11:1-11, we see a sobering turn of events in his life. This same John the Baptist was asking if Jesus was the Messiah! Prior to this, he had been cast into prison and faced the risk of being executed. While in prison, he heard of the mighty works Jesus was doing, which pointed to the fact that He was the long-awaited deliverer of Israel. He therefore expected that Jesus would use His Messianic authority to free him, more so as he was His forerunner. However, for reasons best known to Him, Jesus did not do this, His Kingdom not being of this world (John 18:36). Discouraged and perplexed, John sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus whether He really was the Messiah, for Israel’s Saviour would surely not have allowed him remain incarcerated for speaking the truth! John’s faith in Jesus was indeed badly shaken. Nevertheless, knowing what it is to be human, Jesus did not rebuke John; rather, He answered his questions in a way John would understand as a prophet. This steadied his faith to the very end, even as he was beheaded. Is your faith in Christ being shaken? I pray that God will uphold you as you go through that trial of faith today, In Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The life of our Lord Jesus Christ on earth shows us that we can have peace amidst the storms of life. In Mark 4:35-41, He demonstrated that He is indeed the Prince of Peace, as written of Him in Isaiah 9:6. While travelling in a boat with His disciples, having just finished a long session of preaching and counselling for only God knows how many hours, there arose a great storm bellowing against the boat in which they were. The disciples were so afraid that they would die at sea, because it seemed as if their boat would capsize. Meanwhile, Jesus Christ was fast asleep in the inner chamber of the boat. It is amazing that He could sleep even in the midst of a storm! The disciples woke Him up. Accusing Him of being unmindful of their predicament. Jesus was surprised that His disciples could ever imagine that the boat carrying the Author of life would capsize! Howbeit, He arose and rebuked the wind behind the raging storm, and there was a great calm.

The series of events that occurred in this story shows us that the devil and his cohorts can launch an attack against us after a successful outreach programme. Nevertheless, the good news is that God will always take charge and curtail such attacks. We also need to recognise from this story that the devil has no respect for the personality of the anointed. He can attack anybody, even when he knows that failure is inevitable, or how do we explain his attempt to capsize the boat of the one who created him? We must therefore be careful not to rest on our oars as we fight the good fight of faith. Nevertheless, in spite of the devil’s antics, we must not be afraid, because the Stiller of the storms is with us. You will be very wise to always rise to any challenge you are confronted with when He is the captain of your life’s boat. A person’s true character is revealed when he or she is confronted with difficult situations. The raging storm revealed that the disciples did not really know Jesus as they ought to know Him. If they did, they would not have accused Him of not being concerned with their plight. As a matter of fact, their show of surprise at Him stilling the storm shows that they had little understanding of Him being God among men. In light of their example, we must never assume that we have fully known the Lord until we see Him in glory (1st Corinthians 13:12). We must continually desire and pray to know Him the more, just like Paul did all the days of his life (Philippians 3:10). The more of Him we know, the more of His peace we will have in our hearts. I pray that His peace will continually fill your heart, even in the midst of storms of life, in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Romans 14:17 clearly shows that continuous sadness has no place in the Kingdom of God. As a matter of fact, being melancholic all year-round is not a Christian virtue. There is a song we used to sing in the past, and we need to remind ourselves of it today. It is a song in the Yoruba language, which being interpreted goes thus:
“My joy always abounds, My joy always abounds
Sorrow belongs to the camp of the devil; My joy always abounds!”

The angels who announced the birth of our Lord brought joy from heaven to our sorrow-ridden earth. From the abundance of joy in heaven, they proclaimed joy to the world. Only those who are joyful can be comfortable in heaven; melancholic people will not fit in there. Our Lord wants us to be joyous irrespective of what the situation is around us, because our joy is not derived from what is happening in the world. For this reason, in John 16:22-24, He said to us:
“And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
One lesson I would like to draw your attention to in this scripture is that Jesus Christ knows what heaven is like, and He wants us to have a taste of heaven here on earth. Unfortunately, some people specialise in making other people sad by their wicked acts, or through diabolical means such as witchcraft, sorcery and other forms of spiritual wickedness in high places. They must be pitied because unfortunately, they can never know joy in this world, neither will there be a place for them in the kingdom of God.

If you are currently living in sorrow, the Lord wants to bring you out of it before a broken spirit sends you to an early grave (Proverbs 17:22). God wants your joy to be full, and that’s why He said you should ask Him in faith for whatever you need. The joy we possess as Christians comes from the joy of our salvation. We must guard this jealously and pray for its restoration whenever we err (Psalm 51:22). We can learn to be joyful by bringing joy to others. In other words, when you put smiles on the faces of people, you will also smile. Happiness is not far from those who make others happy, and joy symbolise the presence of heaven in a place. Receive abundant joy today in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are certain blessings attached to marriage which we may be ignorant of except that Holy Spirit reveals them to us. One of such hidden blessings is revealed in Deuteronomy 32:30 and Ephesians 4:9-12. From these scriptures, God’s verdict is that two are better than one, and according to Ecclesiastes 4:9, the reason is:
“…because they have a good reward for their labour.”
This indicates that divorce is not the correct solution for marriages that are challenged, because divorce robs couples of maximum victory and rewards. Speaking further on the benefits of companionship derived from marriage, the Holy Spirit explains in Ecclesiastes 4:10:
“For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he felleth; for he hath not another to help him up.”
Helping each other out in times of need is another great blessing of marriage. This was part of God’s design when He established marriage as an institution. When God was going to create a companion for Adam, He stated His reason for this, saying in Genesis 2:18:
“…It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”
Man needed a companion in the form of a like-minded person who could help him fulfil his God-given assignment. I’m left in awe whenever I consider the wife God blessed me with, long before I knew His plans to use me in reaching the world with the Gospel. Indeed, He knows the end from the beginning, and so He makes everything beautiful in His own time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). As a beneficiary of God’s blessings in marriage, I make bold to say that only a person who is blessed with a God-given spouse can cope with the hazardous challenges of being a minister of God.
Couples should do everything possible to stay together because God honours their unity by fighting their battles for them. However, this unity must be of a godly sort, and not like that which existed between Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). Couples should key into the power of the Lord’s promise in Matthew 18:19, which says:
“Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”
This is another valid reason why couples should fear God and not offend Him. He is the author of marriage, who created it for couples to receive maximum blessings from Him. Beloved, whatever it may cost you, keep your marriage intact, because there are great blessings attached to holy matrimony.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, we considered how to force the victory bequeathed to us by our Lord Jesus Christ through His death and resurrection. Today, we shall be learning how to fortify this victory, so that it is not stolen from us.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
Ephesians 6:10-11
This scripture holds the key to how we fortify our victory in Christ, by commanding us to be strong in the Lord. This is not a piece of advice but an express command given by the Holy Spirit. Beloved, to fortify your victory in Christ, you must be strengthened by the power that comes through having a relationship with the Lord. Derive your strength from His mighty power. God does not want His children to be weaklings, which is why He often told the commanders of the army of Israel to be strong and courageous. He said to Joshua in Joshua 1:9:
“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
Courage is a necessary ingredient for fortifying our victory. During one of our Solemn Assemble services in 2018, I showed my children the video clip of a goat being bullied by a cow. In a turn of events, the small goat put the cow to flight, because it courageously resisted the cow. We can learn from this goat’s courage and persistence.

Apart from being strong in the Lord, we are further commanded in Ephesians 6:10-11 to put on the whole armour of God. What is the whole armour of God? The Holy Spirit articulates this in Ephesians 6:10-18. The armour of God comprises of many components with distinctive uses. These include the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. The good news is that Jesus Christ is The Truth, just as He is our Righteousness. In other words, making Him our Ally is great wisdom that fortifies our victory. Our armour also includes boots for preaching the gospel of peace everywhere. Unfortunately, many Christians and churches are neglecting this aspect of our divine armour. Consequently, those we failed to preach to yesterday are the ones terrorising us today. May the Lord forgive us our sin of neglecting to preach the Gospel. The shield faith and the helmet of salvation are other parts of God’s armour. Doubt and unbelief rob us of our victory in Christ, hence the need for faith. Our salvation is shipwrecked when we fail to live a holy life. How well are you fortifying your victory in Christ today?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people do not know that we need to continually enforce the victory that our Lord Jesus Christ earned for us at Calvary. The Lord bequeathed this victory to us as a gift just as He gave the Promised Land to the Israelites. We are therefore declared to be more than conquerors through Him (Romans 8:37). How then do we enforce this victory over the devil, the world and the flesh? Revelation 12:11 provides some answers. We can enforce our victory over the devil by appropriating the Blood of Jesus Christ against him and his kingdom. The devil cannot withstand this when done in faith. Any person who wants to live a victorious life over the forces of darkness must believe in the atoning work that Jesus Christ performed when He offered His life as a sacrifice. He poured out His precious Blood and died a cursed death on the cross of Calvary for the deliverance of mankind (1st Peter 1:18-19, Galatians 3:13).

Another way of enforcing our victory is by proclaiming the word of our testimony. The Holy Spirit says in Romans 10:10:
“For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
The Hebrew boys activated their deliverance from the fiery furnace by their confessions. They said in Daniel 3:17:
“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.”
True to the words of their declaration, God delivered them, just as He did for them, He will also deliver you today in Jesus’ Name. However, you must believe in your heart, and in that faith, confess that you are victorious. You are even victorious over death! The fear of death is one factor that makes people lose their faith and consequently their victory. For this reason, Jesus warned us not to be afraid of those who can kill the body and do nothing else. Rather, we should fear the One who can kill the body and throw the body and soul into hell (Matthew 10:28). This Mighty One is more than able to deliver those who believe in Him and confess Him before physical and spiritual obstacles. The appropriate and effective use of God’s word is another means of enforcing our victory. The Lord Himself used this tool when He was faced with temptation in the wilderness, quoting God’s word appropriately to counter the subtle attacks of the devil (Luke 4:1-13). This is why you must be a good student of the Bible. Till the Lord returns, continue to fight the good fight of faith by enforcing your victory over the devil, the world and flesh. God bless you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There was once a young brother who believed every word he read from the Bible. Based on the word of God, this brother believed that his blood was too precious to be sucked by any devourer, even mosquitoes, and h knocked those who used things like insecticide to rid their rooms of mosquitoes. He even proclaimed that no mosquito dared suck his blood and live! So, one day, he challenged other brethren to watch what would happen to any mosquito that tried to attack him. He stretched his hand out through the window, exposing it to mosquitoes flying nearby. Immediately, several mosquitoes zoomed in on it and began to suck his blood. However, to everyone’s great surprise, once the mosquitoes drank his blood, they fell down dead. To the natural mind which walks in the realm of doubt and unbelief, this may sound like a ridiculous story, but it is true. Indeed, the things of the Spirit cannot be grasped by the natural mind because they are spiritually discerned (1st Corinthians 2:14). In the same line of faith as this young brother, the Psalmist says in Psalm 27:2:
“When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.”
Enemies are enemies, irrespective of their nature or origin they can come against us in the form of human beings, animals, plants or any other thing in the created world. That is why God’s promise to us in Isaiah 54:17 is all-encompassing, saying:
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”

Based on God’s promises in Isaiah 49:24-36, if you really belong to Him, you will be toxic to devourers of mankind. It is therefore an anomaly for children of God to say that witches are sucking their blood. Beloved, this should not be your experience because every child of God is in a covenant that is founded on the Blood of Jesus (Luke 22:20). As you partake of Jesus’ Blood at the communion table, His Blood flows through your entire system, making your blood deadly to every blood-sucking demon. To anyone who has been threatened by witches, I advise you to run to Jesus Christ today. He will make you poisonous to those who want to devour you. Several years ago, I also felt threatened when witches in my village planned to make me their breakfast, but the Lord delivered me. He can do the same for you if you genuinely belong to him. Are you one of His?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Someone once said that the graveyard is the richest place on earth, because in it lies buried many gifts, talents, untapped ideas and un-quantifiable capabilities. The reason this assertion is somewhat true is that many people have died while still loaded with great ideas, treasures, unused potential and energy. In order not to fall into this category after passing on to be with the Lord, we must obey the admonition of the Holy Spirit in Ecclesiastics 9:10, which says:
“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grace, wither thou goest.”
Anyone who walks in the light of this scripture will die empty, having used up all the gifts and good potential the Creator deposited in him or her to the glory of God.

An example of someone who emptied himself before going on to be with the Lord is Elijah. He left behind a double portion of his anointing, symbolised by his mantle which dropped from him as he transited to glory. This mantle immediately started working wonders for his successor, Elisha. Speaking on this, the Bible says in 2nd Kings 2:14:
“And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.”
I believe Elijah’s mantle did not just fall from him; he deliberately released it to Elisha because he wanted to go empty. If Elijah had taken the anointing on his life to heaven, it would have been useless there. So, he released it to the generation that succeeded him. What a great life he lived! Another person who died empty was Paul. When you read through the testimonies of his life, you will agree with me that he died empty. He himself testified to this, saying in 2nd Timothy 4:7-8:
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
Beloved, these people have run their own course, and they now serve as great examples to us. What will the testimony of your life be after your assignment here on earth is done? Strive to make it a glorious one of how you emptied yourself of all that God deposited in you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Christian Social Responsibility (CSR) is not a 21st century concept or idea; it has been with the Church from the beginning of the Christian faith. Acts 2:41-47 describes the format it took and impact it had on the early Church. Of a truth, there are lots of blessings that accrue to us individually and collectively as the Body of Christ when we take CSR seriously. The Church of Christ stands the chance of being tremendously blessed if we take the issue of caring for the poor and downtrodden as part of our mission, beginning from our local environment to the ends of the earth. As individuals, we will be tremendously blessed if we give heed to the words of Proverbs 19:17, which is part of the infallible word of God that never fails. My personal experience from giving to the poor is a testament to the veracity of this scripture.

There is the story of a Church leader who became a Christian as a result of the hospitality shown to him by a Christian couple during the Nigerian civil war. According to his account, he staggered into the camp of a Christian couple during the civil war, and they received him like their own kinsman, giving him a plateful of rice. A plate of rice during the civil war was worth a fortune, but they gave it to him because of the love of Christ. The man of God said he decided there and then to serve the God of this couple, who did not only provide for them during those austere times but also taught them to be good to others. He concluded in his heart that the God who made human beings as good as this couple must indeed be a very good God.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19
The Church at Philppi manifested certain virtues which triggered the declaration of this wonderful promise. Narrating what they did, Philippians 4:15-16 says:
“Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.”
It was their concern for the welfare of God’s servant and the success of his assignment that moved heaven to release the wonderful promise in Philippians 4:19 to them. Beloved, let us go back to the basics of Christian hospitality and communal living, and it will not be long before the whole world will be won to Christ through our love, care and spirit of sharing.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Those whom the Lord refers to as the “flourishing” are those who have the capacity to lend to nations. They are the kind of people that nations can humbly go to in order to explain their needs, anticipating that they will receive something impactful from them. The first thing you need in order to flourish is divine favour. In Romans 9:15-16, God said:
“….I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.”
In other words, struggling for wealth does not necessarily lead to prosperity. This is why an African proverb says, “It is not the lack of food that stops a cat from being as big as the dog.”

After God has shown you favour, the next thing you need in order to flourish is hard work. Lazy people don’t work hard, so they don’t flourish. In John 5:17b, Jesus Christ said:
“My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.”
God is a hard worker, so it would not be in His character to cause a lazy fellow to flourish. In Proverbs 13:4a, the Bible says:
“The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing:”
In my lifetime, I have seen a lot of people who want to flourish without working hard. They remain poor, because God’s word cannot be broken. His word says in Proverbs 22:29
“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.”
If you don’t want to work hard, then there is no way God can cause you to flourish. When God wants to bless someone, He opens doors to him or her. However, if He opens a door for you, He won’t push you through it; you will have to do what it takes to go through it yourself.

For you to flourish, beyond working hard, you must work right. Working hard is not as important as working right, otherwise all labourers would be the richest people in the world. Peter and some other disciples fished all night but they caught nothing because they were fishing in the wrong place (John 21:3-6). You can only know which way to cast your net if you have surrendered the boat of your life to the Master. Those whose hearts are sold out to Jesus never lack direction. They always have net-breaking catches because Jesus tells them which direction to cast their nets. Is it so with you?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Lord declared His place in the universe to be first in all things and filling all spheres, saying in Revelation 1:8:
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”
In light of this, He expects those who have given their lives to Him to put Him first in all things. Making God first in our lives is the highest honour we can give to Him. Indeed, there is no other position suitable for Him in our lives than the first position. The implication of this is that we must consult Him first before we do anything. Those who jump the gun in their walk with God by taking steps before consulting Him always encounter disappointment, failure, hardship and great frustration. No wonder the Prophet said in Habakkuk 2:1:
“I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.”
To enjoy our walk with Him therefore, we must be ready to always walk behind Him, patiently walking and watching as He goes ahead of us to make every crooked path straight, and carefully putting our feet in His footprints.

An example of someone who jumped the gun in the course of his walk with God is Father Abraham. If he had consulted with God before sleeping with Hagar at Sarah’s bidding, the Lord would not have allowed it (Genesis 16:1-3). This action brought commotion to Abraham’s household and caused him great grief. When Sarah could no longer bear the situation, she insisted that Hagar and her son, Ishmael, be sent away. It was at this point that Abraham consulted God on the matter, and God said to him in Genesis 21:12:
“And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.”
If only He had checked with God first, he would have avoided so much pain and hurt. Beloved, let us learn to put God at the beginning, at the middle and at the end of all our plans, because He must fill all spheres of our lives for perfect guidance. This should not be too difficult for those who desire to live with Him in his kingdom eternally. Is God first in your life?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Whoever tells you that there is no longer a reward for diligence in this world is a liar. The word of God, which is forever settled in heaven, has declared that diligence has its rewards in this world and in the world to come. According to God’s word in Proverbs 22:29, even if the diligent would not want to come before kings, his or her works will drag him or her to the presence of kings for due reward. The power inherent in God’s word is a compelling force that attracts blessings to the diligent. The story of Mordecai in the Book of Esther is a great example in this regard. Mordecai was a Jewish captive in Shushan during the reign of Ahasuerus, the Persian emperor. He was made a security guard to the king, and in the course of diligently carrying out his duty, he saved the king from being assassinated. This good deed was recorded in the archives of the empire, even though he was not rewarded at that time. Meanwhile, Haman hated Mordecai and plotted to kill him. However, the night before Haman was to execute his evil plans, the righteousness of God woke the king up and reminded him of the reward still pending for Mordecai’s diligence. Esther 6:1-3 says:
“On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written, that Mordecai has told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.”
This was the beginning of the reward for diligence received by a watchman who later became second in command to the king (Esther 10:3). What a great lesson his life is to us all! Some security guards are only being paid for sleeping in the open, because they are watching nothing. The story was told of a security guard who was so fast asleep on duty that the one who hired him came and took away his shoes and probably his torchlight, and yet he did not know! This was not the case with Mordecai; he did his work meticulously and thoroughly. The Lord’s parable in Matthew 25:19-21 also affirms that diligence attracts great blessings. When the master of the diligent servant came and realised that he had been industrious in the use of the talents given to him, he rewarded him handsomely, making him an administrator over many of his businesses. However the servant who buried his lone talent was damned. Beloved, be diligent and determine not to eat the food of idleness; it is a sin.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The topic of today’s devotional (I Will Promote You) is a prophetic word from God to you. God is saying that He is preparing you for an astonishing level of promotion this season. You must therefore be full of praises to Him, because promotion comes from Him alone. Speaking on this, Psalm 75:5-7 says:
“Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
As you walk in expectation of your promotion this season, let me give you a few reasons why you should be full of praises to God. The first reason is that God has chosen to speak against your adversaries, who think that without them your promotion will not see the light of the day. Their pride will bring them down, because the Lord is your Lifter. Let David’s confession in Psalm 3:3 fill your mouth this season, saying:
“But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.”

Moreover, you must praise the Lord because He is the accurate Judge and perfect Assessor acting on your behalf. He will nullify all the malicious recommendations that have kept you under for years, because this is your season of promotion. Do you know that this God, who is our Father in heaven, specialises in putting the ungodly down and lifting His children up? He did it in the life of Mordecai in Esther 8:1-2, which says:
“On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the jew’s enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her. And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and give it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.”

In addition to this, He caused Mordecai to become the second in command to King Ahasuerus (Esther 10:3). Our Father also did the same thing for Daniel, who was continuously being promoted in the service of several kings, from Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian to Cyrus the Persian. At the end of it all, Daniel’s enemies, who lifted up their heels against the Holy One of Israel, were nowhere to be found. They all perished for Daniel’s sake (Daniel 6). Unless your enemies repent, they will become as Daniel’s enemies, and you will be promoted despite their schemes. Those who said your promotion will be over their dead bodies shall receive the desire of their hearts, because you will be promoted whether they like it or not. Hallelujah!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is a sad thing to realize that some children of God virtually expect nothing from Him. In the guise of modesty and spirituality, some people practically live a life of begging. Like Lazarus, they live off the provision of their fellow brethren, whom they sometimes consider to be “worldly”. Rather than asking God and working towards having something productive to do that will meet their needs, they prefer living at the expense and mercy of other people. They can be likened to the older brother of the prodigal son, who did not realise who he was and the enormous resources at his disposal as the dutiful son of a very rich man (Luke 15:11-32). It was in his presence that his younger brother foolishly asked for his share of their father’s inheritance and went away to squander it. The older brother kept on working faithfully in his father’s business but never bothered to ask for anything meaningful to celebrate with his friends, even though he desired to do so. The reason he did not ask was because he chose to feign spirituality and modesty. His inward nature and desires came to the fore when his younger brother returned in repentance, and their father forgave him and even celebrated the occasion by killing the fattest cow this older brother had been grooming! Probably he had been planning to ask his father to let him have the cow to celebrate a special occasion. Unfortunately for him, the cow was used to celebrate a lost son who was found! Luke 15:28-30 captures his reaction to this, saying:
“And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.”

In response, his father reminded him that all he had was his. In other words, if he asked, he would have received whatever he wanted. The bottom line here is that the older son neither knew what he wanted nor his place in his father’s household. He was even asking for just a little goat out of all his father had, which actually belonged to him! He ended up being jealous, and this kept him outside while others enjoyed themselves in his father’s banquet hall. Beloved, what is your expectation from the Lord as you serve Him and do his bidding? In Matthew 20:29-34, Jesus asked the blind men, “What will ye that I shall do unto you?” They wisely responded, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” Consequently, Jesus compassionately touched them, and they received their sight. The Lord will have compassion on you today, provided you sincerely tell Him what you desire from Him. There is no impossibility with God; He will surely meet your expectations.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Romans 8:35-39, Paul lists some realities of life that can shake the faith of a believer. These include tribulation and distress, which manifest themselves today in the form of financial crisis and health issues. Others include covert and open persecution of believers, even in so-called secular nations professing freedom of religion and association. Nations of the world are also plagued with homelessness, famine and poverty, and we are faced with the peril of firearms and weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of terrorists. It takes being emboldened by the Holy Spirit and having the mind of Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah, to hold the fort and lift up the banner of God’s kingdom. We should not be dismayed at the prevalence of these evil things because our Lord Jesus Christ already told us they would happen. Speaking in John 16:20&33, He said:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy ….. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Undergoing trials and tribulations is a part of our faith as Christ’s disciples. The Bible makes this clear to us in 2nd Timothy 3:12, which says:
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
Those who have gone ahead of us also passed through the same things, and some even had to pay the supreme price of their lives while upholding the faith. To finish strong like they did, we must believe and live by what the Holy Spirit says about us in Romans 8:37, which says:
“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

Are you passing through tough times? Does it seem as if the promises of God are not working out for you? I encourage you to cheer up and be strong. Don’t deny your Master and Lord because of tough times which will soon fade away. The Lord is speaking to you today through 1st Corinthians 15:58, saying:
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vein in the Lord.”
Hold unto his word and remain unmovable from the straight and narrow way that leads to life. I pray that God will continue to strengthen and uphold you in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God’s children have so much to praise Him for. That you are alive today and able to read this devotional is a good enough reason to praise Him. I believe most Christians know that there is power in praising God. Some have even experienced great miracles as a result. I am therefore surprised that some of us still find it hard to praise God as often as we should. One reason for this may be our preoccupation with meeting life’s daily demands. Sometimes, these demands occupy our time so much that we forget to praise God. We must be like David who made a firm commitment to never forget God’s benefits in his life. In Psalm 103:1-2, he said:
“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:”
Endeavour to emulate this good attribute that David had, even if it means setting reminders on your phone or putting up reminder notes on your walls at home. Make up your mind to offer praises to God on a daily basis, irrespective of the situation you are passing through or how you feel. In all you do, never forget to praise God.

When we praise God, it shifts the focus of our mind away from ourselves and our reality to God and His infinite possibilities, and when our focus is on God rather than our situation, we will begin to see how great God is compared to the size of our problems. Also, when we praise God in spite of how we feel or what we are going through, we declare our dependency on Him and acknowledge that we are not in control of our lives. As a result, we receive peace and strength in place of worries and burdens.

One great benefit of praising God is that it causes our enemies to scatter. 2nd 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.”
The verse describes what happened when three big nations connived to battle against Judah, knowing that they had just a small army. Considering their numerical disadvantage, Judah would have lost the battle woefully. However, God turned the situation around in their favour when they praised Him. Do you have enemies bigger than you? Activate the power of praise today and see them destroyed for your sake. The fact is, when we refuse to praise God, we short-change ourselves and prolong our problems. Therefore, let praising God become your lifestyle from today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I am pleased to announce to you today that just one encounter with the Almighty, with whom there is no impossibility, is all that you need to make all your problems a thing of the past. Not only will your problems be dealt with through an encounter with Him, you will also receive the mother of all blessings, which is eternal life. The story of the centurion who encountered Jesus Christ is a good example of the possibilities that a divine encounter brings. Incidentally, this centurion was not a Jew. Nobody can tell how he got to know about Jesus, but suffice it to say that he was singled out for this encounter by divine arrangement. Typical of a soldier, he went straight to the point in his communication with Jesus, and the Lord offered to come to his house to grant his request. Amazingly, even though he was not a Jew, this centurion demonstrated great faith in the Messiah of the Jews. He declined Jesus’ offer to come to his house, saying that the Master just needed to speak a word and his servant would be healed. He believed that whatever Jesus said would definitely come to pass. The Lord was touched by this demonstration of faith, commending it as the sort He had not seen in Israel.

Beloved, let us learn from the centurion. He was out to get healing for his servant and this led him to Jesus. This encounter produced results because he had great expectations. Whenever you come before the Lord’s presence, you will be wise to come before Him with pure heart that expects significant things from Him. Go before the Lord believing like the centurion did. You will notice that the centurion applied what he knew about authority as a soldier to connect with a profound spiritual principle. It is unfortunate that instead of allowing God to use their professional background to help them understand divine principles, some people rather allow the devil to convince them that there is no God. The reality of human efforts being futile without God was what convinced Peter, an experienced fisherman, that his catch of fish at the Lord’s direction was not ordinary (Psalm 127:1, Luke 5:. He therefore bowed to the divine supremacy of the preacher who knew more about fish than any experienced fisherman. The encounter changed Peter’s life permanently, making him famous in almost all the nations of the world. The woman with the issue of blood, who declared the words of Mark 5:28, also had a divine encounter with Jesus, which put an end to pain, shame and waste in her life. In order not to miss your day of visitation by the Lord, never get too familiar with His works. Always appreciate His miracles and let your heart be full of expectation of a divine encounter at all times. I pray that you will not miss your day of visitation, like the children of Israel did, in Jesus’ Name (Luke 13:34-35).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Luke 1:70-75 should inspire confidence of absolute security in those who are children of Abraham through faith in the Son of the Living God (Galatians 3:7-9). The question is, are you a true child of Abraham? As a child of Abraham, David’s confidence in the protection of the God of Abraham moved him to make this exuberant declaration of faith in Psalm 23:4
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
In order to put our minds at rest and leave us with absolutely no doubt of His commitment to our security, several passage of the Bible re-echo God’s promise of divine safety to us. The Lord guarantees that He will defend us for His Name’s sake (1st Samuel 12:22, Psalms 106:8, Psalms 23:3). This is significant and very reassuring because we know His Name does not change nor can He deny His Name (Psalm 135:13, 2nd Timothy 2:13). It is highly comforting when you realise that your Ally is the Almighty God; but then, you must have a relationship with Him – a Father-child, Shepherd-sheep and Lord-disciple relationship.

The Almighty God recognises that we are surrounded by enemies in this world, and for that reason He has put a plan in place to save us from them all, through the power of the new covenant in the Blood of Jesus. Why has God done this for us? Luke 1:74-75 answers this question, saying;
“…. That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.”
As the redeemed of the Lord, there should be no fear in us concerning our enemies. We are the triumphant Church of Jesus Christ, sitting with Him in heavenly places in dominion. We do not walk in fear because fear has torment (1st John 4:18). Fear has pushed a lot of people into doing several abominable things like witchcraft, sorcery and joining all sorts of occult groups. Needless to say, a child of God cannot be found with such, as there is no holiness in occult groups, neither is there righteousness in the company of diviners. Beloved, the Lord has made up His mind to defend you if only you will trust Him. Are you in any secret society in order to protect yourself physically or financially? You need to quit today because they cannot help you on the fearful day of the Lord (2nd Peter 3:10-13). If you are a child of God, you have no reason to fidget; Jesus is Lord and the Lord of Hosts for that matter. Therefore, cheer up!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Leadership is very vital to God’s created order, so much so that even animals have a way of choosing leaders among themselves. When you watch wildlife documentaries, you will appreciate how important leadership is in fulfilling God’s plan and purpose in the affairs of living creatures.

Today, we shall be considering leadership from God’s perspective. I believe this will help us to set our priorities in order as we go about our leadership obligations where God has placed us, whether in the family, school, church, community or country.

In Luke 22:24-27, our Lord Jesus Christ taught godly leadership principles in response to an argument among His disciples on who should be their leader. Jesus did not only teach these principles theoretically, He also taught them practically with His leadership lifestyle. He specifically said in Luke 22:27:

“For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
In this verse, the Lord established the principle of leadership by example. It is however amazing that many do not lead by example. Even in the Church today, some leaders demand hero-worship from the flock of Jesus Christ. Many guest ministers dictate the type of hotel accommodation their hosts should provide for them as part of the preconditions for accepting invitations to minister God’s word. Some even have a ‘price list’ stating the honorarium they must receive and the class of flight they must be flown in. instead of the richer ministers to support the upcoming ones with the wealth of experience they have, they scare them away from partaking of their anointing through the enormous cost of inviting them for ministrations.

Some senior pastors are becoming burdensome to junior ones because just one statutory visit from them places unbearable financial obligations on their growing parishes. If the spread of the gospel will not be inhibited, we must go back to the leadership principles of our Lord in John 13:13-15, which says:

Open Heaven for Today 20 October 2019 Sunday

Prayer Point

“Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”

Beloved, only the principle of leadership through service can stand the test of time, even in the political arena. Selfish and self-centred leadership does not endure beyond the ordained tenure of a leader. Let us follow the leadership principles of Jesus Christ, built on love and firmness and devoid of hypocrisy.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To tell a lie is to intentionally make a false statement. According to Proverbs 6:16-19, lying is one of the seven abominations that God hates. Despite this fact, lying is still the most common sin, even amongst Christians. The reason this is so is because it is very easy to lie and also because many people do not consider lying to be a serious sin. Lying is a characteristic of the old Adamic nature we had before we became born again. speaking on this, Colossians 3:9 says:
“Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;”
The Holy Spirit makes it clear in this verse that lies can only be found on the lips of those who haven’t put off the old man with his deeds. The moment you become a child of God and shed the old man and his deeds, lying shouldn’t be part of you anymore. It then means that any Christian who still finds it easy to tell lies should check his or her salvation, because at the point of new birth, your nature changes from the nature of the devil, whose authority you were under, to the nature of Christ, who is the Truth. The devil is revealed to be a liar in John 8:44c, which says:
“When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

Speaking the truth at all times is an attribute of the new man. In fact, this virtue is one of the defining characteristics of the new man. This is because the Spirit of Christ that births the new life of God in us when we become born again is the Spirit of truth. Declaring His nature, the Lord said in John 14:17:
“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot, receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
It is clear from this verse that the Holy Spirit dwells in all those who are born again, to teach and counsel us to walk in the truth always. He Himself said in 1st John 2:27:
“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”
If you are a true Christian, you should therefore find it very difficult to tell lies. The Bible says it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). If the Spirit of truth resides in you and teaches you all things, then through His influence, you will naturally tell the truth at all time. However, if it’s the spirit of the old man that you still possess, then you will find out that it is very easy for you to tell lies. How is it with you today?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are some characters that portray children of God in a bad light today. For example, some of us want to enjoy the social amenities provided by government but don’t want to pay taxes. Those who manifest such behaviour are only trying to reap where they did not sow. Contrary to this, Paul admonishes us in Romans 13:1-7 to be patriotic enough to pay our taxes and perform other civic responsibilities that are expected of us. Our obedience to civic laws should not be by coercion but voluntary, as unto the Lord. The Holy Spirit describes those who are in authority as ministers of God, looking out for our own good (Romans 13:4). It is therefore surprising that some Christians despise their political leaders through their “holier-than-thou” attitude. Christians who defraud the government by not paying their taxes are no better than the government officials who they despise for stealing government funds. They will all definitely be judged according to their evil deeds on the last day. A government worker who is expected to put in eight hours of work but does just three and uses the rest for his or her personal activities is as guilty as those who loot the government treasury with the pen. As an employee, do you really work for the expected amount of time for which you are being paid?

What do you understand from what the Lord is saying in Mark 12:17? Many people erroneously think that giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar means bribing their way into Caesar’s favour. This is not true! Caesar takes receipted tributes, such as taxes, dues and levies and not bribes. When you pay your taxes, God is happy with you because you are contributing to the well-being of the community you live in. This does not however exempt you from paying your tithes, offerings and first fruits to God. Caesar does not take tithes and offerings, but he must also not be denied his dues and taxes for the construction of roads, bridges and other social amenities. Notwithstanding, let it not surprise you as I say today that if you pay your tithes and offerings but default in paying taxes, you are guilty of reaping where you did not sow when you enjoy social amenities being provided by the government you refuse to pay taxes to. If you are guilty of this, repent today and begin to go the extra mile of giving back to your community through Christian social responsibility (CSR).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God’s desire is to completely restore all those who apply His principles of restoration to any aspect of their life wherein they have suffered loss. The degree of restoration a person experiences depends on their level of adherence to the details of these principles. For example, Samson only experienced partial restoration because that was what he asked for. He prayed to God in Judges 16:28, saying:
“…O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.”
Sadly, he died with his enemies. You will not die with your enemies in Jesus’ Name. In contrast to Samson, Naaman experienced total restoration. Speaking on how God restored wholeness to him, 2nd Kings 5:14 says:
“Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.”

Naaman’s example is a model for those who want their restoration to be complete. The first thing to note about his restoration in 2nd Kings 5:14 is that he went down before being restored. We must get off our high horse of self-importance if we desire complete restoration after suffering any form of loss. The next thing to consider is that Naaman dipped himself seven times according to the instruction of God’s prophet, not five or six times. In other words, our obedience must be complete as we wash in the Blood of the Lamb. We must forget our self-righteousness if we want to experience complete restoration spiritually or physically. Many Christians who fall from grace are never completely restored because they did not thoroughly confess or restitute their ways completely. For example, some have been caught in extra-martial affairs that produced children out of wedlock, and under the pretext of taking care of the children produced by such illicit relationships, they still involve themselves in semi-polygamous lifestyles with their mistresses. There is no way such Christians can be fully restored, and as a matter of fact, they are gambling with eternity in hell. Some so-called children of God are even still riding in the cars they stole before their new birth! They have not completely repented of their old ways and therefore cannot experience the restoration described in Jeremiah 30:17, like David did in 2 Samuel 19:11-15. Beloved, you also can be totally restored if you completely return to God. Your health that is failing because of your extra-marital wandering will return if you dismiss all your concubines and other strange women in your life. Have you fully restituted your ways?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The words of John 15:2 should be sobering for every sincere child of God. In it we are told that the Father Himself does the cutting off of unfaithful branches from the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the True Vine! In other words, it is a mistake to think that the devil is responsible for cutting people off from the Body of Christ. It is important to note that these branches being cut off are already in Jesus Christ, meaning they are believers and part of Him. As part of the Church, they are right there within the Master’s sanctuary, causing havoc within the household of God and occupying positions without doing anything with them, apart from preventing others who want to serve the Lord from doing so.

It is terrifying to know that right from the time the Lord was here on earth, betrayers have always been found among those close to Him. This might be the reason why the Father cuts many of them off before their time. My Father in the Lord, the founder of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, cut off some people from the fold before he finally left to be with the Lord. Some of us did not know why he was doing what he did back then, but people like me now know better. Jesus Christ tolerated Judas Iscariot for three and half years, giving him ample opportunity and time to repent of his stealing habit that would eventually lead him to betray his Master for money. However, very close to the time appointed for Him to go to the Cross, Jesus realised that Judas Iscariot had chosen to fulfil the prophecy of Psalm 41:9, which says:
“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”
It was at this point that Jesus detached Judas Iscariot from Himself as the True Vine. Describing what happened after that, John 13:27 says:
“And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.”
What can be more terrible than Satan himself possessing a person’s body! Noticeably, it was after Judas Iscariot had been torn away from the True Vine and left to carry out his destructive mission that Jesus began to reveal to His real disciples some deeper things about His mission. Beloved, the consequences of being cut off from the Lord’s Body are too dire to be contemplated. I therefore pray that the Master will not tear you away from Himself in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.