₦airaland Forum

The topic of today’s devotional (Don't Be A Carnal Christian) is not a piece of advice but an express command from the Holy Spirit. Roman 8:6 reveals that it is a dangerous thing to remain carnal after experiencing the new birth, which is why the Holy Spirit is speaking to us on it today. Unfortunately, many carnal Christians either don’t know their canal state or refuse to admit it. For this reason, Paul had to directly inform the brethren at Corinth that they were canal Christian? There are many signs which indicate a Christian is still carnal, and 1 Corinthians 3:3 mentions some, one of which is envy. Envy opens the door to strife, and when strife is fully grown, it brings about divisions and schisms in the Body of Christ. All of these were present in the Church at Corinth. Even fornication was found there!

In 1st Corinthians 3:1, Christians who are carnal are declared to be babes who need to grow into maturity. For this reason, the Holy Spirit encourages us in Philippians 4:4-9 to grow in Christian virtues by meditating on things that are truthful, honest, just, pure and lovely. We are also called to live a praiseworthy life of good report. How do we attain all these virtues? It is through purposeful training in discipleship. Christian virtues do not come automatically; they are learnt. This is made clear through Paul’s words in Philippians 4:9, saying:
“Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard,. and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ is still calling believers to come and learn of Him (Matthew 11:28-30). Growing in faith requires conscious and concerted efforts in learning God’s ways in order to know His mind on all things. Philippians 3:10-11 says:
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

Beloved, please give heed to the Holy Spirit’s admonition in 2nd Peter 3:18a, which says:
“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
By doing this, you will become a heaven-bound Christian who is mature and not carnal.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Who is an ambassador? An ambassador is simply an official who lives in a foreign country as the representative of his or her own country. Two things are striking in this definition. The first is that an ambassador is an official and a representative of his or her country’s government. In other words, there is a relationship between the ambassador and the country he or she represents. Secondly, an ambassador lives in a foreign country. From these points, it is obvious that Christ’s ambassadors must have a relationship with Him. There are many people today who claim to be representatives of Jesus Christ, whereas there is no relationship between them and the Master. Concerning such people, Jesus says in Luke 13:26-27:
“Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.”
Furthermore, Christ’s ambassadors must see themselves as strangers living in a foreign land called earth. Unless you live your life as a pilgrim with temporary stay on earth, you cannot be Christ’s ambassador indeed. Learn from those who have gone ahead of us, of whom Hebrews 11:13 says:
“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”

The early apostles are great examples of how to live our lives as Christ’s ambassadors. Although most of them were ignorant and illiterate men, they were also something else, which supersedes every other thing: they were clones of the Lord Jesus Christ, reflecting the life and principles He brought from heaven. It is therefore not surprising that they did the same feats the Lord did while in the flesh – thus fulfilling the prophecy Jesus made that we would do the works He did, and even greater works than He did (John 14:12). Even the Jewish leaders who persecuted the disciples admitted that they resembled their Master.

Beloved, to be Christ’s ambassador indeed requires learning of Him (Matthew 11:28-30). Are you ready to learn of Him? Do you see yourself as Christ’s ambassador in all that you do? The disciples of old lived their lives as Christ’s ambassadors and did not regret it. In fact, Jesus promised them a hundredfold return on their commitment, and this promise is yours also (Mark 10:29-30).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, the Spirit of the Lord is warning us to beware of excessive profiteering in business. This is something people do in order to enrich themselves with worldly materials and possessions procured through huge profits. God says it is an act of wickedness when we unduly profit from essential goods and services. You may not know the pain you are inflicting by doing this unless God opens your eyes to see that some who need your goods or services for survival are suffering because they cannot afford to pay what you are charging them. People who do this either do not know or have forgotten the words of wisdom in Proverbs 13:11, which says:
“Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.”
It is even worse when some rich employers of labour deny their workers their due wages, all in a bid to live large on what does not belong to them. it is equivalent to slavery when people work for you and you either don’t pay them or you tactically delay their payday. If you are involved in this, the Holy Spirit says to you in James 5:3-4:
“Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.”
A close look at the misfortunes of those practicing such wickedness will make any wise person to heed God’s warning in this scripture. Those who loot the public treasury in order to leave something behind for their children have proved themselves foolish in this regard. Even in their lifetime, their children begin to mismanage their ill-gotten properties. We have heard stories of labourers’ children buying the properties of their fathers’ masters after the Lord of Sabaoth caused wealth to change hands. Only the riches gotten through just means can stand the test of time. No wonder Proverbs 22:22-23 says:
“Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.”
Beloved, remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and be wise: He warned us that the value of a man’s life does not consist of the abundance of the things he has (Luke 12:15). May the Lord grant you the great gain that comes from godly contentment in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are two very important characteristics of a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ which we shall be reflecting on today. The first of those is knowledge of the truth. The Truth is no other person than the Lord Jesus Christ. He declared Himself to be The Truth in John 14:6, saying:
“….I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
He further declared that the word of God is truth, thereby indicating that He is the Word of God (John 17:17, John 1:1-12). By implication, whoever rejects the word of God rejects Jesus Christ, and whoever rejects Jesus Christ rejects the Truth. Through this principle, we know those who are genuine disciples of Jesus Christ. Real Disciples of Christ accept the infallible word of God as the truth, which no ancient or modern philosophy can change. Speaking on the constancy of God’s word, the Lord said in Luke 21:33:
“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.”
He further declared in John 6:63b:
“the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
True disciples of Jesus Christ are known by their lifestyles which reflect God’s word. Today, many who call themselves disciples of Christ pick and choose which of Jesus’ words they would live by. Some even say that if Jesus had to live in our time, He would reverse many of his teachings! What a lie from the pit of hell! If you want to finish your Christian race in heaven, beware of such people, because they will try to mislead you into believing their falsehood.

A second characteristic of genuine disciples of Jesus Christ is that they are free from the bondage of the devil. When I come across some so-called disciples of the Lord complaining of one form of demonic oppression or the other, I often wonder. Jesus Christ said we shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free. Why then are some disciples not free? They are either ignorant of the truth concerning who they really are, or they are not genuine disciples of the Lord in the first place (Hosea 4:6). Beloved, I counsel you to re-examine your position as a disciple of Christ and find out if there is any missing link between you and the Master, subjecting you to any form of bondage. If this is the case, quickly do something about it today. Freedom from every form of demonic oppression is your inheritance in Christ. Claim it now!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, we will be reflecting on an area of compromise in the Body of Christ which the Lord wants us to repent of. This has to do with partaking in other men’s sin, whether by supporting, celebrating or turning a blind eye to their misdeeds. The reason why The Redeemed Christian Church of God is perceived by some to be rigid on certain matters is because we are conscious of the possibility of being an accomplice of heresies. We prefer to give God the benefit of the doubt rather than take things for granted – after all, it is safer to be overly obedient than to fall prey to sin.

Romans 1:32 is strong food for thought for the Body of Christ. Through it, we understand that God’s wrath is revealed from heaven not only against those who commit acts that He hates, but also against those who have pleasure in those that do them. Some pastors would say, “What is my business if a man divorces his wife and marries another woman? It is their problem, not mine.” However, such pastors are not just witnesses but accomplices to the joining of two spiritually incompatible partners through remarriage, thereby approving of those who have gone against the Lord’s instructions in 1st Corinthians 7:10-11. May you not be a partaker of sins you did not directly commit in Jesus’ Name (1st Timothy 5:22).

In times past, we were taught that it was not enough to abstain from alcohol; we were also expected not to serve it to others to drink. Habakkuk 2:15 says:
“Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makes him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their unclothedness!”
This was how my old friends knew that a change had occurred in me after I gave my life to Christ. When I started serving them soft drinks instead of whiskey and champagne, they thought I had gone crazy. Another area of compromise that makes believers accomplices to sin is when they allow fraud to be perpetrated under their noses and do nothing about it. There is a Yoruba adage which says, “The one who collects the stolen curse of oil is as guilty as the one who actually stole it from the kitchen rack.” This same principle applies to those who allow their homes to be used for immoral acts. Although some young Christians would not fornicate, they allow their unbelieving friends bring their girlfriends to commit sexual immorality in their houses. In the sight of God, they are as guilty as those committing the act. The giver of a bribe is as guilty as the taker of it. Don’t be an accomplice to corrupt practices. The Lord is watching you, and He is coming back soon.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

We need a deeper insight into Proverbs 22:29 in order to understand what God is teaching us today. To put it quite simply, God is asking us to be diligent, specifically in our own business. Anyone who is inordinately diligent in someone else’s personal affairs is a busybody, and such a person will reap no reward for this. When I was young, my mother was so hard on me whenever I played too much. She would order me to immediately go into the house and read my books. If I protested that I was being singled out for harsh treatment when other children were also playing, she would remind me that she was not called to mind other people’s business. I thank God that my mother diligently minded the business which the Lord committed into her hands. She would say to me, “Enoch, you are my business; I will mind you and not other people’s business.”

When a person is not mindful of what to do with his or her life, he or she wastes it. Please understand that time wasted is life wasted. The easiest way to waste a life is to not do something meaningful with that life. Paul could boldly say to the Church at Thessalonica that he and his team purposely did not live on other people’s provision. He gave his reason for this in 2nd Thessalonians 3:8-9, saying:
“….that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.”
Paul went as far as telling the Church that any so-called brother or sister who would not work should not be allowed to eat of the shared provisions of the brethren! Beloved, the needy in our midst should be fed, but they should also be taught how to work with their hands. This has been the tradition of the Church from the very beginning (2nd Thessalonians 3:6&10). Some people are so selective that they claim there are no job opportunities, whereas there are jobs they can do to earn a living. Their problem is that they are looking for certain “white collar jobs” which may not be available. The truth is, if you are not able to find work in your profession or chosen trade, you can try your hands at other things. Learn from Paul the lawyer who laboured as a tent maker to earn a living when the churches he had planted were not strong enough to bear the cost of his missionary work (Acts 22:3, Act 18:3). One of my sons told the story of a young lady who was feeding from the church. When he tried to get her a cleaning job at the Redemption Camp, she rejected it, saying the job was not dignifying enough. Ironically, cleaners were among those contributing to the purse where her needs were being met. May you never underrate the door of opportunity God opens to you in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

While its one thing to build, it’s another thing to build something that benefits mankind and glorifies God Almighty. God is therefore asking you today, “What are you building?” When you consider the construction of the tower of Babel, you will understand the relevance of this question (Genesis 11:1-9). Although those people were indeed building, they were erecting an edifice that symbolised rebellion against God. Their example shows us that anyone building anything worthwhile must build in the pattern that God has established, and whatever is being built must not go against His purpose.

Without a doubt, parents are builders of future generations, but the question is, what type of generation are they building? In Genesis 18:19, God said of Abraham as a parent:
“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgement; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”
Can God say the same of you? Apart from parents, teachers are also builders. As a teacher, what are you building in your students? A good teacher should be able to say like Paul in Philippians 3:17:
“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.”
It is unfortunate that in some places, students dictate to teachers what the standard should be. Wherever this is happening, something is fundamentally wrong. A bad teacher will definitely build a faulty generation. Eventually, every bad teacher will definitely reap the reward of their work. The story was told of a bad teacher who produced a half-baked medical doctor. Years later, this doctor was complicit in the death of the teacher’s child. Ministers of the gospel are also builders. In fact, they are the greatest builders of all because they build the Body of Christ. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:9-15 that by God’s grace, he was a wise master builder who had laid the foundation of faith in people’s lives, warning others to be careful of how they built on that foundation. Why? The answer is found in 1st Corinthians 3:11, which says:
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
From this, we understand that it is possible to build junk upon a golden foundation. Such a building will not stand the test of time. Beloved, what are you building with your life? Remember that every man’s work shall be tested by fire, and if it is burnt, it is counted as loss to its owner. This will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Any time I am confronted with a challenge in life, I take consolation in the fact that every challenge has an expiry date. In fact, for those who believe, every challenge expires the very day it emerges. Once the sun sets and I go to bed, the lifespan of any challenge before me is ended. It is so because the Spirit of the Lord says in Psalm 30:5:
“For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
Since every word of God is pure and He is a shield unto them that put their trust in him, I have confidence in what this scripture says (Proverbs 30:5)

One fellow who experienced joy coming in the morning is Peter. One night, he was in prison awaiting execution, and the next morning he woke up a free man. Our God is marvellous! Peter’s experience becomes even more amazing when you consider that the night before his planned execution he slept between two soldiers, bound with chains. There were also keepers of the prisons watching over the prison gate to ensure that he did not escape, but it was all to no avail. I decree that the Almighty God will rescue you from the hands of your captors this very day in Jesus’ Name. One lesson we can learn from this story is that Peter had faith in the Lord. This was why he could sleep in the face of imminent death. Peter seemed to be saying, “Let me sleep tonight because by the time day breaks, my joy will be full.” As he slept, the Lord sent His angels to rescue him in the middle of the night, ushering him into his joyful morning. Acts 12:11 says:
“And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hands of Herod, and from all the expectation of the Jews.”
Although the brethren of the early Church entered into that fateful night with agony for Peter, they rejoiced at daybreak with Peter standing at the door of the place where they met to pray. God’s word in Psalm 126:1 literarily came to pass in their lives, and it says:
“When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.”
I decree that your morning of joy is here, and the expectation of your enemies shall be cut short in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One great promise God has given His children is victory over enemies. When enemies come with determination to crush a child of God, the Lord promises that He will drive them back. In Isaiah 59:19, He says:
“So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.”
If you desire this promise to be fulfilled in your life, there are some steps you need to take. The first of these is that you must have the fear of God in your heart. This fear keeps you away from sin. Through the fear of God, Joseph said to his master’s wife in Genesis 39:9:
“…how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
It was the fear of God that kept Joseph away from sexual immorality and not the law. This reverence for God accounts for his victories over all enemies, beginning from his father’s house to the foreign land of Egypt.

Furthermore, Isaiah 43:1-2 reveals some more reasons why you cannot be defeated as a child of God. For one thing, you cannot be crushed because the Lord God Almighty is your Creator. Because you are not a product of chance or an accident, nothing can happen by chance to destroy you. The Almighty formed you and so you cannot be deformed by any evil (Psalm 91:1-4). Another reason why you can’t be crushed is that you are not cheap. You were redeemed at the cost of the priceless Blood of Jesus Christ. You are so valuable that you have a name peculiar to you alone (Revelation 2:17). Speaking about you worth, the Lord said in Luke 12:7:
“But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”
God’s promise in Isaiah 43:1-2 is part of the benefits of believers in Christ who have made peace with their Maker through repentance and regeneration. Are you one of them? If you are not, what are you waiting for? Beloved, you must believe that God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is your Creator. Believe in the redemptive power of the work Jesus Christ did at Calvary and repent. As you return to God, He will give you a name that is indestructible. You will be victorious here on earth, and in the hereafter, you will overcome everlasting death. Believe this, and you will see the glory of God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, we reflected on the blessedness of having a teachable heart. The Holy Spirit taught us that when an individual is instructed in God’s word, he becomes wise, and if he was already wise, he will become even wiser. Today, we want to consider the link between God’s word and divine prosperity. What the Lord says concerning walking in prosperity in whatever we do in life is clear from Joshua 1:8. The link between God’s word and divine prosperity is that God’s word makes a person wise, and wisdom is all a person needs to prosper in life. God specifically told Joshua that he must be a friend of His word if he would prosper in his God-given assignment. This instruction applies to everyone, irrespective of vocation and age. Doctors, teachers, engineers, pastors, artisans and even soldiers need the wisdom of God’s word to break through into divine prosperity. David, a great commander of an outstanding army, needed to hear from God before he could succeed in his bid to recover all that the enemies had stolen from his camp (1st Samuel 30:8-19).

The word of God further reveals the true source of wealth, saying in Deuteronomy 8:18:
“But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”
From this scripture, we know that true wealth devoid of sorrow comes only from the Almighty God. We can therefore spare ourselves the many troubles that come with looking elsewhere for wealth if we allow God’s word to dwell rightly in us (1st Timothy 6:10). Beloved, do you desire to prosper? All you need is to get properly acquainted with the word of God. Don’t be among those who see God’s word as outdated, to their own frustration and life-time agony. However, if you have not given you life to Christ, it means you have not known the Word at all, because Jesus is the eternal Word of God. So, give your life to Jesus today and learn of Him (Matthew 11:28-30). God will bless you richly as you learn His principles on wealth and apply them to your daily life. Take note of the words used by the Holy Spirit in James 1:25: it’s the doer of the work that is blessed in his or her deeds. May God prosper the works of your hands in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Teaching becomes a herculean task when a teacher is confronted with stubborn students. To be un-teachable in the things of God is a very dangerous state for everyone to be in. Proverbs 29:1 says:
“He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, that without remedy.”
Pharaoh found himself in this state and he did not end well. God warned him several times with at least ten plagues. Yet he hardened his heart until he met his waterloo at the Red Sea. We also see a similar scenario in the case of Haman, who was warned by his wife and friends to desist from persecuting Mordecai, but he would not listen until he was executed on the same gallows he had built for Mordecai (Esther 6-7). I decree over someone using this devotional today; the pit which your enemies dug for you shall swallow them up in Jesus’ Name.

Unlike Pharaoh and Haman, a teachable fellow is a pleasant student to have. A receptive heart is blessed for many reasons, some of which are indicted in Proverbs 9:7-9. The Bible says wisdom is the principle thing, and so we should go all out to get wisdom and understanding, even if it costs us all we have (Proverbs 4:7). In other words, it is of no use if a man possesses the whole world but lacks wisdom and understanding. The question now is, how can we get wisdom and understanding? Proverbs 9:9 says:
“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”
This verse is saying that a wise man acquires wisdom by receiving instructions, and the understanding of an upright man is increased through teaching. Of course, the one being taught must have a teachable heart, as it is rightly said, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t force it to drink.” Therefore, the first blessing of a teachable heart is that it increases in wisdom. This wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, which is manifested as deep reverence for God’s word (Proverbs 1:7). When someone who fears God is taught God’s word, it will restrain him or her from doing things against God’s will. For a heart to be teachable in God’s word, it must be meek. The Spirit of God makes this clear in Pslam 25:9, which says:
“The meek will be guide in judgement: and the meek will he teach his way.”
The trait, clearly demonstrated in Psalm 25:4, made David a man after God’s heart. Anyone who desires to have a special place in God’s heart must also develop a teachable heart through meekness. Do you have a teachable heart?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 2 Timothy 2:20, the Holy Spirit makes it clear that there are different categories of vessels, all of which God uses. In other words, there is no one who comes into this world without serving one divine purpose or the other. The question is, what material are you made of, and what category of vessels do you belong to? There are vessels made of gold, silver, wood and clay. However, more sobering is the classification of vessels into those for honour and those for dishonour. I pray that you will be a vessel unto honour in Jesus’ Name. Pharaoh was a vessel unto dishonour. In Romans 9:17, the Bible says concerning him:
“For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.”
A deep secret in the above scripture is that man is given the freewill to choose what type of vessel he wants to be. Pharaoh was given ample opportunity to write a beautiful history concerning himself as a king who feared God and saved his people the agony of catastrophic destruction. What did he do with that opportunity? He bungled it and perished in the Red Sea. Unlike him, Abimelech who took Abraham’s wife listened to God, did exactly what God instructed him to do, and he was blessed (Genesis 20:2-18). His barren wife and maidservants became fruitful. The king of Nineveh also was a vessel unto honour. He led his city to repentance, and they obtained God’s mercy because they chose to obey His instructions.


1 Timothy 2:20 gives a clue on how to become a vessel unto honour. In it the Holy Spirit emphatically says that whoever chooses to be a vessel unto honour, such as a minister of the gospel, must be blameless, among other requirements. The reason for this high standard is not far-fetched: honourable assignments are meant for honourable people. Sinners are not honourable in the sight of God. No wonder 2nd Timothy 2:21 says:
“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”
This is the higher ground to which the Lord is calling us. We can be vessels of honour if we chose to be. All that is required of us is to do what the Holy Spirit specified in 2nd Timothy 2:21. Cleanse yourself of the dishonourable works of the flesh, be sanctified by grace and let the Holy Spirit dwell in you. God bless you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.”
Proverbs 18:16
This scripture makes clear the reason why we need to identify our gifts. However, it is one thing to identify your gift and another to put it to positive and profitable use. Paul knew this, and so he encouraged his spiritual son, Timothy, to stir up the gift of God which had been imparted to him by putting it to profitable use (2nd Timothy 1:6). Gifts are bestowed on people for specific reasons and purposes. For example, when the Lord gave Moses the architectural design of the tabernacle, He also gifted Bezaleel and Aholiab with artisan skills to carry out the works (Exodus 31:2-6, Exodus 36:1-2). The task was so complex that only those who were given the gift of “all manner of workmanship” could have carried it out with the precision it required. At the end of the exercise, the Bible says in Exodus 39:32&43:
“Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they… And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.”

Many people are gifted, but they fail to develop the gifts in them; so their gifts remain dormant and useless. Buried gifts are useless to the one who possesses them and also to the society at large, which ordinarily should benefit from them. People who fail to develop their gifts are like the proverbial unprofitable servant who refused to trade with (develop or multiply) the talent he was given by his lord (Matthew 25:14-30). The same principles apply to spiritual gifts. From 1 Corinthians 12:1-7 we understand that even though there are various spiritual gifts, they are all given for the common purpose and goal declared in Ephesians 4:12-13, which says:
“For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
Everyone has a gift which we must all develop in order to be relevant in our generation. If we successfully use our gifts and bring profit to God through them, we will receive physical and spiritual rewards. Brethren, I encourage you to identify your gift, develop it and use it to glorify God and bless humanity.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

What parents see in their children goes a long way to determine how well they treasure them. As God’s heritage, it is important that parents see the image of God in their children, so that they can nurture them for the glory and plesaure of God, who is their rightful Owner. Unfortunately, some parents, especially in under-developed nations, treat their children as domestic animals or working machines, so much so that you begin to wonder if they purposely gave birth to them for economic reasons. Many abuse their children by engaging them in money making ventures and making them become breadwinners at a tender age. I know of a man who has about thirteen children. He gives them out to serve as domestic workers and collects the wages of their labour to feed himself. Clearly, he does not see his children as carriers of God’s image.

Furthermore, some couples decide to abort pregnancies they are not prepared for. However you look at it, this is murder – a grievous sin against God and humanity. God asked me to tell someone reading this devotional that the pregnancy you are about to terminate is your glory; don’t abort the child that will bring God’s glory upon your life. When ‘struck’ with an unwanted child, many parents go ahead to despise such a child, instead of seeing him or her as a pleasant surprise from God. These are all examples of ungodly parenting.

In Exodus 2:1-4, we see what godly parents look like. Moses’ mother, Jochebed, was a godly parent. Even though Pharaoh had ordered all sons born to Hebrew families to be killed at birth, she saw God’s image in her own child and did all she could to preserve him. Exodus 2:2 says:
“And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.”
When the baby could no longer be hidden, she decided to commit him into the hands of his original Owner, the Almighty. In all this, Moses’ parents never imagined that this child was to become the deliverer of the whole nation of Israel. The Lord asked me to tell someone using this devotional that the child you think is a problem will turn around to put smiles on your face in your lifetime. All you need to do is to give that child the best you have as a springboard for his or her leap into destiny. Children are carriers of God’s image, and unless we see them in that light, there is the tendency to abuse them and lose the blessings accompanying them. In light of what Psalm 127:1-5 says about children, I encourage all parents to first surrender their lives to God, and then it will be easy for them to also surrender their children to Him for supreme care. Parents who do this will not be denied their blessings in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Disobedience has the evil tag of being the first sin man committed. The deadly mystery of this sin is that disobedient people more often than not never accept blame for their act.They tend to give excuses and blame other people or “factors beyond their control”. This is what Adam did when God questioned him concerning his disobedience. Genesis 3:12 says:
“And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”
Unfortunately, his excuse did not clear him of responsibility, nor did it deter God from punishing him. Another person who gave excuses for disobedience is King Saul. In 1 Samuel 15:17-22, when he was confronted with his sin, he tried to justify himself by using the good act of sacrifice as an excuse for his disobedience. In response to his attempt at justifying himself, God’s prophet told him in 1st Samuel 15:22:
“…Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

Let us take a closer look at King Saul’s excuse for disobeying God. 1st Samuel 15:21 says:
“But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.”
Saul’s excuse was that it was not him, but the people, who took the spoil. This make one wonder who was leading who in the battle against the Amalekites. He was trying to pass the buck. He felt he could appease God or His prophet, Samuel, by presenting a big offering in the form of sacrifice.

Beloved, in what areas are you disobeying God? You better repent today and cultivate the habit of living by the dictates of the infallible word of God. No amount of service you render to God can take the place of obeying His word. No amount of money given as seed offerings, tithes or donations can justify indulging in fraudulent practices at your place of work. May the Lord give you the grace to obey His commandments to the letter in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Women are a blessing to mankind, created by God to address a special need (Genesis 2:18-20). In fact, God’s will and purpose for the human race cannot be accomplished without the wonderful vessels that women are. Why then does the Bible identify some women as ‘strange’ in Proverbs 5:3? It is because the character of such women has deviated from the purpose of which God created them. a strange woman is an outsider operating where she does not belong. This includes but is not limited to adultery and fornication. The strange woman is also that woman who inappropriately knows everything about a man who is not her husband. She will likely use that knowledge to manipulate him to her own advantage. Wives, this equally applies to men other than your husband. Many people’s lives have been destroyed through loose talk with strange people about their marriages. Husbands must learn to communicate and relate with their wives and not strange women, so that they can experience the joys and blessings of marriage.

From the time Satan misled Adam and Eve, this world has been full of deceit. You must therefore be on your guard not to get caught in the web of deceit. Strange women are deceitful in everything. They put on the appearance of elegance and perfection but they are empty inside. They pretend they can offer the comfort which a wife should provide, but the wisdom of God says in Proverbs 5:5:
“Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.”
As seen in Proverbs 5:3, they pretend to be sweet and speak with a smile, but they are out to steal from you. A strange woman will steal the happiness of your home, and may even end up stealing your home itself. Are you having issues with your spouse? Once you start finding succour elsewhere, you will not be motivated to work on your marriage, and as a consequence, you will continue to drift away from your spouse until your relationship is shipwrecked. At that stage, the strange woman will welcome you with open arms into her bosom. After she gets what she wants from you, you will then discover her true nature and character, but it will be too late. May this never be your experience in Jesus’ Name. Listen to this admonition in Proverbs 5:8 so that you don’t get caught in the web of the strange woman. It says:
“Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:”
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To be born again means to be born by the seed of God. Simply put, those who are born again are born of God. Our God is holy, and there is no iniquity in Him. It therefore follows that anyone who becomes born again through His seed will also possess His nature of holiness. 1st Peter 1:23 says:
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever"
We manifest the nature of holiness when we love righteousness and hate whatever is evil (Hebrews 1:9). Therefore, those who are born of God do not cultivate the habit of sin because the seed of God in them prevents them from committing sin (1st John 3:9). It is a glorious thing indeed to be born of God. No wonder John was excited to declare in 1st John 3:1a:
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:"

Are you born again? If you say you are, do you pass the litmus test of having the nature of holiness? Do you live righteously for all to see? Do you really hate sin or secretly take pleasure in it, even though you do not partake in the act? Weigh yourself on the scales of God's word today to determine your true situation. Based on the standard of God's word, we either belong to God or the devil - there is no middle ground. How do we know those who belong to the devil? 1 John 3:8a says:
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.”
It is clear as daylight from this scripture that those who live a lifestyle of sin are of the devil. The devil has sin in his nature, and he shares this nature with his children. Conversely, righteousness is God’s character, and His children are known for righteous living. Those who hate righteousness, no matter how long they have been in church, are not of God. Beloved, where do you stand after weighing yourself on God’s scale? If you are still indulging in one sin or the other, you are far from being born of God- you need to return to Calvary to surrender your lifestyle of sin completely. Genuinely repent of your sins and ask God to infuse His seed into you so that you can bring forth His nature. Once you do this, God will graciously replace the nature of sin in you with His nature of holiness. After receiving His nature, subjugate your body and mind to the dictates of His nature. God bless you as you yield to righteousness in all that you do in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The title of today’s devotional (Fighting God) is a question we all need to answer. Is it possible for a mere mortal to fight God? The word of God makes it clear that even though it’s an exercise in futility, in reality, it is something people do. Psalm 2:1-3 says:
“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”
This scripture describes what is happening in our world today. The government of several nations have taken counsel against God and against Jesus Christ, His Anointed. Teachings about God have been thrown out of public schools, praying publicly in the Name of Jesus is forbidden, and preaching in public spaces in the Name of Jesus Christ is illegal in many societies. As prophesied in this scripture, some societies have cast away the Biblical cords of restraint that hitherto defined mortality. In the name of freedom of thought and self, they have broken off the bands of God’s commandments and created room for individuals to indulge in and advocate for all manner of profane lifestyles. People should remember that all those who towed this path in times past ended up being destroyed. You cannot fight God without grave consequences.


Are you guilty of fighting God? Do you even believe in Him? Those who don’t believe God exist are indirectly saying that they are not answerable to His authority. This sets them in direct confrontation with God, and He can choose to prove His existence to them. Pharaoh provoked God to prove Himself by his utterances in Exodus 5:2, saying:
“…Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.”
Those who provoke God to prove His existence and capabilities are fighting Him. Those who move God to jealousy by breaking the covenant they made with Him are also fighting Him (Isaiah 45:9; Jeremiah 2:5). The children of Israel broke the covenant they had with God by disobeying His ordinances. This made God jealous, causing Him to fight against them. I pray that you will not provoke God’s anger in Jesus’ Name. What is the state of the covenant between you and the Lord Jesus Christ, which you entered into at the altar of repentance? Have you crucified Him afresh and put Him to shame by falling away from the truth (Hebrews 6:4-6)? Are you abiding by the covenant to tithe, or have you joined scoffers to trample God’s commandment under foot? Beloved, In whatever areas you are fighting God, repent today before it is too late.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are many benefits that believers in Christ enjoy as part of their heritage in God’s kingdom, some of which are the supernatural things outlined in Mark 16:16-18. Sadly, these benefits elude some people who believe in Christ today! Why is this so? A thorough examination of Mark 16:16-18 will reveal the answer. The first key to unlocking these miraculous signs is that you must have been baptized into Jesus Christ. What does this mean? It means that you must have accepted Christ into your life by believing Him with your heart and confessing so with your mouth. Also, you must have identified yourself as belonging to His camp, and most importantly, you must have formed a union with Him that has produced a permanent change in your life. That is what it means to be baptised into Christ. It goes beyond merely accepting Him as Lord and Saviour on a superficial level. Speaking on this, the Holy Spirit says in Galatians 3:27:
“For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ.”
To be baptised into Christ is to put on Jesus Christ as a garment. A person is identified by his or her clothing. If you claim to be baptised into Christ, has it left a permanent change in you? When people take note of you, do they identify you with the person of Jesus Christ? The disciples were noted to have been with Jesus without them voicing it out. Is it so with you (Acts 4:13)? The next key to unlocking the manifestation of miraculous signs is having faith in the power in the Name of Jesus and using it (Acts 3:16). Some people have invented other names to call upon, whereas the Name of Jesus Christ is the only one recognised and obeyed in heaven and hell (Acts 4:10, Philippians 2:9-11).

In addition, Jesus said that believer shall speak with new tongues. Today, some people don’t believe that believers can sill speak with new tongues after being baptised in the Holy Spirit. They believe that the days of speaking in tongues are over, and so they don’t even bother to seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Such people short-change themselves of the power of God that they need to overcome the devil and his agents, and easily fall prey to the challenges of these perilous times. If only they had believed, not only would they enjoy divine healing and divine health, they would also have been agents of divine healing. However, all these benefits are lost to unbelief! Beloved of God, one can be in Church for many years and still remain an unbeliever. As the old English adage goes, “The hood does not make the priest.” I therefore encourage you to be a practical believer today, and all those signs listed in Mark 16:16-18 shall be your portion in Jesus Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

After Cain murdered Abel his brother, a mark was placed on him, which illustrates the bad identity that sin gives. Genesis 4:15 say:
“And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.”
Nobody knows the nature of the mark that was placed on Cain; all we know is that it was meant to identity Cain so that those who met him would not kill him. Some Bible scholars suggest that this mark was given to ensure that Cain did not die cheaply, thereby preventing him from receiving a full dose of the penalty of his sin. Irrespective of the nature or purpose of this mark, one thing is certain: Cain’s sin gave him a bad identity on the whole earth.

From 1 John 3:8 we understand that sin puts the mark of the devil’s ownership upon every sinner. Revelation 22:15 further reveals that in God’s sight, a sinner has the identity of a stray dog. Stray dogs are seen outside and are known to be dirty, promiscuous and aggressive. Sin is so terrible that it deforms the image of a person created in God’s image to the level of a dog! No wonder we see the people of this world manifesting the characteristics of dogs today. It is because their minds have been deformed by sin, so they are just manifesting the nature of the image they now possess in them. Some have even gone so low to indulge in unspeakable acts. Sin really leaves a terrible identity on anyone who yields to its control.

Are you caught in the web of sin? Has sin warped your mind so terribly? Is your life overshadowed by the bad identity given by sin? I have good news for you today: no matter how horrible the identity sin has placed on you is, Jesus Christ can remove it today with His Blood. All you need to do is to surrender your life to Him as He calls all people to reconcile with God the Father through genuine repentance. When you do this, He will give you a brand new identity (2nd Corinthians 5:17-18). Have you been saved by grace? Never return to your vomit of sin like a dog would (2nd Peter 2:21-22). Sin will deform your new identity in Christ and change your standing with God. Is that sinful act really worth that much to you? Can the pleasure you derive from it compare to the joy of your salvation and the hope of glory you have in Christ Jesus? Don’t listen to the devil when he says that it doesn’t matter and that no consequence will follow an act of sin. It’s all a lie! Sin does give a bad identity, so run away from it.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Food is a very important part of our existence as human beings. Even before God created man, He had created the things that Adam and Eve would eat. From this we see that eating food is not ungodly. In fact, as part of God’s instructions to Adam, He told him what was available for him to eat. Genesis 2:16 says:
“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:”
Nevertheless, man’s existence does not depend solely on food. Adam and Eve failed to realise this when the tempter came to dangle the forbidden fruit before them and they fell headlong for it. No wonder the Lord took the Israelites through the rigours of the wilderness for forty years, to teach them that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of His mouth. This lesson is so critical that even the first test Jesus faced in the wilderness of temptation was based on it (Matthew 4:1-4). All this happened so we can learn from it.

Amazingly, although food may appear basic and ordinary, it can lead to man’s downfall. A good example of this is Esau, who sold his birthright for a plate of pottage (Genesis 25-29-34). We must therefore open our ears to learn from the Holy Spirit when He speaks to us on food. In Deuteronomy 8:3, He says man shall not live by bread alone. In other words, bread is part of the things that man needs to live, but this bread must come by a process that follows the pattern of God’s word and meets its standards. This is why Jesus Christ refused to turn stone into bread when the devil asked him to (Luke 4:3-4). He showed us that food is good but it must follow the dictates of God’s word and not be influenced by the devil’s suggestions. Thank God that the Second Adam overcame the mistakes of the first Adam.

Many Christians have shipwrecked their faith because of food and drink, failing to heed the Lord’s warning in Matthew 6:25, which says:
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”
Of course, the answer to the Lord’s question is obvious: life is more than meat. This is why it is foolishness to eat the food of death, since the essence of food is to keep us alive in the first place. We must not live by bread alone. In all we do, we must continually look out for the perfect will of God and avoid anything that will send us to hell. May the Lord grant you understanding of this in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible says children are the heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is His reward (Psalm 127:3). In other words, God is the owner of children, and He gives them to whoever He pleases. Whenever God counts an individual worthy to have custody of His possession, the fellow should be careful of what he or she does with it. For this reason, through His word, God teaches us how to handle children as precious seeds kept in our care. One of His teachings on this all-important subject matter is found in Ephesians 6:4, where the Lord says we must train our children in His ways, not according to any other system.

1 Samuel 8:1-5 reveals the danger of not taking godly care of our children. As upright as Samuel was, he failed in the area of bringing up his children in the ways of the Lord. Concerning his sons, 1st Samuel 8:3 says:
“And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes and perverted judgment.”
The surprising aspect of this story is that Samuel witnessed how Eli and his household were cut off because Eli did not nurture his children in the ways of the Lord. Beloved, it is better a person does not bear a child than to have a child and fail to take godly care of him or her. Eli’s example shows that a heavy price accompanies failure in this regard.

The story was told of a mother who immersed herself into training her son to succeed academically and career-wise, but she neglected training in the fear of God and did not expose him to spiritual activities that could connect him to God. Meanwhile, the son progressed at school, graduated with good grades, and eventually got a good job in the city. Having tasted life in the city, he forgot his roots and did not keep in touch with his mother. One day, his mother decided to visit him in the city, having missed her son for a long time. When she got to her son’s house, she met the gate securely locked. She knocked for a long while before her son managed to open the window of his front room, and behold, it was his mother sweating in the African sun. “Mum, you did not tell me you were coming!” the young man yelled. He then threw a wad of cash at her and told her to go back to the village. This woman wept bitterly. How sad! This is what the wages of nursing a child for ourselves and not for God looks like. I pray that this will not be your portion as a parent in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Towards the end of His early ministry, Jesus called His disciples aside and said to them in John 16:24:
“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
I believe the disciples were shocked to hear Him say this, because they must surely have been praying. What the Lord was actually saying to them was that they had not been asking rightly. This is the case with many children of God today. When we think we are praying, we are actually complaining, and some of us are even weary in prayer, contrary to the Lord’s teaching in Luke chapter 18. There is a difference between prayer and complaining. Some of us even accuse God in our prayers! We issue Him queries and present a long list of our good works that should compel Him to do our bidding. This should not be so. Let us learn from the experience of the children of Israel in the wilderness. The Lord said of them in Numbers 14:27-28:
“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:”

When we ask God to do something that does not align with His will, He does not consider that to be prayer. We cannot coerce or manipulate Him into doing things that are against His integrity and honour. If you overhear some people’s prayers, you will be amazed. Some pray that God should kill their “troublesome” spouses so that they can be free to marry someone else! This is not prayer; it is witchcraft! Praying contrary to the will of God is nothing but lusting after ungodliness. If you are under distress due to the wickedness of fellow human beings, it is enough to ask God for deliverance from all enemies; He knows what to do to deliver you. Today, I want you to pray like you have never prayed before, asking God to accomplish His will concerning whatever situation you are currently in. Ask Him to provide for you, but don’t tell Him how. Tell Him to promote you but don’t tell Him how. Ask for your long-awaited spouse but don’t prescribe for Him. God will answer your prayers today in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

These days, many children of God do not pay attention to giving. For many, their experience with false prophets has made them adverse to giving, while some others are now tired of giving because they have been ignorantly sowing on infertile ground and have not reaped their expected harvest. Have you chosen not to give for one reason or the other? Whatever the reason maybe, your experience does not change the validity of God’s word. If the word of God is not working for you, you must have gotten something wrong somewhere. Examine your past actions on giving and make appropriate adjustments where required. The question is, how much and how often should you give?

According to Proverbs 3:27-28, we are to help anyone who is in need, just as Jesus taught in the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37). When I was in kindergarten, my teacher taught us a song which says, “Whosoever you have the power to help is your neighbour; so help him or her”. Furthermore, this scripture teaches that we should not postpone the good deeds of today till tomorrow. Tomorrow might be too late! The story was told of a man who delayed to help his younger brother get the medical treatment he needed. When he later made up his mind to help, he took the money to the hospital, only to meet his brother’s lifeless body on the way to the mortuary! His help was late. In other words, giving is time-bound. Esau is another example of someone who gave belatedly. By the time he brought to his father the meal needed to procure his blessing, someone else had carted the blessing away already. We must be quick to respond to calls to give, especially when it comes to projects that have to do with God’s kingdom. Another lesson we should learn from Proverbs 3:27:28 is that for as long as you still have anything to give, give and give again. The good thing about giving is that the giver can never lack something to give. Proverbs 11:24 says:
“There is that scsttereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.”
Beloved, give, give and give again, because you will be adequately rewarded.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As Christians, we need to recognise that the privilege of God’s grace does not absolve us of our responsibilities. It is true that for anyone to succeed in life, God’s grace has to come into play. Nevertheless, we must also understand that by God’s design, all good things come at a cost. In other words, to get a good output from any endeavour, God expects you to give a tangible input in form of effort, which His grace will multiply. Indeed, it is our works that lubricate the wheels of grace. Even the Omnipotent God did not form us from nothing: man was formed from the dust of the ground. When we understand this truth and act on it, we create room for God’s grace to be multiplied in our lives. This was what happened in the life of the widow of Zarephath (1st Kings 17:9-16). For her to have food throughout the period of famine, she needed to put in something that would cause God’s grace to work on her behalf. Giving her last meal provided God’s grace an object to act on and multiply. In God’s divine economy, multiplication does not occur in the place of emptiness.

John 6:5-13 is a testament to how the divine economy works. While the disciples worried about how to feed five thousand hungry people after their retreat, the Master knew that all He needed was something that God’s grace could act upon in order to unleash God’s miraculous provision. All it took was a boy’s lunch of five small barley loaves and two fish. Jesus took the meal, gave thanks and distributed it to the multitude through His disciples. There is a lot we can learn from this story. First, our God is not presumptuous; rather He is orderly and intentional. Second, though there is nothing He cannot do, there are many things He will not do except we play our part as carriers of His image and collaborate with Him. For example, unless a farmer puts something in the ground, there can be no harvest, not because God cannot do it but because He will not do it. In the same way, unless a man comes together with his wife, reproduction will not take place. Couples waiting on the Lord for the fruit of the womb should know that they have a part to play in this regard for God’s grace to be activated in their lives. Those who keep robbing God of His tithe should also realise that they are preventing God from unleashing His blessing over their lives. May the Lord grant you understanding of His ways in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them.”
From this scripture, we see that no one attains the position of leadership without God having a hand in it. It then follows that irrespective of your background, when God decides to promote or enthrone you, nothing can stop your divine elevation. In this regard, Esther’s case readily comes to mind. A slave girl like her could only become a first lady through divine elevation. We also see this demonstrated in Joseph’s life: an imprisoned slave boy rose to become the second in command to a world emperor. To appreciate what God did in Joseph’s life, we must consider the factors that stood against him. Not only was he a foreigner, he was a slave and a prisoner who had a case of attempted rape hanging round his neck. Only God could have brought about the fulfilment of his long-time dreams in a strange land. I prophesy to you today: regardless of your family, education or socio-economic background, you will reach your goal in Jesus’ Name.

We can learn some lessons from the story of Joseph’s elevation. First, the Lord caused Pharaoh to recognise the gift of the Holy Spirit in Joseph. Considering the fact that Egypt was a headquarters of astrologers and magicians, Pharaoh could have doubted the accuracy or authenticity of the interpretation and counsel that Joseph gave, if not for God’s hand. Secondly, if age was a factor, Joseph would not have been entrusted with such great responsibilities. In fact, for Pharaoh to have handed over his people and entire realm to a total stranger, it means Joseph found uncommon love and favour in his sight. On the remarkable day, he woke up as a slave boy and went to bed as the prime minister of Egypt. All this was made possible because of the God-factor. Beloved, the Lord is telling you to stop considering your background as a hindrance to your forward and upward movement in life. He will grant you a pleasant surprise this season, and those looking down on you will begin to look up to you, as it happened for Joseph in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Whenever the devil wants to frustrate the agenda of God’s children, he applies the tactic of “divide and conquer”, knowing that he stands no chance against us whenever we walk in unity of purpose. We must therefore stop the enemy in his tracks by fostering unity among ourselves. It is unfortunate that the devil pays closer attention to the word of God than we do. He knows the power in God’s word and that is why he tries to make us trivialise it. Matthew 18:19 is a scripture that packs enormous power. If we walk in it, we will surely devastate the devil’s kingdom. Beloved, if just two of us can perform great feats simply by uniting and agreeing on what we want to happen, what happens when three, four, ten, twenty, fifty or hundred of us do the same? No doubt, the results would be phenomenal! In Genesis 11:6, the Almighty God said something significant, which those of us who want to do exploits for Him must take not of. He said:
“…Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.”
In a nutshell, the scripture encapsulates and confirms the power of unity.

God takes the issue of unity so seriously that He says in Matthew 5:23-24:
“Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”
Great unity exists among the Godhead, and as carriers of God’s image, we also are capable of living in unity if we choose to. Indeed, if you want to increase your productivity, keep the unity of the Spirit with those God has made to be your fellow labourers (Ephesians 4:3). The early Church was able to turn the world upside down for Jesus because they were one in heart and soul (Acts 4:32). When they prayed, they got results because they prayed in unity. Acts 4:31 records what happened when they came together to pray.“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”
Unfortunately, the Church today prays without similar results because we are not united in the Spirit. Whenever the devil discovers our broken chain, he exploits it. May the Lord return brotherly love back to His Church in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To enjoy your walk with God and avoid feelings of frustration, you need to recognise that God has His own timetable for everything that occurs in the life of every individual. For example, when it is not time for a man to be rich, all his efforts towards prosperity will be in vain, no matter how hard he tries; but when God’s time comes, regardless of any contrary circumstances, he will become astonishingly rich with ease. In fact, God’s timetable includes the time of birth and death of everyone. When a person is not due to die on God’s timetable, nothing can kill him or her. However, when the time comes for someone to die, no medical practitioner or prayer warrior can prevent it. Hezekiah’s case may sound exceptional, but then, it boils down to the fact that God changed the programme for him (Isaiah 38). As children of the Most High, we need to grow in our knowledge of how God works. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says:
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”
Since there is a time for everything and purpose, wisdom demands that we seek God’s face to know His will and timing, so that we don’t run ourselves to death pursuing shadows.
Martha in John 11:21 reflects the attitude that several believers have towards God’s timing of things. She accused Jesus of being too slow to respond to their SOS call when her brother was sick, possibly suggesting that Jesus was not concerned about his condition. That was very characteristic of Martha; she always wanted things done quickly and “No wonder Jesus once told her in Luke 10:41b:
“Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things.”
Unlike Martha, people of faith must be wary of the “microwave” style of living. It did not help situations in times past and cannot help today. Abraham cut corners to have a son in Ishmael, and the whole world is still paying dearly for it (Genesis 16). If only he had waited for God’s own timing! In spite of what he did, God was still faithful to His promise of giving him a son through Sarah; his hasty act was therefore unnecessary. King Saul also offered a sacrifice which he was not supposed to because he could not wait for God’s appointed time, and this marked the beginning of the end for him (1st Samuel 13:7-14). In order not to fall into the same error, we must receive David’s counsel in Psalm 37:7a, which says:
“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him:”
May the Lord grant you the grace to wait for His perfect timing. Are you unmarried? Please wait for God to send you your perfect mate at His own time, and do not make your own choice in haste. God bless you as you wait for Him in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The spiritual regeneration experience can either be positive or negative. The type that Jesus recommended to Nicodemus in John 3:3-5 is the positive kind. Describing it, the Holy Spirit says in 2nd Corinthians 5:17:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.”
However, there is also the negative kind of rebirth. When a person who was filled with good works turns around and begins to behave badly. Such a person is manifesting the symptoms of negative rebirth. The Bible refers to this as ‘backsliding’. According to Proverbs 14:14, a backslider begins to behave abnormally, exalting personal satisfaction above God’s will.

King Nebuchadnezzar’s transformation in Daniel 4:28-33 demonstrating what negation rebirth is all about. In the twinkling of an eye, he changed from a royal majesty to an animal, to the extent that he began to graze like cattle! When a child of God suddenly develops the appetite for alcohol, cigarettes, pornography or extramarital affairs, he or she has experienced a negative rebirth. Don’t be surprised therefore when you see holiness preachers of yesteryear beginning to say that holiness is an illusion – they have undergone a negative rebirth. Are you in a backslidden state? My prayer for you is that the Almighty God will restore you, and every satanic appetite for sin shall vanish from your life today in Jesus’ Name.

Why did Nebuchadnezzar experience negative rebirth? The answer lies in Daniel 4:27 – he refused to take heed when God’s prophet warned him to turn from his wicked ways. It is amazing that in spite of the miracles that Nebuchadnezzar experienced, including seeing the Son of God walking around in the fiery furnace, he continued to be arrogant before the God of heaven (Daniel 3:22-25). In like manner, is it not surprising that in spite of the reality of HIV/AIDS, some people still practice prostitution and have several people patronising them? it is more disheartening when one sees Christians or ministers of God for that matter going back to their old vomit and engaging in sexual immorality and fraudulent practices. Are you one of such people? God is saying to you today in Ezekiel 18:31:
“Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”
It is time for you to repent so that times of refreshing can be poured over your life (Acts 3:19).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Sacrifice is the act of surrendering a prized possession as an offering to God. In reality, it is the death or loss of the object that makes it a sacrifice. In this light, the use of the term “living sacrifice” in Romans 12:1 seems like a contradiction, since an object or sacrifice should not remain alive. However, the term “living sacrifice” is used in that verse with specific focus on our living bodies being presented as holy and acceptable unto God. To this effect, 1st Corinthians 6:19 says:
“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”
This verse says that our body is God’s temple. A temple is a holy place of sacred building which has been set aside as a place of worship or consecrated as the house of God. In the Old Testament, the tabernacle in the desert, the sanctuaries at Bethel and Shiloh, and the temple at Jerusalem were all temples of God in different forms. However, under the new covenant, the notion of God dwelling within us is fundamental to our faith. Our Lord clearly says in John 14:23:
“…If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
For anyone who belongs to Christ indeed, God is saying clearly that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. You therefore need to handle it with all the care, holiness and sacredness it deserves, if it is to be acceptable to God as a dwelling place.

When I was a university lecturer some years ago, there was a young lady whose prayer was always “Lord, use me for Your glory.” Shunning interest in anything else, this was the only prayer point consistent on her list. One day, she needed to use the toilet because she was seriously pressed, but as she opened the toilets one by one, she discovered they were all messed up. As she left in annoyance, she heard God saying, “I thought you wanted to use the toilet, what happened?” She responded that the toilets were all dirty. To her shock, she heard the Lord saying the reason He had not used her, despite her numerous prayers, was because she was dirty! Therefore, for anyone to be used of God as a living sacrifice, he or she must be clean in and out, and thoroughly furnished unto good works. God expects us to live in holiness and righteousness, while handling our bodies in sanctification and honour (1st Thessalonians 4:4).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

An ally is an entity that comes to the aid of another with superior ability in one area or the other, helping it to overcome, defect or escape the oppression of an aggressor or dominant circumstances. One usually seeks an ally when there are indications that he or she may not be able to handle a situation alone. For example, when a nation discovers that it cannot overcome another nation in battle, such a nation may form an alliance with other nations which are also in enmity with the nation confronting it in battle. An example of this is the alliance of Moab, Ammon and Mount Seir which rose up against the Israelites (2nd Chronicles 20). In spite of this alliance, these three nations were defeated by the children of Israel because they had the Greatest Ally fighting on their behalf. When Paul and Barnabas took the gospel to Paphos, they were also confronted by Elymas the sorcerer (Acts 13:6-11). But for the greatest Ally, this sorcerer would have frustrated their efforts to win an important personality to Christ. With His help, Paul pronounced judgement upon the spirit of sorcery at war with them, and the result speaks for itself in Acts 13:12:
“Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.”
One important lesson to learn from this story is that witnessing for Christ without the backing of the Holy Spirit may not be successful. The Lord Himself confirms that the Holy Spirit is the Perfect Ally of the Church in the task of enforcing and expanding the kingdom of God (Acts 1:. I call Him my Senior Partner, and indeed, He is more than that in the real sense of it. Beloved, ensure that you also have the Holy Spirit as your Ally. However, this is only possible if Jesus Christ is not only your Saviour but also your Lord. Romans 8:31 declares that if we have God as our Ally, victory is guaranteed, regardless of how hopeless the situation at hand may seem. 2nd Kings 6:16 echoes a similar truth. Prophet Elisha and his servant woke up one morning to discover that they were surrounded by enemy soldiers with horses and chariots. Nevertheless, the prophet calmed his terrified servant down with these words in 2nd Kings 6:16:
“…Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”
I therefore decree that in the Name that is above all other names, the Greatest Ally will rise on your behalf today, and the enemies that have been keeping vigil over your life will suddenly become outnumbered by the host of heaven.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Hope is a confident expectation of something to happen in the future. When rooted in God, it provides motivation to live the Christian life, even in the face of anxiety and despair. Hope is a loyal companion of faith which helps a Christian to have peace in spite of adversity, persecution and oppression. God’s desire for us is that we abound in hope. Romans 15:13 says:
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
Are you facing the headwinds of life? Are you asking yourself if it is worth it to hope against hope? Yes, it is worth it, if your hope is anchored on the Creator of Heaven and earth! In Luke 5:1-5, Peter was in the pit of hopelessness, having exhausted all his wisdom, business expertise and strength without anything to show for it. He was about to call it quits when the Master of the universe stepped in and told him to hope for a catch of fish form the same water that had been unproductive all through the night. One lesson from this is that God uses different methods to meet His children’s needs. In 2nd Kings 8:1-2, the Lord told a woman to relocate because the city she lived in was about to face seven years of famine, while Peter was asked to make another effort in the same river where he has failed, and both cases yielded good results. Are you faced with an extreme case of despair? Has the unexpected happened already and hopelessness is staring you in the face? The word of God in Job 14:7 is saying to you today:
“For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.”
No matter how hopeless your situation appears to be, if you put your hope in Jesus, He will surely turn that situation around for good in a way that is beyond human understanding (Colossians 1:27, 2nd Kings 3:9-18).

God is our hope, salvation and peace. Even in times of deep sorrow and despair, don’t yield to the temptation of seeking respite in alcohol, drugs, strong stimulants or suicide. God wants you to turn to Him for a solution, and you can always count on Him for consolation and encouragement. I pray that no matter what you are passing through right now, you will not take any step that will lead to your destruction in Jesus’ Name. Finally, hopelessness fizzles away the moment God speaks concerning a matter (Acts 27:21-25). Are you in a hopeless situation? Take time to seek God’s intervention, asking Him for a word for that situation. I pray that the light of God will shine on your life and hope will arise for you today in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.