₦airaland Forum

Preaching the gospel is not an optional exercise for Christians; rather, it is a necessity. This is the reason why both the vision and mission statements of The Redeemed Christian Church of God are centred on soul-winning. Winning souls is the heartbeat of God and the preoccupation of Jesus Christ. The Names of Jesus such as Messiah, Saviour, Redeemer and Deliverer all connote salvation or soul winning. Every action Jesus performed during His ministry here on earth was geared towards salvation. His last wishes before ascending into heaven also focused on the propagation of the good news of His gospel to every part of the world. His desire is that even people in the remotest parts of the world will hear about Him and receive the salvation He paid for with His precious Blood.

Soul-winning is the objective of the Lord’s commandment in Matthew 28:19-20, which says:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
This commandment is such a cardinal aspect of what it means to be a Christian. Luke 6:46, the Lord also said:
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
The evidence that Jesus is indeed your Lord is doing whatever He commands you to do. In 1st Samuel 15:22, Prophet Samuel told King Saul that to obey is better than sacrifice in the sight of God. All that God requires from you is obedience to His commandments – not partially but totally. We cannot claim to be living holy lives if we are not preaching the gospel. You cannot claim to be holy if you are not evangelising to win souls to God’s kingdom. This is so because when Mark 16:15 tells us to go and preach the gospel, it is a command, not a suggestion. A fellow who is not walking in total obedience to God’s commandments cannot claim to be living a holy life. Preaching the gospel must therefore be a daily affair for us.

Effective soul-winning includes evangelism, follow-up and welfare. You cannot evangelize, win one or two souls and assume that you are ready for heaven; you must also follow-up the souls you have won. This is why our Lord Jesus Christ said to us in John 15:16:
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain…”
Soul winning is a necessity, please take it seriously.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

‘Avenge’, ‘retribution’ and ‘recompense’ are words commonly used in the Bible to mean inflicting deserved or justified punishment on a wrongdoer, either by God Himself or by an authority ordained by Him. In contrast to these, vengeance (i.e. to revenge) is malicious retaliation against a perceived or real offence committed by someone or a group of people. It involves the reciprocation of an injury or insult by an aggrieved person. Whenever evil is deliberately committed against someone, the immediate human instinct is to take revenge, especially if the victim is capable of inflicting a corresponding injury on the offender. However, the lifestyle of God’s kingdom teaches that it is wrong to strike back or return evil for evil, whether by immediate retaliation or by deferred action of vengeance. As a citizens of heaven, we must learn to leave such matters in the hands of the Great Avenger, because the Bible insists that revenge is unacceptable to God (Proverbs 24:29, Romans 12:19).

God’s word offers us some definitive ways of dealing with the carnal desire for vengeance. First of all, we are advised to be slow to anger, because anger is at the root of every drive for revenge. We are to thoughtfully respond to situations that can lead to anger after hearing from the Holy Spirit, who resides in us (Ecclesiastes 7:9). We should also desist from plotting revenge in response to any wrongdoing committed against us. The Almighty God wants us to see the vengeance as His exclusive responsibility (Romans 12:19). He also wants us renounce anger and put it away from our minds completely (Psalm 37:8, Ephesians 4:31). May the Prince of peace send His peace like a river into your life to quench every fire of anger before it graduates into vengeance in Jesus’ Name.

Leaving matter in the hands of God and waiting for His judgement are acts of faith that demonstrate trust in God rather than human ability. That’s why children of God must not consider taking revenge or repaying evil with evil; rather, we must wait for the Lord in all situations. Persecuted and oppressed Christians must never rely on what human strength can do for them. Instead, they must pray earnestly with total reliance on the word of God, as seen in Psalm 94:1-2 and Lamentations 3:64-66. I decree that the Great Avenger will rise on your behalf today and render recompense to those who have oppressed you. God will judge your persecutors according to the work of their hands, and He will give them sorrow of heart until they are completely destroyed in Jesus’ Name. God will not rest until He has avenged you of all your enemies in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”
Genesis 2:15
From this verse of scripture, we see that God ordained work to be the normal routine of life for mankind from the very beginning. Therefore, every legitimate human task has fundamental value, and is a potential means of glorifying God, irrespective of how demanding it may seem. This is the reason why working in the service of God’s kingdom is one of the requirements for divine elevation. In addition to being born again, walking in humility and being an addicted worshipper of God, anyone who wishes to receive divine elevation must enlist in the service of God’s kingdom. For example, you can become a soul winner, a teacher of the word or an intercessor. You can also join the counselling, sanitation, ushering, choir or welfare departments of your church. Wherever you find yourself, just get busy doing something useful for God. You are sure to receive divine elevation as a gift from Him in return, for He never forgets His people’s labour of love. Joseph, Moses, Ruth, Daniel, Rahab and David are examples of those who buried themselves in God’s work, and they were all rewarded greatly.

Remembrance means bringing to mind an awareness of someone or something from the past, and it is the opposite of forgetfulness. Though it is not in the nature of God to forget anything as humans do (because He is all-knowing), the words ‘remember’ and ‘not forget’ are used in relation to God in several passages of the Bible. When God remembers someone for good, that person’s situation immediately changes for the better. More importantly, God considers it an act of unrighteousness to forgive someone’s labour of love in His vineyard. I pray that irrespective of what is happening at the moment, your labour of love and contributions to the kingdom of God will be brought to remembrance speedily, and you will be gloriously rewarded in Jesus’ Name. 1st Corinthians 15:58 says:
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know what your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
Through the immutability of God’s word, be assured that God can never forget your contributions to the progress of His kingdom here on earth. In due season, He will turn things around in your favour and reward your righteous deeds. However, you must not relent or be weary in doing good, because good works and righteous living must continuously be our lifestyle.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Growth and progressive multiplication has been central to God’s purpose and agenda for mankind from the beginning of creation. Through His declarations in Genesis 1:22&28, God coded growth and increase into the fabric of everything He created at the elemental level, such that the propagation and future development of all created things occurs naturally through the process of growth and progressive multiplication. As a vital ingredient necessary for actualizing God’s purpose and agenda in man’s life, God’s grace also has the capacity to grow and multiply. God’s grace is His unmerited favour made known through Jesus Christ, and it is expressed in the redemption and full forgiveness of sinners through faith in Him (Titus 2:11-12). At its basic stage, God’s grace offers to all human beings forgiveness, redemption from sin and adoption into God’s family. After enjoying the benefits of this basic stage of grace, God expects every converted person to grow in grace from one level of glory to another. The spiritual development of believers is a growth of grace that can be likened to the growth of infants into adults. Just as every father wants his baby to grow into the full stature of a man or woman, so does our heavenly Father want us to grow into the full stature of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).

In 2nd Peter 3:18, the Holy Spirit admonishes us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. This establishes the growth of God’s grace in the life of every believer as a rule of Christian living. In Ephesians 4:13, the Holy Spirit further tells us that Christian growth must continue until we become perfect in faith and in the knowledge of God, to the measure of the fullness of Christ. Contrary to this expectation, many individuals in the Body of Christ are like sickly plants with very feeble growth, because they are not ready to put in the work or make the sacrifices that are needed to help them grow at the pace that God desires (James 1:25). Lack of spiritual growth in the Body of Christ is also caused by the reduced emphasis on the teaching ministry in churches and a clear departure from the principles and practice of sanctification by Church leaders. The Christian life is not meant to be stagnant; rather, it must be a progressive experience of encounters with God. Through constant Bible study and emphasis on growth in grace, let us daily aim to be perfect in our Christian character (2nd Peter 1:5-. Our love for Christ should wax stronger, even as our will becomes subordinate to the will and purpose of God (Acts 21:14).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

While God operates in the invisible realm of the spirit, man operates in the realm of the physical world. Faith is therefore required for man to interact with God (Hebrews 11:6). Without faith, it is absolutely impossible to acknowledge the existence of God or connect with Him in anyway. In Romans 10:17, the Holy Spirit declares that faith comes by hearing the word of God. In other words, faith can only come through God’s word. God essentially designed His word to be the perfect tool that enables us to connect with Him through the stirring up of faith in our spirit man.
“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
2nd Timothy 3:15-17
Daily interaction with the word of God develops the kind of faith that is focused on salvation and eternity, and it produces character that is thoroughly equipped to yield the fruits of righteousness to the glory of God. Consequently, the word of God should be desired more than our daily food (Job 23:12). Jesus said man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God (Luke 4:4). He also commanded His disciples to go and teach all nations of the world to do the things in His word, so that everyone can be saved and spend eternity in heaven. In this wise, we must not only listen to God’s word but also put it into practice.

Knowing the importance and power behind God’s word, Satan has set out a grand scheme to counterfeit and adulterate it through so called “higher knowledge”. Children of God should therefore be careful of new revelations and information from extra-biblical sources. Stop listening to false prophets and ungodly suggestions from people of questionable character who have no solid spiritual background (Deuteronomy 13:1-3). Our Lord said we would easily recognise such people by their fruit (Matthew 7:20). After identifying them, I admonish you to discountenance their claims, avoid getting carried away by what they say, and ignore their “prophetic” and “miraculous” propaganda (1st John 4:1). Completely reject anyone who brings any philosophy or teaching that is not found in the Bible (2nd John 1:10). Remember they will not stand for you before God on the day of judgement.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One important thing about God that we must quickly learn as His children is the great power, authority and significance attached to His word. Psalm 138:2 tells us that God even magnifies His word above His Name. The enormity of this statement is amplified when you realize that His Name is above all other names in heaven and on earth, and that at the mention of His Name every knee must bow (Philippians 2:9-11). It is therefore not surprising that God only speaks whenever it is absolutely necessary, and His words are usually few and straight to the point. When God speaks to you, it is better you pay close attention to every minute detail of His words. As partakers of His divine nature, God expects us to be like Him by going straight to the point whenever we have the opportunity of communicating with Him. Jesus manifested this desire in His interaction with people when He was with us here on earth. In John 5:1-9, when Jesus asked the paralyzed man, who had been suffering for thirty-eight years, if he wanted to be healed, He expected an answer that was straight to the point, but what He got was a rambling speech. However, Jesus mercifully healed him.

Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us in Matthew 6:7 that prayers are not necessarily answered because of the multitude of words. God answers prayers based on His love for His children. Because of His grace, He gives us things we do not deserve, and He shields us from harmful desires through His mercy. When David was confronted with one of the most distressful situations of his life at Ziklag, he went straight to the point in his prayer to God in 1st Samuel 30:8, which says:
“And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And he answered him, pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.”
After his conversation with God, David and his men went ahead to recover all that the enemy had carried away from them. There was not a single thing that was lost. I prophesy into your life that before the end of this year, there shall be a recovery of everything you have lost in Jesus’ Name. Is your health being invaded by sickness? Are you troubled on every side? Is your source of income under such terrible attacks that it has become difficult to make ends meet? Is the ocean of life threatening the survival of your marriage? Are you struggling to maintain your relationship with God because of sinful demands at your place of work? Are you agitated because of the fear of the future? I decree the immediate release of the power of God to deal with all your problems and to give you all-round peace in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Weeping is an expression of deep emotions that move one to shed tears. It is a means of expressing sorrow, sadness, disappointment, misfortune or overwhelming joy. While it is not wrong to weep after experiencing an unpleasant situation, we should realise that such emotions can sometimes block our minds from seeing the door of opportunity that the Lord opens in every situation. There are some adverse circumstances the enemy orchestrates, where the Lord would want us to take action instead of allowing ourselves to be overrun by sorrow and weeping. In such situations, weeping will not do us any good. It might even rob us of the victory that God has prepared for us. If you continue weeping before God when He expects you to act, your weeping will not move Him to act on your behalf. We see an example of this in 1st Samuel 30:3-4, which says:
“So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.”
Is it not amazing that David and his men wept until they had no more strength to weep, and yet their situation remained as hopeless as ever? Their weeping did nothing to improve their situation. Things remained stagnant until David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. Only after doing this did things begin to brighten up for him and his people.

While weeping is a very good way of attracting the sympathy of others, it often presents us as weak and helpless, which we are not. We have the All-powerful God as our help and strength, and in His word, He repeatedly told people in distress to weep not (Luke 7:13, Luke 8:52). Like David, we must stop seeking sympathy and begin to apply rugged faith. If you will ever overcome adversity and achieve anything tangible in life, you need to apply faith that persistently holds on to God, believing that He can make impossibilities possible against all odds. Hold on to the assurance that there is no situation or circumstance beyond God’s control. Our miracle-working God is able to reverse every irreversible situation. He can bring hope to a person’s life irrespective of the presence of long-running problems. In John 5:1-8, we read the story of the man at the pool of Bethesda who was at the same spot for 38 years. He claimed that the reason he had not been made whole for so long was because he had no one to assist him, but by the time Jesus came on the scene, his problems ceased without the help of any man. No matter how seemingly difficult your problem is, God will terminate it today in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The book of remembrance is a divine record of those who fear God and obey His commands. Kept before the throne of God, it documents their righteous deeds. In Malachi 3:16, some godly people were discussing among themselves the challenges they faced in an environment where the ungodly seemed to be prospering while they were not. The Lord took note of their conversation and immediately opened a book of remembrance on their behalf. This tells us that God listens in on our heartfelt discussions, and His attention is always drawn to our good deeds and challenges, so much so that He even documents them. In times of uncertainty and when faced with challenges, you can draw on this truth to call God to remembrance and cause Him to move on your behalf. Nehemiah knew this, and so when he was faced with the challenges of building the walls of Jerusalem in times of uncertainty and adversity, he prayed this prayer in Nehemiah 13:14, saying:
“Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the office thereof.”
I pray that God will bring your righteous deeds into remembrance for due reward today in Jesus’ Name.

Indeed, God rewards the righteous deeds of those who persistently hold on to Him. I am a living testimony of this. The Holy Spirit says in Galatians 6:9
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
This suggests that God can never forget our contributions to the progress of His kingdom. He will ensure that we receive proper recognition and reward for our righteous deeds. Speaking in Hebrews 6:10, the Holy Spirit further says:
“For God is not righteous 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.”
Any attempt to deny anyone the reward of their labour is an act of unrighteousness before God, and because God cannot be unrighteous, it is part of His nature to call a person’s deeds into remembrance for adequate recompense. He did this with Abraham, Noah, Cornelius, Rachel, Hannah and the nation of Israel. God will therefore remember your contributions to the growth of His kingdom and adequately compensate you in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God is sovereign over all things. He holds supreme power and authority over all creation, yet He is a merciful God. Most importantly, He is love personified. The story of Adam and Eve in Genesis chapter 3 shows that whenever His children go astray, this loving and merciful Father immediately sets plans in motion to achieve their complete restoration. In spite of mankind’s fall into sin through disobedience, the Father manifested His love by arranging their restoration through the ultimate sacrifice of His only begotten Son. He also provided coats of skins to cover their unclothedness and protect them from the effects of contrary whether (Genesis 3:15 & 21). These acts reveal the true character of the God of complete restoration. What a merciful and loving Father He is!

Restoration is the power of God that returns something or someone to a state that had previously existed, through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. Restoration is said to be complete when the recipient is returned to a perfect condition, like the healing of a wound without leaving a scar. Many people erroneously consider faith and prayer to be the secret of complete restoration. Without a doubt, faith and prayers can lead to restoration; however, thanksgiving is the secret of complete restoration (Luke 17:12-19). Giving testimonies of what God has done and witnessing about Jesus Christ and His works are powerful ways of appreciating God, and they are forms of thanksgiving. Why is thanksgiving so important to complete restoration? It is because complete restoration is a result of undeserved and unmerited favour from God. In the Name that is above every name, as you begin to praise and worship God today, you will experience complete restoration in your health, finances and marriage, and you will also experience it spiritually in the areas of worship, prayer, Bible study and anointing.

In Joel 2:25-27, God showcased His power to do the impossible by declaring to the children of Israel complete restoration of the years lost to fruitflessness, wasted efforts and captivity. This led them into a new era of joy, peace and prosperity that did not come by their labour. Rather, God had blocked every source of losses in their lives. Most importantly, God is a restorer of lost souls, and He does this with so much compassion and completeness for anyone who calls upon His Name. One of the thieves crucified with Jesus received last-minutes grace and was assured a place in Paradise, despite his sordid past (Luke 23:39-43). This can be your own story too. Receive complete restoration now in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Fear expresses itself as an attitude of anxiety or distress caused by concern over threats to a person’s well-being. While speaking about fear, the Lord said in Matthew 10:28:
“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
This verse of scripture contains some truths about fear which we should all recognise. One important lesson to learn here is that the emotion expressed as fear is not in itself evil; rather, it is the direction this emotion is channeled to that can make it an evil thing. When Jacob was told that his brother, Esau, was coming to meet him with four hundred men, the Bible says he was greatly afraid and distressed, prompting him to make some critical decisions and to seek the face of God (Genesis 32:7). This is an example of fear being channelled in the right direction. From Matthew 10:28, we understand that God alone is to be feared, and moments of fear should be viewed as opportunities for developing a closer and deeper relationship with Him. What exactly is a snare, and how does fear become a snare? The word ‘snare’ is used in the Bible to describe a trap. In relation to mankind, it is situation in which someone lies in wait to launch a surprise attack against a person, or a trick by which a person is misled into acting against his or her own interest.

In Job 3:25, the Holy Spirit speaks on how fear can become a snare. Fear becomes a snare when it comes in response to anything but God. Job was ensnared by the fear of losing all he had, and that was exactly what happened to him. Whatever you fear has a way of controlling you, and that is why the Holy Spirit says that God is displeased whenever we exhibit fear for mere mortals or creatures created by Him. God infers from such an attitude that we have forgotten His awesomeness and the greatness of His works. God wonders why His children, who acknowledge Him as the Creator of heaven and earth, entertain the fear of mere mortals, irrespective of their status or position! The fear of man is a snare that enslaves a person into living by the dictates of a fellow human, contrary to the will of God. No wonder Proverbs 29:25 says:
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”

Those who fear and honour God will never have to fear anything again. If you fear God, you need not fear anything else, because God is supreme over all. Hallelujah!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

For anyone to succeed in life, he or she needs the assistance of others. No one succeeds in life by being an island. If the assistance of fellow human beings can make a difference in a person’s life, how much more can divine assistance from the unlimited God. Divine assistance is the greatest form of support you can receive to help you fulfil your destiny and reach your goal. Only the Almighty God, who alone is self-sufficient, does not need assistance from any one. Whenever God ask us to partner with Him on any project, He is only trying to give us an opportunity to be blessed. We see this demonstrated when the Lord asked to use Peter’s boat in Luke 5:1-10. One might think that without Peter’s boat, the Lord would have been unable to preach on the lake. This cannot be true, because the one who walked on the sea could have done the same thing in order to preach. The Lord asked for Peter’s boat only because He wanted to make him a famous fisher of men! Just as it happened to Peter, divine assistance is available for whoever has been struggling to make it in life with no results to show for it.

Elijah is one man who experienced divine assistance in no small measure. It’s therefore unsurprising that he was able to do great exploits for God. During a time of great famine, God sent him divine assistance for his sustenance. God said to him in 1st Kings 17:9
“Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”
Here we see that the prophet and the widow had nothing to do with the arrangement: it was divinely ordained. However, the best thing about this story is that the two of them cooperated with God to fulfil His divine will. As a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I have come to realize one thing: when God wants to bless a minister or his ministry, he or she does not need to collect offerings with long sermons. Moses made a simple pronouncement when the tabernacle was to be built in the wilderness, and the people brought so much that he had to make another pronouncement for them to stop (Exodus 35:4 – Exodus 36:7). Through divine assistance, Moses received more than enough for his assignment, even in the wilderness. Beloved, seek divine help today and you will be settled. When you meditate on Psalm 127:1, you will realise the futility of human efforts without divine assistance. May God grant you understanding of this truth in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 1 Peter 4:15, the Holy Spirit specifically admonishes us to ensure that we do not suffer as evildoers. This implies that God has ordained evildoers to suffer some form of repercussion in this world before ultimately facing His judgement in eternity. Who are those the Holy Spirit refers to as evildoers in 1st Peter 4:15? Simply put, evildoers are people whose works are evil. The Holy Spirit helps us narrow this broad classification down by revealing to us the fountain of all works in James 3:16, which says:
“For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”
We therefore understand from this verse that evildoers are those whose works are borne out of envy and strife. Such people are generally schemers who operate by mischief. Their souls is eaten up by jealously borne out of envy and strife, and this keep them awake at night devising schemes to entrap their victims. No wonder the Holy Spirit further says of them in Micah 2:1:
“Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! When the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.”
We see an example of such people in Daniel 6:1-24. Out of envy, these evildoers came up with a scheme to entrap Daniel and destroy him completely to their own benefit. Evildoers usually perpetrate their evil works by cleverly disguising their schemes as harmless. Everyone else within the system is usually ignorant of the real purpose and objectives of their actions, except by the help of the Spirit of discernment.

As a child of God, don’t be worried by the activities of evildoers or envious of their accomplishments, because the face of the Almighty is against them. Psalm 37:1-2 says:
“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”
Indeed, evildoers may sometimes rise to the top in a family, community, nation or even in the Church of God, but they shall be suddenly cut off, as it happened to Daniel’s adversaries. God’s word in Micah 2:1 makes us understand that such people are operating under the curse of God. Their wickedness will therefore be returned upon their own head (1st Samuel 25:39). I decree that the judgement of God will begin to pursue every evildoers troubling your life, family, nation, and the Church of God today in Jesus’ Name. However, examine yourself to ensure you are not suffering under the judgement of God as an evildoer.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Restoration presupposes the loss of something good and valuable. Ezra 9:1-9 tells the story of God’s people who were in need of restoration after returning from the land of captivity. I believe their example contains valuable lessons for those seeking the face of God for restoration in one form or the other. When a people are carried away into a strange land as captives, there is the tendency for them to lose their identity and character as their virtues get influenced by the environment they find themselves in. The Israelites experienced this. After God caused the king of Persia to permit the restoration of God’s worship in Jerusalem through the hand of Ezra, it was discovered that the priests and Levites who were supposed to lead the people in worship could not minister because they had corrupted themselves by marrying idol worshipers. To ignite the fire of revival and initiate the restoration of God’s people to His worship, Ezra 9:5-6 lists some key things Ezra did which cannot be overlooked by anyone seeking restoration. It says:
“And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God, And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown unto the heavens.”
Ezra realised that God’s people needed spiritual restoration first, before they could experience any other form of restoration. He therefore went before God in penitence and humility to seek for His forgiveness and restoration. This example shows that spiritual restoration is obtained only when we are repentant and humble before God. Psalm 51:17 says:
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
In other words, a remorseful heart is the foundation of genuine repentance, and through genuine repentance, spiritual restoration is received (Acts 3:19). Repentance means making a “U-turn” away from one’s trespasses. Those who repented of their sins in Ezra’s time did not continue in them; they completely relinquished their former lifestyles (Ezra 10:2-17). It is therefore strange that some people claim to have repented of their sins and yet they do not relinquish this sinful lifestyle. Such people are only deceiving themselves (Romans 6:1-2). Beloved, what type of loss have you suffered – spiritual, physical or otherwise? You can be restored if only you genuinely repent of your sins today and come back to your first love for God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Sorrow is feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment or misfortune suffered by a person directly or by loved ones. It is the human response to painful and heartbreaking life situations involving loss or other tragic circumstances. Sorrow is characterized by weeping, mourning, bitterness, depression, disappointment, failure, sadness, regret and discouragement. It is indeed an arrow in quiver of Satan and his agents, and their aim is to use it to break men’s spirit and determination to move forward in life. In God’s original plan, sorrow and its attendant problems were not meant to be part of the human experience, and that is why there will be no more sorrow in the new heaven and new earth that God is preparing for His people. Speaking on this truth, Revelation 21:4 says:
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

Sorrow became part and parcel of the human experience because of our descent into sin and the pronouncement of God’s judgement that subsequently followed (Genesis 3:16-20). The consequence of this is laid bare in Ecclesiastes 2:22-23, which says:
“For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.”
Today, the devil is still shooting the arrow of sorrow all over the world through sickness, poverty, childlessness, terrorism, natural disaster, calamities of epic proportions, separation and divorce, untimely death, and a much more. However, we thank God that the compassionate Jesus became a “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief”, so that we can experience the joy of the Lord right here on earth (Isaiah 53:3-4). I therefore decree that sorrow will cease in your life from today in Jesus’ Name. God provides comfort for the sorrowful and promises eternal deliverance from sorrow (Isaiah 35:10). He is mindful of our fame, and that is why He sent us the Holy Spirit to continually comfort and strengthen us (Psalm 103:14, John 15:26). Through His work in our life, Satan’s evil arrow of sorrow is rendered powerless over us. Have you recently suffered any form of loss, disappointment or pain? I encourage you today to yield to the comfort of the Holy Spirit, pick yourself up from the ashes of discouragement and face life with renewed vigour. The devil’s aim is to break your spirit and make you give up on life. Please don’t give in to him, neither should you contemplate suicide. The joy of the Lord is your strength. Hallelujah!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When you glance through the news headlines these days, you will realize that we live in perilous times where the sanctity of marriage means nothing to a lot of people. We are daily inundated with news of men and women committing adultery on an unprecedented scale. However, as children of God, we should not be surprised, because the Holy Spirit already warned us that this would happen. While teaching on the perilous times that would come in the last days, He said to us in 2nd Timothy 3:6:
“For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts”
The increase in adultery is therefore a pointer to us that we are indeed in the last days. The reason why the Holy Spirit forewarned us of this is not just to keep us informed, but also to keep us in check from falling into the snare of the devil in this area. Speaking on God’s standard on marriage for us, the Holy Spirit says in Hebrews 13:4:
“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”
Be warned that God’s standard is not the same as the standard of the world, and that what is acceptable to the world is not acceptable to God.

Adultery is the result of character erosion that does not happen in one day. It is the product of hidden lusts in the heart which were not dealt with. No wonder the Lord said in Matthew 5:28:
“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
Adultery always starts as a suggestion from the devil or his agents, which if harboured in the heart of a fellow, snowballs into events with catastrophic consequences. One of the means by which the devil deposits such evil suggestions into the heart of a person is through the eye. This is the reason why 2 Peter 2:14 speaks of having eyes full of adultery, which refers to wearing a look that projects a promiscuous identity. It also means communicating sexual attraction, unholy intention or immoral interest with the eyes or face. It could also mean having a warped mind that reads sensual or erotic desire into members of the opposite sex, no matter how modestly dressed they are. Irrespective of the form it takes, the key thing is that a child of God should never yield to the suggestions of the devil (1st Peter 5:8-9). How are you faring in this regard?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Night is generally identified as a period of darkness between evening and morning. It is a time of rest or cessation from daily activities, which is a good thing. However, because darkness also provides cover for evil activities, the devil and his demons, in collaboration with their human agents, usually commit all manner of evil works against people at night. Exposing their mode of operation, the Lord reveals in Matthew 13:25 that while men slept at night, the enemy came, corrupted their destinies with evil seeds and escaped unnoticed. The night is therefore recognized as the time of peak activity for the powers of darkness, and as the period when evil is easily planned and executed. Indeed, evil flourishes at night, so much so that the nightlife of most cities brims over with alcohol, hard drugs, prostitution, gambling, gangsterism and other terrible vices. This situation is especially rife in places where the spiritual atmosphere is under the control of the rulers of the darkness of this world (Ephesians 6:12). It is this reality that has given the night the sinister image it has. I decree that every problem that entered your life under the cover of darkness be neutralized today in Jesus’ Name.

Notwithstanding the evil characteristic of the night, because God originally created the night to be good, good things can still come out of it. Among other things, the night time provides an ideal opportunity for praise, worship, prayer and in-depth Bible study. More importantly, multiple example from the Bible and from our life experiences show that God is in the business of carrying out powerful deliverance's at night. I therefore pray that your insurmountable problems will pass away with the night, and you will wake up to joy and celebration in Jesus’ Name. In Exodus 14:24, as morning approached, God troubled the camp of the Egyptians so much that they knew God’s hand was against them. All their soldiers perished before dawn, and the Israelite's woke up to joy and celebration. This type of testimony will be your portion in Jesus’ Name. In Acts 16:25-26, Paul and Silas went to bed as prisoners, but God visited the prison after midnight to deliver them with a foundation-shaking earthquake, and they woke up to celebrate in Jesus’ Name. Lastly, in Acts 12:6-10, Peter was kept in a maximum security prison, but an angel of God visited the prison that night. Peter’s chains were broken and the prison gate opened to him by itself. He walked out of the prison a free man and joined the people of God to celebrate and praise God in the morning. God will give you such a testimony in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The original purpose of the devil’s deceit is to humiliate man and subject him to eternal fear and ridicule. He succeeded in this poly in the Garden of Eden, causing shame and fear to cover our first parents like the waters cover the sea. What brought about this shame upon the first man? Disobedience to the word of God was the cause. The Lord had earlier warned Adam against eating the forbidden fruit to avoid grave consequences, but the devil came and lied to his wife that nothing would happen. After Eve was deceived and Adam succumbed to the sin of disobeying God, they discovered shame and fear that they never knew before, because the glory of God departed from them (Genesis 2:25, Genesis 3:10). Just as he did with Eve, the devil is still deceiving people today that severe consequences will not follow the acts of sin in the life of sinners. Unfortunately, when you look around the world today, you will discover great men and women whom the devil has brought to shame and ridicule by lying to them that there will be no consequences for their evil actions or that their secrets sinful acts will never be found out. Such people would have avoided public ridicule and shame if only they had known and given heed to God’s word in Numbers 32:23, which says:
“But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.”
Are you involved in any secret sin and the devil is deceiving you that there will be no consequences? The word of God is coming to you today that your sin will find you out. Are you having an extra-marital affair? Are you stealing public funds at your disposal? Are you oppressing those who God has placed under your leadership? Are you short-changing your place of work in shady deals to your own benefits? Are you visiting pornographic sites in the secret confines of your room? If you are involved in any form of sin, God is saying to you today, “Be sure your sin will find you out.”

Disobedience to God’s word brings untold shame and agony. To avoid or remove the shame that sin brings, we must go back to the word of God and do what it says. As seen in Psalm 119:6, complete obedience to the word of God is the antidote for shame. In Psalm 119:1-8, those who walk in the law of the Lord are described as blessed. They are blessed because those iniquities that bring shame are far away from them due to their adherence to God’s commandments. Shame is the portion of those who do not consider God’s omnipresent nature before committing “hidden” acts. Before travelling to that far-away secluded location for your illicit tryst, remember that God is there. I pray that sin will not put you to shame in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

By the standard of the world, the majority vote opinion is the acceptable way of measuring the correctness or wrongness of an idea or way of life. For example, at a point in history, some societies saw homosexuality and other sexual immoralities as aberrations, but with the majority of their population now in support of such lifestyles, these acts are now being celebrated, so much so that even some who ought to be God’s mouthpiece in these societies are afraid of criticizing them, in order not to lose their appeal before the world. How sad! Irrespective of the prevailing opinion in such societies, God’s position remains steadfast forever, and it is clearly stated in the words of 1st Corinthians 6:9:
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind”
The doctrine of the world says the minority may have their say but the majority will have their way. Thank God that we are not of the world, and so we are not bound by their ideology or way of life (John 17:14-16). We are citizens of a kingdom, and our God is our King (Ephesians 2:19)


As citizen of heaven, let us not be terrified into surrendering to the world’s beliefs. Do not let their militant way of enforcing their agenda move you. Don’t be like Aaron who conceded to the evil idea of making a god of gold for the Israelite's because that was the popular opinion of the majority (Exodus 32:1-6). Remember the words of Exodus 23:2a which says to you:
“Thou shall not follow a multitude to do evil;”
Also, don’t forget the words of your heavenly Father, saying in Proverbs 1:10:
“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”
You need to understand that one with God is majority (Romans 8:31). Always stand for the truth, even in the face of a hostile majority, with the full understanding that with God, you are in the majority. 1st John 4:4 declares that you have overcome the world because the presence of God in you makes you greater than the world. I therefore encourage you to soar on the victory won for us by Jesus Christ to confidently stand for the truth and speak out against all forms of sin and unrighteousness (John 16:33). Let the whole world know that one with God is majority and resist the lie which says that because you are outnumbered, you have to join the world to perpetrate evil, especially those identified as being socially acceptable or politically correct.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A calm, peace and restrained attitude to life, especially in the face of adverse circumstances, is God’s desire for His people. He revealed His thoughts on this to us in Isaiah 32:17-18, saying:
“And the work of righteousness shall be peace; And the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;”
One proof that we have received the gift of righteousness from Jesus after we are saved is the presence of peace in our hearts, and the effect of this peace is quietness even in the midst of adversity. As God’s own special people, He does not want us to panic or be troubled in our hearts like the people of the world are whenever the enemy blows the wind of adversity (John 14:1). In Jeremiah 10:1-16, we see a king whose heart melted when he was told of his enemies’ conspiracy against him. In response to this, God sent Prophet Isaiah to deliver His word to him, saying in Isaiah 7:4a:
“….Take heed, and be quiet”
As kings and priests to our God, He says to us the same words He sent to King Ahaz – be quiet (Revelation 1:6). Are you surrounded by the dark clouds of life, with the wind of adversity blowing strongly against you? God is saying to you today, “Be quiet.” You may ask, “Why should I be quiet?” it is because in your quiet submission to God, He will arise on your behalf, and your enemies shall be scattered. No wonder Isaiah 30:15a says:
“For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:”

Jesus, our perfect example, was presented as a Man of quiet temperament (Matthew 12:14-20). He did not go around making noise or panicking over situations; rather, He ruled over circumstances around Him by decree (Mark 4:35-39). In order to be like our Master, we are to be peaceful and quiet when in distress, when the enemy rises against us like a flood, and in the face of destructive criticism or rebellion. In these circumstances, one can only be quiet as a result of faith in God and total trust in His ability to work things out in our favour. In reality, whenever a child of God goes into quiet mode, God takes it as an invitation to step in on behalf of the fellow. You must realise that you are limited in all aspects of life, and stop fighting your battles all by yourself. Switch to quiet mode today and let Jesus take over your case. He will give you the rest that you need, as He promised in Matthew 11:28.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many have argued that the company a person keeps does not necessarily have much impact on his or her character or destiny. They say that many people have become great and successful in spite of their warped lifestyles and bad behaviour. The One who moulded us disagrees with these notions. He declared in His word that evil communication corrupts person’s background or lifestyle, the company you keep and the kind of information you consume determine the predominant thoughts that rule your heart, and these go a long way to establish who you are and the kind of future that awaits you (Proverbs 23:7, Psalm 1:1-4).

It would be a great error for you to think of the term ‘evil association’ only with respect to interactions with unbelievers; it can also apply to interpersonal relationships among Christians. God wants us to shun the evil activities of the ungodly just as much as He wants us to avoid every appearance of evil among Christians. The Holy Spirit teaches us that those who perpetrate backbiting, disobedience, rebellion and false doctrines among the brethren should be identified and avoided (2nd Thessalonians 3:6). He explicitly says in Romans 16:17:
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”
When I was much younger in ministry, I met a man of God who I looked up to. I admired him because of what I thought was the grace of God upon His life, until I accidentally discovered that he was doing things by diabolical means. I quickly moved away from him from that day, and I made sure our paths never crossed again. Don’t be deceived, no matter how wise or careful you are, continued association with anyone living contrary to the word of God will eventually spell doom for you. I pray that you will not share in the punishment or retribution of evil people in Jesus’ Name.

The word of God in Psalm 1:3-4 says clearly that obedient children of God are like a tree planted by the rivers of water that produces fruit in its season, and whatsoever they do prospers. However, the same passage also says that unbelievers and ungodly “Christians” are like chaff that the wind blows away. Sinners can never have lasting peace as they are bound to perish suddenly (Psalms 73:17-18). Therefore, come out from among them, separate yourself and stay away from evil associations that can corrupt your godly nature.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Delayed promises and unfulfilled desires are common life occurrences, bringing about anxiety, disappointment, and hopelessness and, in some cases, untimely death. Often, the devil uses delay as a deadly weapon to cause children of God to lose faith in Him and His promises, leading to despair. So deadly is this weapon that even Abraham, the father of faith, was caught in its crosshairs. Even after God had gone to great lengths to reassure him that He would fulfil His promise of Sarah birthing him a son, his attitude and response to God was still that of hopelessness. Genesis 17:17-18 says:
“Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old , bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!”
In Genesis 18:12, Sarah also manifested a similar attitude of unbelief to God’s promise that she would bear a son in less than a year. Elijah was so troubled with uncertainty that he asked God to take his life (1st King 19:4). Zachariah also showed his state of discouragement and hopelessness in his response to the message of the angel sent by God to announce to him that he would have a son in his old age (Luke 1:18). Even John the Baptist, because of his incarceration, sent a message to Jesus that conveyed his feelings of confusion and despair (Matthew 11:2-3). These examples show people who had concluded that their cases were closed and it was all over for them. However, in spite of their hopelessness, God still proved Himself a faithful keeper of His promises to them. In truth, what we often see as delayed promises, unfulfilled desires or closed cases are nothing but a misunderstanding of God’s timetable and divine principles. God never closes the chapter of an issue He has committed Himself to until it is resolved. Therefore, no matter what you are passing through right now, I am assuring you today that God is not done with you yet!

God is the Alpha and Omega who knows the end from the beginning, and He has the power to do all things. It is not in His character to abandon a project. He reconnected Moses to his destiny at the age of eighty. He destroyed the giant occupants of Canaan to fulfil His promise to Israel. He sent Jesus the Messiah as the Saviour of mankind, and He gives the Holy Spirit to all believers in Christ. God has promised that He will not leave or forsake you, so you can be sure that He is not done with you yet (Hebrews 13:5). He will surely bring His word to pass in your life, and He will see you through to the very end, to the glory of His Name. Praise the Lord!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

At a point in everyone’s life, we all come face to face with crossroads. Many people don’t know what to do when they find themselves at crossroads, and so they take steps in the wrong direction, leading to setbacks or destruction. This will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name. However, for this not to be your lot, you need to know what to do when at crossroads in life. The Holy Spirit offers an excellent solution in Jeremiah 6:16. From His recommendations, the first thing you need to do is to pause and consider the options before you. He said “Stand ye in the ways, and see.” Some people are always in a hurry to make decisions at such moments, but this is not a wise thing to do. Do not allow your emotions or anyone rush you into making a decision when at crossroads. You need to learn to wait for the Lord, especially at such moments. Wait to hear expressly from God or for Him to give you a sign on the right thing to do. In Acts 16:6-10, when Paul and his company faced a dilemma on where next to take the message of the gospel, they waited until God gave them a sign through a night vision. Mind you, they were obeying the commandments of the Lord “to go ye into the world and preach the gospel”, and yet the Holy Spirit forbade them from preaching in two places. The Holy Spirit who forbade them from preaching in those places did not expressly tell them where they would preach next. They had to wait for the Lord until He showed them the path to toe. How marvelous are the ways of our God! No wonder Isaiah 30:18b: from our Bible reading says:
“…for the LORD is a God of judgement: blessed are all they that wait for him.”

After pausing to see, the next step the Holy Spirit recommends in Jeremiah 6:16 is to ask for the old paths. There is a Nigerian adage that says “He who asks questions will not miss his way.” You need to ask questions on how the issue you are facing was handled by those who have gone ahead of you and what their results were. It is unfortunate that today’s men and women tend not to see anything good in the old paths, and yet these sometimes hold the key of their future. However, take careful note of the words used by the Holy Spirit in Jeremiah 6:16. He said you should ask for the old paths and make further enquiries on where the good way is. The old paths are not necessarily the good way, but they can point you in the direction of where the good way is. Don’t be fixated on doing things the way they have always been done, except that is seen to be the good way. You need to have a relationship with the One who declared Himself to be The Way, in order for you to discover where the good way is in all situations (John 14:6). When you are His sheep, you will hear His voice behind you, telling you which way to go. When you yield to His voice, you will surely find rest for your soul.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When the Bible says that God remembered an individual, a group of people or a covenant, it does not mean that He is forgetful. How can the One who created memory forget something? It is impossible for God to forget anything. The phrase “God remembered” simply means that God decided to show mercy at that point in time. God will show tender mercy to you today in Jesus’ Name. When the Bible speaks of God remembering Noah in Genesis 8:1, it is referring to the favour that God bestowed upon him. God put Noah in the ark, and so there is no way He would have forgotten him there. God follows His own time-table for all events in the world. When it was time for Noah to come out of the ark to fulfil his divine destiny, God swept into action and Noah and all the creatures in the ark were restored to the surface of the earth. On the other hand, when God decides to abandon an individual, probably as a result of his or her disobedience of His word, the people of the world would say that God has forgotten him or her, like He did when He left the people of Ephraim alone to wallow in the terrible consequences of their apostasy in Hosea 4:16-19.

Divine remembrance can also mean God arising to fight on behalf of an individual or a nation, in response to their cry, as He did for the children of Israel in Exodus 2:23-25. God will remember you and fight for you today in Jesus’ Name. Are you passing through the turbulent waters of life? Since Noah did not perish in the flood, you will be divinely remembered, and you will not drown in Jesus’ Name. This is because the Lord made you this promise in Isaiah 43:2a:
“When thou passest through the water, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee.”
Are you experiencing the fire of affliction? God will remember you today in Jesus’ Name. A widow was on the verge of losing everything her husband left behind for her, because a bank came around claiming that her deceased husband owed them a huge sum of money, which she knew nothing about when he was alive. The Lord intervened in such a way that the book of remembrance was divinely opened, and it was discovered that instead of owing a debt, her late husband was actually owed by the bank. At the end of the day, this widow became so rich that poverty became a stranger to her and her children. It is pleasant when God remembers an individual and fights on his or her behalf. Nehemiah understood this, and that was why he prayed that God should remember him for his good works (Nehemiah 13:14). When God remembers your good works, He gives you a sumptuous recompense, like He did to the midwives in Egypt (Exodus 1:17-20). Do you have any good works you can call on God to remember?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Surprises come in different sizes and categories. Some surprises fall within our day to day activities, like receiving visitors you least expect. These are aptly described as surprise visit, and an example of this is Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-44). There are pleasant surprises, such as when Abraham and Sarah were told at a very old age that their child of promise was about to come (Genesis 18:9-14). The announcement was so great and seemingly impossible that Sarah laughed in disbelief; yet, it was a pleasant surprise when God gave her the son He had promised (Genesis 21:6-7). There are also unpleasant surprises, such as when you are betrayed by someone very close to you, like Absalom did to David, his loving father (2nd Samuel 15:6-14).

The disciples of Jesus Christ experienced pleasant surprises at a time when they thought all hope was lost for them. This is evident from the encounter two of them had on the road of Emmaus. As they journeyed, they spent their time lamenting their shattered hopes about Jesus. In Luke 24:21 they said:
“But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done.”
Meanwhile, a great and pleasant surprise had taken place in Jerusalem where they were coming from, which they just could not believe. Though they had been told of Christ’s resurrection before they embarked on the trip to Emmaus, they were still full of unbelief. The story seemed too good to be true! This is one of the characteristics of pleasant surprises occasioned by miracles. When the early visitors to the tomb of Jesus Christ were greeted with the news of His resurrection, they experienced this type of pleasant surprise. Matthew 28:8 captures their emotions in these words:
“And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.”
As if that was not enough, those who took the news of the resurrection to others had not finished speaking when the Master Himself appeared to them all to confirm the news (Luke 24:36)! In the same way, there is no adjective to qualify the type of surprise that results from the miracle of a baby being born by a woman without a womb. It is indeed pleasant to experience the impossible becoming possible in one’s life. Your pleasant surprises are coming your way this season in Jesus’ Name. All you need to do is to identify with the Great Miracle Worker, and He will work things out that will give you pleasant surprises in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The ‘arm of flesh’ refers to efforts that are solely based on the wisdom, ability and strength of man. Unfortunately, the best of efforts is limited in any venture, because the spiritual controls the physical. In 2 Chronicles 32:1-8, it is glaring that Hezekiah knew the limitations of the arm of flesh. Concerning the threat of Sennacherib and his army, he boldly declared in 2nd Chronicles 32:7-8:
“Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”
Similar to the scenario that played out between Hezekiah and Sennacherib, 1 Samuel 17:45 tells of an encounter between two individuals who went into battle, one divinely armed and the other relying on arm of flesh. The one with the arm of God was David. He went into battle with what seemed to be the feeblest weapon of war – a simple sling (catapult). On the other hand, Goliath went into battle with the arm of flesh, trusting in his chain armour, helmet of brass, shield, spear and sword, altogether constituting the most sophisticated weapons of war available at that time. Just like Hezekiah, David was aware of the divine arm backing him up, and he proclaimed the great words in 1 Samuel 17:45. At the end of their duel, Goliath did not live to tell the story of how, within the twinkle of an eye, a feeble stone won a battle that had simmered for more than forty days. The fate that befell Goliath exemplifies how the arm of flesh can let down those who put their trust in it. Beloved, it is time you stopped trusting the arm of flesh in the form of godfather, spirits of divination and witchcraft, riches that can fly away overnight and political power that can slip out of your fingers. Learn from the story of Hezekiah and Sennacherib and the decisive battle that saw the demise of the boastful Sennacherib (2nd Chronicles 32:31).

Although the Almighty is a great ally to have, He is also a dangerous enemy to engage in battle. Everyone who lives in sin is at war with Him (Psalm 7:11). Are you one of those who have not decided to be a friend of God? You must have a rethinking today and stop trusting in the arm of flesh which can lead to perpetual shame. Jesus is Lord, mighty in battle, and He will fight for you if you will let Him be Lord indeed over your life from today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people do not realize that the Almighty God is a strategist and a God of order. This divine character is evident in the story of creation itself. The orderliness and sequence of the project of creation can only have come from the mind of a master strategist. The light came first, then the firmament, then the gathering together of the waters and the appearance of dry land, followed by the vegetation upon which animals would feed, before the animals themselves were created (Genesis 1:1-13). Everything was in place before man was created. What a wonderful God we serve! No wonder the Psalmist in Psalm 53:1a says:
“The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.”

In Luke 14:28, the Lord Jesus Christ shared with us the divine wisdom embedded in strategic planning. It takes strategic planning for anyone to succeed in life, and the good news is that the greatest strategist is our Father in heaven. The ability to strategize wisely is therefore available to us when we give our lives to God through Jesus Christ. Irrespective of how disjointed you may appear to be as a person, as a born-again Christian, you are a partaker of the divine nature of God, and so you are a strategic planner by nature (2nd Peter 1:4). You need to understand this truth and begin to apply it to your reality.

Nehemiah was one strategic builder. Through strategic planning, he was able to do what seemed to be humanly impossible. Though very passionate and driven about his mission to rebuild the house of God and the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah was not presumptuous in the zeal. His strategy was built on the foundation of first seeking divine guidance through prayer and fasting (Nehemiah 1:4). Some children of God, maybe due to unrealised hidden pride, would not pray like Nehemiah did to find mercy in the sight of the king (Nehemiah 1:11). To succeed in life, we need the favour of God to be manifested in the attitude of men towards us. No wonder Luke 2:52 says:
“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
The good news is that even though human beings are complex and unpredictable, they are still under the control of their Maker. Establishing this truth in Proverbs 21:1, the Holy Spirit says:
“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”
Nehemiah strategically presented his case before the king, and because he had presented his case to the Lord before going to the king, he got what he wanted: leave of absence, authority to build, the materials for the project and security in the course of building. The project would have ended in failure if any of these variables was missing. Beloved, be strategic in the planning of your life under the guidance of the Holy Trinity.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the original plans of God for man is for man to continually have fellowship with Him. This is the reason why He created man to be like Himself. Genesis 1:26 says:
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
The Bible further reveals in the second and third chapters of Genesis that after creating man, God fellowshipped with him until this divine relationship was bungled through sin. Genesis 3:8 says:
“And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.”
From this verse of scripture, it is evident that God came down to take a walk with His beloved image carries, but sin came and destroys their fellowship. The interesting thing is that God is still interested in walking with as many as would determine in their hearts to pay the price of godly living, just like He did with Enoch (Genesis 5:24).

So, how can we walk with God? The answer lies in the instruction that God gave Abraham in Genesis 17:1:
“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.”
We see from this verse that it was God Himself who appeared to Abraham. In other words, we cannot discover God by our personal efforts. You cannot search for the Almighty God through religion; you only discover Him when He reveals Himself to you (Matthew 11:27, John 6:44, John 15:16). Another lesson is that living a holy life can never be compromised as the condition for walking with God. Immediately God made Himself known to Abraham, He declared holiness as the term on which they could walk together. This is why I am so addicted to the teaching of holiness. Under the New Testament, to walk with God as a Christian requires experiencing what Paul describes in Galatians 2:20-21, wherein you must allow your old Adamic nature to die on the cross of Jesus Christ. That disobedient heart that yearns for its own way, influenced by the old serpent, must be circumcised to bleed to death while you are infused with the new life that flows in the Blood of Jesus Christ. Then and only then can you have a blessed and successful walk with our Maker.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Just as the Lord Jesus Christ cursed the fruitless fig tree in our lesson yesterday, we see a similar scenario playing out in Luke 13:6-9. These two examples are indicative of heaven’s standpoint of zero tolerance for fruitlessness. This principle is laid bare by the Master Himself in John 15:2, where He says:
“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”
Heaven values fruitfulness and would rather preserve and purge a fruitful tree to make it bring forth more fruits. On the other hand, every unfruitful tree stands the risk of being uprooted and done away with.

In continuation of the subject matter studied yesterday, we must never lose sight of the lesson learnt not to lead a fake life. Acts 5:1-5 tells of a man in the early Church who attracted capital punishment to himself by living a pretentious life. One thing we learn from the story of Ananias and Sapphira is that the lie they told was unnecessary. This fact is buttressed by Peter’s question to Ananias in Acts 5:4, saying:
“Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.”
In other words, “Ananias, why should you lie to the Holy Spirit who knows everything? The land belonged to you. If you gave 50% and chose to keep the remaining 50% for your personal use, nobody would query you for doing so.” The problem with Ananias and Sapphira was that they wanted to be recognised to have a virtue they did not actually possess. Prior to their unfortunate act, Joses Barnabas has sold his land, bought the total proceeds and had been commended by the apostles. He was even given a nickname: “The Son of Consolation”. Ananias and Sapphira wanted to receive the same level of commendation but they could not do what Barnabas did, and so they lied to earn it. Romans 12:3 says:
“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly that he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to everyman the measure of faith.”
You must therefore learn from the fig tree and from Ananias and Sapphira that living a fake life can only earn you a bad reputation, shame and untimely death. This will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

For the next two days, we shall be reflecting on some lessons from the fig tree which Jesus condemned to death for being fruitless. Fruitlessness is a grievous deviation to all children of God. From our Matthew 21:18-22, we see that our Lord Jesus Christ was attracted to the fig tree because everything about it told Him that it had the capacity to bear fruit, but alas, He was disappointed (Matthew 21:19). For this reason, the first lesson we need to learn from this fig tree is that physical appearances can be very deceptive. This lesson is stated very clearly in Proverbs 31:30. In 1st Samuel 16:7b, when Samuel went to anoint another king to replace King Saul from the house of Jesse, God explained to him:
“For the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
These words should speak to young people who are waiting on the Lord for a godly spouse.

Another lesson to be learnt from the fig tree is that it is dangerous for you to portray yourself as what you are not. The appearance of the fig tree was such that anybody would expect it to possess some fruit. One can reasonably assume that the fig tree was cursed, not necessarily because it did not bear fruit (Mark 11:13 clearly says it was not its seasons to bear fruit), but rather because it deceptively appeared to bear fruit. Unfortunately, these days, people pretend a lot. To their shame and peril, many people fail to get the help they need from potential helpers because of the fake lifestyle they portray to the world. They ride in borrowed cars to show off wealth that they do not possess. When such people ask for financial assistance from their closest friends, it is assumed that they are just joking or trying to hide their real worth. Also, many marriages have broken down irreparably because of deceitful lifestyles. During courtship, some couples conceal many things from each other only for the truth to be discovered on the first night of marriage. Some men appear to be gentle during courtship, only for them to show their true colours as wife-beaters after the woman says “I do”. Sadly for them, a fellow who sows deceits will also reap deceit. An adage in my mother-tongue says, “The wife you choose from a dancing floor will sooner or later dance away from your house.” Beloved, the antidote for a life of deceit is to be in Jesus Christ, who is the Truth. Accept Him as your personal Lord and Saviour today, and the shame that follows a deceitful life will cease in your life. When you have the Truth in your life, you will not be a victim of deceit, because you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Over the past two days, we have been learning from the Parable of the Sower. The importance of this parable is underscored by the fact that Jesus referred to it as the key to understanding the mysteries of His other parables. In Mark 4:13 He said:
“Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
Today, we will reflect on this teaching from the perspective of marital faithfulness and fruitfulness. When a man sleeps with a woman, he is sowing seeds into her. In light of this truth, the Holy Spirit makes us understand in Malachi 2:15 that there is a difference between godly and ungodly seeds resulting from this act. Let every man therefore beware of where he sows his seeds, and let every woman also be cautious of the type of seeds she receives into the ground that is her body. Sow wisely for your godly seeds to come at God’s appointed time. Proverbs 6:32 profoundly says:
“But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destoryeth his own soul.”
In other words, when you have illicit sexual intercourse with a woman other than your wife, you lack understanding of the fact that you are sowing into wrong soil. As a woman, it is foolhardy for you to allow weeds to be sown into your vineyard through adultery.
“For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is better as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.”
Proverbs 5:3-5
Another lesson to learn from the Parable of the Sower is that keeping a concubine is very costly. What your spouse cannot demand from you, a concubine will. If you are engaged in adultery or fornication, you are sowing into grounds that cannot bring forth any profitable harvest. Some men build houses for their concubines and extend resources on training children that don’t belong to them. Sex workers and concubines are usually disrespected and abused by men who are merely using them. The motive of these men is not to hold on to them forever but to use and dump them as they choose. Eventually, they will have to face the consequences of their sinful way of life. If you are caught in the web of this lifestyle, call on Jesus to deliver you before it is too late. Remember, today is the day of salvation; tomorrow may be too late.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

This morning, we learnt a great lesson on the futility of indiscriminate sowing from the Parable of the Sower. The Holy Spirit taught us that it would amount to a waste of seed, time and energy if we do not sow wisely. Today, we will reflect on the benefits of sowing with wisdom.

To conclude His parable on the sower, the Lord in Mark 4:8 said:
“And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.”
The first lesson here is that seeds don’t all yield the same amount of fruit. Every child of God must have this understanding in order not to be frustrated by unfulfilled expectations. In His own wisdom, the owner of the Church did not endow every member of His Church equally (Romans 12:6-. What is important is that we all sow seed, using the endowments God has given to each of us, and we must do all within our ability to maximise the potential of our seed in order to yield the expected fruits (John 15:16). It will therefore be wrong for us, as members of the Body of Christ, to begin to compare ourselves competitively with one another. The Holy Spirit discourages this type of attitude among the brethren (2nd Corinthians 10:12)

When we choose correctly the right soil to sow our seeds into, we are bound to prosper. It is frustrating to work and have nothing to show for it. Peter experienced this in Luke 5:3-8, but by the time he encountered the Owner of heaven and earth, he had a big catch. From Peter’s experience, you be wise to learn that you need Jesus Christ, who is Himself the Wisdom of God, to experience breakthroughs in life without struggle (1st Corinthians 1:24-29). Moreover, if you are one of those who pay tithes and give offerings as commanded by God, you must identify the correct soil to sow these seeds of faith into. You must identity a commission which has God’s backing to sow yours seeds of giving into. Many people have been discouraged from paying their tithes, offerings and first-fruits because God’s promise on these in Malachi 3:10 is not fulfilled in their lives. They have become disgruntled about giving, not only to God but also to the needy, because they lack adequate knowledge on the principles of sowing. The problem is that many people unknowingly sow among thorns and thistles, on the roadsides or even on the rock. From the Parable of the Sower, we know what happens to such seeds. This will not be your experience in Jesus’ Name. Some ministries which are not founded on the call of God are like the wayside and rocky ground that Jesus described; you will be wise not to sow your time and resources in such places. Overall, the best investment you can make is to sow the seed of your life into Christ. If you do, you will surely reap the benefits in multiple folds (Mark 10:30, John 10:10).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

If you have heard or read the Parable of the Sower as told by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, you must have learnt some things from it. However, if the Lord tarries, the Holy Spirit will be teaching us some more lessons from this parable over the next few days. The first of those lessons is that the sower was not prudent enough in the business of sowing. He sowed carelessly and in so doing, wasted a lot of good seed on inappropriate ground. This situation applies to the lives of many people who wasted their energy and resources on unprofitable ventures because they are not wise enough to identify the appropriate business, places and people to invest in. It is unimaginable but true that some people sentimentally site their bakery business in their village of less than a hundred inhabitants. Among such inhabitants, hardly would twenty people buy a loaf of bread in three days because not only are they used to their local foods, they are also not rich enough to afford a loaf of bread. The story was told of a poor fellow who was the first to show up and the last to leave; he was indeed very hardworking and dedicated. One day, the king decided to help him out of his poverty. He disguised a huge sum of money in a big loaf of bread and gave it to him. “Take this bread home and let me see how it will transform your life for the better,” said the king. Incidentally, the value of the bread was enough to pay for food that the poor man could eat for five days. To the disappointment of the king, the poor man sold the loaf of bread, not knowing what was in it, and that was how he lost the fortune of a lifetime.


Some ventures are like sowing among thorns or on stony ground. Initially, such ventures may appear as though they have prospects, only for diminishing returns to set in later. It is one thing to be hard working and another thing to work wisely. It is one thing to keep busy and another thing to be busy doing something profitable. Even as a minister of the gospel, you need God’s wisdom in the business of Church planting. It is counterproductive to build a three thousand-seater capacity auditorium in a community of 500 people. It is true that the souls of men are more valuable than money and that those souls in the village are not inferior to the souls in the city, but wisdom dictates that a congregation cannot grow beyond the number of people living in the community where it is located. This is the reason why the Holy Spirit inspired the words of Proverbs 4:7. Wisdom enables the soul-winner to engage in profitable methods of evangelism and church-planting. Praying for a miracle of any kind for an unrepentant sinner, apart from the miracle of salvation, may be equivalent to sowing by the roadside. I pray that the wisdom you need to experience breakthroughs in all dimensions of life will be given to you in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.