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As we start another year, it is pertinent for us to have an understanding of the times we live in, in order for us to succeed. The good thing about understanding is that it belongs to God (Psalm 147:5). 1 John 5:20 reveals that one of the reasons why the Lord Jesus Christ came to the world is to give us understanding. How then do we gain access to the understanding that has been freely given to us? Psalm 119:98-100 says:
“Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.”
From this scripture, it is glaring that we need to meditate on the word of God this year if we will walk in the understanding that comes from heaven. No wonder God told Joshua that in order for him to succeed, the Book of the Law should not depart from his mouth; rather, he should meditate on it day and night (Joshua 1:

The children of Issachar were men who understood the times that they lived in. Now more than ever before, this is an important attribute that every child of God should possess, especially in these end times. We thank God that we have the Bible available in all kinds of languages and media. It is our sure aid for understanding the signs of this dispensation. In it, the Holy Spirit warns us of the nature of the end times, saying in 1st Timothy 4:1-2:
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;”
Beloved, to speak lies is evil enough, but to add the character of hypocrisy to the speaking of lies is a double tragedy. Our Lord Jesus Christ also said in Matthew 24:24:
“For there shall arise false Christ, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
In order not to be deceived by different schemes being propagated by the devil in the world today, the elect of God by grace must have an understanding of the times they live in just like the children of Issachar. As the new-year beings, many prophecies, predictions and projections will be given by different types of characters. As a child of God with understanding, you must be very careful not to be receptive to them all. Anchor your expectations on the revealed truth in the Bible, and you will live a life of freedom and good success in this new year. May the Lord continually be with you in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Welcome to a new year!!! The Almighty God says to you and me, “I will do a new thing.” How marvellous it is to begin the year with this promise from our Father. These are not empty words! They are the declaration of the Creator of heaven and earth, the Sustainer and Redeemer of all things, who cannot lie. However, for you to partake of the transformative power in this word sent from God, all you have to do is believe. Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ to the ruler of the synagogue in Luke 8:50b , saying:
“Fear not: believe only and she shall be made whole.”
Beloved, this new-year, God is telling someone reading this devotional, “I will do something new about your spiritual life. Your spiritual status will change from being sinful to being holy. In this new year, you will no longer continue to live a life that saddens My heart, because I have decided to save your soul and cleanse you from all your impurities.” If this applies to you, you must take a bold step of faith like Zacchaaeus did in Luke 19:1-10, repenting of your sins and choosing to right your wrongs through the help and power of the Holy Spirit.

As a new year gift for all faithful children, our Abba Father makes a promise in Isaiah 43:14-19 to do that which is humanly impossible. If you are numbered among His children, I congratulate you, but if you are not, the new thing promised by the Lord begins with the salvation of your soul. Do you know that everything required for your salvation has already been accomplished by the death of Jesus Christ at Calvary?

A new thing can mean different things to different people, depending on their current state. Have you been living in abject poverty in the past years? Do you work like an elephant but eat like an ant? Has your mortgage repeatedly failed or is your business crumbling under tough financial difficulties? Read 2 Corinthians 8:9 and believe what it says. For a user of this devotional to whom the enemies have said there is no way to escape, the Lord is saying you should not remember the former things nor consider the things of old. Why? It is because this year, that sickness that has devoured your finances shall not remain in your body. This year, the status of those who desire a godly and blissful marriage will change for the better, and those considered barren will experience fruitfulness. However, for you to partake of the new thing God has promised, you must heed His words to Martha in John 11:40:
“…Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?”
In this year, the One who brought forth water from the rock will bring forth the good desires of your heart in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The God we serve is very result-oriented. He never does anything just for the fun of it, and so He created every one of us with a purpose in mind. Not one person on this earth exists without a special assignment. He expects our lives to yield pleasant results for Him. Unfortunately, many people live life on their own terms. They just glide through life without a specific divine goal; the wind directs them to the south and they go to the south, and the next minute, the wind carries them to the north and they follow. They do not live their lives with a purpose in mind, because they don’t value their existence.

There is nothing as rewarding as being used of the Lord; He is the best boss that anyone can ever have. It is only in His organization that every act of service is generously rewarded. However, our God is also driven by His principles. There are things that you have to do in order to be used by Him. First of all, you have to be clean. God will use any type of vessel - broken vessels, young vessels, old vessels, poor vessels - but He will never use a dirty vessel, except, of course, for dirty and irritable things. The Holy Spirit makes this clear in 2nd Timothy 2:21, saying:
“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

Secondly, you have to seek to know what specific assignment God has for you. Your assignment in life is specific to you. For example, even though there were many apostles in the early Church, God still chose Paul and sent him to the Gentiles. Even if it seems like you have similar assignments with your neighbor, you don’t have the same purpose with them. To know your specific purpose, your spiritual eyes must be open and fixed on God’s dictates. When your relationship with God is solid and strong, you will have no problem with keeping your purpose firm and focusing on Jesus. It is also in maintaining a strong relationship with God that you will find strength to do all that He asks of you. As you prepare to enter a new year, desire to know your specific assignment from God, and determine to be focused on it. In this coming year, God will greatly use you for His purpose in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
Hebrews 11:3
From the above scripture, we understand that everything begins and ends with the word of God. Since the word of God is the architect, designer and builder of all that has ever existed, it means that nothing is hidden from its reach and power. This is good news to all lovers of God’s word. There is no hiding place for Satan to buffet you if the word of God is your teacher and guide. In today’s world, a lot of people hate the word of God, particularly those aspects that seem to encroach on their pleasures and “fundamental human rights”, such as homosexuality, incest, bestiality, alcoholism, smoking and drug addiction. Many hate what God’s word says about these acts not only because they indulge in them but also because these acts serve as the means of livelihood for some of them. I encourage such people to receive the good news of change that comes through God’s word today, because the same word will stand to condemn them on the Day of Judgment if they continue to ignore it now. On the Day of Judgment, not only will God judge our acts, He will also judge the intent of our hearts, and He is already doing this today with His word (Hebrews 4:12)

In John 12:3-8, we see how the word of God x-rayed the intent of Judas Iscariot’s heart. A woman came with costly ointment to anoint Jesus’ feet, and Judas Iscariot, being Jesus’ treasurer, saw this as a waste of resources. Besides the fact that Judas was wrong to condemn a sacrifice offered to Jesus, the word of God exposes the real reason he was “concerned” about keeping the money “for the poor”. John 12:6 says:
“This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.”
Today, some church treasurers may not support the acquisition of anything befitting for God’s house because the greater the credit balance in the church account, the more funds available for them to steal. Dealing with the rottenness of men’s hearts is very important to God because it controls their words and actions. A person who goes to church indecently dressed has more than meets the eye in his or her heart. When a man begins to plait his hair in the name of “fashion”, he needs to re-examine the motivations of his heart. A pastor who indiscriminately hugs congregation members should watch it with the opposite sex. Erotic jokes are an overflow of what is in the heart; don’t trivialize or condone them. May the Lord clear all forms of rottenness from our hearts in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Prosperity is a very good thing, In fact, God wants His children to prosper and live in abundance. So many good things come with being rich. For example, a rich man is more likely to be respected and listened to than a poor man. Ecclesiastes 9:15-16 says:
“Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. Then Said I, wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his good words are not heard.”
However, as good as riches are, they never really satisfy. We even understand through Ecclesiastes 5:12 that the abundance of a man’s riches keeps him from good sleep. The humbling truth is that no matter how many treasures a man amasses here on earth, he will never take a penny with him when he dies.

In Luke 12:30-37, our Lord Jesus Christ advised us to store our riches in heaven for a number of reasons. Firstly, riches stored in heaven are secure, because there are no moths, thieves or other devourers in heaven. Secondly, your heart will be wherever your riches are, and so if your riches are stored in heaven, your heart will also concentrate on the things of heaven (Matthew 6:21). Also, a person whose riches are stored in heaven will have just one master: God. Money has become the master of some people, and as the Bible says, no man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).The Holy Spirit makes it clear that the love of money is the root of all evil (1st Timothy 6:10).

How then can we store up our riches in heaven? Jesus answered this question in Luke 12:33, instructing us to give to the poor. This He said would guarantee us treasures in heaven. Paul also made the same connection in 1st Timothy 6:17-19, saying:
“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”
We can also store up our riches in heaven by investing in things that bring people to Jesus: financially supporting evangelism, bringing your tithe into God’s storehouse, and much more. Prospering here on earth is important, but nothing is as important as making it to heaven.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Our God is not a slave driver. He is a loving Father who wants restful peace for His children always. Even though He cannot by any means get tired, He rested after six days of creation to demonstrate to us the need for rest (Genesis 2:2). Consequently, whenever we find ourselves in a stressful situation where one cannot even find rest in sleep, a prayerful probe into the matter usually points either to human error or the threats of enemies. I pray for anyone passing through difficult times, burdened with the load of life and without any hope of deliverance in sight: receive God’s rest now in Jesus' Name.

Rest from enemies and the travails of life has been the greatest concern of mankind from one generation to another. Since God’s judgment came on humanity for the wrongdoing of Adam and Eve, hardship, trouble and travail have become a daily experience for people (Genesis 3:17-19). Humanity labored under these harsh conditions without any respite until the advent of Jesus, the Messiah and Saviour of the world. In Matthew 11:28, He invited us to all-round rest in Himself, saying:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
This proclamation presents Jesus as the source of rest from labour without reward, rest from adversaries, rest from life’s troubles, and the promised rest with God in eternity. All those who answer His call will receive allround rest here on earth and eternal rest with God in heaven.

Rest can also be an expression of trust or reliance. When a person ceases from all personal efforts in a troubled situation, it implies confidence in and dependence on the assistance of a higher power. Those who turn to Jesus for rest can never be disappointed. Psalm 37:7 says:
“Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prosperth in his way, because the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.”
Through this scripture, the Holy Spirit is emphasizing that when an enemy is so powerful, well connected and reputed to have successfully carried out wicked plans in the past, you should rest in the Lord and patiently wait for His salvation, because our God is the final authority in heaven and on earth. As you accept the Lord's invitation to come into His rest today, no matter what you are going through, you will find rest for your soul in Jesus' Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Your body is a very important asset that God has given you. Without your body, you have no license to remain on earth. One of your major responsibilities therefore is to take care of your body constantly by feeding it and keeping it clean. It is the food we eat that gives our body the energy it needs to function well. However, not all the food we eat supplies our bodies with the kind of energy that it actually needs. There are healthy foods and there is junk food. When eaten, both types of food will supply energy to the body. However, while healthy food supplies the kind of energy that positively enhances the functions of our body and helps it build its resilience against diseases, the energy that junk food supplies will do just the opposite, and over time, this will contribute to the body breaking down.

Although it is important to care for the body, much more importance should be placed on feeding the soul with healthy food. When we neglect our souls, so much more is at stake than sickness and physical death. Jesus does not just say things for the fun of it, and He was the one who said “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth" (Matthew 4:4). He was saying that if feeding the body alone (eating bread) is all you do, then you will not live. Although your body will be nourished, your soul will starve and eventually die.

How then can our souls be fed? We feed our souls on the word of God written in the Bible. The habit of reading the Bible is fast becoming archaic, especially with how busy everyone has become with making ends meet. Nevertheless, 1st Timothy 4:13 says:
“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”
No one ever said you have to read a large portion of the Bible daily. If reading a chapter of the Bible per day is what you can properly reflect on, then start with a chapter per day. Furthermore, you should not stop at reading the Bible; it is also very important to reflect on what you have read. While reading is for the head, reflecting is for the heart. You have to meditate on what you read by thinking it over and allowing it sink deep into your heart. A good way to do this is to have a book where you write down points from what you have read, and then consciously think about these points during the day. Irrespective of what you do and how busy your schedule is, always endeavor to feed your soul daily. Remember, man shall not live by bread alone.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people in the 21st century do not believe in the reality of evil in this world, because of the high level of secular knowledge and enlightenment they have attained. Prominent among the reasons why some people find it difficult to accept the reality of evil is the fact that almost all the things attributed to evil can be scientifically explained away. However, physical and Biblical evidence abound to prove the reality of evil. The Bible is filled with accounts of events that show the reality of evil: the activities of Pharaoh’s magicians, human sacrifices, idol worshiping and much more. In the world today, we are often confronted with situations that defy any human understanding or scientific explanation. There are cases where an attack in the dream becomes reality after waking up. There are also cases of evil manifestations working strongly against people’s health. While all medical tests reveal that all is well, such people continue to experience incapacitating illness. Many have even lost their lives in such circumstances. In Ephesians 6:12, the Holy Spirit reveals the root of the matter, saying:
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

The entities identified in Ephesians 6:12 are all demonic powers under the control of their master the devil. Since the expulsion of Satan from heaven and his arrival on earth, evil has become an integral part of this present world (Revelation 12:12). Satan, who is the god of this world, is a spirit-being operating in the spiritual realm (2nd Corinthians 4:4). His spiritual activities manifest in the form of suffering, sickness, death, failure and other calamities. For this reason, 1st Peter 5:8 says,
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”
The devil indeed goes about destroying anyone who is ignorant of his activities. The solution to the devils rampant attack on humanity is found in 1st John 3 :8b, which says:
“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
All powers belong to Jesus. At the mention of His Name, even the devil trembles (James 2:19). To bring evil to a permanent end, the devil will be cast into the Lake of Fire forever (Revelation 20:7-10). I pray that God will permanently silence evil in your life in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One proof that a man is wise is that he listens to instruction and takes to correction. In this regard, Proverbs 10:8 says:
“The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.”
Wisdom is considered to be the correct application of knowledge; it is therefore a wise thing to seek knowledge. The wise men from the east demonstrated their wisdom by applying their knowledge of stars to seek after the new-born King, Jesus. Wisdom is not determined by the number of academic qualifications gathered but by the products of the quest for knowledge. The wise men saw a unique star, and they sought after its meaning until it led them to the Bright and Morning Star. For two years, they were resolute in finding the new born King. The learned rabbis in Israel did not see what the wise men saw, even though it was happening in their own backyard. How amazing! Of course, this is why these men from the east were considered to be wise. Although only God knows what these wise men did with their discovery of the King of the Jews, also born to be the King of the world, their wisdom would have been in doubt if they had not heeded the Lord’s instruction that they should not return to King Herod. Their efforts would have been wasted and they would have gone back to their country frustrated and in sorrow, because the wicked King Herod would have slaughtered the Holy Child right before them. Thank God they were not just philosophers and theologians, but also men who heard from God. They were not carried away by the allure of gifts they would have received from the king for their great discovery; rather, they heeded the voice of the Lord. This world would have been a better place if our philosophers and theologians were also prophets.

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”
The wisdom of God in the above scripture recommends that we deploy everything we have in the quest for understanding. The surest way of getting understanding is through the Scriptures. Unfortunately, some foolish people who think they are wise are always undermining the Bible, which is true source of knowledge and understanding (Psalm 119:104). Beloved, ensure that your knowledge is based on the word of God, and that your understanding of things is influenced by the mind of God as revealed in His word. Merry Christmas!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Salvation through Christ originated from God as an act of love towards humanity. It was specially designed to be the only way out of human sinfulness, indebtedness and bondage to the devil. The foundational role of love in the process of salvation is made clear to us in John 3:16, which says:
”For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
It was divine love that propelled God, as a compassionate Father, to offer His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, as the ultimate sacrifice for our salvation. Out of love for humanity, Jesus accepted His Father’s will and came into this world to relate with sinful men and women, working out our salvation freely and unconditionally. Considering all His labor of love and the suffering He endured in His final hours before death, the Bible in 1st John 4:9 rightly concluded:
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”
Therefore, the role that love plays as the catalyst for soul winning has its roots in God Himself, and it is transmitted to those who have partaken of His divine nature through Jesus Christ our Lord.

For obvious reasons, soul-winning requires love. Winning a soul involves fierce competition and confrontation with the kingdom of darkness. It is apparent to anyone involved in soul-winning at any level that Christians are competing with the devil for the souls of men. Because eternal life is involved, the stakes could not be any higher. Therefore, soul-winning is of everlasting importance, and it demands determination, commitment and sacrifice. All of these can only flow from a heart overflowing with love for Christ and perishing souls. Anyone who confesses Christ as Lord and Savior is compelled by the love of God to spread the love he or she has received to others who are still living in sin (2nd Corinthians 5:14-15). The golden rule set by Jesus is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39), and He identifies your neighbour to be anyone who has a need within your sphere of influence (Luke 10:29.37). Are you then moved by the knowledge that anyone without Christ is lost and hell-bound if they remain unsaved? Has this knowledge moved you to share the gospel with your family members, neighbours, co-workers, schoolmates and the society at large? The Christmas holiday is a good opportunity to do this. I pray that God will fill your heart with love for perishing souls today, in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Principle of giving is one of the cardinal principles that God has put in place for the benefit of His children. God wants us to prosper and be wealthy, to the extent that we can afford to lend to nations. However, the measure of God’s liberality to us is determined by our liberality to Him. All of God’s principles are simple and straight forward. This principle we are considering today simply says "Give, and it will be given to you.” In other words, you have to give so as to receive. Unfortunately, as simple as this principle is, many Christians do not apply it, because deep down in their hearts they don’t believe it.

When you sow a seed, you never get back the exact seed you gave out. For example, a farmer who plants a water melon seed will reap multiple water melons with much more seeds in them; all from that single seed. That is the meaning of good measure. God always multiplies whatever you give to Him, and He never owes anyone. He always pays back His debts, and that is why Genesis 8:22 says that seed time and harvest will never cease. If you are faithful to your seed time, you can rest assured that He will be faithful enough to give you your due harvest.

Why do many people sow without receiving in good measure? This might be because they don’t give willingly. 2nd Corinthians 9:7 says that we must not give grudgingly or as though we are under compulsion. In other words, for us to reap the benefit of our sowing, it must be done willingly from the heart. Our God loves a cheerful giver, and for this reason, aside from the fact that you have to willingly give, you also have to do it joyfully. I was invited to a certain church a while ago, and because I was there, they were calling for all manner of offerings. l was getting annoyed already when they still called for one more offering. Grumbling, I put my hand in my pocket to get money out and I heard God say to me, “Keep your money! If you want to grumble while giving Me an offering, then don’t bother.” I quickly changed my attitude before giving the offering. Do you know that if you grumble to give an offering, you are just throwing away your money? That sort of offering is not accepted by God, it is better for you not to give at all.

Correct your attitude to giving from today. Whenever you have the opportunity to give, remember that when you give joyfully, you will also receive in good measure.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the great titles of our Lord is ‘Prince of Peace’ (Isaiah 9:6). He is the possessor of peace and He has bequeathed this peace to us all. In John 14:27, He said:
“Peace l leave with you, my peace l give unto you: not as the world giveth, give l unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus demonstrated to us that His ability to instill peace was no fluke. After a successful preaching assignment, He told His disciples that they should sail to the other side of the sea in order to continue their assignment there. On their way, a great storm arose on the sea that was about to cause their ship to capsize. Interestingly, the Prince of Peace was in the inner part of the ship, sleeping. Out of fear, the disciples woke Him up, indicting Him for not showing concern about their situation. With the benefit of hindsight you might say, “What a faithless group of disciples these were. “However, if you were to be sincere with yourself, have you not also been in situations that have caused you to indict Jesus in your heart? Nevertheless, Mark 4:39 says:
“And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”
That is our Master for you - compassionate, loving, omniscient and understanding of our frame. After He stilled the storm, He rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith. Do you also feel that He does not care about you? He is also rebuking you today. I found myself in such a situation some years ago. I thought that I had been forsaken and nobody cared about me. Nevertheless, the Lord sent a little girl to give me a cake like He did for Elijah (1st Kings 19:6). Beloved, Jesus cares. He will not leave you in that situation. As a matter d fact, His peace will overwhelm the current storm in your life and there shall be great calm. This calmness will surpass the rage of the storm, and it shall be as though you never experienced a storm in your life.

One truth you can learn from this story is that working for God does not make you immune to the storms of life. Jesus and the disciples had just had a successful outreach and there came a storm. As a matter of fact, the storm came because their exploits wreaked havoc on the kingdom of Satan. What worked in favor of the disciples was that the Stiller of Storms was with them. He promised us also that He would be with us till the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). Learn from this story that you must always keep Jesus in the boat of your life at all times. Don’t ever undertake a journey or project without His involvement. Moreover, we should not be faithless to the point of indicting our Lord. We should outgrow crying like babies in Christ. He has given us authority to still storms ourselves, but not without abiding in Him (Luke 10:19, John 15: 4).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people may miss heaven not because their sins were more grievous than the sins of those enjoying eternal bliss with the Father, but because they did not see the grace of Jesus Christ as being sufficient for all that they needed in this world, nor enough to grant them the required right standing with God. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself gave us a parable to this effect about an arrogant man who was graciously invited by a king to the wedding feast of his son. This man was also offered a wedding garment free of charge to wear to the feast. However, he refused to wear it. While the king was going round to thank those who came to the feast, he discovered this man without his wedding garment. Matthew 22:12 says:
“And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless."
The king subsequently ordered his arrest, and he was thrown out of the feast. My prayer is that arrogance and faith in your own righteousness will not disqualify you from the marriage feast of the Lamb in Jesus' Name.

Thank God for His grace that qualified Paul to be part of the heritage of the Lord, in spite of all that he did against the early Church. Further down the road in his Christian life and ministry, he still acknowledged that he needed the grace of God to help him make it, due to the circumstances of life that take people away from the narrow path to heaven. In 2nd Corinthians 12:7-9, he wrote:
“…there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest l should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Beloved, let the grace of Jesus Christ be sufficient for you, even in the face of life's challenges. Don’t allow Miserable comforters derail you from reliance on His grace. In Philippians 3:2, Paul warns us to beware of dogs. Such people will advise you to seek alternatives to Jesus; please don't yield to their advice. Don’t Compromise your faith, because the grace of Jesus has always been sufficient for all those who believe. May His grace be enough for you until you see Him in glory.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To succeed in life, one must know how. Many people are failing today not because they want to, but because they were not taught how to succeed. However, we thank God who has given us the Bible, where we can learn how to succeed. The problem is how many people read and study the Bible, which contains the secrets of success? One of these secrets is found in Deuteronomy 28:2, which says:
“All these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.”
In Luke 4:4, our Lord Jesus Christ also showed us that the secrets of success are hidden in God’s word. Quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, He said:
“...It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”

It is an exercise in futility for a fellow to seek success outside the dictates of God in His word. I am a living testimony of this truth. My success as a PhD student of mathematics was gotten from a Bible passage. An equation that would have made it impossible for me to solve the problem in my thesis was solved with the aid of a passage of scripture. If God’s word can be applied in such scenario, it is grievous for a pastor to attempt using human gimmicks in order to succeed. The secrets of Church growth and growth in other endeavors of life are in the Bible; if only we care to read, study, meditate and act on it. A good example of success through diligent listening and acting on God’s instruction is found in Luke 5:1-10. Peter and his colleagues toiled throughout the night, using all their expertise in fishing to no avail. As they were washing their nets and mending them for another night of struggle, Jesus came into the scene. After allowing Him to use their boat, the “Rewarder of those who diligently serve Him” said to Simon Peter in Luke 5:4b:
“Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.”
Take note of the words of this instruction. The Lord said to Peter that they should let down their nets not just for some fishes but for a draught, meaning a great catch. Our Lord is not a gambler: He gives precise instructions because He is the Almighty who makes the impossible possible and brings success out of failure. He knew what He was saying when He told Peter to let down his “nets” and not “net” Beloved, you will succeed if only you listen to what God is telling you to do about that business, project or career. The Lord will teach your hands to war, and you will not be a victim but a success in Jesus’ Name (Psalm 144:1-2).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A very large part of our day to day activities is based on relationships and connections with other people. For example, if you want something done at a bank that involves a lot of processes, you will naturally begin to think of someone you know in that bank that can help you speed things up. Many people maintain friendship with certain people not because they actually like them, but because they know that those people will be useful to them in the future one way or another. There is a popular saying that your network is your net-worth. In other words, with a good network of influential friends, things that are difficult for others to get done will be easy for you. Some people are very powerful not because they hold any position of power or wealth, but because they have friends in high places.

If having friends in high places is very beneficial to attaining your goals, how much more having the Most High as your Friend? Anyone who is friends with God has unlimited power and Influence. There is no contractor job that God cannot help you get, there is no position too high for Him to reach, there is no heart too hard for Him to influence in your favor, and there is absolutely no door that He cannot open. Unfortunately, many people who profess to be Christians are actually not friends with God.

Friendship Is like Fire; if tended properly, that fire will burn for a very long time. No friendship will stay alive if it is not properly and constantly maintained. God wants you to seek Him with your heart and not through activities. Many Christians concentrate so much on religious activities that they stop tending to their relationship with God for a very long time, to the point that they have no intimacy with Him. Some would rather be on the pulpit in front of people than be alone with God just communing with Him. No wonder Jesus Christ says that some people who thought they had been working for Him would be turned away like strangers on the last day. Matthew 7:21-23 says:
”Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, lord, shall enter Into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And In thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will profess unto them,I never knew you, depart from me.”Ye that work iniquity."
Further confirming the words of this scripture, John 15:14 says that only those who do His commandments are His friends. Are you His friend?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

For you to be triumphant in warfare, you need to know your adversary well so that you can Checkmate his or her every move. 1 Peter 5:8 makes it clear that the devil is our adversary; you would therefore be wise to understand his character and modus operandi in order not to be ensnared by his wily crafts. The devil is a doomed fellow, and he is a slave beneath every true Christian (Matthew 25:41, Ephesians 1:21-23, Ephesians 2:6). Since the day iniquity was found in him, there has not been any good in him at all (Ezekiel 28:15). Having known this, it will be dangerous to assume that the devil is a fool. He is no fool, but rather cunning and with a lot of experience. The devil is very studious and diligent. When he sets a goal, he does everything possible to ensure he meets his target. This is why we have to watch and pray against his moves. We also have to be as gentle as doves, but as wise as serpents. Furthermore, we have to be guarded with our armor always, because our adversary never rests, always going around looking for whom to devour.

Now, when does the devil strike? He first studies his target by watching for any weakness in that target. When he finds a weakness, he begins to hit at that weakness, so much so that if the fellow does not brace up and strengthen that weak point, it could trigger his or her fall. This was the case with Moses. When he killed an Egyptian for flogging a Hebrew, the devil noticed that he had a problem with anger. Having discovered this, the devil constantly influenced the Israelite's to provoke him, but Moses held on strong until the day when out of anger he struck the rock he was supposed to speak to. Beloved, you cannot afford to be lackadaisical at any time, and neither can you indulge a weakness for the slightest moment, because the devil is working overtime to make you fall. Moses was careless just once, and the result was that he couldn't enter the Promised Land.

Another time the devil strike is after a victory. David experienced this. After he killed Goliath, the devil raised an enemy against him in King Saul. Similarly, immediately after Jesus fed 5,000 men with five loaves of bread and twofishes, the devil tried to use a storm to swallow His boat. It was also after Jesus had finished an impactful 40-day fast that the devil came to tempt Him (Luke 4:1-13). ). The devil knows that everyone tends to relax and celebrate after a victory, and so he uses that Opportunity to strike. Note that the devil attacks by putting something ternpting right in front of you so that you will constantly see it. He adopts this method because he knows that no matter how strong a rock is, if water keeps dropping on it continually, it will eventually give way. What is that source of temptation the devil is constantly throwing your way? It’s time to get rid of it. May God help you in this regard in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Spiritual growth is not an option for all children of God who want to end well and strong. For this reason, the Holy Spirit in 1 Peter 2:2 admonishes us to desire the necessary spiritual nutrients that will help us grow. This verse of scripture points to some critical elements that are involved in the journey of spiritual growth. Firstly, spiritual newborn babies must desire the milk of God’s word. Secondly, the midwives that God uses as vessels to birth babies in His kingdom must make the milk of God’s word available to those who are eager to drink it. Thirdly, the milk of God's word given to spiritual babies must be the sincere type. In other words, it must contain a balanced diet for growth.

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all Long suffering and doctrine.”
2nd Timothy 4: 2
From the above scripture, we understand that the milk of God’s word that will cause a believer to grow must include reproving of wrongdoing, rebuking the wrongdoer, patiently exhorting young believers to embrace righteousness even in the face of persecution that will definitely come, and teaching sound doctrines. A believer who is not ready to be established in the sound doctrines of the kingdom will soon fall into error and thus make shipwreck of his or her faith. Such are the seeds that fell on stony ground in the Lord's parable of the sower (Matthew 13:20-21).

Although every Christian needs to have a personal relationship with God, there is a place for every one of us to be impacted by the gifts that the Lord has set in His Church. In Ephesians 4:11-16 we are told that one of the reasons why Jesus bestowed ministry gifts upon certain individuals in His Church is for us to grow to the measure of the stature of His fullness (Ephesians 4:13). There is therefore a place for pastors, evangelists, teachers and all other ministry gifts in the spiritual development of all Christians.

Today’s devotional should not be seen as a mere admonition; it should rather be taken as a command from God to grow. To ministers of God: it is obligatory for us to see our spiritual children grow. To babies in the Faith: you must desire the sincere milk of God’s word and not the diluted motivational talks of these days which do not guarantee spiritual growth.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Isaiah 43:2 reminds us of God’s promise to be with His children whenever they pass through the storms, rivers and fires of life. We see this promise literarily fulfilled in the lives of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego when they were confronted with Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace. For your own good, you need to understand that these words proclaimed by God in Isaiah 43:2 are not empty promises. To the three Hebrew boys, the Lord who helped the Israelites walk through the waters during their exodus from Egypt was also able to deliver them from the fire of Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace in accordance to His promise. In contrast to these young men, many people today would not want to take this promise of God literarily. However, the experience of the three Hebrew boys shows that none of God’s promises will go unfulfilled in our lives if we hold unto them.

Let us consider what the young Hebrew men did to draw the presence of the Fourth Man into the furnace and see how it applies to each one of us. Essentially, they decided to be different and lived a separated life in the land of unbelievers. They took a collective decision with Daniel not to defile themselves with pagan lifestyles and delicacies (Daniel 1:8-17). A proverb in my native tongue says, “There is a tendency for a child to change his good name in a foreign land.” This was not the case with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. For this reason, the Lord of Hosts Himself came to join them when they were thrown into the burning furnace. The Fourth Man in the furnace was no other person than the Son of the Living God (Daniel 3:25).

Beloved, if God could fulfil His promise in Isaiah 43:2 in the lives of these men, He will also fulfil this promise to us. However, you need to ask yourself if you are living a separated life. Is there any difference between you and everyone else who does not know your God? Do you behave one way in church and another way outside church? If someone spends time with you, can they indeed say that you have been with Jesus? You need to live a life that gives a positive answer to these questions. I decree into your life today that the grace to live a separated life will come upon you in Jesus’ Name. The waters of life will not drown you, and the fire of the enemy will not burn you in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
Matthew 22:39
For us not to lose our reward from God, we need to pay close attention to the words He uses when He speaks to us. The words in the above scripture say, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself." and not “Act as though you love your neighbor as you love yourself." l have come to observe that the Christian life of many professed Christians has become a stage play. They act out characters that are completely different from who they really are. If God was to show the state of your heart to those you relate with, Will they still see you the same way you have always portrayed yourself to be?

God does not recognize humility by how many people you call “sir" or “ma"; He looks into your heart to see if you have a humble heart. He does not recognize love by the sweet words you say; He checks your intentions. God cannot be deceived, and even if you deceive your Pastor, my God sees your heart and knows those who are His and those who are not (2nd Timothy 2 :19). I wonder why a person will try to look holy when looking holy does not count at all before God? Looking holy will not take anyone to heaven, but being holy will. Which is most important to you: how God sees you or how your fellow human beings see you? To me, it does not matter how holy people say l am; l am only interested in what my God says. Sometime ago at a Christian conference, the organizers asked that soft music be played while we all meditate. While meditating, I went into a trance and saw myself in a place that looked like the throne room of God. All the angels were so pure that they were transparent, and l looked extremely dirty in their midst. When l got out of that trance, l determined that if I was to enter that room again in a trance, I would not look the way I saw myself that day. I was already a holiness preacher by then, and people all around said I was a holy man, but that did not matter to me. All that matters to me now is how Jesus sees me. Stop pretending to be holy; rather, live a holy life for real!

On the other hand, some people dress and act like unbelievers, and then they turn around to say their outward appearance does not matter; because God looks inward. This is true, but what is on the inside will show on the outside. Stop deceiving yourself; if you like to look and talk like an unbeliever, then you are just the same as them. It is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). Your outward life needs to reflect the transformation you claim has occurred inside your heart. Is your life reflecting this transformation?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are so many con-artists in the Church and in the world today, so much so that the gift of discernment has become a necessity in the life of every believer. In your business dealings, if you do not want to fall victim to the canker-worm of cheats and frauds, you need to rely on the Holy Spirit to help you exercise discernment over business opportunities that are brought your way. In your job, if you do want to escape from agents of darkness looking for every opportunity to milk their employers dry and implicate innocent people along the way, you need the gift of discernment to begin to operate in your life. The stories narrated in Joshua 9:1-16 are good life lessons on the need for the gift of discernment. Joshua was hasty in entering into a pact with the Gibeonites without first consulting God, and he ended up falling for a lie; the impact of which continued to affect the Israelites generations after (2 Samuel 21:1-9). Be wary of any deal or matter that is brought before you which requires you to make a hasty commitment. Also, at your work place, be careful when a document is brought for your signature and pressure is being applied on you to sign it quickly without thoroughly scrutinizing its contents.

In contrast to Joshua who fell for the lies of the Gibeonites, we also read of Paul who was able to detect the spirit of divination at work in the supposed ‘public relations secretary” who volunteered to serve his missionary team in Thyatira. She followed Paul and his team for several days. Publicizing what Paul and his team came to do in that locality. Thank God that Paul, through the gift of discernment, detected after many days that it was a demonic spirit at work in her. If this was not found out, many people would have assumed that she was operating with the same spirit as Paul and his team, luring them to follow her and enabling the evil spirit in her to make merchandise of them. This would have brought shame to the Name of Jesus Christ, and the message of the gospel would have been adulterated. This is a great lesson for evangelist and missionaries: volunteers should be handled with caution. Free services may not be free at the end of the day. We have had such experiences in our ministry, where people have come to tell us that there are openings in some countries for missions, only for us to later find out that they were just trying to use the church to realize their dreams of getting out of the country, or even trying to swindle the church of her money. We therefore need the gift of discernment to be able to detect the wily moves of the enemy. This gift is freely given when you thirst and ask God for it in prayer. Ask for it today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Imagine that a family goes on vacation for a couple of months, locking up their entire house. They eventually return home, only to meet workers and artisans going in and out of their house - some cleaning windows, some fixing electrical appliances and others painting the walls. The family will be shocked because they did not instruct anyone to work in their house. What would you do if this happened to you? I assume you would immediately call the police to assist in getting these intruders out of your house. The same thing needs to happen in the Church of God, as many workers there are intruders. This is the reason why the Lord said in Matthew 7:22-23:
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, the Holy Spirit reveals to us the character of those who will receive divine commendation, saying:
“And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:”

To receive heaven’s commendation on the day of reckoning, you must be temperate in all things and run your course with certainty of purpose. Being temperate means being moderate and self-controlled, while to be certain is to be sure-minded and serious. In contrast to this, the attitude of “beating the air" is common place in our churches today. We have people who teach on missions but who don’t go on missions. Some teach on evangelism but do not go out to evangelise. Others are orators who can get money from the stingiest of persons, but they themselves are not givers. We need to be mindful of our ways so that we don’t end up being disappointed on the day of reckoning. Learn from Apostle Paul and apply the secret he reveals in 1 Corinthians 9:27 to your life:
“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
May you not miss your divine commendation at the end of your life in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The word “Jubilee" is derived from the Hebrew word jobel, meaning “ram's horn", because a ram’s horn is used as a trumpet to announce the beginning of the year of jubilee. It is a year when slaves are released and debts forgiven unconditionally amongst the Israelite's. Describing the tenets of this ordinance, Leviticus 25:39-41 says:
“And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant: But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubilee: And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return.”

Under the New Testament, we experience Jubilee when we surrender our lives to Jesus. An encounter with Jesus is the fulfilment of Jubilee in its fullness. He is our Kinsman-Redeemer who came to redeem us from the slavery which our spiritual poverty had imprisoned us in. The Spirit of life in Jesus Christ sets us free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). Jesus paid the price, repaid all of our debts and freed us from every form of bondage we were under through His death on the cross and His resurrection on the third day after His death. Through His work of salvation, we have access to a rest that is found only in Him. For those who have not experienced this rest, Jesus is calling out to you today, saying:
“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

Whoever wants to experience genuine and complete freedom must come to Jesus Christ. He is the one who is able to grant all-round freedom: physically, spiritually and mentally. Beloved, if you are experiencing genuine Jubilee from the Lord, I congratulate you. However, if you know you are not experiencing complete freedom, today is the day of salvation. You need to decide today to surrender all that concerns you to His will and commit to living according to His will, and you will begin to experience the total freedom that He gives.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The story narrated in John 21:3-12 contains some vital lessons for those who desire not to live in failure and frustration. From this story, we discover that our Lord Jesus Christ can choose to be humorous sometimes. Asking a group of frustrated fishermen whether they had food was a use of humor from the Lord in order to change the gloomy atmosphere of failure that had enveloped the disciples. As a gesture of gratitude for being of great service to me, I once gave a small gift to a young man to pass on to his children at home. Unknown to me, this young man had no child since he got married. The Lord turned the gift into a prophetic tool, because by the time I was visiting that country the following year, the miracle child this young man had been waiting for had come. I decree that God will spice up your life with pleasant humor today in Jesus’ Name. When the Lord asked the disciples whether they had caught anything, He was also teasing them with His question because they were no longer supposed to be in the fishing business. You will recall that in Luke 5:10, He had already said to Peter, in the presence of some of these disciples that from that moment he would be catching men and not fish. Peter and his team failed because they were operating on the wrong side of their destiny.

It would not be out of place to be puzzled by Jesus’ instruction to his disciples in john 21:6, when He had said “Cast out the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find”. This instruction should be seen as symbolic, because there was nothing at the other side of the ship. Immediately the disciples cast their net on the right side as instructed, they caught a multitude of fish. Beloved, when you operate on the wrong side of life, you are bound to get nothing out of it. The Lord’s side is the right side of life. He said in John 14:6:
“…l am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
He is still leading men to the right side of life today through His word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, for you to continually stand on the right side of life, you must be addicted to the study of the Bible and be sure to listen to the Holy Spirit’s voice, guiding and leading you into all truth (John 16:13). However, having experienced the right side of life, it would be disastrous to abandon it for the wrong side of self-will. Jesus committed the work of the ministry to Simon Peter, but he and his team went fishing instead. What did they get out of their efforts? Nothing! Nevertheless, the compassionate Master went ahead to prepare a delicious breakfast for His errant disciples (John 21:9). There is no form of lack on the Lord’s side. Beloved, I appeal to you to come to the Lord’s side in perfect obedience to His word today, and failure will become alien to you and your generation.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I have tasted both poverty and a little of God’s blessing and I can tell you that the difference is clear. I have concluded in my spirit that poverty is not a virtue rather, it is a vice. A vice is something evil. Poverty is evil and a root of iniquity which every child of God must pray against. No wonder Agur prayed in Proverbs 30:8-9, saying:
“Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.”
According to this scripture, a poor man is on the borderline between innocence and the crime of stealing.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 gives a classic example of someone who did not see poverty as a virtue but rather as a vice, and he desperately prayed poverty out of his life. Jabez recognized poverty for what it is, and he asked God to enlarge his coast so that he could be kept from the evil that poverty brings. Every one of us needs to be like Jabez who acknowledged that the God of Israel was the one who could get him out of poverty. Promotion and increase comes from God, and He is the only one who can take away financial, mental and spiritual poverty all at once. Any other source will give you wealth but will take away your peace. For this reason, Deuteronomy 8:18 says:
“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.”
Every believer needs to ask God for the power to create wealth. You need to ask God to open your eyes of understanding to see the opportunities He puts in front of you to produce wealth and move you out of poverty. Our Lord Jesus Christ has already paid the price for us to be free from poverty. 2 Corinthians 8:9 tells us that He became poor so that we can be rich. It is therefore a waste of God’s grace and a belittling of the price that Jesus paid for us to still live in poverty. You should however note that we are also expected to live a life of contentment (1st Timothy 6:6-. Today, pray like Jabez for God to enlarge your coast and open your eyes of understanding to see the opportunities He brings your way to create wealth.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is a big disconnect between the priorities many people set for themselves and the priorities the Almighty God has set for their lives. Unless we understand God’s priorities for our lives, we will stumble and tumble in life, and God forbid that we tumble out of His will for us in this world and in the hereafter. Matthew 6:33 clearly tells us that seeking the kingdom of God should be the basis of all our priorities in life. We have God’s promise that when this is the case, all other things will fall in line.

Philippians 2:5-13 reveals to us how our Lord Jesus Christ prioritized His mission of redeeming mankind through His death, so much so that He was ready to go through humbling and humiliating experiences for the purpose of fulfilling His assignment. Philippians 2:6-8 vividly describes the extent of the sacrifice Jesus made because of the priority He placed on His mission:
“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”.
What a great sacrifice! Even when Jesus went to be baptized by John the baptist, John did not want to baptize Him as he did not count himself worthy of even untying Jesus’ shoe lace, but Jesus insisted on being baptized because of the priority He placed on fulfilling His mission. To Him, His mission was important enough to set aside His status (Matthew 3:13-15). I pray that your mind will indeed reflect the mind of Christ in attitude, motive and priority in Jesus’ Name.

If you want God to take pre-eminence in your life, you need to seek His will and do it. Doing the will of God may appear foolish to the world, but unless we are ready to become foolish in the matters of this world, we will not be able to live by divine priority; rather, we will always end up putting the cart before the horse (1 Corinthians 1:18-21). Living according to divine priority entails courage. It took courage for Jesus Christ to face the Cross and die for the sins of mankind. This is why I am puzzled when I see children of God arguing with the word of God when the word is “encroaching” on their so-called right to live as they please. It is unfortunate that in the world today, a preacher becomes unpopular the moment he or she begins to preach against those things that distract from living according to divine priority, but this ought not to be so if we really want to enjoy the fullness of God in our lives. Beloved, seek first God’s interest in all our endeavors, and you will not make mistakes or be disappointed.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Psalm 65:1, the Psalmist assures God that praise awaits Him in Zion. How remarkable! When God Comes to your home or heart, will He find praises there or will He find complaints? For some people, He will meet with complaints, and so He will not stay. No one wants to be in an environment where all they hear is complaints. If you can have a place in your heart and home where God can find praise at all times, He will surely draw us close to you. Solomon did not ask God for anything when he became king, neither did he complain about all the issues his father left for him to resolve in the kingdom; all he did was to make a sacrifice of worship to God that no one had ever made before, and God paid him a visit with a blank cheque (1 Kings 3:4-5). When Paul and Silas were in prison, they didn’t complain and query God; rather, they turned the prison into a house of praise, and they got a special visit from God. As soon as God arrived in the prison, there was an earthquake and all their chains were broken (Acts 16:23-26). When the walls of Jericho stood before Joshua and the people of Israel did not begin to whine and question God; instead, they built a praise altar around the walls of Jericho, and the walls fell down flat (Joshua 6). Is there a problem giving you sleepless nights? Turn those sleepless nights into praise nights unto God and see all your problems fall down flat.

Do you know that whenever God looks upon the earth, He is looking for people praising Him in spirit and in truth? John 4:23 says:
“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”
Those who are close to me know that as I go about my activities all through the day, I am always singing praises to my God. I do this because I want Him to know that anytime He looks in my direction, He will find praises there. I want Him to be with me all day and never leave, because He gets an unending dose of praises from me. Many years ago, I promised an elder in our church that l was going to visit him but that I would only be staying for five minutes, because I had a lot of things to attend to that day. The elder, based on his personal knowledge of me, knew very well how to make me stay longer than five minutes. Before I got to his house he had music playing - hymns and other sweet gospel music. I felt so comfortable in his house that l did not realize when I had spent more than an hour there! If I, as a child of God, could get carried away by praises to my father, how much more God Himself? Psalm 22:3 says God inhabits the praises of His people; so if you want Him to be with you always, make your heart an altar of praise for Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Our God is the Righteous and Merciful Judge who does not change. Although He cannot behold iniquity, He still forgives sin when all the conditions He has set for pardon are met. The Holy Spirit reveals these conditions in Isaiah 55:7, saying:
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
From this scripture, it is clear that our God pardons iniquity. He does this because He loves sinners, even though He hates their sins. Those who profess to speak for God should have this truth at the back of their mind. Some religious zealots today cannot fathom why God will pardon the sins of those who have committed so much evil. I will refer such people to the words of the Holy Spirit in Isaiah 55:8:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.”

The will of God for sinners is that they should repent so that He can pardon their iniquity. Religious zealots are like Jonah who knew this truth and yet refused to go and preach to Nineveh. He actually wanted God to destroy them. Nevertheless, he was forced to preach to them, and even though their sins were great, God pardoned them when they repented. Jonah 3:10 says:
“And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”
Surprisingly, Jonah was very angry with this outcome.
Jonah's attitude sounds shocking and unbecoming of a Prophet, but you need to ask our-self if you are not a Jonah in disguise. Are you like the Pharisees who rumbled whenever Jesus forgave any sinner? Do you look at unbelievers around you with disdain, believing that they are too beneath you for you to relate with or share the word of God with them? Do you find yourself getting upset when you hear that a really bad person has given his or her life to Christ, thinking that such a person deserves to suffer in hell? Do you write people off as being irredeemable? If you fit any these descriptions, then you are a 21st century Jonah and you need to repent too.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

While driving on a highway, you would often see a road sign that indicates “Bumps ahead” or “Sharp bend ahead”. Seeing such a sign, a wise fellow will immediately slow down while a foolish fellow will keep speeding. When the danger that should have been averted happens, everyone will consider such a driver to be foolish. This scenario describes the case of those who read the Bible and see some truths in it that will save their lives but choose not to act on what they have read.

James 1:21-25 tells us that the word of God is like a mirror which shows us what needs to be changed in our lives. It is a dangerous kind of foolishness to read or hear the word of God and not act on it. Some people hear the word and resolve to do something, but they procrastinate taking action until their resolve fades away with time. They are like a man dressed up to go out who sees in the mirror that his tie is a little too far to the right, but then leaves the front of the mirror without correcting it. If after a while he remembers that his tie is a little off to the right and then tries to adjust it to the left, he may adjust it a little too far to the left. The wise thing to do is to make the adjustment while still in front of the mirror. If you hear or read any word from God that requires you to make an adjustment in your life, you must do so immediately, because delay may be dangerous.

Many years ago, my Father in the Lord preached a message on keeping our environment clean if we wanted God to live in our homes. He also said that the kind of music we listened to would determine if the Spirit of God would be comfortable dwelling in our homes. My wife and I got home late and tired that day, but tired as we were, we raised up our mattress and swept off a lot of dirt from under our bed. We also broke and threw away all the secular tapes that we had in the house. We acted on the word immediately and we were better off for it. Matthew 13:23 says:
“But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
When you have heard a word that can change your life for the better, the devil knows it, and he immediately springs into action to steal it from you. You must be on guard, and your best strategy is to act on the word before he brings distractions and suggestions that will destroy the fruits that God intends the word to yield in you. Are you just a hearer of the word or a doer of it?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is surprising to see professing Christians fretting and cringing before agents of the devil. Some would not even want to go to their villages for fear of evil doers. Even when they visit, they literarily lie that all is not well with them in the city because they are afraid that if the villagers realize that they are making it, they may do something to affect them adversely. This is not right at all. For me, it was after I gave my life to Christ that I finally had the boldness to visit my village. In those days, witches were almost flying in broad daylight in my village, but thanks be to God that things have now changed so greatly that my village is now for Christ. Take a look at 1 Peter 3:13 and believe in the infallible word of God therein. Also believe these declarations of God to you in Deuteronomy 28:7:
“The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.”
lf you live by these words of God in faith, you become untouchable to the enemy, irrespective of whatever he throws at you.

However, to activate the power in God's word, you need to reverence the word. The proof of reverencing God’s word is obeying what it says. That is why Dueteronomy 28:7-13 clearly states that if we listen to the voice of the Lord and obey His commandments, only then will we be partakers of His promises. We therefore become untouchable when we live our lives in reverence to God’s word, which is quick, powerful, prevailing and sharper than any two-edged sword. Hebrews 4:12 says:
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
No wonder the Holy Spirit advised us to allow the word of God dwell in us richly in all wisdom (Colossians 3:16). The devil cannot destroy you if you live according to the Word of God, because the word will fight for you even without you knowing it. Some people don’t have a revelation of God’s word in Hebrews 4:12; this scripture means that the word is active, doing warfare silently without people even knowing that it is at work. For these reasons, you must pay attention to the word of God by meditating on it day and night. That is the secret to being untouchable indeed!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is a different key that opens each door in a house. This fact of life also applies to things of God. There are certain things you must do in order to receive a miracle at any point in time. The most important key to open the door of miracles is the act of exercising faith. The fact that you have been in church for decades does not guarantee that you have the kind of faith that can get you the miracle you desire. In the story behind John 11:40, despite Mary and Martha’s closeness with Jesus Christ, their faith was so weak that they did not believe their brother could be raised from the dead. Jesus had to prop up their faith by admonishing them to believe in order to see the glory of God. In contrast to this, in Matthew 8:5-13, we see a manifestation of great faith that received commendation from our Lord. The centurion had faith that Jesus did not need to be physically present with his critically ill servant before He could heal him. Remarkably, it was the Lord Himself who described the centurion’s faith as “great”! I pray that you will also begin to walk in this type of faith in Jesus’ Name.

Do you know that there are times when the faith of a member of the congregation is greater than that of the pastor? There is this testimony of one of my daughters who came to me for prayer that God should change the sex of her baby from female to male because the husband said he would send her packing if she gave birth to another female child. As I tried to persuade her to accept the will of God for that baby, since it was already confirmed beyond reasonable doubt that the child in her womb was a girl, she told me,”Daddy, but you taught us that with God nothing shall be impossible!” At that point, I decided to agree with her in faith. Beloved, this daughter of mine got what she wanted because the Lord changed the sex of her fully grown foetus from female to male.

In addition to faith, humility could also be seen in the centurion. Despite his stature as a high ranking Roman officer, he did not see himself as worthy enough to have the Lord come into his house. This attitude of humility worked for the centurion, and it will work for you as well. If you have pending acts of repentance or restitution to fulfill, go ahead to do them in humility. Don’t forget to add the icing of praise to your prayer, and you will receive your miracle today in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.”
Luke 18:40-42
It is intriguing that Jesus asked a man who was obviously blind the question that He did in the above scripture. This indicates to us that even though our cries may catch God’s attention, we still need to apply His principles in order to receive anything from Him. The blind man got Jesus’ attention through His persistent cries, but he still needed to fulfill the principle of asking to receive, before his eyes were opened.

There are several lessons we can learn from the story narrated in Luke 18:35-43. Firstly, when we cry to God in the Name of Jesus Christ, we receive divine attention, as this blind man did. I pray that you will receive heaven’s attention as you cry to God today in Jesus’ Name. Secondly, the blind man knew what he needed, and he got it. Do you really know what you need from God or are you occupied with what you want? These are two different things. For example, the blind man needed his eyesight, though he might have also wanted food. Priorities differentiate between needs and wants. This is why the presence of the Holy Spirit is paramount in the life of a believer. We may not accurately know what we need, but the Holy Spirit helps us to pray aright in order to receive our petition. Teaching us this all important work of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life, Romans 8:26 says:
“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself Maketh intercession for us with groaning’s which cannot be uttered.”
Moreover, we also learn from this story that Jesus did not assume what the blind man wanted Him to do; instead, He asked and listened to what he had to say. The man might have desired to receive food or money, like the lame man at the gate of the temple in Acts 3:5-6. Another lesson we learn today is that the Father will give us whatever we ask in faith in the Name of Jesus Christ. The question is, do we really know what we need from God, and do we have enough faith to receive it from Him?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The parable told by Jesus of the farm owner and his fruitless fig tree should make us realize that nothing goes for nothing. The farm owner was not keeping the fig tree on his farm for decorative purposes; he wanted it for fruits. After waiting for years, the tree remained fruitless, and so he decided to get rid of it. Beloved, are you fulfilling any purpose in God's kingdom? Are you just a statistic on the number of Christians alive or are you bearing fruit?

As long as you have breath, you have a purpose and cannot afford to stay fruitless, lest the farm owner decides it’s time to cut you down. The terrifying part of today’s story is that the farm owner was prepared to disregard his labour of past years over the fruitless fig tree and ignore the potential of getting any fruits from it in future. At that point, he only counted the tree as nothing but a waste of farmland.

In John 15:2, Jesus clearly stated that every branch in Him that does not bear fruit will be cut off. As a born-again Christian, you are one of His branches (John 15:1). Every believer needs to be the branch of the vine that yields fruit and is pruned to yield more fruit, particularly the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. Our actions, purpose and attitude need to flow from the fruit of the Spirit for us to be considered fruitful.

The good news today is that the vine-dresser intervened on behalf of the fruitless fig tree, asking the owner to give him one more year to carefully manage it. If it still remained fruitless after one year, then the owner could finally decide to cut down the tree. Beloved, examine yourself today to determine if you are not currently fruitless. Perhaps you are even undergoing your one year grace period before being cutoff and replaced with a fruitful tree? What is the motive behind your actions and work for God today? Are you exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit in all that you do? In addition to manifesting the fruit of the Spirit, we are also expected to bear fruits of souls into God’s kingdom, and these fruits must remain. The fruit of souls you win to Christ will remain when you follow them up and teach them the ways of the kingdom. May the Lord strengthen you as you faithfully do all this in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.