₦airaland Forum

In Matthew 13:45, our Lord Jesus Christ likened the kingdom of heaven to precious pearls which a merchant sought. On finding just one of great value, he went and sold all that he had to buy it. In other words, there are some things worth more than gold, which every wise man or woman must go after. In addition to the kingdom of God, the anointing of the Holy Spirit is another of such things. I have on several occasions encouraged our ministers to seek the anointing more than any material thing. Acts 3:6 confirms the prime value of the anointing over any material thing in the life of a believer, particularly ministers of God. Although the early Church leaders did not have much in terms of material possessions, they were rich in the anointing of the Holy Ghost. One ordinary day, Peter and John were going into the temple for prayers when they saw a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb begging them for alms. The lame man was used to receiving alms, but Peter and John had nothing to give except the anointing. This anointing caused the lamed man to rise up and walk. What Peter and John had was more than gold.

In Acts 1:3-8, we read about the promise Jesus Christ made to His disciples concerning the Holy Spirit, who is the Giver of the anointing. Jesus told His disciples that they must wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit before they could begin to exercise the authority in the Great Commission. For you to receive the anointing, you must learn to wait upon the Lord. It is worth waiting for because after the Holy Ghost anointing has come upon you, you will begin to effortlessly do exploits for God just as Peter was doing after he was baptized in the Holy Ghost.

Beloved, it is wisdom to prefer the Holy Ghost anointing to material things because at the end of the day, the anointing will attract those things that men run after to you. A classic example of a wise servant of God was Elisha, who demanded the double portion of his master’s anointing. It is rather unfortunate that the man who should have inherited the anointing of Elisha chose to inherit material things from an ex-leper. Alas, he inherited leprosy along with the material things he coveted (2nd Kings 5:26-27). May that not be your story in Jesus’ Name. To receive the anointing, you must believe in the Name of Jesus Christ and live according to His standards. Develop a relationship with the Giver of the anointing by making Him your friend, and He will readily release His power to you. 
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the lies of the devil, which every child of God must reject, is that you have nothing good in your hands that can bring profit to your life. To perpetuate this lie, the devil may trivialize that gift of God in you as though nothing substantial can come out of it. Contrary to this lie, in Job 8:7, the Holy Spirit says to you:
“Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.”
Zechariah 4:10 also encourages us not to despise the day of small things. This was the problem with the unprofitable servant in Matthew 25:14-30. He thought he was not given enough talents to trade with and so he went ahead to hide what he was given. The consequence of this was that even the talent he was initially given was taken away from him, and he was punished for being slothful, indolent and insubordinate.

Beloved, what is that physical or spiritual gift you are looking down on? The Lord asked me to tell you to value it well so that it will not be taken away from you. Are you given an assignment that you think belittles your status in the Church or in your secular place of work? Please embrace it and do it as unto the Lord. In John 6:1-14, we read of how the disciples nearly missed the miracle of multiplication because they could not see how five loaves and two fishes could be used to feed several thousands of people. The widow in 2nd Kings 4:1-7 also had a fantastic source of income, but she did not know it until the Lord had mercy on her and led her to Prophet Elisha, who opened her eyes to the “oil well” in a corner of her house!

Another lesson from the feeding in the desert is the blessing attached to giving. Imagine if the boy in this story had refused to release his fish and bread under the assumption that it was too small to feed the multitude! Some people die in abject poverty because they are stingy. They refuse to give from what they have until they become millionaires and have enough to spare! Many people think that they need millions before they can start a business that will lead to financial breakthrough. Beloved, all you need to do is to ask God what line of action you should take. Ask Him to take the lead and to be your senior partner while you follow. I pray that the Lord God of increase will increase you this season in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many children of God are genuine in their Christian walk, but they do not know their rights in God. For this reason, they unfortunately still live at the mercy of the enemy. A classical example of someone who knew his position in God is Elijah. How I wish all children of God would be like Elijah in this regard. I tell you beloved, if this were the case, the whole world would have been won into the kingdom of God by now. When confronted by a group of soldiers ordered by the king to terminate his ministry, Prophet Elijah in 2nd Kings 1:10 simply decreed:
“…If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy firty…”
Exactly what Elijah decreed was what happened, and this happened twice before the third group of soldiers learnt their lesson. The move of God is not found in the multitude of words or in vain repetitions but in the power of Holy Ghost. However, you cannot walk in this realm without knowing who you are in Christ.

Based on Acts 27:18-25, I have often taught my children that Paul has some credit in his account with God, and so for his sake lives were saved from physical perdition. Having given his all to Christ, he was conscious of the credit he had with Him. For this reason, when he suffered shipwreck with a host of others prisoners, crew and soldiers, he prayed that God should spare their lives. He even encouraged them to eat because God had spoken with him, assuring him of the safety of every life in the ship. Many lessons can be derived from this, the most profound of these being that Paul knew his position in Christ. In other words, He understood his rights in Christ.

Do you know your position in Christ? Are you aware of your kingdom rights? Can you gauge your credit balance with God? The knowledge of your current standing with God will cause you to improve your relationship with Him in order to appropriate the benefits of life in Christ. When you do this, I can assure you that you will no longer find yourself living at the mercy of the devil and circumstances again.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people cannot identify the enemy’s stronghold, and that is why they remain under his bondage perpetually. It is unfortunate to observe that even many so-called “deliverance ministers” are victims of this ignorance too! This has rendered their efforts and zeal ineffective and has even made them victims of the enemy they claim to deliver people from.

What is the enemy’s stronghold? The answer is found in John 8:44
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
The story of how man fell in Genesis chapter 3 corroborates the reality that deception is the strongest chain with which the devil has held men down over the ages. Many times, I wonder why those who are seemingly educated or enlightened are caught in the trap of the devil, but then I quickly remember my own days of ignorance. I remember an occasion where despite all the logic I had learnt from mathematics, I still went to a witchdoctor for protection, and he gave me a charm which eventually turned out to be a lie of the devil. I had two road accidents in one day with this charm hanging in a hidden part of the driver’s seat of my car. Thank God for saving me!

In Genesis 3:2-3, Eve told the old serpent, which is the devil, what God had said about the forbidden fruit in the middle of the garden, but the father of all liars said to her:
“Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 3:4b-5
This was the epitome of all lies, and the devil is still using this strategy to destroy people’s lives and send them to an eternity in hell. Beloved, which of the devil’s lies have you believed? Is it the lie that some books of the Bible, especially the epistles of Paul, were not originally written for you and so are not applicable to you? Is it the lie that tithes and first fruits are Old Testament ordinances and so should be ignored by New Testament worshippers? I pray for you, just as Jesus did, that you will embrace the truth in the infallible word of God today, and this will set you free (John 17:17). The great truth you need to embrace today is found in the words of 2nd Timothy 3:16:
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Everyone has a story, but our individual stories are different. I prophesy into your life today that your story will be a pleasant one to hear in Jesus’ Name. When the creation story began in Genesis chapter 1, it was a pleasant story of restoration. Genesis 1:1-3 says:
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light:”
However, this story changed when man fell from grace to grass. Man began to wallow in pain, sorrow, agony, poverty, sickness, hopelessness and uncertainty. The worst of these calamities was man’s alienation from his Creator. Speaking about this, Genesis 3:22-23 says:
“And the LORD said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.”
From this point forward, the story of man became this pitiable narrative:
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Romans 3:23
However, at the appointed time, God Almighty made a way for all of mankind to change this story. He made unlimited grace available to us. This grace is unlimited because it is available to all who will receive it to change their story. It was this grace that changed the story of people like Apostle Paul who we read about in 1 Timothy 1:11-17.

Beloved, your story can change as well if you will give your life to Christ and completely yield to His Lordship. If a chief among sinners like Saul of Tarsus could become Apostle Paul, I assure you that your own story will also change if you believe in the work of redemption that Christ came to offer us. After you accept this work of redemption, all other unpleasant stories about you like joblessness, poverty, sickness, handicapping situations, demonic oppression and eternal death will change. You will have a new story to tell, like the man who was born blind but whose story changed in John 9:25. After God has changed your story, be willing to share it with others, just as Paul and the man born blind did. When you do this, God will continue to give you new pleasant stories to share to the glory of His Holy Name. What is your story today?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is important for everyone to know what he or she is living for. When you do not live for something, you will exist for anything – good, bad or ugly. Due to the nature of man, it takes determination to live for good (Ecclesiastes 9:3, Romans 7:21-24). Those who live for God live for good, while those who live for the devil live for evil. In Ecclesiastes 12:13b-14, the Holy Spirit reveals the essence of our living to us when He said:
“Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
The question today is: what are you living for?

Esther 4:5-16 tells the story of a young lady who decided to live for God and His people. She was ready to die if only the will of God would be done in her life through it. Despite the fact that she was a queen, she declared, “if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). In a similar situation, the book of Daniel tells of how three Hebrews boys disobeyed the decree of King Nebuchadnezzar when he wanted to lead them into idolatry. Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego were willing to be thrown into the fiery furnace in order to obey their God (Daniel 3:16-18).

Philippians 1:21 offers an answer to the question of what we should live for. When we decide to live for Christ, everything will fall into place spiritually, and when we are settled spiritually, other aspects of our lives will receive meaning and fulfilment. This is the reason why our Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 6:31-33:
“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Some people live for the food they will eat, the clothes they will wear, the house they will live in and the car they will ride in, all at the expense of their soul. However, if you hearken diligently to the words of the Lord to seek Him and live for Him, everything else will follow.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Bones are often associated with dead bodies or with death itself. Dry human bones symbolises a human body that has been dead for an extended period of time: in some cases, for hundreds or thousands of years. By this time, it is impossible for anyone in the right frame of mind to contemplate any means by which such bones will come back to life again. This was the situation in the valley of dry bones when God asked Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Knowing well that it was impossible by any human means for those bones to live, but also being conscious of the fact that he was standing before the One that created the universe by the power of His word,  Ezekiel tactically answerered by saying “O Lord God, thou knowest." Then the Lord asked the prophet to prophecy to the bones, and in Ezekiel 37:7, as soon as he prophesied, this happened:
“…there was a noise, and behold a shaking and the bones came together, bone to his bone.”
I therefore prophesy to everything that stands as dry bones in your life and to every symbol of death in your family; hear the word of the Lord: Be restored back to life now in the Name of Jesus.

In Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones brought back to life by God’s Spirit, the resurrection of the bones is used as a symbol. Ezekiel’s vision is not directly related to life after death, but rather with the salvation of God’s people from captivity and exile. Some people are locked up in a strange land, enjoying the pleasures of sin. Some are addicted to harmful behaviours, burdened by their conscience and far away from the Spirit of God. They are dead like the dry bones! However, as the Spirit of God sends the breath of life into them; their return to their Creator can be likened to new life rising from the grave. To anyone that is in bondage, captivity or exile, to anyone that has been displaced from his or her position, to anyone that is being told that he or she has reached a point of no return in life, I decree once again: Let there be a noise and a shaking from heaven that will set you free from now on in Jesus’ Name. The dry bones were sitting quietly in their forgotten state, fully surrendered to the power of death that held them bound. They were without any hope until God told Ezekiel to prophesy to them. One more time, I prophesy that the wind of the Holy Spirit will blow against every agent of death that is holding your life and destiny bound right now in the Name of Jesus. This marks the beginning of real progress in your life, and henceforth you will be unstoppable in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Mercy is an attitude of compassion, care and concern, grounded in love and sympathy towards others. It is God’s nature that is fundamental to His interaction with His Creator. As one of God’s attributes, mercy is also a key character He demands from His people. Our compassion towards others as Christians is usually activated by God’s compassion for people. It is expected that those who have received mercy from God would respond to human suffering with much concern and work to ameliorate this suffering. Apostle Paul recognised that his conversion from a life of rebellion against God and his subsequent call to the ministry was a product of God’s mercy. Here is his testimony in 1st Timothy 1:13
“Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”
For this reason, he had so much passion to propagate God’s mercy to others through the gospel of reconciliation (2nd Corinthians 5:18-20). In Matthew 18:23-35, a servant who owed ten thousand talents was pardoned by his master, but as soon as he left the presence of his master, he met a fellow servant who owed him a hundred pence. He exacted the full force of his power on this poor fellow servant without mercy, casting him into prison. When this matter got to his master, in Matthew 18:33, his master simply asked him:
“Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowsarvant, even as I had pit on thee?
This clearly indicates to us that we are beneficiaries of the great mercy of God so that we also can become dispensers of this same mercy to all those who come in contact with us.

Apostle Paul valued his conversion as a product of great mercy, so much so that he spoke about mercy more than any individual in the Bible. His messages, interactions with people and handling of situations were based on the backdrop of God’s mercy. God’s people who are beneficiaries of His great mercy are expected to be channels of divine mercy in the church and in the world. That is the reason why in Jesus’ teachings about the kingdom of God, He presents mercy as a primary characteristic of God’s kind of life and as a demonstration of His sovereignty. The power of love embedded in the message of the gospel speaks of God’s mercy, while transforming the lives of men by destroying the works of the devil demonstrates this mercy. Mercy ultimately leads to hunger for souls and to handling the people of God with tender care. 
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is important for a child of God to recognize and understand the purpose of the multifaceted life we are called to by God. For this reason, the Holy Spirit reveals to us in 2nd Timothy 2:3 that we have been called to be soldiers of Jesus Christ. A Soldier does certain things to fulfil his or her vocation. Enduring hardness, shunning worldly pleasures and distractions, and keeping to the rules of military service are some of the basic characteristics expected of a soldier. Soldiers are also required to fight to defend the territorial integrity of their country from external attacks. In addition, they are to engage in warfare to expand the territory of their commander-in-chief, monarch or emperor. As it is in the physical, so it is in the spiritual. The comportment of a soldier is that of discipline, and a Christian soldier should be even more disciplined. This will help him or her to endure hardness, which means learning to be full and also to be empty as the situation demands (Philippians 4:12). If a soldier of the cross is not disciplined enough to endure hardness, he or she will end up like Esau, who sold his birthright for a plate of pottage (Hebrews 12:16). Our Lord Jesus laid down a good example for us to follow in this regard when He refused to turn stone into bread even though He was hungry (Luke 4:3-4). A soldier of Jesus Christ avoids any distraction that would take his or her focus away from the way of the cross he or she is fighting to defend. Materialism is not a problem for a true soldier of Jesus Christ who has learnt to be modest. Concerning this, our Commander-in-chief in Luke 12:15 said this to us:
“Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

Just as soldier fight to defend the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of their king, a soldier of Jesus Christ fights against sin, which destroy mankind and God’s created world, by preaching the gospel. He or she preaches the love of God so that men may embrace it and live a good life that will impact the lives of others positively. Soldiers of Jesus Christ do not only fight to defend, they also attack the opposing kingdom of the devil. They do this by proclaiming the word of God, which is alive and powerful, against the workers of iniquity. While putting on the whole armour of God, soldiers of Christ also exercise their divinely given authority in the place of prayer. They have no time for frivolities because they are always watchful. Beloved, are you numbered among the soldiers of Jesus Christ? Are you thriving in spite of the challenges of the call to fight against unrighteousness? May the Lord see you through to the very end in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Grace is God’s character by which He shows Himself as being compassionate, loving, merciful, accepting and generous to all mankind. God’s grace shield sinful mankind from His wrath, grants them forgiveness and bestows on them His righteousness so that they can live and grow up in faith and obedience to Him. Grace and mercy are particularly expressed through God’s covenant with His chosen people and through Jesus Christ’s atoning death on the cross. Throughout the Bible, the notion of grace is abundantly present even where the word is not mentioned. Whenever Jesus brought healing to the sick and deliverance to the oppressed, divine grace was on display. The grace of God is especially expressed through salvation from sin, offered by Jesus to all of mankind. Speaking about Jesus as the embodiment of God’s grace. Titus 2:11 says,
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,”
Jesus vividly explained the notion of grace through the parables of the prodigal son and the tax collector who was justified after praying for God’s mercy as a sinner (Luke 15:11-32, Luke 18:9-14). Grace is a core part of the massage of the Christian faith, and hence the message of the gospel is repeatedly labelled the “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 14:3, Acts 20:24)
“And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
1st Timothy 1:14

It is important to note that divine grace is a gift of God, and it is abundant enough to secure forgiveness and redemption for anyone who is dead in sin, raising them up and making them sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:5-6). This abundant grace also opens the door to healing from all kinds of sicknesses, and it delivers from captivity, oppression and all kinds of demonic powers. Furthermore, it is able to breakdown the strongholds of the devil and produce transformation in lives. It is equally important to note that this abundant grace, though undeserved, is available for free! No one can ever meet the requirements or fulfil the conditions necessary for accessing the benefits that God’s grace gives. The least you can do is to thank God for it. Ephesians 2:8-9 says,
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, least any man should boast.”
The saving grace of Jesus Christ is available to all human beings without exception; do not reject or ignore it, but rather accept it with thanksgiving and your life will never be the same again. Amen!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Grace is commonly used in the Bible to describe the demonstration of God’s goodwill towards mankind, embodied in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the effects of that goodwill on human lives. Throughout the Bible, God showed Himself gracious in His dealings with mankind. In the Old Testament, the grace of God is spoken of in relation to three overlapping terms, which are goodness, love and mercy. Each time the word ‘grace’ is used in the Bible, it connotes God’s goodness, love and mercy towards humanity. I pray that God will be gracious to you, and that you will continue to enjoy His grace throughout your life in Jesus’ Name.

God’s grace was responsible for Noah’s appointment into the special assignment that led to his entire family surviving the flood (Genesis 6:. However, Psalm 145:9 says:
“The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”
Although the application of God’s grace can be selective like in Noah’s case, it is available to all the works of God. Everything that God created, both living and non-living things, enjoy God’s grace. God upholds those who are falling and lifts up those who are bowed down by His grace. Hope opens His hands to supply all creatures their food and sustenance, thereby satisfying the desire of every living thing. God by His love and mercy provides for plants and animals alike, ensuring that whatever they need is made available within their reach. After pondering the goodness of the Lord, the Psalmist in Psalm 145 declared that God is near to all those who call upon Him, and He meets all their needs by His grace. While speaking on the grace of God in several passages of the Bible, the Holy Spirit speaks about God’s providence in caring for all His creatures, His help for the needy, His love and compassion for the oppressed, and His concern for the sickly and the weak. All these are demonstrations of God’s grace. Anyone who is thoughtful will find abundant evidence of the steadfast love of the Lord demonstrated throughout the whole universe. That is why Psalm 150:6 says,
“Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD, praise ye the LORD.”
God, by His grace, has counted us worthy to be chosen from amongst the people of the world as His own special people, redeemed by the precious Blood of His Son, thereby making us His own special possession (1st Peter 2:9). Obviously, God has not treated us according to what our evil deeds deserve. Our continued existence testifies to His redeeming grace, and this same grace provides the basis for our status as children of the Most High God. Let somebody shout Halleluiah!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Matthew 25:31-33, the Lord Jesus Christ gave us a sneak preview of what judgment Day will be like, and it is surprising that good neighbourliness is the only standard that was used to separate the sheep from the goats in this narrative. The Lord did this to prepare our minds for the events of the last days when people would become selfish and individualism would be rife. 2nd Timothy 3:1-2 says,
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves…”
May I announce to you that this time is upon us. We live in times when the advent of social media and smart phones has drastically reduced human to human interaction, with the attendant effect that people have little or no empathy and wicked acts are the norm. These days, people hardly know what is going on with their next door neighbour while they are very much aware of what is going on with people thousands of miles away whom they have never met. May the Lord open our hearts to what is needful in Jesus’ Name.

Good neighbourliness involves sacrifice. When you consider the parable of the Good Samaritan, it is easy to imagine what was going through the mind of the priest who passed by the wounded man and did nothing. He might have assumed that the poor man’s situation was beyond remedy. He might have said to himself that it was not in his place to help since he was not a medical practitioner or law enforcement agent. He might have pondered in his heart that the location was not safe for anyone to delay, and that while trying to help, robbers might attack him and make him another of their victims. He might also have thought that stopping to assist the wounded man would eat terribly into his time, thereby making him late for his important appointment. Although these are all valid reasons not to stop by and help, anyone who is willing to make a sacrifice will set aside all these reasons and help a neighbour in distress. The Church of God must fill the gap created by the deficiency of modern society, which has brought about unemployment, domestic violence, child abuse, divorce, drug addiction, sexual immorality and other unfortunate situations. The Christian community must provide human warmth, homeliness, love and care in places ravaged by individualism, loneliness and lack of trust. As modern society becomes increasingly hostile and dehumanising, children of God must become increasingly accommodating, peaceful, hospitable and caring. Good neighbourliness is a very important fruit of a transformed life and confirms that we possess the nature of God. 
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

2 Kings 4:1-6 tells the story of the widow of one of the sons of the prophets, whose late husband owed some money to a heartless creditor, who threatened to take away her two sons as slaves. After listening to her complaint, the man of God said to her in 2nd Kings 4:3:
“…Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.”
This instruction indirectly placed the solution to her problem in the hands of her neighbours, because her ability to get the many empty vessels she needed depended on how good a neighbour she had been.

Among the Jewish people in Bible days, loans were not supposed to be commercial in nature; rather, they were to be given on charitable terms. For example, interest-free loans would be given to assist a peasant farmer during a period of poverty. The primary motivation of borrowers was to obtain relief from need rather than to further their economic enterprises. For this reason, lending with interest to the poor was prohibited in Exodus 22:25. God’s expectation is that lending to the poor will be a form of sacrifice motivated by the spirit of mercy and compassion in obedience to Him (Proverbs 3:27-28). Although the Bible encourages us not to deny the poor and needy who approach us for help, we determine who deserves our help and how far we are ready to go on their behalf based on factors such as good neighbourliness. In Acts 9:36-41, the neighbours of Tabitha protested vehemently against her death and pleaded passionately with Apostle Peter for her to be raised back to life because she was full of good works and alms deeds. In Luke 7:1-10, the elders of the Jews approached Jesus on behalf of a centurion who had a sick servant. They pleaded with Him, saying this man deserved His assistance because he had shown his love for them by building them a synagogue. Without controversy, good neighbourliness played a very big role in these cases we have considered. In the case of the widow in 2nd Kings 4:1-6, the fact that she went to her neighbours and got the vessels she needed indicates that she had been a good neighbour to them. Imagine if she was the kind of person who was not known to her neighbours or if she was a proud and difficult person; she would have been denied the vessels she needed and her miracle would have been a mirage. God charged us in Romans 12:18 to live peacefully with all men, knowing fully well that apart from it being a source of blessing to us, a peaceful coexistence with our neighbours will give us the much needed opportunity to preach the good news to them.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the realm of the spirit, being watchful means being alert to the current needs of the Christian race and being prepared for future happenings that will impact your eternal destination. The most prominent of all future events predicted in the Bible is the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, which will precede the eventual end of the world. The disciples asked Jesus 2000 years ago what would be the sign of His second coming and of the end the world. In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus responded with a detailed explanation of the events that will signal His impending arrival. In 2 Timothy 3:1-9, children of God are advised to get ready for perilous times, false doctrines, deceivers, false prophets, high-mindedness of men, physical and spiritual warfare, increase in knowledge and technological advancements, worldliness and apostasy. In addition, all of humanity is enjoined to get ready for the judgment to come. I pray that you will not be left behind when the rapture occurs in Jesus’ Name.

“Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”
Mark 13:35-37
The admonition of our Lord to us in times as these is to watch. Current happenings around the world show clearly that we are in the end times. As children of God, we cannot afford to lose focus for a moment. Our hearts must be kept with all diligence under constant watchfulness. We must be on the lookout for the crafty approach of the enemy to attack the authority of the Bible. We must watch against worldliness and the quest for ungodly pleasures. We must watch against deception, false prophets, the introduction of another “gospel”, sexual immorality and societal acceptance of sinful practices. On a personal level, you must be sober and vigilant in watching against temptations such as pride, high-mindedness, self-righteousness, complacency, lukewarmness, backsliding, spiritual bareness, stagnancy and rebellion against constituted authority. You must not be confounded by the negative news on wars, natural tragedies and civil unrest around the world. You should rather respond appropriately as one who has been adequately informed and is therefore well prepared for the rapture. The Lord expects you to be sober, vigilant and very consistent in prayer. You must pray for your leaders, the Church of God, your community and your family. My desire is that if the trumpet should sound today, you will be raptured in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Submission is a humble attitude wherein authority is duly recognized and obedience is willingly rendered without any resistance whatsoever. God commands submission to Himself, to civil authorities and to appointed leaders in His Church (James 4:7, 1st Peter 2:13, Hebrews 13:17). Submission is also commanded in relationship such as marriage (Colossians 3:18). The crux of the message of our Lord Jesus Christ is submission to the will and purpose of God as revealed in His word. In Matthew 7:24-27, He said those who hear the word of God and submit to its authority in obedience can be likened to a wise person who built his or her house upon the rock, and the house survived a terrible storm. In contrast, He compared those who reject the authority of God’s word to a foolish person who built his or her house on sandy soil without strong foundations, and the house was destroyed by storm. Therefore, not being submissive to the word of God, which manifests itself as disobedience, is very costly indeed. I pray that you will receive the grace to submit totally to the will of God concerning your life today in Jesus’ Name.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect example of submission. Philippians 2:5-8 reveals the extent He went to in order to submit Himself to His Father. No wonder the Holy Spirit wants us to have the same mind that He had. In John 10:17, Jesus revealed that total submission is the secret of the Father’s love for Him. Hear what He said to the Father in Hebrews 10:7 when He was coming into the world:
“Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”
Concerning the submission of the Lord Jesus Christ, Hebrews 5:8 also says:
“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;”
Jesus learnt to obey God’s instructions even when He knew it would yield personal loss and suffering for Him. Little wonder the Bible says He was obedient unto death. This obedience unto death was demonstrated in Matthew 26:39 when He was faced with the reality of death on the cross, and He made this agonizing prayer to God saying:
“….O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
For Jesus, obedience to God was His primary concern, and every other thing, including His personal interest, was secondary. May the Lord give His Church this same mind-set in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is one thing to be given authority, and it is another thing to exercise the authority delegated. Some Christians are suffering today because they do not exercise the divine authority given to them as children of God. Some children of God are like Moses in Exodus 14:10-16, crying helplessly at the Red Sea with the army of Pharaoh fast approaching. The children of Israel also did not help matters because they murmured against his leadership at this critical point. The perfect storm faced by Moses at the Red Sea made him forget who he was and the enormous power God had vested in him. In Exodus 7:1, God had told him:
“And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.”
Unfortunately, either Moses forgot this or his mind could not grasp the extent of its meaning. Although crying to God is not wrong by itself, there is time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1). This was not the time for Moses to cry; rather, it was a time for him to exercise the authority given to him by God. Nevertheless, God graciously reminded Moses that the authority to deal with the situation was already at his disposal. In Exodus 14:15-16, God said to him:
"….Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.”

Beloved, do you know that God has given you the authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions and everything they represent? Jesus Christ has given to us the power and authority to tread on all the powers of the enemy, and He promised that nothing shall by any means hurt us (Luke 10:19). However, to exercise this authority, we must live according to the dictates of the One who delegated His authority to us. A lesson from Exodus 14:10-16 about Moses is that he exercised authority by the instructions of the Almighty God. He was not presumptuous as many would have been. His cry to God could mean “what should I do in this situation?” Another lesson is that although the Lord had equipped him with the rod, he did not know the full extent of its power in solving the problems of the people he was leading. In other words, God has equipped his children with the necessary authority and power not only to defend themselves but also to rescue the perishing. You have the authority to bring change to the chaos in the world around you, but are you putting this to use?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The reason why many children of God are not living a triumphant life daily is because they refuse to submit themselves to the authority and lordship of their Father, the Almighty. Some are like the prodigal son who sought premature freedom and independence from his father (Luke 15:12-13). In Matthew 8:5-13, we see a man who knew what it was to be under authority and the blessings that come along with it. This man is the centurion, whose faith our Lord Jesus Christ described as great. After Jesus had decided to go with him to heal his servant, this centurion did not deem it necessary for Jesus to go to his house, because he was a man under authority and he understood the attendant implications of this. He knew Jesus Christ was under authority and had great authority. He also believed that if Jesus exercised His authority over demons from where He was, they would obey Him. Hear what he said in Matthew 8:8b
“Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”

It is interesting to note the contrast between the proud attitude of Naaman and the humble disposition of this centurion to spiritual authority (2nd Kings 5:11). The Holy Spirit reveals the secret to spiritual authority in James 4:7 where He says,
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
This is where the problem lies with some children of God. First things first: we must submit to the authority of God in His word before we can resist the devil and his attacks. When we follow this order, the devil will definitely flee from us because we are operating under God’s authority in His word. Regardless of who is speaking it, the word of God must be respected and given its rightful place in our lives. You must submit to the authority of God’s word by being a doer of it if you will experience a performance of its purpose in your life (James 1:25). Beloved, are you under the authority of the Almighty God in His word? It is all well and good if you are. However, if you find it difficult to submit to God’s authority in His word, you will experience the frustration of the word not working for you. If you are in this situation, repent today and submit to God’s authority in His word that is forever settled. One more lesson you should learn from Matthew 8:5-13 is that while many shall come from all over the world to benefit from the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the children of the kingdom who refuse to submit to God’s authority would be cast away. This will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jacob was the second son of Isaac. His early life projected a lifestyle and behavioural pattern that closely matched his name, which can be interpreted as supplanter, impersonator, deceiver or usurper. However, he received mercy from the Lord and had a divine encounter where God decided to change his name. In Genesis 32:28, God said to him:
“….Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel…”
The renaming of Jacob as Israel (which means “triumphant with God”) was a spiritual event that had far reaching effects on his physical life and his personality. Immediately after his identity was changed, Jacob stopped exhibiting the characteristics of his old name and began to behave in line with the meaning of his new name. The old things about Jacob passed away and all things became new for him as Israel. I pray for someone reading this devotional that every old symptom of sin, sickness, poverty, bondage and oppression shall pass away from your life today in Jesus’ Name.

It is important to note that what happened to Jacob in the Old Testament is closely related to the regeneration experience seen in the New Testament. Regeneration is the change brought about by the Spirit of God, which makes a person a new creature in Christ Jesus. The salvation that Jesus brought to us is not simply to energize the old creation with new ability and power; rather, it brings about a new creature that has the divine nature of God (2nd Peter 1:4). It also ignites a spiritual process wherein everything working against the regenerated person is thoroughly dealt with (Colossians 2:14). The practical result of this is spiritual regeneration evidenced by radical change in the nature, character, desires and motives of the transformed person. This new creature is so new and different from the old that it even requires a new diet to survive, which is the word of God. That is why Matthew 4:4b says:
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
Concerning regeneration, the key element is change. God is calling all of mankind to change through the power of His word. However, there is a strong resistance of this change in every human being (Romans 8:7). This resistance comes from the mind and the body, and must be overcome before any real change can manifest. The transformation experience requires serious effort to overcome this resistance (Romans 12:2). Whenever anyone surrenders his or her life to Jesus, God takes hold of the old lifeless creature and fashions it into a new creature that is heaven-bound, full of life and suitable for His use. Have you experienced this transformation indeed?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible documents several declarations of God’s covenant promise and blessings to Abraham, which are intended to overflow to his children (Genesis 17:2, Genesis 12:2-3, Genesis 22:16-18). Although God spoke these words to Abraham several thousands of years ago, generations from that period till now have continued to see His pronouncements manifest in very dramatic fashion. Let us consider two of God’s pronouncements on Abraham. In Genesis 12:2-3, He said:
“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
Also, in Genesis 22:17-18, God said:
“That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall posses the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed…”
The fulfillment of these words in the lives of Abraham’s direct descendants (the Jews) and in the lives of Christians, who are partakers of these promises by adoption, has resulted in a situation where people from all nations of the world seek to be numbered among Abraham’s children.

However, claiming to be one of Abraham’s children does not confer this status on anyone; only fulfilling the necessary requirements does. Romans 9:6-7 explains that in the sight of God, not even all of those who descended from Abraham biologically are children of Abraham for the purpose of receiving God’s covenant blessings. Being a child of Abraham does not come through genetic connections. Galatians 3:7 tells us what confers this status on a person:
“Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.”
You can therefore see that it is only men and women of faith that are true children of Abraham, and so only they are recipients of Abraham’s blessings. In other words, faith is what qualifies a person to inherit Abraham’s blessings. Are you truly one of Abraham’s children? The word of God in Galatians 3:6-9 tells us that irrespective of whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, rich or poor, male or female, white, black or brown, old and young, you can become one of Abraham’s children and gain access to the blessings promised to them if only you live by faith. Some may ignore or reject this truth because they have no idea what it means to be a child of Abraham, or because they see no value in the awesome blessings promised to Abraham’s children. This attitude is not surprising, because the things of the Spirit of God are foolishness to the ordinary person (1st Corinthians 2:14). I pray that the Lord will open your eyes to the truth of His word so that you can gain access to all of your inheritance in God in the mighty Name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Bible tells us about the reality of both the physical world, which is the natural habitat of human beings, and a spiritual world that is ruled and controlled by the Almighty God. Although God created mankind and granted us access to the spiritual realm for the purpose of fellowshipping with Him, we lost that access when Adam and Eve sinned (John 4:24, Genesis 3:. However, the moment a person becomes born again, that access to the realm of the spirit is immediately restored. Unconverted souls remain permanently disconnected from the heavenly realm. That is why 1st Corinthians 2:14 says
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
The spiritual world is very much as real as the physical world, but only those who have access to it can see the sights, hear the sounds and even participate in the activities of heaven. I pray that God will sanctify you and grant you express access to the realm of the Spirit in Jesus’ Name.

Living in the Spirit requires faith. Just as the eye produces conviction about the reality of objects in the physical world, so does faith produce the same conviction about things in the realm of the spirit, which are invisible to the natural eye. Faith manifests itself by producing the assurance that what we hope for will happen. It also provides insight into the reality of things in the unseen spiritual world. These unseen realities from God offer an effective power for daily living to every man and woman of faith. Speaking about the faith of Moses, Hebrews 11:27 says:
“By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeking him who is invisible.”
Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable and receives the impossible. This is the testimony of every great child of God who has walked on the face of the earth, such as Abraham, Moses, the prophets and the apostles. They all saw things that others could not see and they believed them until they were manifested physically. This is also the testimony of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. My Father in the Lord saw some things through the eyes of faith that were practically impossible to believe at that time, but they have become history today. When I became the General Overseer of the Church, we could only afford a one-bedroom apartment; I therefore started praying to God for a suitable home to accommodate my family. God then spoke to me one day that I should stop praying for a house because He had decided to build me a city. I received it by faith and today, this city has become a reality, and God is not done with us yet. I pray that you will begin to see the invisible from today in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Holy Spirit often uses the imagery of running a race or participating in a sporting activity to portray the Christian life. He does this to help us have a better understanding of the nature of the Christian life we are called to live, and to help us develop the right attitude required to be successful in it. 1st Corinthians 9:24-25 He says:
“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we are incorruptible.”
Three important points are in focus in this passage. First, there are many participants in a sporting event but only the winner receives the prize. We are therefore encouraged to run the Christian race with a mind-set of striving hard to obtain the reward and not just for the mere purpose of participating, secondly, as athletes struggle to reduce unforced errors in order to achieve expertise in their chosen sports, we are also advised to strive for mastery. Thirdly, just as professional athletes must be disciplined in all things before they can achieve the level of skill required to become champions, so also must we be calm, moderate, self-controlled and disciplined in all things. Christianity is very much like boxing or running a marathon: if your attitude towards training and preparation is lackadaisical, relaxed and carefree, then you must be prepared for a painful defeat or even a knockout on the big stage. I pray that you will never suffer defeat in the hands of your enemies in Jesus’ Name.

God is using this medium to bring to your attention the precaution and diligence that is required to secure victory in the Christian race in these perilous times. He is urging you to give the race you are running all the attention needed to ensure success. He also presents before you the crown of glory which He will award to all those who are faithful to the end of the race (1st Peter 5:4). This crown is not a perishable bunch of flowers or a gold-plated medal of little value, but the glorious crown of everlasting life, which awaits all those who have successfully completed the Christian race. You will be wise to give heed to the words of Hebrews 12:2 by continually looking unto Jesus, who for the reward  that was set before him endured the cross, despised the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Nothing can be more glorious than making it to heaven and beholding the face of Jesus forever. Will you make it there?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Hospitability is the act of generosity and friendship shown towards strangers, and it includes the responsibility of protecting the interests of those received as guest. God admonishes His children to be hospitable as part of our duty to others and in gratitude for the salvation, favour and mercy we have received from Him (Exodus 22:21). Several passages of Scripture emphasis hospitality as a godly virtue (Romans 12:13, 1st Peter 4:9). Hebrews 13:2 says,
"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
Furthermore, the Bible mentions hospitality as one of the preconditions for becoming a leader in the Church (1st Timothy 3:2). Hospitality has played a very important role in the Redeemed Christian Church of God right from its very beginning. It forms part of our core beliefs and practices. We teach that you don’t have to be rich to look after visitors. You can entertain four people with a single orange by slicing it into four parts and presenting it nicely on a decent plate with glasses of water. May you receive the true spirit of hospitality today in Jesus’ Name.

The Bible admonishes that since we naturally desire to receive hospitality from others, we should show it to others as well. The Lord in Matthew 7:12 says,
“All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”
Even when describing the type of fast that God find acceptable, the Holy Spirit in Isaiah 58:7a said:
“Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house?”
Deuteronomy 26:12 also speaks about feeding the strangers, the fatherless and the widow. All these verse of Scripture show that we are duty-bound as children of God to provide for the needs of these classes of people regularly. More importantly, Jesus clearly teaches that hospitality is going to be a major criterion that will be used to separate the sheep from the goats on the last day (Matthew 25:33-35). This means that it will be practically impossible for anyone to enter heaven without being hospitable. Jesus expects every Christian to love their neighbour as themselves. He expects us to use hospitability as a tool to spread the love of God and the good news of the gospel all over the world. I pray that you will yield yourself as an instrument of spreading God’s love everywhere through hospitality in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Divine connection simply means the connection of an individual to sources that would help to fast-track the fulfillment of his or her destiny. In Psalm 37:23, the Holy Spirit teaches:
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”
This was the testimony of Abraham’s servant in Genesis 37:15. He was amazed at the way the God of his master answered his simple childlike prayer of faith. Beyond his wildest imagination, things worked out in his favour because God had already sent His angels ahead of him to work everything out. When you are divinely connected, people will think that you are wise or brilliant. Some may even mistake you for a genius! I pray for you today that God will give you divine connections that will confound everyone who hears about it in Jesus’ Name.

When we draw close to God and do His bidding, we earn ourselves divine connections (James 4:. Hebrews 6:10 says,
“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”
Some people complain about following Jesus without anything to show for it. Some people may be in their season of sowing, or they might not have been following Him according to the pattern He has laid down. The Lord is a faithful covenant-keeper who cannot lie. In Matthew 19:29 He said:
“And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”
If you have been walking with God with nothing to show for it spiritually and materially, take time to carefully evaluate your walk.

If you need divine connection, you must be faithful to the profession of faith you made when you gave your life to Christ. Our calling, like that of Abraham the father of faith, is a call unto holiness (Genesis 17:1, 1st Thessalonians 4:7). Abraham did not compromise his calling by going back to the world; there is nothing for you there. To be divinely connected, you need to add virtue and brotherly kindness to your faith, because faith without works is dead (James 2:17). Renew your relationship with the Lord and let holiness become your watchword. Endeavour to please Him in all your ways just as the early Church did, and you will then experience divine connection.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Remembrance is the process of recalling the past or being able to bring to the fore of one’s mind an awareness of someone or something. Although it is not in the nature or character of God to forget anything like we humans do (because He is the All-knowing God), the word “remember” is used in relation to God in several passage of the Bible to connote the reception of special attention from Him. When God remembers a person for good, that person’s situation is transformed immediately. This is the reason why several people in the Bible cried to God to remember them. The Lord will hear your cry for remembrance today in Jesus’ Name.

In Judges 16:28, Samson cried “Lord God, remember me”, and the Lord answered him immediately. In Nehemiah 13:14, Nehemiah also cried, “Remember me, O God”. When King Hezekiah was faced with death, He cried to God, “Remember how I walked before you in truth and with a loyal heart” (Isaiah 38:3). Furthermore, Jeremiah cried unto God to remember His covenant with Israel (Jeremiah 14:21). In all these cases of people calling unto God for remembrance, He responded favourably and intervened in their situations. I pray that God will remember you for good and intervene in your situation today in Jesus’ Name.

When God remembers you, He will immediately put an end to everything that is working against your peace, just as He did for Noah when He commanded the flood waters to cease (Genesis 8:1). When God remembers you, He will deliver you from all your troubles as He did for Lot and his family in Genesis 19:29. He will also put an end to barrenness and open your womb for fruitfulness, just as He did for Rachel and Hannah (Genesis 30:22, 1st Samuel 1:19). By the grace of God, we have heard several heart-warming testimonies in the Redeemed Christian Church of God about what happens when God remembers His people for good after years of suffering, sorrow and pain. Barrenness of over twenty years has been terminated, incurable disease has been healed, mental illnesses have been cured, captives have been delivered, generational curses have been cancelled, poverty has been terminated and destinies have been restored. I remember several previously barren women whom God remembered and blessed with twins and triplets. God remembered a certain lady who still used to wet her bed at over thirty years of age, and the bedwetting stopped instantly. Just as Jesus healed the impotent man after 38 years of being at the pool side (John 5), we have heard testimonies of wicked embargoes on marriage being lifted even after attaining 50 years of age. God will remember you for good and give special attention to your case in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The original intention and will of God for mankind is that we would maintain our innocence while still exercising our free will to make decisions in total obedience to His word. His desire is for us to make decisions in conscious and deliberate submission to His authority, not out of ignorance but in innocence. Life involves making decisions at different levels and under various circumstances. To help us navigate our way through life successfully, the Scripture offers us guidance on how we should make decisions, while providing examples of good and bad decisions and their consequences. Relying on the human knowledge of good and evil motivates people to reason things out and arrive at seemingly good decisions that are based on prevailing culture, level of intelligence and personal preferences, without any serious consideration for obedience to the will of God. The truth is, decision-making is the most vital aspect of life because the quality of a person’s decisions determines the level of success or failure he or she attains.

The Bible narrates some classical examples of bad decisions made over the ages and their consequences. The most harmful of these is found in Genesis 3:6:
“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof…”
This was the decision that got the whole of humanity into trouble, but thank God for Jesus who redeemed us by His Blood. Another example is Esau who chose to sell his birth right for bread and pottage, and he lost it forever. Samson also made bad choices, including his decision to mingle with strange women, which destroyed his life, made him lose his power and caused him to die in the camp of his enemies (Judges 16:1). Furthermore, in 1st Samuel 13:8-9, King Saul’s decision to offer the required burnt offering in the absence of Prophet Samuel made him lose everything. The Lord will restore everything you have lost today in Jesus’ Name.

The Bible also contains examples of those who made good decisions. Joseph refused the sexual advances of his master’s wife, and God ensured that his dreams came to pass (Genesis 39:7-9). In Ruth 1:15-16, against all odds, Ruth decided to stay with Naomi, her mother-in-law, and the God of Israel settled her. She became the great grandmother of King David, and our Lord Jesus Christ later came out of her lineage. I pray that you will not make the wrong decisions that will change the course of your life for evil in the mighty Name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Are you presently at any of life’s crossroads? God expects that your decisions would be the end-result of a process of reflection on the available choices before you, informed and sustained by a concern to please Him. You therefore need guidance from the Holy Spirit before making up your mind on any issue, especially the difficult ones. Our loving Father has provided assistance for our decision-making process through the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, individuals and the natural world around us. In Joshua chapter 24, the All-knowing God knew that the Israelite's would soon have to make the conscious decision of either serving Him or the gods of the nations around them. He therefore presented His case on why they should serve Him by reminding them of how He brought Abraham their father out of his native land, across the river, into the Promised Land. He further recounted how He delivered them from slavery in Egypt and took them through the wilderness with miracles, signs and wonders attending every aspect of their journey. The Lord then announced to them that if they found it difficult to serve Him wholeheartedly after everything He had done for them, they were free to choose whom they would serve. However, Joshua immediately answered for himself that he and his family would serve the Lord.

Why would God give His people the option of serving other gods? The truth of the matter is, our God’s leadership is not authoritarian or forceful. He will tell you His rules and regulations, and make His position on issues very clear. He will also reveal what awaits you in the future based on the choices you make today. You can be sure that He will allow you to have your way, and He will also give you the opportunity to exercise your free will. However, you must be ready to accept the repercussions of your choices and take responsibility for your actions at the end of it all. If you are a good student of the Bible, you will observe that each time anyone acted contrary to God’s word; they always suffered terribly for it. For example, contrary to God’s warning, Israel decided to have a king instead of letting God lead them through His prophets. They turned deaf ears to God’s warning in 1st Samuel 8:18 and they suffered terribly for it in the hands of Solomon and the succeeding kings. Rather than act in defiance to God’s instructions, it is always better to heed His counsel. Be ready to reason with God in His word and through prayers, and you will be rewarded with divine direction that will lead to your breakthrough (Isaiah 1:18).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the physical realm, sensitivity can be viewed from the perspective of a deep feeling of love and compassion for a person, which usually translates to a commensurate level of understanding for that person’s needs, leading to appropriate actions being taken in that person’s interest. In the spiritual realm however, sensitivity is a quality of life generated by the spirit of God. It the ability to perceive and respond to the call of God or the spiritual demands of the moment. A lack of spiritual sensitivity affects the physical and spiritual wellbeing of God’s children and must be avoided at all costs. Beginning from today, your spiritual antennae will begin to receive heavenly signals in the Name of Jesus. Concerning spiritual sensitivity, 1st Corinthians 2:14 says,
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
From this verse, we understand that spiritual sensitivity is a grace that comes from living under the control of the Holy Spirit. Are you spiritually sensitive?

In Isaiah 11:3b, the Holy Spirit painted a picture of our spiritual nature, which is fashioned after Christ, saying:
“…and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ manifested this nature in John 4:17-19 and in several other passages of the gospels. Because we are fashioned after Him, we ought to walk as He walked.  Spiritual sensitivity was Jesus’ lifestyle, and so, any Christian that is not spiritually sensitive will not walk in the reality of the abundant life that he or she possesses. Without spiritual sensitivity, a person is bound to depend on suspicion, natural intelligence, educational awareness and the natural senses. These are all deficient in receiving the things of God. Without spiritual sensitivity, Abraham would have missed his blessing and the opportunity to save Lot and his family from destruction (Genesis 18:1-33), Samson’s parents would have missed a wonderful chance of a lifetime (Judge 13:3-25), and the great Prophet Samuel would have anointed the wrong person as king over Israel (1st Samuel 16:4-13). When decisions are made based on physical evidence alone, no matter how incontrovertible the evidence may seem, there is still always the possibility of miscarriage of Justice. This has wrongly sent people to prison and even death. I pray that your spiritual sensitivity will become sharpened today in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Jehovah-Nissi is a name of the Lord that has its roots in Exodus 17:15. After Joshua and the Israelites had defeated the Amalekites at Rephidim, Moses erected an altar to commemorate this victory and He called it “Jehovah-Nissi”, which means “Yahweh is my banner”. In other words, he was saying “the Lord is my banner of victory.” This name is a call to God’s people to rally around God as an army gathers around its banner, because God is the One who leads us to victory. To understand the significance of the name Jehovah-Nissi, we need to remind ourselves that the devil is constantly waging spiritual battles against us. While the forces of darkness vigorously pursue newly converted Christians in order to obstruct their spiritual progress, they are also on the look-out for any opportunity to pull mature Christians down. However, in spite of these aggressive attacks of the enemy, God expects us to rejoice, knowing fully well that although the battle may be fierce, the Lord of hosts and the Captain of our salvation is in our midst leading the charge against the enemy’s camp. In Matthew 28:20 He said:
“…lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

As Jehovah-Nissi, God is concerned about the devil’s roars and attempts to harass and intimidate His children (1st Peter 5:. To assure and comfort our hearts, His attitude towards this ploy of the enemy was manifested in Judges 15:14:
“And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him,  and the cords that were upon his arms became as flex that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.”
The enemy’s roars and shouts against us always trigger a response from the Holy Spirit living inside us. No wonder Isaiah 59:19b says,
“When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.”
God has zero tolerance for the enemy’s harassments and threats against His children, whom He bought with the precious Blood of His Son, Jesus. With this understanding, you will realise that our God is the greatest ally you can have in the battle of life. The Almighty God is Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord our Banner, and He is the Lord of hosts. Therefore, the battle is not yours but His. Always be conscious of the reality of the Lord as Jehovah-Nissi in your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“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.”
Ephesians 6:12
The above scripture clearly shows us that Satan and his fallen angels are organised into a well-coordinated army that is skillful in carrying out devastating attacks on their victims. We must therefore be strategic and confront them from a position of knowledge and strength. Our warfare as Christians is a fight of faith that is purely restricted to the spiritual realm. Although our Spiritual warfare is personal, we must not engage in it on the basis of our individual effort or strength. We must continually channel the strength of God and the victory we have through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus against the forces of darkness for as long as we live. Our fight of faith calls for courage to withstand dreadful circumstances, determination to overcome at all costs and persistent prayers. It also calls for loyalty to fight under the banner of Christ, the Lord of hosts, standing in His strength and using the weapons He has provided.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds”
2nd Corinthians 10:3-4
The Holy Spirit inspired these verses of scripture to help us have a good understanding of the true nature of spiritual warfare and the potency of our God-ordained weapons, even though they may appear ordinary to many. We are commanded in Ephesians 6:11&13 to “put on” and “take on” the whole armour of God. What makes up the complete armour of God? According to Ephesians 6:10-18, the number one component of this armour is Truth, which refers to Jesus Himself (John 14:6). Next is holiness and righteousness, and then comes the gospel of peace, faith in God, salvation, the word of God, persistent prayers, and finally, watching and perseverance. The Bible assures us that when these weapons are complete, they are effective in pulling down the stronghold of the devil, casting down every imagination of the enemy that is contrary to the purpose of God, and bringing into captivity every thought and device to the obedience of Christ. Our duty is to ensure that we put on the whole armour of God and use it to resist the kingdom of darkness. We know we are victorious because the Lord of hosts Himself has already perfected our victory.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Spiritual warfare is the fight of resistance and enforcement against the forces of evil (John 10:10). Although not discernible to a lot of people, this is a constant on-going occurrence in the realm of the spirit (Luke 10:18). Spiritual warfare has its origin in the rebellion of Satan and his allied angels against God (Isaiah 14:12-15, Revelation 12:7-9). Satan is the prince of this world, and he leads a coalition of forces against God and anything connected to His purpose on earth. It is therefore important to note that mankind is the target of his attacks, regardless of religious affiliation, academic qualification, gender, age, culture or tribe. For this reason Revelation 12:12 says,
“…Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath…”
Many people do not accept this truth, and so they fall prey to the tricks of the enemy to make them oblivious to his activities. When people begin to seek for natural or scientific solutions to a spiritual problem, it is bound to end in total failure. However, all thanks be to God, because the Lord Jesus has defeated and destroyed the devil through His death and resurrection. As a child of God, your responsibility is to enforce the victory won by Christ and utilise the enormous power He has vested in you against the tricks of Satan and his demonic angels (Ephesians 1:18-23).  If you do not recognise who you are as a child of God and enforce your position in Christ against these evil forces, they will end up robbing you of what is rightfully yours.

As Christians, we are involved in a fight of faith to live in the reality of the victory that Christ has won and given to us over the devil, the world system and the flesh (Hebrews 2:14-15, 1st John 5:4, Galatians 5:24). Satan deploys his attacks on Christians from two major fronts. He empowers the world system to attack and work against Christians externally through persecution, deception and seduction. He also attacks us internally by using the weaknesses of the natural body we currently possess to try to frustrate our commitment to serving God fully. The primary focus of the devil’s strategy is to entice us into sin, so as to break our fellowship with God. Jesus is our perfect example. He came into this world to destroy the works of the devil and to show us how to live above sin. He went through trials and temptation like we are facing today and yet He did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). He therefore expects us to be determined to resist sin, no matter the cost. Our loving and compassionate Father has perfected the mechanism to assist us to triumph over the wicked attacks of the devil, but He expects us to resist the temptation to sin with everything we have and not to fall prey to the antics of the devil like weaklings (1st Corinthians 10:13).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, we will be concluding our reflection on revival by considering the multiple blessings that it brings. After a people have sincerely repented of their sins, turned from their evil ways to the way of righteousness and humbled themselves in prayer, God always responds by showing mercy and sending revival to them. Revival does not only mean the salvation of souls; there are certain other blessings that always accompany it also. When revival comes, not only will people be converted to Christ, the whole quality of life in the immediate community, surrounding environment or even the nation at large will be improved. As a result of revival, ungodly and unfriendly cultural practices are abandoned and idolatrous cultural practices are forsaken. I have often shared this testimony that before the arrival of our church at the site of the Redemption Camp on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, it used to be the den of armed robbers, members of the occult and dangerous animals. The neighbouring communities were largely traditionalist and exposed to little or no Christian influence. The revival that started when we arrived at this site immediately turned the Redemption Camp to a place of refuge for our immediate neighbours and travelers on the expressway. By the grace of God, the Redemption Camp has now gained worldwide recognition as a place of refuge to all nations of the world. When revival comes, heaven comes down to earth and supernatural things begin to happen among men.

Brethren, the anger of the Lord pending against unrepentant sinners is not endurable (Psalm 85:4-6, Hebrews 10:31).  Only a fool will challenge God to a fight or wait for Him to execute His judgement (Isaiah 45:9). Only revival can restore the genuine joy of salvation that material things of life cannot produce (Revelations 3:17-18). Revival also causes recognition of the need to effect character change for good, a rejection of one’s sinful lifestyle, and a renewed sense of responsibility. A revived soul immediately feels the need to share his or her testimony with others who are still living in sin and are desperately in need of the saving power of the gospel. A truly revived person begins to hunger and thirst for the increase knowledge of God’s word and for fellowship with God in holiness and righteousness (Psalm 42:1-2). True revival is contagious. The new nature of holiness, peace and joy that revival brings spread from individuals to the family, the Church of God, the community and the nation at large. This automatically leads to a great increase in soul-winning, reduced criminal activities, a peaceful society, abolition of ungodly laws, promotion of ideas that lead to real growth and sustained development. True revival turns the average human society to a model of heaven on earth. 
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the past two days, we have examined what causes the need for revival and the divine template God has established for obtaining revival from heaven. The question we will be considering today is this: Does the Church of the 21st century need revival? I strongly believe the answer to this question is yes. You may wonder why I believe so. When you critically look around you with the eyes of the spirit, you will observe several things that have resulted in the Church falling short of the glory of God in this modern generation. You will also observe that it is increasingly becoming difficult to uphold biblical principles in the public arena in many nations of the world, especially in the western world. The mention of the Bible, reading of any portion of Scripture, and the observance of devotional prayers are outlawed in academic institutions at all levels, in offices, and in other public places in some nations that were previously proud to be identified as Christian nations just few years ago. The Church has consequently toned down the commandments of God and stepped down Bible doctrines in many places whenever it is opposed by the acceptable culture and popular opinion of the people. The church, including some very big denominations, has clearly departed from biblical doctrine on issues relating to salvation, mercy-killing, marriage, divorce, remarriage, abortion, homosexuality and many more issues.

As seen in Ezekiel 3:17, in every generation, God is always seeking for watchmen who will speak His mind to the people, irrespective of the circumstances, warning them against doing things that are contrary to His will. Many Christians, including prominent Christian leaders, have openly abdicated this responsibility in public places because of the fear of losing face. If we will please God, we must stand firm in the sound teaching of His word (Ezekiel 3:17-21). This is where the problem lies: many preachers and teachers of the word are no longer warning the Church against apostasy and wickedness because of the fear of losing “valuable” members. Our Lord Jesus Christ sent messages of warning to the seven Churches in Asia, and we also must do the same today (Revelations 2-3). We must stand firm on genuine repentance as demanded and witnessed in Proverbs 28:13, Acts 3:19, 2nd Samuel 12:13 and Psalm 51:3-4. Note that repentance is not limited to unbelievers alone; every sincere child of God will always engage in self-examination to avoid the presence of unconfessed sins in their lives (1st John 2:1-11). Finally, warring brethren must be reconciled in line with Matthew 5:21-24 and Psalm 133:1-3. As you seek God’s face for revival today, He will answer you by fire in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.