₦airaland Forum

One of the signs by which you know that God is with you or that His presence is in whatever you are doing is when you have peace in your heart. Peace is the state of harmony that is made available to the children of God through a right relationship with Him and a good relationship with their fellow human beings. Peace is associated with the presence of the Prince of Peace, Jesus. His presence is made manifest in the world today by the Holy Spirit. The absence of peace in a person’s life leads to fretful worry or anxiety. It is not God’s plan for a child of God to possess a distressed state of mind that is filled with concern over present or future challenges. For this reason, the Holy Spirit says to us in Philippians 4:6:
”Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
God knows that the pressure of the needs we face in this world can rob us of His peace, and so He sent us these words to help us recognize the right thing to do when confronted with challenges. Worrying about our needs or the challenges you are confronted with will not change anything; rather, it is a snare of the devil to cause sicknesses such as high blood pressure in people. I pray that you will not be a victim of hypertension, stroke or heart disease in Jesus’ Name.

The Bible reveals Jesus as the Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6). This means that wherever there is turmoil or crisis, once Jesus is invited into the situation and the presence of the Holy Spirit is called upon, a sense of wellbeing, contentment and wholesomeness will be restored immediately. This is what happened in Mark 4:39, when Jesus rebuked the storm after the disciples called upon Him:
“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.”
The Name of Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit establish peace in God’s children, irrespective of the Outward circumstances around them. True peace is therefore an indication of the presence of Jesus, made manifest by the Holy Spirit, in any given situation. I pray that the presence of God that brings lasting peace will abide with you today in Jesus’ Name. If you are passing through a stressful and difficult time in your life, if you are going through a serious financial crisis or your marriage is in turmoil, if you are experiencing psychological or emotional trauma that defies solution, it is time to call on the Name of Jesus and invite the presence of the Holy Spirit into your life. As you do so, God will grant you all round peace today in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To look to Jesus means to rely on Him for help and to see Him as our example. He is our forerunner who has triumphantly gone through whatever we are passing through now. He knew the purpose of His coming into this world, and He stayed true to that purpose till it was fulfilled. Therefore, in the midst of trials and temptations, you only need to look up to Jesus and walk in the steps that He left for us to follow.

To look to Jesus is to look away from every other thing and focus on Him alone. Naturally, when you look up, it becomes impossible to see your surroundings at the same time. For this reason, your focus shifts from your surroundings and settles on the things above alone. So, to look up to Jesus means that no matter how fierce the storm is raging in our present situation, you must look away from it and fix your gaze only on Jesus Christ. The good thing is that it is only then that solutions will come and peace will be given to calm the raging storm. If you don’t believe me, ask Peter. When he had his eyes set on Jesus, he was walking on the stormy sea, but the moment he looked at his surroundings, he began to sink (Matthew 14:28-31). Matthew 14:30 says:
“But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, Saying, Lord, save me.”
You will not sink in Jesus’ Name.

To look to man is a fruitless effort. A person can only raise you as far as his or her hands can reach, and each person’s reach is limited. Also, someone can be in a position of authority today and be out of it tomorrow, and so what happens to you if you have been looking up to that person? In the little time i have spent on earth, I have come to discover that the only person you can trust totally is God. He is the one who never fails, has no limits and can never be dethroned.

Finally, to look up to Jesus is to focus on our destination and our reward. We are sojourners here on earth, only passing through on our way to our eternal home. If Heaven is your final destination, then it is only wise that you focus on The Way to that destination. The Bible says that He sits at the right hand of God’s throne. That is our finish line, and that is where your gaze should be permanently fixed.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Hebrews 13:8, the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed as never changing. If you can catch a revelation of what this means in your spirit, your life will never remain the same. One benefit of His eternal consistency is that the works He did over two thousand years ago, He can still do today in the lives of those who believe and are yielded to Him. Not only are His works unchanging, His word also never changes. No wonder the Holy Spirit said in Psalm 119:89:
“For ever O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”
If you want your life to be built on a sure foundation in this world of uncertainties, then build your life on His word. When you live your life by the word of God which is forever settled in heaven, it will cause you to remain relevant forever. If you want your life endeavors to outlive you, make sure they are founded on God’s word. I am appealing to you today to embrace the word of God which is forever settled. The world we live in is changing but God never changes, and His standard never changes either. For example, thousands of years after God commanded Abraham to walk before Him and be perfect, Jesus Christ came and echoed the same words to His disciples (Genesis 17:1, Matthew 5:48).

In James 1:16-18, we have some fundamental truths that cannot be wished away if you want to forever remain relevant spiritually and in the kingdom of heaven. It says:
“Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he as with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
One of the truths contained in this scripture is that every good and perfect gift is from God, the Father of lights. You know He is your Father indeed, when like Him you illuminate the darkness of this world. Another of these truths is that this Father of lights does not change, and there is no shadow of turning with Him. As human beings, we may restructure, modernize, amplify and contextualize His Printed word in our hands, but His original word is forever the same with Him in heaven. Lastly, the most effective instrument He has been using since the world began is His Word (John 1:1-3). Through this same word are we born again and made perfect. His word is indeed magnified above His Name (Psalm 138:2). Beloved, the extent of your relevance depends on the extent to which your life complies with the word of God. Do you abide by His words?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The reason why some children of God miss their day of visitation is that they don’t take prophetic utterances from God seriously, whether written or spoken. For this reason, l encourage you to see the words of our devotional today as prophetic, coming to you from your Maker who can never lie. By the word of the Lord, I proclaim to you that this is the day of your freedom. It shall be unto you as it is written in Psalm 91:3, which says:
“Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler; and from the noisome pestilence.”

In Isaiah 49:24-26, the Lord as the Almighty specifically declares His ability to set the captives free, including lawful captives. Beloved, the meaning of this scripture is that those who willingly got themselves into bondage and are tired of staying there are candidates for God’s deliverance. Some people think that once someone willingly enters into witchcraft, the occult, secret societies, and the like, he or she can never be free again, but going by what the Lord declares in Isaiah 49:24, this is not true.

Isaiah 49:26 contains the key to experiencing the divine intervention that the Lord declares in the preceding verses, and this is where there could be a challenge. It reads in part:
“...and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.”
What constitutes the challenge in this verse? The promise to deliver is only for those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Redeemer. l once ministered deliverance to a traditional title holder in Nigeria, and it got to the point where he needed to accept Jesus as His Saviour. Amazingly, he refused. All he wanted was God's benefit of deliverance without submitting to His Lordship. Unfortunately, he died while still in the valley of indecision about accepting the Lord.

So, the choice is yours today. Isaiah 1:19 says:
“lf ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land”
If you willingly submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ over your life, He will not only set you free, He will also ensure that your freedom is permanent by destroying all your oppressors, as He did to the Egyptians in the Red Sea (Exodus 14:26-28). The Lord of Hosts be praised! Amen.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The title of today’s devotional (Who Is My Neighbor?) is a question which precipitated the parable of the Good Samaritan. This question is even more relevant today because the character of good neighborliness is fast becoming a scarce commodity. It is even more astonishing to find out that the brotherly love that helped the Church to grow in the early days of the Christian faith is dwindling among 21st century believers, but this should not be so. In Galatians 6:10, the Holy Spirit answered the question of who our neighbor is when he admonished us thus:
‘’As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.’’
To prevent any ambiguity, the Holy Spirit also gives us practical examples of what He meant in the above scripture in James 2:15-16, saying:
‘’If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?’’
Through this scripture, the Holy Spirit is saying that there is no good neighborliness in theoretical spirituality that is not accompanied by action. In Luke 10:25-37, our Lord used the actions of the Samaritan to vividly illustrate good neighborliness, contrasting his charitable deeds against the selfish attitudes of the priest and the Levite. It is unfortunate that the actions of the latter two reflect what is happening among Christian brethren today. To the pastor, the sick child of the neighbor may die, as long as he is not late to preach somewhere. A chorister would not want to be late for choir practice, even though her fellow sister is critically ill somewhere.

Beloved, the Holy Spirit demands that we add virtue to our faith (2nd Peter 1:5). When we add the virtue of good deeds to our faith, the task of our evangelizing the word will become very easy to accomplish. The story was told of the General Overseer of a reputable church in Lagos, Nigeria, whose decision to accept Christ was motivated by the kindness of a Christian couple during the Nigeria civil war. He wondered what kind of people would give a bowl full of rice to him, a hungry fugitive who was about to die, at a time when food was terribly scarce. He found out that they where Christians, and there and then he decided to join them in serving Jesus. Beloved, let your faith come alive today with good works.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the fallacies of life is the notion that when you have money, you have everything. How untrue this is! My experiences in ministry have taught me that there is so much that money cannot do. For example, money cannot make a barren woman conceive. If you doubt this, ask the wealthy Shunammite woman (2nd Kings 4:8-17). It is amazing that when Elisha asked this woman what she desired, she momentarily forgot or pretended to forget that there was something she lacked which her money could not buy, which was a child (2nd Kings 4:13 ). Irrespective of this, in 2nd Kings 4:16, Elisha declared to her:
‘’… About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.’’
Why did she doubt Elisha’s declaration? It was because she considered it too good to be true! She also probably felt that whatever money could not do, nothing else could do it. I have good news for a user of this devotional: that need that money has failed to meet in your life, which you have used good money to travel across several hospitals in the world to resolve to no avail, you will receive it this season in Jesus’ Name.

I was once invited to preach in an area where the ‘’who is who ‘’ in Nigeria reside. When I got to the particular house I was invited to and I saw money in action, I decided to change my sermon to something like ‘’ it is good to bless the Lord’’, because I could not imagine that family having a single need; but I was wrong. Before long, I realized that there was a problem that money could not solve in that family, so introduced them to the God with whom there is no impossiblity. At the end of the day, God resolved the problem that money could not solve for them. God will solve the problem that has defied the power of money in your life today in Jesus’ Name. Luke 12:15-23 narrates the interesting story of a man who was very successful in his farming business. Although most rich men are never satisfied with the amount of wealth they possess, this particular one was so rich that he planned to retire from creating more wealth. Unfortunately, he died the same night he conceived his plan. His money could not prevent death from snatching him away from enjoying his hard-earned wealth. Shame to money that cannot save its owner from death! If money cannot save from physical death, how would it save a person from eternal death? Jesus said the foolishness of this rich man is applicable to those who lay up earthly treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God (Luke 12:21). Are you one of such people?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Impatience is the younger sister of doubt because when someone is impatient, the fellow may not be able to operate under the divine time-table. Impatience can cause a person to doubt the integrity of the Ever Faithful God. The devil uses impatience as a tool to sow doubt in the minds of believers, so much so that some even begin to doubt the infallible word of God. For this reason, James 1:4 says:
‘’But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.’’
The blessings attached to being patient are many. For example, in James 1:4, the Holy Spirit reveals that a patience fellow will lack nothing good. This may sound foolish to the carnal mind, but it is the truth of God's word. The carnal mind is turned to believe that by being impatient, more can be achieved, and more can be amassed, but this is a lie of the devil.

In John 11:18-26, impatience almost destroyed the faith of Mary and Martha. As a matter of fact, they indirectly indicted Jesus of their brother’s death because He came to them at a time they considered to be too late, after he had received their message notifying him of Lazarus’ sickness. John 11:21 say:
‘’Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.’’
What an indictment! By this comment, they doubted the extent to which Jesus actually loved their family. This probably account for why Jesus wept in John 11:35, after Mary repeated the same accusation (John 11:32). It is dangerous to be a ‘’microwave Christian’’ who always expects things to happen when you feel they must happen. A microwave Christian is like an infant who reacts to and cries for everything that cause discomfort. The Holy Spirit describes the state of such Christians in 1st Corinthian 3:1-2. Some brethren feel offended and therefore decide to leave a church when the promotion they believe they are due for is not forthcoming from the church authorities. Some others feel victimized when they are transferred from their station of comfort, even resorting to blackmail in some cases. Some even give God an ultimatum on when a miracle must ‘’drop’’, or else they won’t serve him anymore. All these examples may sound unbelievable, but they are true life experiences. Beloved, it is time to grow up from the stage of infancy. God expects you to become not just a meat eater but a bone cracker. May the Lord cause you to grow in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is unfortunate that sin abounds in the Church today because we do not collectively abhor evil deeds anymore. Instead of hating what is evil, we actually celebrate sinners, and by so doing, we ignorantly become accomplices of their evil deeds. We no longer follow the instruction of the Holy Spirit in 1st Timothy 5:20, which says:
‘’Them that sin rebuke before all that others also may fear.”
Our modern approach is contrary to this scripture because we want to do church in a “civilized” manner. Adam and Eve also desired to be civilized, and they ended up becoming corrupted. Proverbs 24:23-25 says:
‘’These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.’’
This scripture reveals the danger of being the accomplice of an evil doer and also the blessing attached to detesting and rebuking evil. Romans 12:9b also says:
‘’Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.’’
This is what is missing in the church today. My prayer is that the Almighty God will revive the Church, and evil deeds shall become alien to the body of Christ in Jesus’ Name.

The task of rebuking evil is divine, and whoever will perform this task must live above reproach (Romans 2:22-23). He or she must also be ready for persecution and blackmail. However, we should not be deterred by these, because evildoers also did the same to the prophets of old. In Mathew 5:10-12, our lord Jesus Christ said:
‘’ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.’’
Jeremiah is a classic example of someone who was maligned for rebuking evil in high places. He was indeed a sad prophet. He lamented the evil of his time so much that a whole book out of the 66 books of the Bible was dedicated to his lamentation. Similarly, even though John the Baptist was the greatest of all men that lived before Christ, his head ended up on a plate because he spoke out against evildoers. (Mathew 11:11, Mark 6:25-28). Nevertheless beloved, these sufferings are more tolerable than the judgment reserved for being the accomplice of evildoers. May the Lord help you in this regard in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Temptation is the pressure to yield to influences that can lead a person away from God and into sin. It is also the means by which the loyalty, commitment and obedience of a child of God is tested and proved. Temptation is a part of life that no one can escape from, because nobody is protected or exempted from its influence. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself experienced temptation (Hebrews 4:15). The one who orchestrates temptations, also known as the tempter, is the devil (Mathew 4:3). He has perfected highly deceptive means of carrying out His evil enterprise, because he has been long at it. However, glory be to God because the Lord has developed a way of escape for every type of temptation the devil can come up with (1st Corinthians 10:13). If we refuse to use the means of escape provided by God, we will end up falling for the devil’s trick and disobeying God. This can have devastating repercussions, as seen in the fall of mankind through temptation and the judgment of God which followed (Genesis 3:1-24). It is therefore important for us to learn how to overcome temptation and also reduce our exposure to it by applying the antidote provided by the Lord.

In the last few hours before our Lord Jesus Christ was arrested, knowing what was about to happen shortly, He gave the disciples the antidote to temptation, saying in Mathew 24:26:
‘’Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak.’’
In this verse of scripture, He named watchfulness and prayer as the antidotes of temptation. Watchfulness is the state of being alert and expectant while carefully observing a person or situation. The word of God lays particular emphasis on the need to keep watch for two important events: The second coming of our Lord and the devil’s temptation, which is our focus today. We are called to be alert to the dangers posed to our Christian life by false teachings, worldliness, love of money, inordinate ambition, sinful pleasure, sexual immorality, and all other forms of temptation. Your watchfulness should begin with the admonition of proverbs 4:23, which say:
‘’Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.’’
Romans 12:2 also speaks about renewing your mind, and this is best done by filling your heart with the undiluted word of God. Another aspect of watching is bridling our tongue in order not to sin with it (1st Peter 3:10, James 1:26). For your faith is not to suffer shipwreck due to temptation, you are called by God to soberly watch and be prayerful (1st Peter 4:7). Are you keeping watch?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many Christians believe that it is humanly impossible to be perfect because of the limitations of our flesh, but Jesus said that we should be perfect, just as our Father in Heaven is perfect (Mathew 5:48). For Jesus to have said this, it means that perfection is attainable. However, the only way to attain the level of perfection that God requires of us is to follow the example which He has set, and that example is the Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus was on earth, He lived a life of perfection. Hebrew 4:15 testifies to this, saying:
‘’For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.’’
Just as Jesus was able to live a spotless life while He was on earth, it is also possible for us to live a life of absolute purity and holiness, which is pleasing to God.

In Luke 9:23, our Lord told us how to follow His example to live a holy life, saying:
‘’…If any man come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’’
In other words, you must fist deny yourself if you will follow His lead. Denying yourself means letting go of your old nature. To live holy, you may have to change your friends, some places you go to, websites you visit and your old habits. You will also need to deny your body some of the pleasures it used to enjoy. No matter how much the flesh craves alcohol, hard drug, illicit sex, stealing, lying and the like, you must not let it have its way. To successfully live as a new creature you are, your old man must die first. When you slap a dead man, he does not get up to retaliate because there is no more life in him. In the same way, you must deny yourself to the point where your former cravings become completely dead.

Secondly, you must carry your cross daily. Many Christians make the mistake of planning to live a holy life without consciously taking it a day at a time. The reason you don’t have bad breath is because you brush your teeth daily. Your body remains clean because you take your bath daily. Similarly, the way to keep your spirit clean is to carry your cross daily. When you wake up every morning, turn to God and tell Him to help you live holy throughout that day; then say to yourself with determination,” Throughout today, I must not commit any sin.” When you make this a habit, you will discover after some time that you have been successfully living a holy life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The term ‘overcomer’ is used in Christian parlance to describe a champion, victor or conqueror. It describes a person who has run the Christian race and finished it triumphantly. In His letters to the seven churches of Asia, the Lord revealed seven different rewards He would give to those who fit this description (Revelation 2-3). Beyond these seven rewards, in Revelation 21:7, the Father Himself promised one final reward for overcomers, saying:
‘’He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son”
How amazing! If I were you, I would strive very hard to partake of these rewards. To qualify as an overcomer, I recommend that you first take a look at the life of those who ran the Christian race before you and overcame. This will help you understand the secrets of how they succeeded, and you can then apply those principles in your own heavenly race. Let’s take a look at the greatest of these overcomers, in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 3:21). Of all the battles He won, He triumphed over the devil in two spectacular ways that are worthy of mention. First, in Matthew 4:1-11, He was engage by the devil in a crucial contest and He knocked the devil out through the power of God’s word. Secondly, although the devil masterminded His arrest, trial and execution, the Lord still triumphantly worked out the miracle of His resurrection from the dead. Colossians 2:15 says,
‘’and having spoiled principalities and power, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
Through his death, the Lord defeated the devil in hell and paraded him and his cohorts in an open show of shame, confirming His supremacy over the kingdom of darkness. I pray that you will comprehend and begin to work in the victory of Jesus from today in Jesus ‘name.

While He was in the world, what was the main weapon used by the Lord in overcoming? It is God’s word. Several times’ He quoted the Scriptures as a weapon against the devil. God gave us His word as tool of developing strong faith and confidence in Him. We are nurtured in faith and brought to spiritual maturity through His word. Remembering God’s great deeds in the past build up our hope in Him (Romans 15:4). Besides giving us hope, God’s word is also a potent weapon of warfare against the kingdom of darkness (2nd Corinthians 10:4). It is empowerful to pull down the strongholds of sin, sickness, generational curses and death. It also has the power to break the yokes of failure, barrenness and poverty. I therefore decree that the power in the word of God will completely destroy every yoke in your life today in Jesus ‘Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In John 14:6, the Lord Jesus Christ made a declarative statement to Thomas, which even today some archbishops cannot fathom. He said.
‘’I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’’
What did Jesus mean when he called Himself the Way? After Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden, there was a break in the connection that existed between God and man. From that moment, mankind has continually made efforts to find God because of the emptiness that exits in us without God. Revealing this emptiness and the resulting search for God, In Acts 17:26-27, the Holy Spirit said:
‘’And hath made of one blood all nation of men for to dwell on all the face of earth, and hath determined the time before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That should seek for the lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be no far from every one of us:” The drive to fill this void is seen in the abundance of different religions in the world today, with each one recommending its own way to God. Having seen the end from the beginning, Jesus knew that this time would come, and so he said very clearly to all who will listen, ‘I Am the Way.’’ He is the only way to God, and there is no other way to get to God except through Him.

Because of diverse doctrines around, you need to be careful and ensure that you have found the true God. You need to be sure that you are not just deluded into thinking you have obtained salvation and that you are on your way to heaven. Any other way to God that is not through the Lord Jesus Christ is counterfeit. Are you in any religion that doesn’t recognize Jesus Christ as the way to God? Are you in any church that glorifies her General Overseer or leader and rather than the Lord Jesus Christ? Does your church propagate its own doctrine rather than the word of God as written in the Bible? It is time to come out of such an assembly and seek the one true God through Jesus Christ.

Another thing Jesus meant when He said He is the Way is that He is the perfect example to follow if you want to please God. Don’t make any man your standard because man will disappoint you. Our standard is Jesus Christ and Him alone. It is possible to attain Christ’s level of perfection here on earth, and this is why He gave us the Holy Spirit when He was leaving the earth. Are you going to Heaven through the Way, and are you walking in His footsteps?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Discipline is the act of training a person to obey rules and follow instructions, which sometimes involves corrective punishment for wrongdoing. The bible clearly establish that God excepts parents to discipline their children (Proverbs 23:13-14, Ephesians 6:4). Parents who failed in this responsibility suffered grave consequences, as seen in the example of Eli (1st Samuel 2:27-34). Being a just God, He cannot require discipline from earthly parents and fail in His responsibility to discipline His own children, as the Heavenly Father. All act of disciplining God’s children ultimately come from God, and the methods used are determined by Him. However, His motive is always love, while His goals remain making us partakers of His holiness (Hebrew 12:10). God disciplines His children as part of His covenant with them. Consequently, only disciplined children of God has access to His covenant blessings. Job 36:10-11 says:
‘’He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity. If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.’’

Interestingly, God in his infinite wisdom has set discipline as the number one criteria for ascertaining true children of God. Hebrew 12:8 says,
‘’But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.’’
Consequently, if you notice that you are getting away with sin and immorality without any type of warning or discipline from God, then you can be sure that heaven does not recognize you as a true child of God. As soon as a person accepts the Lordship of Jesus Christ, he or she becomes a genuine member of God’s family, and the love of God will immediately kick-start the process of discipline in order to bring the new convert to perfection in due time. May you always cooperate with God for the purpose of receiving proper discipline in Jesus’ Name.
As a child of God, receiving divine discipline with humility comes with great benefits. Discipline prevents children of God from going astray and brings us to perfection. It also makes us humble, wise and successful, helping us acquire spiritual growth and maturity. Disciplined Christians easily overcome temptation. They are like smooth stones in the hands of God and are mightily used by Him against the Kingdom of darkness. Open your heart to receive godly discipline and correction today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In these perilous times, life is so full of struggles and hard labour that do not always result in success. All around the world, people invest precious time and money into obtaining high school and college education, only to graduate and discover that jobs are nonexistent. In some case, people invest years into specialized training in various crafts and trades, only to graduate and begin to source for financial backing and start-up capital without success. There are some who manage to gain employment with private companies or who succeed in starting small scale businesses, but some years down the line, they find themselves back in the labour market due to harsh economic realities. These hardships have made the availability of ready-made provision very attractive to the average person, especially in developing countries like we have in Africa. The dire economic situation in different parts of the world has led some Christians to wrongly assume that every opportunity that comes their why is Gods providence, not realizing their error until contrary events begin to happen to them in the process of exploiting these ‘’ opportunities’’. I pray that no matter the prevailing conditions in your community, the Lord will divinely open doors of genuine opportunities to you in Jesus’ name.

In Africa and several developing countries, the difficult political and economic situation coupled with security challenges has led a lot of people, especially youths, into traps that initially appeared like ready-made provision. These traps could come in form of employment with very attractive pay packages, ’juicy' marriage offers, 'fantastic’ business opportunities or even invitations to travel abroad. Hidden behind these seemingly great offers are terrible vices like prostitution, drug trafficking, criminal syndicates, fraud, occultism and the like. For example, many young people have honored invitations to travel abroad only to get get trapped in sex trafficking or being used as drug couriers. Some people have entered neck deep into what they thought was an ordinary business relationship, only for them to later discover that they have been initiated into powerful occult groups. Many vulnerable youths are enticed into armed gangs which eventually result in untimely death for so many. As seen in Proverbs 7:6-23, you must recognize that the devil’s ready-made provisions are nothing but deadly traps. God has assured you that He will provide for all your needs and settle all your problems (Hebrews 13:5, 1st Peter 5:7). Therefore, beware of the devil’s traps.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In ancient times, a ransom was a price paid to secure the freedom of a slave, captive or prisoner. It had to be paid in full in order to cancel a debt or obligation, set one free from liabilities and charges, or secures an exemption from punishment. A ransom is associated with redemption, atonement, deliverance and salvation. In every situation requiring the payment of a ransom, victims are helpless because they cannot effect the payment of their own ransom. In the same sense, humanity was in a hopeless and helpless situation because we lacked what was requiring to pay the price for our liberation from the penalty of sin. Thank God that Jesus Christ stepped in as a substitute for all humanity, paying our ransom in full. The ransom he paid is effective for anyone on the face of the earth who by faith in the word of God receives salvation as a gift of God through Jesus Christ. Matthew 20:28, Jesus said;
‘’Even as the Son of man came not to be ministerd unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.’’
Through His suffering, painful death on the cross and glorious resurrection on the third day, He paid in full every price demanded for the redemption, atonement, deliverance and salvation of humanity. Therefore, if you are still under any form of bondage, receive your freedom now in the mighty name of Jesus.
Now that Jesus Christ has paid our ransom in full and completely wiped away everything contrary to our destiny in God, what next? The answer is found in Romans 6:22: “
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.’’
God expects that having freed you from the shackles of sin, you will not return to its bondage again. You ought to remain free by walking in holiness, exercising the power to live above sin that God has deposited in you (Romans 6:14). The end result of staying true to this is everlasting life. 1st Peter 1:15-16 says,
‘’But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.’’
We are called out of sin to live a holy life. Jesus paid your ransom in full; now, show appreciation and reciprocate His love by living holy as from today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Trusting God is one of the best things a child of God can ever learn to do. The moment you learn to trust God, life will become beautiful because you will begin to experience a kind of peace you never knew existed. Initially, it can be quite hard for us to trust God due to the fact that His ways are higher than our ways, and until we get to know Him well, His instructions and commands might seem strange. Nevertheless, as a child of God, it is important that you learn to trust God blindly. Even if you cannot see around the bend, you should trust Him enough to know that he will always lead you aright. No matter how unconventional God’s ways are, one thing is sure: He has your best interest at heart. Jerusalem 29:11 says.
‘’For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, said the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.’’
Trusting God involves taking the backseat and letting God handle the major decisions and suitations in your life. It involve letting your will be so lost in His will until you start to see things from His perspective and feel things through His heart. It takes a lot of trust in another individual to be able to let go of your own will and let that person’s will prevail in your life. You can only trust someone that you love; so if you don’t love God genuinely, you cannot trust Him.

There was a day I was driving down from llorin to Lagos and my fuel tank was almost empty. Unknown to me, a fuel scarcity was on, and so all the filling stations I saw along the way had no fuel. I cried to God and he asked me to take my eyes off the fuel gauge and continue driving to Lagos. Although my fuel tank was already on reserve at the time he told me to do this, I said to Him ‘’Yes Lord’’ and I kept on driving. To the glory of God, I kept on driving on till I got to my house in Lagos. After I parked the car, I looked at the fuel gauge and it read empty! If I did not trust God completely, I would have parked my car in a safe place along the way and gone through the stress of finding an alternative means of getting home, instead of taking the risk of getting stranded along the way.

The devil specializes in sowing seeds of doubt in our hearts so that our faith in God will diminish, because he knows that the moment you start doubting God, you will not be able to receive anything from Him (James 1:6-7). For this reason, it is very important to remind yourself of the good things God has done for you and others in the past. Encourage yourself with these testimonies in order to rekindle your faith. Learn to trust God, because it shows your love for Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

For us as human beings, mercy is one of the most essential attributes of God, because this is God’s character by which He faithfully keeps His covenant, fulfils His promises and maintains His relationship with His children, despite our shortcomings, unworthiness and unfaithfulness [Romans 9:15-16]. Mercy connotes goodness, grace, favour and steadfast love [Ephesians 2:4]. The most prominent aspect of mercy is the compassionate disposition to forgive an offender in order to help his or her sorry situation.

The Bible shows that Jesus is God’s mercy personified, and by his death and resurrection, we have open access to God’s mercy. I Peter 1:3 Says:
“BLESSED be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”
God’s mercy brings about the conversion of sinners, instructs the ignorant, counsels the doubtful and comforts the sorrowful. It also forgives and overlooks injurious acts, and patiently puts up with human errors and weaknesses. The mercy of Jesus Christ earns us his free legal representation before the Father, and secures the spirit's continued intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Against this background, we can boldly say that God’s mercy prevails over judgment, as stated in James 2:13. interestingly, two terms are commonly used to explain the relationship between mercy and judgment in this passage. One says mercy “rejoices against “judgment, while the other says mercy “triumphs over “judgment. Both descriptions paint vivid pictures of victory and celebration in a hopeless situation.

Knowing that judgment is the deserved consequence for sin, the intervention of divine mercy that turns things around and makes culprit “ rejoice against ‘ and ‘triumph over ‘ judgment is indeed a miracle. The ultimate act of God’s mercy is the work of substitution that Jesus Christ performed on the cross of Calvary. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says:
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin: that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
God's mercy is still flowing from the throne of grace today. irrespective of your shortcomings, go before this throne in humility, and you will receive mercy to triumph over sin, sickness, failure, poverty and everything that is working against your peace.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The greatest battle that has ever been fought and is still being fought is in the heart of man. This battle is being fought by God on one side and the devil on the opposing side. Whoever wins this ultimately wins control over the soul of the individual over whom the battle is being fought. The devil has been interested in the souls of men ever since God created us, and his plan has always been to destroy as many of us as possible. Our Lord Jesus Christ revealed the devil’s plan to us and offers us God’s solution, saying in john 10:10:
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Through the ages, the devil has succeeded in taking over the lives of so many people, and for this reason, the Lord said in Matthew 7:13:
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:”
In spite of all that the devil may try, my prayer for you is that I will see you in heaven in Jesus ‘name.

In the world today, there is so much wickedness and confusion everywhere. Sin has become so common place that it is very strange and rare to see someone who is pure and refuses to be part of the evil of the day. These are some of the signs of Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24:3-31.

In order to further achieve his aims, the devil has employed false prophets into his service. They go around disseminating false doctrines which are even more dangerous to Christians, because they can make a person think that he or she is saved and safe while they are actually on their way to hell. One of the reasons why many of these false prophets are so successful is that they keep telling people what they want to hear and not what the Bible says (2 timothy 4:3). The Bible is the written word of God, and so, anyone who deviates from it by as much as a dot is not of God and doesn’t have your best interest at heart (2 peter 1:20-21). God’s word is absolute, and it must be preached in its pure form. The best way to guide your heart in these perilous time is to fill it with the word of God and to constantly meditate on the word as much as possible. Once you give your life to Christ and are sanctified by God, it is important to ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit so that Jesus Himself can fill you to overflow with his spirit and mark you for Himself.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The almighty is a God of plan and purpose. By his wisdom, he preordained events and occurrences right from the beginning of creation to the end of time in eternity. From His words to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:1-10, we understand that the purpose for which a person is born is hidden in His divine will. It is reassuring to know that irrespective of human objections or the devil’s opposition, the thoughts of God and His predestined plans for all things shall come to pass [Isaiah 14: 27] .it is also humbling to Note that whatever God has purposed to do in any circumstance will surely be accomplish with or without us . Let me share a strange occurrence that happened to me as I was growing up in my small village, ifewara, in southern Nigeria. I once saw a prophet and laughed at him, as I laughed, the prophet turned to me and said,’’ Keep laughing at me, but one day you also will be a prophet.’’ I laughed the more and sarcastically said, “Not just a prophet, but indeed a prayer warrior.’ ’Obviously, this prophet saw a glimpse of what God had in store for me, but I was completely ignorant of it. I pray that the power of God will bring the purpose for which you were born to pass, even in the face of opposition in Jesus’ name

No one can successfully thwart god’s efforts or frustrate his purpose, especially with respect to predestination. Ephesians 1:11 says:
“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being pre-destinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:’’
In light of this scripture, when you cooperate with God in agreement with his divine purpose, you will experience unprecedented success, but when you choose to work against his purpose, the result is bound to be failure. I once told my children that all human beings are only playing their predefined roles in the script written by God before the creation of the world . It is only sensible for wise actors to diligently study the scripture to properly interpret their roles and memorise their lines, so that their performance will run smoothly in sync with other players and in accordance with the overall purpose of production. In this regard, Romans 8:28 says,
‘’And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’’
This means that irrespective of what you are passing through in life, the most important thing is to ensure that your life is in agreement with God’s purpose as revealed in His word. After you do this, you can sit back and watch God crown your efforts in life with success. In order to give you an expected end, He will work everything out in line with His predetermined purpose. What a glorious God we serve! Hallelujah!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Our God is the creator of heaven and earth. ‘The All-sufficient one’ is one of his many Names, and it describes an important attribute of His. As a self-existing spirit, he does not need anything outside of himself for sustenance or existence [john 5:26, 1 Timothy 6:16]. It therefore seems strange to think that God has a need. Let us ponder on what the elders in heaven are saying in their worship, as revealed in Revelation 4:11:
‘Thou art worthy, o lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou has created all thing are for thy pleasure they are all were created."
From this statement of adoration, God’s need’ can be understood from the perspective of the purpose for which He created all things. He created all things for his own pleasure, and he specifically created mankind for the purpose of communion or fellowship. This truth is reinforced by the words of our lord in John 14:23. The constant fellowship that God had with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day is also a manifestation of this truth [Genesis 3:8]. Several scripture passages speak of a link between the creation of mankind and acts of devotion such as praise and worship. Isaiah 43:21 says:
‘This people have I formed for myself: They shall show forth my praise.’
God’s desire for fellowship is therefore not a need as we understand ‘need’ but an expression of God’s grace, mercy and love towards humanity [1 Corinthians 1:9].

The essence of the Christian life is to fellowship with God. Everything created before man was not suitable for this purpose because they were not created in his image and so could not relate with him on an interactive level. Genesis 5:22-24 contains the fascinating account of Enoch who walked with God in close fellowship, so much so that God took him away with Him. Similarly, Abraham also fellowshipped with God to the extent that he received the distinction of being called the friend of God [2 chronicles 20:7, James 2:23]. David’s fellowship with God was also exemplary that God testified of him in acts 13: 22, saying:
‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.’
As a result of the finished work of redemption by the lord Jesus Christ, God now makes His permanent abode with us, in the form of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us [john 14:23, 1 Corinthians 6:19]. Therefore, our fellowship with God is established on the spiritual union we have with Jesus, which will be made perfect when we see him face to face [john 14:20-21]. I pray that everything hindering your fellowship with God will be destroyed today in Jesus Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Because God is the creator of all things in heaven and on earth, He holds supreme authority over everything, and He does whatever pleases Him (Psalm 135:6). His desire is that every creature in heaven and on earth should do His will. The will of God is God’s plan and purpose for each entity in His creation at any given time. Only those who have submitted themselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ can readily do God’s will from their heart (Psalm 40:. There is only one person on earth who knows the will of God at any particular time, and 1 Corinthians 2:1 1 reveals that person:
”For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
Therefore, anyone who does not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in him or her can neither know nor be submissive to the will of God (1 Corinthians 2:14, Romans 8:7). Even if such people attend church meetings and worship services, they will still find the word of God and the lifestyle of His kingdom questionable, burdensome and even offensive.

Whenever an unconverted person is confronted with the will of God as revealed through His word, an antagonistic tension develops in their heart, which the conviction of the Holy Spirit works to douse. Because the corrupt carnal nature of man sees itself as the master of the universe, human beings love to exercise their freewill over everything, including the forces of nature and even God’s divine power. This has led some people to erroneously see the power of the human freewill as being superior to God’s divine authority. However, children of God do not walk in this folly. As children of God, we recognize that the exercise of freewill outside the will of God is false freedom which leads to slavery and captivity to worldly pleasures, addictions, pride, inordinate ambition, immorality, and the like. These are the very same things that Jesus sacrificed so much to deliver us from. Therefore, we submit our freewill to God in the process of discovering and following God’s purpose for our lives. Any exercise of freedom that gives a person the liberty to live recklessly without due consideration for divine purpose and life after death is actually the freedom of fools. God's will for His children is always good and in their best interest (Jeremiah 29:1 1). It is the essence of life and the only way by which we can fulfil our destiny. You can continually know God’s will for your life by discerning it in the place of prayer (Ephesians 5:17, Colossians 1:9). Your Heavenly Father expects you to ensure that His Will is done in your life, family, church and community (Matthew 6:10). Are you doing this?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Prayer was established by God as a means of dialogue between Himself and His covenant people. Our Lord Jesus Christ engaged in prayer in His lifetime and also taught His disciples how to pray (Matthew 14:23, Matthew 6:94 3). As His disciples today, we pray with the assurance of His promise in Matthew 21:22, which says: “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
The fact that our Lord engaged in all night prayer shows how significant prayer is Luke 6:12). In Matthew 17:21, He revealed to us that some challenges in life may not be overcome without fervent prayers and fasting. God’s attitude and response to prayer differs based on the identity of the person praying. 1st Peter 3:12 says:
”For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the lord is against them that do evil.”
Based on this verse of Scripture, only those who are in right standing with God should expect answers to their prayers. If you have not received the gift of righteousness which comes from being born again, I implore you to give your life to Jesus today. I pray that every request you make to God as from today shall be answered by fire in Jesus’ name.

Despite the obvious power of prayer and the various examples of answered prayer in the Bible, certain circumstances threaten our very existence and shake the foundations of our faith, causing us to render defeatist prayers to God. A defeatist prayer is the kind of prayer made with an expectation of imminent failure, assumption of hopelessness and a resignation to fate. Defeatist prayers carry a belief that God cannot intervene in the situation at hand. May you never doubt the ability of God to save you in the time of trouble in Jesus’ name. In Job 2:9, Job’s case got so bad that he was given a defeatist option of cursing God and choosing death. Similarly, after great exploits for God, followed by victories and celebrations, Elijah’s life was threatened by a wicked queen called Jezebel. He became so distressed that he prayed this defeatist prayer in 1 Kings 1:4:
”...It is enough; now, 0 LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”
In like manner, after the Lord departed from Samson, he lost everything, including his eyesight, and he began to grind corn for his enemies in captivity. This situation forced him to pray a defeatist prayer in Judges 16:30, saying ‘Let me die with my enemies." Irrespective of what you are passing through, l encourage you to never render a defeatist prayer to God. Although it might not be easy, remember that your faith is toughened when it passes through fire. Therefore, have faith in God and hold on to Him. Please don't ever give up on God!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke in very strong terms against offences in Matthew 18:1-7. I therefore believe it is a wise thing for us to understand what they are and try to avoid them. Offence is a biblical term which refers to an obstruction lying on a pathway over which one may stumble. It is anything that hinders and tends to trip one up in the course of living a righteous life. A hindrance in this regard often stands for temptations to sin. One source of offences that was mentioned by the Lord in His sermons is the cravings of our body (Matthew 18:8-9). Another source which He also mentioned are the people we interact with on a day to day basis (Matthew 18:7, Romans 16:17). The Lord made it clear that a life without any obstacle, hindrance, stumbling block or temptation is impossible, but that anyone who places obstacles in other people’s path or who leads others into sin is already cursed by God (Luke 17:1). Jesus declared that great sorrow awaits them, so that it would have been better if they were not even born. All those who are behind 'our problems in life shall run into the wrath of the Almighty God in Jesus’ Name.

Some people have mastered the art of setting traps for others, and they themselves have become a living trap, supporting anything that ensnares or hinders people from pleasing God and deriving satisfaction from causing people to stumble. They ensnare unsuspecting and ignorant people, and mislead innocent and immature Christians into fatal errors that lead to hell. Greedy for money, power and fame, they consciously build an army of loyal followers in order to exert their influence on them. They falsely appear as saints and subtly present another “gospel” that is completely different from the gospel of Jesus Christ. Their message is built on human wisdom and understanding but carefully wrapped in a garb of spirituality. They have a warped understanding of the Bible, which they present as new revelations from God or “prophetic preaching”. Their message of easy-going Christianity has led many people into worldly lifestyles and complacency in holy living through their activities, many have missed the high mark of God’s calling. You will notice that some of these offenders are experienced pastors who are knowledgeable in the things of God but deliberately mislead others. Therefore, be warned about the existence of such characters within the Church of God. Watch carefully to prevent yourself from falling into their trap. I pray that the rod of the wicked one shall not fall upon your portion, and you will not be led away from the presence of God in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Any farmer who wants to reap a bountiful harvest knows that sowing is a specialized act. In other words, you don’t expect a great harvest when you sow at a time of your own choosing and in a haphazard manner. After soil preparation sowing is often the next and most important step taken by a farmer in anticipation of harvest. The principles of sowing that govern the physical realm are also applicable in the spiritual realm. Ecclesiastes 3:2 tells us that there is a right time, which also is the best time, for sowing. Good farmers know very well that the planting of crops is a major event, and its timing depends on the type of seed to be sown. Some factors that determine the right time to sow include the season or time of the year, sunshine and clouds, length of day and night, rainfall pattern and soil fertility. Sowing in the time of famine, being a time of drought, is a ridiculous thing to do, to say the least. Nevertheless, for lsaac in Genesis 26:12-14, it was the right time, and he experienced the miracle of a hundredfold harvest. His case is a classic example of doing the ridiculous to produce the miraculous. Just as it happened to Isaac, I pray that as you sow into God’s kingdom, you will experience returns in a hundred fold in Jesus’ Name.

When is the best time to sow into God’s kingdom? The best time to sow is when you are born again and living in total obedience to the will of God. It is when the source of your livelihood is clean and your way of life is pure, such that one can lift up holy hands to God in adoration and worship (Psalm 24:3-5). It is when curses have been removed, devourers rebuked, cankerworms destroyed and contrary circumstances have been turned around to work in your favour. If for any reason you have missed it somehow and your life does not fit these descriptions, it is never too late with God. You can retrace your steps back home to God for a new beginning - a new be inning of peace, progress and bountiful harvest. Thankfully, it is still the season for sowing, and there is still time to sow righteousness and obedience now, before you face God’s law of harvest based on your deeds (Romans 2:6). It is yet a sunny day, the weather is favourable, and the timing is right. You can set your life on the right path by sowing righteousness, mercy and favour today. Invest into God’s kingdom today and reap a hundredfold in eternity. The best seed you can sow is the seed of your life. Invest your time, money and energy into soul winning activities today, and watch as things will begin to work in your favour. If you are busy doing God's business, He will also respond by going the extra mile to take care of your famiiy and business.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As mortals, it is natural to look around us for solutions whenever problems arise. Only a few people look to God first during such trying times. When trials and difficulties come our way, we mostly look to our family members or friends for solutions. Imagine how bad God feels whenever you have a problem and He doesn’t even come to your mind first. Because God gave us freewill, He cannot force us to request or accept help from Him. No matter how big, small or strange our problems may be, God has the solution to all of them. When a little child falls and bruises his or her knee, in most cases, the first person that child runs to is the mother. The fact that the child thinks of his or her mother first shows the bond that exists between them. As His children, God expects us to run to Him with whatever problem we have, no matter how small or trivial it may seem. The bond of love that exists between us and Him is what should drive us to think of Him first whenever a problem arises. When we don’t think of Him first at such times, we are saying to Him that this bond of love is not there.

Many times, we undo ourselves by trying to solve our own problems. We don’t even realize the immense abilities our Father has and His undying love for us. If we knew, we won’t be wasting our time and energy looking elsewhere for help. When I was a child, on one eventful day, my father was sitting outside and enjoying the cool breeze while I played football. After playing for a little while, I kicked the ball and it got stuck on the roof of the house. Because I was small, I had to move back some distance from the house in order to see the ball. Whenever I tried to get the ball down with a stick, I failed because I couldn’t see the ball when I got close to the house. I went back and forth like this until I got tired. All the while, my father just sat there as if he didn’t know what was going on. Tired and exhausted, I turned to him for help. His response was surprising. He said he was wondering if I didn’t see him there all the time while I was struggling. He stood up and hit the ball off the roof in one swipe of his hands. God is right beside you, watching as you struggle with your issues. If you don’t call Him to help, it means you don’t need Him. Be wise and hand over your problems to the Lord who made heaven and earth.

However, note that you cannot ask someone to help you if you don’t have a relationship with that fellow, and the probability that he or she will help you depends on how cordial your relationship is. When you have a good relationship with God, the moment you cry out to Him for anything, He will come running to you, and he will answer you according to His perfect will.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Preaching is the act of proclaiming the good news in the word of God. It generally involves the delivery of some truth related to God to an audience for whom the message is prepared. To preach therefore, is to declare a word from or to publicly present the good news. Preaching is expressed through proclamation, prophecy, declaration or teaching. It includes the proclamation of the way of salvation to unbelievers, and the delivery of instructions on faith and spiritual worship to believers. In 2 Timothy 4:2, the Holy Spirit indicates that rebuke is an integral part of preaching the good news.

To rebuke or reprove is to make a verbal expression of blame that is usually not easy for an individual to accept or accommodate. However, it is an essential part of the gospel. For this reason, the Holy Spirit said in Proverbs 27:5;
”Open rebuke is better than secret love.”
The word of God gives examples of both divine and human rebuke. Sometimes, God issues rebukes directly, but more often than not, He does so through His servants. Jesus Christ taught His disciples the perfect way to issue rebukes, and He taught His audience how to handle people who commit errors, without condemning them. God has the absolute right to rebuke His children who stray from the path of righteousness. He does this sometimes by speaking directly to such people through dreams and revelations, but at other times, He chooses to speak through His ministers. For instance, God used Prophet Samuel to rebuke King Saul in 1 Samuel 15:1226, He used Prophet Nathan to rebuke King David in 2 Samuel 12:1-12, and Prophet Elijah rebuked Kin Ahab in 1 Kings 18:18. Furthermore, Jesus Christ rebuked Peter, one of His disciples, in Mark 8:33, and He also rebuked demons and their master the devil. Matthew 1 7:1 8 says:
”And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that every hour”
In Galatians 2:11-17, when Apostle Peter and some other Jewish brethren like Barnabas engaged in discrimination and pretence, Paul rebuked them sharply. We should not shy away from rebuke because when it comes from the Spirit, it convicts those who hear it. As children of God, we ought to sharply rebuke and correct visible faults on issues relating to discipline, dressing, punctuality and commitment to duties, interpersonal relationships, sanitation, and our general attitude to worship.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Instantaneous restoration is a miracle that occurs suddenly. Immediate resolutions of human problems and challenges like this are highly desired and sought after. The Bible contains several accounts of divine interventions that resulted in instant miracles, signs and wonders, one of which is the healing of Naaman. Naaman had been a leper for many years, but after he dipped himself into River Jordan seven times, he was cleansed immediately and his skin became like that of a little child (2 Kings 5:14). Similarly, the woman with the issue of blood had suffered for twelve years before she met with Jesus (Mark 5:25-29). As a matter of fact, she had exhausted all she had without any solution. However, immediately she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, her issue of blood ceased. Another example of Instant restoration is seen in 2 Kings 7:1. After about three years of terrible famine, Elisha prophesied that there would be a food surplus in Samaria within 24 hours, and it happened as he said. In Matthew 8:3, the moment locus touched a leprous fellow who had been in that condition for years, the man became cleansed instantly. Also, in john 5:19, once the impotent man who had been at the pool of Bethesda for thirty-eight years heard the words of Jesus, he was completely made whole. Just as it happened in all these examples, I pray that whatever you are passing through at the moment will receive the immediate attention of heaven, and you will get instant restoration in Jesus’ Name.

Note however that behind every seemingly instantaneous miracle, there has been meticulous obedience, stubborn faith, perseverance, serious fasting and prayers, and sometimes prolonged pain, sorrow and shame. What appeared on the surface as instant restoration did not exactly come easy for Naaman, Joseph, Hannah, the people of Samaria, Zechariah and Elisabeth, and several others. Most of these people paid the price in perseverance, stubborn faith, fasting and prayers, etc. For example, the people of Samaria had to endure a situation where the dung 0f birds became an expensive delicacy and some women actually ate their own children. ln the case of Zechariah and Elisabeth, they waited for so long that they completely lost any hope of bearing a child. The impotent man at the pool of Bethesda had no hope of restoration after thirty-eight years of waiting for an opportunity that kept eluding him. One thing that kept all these people going was perseverance. Perseverance is maintaining your faith in God even in trying times. Every Christian is expected to faithfully endure hardship, persecution and trials. Through consistent prayers, we are expected to remain steadfast in the face of opposition, attack and discouragement. (James 5:13; Ephesians 6:18,) I pray that God will grant you the type of endurance that can weather any of life’s storms without giving up in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Bad habits may initially start as harmless actions or in actions that can be easily overlooked. Nevertheless, don’t be deceived, bad habits can ruin a person's life and prevent him or her from achieving God's plan and purpose over time. Bad habits don’t start suddenly; they become habits after an individual fails to stop them early enough. Over time, they grow into something big and difficult to control, having enough power to destroy the destiny of their victim. Is there a character flaw in you that people are beginning to complain about, or do you find yourself indulging in things that you know are inappropriate? Attack that character flaw now before it destroys you.

In Mark 7:20-23, Jesus made it clear that a person is defiled by what comes from inside him or her; and that evil thoughts originate from within the heart. This is equally true for bad habits. Before a habit is formed, it starts as thoughts and suggestions that seem harmless. If a fellow chooses to accept these thoughts and suggestions, dwells on them and begins to cultivate them in his or her heart, they will soon begin to manifest outwardly in that person’s speech, actions and motives. If the fellow does not quickly notice the character flaw and take steps to change it, it becomes a habit that will end up defining him or her. For example, some people have the habit of going late to meetings. It usually starts with thoughts like ‘‘l’m sure this meeting won’t start at the time stated,” and before long, they will find themselves arriving late to every single meeting. For some people, it is the way they eat. When they are indoors, they say to themselves” Let me eat the way i like; after all, nobody is watching me.” They then become accustomed to eating in an uncultured or unhealthy manner; and they end up embarrassing themselves when they eat like that in public. Habits, small as they may seem, can be very costly if not managed properly. As a young man, I once lost a chance for a commonwealth scholarship abroad because I had poor eating habits.

Lastly, many people look at children of God and make conclusions about God from what they see in their lives. Don’t let your habit give God a bad reputation. Be careful what you do and how you do it. Most times, people don't come and tell u about your bad habits, but they can see it all. This is why you need to watch yourself. Ask for the truth on any bad habits you may have from someone close enough to be sincere and open with you. I pray that you will become so filled with the Holy Spirit that all your words and actions will be directed by Him alone in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Hopelessness or despair is a state marked by great difficulty, doubt, desperation, heaviness and embarrassment, causing one to be confounded, to give up hope or to be at a loss on what to do. Shame is also implied, as hopelessness leads to hanging one’s head low in a daze or confusion. What do you do when life leaves you with no money, no source of livelihood, no food and no place to lay your head? What do you do when there is no way of providing for your family, especially if you have little children? What do you do when you are faced with medical, financial or psychological problems that seem to defy all solution? What do you do when calamity or devastation comes against you unexpectedly and you have exhausted all channels of resolution without respite? Many in such situations have chosen the dark path that eventually leads to death, either by way of murder or suicide. I pray for anyone who may be passing through difficult times at this moment: the Lord will help you, He will make a way for you out of your troubles, and you will live to share your testimony with the world in Jesus’ Name.

So much evil comes forth from situations of hopelessness. ln 1 Samuel 31 :4, after King Saul had been badly wounded, he lost every hope of divine intervention or recovery, and he committed suicide by falling on his sword. Similarly, in 2 Samuel 17:23, the moment Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed. He was filled with shame and embarrassment, so much so that he took his own life. After Judas lscariot had betrayed Jesus, his heart was stricken by guilt, and he hanged himself (Matthew 2723-5). l pray that the type of hopelessness that drove these men to commit suicide will never be your portion in Jesus Name.

Are u confronted by a hopeless situation, or are you stricken on with deep sorrow and pain? I want you to encourage yourself in the Lord your God, just like David did after he lost everything he had ever laboured for (1 Samuel 30:6). The Almighty is our hope, our salvation and our peace. In your deepest sorrow and greatest moments of despair; please avoid the temptation of seeking respite in alcohol, hard drugs or any other mind-bending substances. Always turn to God for help, because you can always count on Him to console you and make a way out of that hopeless situation. l pray that no matter what you are passing through, you will not take any step that will lead to destruction in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As Christians living in these end times, we have to be very careful of the source and nature of what we allow into our minds. In 2 Peter 2:1-3, the Holy Spirit warns us to be wary of false prophets that will arise from among the people, secretly bringing up destructive heresies with the aim of taking the people’s focus away from Christ. Many of the sermons preached in today’s churches are focused on prosperity, faith, grace, deliverance, and so on. l have no problem with these topics; they are essential parts of the Good News. However, many preachers discuss them to such extremes that the resultant effect is a bunch of malnourished souls in the Church today. These preachers are out to satisfy their own motives, and so they twist scriptures to fit their own message, to look good in the sight of people and to get gifts from them. The Holy Spirit spoke about such preachers in Romans 16:1 8, saying:
“For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”

As a Heaven bound child of God, your spiritual nutrition is of utmost importance. If you are not well nourished spiritually in your local assembly, or you notice that your spiritual growth is stunted, then it is time for you to leave that assembly and prayerfully look for another place where your spiritual needs will be met. You must avoid churches where the lifestyle of Christ is not preached. Steer clear of churches where the death and resurrection of Jesus are never preached. Shun sermons that encourage tribalism, and be careful of churches that glorify any individual or individuals other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The early apostles preached nothing but Jesus Christ. Paul himself said in 1 Corinthians 2:2:
”For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”
Run away from preachers whose sermons leave you comfortable in your sins. Holy living must be emphasized in whatever church you prayerfully decide to join, and the Bible must be upheld as the foundation of the church’s doctrines. The Holy Spirit must be the one who leads and directs the activities in your chosen church: this is a sign that God is present there. If you are presently under the influence of a destructive preacher, I pray for you today that the Lord will redeem you and connect you with Spirit-led preachers in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I would like to share an important truth with you today. To be effective in your assignment in life, you need both a private and public ministry. In private, you minister to the Lord with prayers and fasting, like Anna and the prophets and teachers in Antioch did (Luke 2:36-37). Many spiritual battles won in public were settled in the place of private spiritual warfare. A good example to show the importance of private ministry is when Moses confronted the Amalekites in the place of private intercession. Moses was still grappling with the grumbling and murmuring of the people he was leading when the Amalekites confronted them with war. Immediately, he activated both a private and public ministry to tackle the Amalekites. He told Joshua to lead the physical battle, while he and his two lieutenants went into private spiritual warfare. Confirming the popular saying that the spiritual controls the physical, Exodus 17:11 says:
“And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.”
We can safely conclude that there is no success in public ministry without a solid private ministry. This principle is constant and relevant from generation to generation. It also applies to people in business. Even our Lord Jesus Christ combined these two dimensions of ministry, as seen in Matthew 14:23. After public ministration, our Lord would retreat to His private ministry of prayer, where He recharged His spiritual battery.

However, private ministry without public ministry is like a sumptuous meal that is not brought into the banquet hall for consumption. As revealed in Matthew 5:14-16, our light is not meant to be hidden under a bushel. We must be wary of being lopsided as Christians. Some of us even say “I am called to be this and not that,” thereby limiting the extent to which the Lord can use us. There is no reason a prayer warrior cannot witness to the perishing souls around him or her. In the same vain, an evangelist who claims to be called to propagate the gospel may end up frustrated without a private ministry of intercession for the souls he or she is going out for. This is because we are not wrestling with flesh and blood when we go out to fulfil our public ministry (Ephesians 6:12). Beloved, God is speaking to you today so that you can fulfil your assignment in life. You can combine giving, which should be done in private, with witnessing. You can combine your evangelism with serious intercession. Make full proof of your calling by engaging in both private and public ministry. God bless you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is a dangerous thing to be selfishly prosperous, because Proverbs 11:26 says:
“He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.”
This scripture is a warning to those who hoard goods that are meant for sale in order to make inordinate profit. The Bible says such people are under a divine curse. You better desist from such acts if you are one of them. Instead of giving out to the needy, some so-called rich people would rather allow their excess loaves of bread and cans of milk go stale and sour, and end up in the waste dump.

The rich man in Luke 16:19-26 is a typical example of people who are selfishly prosperous. Luke 16:21 tells of how he related with Lazarus, saying:
“And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.”
If the rich man had been alive to his responsibility as a custodian of God’s blessings, Lazarus would have been fed daily with the excess from his table. Instead, he was not mindful of Lazarus’ sufferings. Apart from the lack of food in the midst of plenty, dogs also came and licked Lazarus’ sores! Why was it dogs attending to Lazarus and not the medical personnel in the service of the rich man? The rich man was indeed selfishly prosperous. Proverbs 19:17 says:
“He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”
No wonder this rich man had to experience begging and agony in the afterlife. Beloved, know that the purpose of God’s blessings upon your life is to be His divine treasurer, and one of your mandate is to help the needy around you. He will bless you the more when you realise this and fulfil your mandate.

The story was told of a rich philanthropist who helped to educate the child of a poor peasant labourer. This child later went on to invent a drug that saved the life of the grandchild of this philanthropist. The philanthropist was rich and generous. This is a very good combination. He would have lost his grandchild but for the drug invented by a child he helped to educate. An adage says “one good turn deserves another.” When you pray for divine prosperity, ensure you know what you are asking for. You may not get it if you will be selfish with God’s provision in your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.