₦airaland Forum

In yesterday’s devotional, we considered the signs through which the need for revival can be identified. Today, we will be reflecting on how to experience revival. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, the benevolent God clearly spells out the actions that are required to bring down revival from heaven. We must first acknowledge God’s love and His willingness to ignite the fire of revival conveyed through this verse of Scripture. The expression “My people, who are called by my name” was beautifully used by God to reveal His faithfulness and determination to identify with His children in all circumstances. Even though He hates sin, He loves His people so much that He cannot deny them, even in their fallen and backslidden state. Because He paid the ultimate price of shedding His precious Blood to purchase and redeem us from destruction, He will always stand by us, whatever it takes. All He requires of us when we err is repentance and a commitment to live holy. He is always willing to ignite His fresh fire in our hearts. What a loving Father we have!

God’s willingness to ignite the fire of revival as soon as we fulfil the necessary conditions is a wonderful blessing to His children. This makes bringing down revival easy. To complete the process of obtaining revival, those who have been chosen to be God’s people must cease from living a life of sin, turn away from their proud self-centeredness, pray to the Lord, and yield their desires in life to His word. Only then will He grant revival from heaven. The specific phrases and words used in 2nd Chronicles 7:14, such as “humble themselves”, “pray”, “seek His face”, “turn from their wicked ways”, all clearly describe the different aspects of heartfelt repentance and prayer required to bring down revival. The Lord said He would send revival (healing their land) only after the two steps of repentance and prayer have been observed. This healing includes physical and spiritual healing, deliverance from drought and pestilence, as well as the return of captives and exiles to their rightful place of rest. Note that revival is not complete without the restoration of God’s people to their true place of fellowship and relationship with God. You can bring down revival when you engage in prayers of penitence as Daniel did in Daniel 9:4-6. Revival comes when instead of blaming God for your own errors, you admit your mistakes and wrongdoings, and express a willingness to change (Daniel 9:7-8, James 1:13-15). Revival will only come when we persist in the place of prayer, asking God for mercy. He will always honour His word and send His revival.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

From God’s perspective, revival is a state of restoration of spiritual interest which has suffered setback or has been abandoned by God’s people. It connotes renewal or the return to original status from a state of coma or disuse. Based on the use of this term in some portions of Scripture, it is evident that it also means to literally bring back to life from the dead (1st Kings 17:22, 2nd Kings 13:21). I therefore speak the word of authority to everything that is in a state of coma, and everything that is partially or completely dead in your life: receive complete revival by the power of resurrection in Jesus’ Name. In Revelation chapter 2 and 3, the description of the spiritual state of most of the seven churches in Asia is indicative of spiritual conditions that call for revival. May the Good Lord heal and completely revive everyone reading this that may be in a backslidden state in Jesus’ Name.

The backsliding of a Christian does not just happen in one day. Rather, it is a gradual process that involves progressive character erosion. The end result is what people see, and then they begin to ask, when did this fellow become like this? This will not be your story in Jesus’ Name. For that not to be your story, you need to be familiar with and sensitive to the conditions and circumstances that call for revival, in order to kick-start one whenever necessary. There are many overt signs that make revival necessary in a person’s life. A child of God needs revival whenever he or she begins to experience spiritual dryness. Whenever a child of God finds himself or herself in physical or spiritual servitude, as it happened to the Israelites in Judges 3:12-14, It is time for revival. When sinful acts and wickedness such as those recorded in 2nd Timothy 3:1-5 become part of the daily lifestyle of a Christian, he or she urgently needs revival. Whenever you discover that you have lost your peace, joy and divine provision, just as it happened to the Israelites in Judges 6:1-6, revival is desperately needed. Also, whenever a child of God falls into a state of self-doubt or uncertainty and he or she begins to feel insecure, as seen in Numbers 13:26-33, this is an obvious sign that revival is needed. Revival is always preceded by sober reflection and a repentant heart, followed by earnest prayers to God for revival. Do you need revival today? Reach out to God, and He will send His fresh fire into your heart.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Our Heavenly Father has access to all the secret things of life, and He may choose to share some of these secrets with any of His children. One reason why He does this is to provide information that will help in the fulfilment of our destinies. He also reveals secrets to help us avert pending calamity. Daniel’s experience in Daniel 9:1-3; 20-22 reveals some of the God-ordained means of accessing hidden secrets that are vital to success in life. In the place of prayer and studying God’s word, Daniel gained access to secrets vital to the liberation of his people. May you receive access to hidden secrets that will accelerate this fulfilment of your destiny today in Jesus’ Name.

A lady once visited me in the office to complain about her inability to attract a suitor in marriage, and she was advancing in age. The Lord immediately revealed the source of her problem to me, and I told her to go and announce to her family members including her mother that anyone behind her problem would die within seven days, if the person refused to repent. A few days later, this lady came back to see me with her mother, who angrily demanded to know why I sent her daughter to pass a death sentence on her. I answered her that I did not pass a death sentence on her or on anyone else for that matter, but that my Daddy clearly said that anyone behind her daughter’s inability to marry would die within seven days unless he or she chose to repent. This elderly woman then asked her daughter to excuse us for a private discussion. She asked me if what I said was the truth, and I told her in clear terms that this person would surely die within seven days unless he or she put an end to the wickedness against this lady. She then confessed to me that her daughter was the only one taking care of her, and so she was afraid that she would be abandoned if her daughter were to get married, which is why she did not want to let her daughter get married. She then immediately promised to let her go. A few weeks later, this lady met a suitor and got married thereafter. I decree that God will release hidden secrets that will accelerate the fulfilment of your destiny today in Jesus’ Name.

There are two main sources of knowledge: sense and revelation. Many people operate at the level of sensual knowledge and are ignorant of the other. Sensual knowledge is available through formal or informal learning. While sensual knowledge is earthly, revelation knowledge is supernatural and comes only from God. Sensual knowledge is limited, sometimes inaccurate and often leads to uncertainty, but revelation knowledge brings assurance, confidence and peace. Do you have access to revelation knowledge?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God Almighty has called all of mankind to a life of diligence. After He created Adam, He charged him to keep and diligently dress the beautiful garden He bequeathed to him (Genesis 2:15). The Almighty indeed rewards diligence. In Proverbs 10:4, He enlightens us on the reward that awaits diligent people:
“He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.”
The Lord Jesus Christ further drove home this point with the story of a diligent servant to whom his master had entrusted five talents to trade with. He was so diligent that these talents yielded five more talents. When his master returned to take stock of his activities, he was commended and handsomely rewarded. Matthew 25:21 says:
“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
In this same parable, we also see the direct opposite of diligence and its consequences. The servant with one talent mischievously kept the talent and refused to trade with it. His reward was the loss of his talent and outright rejection from the joy of his lord. On the other hand, the diligent servant who started with five talents gained the talent that was taken away from the indolent servant, and ended up with eleven talents in all.

Beloved, laziness, in whatever guise it may come, is not a Christian virtue. Every child of God must be diligent. In Proverbs 6:6-8, the Lord instructs the lazy to learn from the ants, saying:
“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.”
As a matter of fact, from Proverbs 6:10-11, we understand the penury is the outcome of laziness:
“Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.”
Proverbs 27:23-27 further highlights the rewards of diligence. The Lord promised to bless the work of your hands, not your idleness. Know for sure that faithful is He who has promised you this, and He will fulfil all He has said if you diligently play your own part (Deuteronomy 28:1-5, Hebrew 10:23).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When the Bible says that we should study to show ourselves approved unto God, it means that we should study the successful heroes of faith who have gone ahead of us and learn their ways (2nd Timothy 2:15, 1st Corinthians 10:11). A very good example of someone who experienced steady and progressive prosperity is Isaac. If you want to have steady and progressive prosperity like Isaac did, wisdom demands that you learn his ways. How did Isaac manage to become so prosperous in the time of famine, so much so that the king and natives of the land in which he sojourned envied him?

The first thing Isaac did to experience steady and progressive prosperity was to enquire of the Lord on where to go during an austere time. Genesis 26:2-6 reveals the outcome of Isaac’s enquiry. The Lord told him not to move an inch from Gerar. This is a great lesson to all those who plan to prosper by the hand of the Lord. Some people would say to you, “Follow your heart”, but based on God’s word, that is folly. Jeremiah 17:9 says,
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Isaac did not follow his heart; rather he followed God’s command. He stayed in Gerar. Proverbs 3:5-7 also says,
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”
What else did Isaac do that earned him steady and progressive prosperity? He sowed in the land (Genesis 26:12). If you don’t engage your hands in something the Lord can multiply, your expectation of steady and progressive prosperity will end in disappointment.

The Almighty God knows the appropriate time for whatever a man puts forth his hand to do. It is counter-intuitive to sow in the time of famine, but God knew this was the best time for Isaac to cash in on the demand created by scarcity. This is the reason why God is telling you to seek His face before you embark on that project at hand. Isaac prospered progressively because God was in his business. Have you invited God into your business as the Senior Partner? Does God call the shots in your business transactions or you don’t even involve him at all? Do you pay your tithes? Do you give offerings? Do you honour God with your first fruits? Learn from the life of Isaac today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is a phrase commonly used throughout the whole Bible which should serve as comfort to all Christian pilgrims, particularly when they are passing through situations that are not so pleasant. That phrase is the title of today’s devotional – “It came to pass”. To someone reading this devotional today, all your challenges shall pass in Jesus’ Name. The Lord Jesus Christ did not promise us that the Christian walk would be a walk in the park. He actually promised us persecutions and trials as part of the Christian experience (John 16:33, Mark 10:30). He even said in Matthew 10:22 that a time will come when we will be hated of all men. Be aware that this time is fast approaching. What is expected of us is endurance and long-suffering. As God would have it, long-suffering is part of the fruit of the Spirit, which is made manifest in our lives as we daily walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

Know for sure that from the inception of the Christian faith, believers in Christ have always faced trials of cruel mocking, scourging, imprisonment and even death. Nevertheless, be encouraged by the words of Apostle Peter to some brethren who were also going through trials and persecutions:
“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trials of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
1st Peter 1:6-7
Just as the trying periods of the heroes of faith who have gone ahead of you “came to pass”, yours also will come to pass. Let your gaze be set on the reward that is ahead of you, which the Holy Spirit spoke of in James 1:12, saying;
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”
In Revelations 22:12-14, the Lord also spoke of the reward we will receive, having endured unpleasant situations in this world. Beloved, the Lover of your soul, Jesus, will soon appear; be of good cheer therefore because all your trials of faith will soon be over. Just make sure you do not deny the faith. Don’t be like Demas who loved this present world and forsook the Lord (2nd Timothy 4:10). May the Lord keep you holy till His appearing in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The faith of the ten lepers in Luke 17:11-19 can best be described as practical faith. They cried to Jesus for healing and He told them to go and show themselves to the priests to certify their cleansing. These lepers immediately proceeded as Jesus directed, even though the physical manifestation of their cleansing was not apparent. This is a classical demonstration of faith. Whether they came back to say “Thank you” to Jesus or not is another subject of discussion. For you to better understand the practical faith demonstrated by these lepers, you need to read Leviticus chapter 14 which described the painstaking process of certifying the cleansing of lepers. There are other examples of practical faith which can teach us some vital lessons of faith that works. Take for instance the servants of the wedding in Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-9). These servants were commanded by Jesus Christ to take the water they had put in water pots by themselves to the master of ceremony as wine to be served to guests. It took practical faith for them to obey this instruction. The fact that they knew all about the water that was poured into the water pots should have denied them the faith that was needed to receive this miracle of supernatural provision. However, they obeyed because they remembered the instruction of Jesus’ mother when she said to them in John 2:5b:
“Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.”

Beloved, do you desire a miracle? You need to demonstrate the practical faith that exalts the Almighty God. The lepers in today’s story went ahead to show themselves to the priests because the Great Healer told them to do so. What is the Lord telling you to do so that you can have your financial breakthrough? Are you doing it? Are you paying your tithes and offering? Are you honouring God with your first fruits and engaging in other forms of continuous giving (Luke 6:38)? The Bible also says that we should pray without ceasing because it is when we ask that we will demonstrate our faith in God who gave these instructions, and He honours our faith by doing what only He can do in our lives. There are many times the Almighty God would ask me to do things that are very ridiculous by human standards, but I have learnt that unless I keep on doing the ridiculous, there is no way I can experience the miraculous which my knowledge of mathematics can never do for me. This is why I have been living a miraculous life daily, and it shall continue to be so till I see my Master in glory. My prayer is that the practical faith that you need to experience the miraculous will be given to you today in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Whether you believe it or not, the verdict of God is irrevocable: all men have sinned and come short of His glory (Romans 3:23). To escape the everlasting punishment that is the consequence of the verdict, there is the need to cry to God for mercy, obtain forgiveness and live a life of righteousness. Some may say, “I want to enjoy my life the way I deem fit; don’t upset me with your message of doom.” May I further announce to you that there is a limited amount of time for you to cry to God for mercy on account of your sins and be heard. The Bible speaks of this limitation in Hebrews 9:27
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement:”
Your cry for mercy can only be heard while you are still alive on earth. You can only die once, and immediately after you die you will come face to face with God’s judgement. At this point you can no longer cry for mercy, and there will be no second chance. For this reason, the Lord is warning you today against crying for mercy belatedly.

The rich man in Luke 16:19-26 is an example of someone who belatedly cried for mercy. His cries came after he had closed his eyes in death. Hear his plea to Abraham in Luke 16:23-24
“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”
Alas, it was too late. The rich man’s cries could have been heard if they had been expressed while he was still alive, but he ignored the warnings of God sent through His messengers. On the other hand, the publican in Luke 18:9-14 is a good example of someone who cried for mercy while he could still be heard. The cry for mercy of the thief at Jesus’ side on the cross also came just in the nick of time, before he gave up the ghost. Beloved, 2 Corinthians 6:2 is food for thought that I want you to consider. If you have never asked God to forgive your sins, do it now for the salvation of your soul. I can assure you that it is either you cry for mercy here and obtain salvation, which is timely, or you will cry for mercy in the hereafter, which will be too late.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Life can be very turbulent indeed, but thank God there is a Stiller of Storms, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. The wise will therefore anchor their life on Him (Hebrews 6:19). One truth is that at one point or the other in the course of life, everyone will experience a storm. It is therefore wise to prepare for storms by giving heed to what the word of God teaches about them. Here is what the Stiller of Storms says about storms in Matthew 7:24-25:
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”
In the above verses of Scripture, the Stiller of Storms likens His teachings to the power that stabilizes a structure battered by storms. A wise man will therefore take these teachings very seriously. Although the word of God is powerful, for it to work for you, you must be a doer of the word. James 1:22 says,
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

The story in Mark 4:35-41 reveals Jesus Christ as the Stiller of Storms. He was travelling in a ship with His disciples when a great storm arose, putting the ship and its occupants in jeopardy. Meanwhile, even in the midst of this storm, Jesus Christ was fast asleep, and the frightened disciples hurriedly woke Him up. When He awoke, He first rebuked the wind and then commanded peace to reign. In obedience to Him, the wind ceased and the Bible reports that there was immediately a great calm (Mark 4:39). After restoring calm, He rebuked His disciples for being fearful and faithless. Hear what the scripture says in Mark 4:41:
“And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Beloved, what kind of storm are you currently facing? I am using this opportunity to introduce to you that same Jesus, the Stiller of storms. He can still that storm raging in your life, be it sickness, poverty, failure or disappointment of a great magnitude. Only believe, and you will see the glory of God. I advise you to invite Jesus Christ into your life if you have not done so before. He is eager to still your storms today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Fashion is based on culture, and so people’s taste for fashion differs from one culture to another. Every form of culture and its attendant fashion must be subjected to the light of God’s word because they are all creations of mankind. 1 Corinthians 7:31 reminds us that the fashion of this world is transient. Consider the fact that most things that were in vogue ten or twenty years ago are no longer desired today, and yet some people shipwrecked their faith while pursuing them. As Christian pilgrims, transient things should not enslave us. Every by-product of culture that is not in alignment with the tenets of God’s word is dangerous and should therefore be avoided.

1 John 2:15-17 warns us against being obsessed with fashion. The Christian life is a life of modesty and we must not lose sight of this for anything. Philippians 4:5 says,
“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”
It is unfortunate that some teachers now teach that moderation is relative. They teach that what is moderation to one person based on his or her level of wealth might not be moderate to some other persons. Such teachers and those seduced by their teachings choose to ignore that when the Holy Spirit said we should be moderate, He added the clause that our moderation should be apparent to all men and not just to those who belong to our class of wealth. The Holy Spirit also teaches us to be content with whatever we have (Hebrews 13:5). Furthermore, the Lord said we should beware of covetousness, because a person’s life does not depend on the abundance or variety of goods he or she possesses (Luke 12:15). Covetousness enslaves people and drives them into being obsessed with fashion. Thankfully, the cure for this is given in 1st Timothy 6:17-18 which says:
“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate,”
The good thing about the above admonition is that when you have material possessions and you do good with them by distributing to the needy, there is no way these possessions will intoxicate you to the level of abuse. Sister, what are you doing with a thousand pairs of shoes? They should be distributed to those in need, particularly those of the household of faith. If you are a hoarder of things, or you are enslaved to fashion, goodliness with contentment is the panacea prescribed by the Holy Spirit for your deliverance (1st Timothy 6:6-. Willingly submit yourself to His remedy, and you will be free.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

John 1:1 describes the Word of God as God himself. This implies that since God is the Almighty, the Word of God is also Almighty. It is therefore dangerous to trivialize the Word of God. No wonder Psalm 138:2 says,
“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”
In light of this scripture, and considering the immense power embedded in the Name of Jesus, can you then imagine how powerful the word of God truly is? The power in the word of God was demonstrated at the creation of the world. To therefore understand the power in God’s word, just take a look at the universe around you. The Almighty God spoke the word and the word produced the entire universe. Psalm 148:3-5,
“Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.”

You may want to ask: what can the word do for me? Well, for one thing, the word can heal you. In Matthew 8:5-13, there is the story of a centurion who begged Jesus Christ to heal his servant, and Jesus agreed to go with him to his house to heal his servant. However, the centurion demonstrated his understanding of the power in the spoken word, particularly that of the Almighty God. In Matthew 8:8 He profoundly said,
“…Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”
In responses to this demonstration of faith in the power of God’s word, Jesus Christ released the word and the required healing occurred. Matthew 8:13 says,
“And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.”
From this example, it is obvious that space and time are not a limitation to the power in God’s word. It does not matter where you are or how far gone the situation is; the word of God can touch you right where you are. All you need to do is believe (Mark 9:23). I therefore release the word of God to you today: “Be healed of every infirmity that ails you now, because the stripes of Jesus have set you free from that infirmity.” Beloved, believe in the power of God’s word today, and it will make you triumph over every situation of life. It is well with you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Name of Jesus is infused with so much power that it can deliver from every form of satanic bondage. The devil’s weapon of choice to lead men into bondage is temptation, but the use of the Name of Jesus in the place of prayer is able to deliver from this weapon of the enemy. Since the Lord has given us the go-ahead to pray in His Name for anything we need, deliverance from temptation falls under the category of things we can ask for, and we will surely be delivered if we do (John 14:14). Confirming this truth, our Lord Jesus Christ taught the disciples to pray against temptation (Matthew 6:9-13), Furthermore, at the Garden of Gethsemane, our Lord instructed His three closest disciples to put into practice what He had taught them on prayer in order to overcome temptation. In Matthew 26:41, He said to them,
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

There are many lessons we can learn from Matthew 26:37-41, one of which is that temptation is a reality of life. The tempter has been at work right from the Garden of Eden and he has not retired. Another lesson is that the tempter and his temptations are no respecters of any person; they did not even spare Jesus Christ. The Bible in Luke 4:1-2a says
“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil.”
It is noteworthy that although Jesus Christ was full of the Holy Ghost, the devil still tempted Him. Thank God He defeated the tempter! I pray that you will not be overcome by the tempter in Jesus’ Name. Every believer in Christ should therefore take the Lord’s injunction to watch and pray against temptations very seriously. We can overcome temptation if we would pray against it in the Name of Jesus. We must be prepared to shield ourselves against the wiles of the tempter. Ordinary church members, workers, ministers and pastors are all targets of the tempter. Learn from the experience of the disciples. Shortly after Jesus Christ instructed them to watch and pray, temptation indeed came. Unfortunately, they were all asleep, and they could not resist the urge to run away after their Master was arrested. One of the only two disciples who managed to follow closely behind even denied the Master (John 18:15-17). Pray that the Lord will give you victory over any temptation that comes your way in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A Adeboye.

A careful study of the miracles recorded in the Bible will reveal some truths to the discerning. Such a study will reveal that miracles are supernatural and that they are an intervention of God in the affairs of men. This study will also reveal that miracles happen only when God deems it necessary. In other words, God divinely intervenes when the ability of man fails and He wants to show His Almightiness. God does not waste His divine intervention wherever He has given man the enablement to act. For example, He stopped sending manna to the children of Israel the moment they got settled in the Promised Land. They had to cultivate and eat from the land, which was flowing with milk and honey. Joshua 5:12 says,
“And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna anymore; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canna that year.”
The truth of the matter is that although God was still capable of sending the manna, He stopped sending it because there was no need for it anymore. He expected His children as His image carriers and co-creators with him to cultivate the land. Also, in Exodus 14:15-16, even though the Lord was willing and ready to intervene for the salvation of Israel at the Red Sea, He told Moses to play his part. If a child of God fails to understand this principle, it can cause him or her untold pain and disappointment due to failure to act where he or she ought to.

Having established these truths, we must also realise that the ability to work miracles is like a stamp or approval given by God to His chosen human vessels. In John 11:39-45, Jesus called for His Father’s intervention in the case of Lazarus who was dead. Why did He call on the Father to intervene? John 11:42 says,
“And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.”
Also, in Hebrews 2:4, “divers’ miracles” is listed as one of those supernatural things God uses to bear witness to the message of His chosen vessels. Without this witness, our message will be like that of mere orators and philosophers. Jesus needed miracles to establish His mission, and so do we. Let us therefore thirst for this gift to glorify the Almighty God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

We are mandated in Proverbs 27:23 to diligently look after our flock. The succeeding verses outline the great rewards that accrue from doing this. Proverbs 27:26-27 says,
“The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field. And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the Food of thy household and for the maintenance for thy maidens,”
There is something striking about these verses of Scripture. If taking care of animals attracts so much reward, how much more would we be rewarded when we heed God’s commandment to care for our children? Unknown to many people, one of the reasons why God decided to bless Abraham so much was Abraham’s determination to transfer his worship, fear and obedience of the Almighty to his children. Genesis 18:19 says,
“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgement; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”
Abraham was wise enough to see to it that not only his children but all his household servants as well knew the Lord and feared Him.

When we take time to care for our children spiritually and physically, we will be happy for it. The daughter of Pharaoh who adopted Moses made a profound statement, when she handed him over to his mother, which we should take note of. In Exodus 2:9 she said:
“…Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages…”
When we see children as the Lord’s heritage and not as our possessions, we will be careful to train them for God and not for ourselves (Psalm 127:3). When we do this, their original Owner will reward us handsomely. Proverbs 23:24-25 mentions some of these rewards:
“The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.”
Beloved, only children trained in the fear of the Lord will grow up to be righteous and wise. So, take care of your children by instilling the fear of the Lord in them, and serve as a role model of righteousness of God to them.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A lazy man is described in Proverbs 10:4 as someone who works with a slack hand. He or she is also described as slothful in Proverbs 12:24. The Holy Spirit warns us against slothfulness in Romans 12:11:
“Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;”
Some people are fervent in spirit but slothful in business, whereas some others are diligent in business but not fervent in spirit. These are lopsided Christian lifestyles which are not profitable. In 1 Thessalonians 4:11, we are warned against being lazy. Laziness results in some people becoming so poor that they become fraudsters to make ends meet. Defrauding others is a terrible sin that calls for God’s vengeance (1st Thessalonians 4:6). Lazy Christians take advantage of the generosity of the Christian brotherhood to defraud other diligent Christians. Such lazy ones do not want to work with their hands. Instead, they go from house to house and from church to church to defraud the brethren under several pretexts. Interestingly, this is not a new development in the Body of Christ. Under the guise of awaiting the second coming of the Lord, laziness was so rampant in the Church at Thessalonica, so much so that some believers abandoned their trade and businesses to loaf around. For this reason, Apostle Paul, after his initial epistle, further wrote to this same Church in 2nd Thessalonians 3:10, saying:
“For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”

Today, job scarcity makes it difficult for us to know who is actually lazy among the brethren who loaf around other brethren. In actual fact, it is not the lack of jobs that makes people unemployed; rather, it is pride and the unrealistic dreams of white collar jobs. Some would not do any other job than what they were trained to do in school. These group of Christians should learn from people like Apostle Paul, who in spite of his degree in law engaged in tent making to make ends meet (Acts 18:3, Philippians 3:5). Some people are misguided into thinking that doing manual labour would drain their anointing; this is a lie of the devil. The Lord promised to bless the work of our hands, not our idleness (Deuteronomy 28:12). The story was told of how God directed a young but brilliant Christian to start clearing human waste in a modern way, and he became a millionaire through it. if you are naturally lazy, you need supernatural healing, because laziness is a disease that can kill the body and throw the soul into hell. Therefore, detest it with everything in you. 
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The simple and expected response to the thought-provoking question in today’s topic (Choosing To Die With Your Enemy?) is “no”. In practice however, this may not be the case. It is true that the people of this world can be terribly wicked, so much so that one may find it difficult to let go when the opportunity presents itself to pay them back in their own coin. Nevertheless, this is contrary to the nature of God that we bear as Christians. Speaking to us about this in Romans 12:19, the Holy Spirit says:
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord".
The story of Samson is a good example of someone who chose to die with his enemies. Although he was born a Nazarite to God, he had many flaws in his character, the most lethal of which was vindictiveness. When a person is vindictive, such a fellow will be unforgiving, merciless and absolutely cruel. When his enemies bound him in chains and plucked out his eyes, instead of calling on God for the forgiveness of his sins, he chose to pray to God to avenge his eyes. Judges 16:28 says,
“And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenge of the Philistines for my two eyes.”

When one listens to the prayers of some people who ordinarily should be on their face asking God for mercy, one cannot but wonder if they are not praying to die with their enemies. Such people ask God to avenge them of their enemies, when they are the ones whose sins empowered the enemy to buffet them. No doubt, God will honour His word to recompense the evildoer. However, what do you stand to gain if your enemies die as a result of the evil they did to you, but you also die in your sins? That is not a wise thing to do. This is the reason why Romans 12:17 warns us that we should not repay any man evil for evil, but rather, we should overcome evil with good. When someone offends you and you decide not to settle with him or her, what you are indirectly saying is that you are ready to die with that enemy. You put the forgiveness of that fellow on hold and yours will not be released to you either. Mark 11:26 says,
“But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
We need to forgive those who wrong us for our own sake because the Scripture is clear that unless we do, we are in danger of preferring to die with our enemies instead of saving ourselves from the judgement to come upon this world.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In several portions of Scriptures, the Holy Spirit admonishes us not to forget several things, especially things that relate to God’s commandments (Proverbs 3:1, Hebrews 13:16). In fact, one of the mandates of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to bring to our remembrance all things the Master has told us, so that we don’t forget them (John 14:26). However, in Philippians 3:7-14, the same Holy Spirit encourages us to forget the things that are behind us. Why does He want us to forget those things? The reason is that if we don’t forget some things of the past, they may prevent us from reaching forth to those things ahead of us. Someone once said that ‘good’ is the enemy of ‘better’. When you hold tenaciously to the good, something better may elude you.

Furthermore, when you refuse to forget the days of your terrible past, you may never be able to live in the reality of the new beginning God has given to you. This is another danger of not forgetting the past. Many people still hold themselves hostage to their past life, long after they have been forgiven by God Almighty. They fail to recognise the terms of the New Testament they are operating under. Here is part of what the Holy Spirit says about the new convent in the Blood of Jesus:
“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”
Hebrews 8:12
An elderly man was brought to us years ago; he was terribly sick. We witnessed to him about Jesus Christ who forgives sins so that he may confess his sins and be forgiven. Surprisingly, he felt that the magnitude of his sins was too big for pardon. We assured him that this was not the case, and thanks be to God, the Holy Spirit eventually convinced him of what we were saying. His problem was tied to his refusal to forget his terrible past. When an old friend of mine came face to face with me after I had become born again and a pastor, she could not believe that God could use me to heal her ailing child. I assured her that if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away and all things have become new (2nd Corinthians 5:17). She believed, and her sick child was healed. Today, many people find it difficult to forgive others because they refuse to forget the past misdeeds done to them. This is even more dangerous than refusing to forget your own past misdeeds (Mark 11:25-26). Beloved, keeping the record of your ugly past or that of others may rob you of the joy of forgiveness and the peace that emanates from forgetting the past.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof:”
                         Ecclesiastes 7:8a
The devil is not bothered about how well we start our Christians journey, but he is concerned about how we end it. His ultimate desire is for us to end badly. From the above passage of scripture, we can see that it is important to ensure that we have a better ending in life. I pray that you will end well and strong in Jesus’ Name. The secrets to ending well in life are contained in Genesis 17:1 and Hebrews 12:1-8. The first secret is to live a perfect life as demanded by the God of Abraham in Genesis 17:1. To live a perfect life is very simple if we can study those who have successfully gone ahead of us. Father Abraham is a typical example of someone who obeyed God. Beginning from leaving his comfort zone in his father’s house to the point of sacrificing his only son, Isaac, Abraham obeyed God all the way (Genesis 12:1; 22:1-14). In other words, simple childlike obedience to God and His word is a secret for finishing well. This was what enabled my father-in-the-Lord, the founder of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, to finish well. Even when he was grievously wronged by the head of another church, God commanded him to make peace and he obeyed.

Another secret for finishing well is to look up to no one else but the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrew 12:2). The Almighty God has given Him to us as a better example than father Abraham. He is the Sinless One who suffered shame for the sinful. Some people try to justify themselves on some wrong actions they take by using the wickedness of other men around them as an excuse. Hebrews 12:1-8 is saying that we should follow the perfect example of Jesus Christ, who was falsely accused and subjected to shame but did not retaliate, because He believed that vengeance belonged to His Father. He did not try to defend Himself in order to fulfil His destiny as our Redeemer. The Holy Spirit encourages us to consider Him who endured such opposition of sinners against Himself, lest we become weary and give up (Hebrews 12:3). In addition, we are encouraged to resist the opposition of sin and strive against it to the point of death. May the good Lord strengthen us in this regard in Jesus’ Name. Beloved the key to living a perfect life for the successful ending of your Christian journey lies in your obedience to the word of God (Psalm 119:9). The devil is trying to derail the Christian faith by faulting the word of God, describing it as a moribund treatise of the Jewish religion. Beware of this if you want to finish well and strong.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are many names used to describe God in the Holy Scriptures. While all His names are important in many ways, the name “Abba” is one of the most significant names of God in understanding how He relates with mankind. The word Abba is an Aramaic word that means “Daddy” in common parlance. It is a loving name that young children use to address their father. This name shows the intimate relationship that exists between father and child, and it conveys the absolute trust children have in their fathers.

It is important to recognise that although all those who believe in the Almighty can call Him God, not all of them can call Him Abba. Who then can refer to the Almighty as Abba? Only those who have the boldness to call Him “Daddy”. These are people who believe in Jesus, the Son of the Living God, and in the work of atonement He has accomplished for all mankind (John 1:12-13). Galatians 4:6 says,
“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
Furthermore, only those who honour God as a child honours his or her daddy can call the Almighty Abba. Malachi 1:6a says,
“A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour?”
Your attitude towards God as a Father will determine whether you can call Him Abba, because Abba is an appellation that confirms your intimate relationship with the Almighty. You may want to ask: How can I honour God as Abba? You honour Him by keeping His commandments. Some so-called children of God erroneously believe that grace means lawlessness. They couldn’t be further from the truth (Romans 6:1-2)! There are many blessings we receive when we are true children of the Great Abba. In Genesis 17:1, Abba Father declared Himself as the Almighty God. Because He is almighty, He grants His children their requests and daily loads them with blessings (Psalm 3:4, Psalm 68:19). Beloved, do you belong to this loving Daddy? I congratulate you if indeed the Almighty God is also your Abba. However, if your attitude towards Him is that of total disregard for His person or blatant disobedience to His commandments, then you need to change your ways today. You stand to lose a whole lot if you don’t have God as your Father.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is confounding that most children of God see it as an obligation to speak out against different forms of abuse in the society, but do not deem it necessary to raise their voices against anyone blaspheming the Lord of the universe or His anointed representatives on earth. The Lord did not mince words in 1st Chronicles 16:22 when He commanded “Touch not My anointed!” As it is today, so it was in the time of the Lord Jesus Christ. Several people spoke out against Him, and some even accused Him of casting out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons! See the Lord’s response to this outrageous allegation in Matthew 12:36:
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement.”
Speaking against the Lord’s ministers and their spirit-motivated deeds is a typical way of touching the Lord’s anointed. Beloved, it is idle talk when you attribute an act of the Holy Spirit in a man of God to the power of familiar spirits or charms and rituals of the occult, and this is punishable on the Day of judgement. Can you imagine the sin of idle talk waylaying you on the Day of judgement? If you are guilty of this, you must repent and restitute your ways before it is too late. Never join a multitude to say terrible things against a minister of God when you are not very sure that what they are saying about him or her is true. Take heed to these instructions of God in Exodus 23:2:
“Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:”
 
Numbers 12:1-15 narrates how Moses’ two siblings. Miriam and Aaron, spoke out against him because of the Ethiopian woman he had married. Even though Moses actually married an Ethiopian woman, what did that have to do with the assignment or role God asked him to play? The truth of the matter is that Miriam and Aaron were just being jealous and mischievous. God saw through their motives, and He decided to put them in their place and punish them. Miriam became leprous! Beloved, it is not until you cast a man of God into prison before you touch him or her in an evil way. Watch your tongue and stop any move that is detrimental to the assignment given to an anointed man or woman of God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A salient truth that everyone, particularly children of God, should not be ignorant of is that God created everything for a purpose. This is why we call the Almighty God the God of plan and purpose. For example, in Genesis 1:26, when man was to be created, God first declared his purpose before creating him, saying:
“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
God will not create what He does not need. Whatever you find on earth has a reason for existing. Not knowing the usefulness of an entity in God’s creation does not negate the reason why God created it. It is just unfortunate that more often than not, we abuse, misuse or completely neglect the use of many things created for one divine purpose or the other. In Luke 19:29-35, even the owner of the donkey did not know the eternal purpose God had for his donkey until the Lord’s message got to him, asking him to release it to fulfil the prophecy concerning it (Zechariah 9:9). This donkey looked ordinary to its owner, but to its Maker it was a unique donkey. You therefore need to look at things through the eyes of the Creator to understand their purpose.

Many years ago, I told some ministers who had just answered the divine call into full-time ministry that whatever skills they had acquired should be kept because all such skills would be needed in the running of the church. These days, there is a tendency for an architect to drop his or her skill set when going into ministry. Such people fail to realise that the Church needs architects to design her buildings. Who would do a better job of this than a Spirit-filled architect? In Exodus 36:1-2, God purposely raised Bazaleel and Aholiab for the purpose of the building of His tabernacle, indeed, every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights (James 1:17)

Beloved, the Lord needs that skill, that gift, that memory and that position you have. I appeal to you to use your talents primarily for God and secondarily as your meal ticket. May the Lord bless you as you bless Him with your divine endowments in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Matthew 14:6-11 narrates the sad story of how unbridled merriment can propel a man to do what he would otherwise not have done. The devil is a cunning old serpent. He knows too well that his chances of success are slim whenever he attacks a child of God directly. He therefore deploys trick to attack people when they are in a vulnerable state, such as when the heart is merry and full of happiness. When you are light-hearted, be watchful so that it does not end in sorrow and regret. This is why the wisdom of God in Proverbs 14:13 teaches us that
“Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.”

A quick lesson we should learn from the story in Matthew 14:6-11 is that merriment outside of God will always end up in crisis. King Herod was very sorry for making the promise he had made to his daughter, probably under the influence of alcohol, but it was too late for him to take back the oath he had committed himself to in his light-hearted mood. Another lesson we should learn here is that the enemy looks out for moments when you let your guard down, and then he strikes. Examples of such moments are times when you just won a victory and when you are in high spirits. Happiness often has the same effect as alcohol on the reasoning faculties of man, and so you need to watch it.

There is a type of laughter that is derived from pleasurable but sinful acts. The Bible refers to such laughter as the crackling of thorns under a pot (Ecclesiastes 7:6). The Israelites manifested such laughter and merriment when they made a golden calf for themselves as their god. Exodus 32:6 says:
“And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.”   
But for Moses’ intercessory prayers, they would have been wiped off the face of the earth by this foolish act. It is commonly said that “He who laughs last, laughs best.” The last and best laughter is the laughter in eternity with our Maker. Speaking about this laughter, Jesus Christ in Luke 6:21b says:
“Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.”
When the Messiah shall return the second time, He shall put an end to all suffering, and there shall be everlasting laughter (Revelation 21:1-7). Ensure you don’t miss it!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Lord’s decision to make us His witnesses is a divine set up for blessings, just like when He asks us to give to Him, in spite of the fact that He owns everything (Psalm 50:9-11). In the same vain, the Lord does not need our publicity, just as the sun does not need to be announced. When the sun rises in the east, it is seen as far away as the west, and we know Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2). It is an honour to be a witness of the Sun of Righteousness, because by virtue of this status, the world will see the grace of God upon our lives. When Elisha agreed to abandon his farming business to become Yahweh’s prophet, little did he know that the king would later refer to him as “my father” (1st Kings 19:19-21, 2nd Kings 13:14).

What are the characteristics and responsibilities of Christ’s witnesses? The Lord hints us on some of these in Mark 16:15-18:
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
The primary character of the Lord’s witnesses is that they follow Him sincerely, and their primary responsibility is preaching the gospel. This responsibility is even more serious that what was committed to Jonah, because a very high price has now been paid for the redemption of mankind, which must not be allowed to go to waste. Another responsibility is to cast out devils. If we will take territories for the kingdom of our God, we must be ready to cast out the demons that currently reign over such territories. Speaking in tongues enables every witness of Jesus Christ to be an effective mouthpiece of God with man and mouthpiece of man with God in the place of intercessory prayer. Taking up serpents as referenced in Mark 16:18 could mean dealing with serpents that come in human clothing, deceiving people just like the old serpent did. The Lord’s witnesses must challenge such lies with the Master’s true message. When we do all these as witnesses of Jesus, souls shall be rescued from eternal damnation. This is our joy and goal. Are you an effective witness of Jesus?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are several ways of dealing with mountains, and today we will be considering seven of these. The first option we will consider is to turn back. You can say that because a mountain is blocking your way to success, you will no longer move forward. This was the negative attitude of the children of Israel in Numbers 14:1-4. The second way is to walk around the mountain, thereby wasting time and effort. For those who are born of God, going round a mountain is not an option. Our Father’s desire for us is to always move forward, in spite of what lies ahead of us. This is why He commanded Moses to charge the children of Israel to move forward, in spite of the Red Sea in front of them (Exodus 14:15). You will move forward today in Jesus’ Name. The third way of dealing with mountains is to climb them. This may require a lot of effort but it is still better than going round in circles, and it is far better than going back. The fourth way you can deal with a mountain is to bore through the mountain or dig a tunnel through it. when Moses lifted up his hands before the Red Sea, God caused the east wind to blow all through the night, and this created a way in the sea for the children of Israel to pass through (Exodus 14:21). Just as the east wind blew to create a road for the children of Israel through the sea, creating a tunnel through a mountain will require the assistance of the Holy Spirit. The fifth way to deal with a mountain is to blast it out of the way. In Joshua 6:20, when the children of Israel came face-to-face with the wall of Jericho, the Lord instructed them to shout. They did, and not only did the wall fall, it was shattered and reduced to nothing. Indeed, God sent dynamite from heaven to blast the whole wall down. The sixth way we can deal with mountains is to relocate them. In Mark 11:22-23, the Lord says that if you have faith in God, you can command a mountain to change its position or get out of your way, and it will obey you.

The seventh way of dealing with mountains is to fly over them. In this scenario, although the mountain is still there, you don’t want to turn back, neither do you want to walk around it, struggle to climb it or dig through it. Maybe you don’t want to blast it because you want to use it as a reference point in future, and you don’t even want to bother relocating it; all you want to do is to fly over it. According to Isaiah 40:31; the condition you need to fulfil for you to experience this great feat is to wait upon the Lord. Are you ready to wait upon the Lord? The good news is that this is the easiest way for you to deal with mountains, and it is at your disposal if only you can wait upon the Lord.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Whenever we talk about mountains, the first thing that comes to mind is a big problem. However, mountains can be useful. Do you realise that mountains can be God’s own way of advertising you? For example, the people of Israel didn’t know who David was until Goliath came on the scene and propelled him into limelight. Mountains, in the form of a big problem, can also be God’s own way of asking you to come closer to Him. A good example of this is found in Acts 12. When King Herod killed James, the Church didn’t do anything about it, but when he grabbed Peter, the Church suddenly realised that if they did not do something about the opposition from the powers that be, they would all be dead soon. As a result, they prayed to God without ceasing until He did something about the situation (Acts 12:5)

A mountain can help you discover your potential. You may never discover your calling or the substance of your character until you are faced with big problems. Philip didn’t know he was to be an evangelist; he thought he was doing just fine as a deacon. However, he discovered his calling as an evangelist after the devil moved Saul of Tarsus to begin to throw Christians into prison and his friend, Stephen, was killed. He fled to Samaria where he served as an evangelist, and he brought great joy to the whole city. You may never know what is in you until you come face to face with a big problem. The most important thing about mountains is that the size of your mountain determines the size of your destiny: the bigger the mountain, the bigger your destiny.

Whenever the annual convention of our church is very close, our parishes send volunteers to clean up the Redemption Camp. One day, I was going round inspecting different parts of the camp from morning till evening. When it was evening, I was very tired and so I called my family together for prayer so that I could retire to bed. I prayed a very short prayer, went to bed and fell asleep immediately. As soon as I fell asleep, my wife came and woke me up, I said to her, “Oh woman, leave me alone; I’m tired!” She replied, “One of the volunteers that came from your village is dead!” Hearing this, all my tiredness disappeared and I got up in a hurry. I quickly gathered the prayer warriors for a serious prayer session. After about an hour God said to me, “I thought you said you were tired?” He then instructed me to dismiss the prayer warriors, because I was the one He wanted to speak with. I released the prayer warriors and continued to pray. As I prayed, the one who was dead came back to life. Hallelujah! Your mountains will bring you to your great destiny, in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The greatest of all the wonders of divine blessings comes from the blessing of salvation. What does it mean to be saved? How can one be saved? What are the blessings that accrue from salvation? All these are pertinent question that we will be considering today. To be saved is to escape eternal damnation which comes as a result of sin. The righteous God of heaven has declared every man born of a woman guilty of sin. He made His verdict known in Romans 3:23 which says,
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Not only his mankind been declared guilty of sin, the punishment that awaits him due to this verdict has also been revealed in Revelation 21:8:
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
To be delivered from this declared eternal damnation is nothing short of a wonder of divine blessings. Luke 7:37-48 tells the story of the wonder of divine blessings in the life of a forgiven sinner. A woman considered to be a sinner came to acknowledge the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and she did all she could humanly do to express her gratitude to the Saviour of the world, who came to pay the supreme price. The Pharisees were full of indignation because of the act of this woman. They could not understand what it means to be forgiven or what it means to escape eternal damnation. They could not see through what prompted David to pen Psalm 32. The Lord Jesus Christ tried to open their blind eyes of understanding by giving a voice to the actions of this woman. Luke 7:47 says,
“Wherefore I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.”
Beloved, if you desire the wonders of divine blessings, the most profound of them all comes through the blessing of forgiveness. When you give your life to Christ, what the Lord said to the woman in Luke 7:37-48, He will say to you:
“Thy sins are forgiven.” Luke 7:48b
Whoever wants to enjoy the wonders of divine blessings that last forever must plug himself or herself into the blessedness of forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Living a healthy life that does not require the attention of physicians is one of the wonders of divine blessings. Although it is commonly said that health is wealth, I am of the opinion that health is much more than wealth because a sickness can drain the entire wealth of a person and lead to penury within six months. I pray that no sickness, big or small, will plague your life or home in Jesus’ Name. A wealthy person who is equally healthy is very wealthy. For such a fellow, we can say that his or her cup is running over (Psalm 23:5). I have often said that while it is a good thing to be healed, to remain healthy is much more wonderful, but beyond these, you are super wealthy when incurable diseases are being brought to you and by the mere laying of your hands on the sick, they get healed. A person walking in this realm is extraordinarily blessed. So, what happens when someone is extraordinarily blessed? Not only will the forces of heaven and earth combine to support such a fellow, he or she will also command these forces to favour those whom he or she wants to be a blessing to. Because I am enjoying the wonders of divine blessings by the grace of God, I decree over your life today: let the forces of heaven and earths begin to cooperate in support of that venture you have embarked upon in Jesus’ Name. In 2nd Kings 20:1-11, Hezekiah was sick and God said he was going to die, but he cried to God that he did not want to die yet, and God granted his request. The Lord prolonged his life with fifteen more years. In other words, he was healed and became wealthy in health. God also caused the shadow of the sun to return backwards by ten degrees as a sign to indicate this wonder. In other words, the sun cooperated with Prophet Isaiah when he decreed that it should go backward to bring to pass the wonder of recapturing fifteen years already spent by Hezekiah. This is an even greater feat than when Joshua commanded the sun and the moon to stand still (Joshua 10:13).

In Genesis 27:1-4, Isaac told Esau to prepare his favourite meal so that his soul might bless him. This shows that divine blessings are provoked. You must do something to attract them into your life. In Malachi 3:10, God said “Bring all the tithes into My house, and I will replace every curse with a blessing,” Elisha had the opportunity of asking Elijah what he wanted because he had been a faithful servant to him. Anyone who wants to be blessed by God and is willing to pay the price would surely be blessed. If you are a sinner, what God requires from you is to give your life to Christ. If you are a child of God, search the scriptures and you will discover that those who were divinely blessed were ardent worshippers and generous givers. Go ahead and follow their examples.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Believe it or not, some people are afraid of blessings! Some prefer to be “average” rather than to be super-rich, because they believe that wealth will either cause them to backslide or make them vulnerable to spiritual and physical attacks. These are wrong mindsets. Many years ago, while pondering on Psalm 23:5, I wondered why the ‘waste’ of blessings by pouring more into a cup that is already full. I heard the Lord say to me, “It is for Me to show My extraordinary sufficiency.” Hallelujah! One of the wonders of divine blessings is that God can use anything or anyone to make His provision available to you if you are His candidate for divine blessings. In 1st Kings 17:4-6, God sent ravens to bring food to Elijah twice a day. One of the astonishing parts of this story is that ravens are known as flesh eaters. The question then is: how come they did not eat up the meat before getting to Elijah? It would have been understandable if sheep were the couriers in this regard. The truth of the matter is that when a person is divinely blessed, both the forces of heaven and earth will combine to assist the fellow. This was the case of the children of Israel in the wilderness. The wind brought them quails to eat and the rock produced water for them to drink (Psalm 105:40-42). I have often taught my children in church that whenever they embark on a venture and they realise that they always have to struggle so much to make ends meet, they should check back with God to know whether He is in that venture.

Matthew 17:24-27 offers a classical example of divine blessing. To pay their taxes, the Lord instructed Peter to go and catch a fish, open its mouth and pick a coin from it, the value of which would be sufficient to offset their tax bill. My firm belief is that there is a river near you with a fish inside it holding the right amount of money that you need in its mouth. This fish is just waiting to be caught by you. The ‘fish’ may be that fellow yearning for salvation, or that person who needs your spiritual help so much. When you win him or her to Christ, everything you need may already be there in their hands, and the Lord will just move them to release it to you. As I studied the wealth of Solomon, I asked myself where his wealth came from. Then I saw in 2nd Chronicles 9:13-14 that his wealth came from all the kings of Arabia and from the governors of other lands. Even the Queen of Sheba joyfully brought her wealth to him (1 Kings 10:1-10). Such is the wonder of divine blessings. I decree upon you today: you will be divinely blessed, and your days of struggling to make ends meet are over in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When the Lord commanded Abraham to get out of his country, away from his kindred and out of his father’s house to go to a land that He was yet to show him, little did Abraham know that he was being set up for divine blessings. God promised him that He would make him a great nation, bless him and make him a blessing. These promises straightaway introduce us to the wonders of divine blessings. How can a man considered barren become a great nation? The answer lies in divine blessings.

When you take a critical look at God’s promises to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3, you will discover that when a man is divinely blessed, his friends are also blessed, and conversely, his enemies are in trouble because they will be divinely cursed! Divine blessings will be your portion today in Jesus’ Name. When a fellow is divinely blessed, it means the blessings are not a result of struggling. Those who don’t know this or who have not experienced divine blessings before will always think that unless you struggle to the point of breaking your back, you cannot make it in life. This could not be further from the truth! The notion belongs to the realm of the curse of the first Adam which all children of God through the second Adam, Jesus, have escaped from. There was a brother of ours who received a divine blessing, and when he told others about it, they found it too good to be believed. One of them even said “This is too good to be genuine!” One of the wonders of divine blessings is that it makes people amazed, even to the point of disbelief. How could Abraham who started as a wonderer become so blessed that he could kill a whole calf to entertain a group of casual visitors numbering only three (Genesis 18:7)? Here is the testimony of Abraham’s servant on the extent of his master’s blessing in Genesis 24:35:
“And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herbs, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.”
Heaven will assist a man or a woman that is divinely blessed by sending what he or she needs in due season (Deuteronomy 28:12). I pray for you that whatever represents rain in your life will fall on you today in Jesus’ Name. However, you must be a friend of God like Abraham, walking with God in complete obedience to make this a reality in your life (Genesis 17:1).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I have a challenge with some of my spiritual children, and it has to do with their lack of faith in the infallible word of God. Although they profess to believe in the word of God, their actions and responses to God’s word plainly shows unbelief. After standing on the altar of God to minister powerful words from God for their deliverance, some of them show their doubt and unbelief by insisting on meeting with me face to face in my office to lay my hands on them before they would be delivered. This is disheartening, and I pray that God will make such people understand the power in His word from today onwards. Every word from God is full of power, and even the written word in this devotional is power-packed. Blessed are those who believe this. Many of these children of mine are like Naaman who expected Prophet Elisha to perform spiritual acrobatics on him, just like many “deliverance ministers” are doing today. Beloved, I am telling you this emphatically today: there is healing in the word of God! The Holy Spirit says this so clearly in Psalm 107:20:
“He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”
Note the words that He used: “He sent his word”. He Himself did not leave His throne, He only sent His word and the word did the healing. Praise the Lord! I am sending the word of God to a person in need of it today, saying “Be healed in Jesus’ Name.”

In line with the pattern of the Spirit’s operation in 2 Kings 5:8-12, there is something you must do for the healing word to do the Lord’s bidding in your life: you must wash! You must wash, not in River Jordan seven times, but in the Blood of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death. Sickness as you well know is an agent of death, and so your sins need to be washed away for you to obtain healing through the word. 1st John 1:8-9 says
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Beloved, the above scripture is the healing word that the Lord is sending to you today, irrespective of the number of years you have spent in your walk with Him. Do you believe it? The healing we are talking of today is not only physical; it is also spiritual, material, financial, martial, intellectual, and all-encompassing. In whatever area you need healing today, by the word of the Lord I say to you, be healed in Jesus’ mighty Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Hiding our identity or deliberately putting ourselves in obscurity does not serve our interest or that of our Father in heaven. Some people misrepresent humility by thinking that being extremely introverted is a Christian virtue. Going by the command in Isaiah 60:1, this is not so. Someone said the reason why the conjunction ‘and’ is not found between the words ‘arise’ and ‘shine’ in Isaiah 60:1 is because the rising and the shinning form a ‘simultaneous equation’. The rising presupposes a prompting to shine at the same time. In other words, there is no time lag between your rising and your shining. A failure to shine while rising has certain implications. When you rise, the Lord knows that your light has come and that He has bestowed His glory upon you. It then follows that if you refuse to shine while the glory of the Lord is arisen upon you and your time passes away, you would have failed God and missed a great opportunity He gave you. May you not miss your opportunity in Jesus’ Name. Our Lord Jesus Christ in John 9:4-5 said:
“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can walk. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
This statement should bring to your remembrance that a time will come when Christians will no longer be in this world. Therefore, it is time for us to show our faces. We children of God have been in hiding for too long a time; we must now show ourselves in the areas of education, commerce, politics, the military, transport, agriculture, science, and technology, and in all other sectors of life. God needs His children to serve as lights everywhere. The good thing is that the time He wants us to do this is now. For this reason, I told my children during our annual thanksgiving service at the Redemption Camp that they should become active members of the political associations of their choice.

In 1 Kings 19:1-19, we see how Elijah the prophet exhibited cowardice just after His exploits for God on Mount Carmel. Because he was afraid of Jezebel, the powerful queen, he ran for his life and hid in the wilderness. After encountering God on Mount Sinai, the Lord commanded him to continue his assignment as prophet. 1st King 19:15a says
“And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus:”
In other words, he should hide no more. He had to show his face and go to complete his assignment as the prophet of God. Hiding our faces as children of God cannot help this generation. Some of us exhibit cowardice and are reluctant to face up to this challenge. We must show our faces by confronting ungodliness in all spheres of life if we will make meaningful impact in our generation.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Do you know that the glory of the Lord makes the impossible possible? Indeed, the glory of God breaks Satan’s bars of iron and demolishes anything that represents the walls of Jericho in the life of a believer in Christ. One way to attract God’s glory is through worship. If you need any form of breakthrough in life, spend time worshipping God. However, you must learn how to worship God correctly. Before you can worship God, you need to know Him. In Acts 16:25, we read about how God’s glory came down in the prison yard through intense worship rendered by Paul and Silas, two men who knew their God. Instead of being engrossed in self-pity, they sang high praises to God, worshipping Him for counting them worthy to experience the fellowship of Christ’s suffering. No wonder Paul wrote in Philippians 3:10:
“That I my know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death,”
The result was God’s glory coming down into the prison yard, shaking the prison to its very foundations and loosing the chains with which they were bound. When a man or woman carries the glory of God, there is absolutely nothing that will be impossible to him or her, because God’s glory is synonymous with His power.

In 2 Chronicles 5:1-14, it is amazing that in spite of the meticulous setting of all the liturgical materials, and the orderly procession of the Levites and priests, God’s glory did not come down until the Levites who were singers led the congregation of God’s people in intense worship. 2nd Chronicles 5:14 says,
“It came even to pass, as the trumpeters  and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;”
Beloved, I want to encourage you to be an ardent worshipper of God because it is good and blessed to do so. However, I want you to know that when a sinner brings a sacrifice of worship to God, God does not receive it because the sacrifice of a sinner is an abomination to Him (Proverbs 15:. So if you are not yet born again, surrender your life to Jesus today, and this will qualify you to be an acceptable worshipper of the Almighty Father.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.