₦airaland Forum

The narrative in Daniel 3:13-26 highlights one of those instances where we can go against secular and religious authority. This story tells of how Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to obey the law of the land. There is time for everything under heaven. There is a time when in order to obey the law of God, you have to disobey the law of the land. These three young men were accused and found guilty of religious anarchism. In simple terms, they were tagged criminals because they were found guilty of breaking the law, and the penalty for this was death by burning. Nevertheless, these young men defied the threat of tortuous death in a fiery furnace. Their attitude made it seem as if they had listened to the teaching of Jesus Christ in Mark 9:45-46, where He said:
“And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt unto life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”

As seen in Acts 4:19, a similar act of defiance was exhibited by the early disciples. Peter stood up to the religious leaders of that time, giving them a rhetorical question to ponder on. He asked for their advice on whom to obey: earthly leaders or God. Beloved, you need to be defiant whenever you are asked to go against the law of God. The time to stand up for your faith and values is when you are asked to go against it.

If at the expenses of standing up for God, you melt in the face of threats to your life, comfort or career, you cannot call yourself a Christian. Are you in a situation where you are compromising on the truth? Are you falsifying records in your office or business to make more money? Are you collecting bribes before you do your work? Are you covering up for corrupt colleagues or friends? If you find yourself in such circumstances, you need to search deep within your heart and choose whom you will serve today. Serving God means that every moment of your day, every action that you take and every utterance that you make are viewed as service to Him. Always be conscious of the fact that your actions at your place of work or business counts as service to God. Your attitude towards everyone around you is also service to God. I pray that the Holy Spirit will convict your heart and enable you to stand up for Jesus every day.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is disheartening to note that many hunters have crept into the Body of Christ, disguising themselves as shepherds. How do we distinguish a hunter from a shepherd? A hunter is an opportunist who feeds on the flesh of animals he did not rear. He kills his game indiscriminately without consideration for the wellbeing of the animals he kills. A shepherd, on the other hand, knows even the smallest details about the state of his or her flock. His disposition to the flock is captured beautifully in Psalm 23. Psalm 23:1-3 says,
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name sake.”

All those occupying the office of the shepherd in the Body of Christ are instructed on God’s expectation of them in 1 Peter 5:1-4. They are expected to feed the flock of God and watch over them without any constraint or covetousness. Unlike a hunter that goes after a kill, the shepherd must nurture, preserve and ensure the safety of the sheep. He pampers the lamps and leads the sheep towards green pastures. The shepherd defends the flock against external aggression of wolves and other carnivores. Jesus Christ is our perfect example of a shepherd. In John 10:11, He said:
“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
God expects us to be good shepherds just as our Lord Jesus Christ is. In the Body of Christ today, it is unfortunate that we have unsuspecting sheep who are being led by hunters instead of shepherds. Paul wrote concerning them in Philippians 3:18-19, saying:
“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.”

Beloved, you need to identify the shepherds and the hunters in the Body of Christ and ensure you are not being led by a hunter. Any pastor whose primary concern is what he or she can get out of you and not how you will be nurtured and built up in Christ is a hunter. I pray that God will open your eyes of understanding and enable you to discern if you are under a hunter or a shepherd.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In a bid to evade the verbal chastisement of the word of God coming from the mouth of fellow believers, some Christians quote these words of Jesus in Matthew 7:1-2:
“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”
Such Christians conveniently forget the word of 2nd Timothy 4:2, which says,
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
While it is true that some Christians today are quick to judge others for the situation they are passing through, which is an attitude the Lord warned us against, it does not mean that we cannot declare the counsel of God whenever we are so moved by the Spirit of God to do so. The question is what is the difference between having a judgemental attitude and declaring the whole counsel of God through teaching or preaching? Just like vengeance, judgement also is the prerogative of the Almighty God. As demonstrated in the story of the adulterous woman, He alone is the accurate and righteous judge. From the story, we see that man’s judgement can be faulty, because the one judging others may be guilty of the same sin (John 8:7-9). Only God is without sin, therefore He alone is competent enough to pass judgement. Indeed, He has passed judgement through His word, and He will confirm this judgement through the Lord Jesus Christ on a day He has appointed (John 12:48, Romans 2:16).

To be judgmental is to judge wrongly. Many are prone to doing this, and this is the reason why we were warned not to judge. Paul’s experience in Acts 28:1-6 is a typical example of the error of man’s judgement. The Lord had just spared the lives of Paul and those whom he was travelling with on account of Paul’s right standing with Him. While the apostle was gathering sticks to increase the heat of the fire that was keeping them warm, a poisonous snake caught him by the hand. Some of the native people of the land where they were shipwrecked jumped to the conclusion that Paul was evil and that was why nemesis was still after him, even though he had managed to survive a shipwreck (Acts 28:4). How wrong they were! Let us therefore be cautious before drawing connections between events because our knowledge is limited. Let us allow the word of God speak the judgement of God by itself and not insert our own speculations and motives into the fray.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The message from the Holy Spirit to you today is that you must take responsibility for your actions in life. It is important to note that many trials and temptations we encounter in life are neither from God nor from the devil. You may then want to know where temptations emanate from. The Bible is clear on this: we cannot put the blame at God’s doorstep. James 1:13-14 says,
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”

It is expedient for us to differentiate between temptation and examination. Examination is intended to yield a positive result. Whereas temptation is intended to yield a negative result. Concerning temptations, if you are unable to overcome, you end up in a worse place or state compared to where you were before being tempted. However, with regard to examinations, you usually get promoted once you successfully complete the examination. We can conveniently say that God examines those He wants to entrust with divine assignments (Genesis 22:1, Deuteronomy 8:2). Conversely, the devil, also referred to as the tempter, takes advantage of a man’s lusts and vulnerabilities to tempt him or her, using the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life (1st Thessalonians 3:5, 1st John 2:16).

The truth of the matter is that man is responsible for his actions and inactions. However, the problem with us is that while we love to enjoy the freewill divinely bestowed on us, we are often not comfortable with being held responsible for whatever repercussions our actions bring to our lives. We can see a classic example of man denying responsibility in the way Adam responded to God’s query as to why he ate the forbidden fruit. Genesis 3:11-12 says,
“And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”
Beloved, you are responsible for your own actions and inactions. Adam misused his freewill and his descendants are still suffering the consequences. Misuse of freedom leads to bondage, so beware! 
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is a wise saying in my native language which says, “If you don’t know how to think of God’s goodness, you are not likely to know how to give Him thanks.” Thinking about God’s goodness is one great attitude we need to learn from Psalm 103:2. In this passage of Scripture, David preached to himself on the need to praise, worship, thank and reverence God. He also outlined some of the reasons why he needed to be thankful. I believe we should emulate David’s attitude and borrow from his list of reasons to be thankful.

On this list of reasons to be thankful, David first considered the forgiveness of his sins. We so often take the blessing of forgiveness of sins for granted, but we need to remember that it is because of the Lord’s graciousness and mercy that He chooses to forgive our sins. It is not difficult to simply say “Lord, I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins.” We also need to remember and be thankful that our Lord Jesus Christ is still engaged in intercessory prayers for us continually (Romans 8:34)

The next thing David mentioned on his list is the blessing of healing. The doctors often use a slogan that reads: “We care, God heals”. Who then besides God should take the glory? David also mentioned deliverance from destruction. We all know that evil pervades the world we live in; it’s only the mercy of God that keeps His children from harm. Do you thank Him for this? What about His loving-kindness: a kindness that is not ordinary but full of love? What about His tender mercies: mercy that is affectionate and adds no sorrow? Do you thank Him for the food you eat? He satisfies your mouth with good things so that you are energised to go about your daily tasks, and He renews your strength like that of the eagle. Do you thank Him for all these?

Beloved, be sincere with yourself today. Do you think you are grateful to this Great Father who has been sustaining you physically and spiritually? You have walked in the valley of the shadow of death several times and He has kept you. You have been tempted severally but you escaped the net of the devil and his agents. Take a look around you and count your blessings; name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done. It is expedient for you to spend quality time in God’s presence today to worship Him like never before. However, let this not be a one-off event in your life; ensure you sustain a habit of thanksgiving from today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Queen Esther shows us one example of how to get our requests granted quickly. Although she had prepared a sumptuous banquet for the king and fed him well, she did not dwell on her own needs; neither did she make any request of him on the first banquet night. She prepared another banquet the second night, and after being treated well again by the queen, we see the king himself insisting that Queen Esther ask whatever she wanted. Esther 7:2 says,
“And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.”
At this point, the queen presented her request and it was granted without delay. When you follow Queen Esther’s example in your prayer life, you will get expedited answers to your prayers.

John 15:16 reveals one of the ways of receiving expedited answers to your prayers. It clearly states that if you are fruitful, whatever you ask the Father in the Name of Jesus will be granted. Many people do not realise the blessing that accompany the great assignment of soul-winning. I have taught my children on several occasions that the shortest route to receiving answers to their prayers is through soul-winning. This is a divine truth that cannot be wished away, because it is the word of God. The good thing about this assignment is that you are not the one to win souls: Jesus Christ through His Holy Spirit does the job. The Holy Spirit is responsible for convicting the hearts of sinners (John 16:. All Jesus wants of you is to make your mouth, resources and time available for His use.

What happened to Peter when he made his boat available to Jesus at the lake of Gennesaret will happen to you as you yield yourself and your resources to God for soul-winning today in Jesus’ Name (Luke 5:1-7). It is interesting to note that after Peter surrendered his boat for God’s use, Jesus Christ did not wait for Peter to ask for a miracle; He just went ahead and granted Peter what he did not ask or bargain for: a great catch of fish that filled two boats. If He could do it for Peter, He will also do it for you when you table your requests after you have yielded yourself to soul-winning.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Apostle James gave a profound description of the power embedded in the tongue. In James 3:5-6, he wrote:
“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”
In Numbers 14:20-29, we see in practical terms the evil effect of misusing the tongue. Moses had sent out some men to spy out the Promise Land. Ten out of the twelve spies that were sent out returned with an evil report driven by unbelief. They said many things which showed their lack of confidence in the God of their fathers, despite the fact that He had severally demonstrated His mighty power to them in the course of their journey through the wilderness. They seemed not to know their own worth and hence they described themselves as grasshoppers and the inhabitants of the land as giants (Numbers 13:33). This testimony of the faithless spies angered the Lord and He gave this verdict contained in Numbers 14:28:
“Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you.”
This outcome, caused by the evil report of the ten spies, establishes the truth of Proverbs 18:21, which says:
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

We all will be accountable to God for every word that we say. It is therefore crucial that we are conscious of the pronouncements and confessions that proceed from our mouths. Beloved, you need to exercise more caution in times of distress and anger to avoid making negative pronouncements against yourself, your situation, your children and everything that concerns you. When you find yourself in difficult situations, ensure that the words you speak profess your faith in God that He is able to do what He says He will do, in spite of the prevailing circumstances around you. I pray that as you open your mouth today, the Lord will fill it with words that will bring glory to His Name. I pray that you will be able to see the hand of God in every situation around you through the eyes of faith from now in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I have taught my children on several occasions to imbibe the characteristics of the eagle. One of these outstanding characteristics is that eagles fly alone. It is not out of pride or empty feeling of self-sufficiency that they do this; rather, it is because keeping company with other birds during flight is a form of weight and distraction for them. A disciple of Christ must emulate this attribute of the eagle if he or she would safely arrive home in heaven at the end of his or her life.

The problem with many children of God is that they seem to have lost sight of the fact that the path they are following is so narrow that it cannot accommodate a crowd (Matthew 7:14). This is the reason why a disciple of Jesus Christ must possess this characteristic of flying alone. In 2nd Corinthians 6:14-15, Paul clearly admonished that evil communication corrupts good manners:
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?”
It is disheartening to note that there are many wolves in sheep’s clothing in the Church today, which is why every purposeful believer needs to have the mindset of an eagle.

Another noteworthy characteristic of eagle is that they are selective about what they eat and where they live. Moreover, they never fly against the wind. As a purposeful believer, you also must be selective about what you consume: what you listen to, what you look at and what you expose your mind to. What you regularly feed your spirit, soul and body with will determine what you will draw on in the day of trouble. You must be selective of the company you keep because your companions strongly influence what you are exposed to. Like the eagle that never flies against the wind, the purposeful believer must also be mindful of the move of the Holy Spirit and ensure that he or she is never aligned against His work.

Beloved, I encourage you to choose to be an eagle for Christ from today, and the Lord will renew your strength according to Isaiah 40:31. You cannot fly by your own strength, but the Holy Spirit will help you if only you give yourself completely to Jesus Christ today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One deadly habit that is very common among the people of God today is the murmuring. Like the Israelites of old, many children of God today engage in it without even realising it! it is indeed a silent destroyer. For this reason, the Holy Spirit warns us against it in 1st Corinthians 10:10, saying:
“Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.”
Do you know that there are times we think we are praying but we are actually murmuring?

In Exodus 15:22-26, the children of Israel were at Marah, where they found water that was not drinkable because it was bitter. Despite all that God had done for them, they did not consider that He already knew that they would pass through Marah and would have gone ahead of them to make provision for the water they would drink. All they could think of doing was to murmur about the bitter water. The characters at play in the events that occurred at Marah are indicative of the two types of Christians we have in the Church today. The first type behaves like the multitude who murmured, while the second type behaves like Moses who cried to the Lord for a solution. It is interesting to note that the murmuring of the multitude was an exercise in futility because their murmurings did not change the bitterness of the water. The prayer of Moses, on the other hand, yielded positive results because his cry to God moved God into action. God showed him what to do to reverse the situation, and the people’s need for good water was met. This mirrors what is happening with Christians today. We murmur about what we desire and the lack of it, instead of actually asking God and trusting that if He wills, our prayers will be answered.

Beloved, you need to ask yourself today which type of Christian you are between the two types we have considered. I beseech you to examine your prayer life and relationship with God before answering this question. Are you the type of Christian mentioned in James 4:2, just lusting, desiring and fighting for things but yet getting nothing? You need to ask God to reveal to you the truth on where you stand today. May the Almighty God hear your prayer in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It may interest you to know that a great number of Christians and Bible scholars do not understand or refuse to understand the deeper meaning of 2 Corinthians 9:6. What does it mean to sow sparingly? Sowing sparingly is the act of giving only a little back to God from the resources He has blessed you with. How do you quantify “Little”? "Little" means the smallest part of a thing. Sowing sparingly is therefore giving just the smallest part of what you are able to give God. An illustration of how we are expected to give can be seen in Luke 21:3-4:
“And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.”
The above scripture can be described as the mathematics of giving from God’s perspective. The quality of your giving is hidden in what remains in your pocket after you have given to God. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that the rich give unto God out of the abundance of what we have (I align myself with the rich in verse 4 because I want to be numbered among the flourishing); whereas, the poor among us, in spite of their need, give all or almost all that they have. This clearly tells us that those of us who are rich should not compare what we give with what others give because we are not all operating on the same level of prosperity. Do you know that in the parable of the unprofitable servant, if the servant who received five talents had only gained two additional talents, he would have received less commendation than the servant who received two and gained two more (Matthew 25:14-30)? To whom much is given, much is expected. This is the reason why it is dangerous to indulge in self-comparison with others.

The story of the giving widow also shows that it is wrong for us to despise the poor for giving the little that they have. More often than not, they have given a higher percentage of what they have compared to the rich amongst us. Unfortunately, in our churches today, we no longer see the type of outburst of appreciation that Jesus Christ expressed over the action of the poor widow. Sadly, instead of commending, we rather despise those who give out of their poor condition. Beloved, the question is, after you have dropped your offering, how much do you have left for wants (not needs)? I appeal to you to sow bountifully into the work of God’s kingdom when next the opportunity comes your way, and you will reap bountifully in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A Adeboye.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
Our Lord Jesus Christ never hid from us the truth concerning the Way we have been called to. In the above verse and in several other passages of Scripture, He did not mince words, informing us of the trials, tribulations and persecutions we will face while walking with Him on the straight and narrow way (Mark 10:30, Matthew 24:9). Because we are aware of this truth, we should therefore courageously stand firm in the face of trials of our faith and tribulations. Proverbs 24:10 says that if you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. What do you do when you discover that your strength is small in proportion to the tribulations you are facing? You cry to God to increase your strength just as our Lord cried to the Father for help in the Garden of Gethsemane, when He was confronted with the great agony of carrying the weight of the sins of the whole world. The Father heard His cry, and He sent an angel to strengthen Him (Luke 22:41-44). What the Father did for Jesus, He will also do for you.

Let us consider some salient points from Paul’s words of encouragement in 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 to the brethren in Thessalonica who were facing tribulations. First and foremost, he made them know that the Body of Christ understood what they were passing through and appreciated their endurance in the face of tribulations. Secondly, he tried to lift their spirit by reminding them that their endurance of tribulation would earn them a place in the kingdom of God, and so they should not be weary. Thirdly, he taught them that God would not allow those who were persecuting them to go unpunished. The essence of this was to discourage these brethren from seeking to avenge themselves of their persecutors, since vengeance is the Lord’s and He would definitely repay evil men. Furthermore, he reassured them of the prayers of the saints for them. The heat of those prayers would keep them going irrespective of the cold winds of tribulation blowing against them. We must learn from these points not to condemn brethren who are passing through tribulations or trials of faith. There is a tendency for us to always attribute the suffering of the saints to sins they have committed and to condemn them to everlasting “self-examination”. Instead of attributing their tribulations to sin, the Church took glory in the patience of the Thessalonians in the midst of tribulation (2nd Thessalonians 1:4). Beloved, be encouraged that the difficult phase of life you are passing through will come to an end soon. So, don’t give up! Your Master shares in your tribulation. Be of good cheer because He has overcome the world for your sake.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Being endowed with spiritual gifts comes with great responsibility and the need for accountability. Grave consequences are also attached to their misuse. For this reason, every child of God needs to be very careful not to take undue advantage of the gifts of the Holy Spirit deposited in them by God. Our Lord Jesus Christ knew that man was susceptible to abusing the power of God, and so He warned His disciples against merchandising the free gift of God (Matthew 10:. He sternly told them that what they had received freely must also be freely given out. It is a fearful thing to turn the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us into objects of merchandise traded for money, favours or gifts. This is what Simon tried to do when he offered money to Peter to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost operating in Peter’s life. Acts 8:18-19 says:
“And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.”
Knowing the implication of this act, Apostle Peter rebuked him sharply and advised him to desist from such diabolical ways. Unfortunately, this is the attitude of some people concerning the ministry of the gospel today.

2 Kings 5:20-27 speaks about a potentially mighty prophet of God who denied himself the opportunity of receiving multiple portions of Elijah’s anointing, all because he loved material possessions. 2nd Kings 5:20 says,
“But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.”
The astonishing part of the above scripture is that Gehazi was not the vessel through whom Naaman was healed! In spite of this fact, he was still hell-bent on getting some form of reward for the miracle Naaman had received. In the same vein, no minister of God can perform any miracle. Jesus is the only miracle-worker, and all Christians are vessels through who these miracles are performed. Therefore, taking advantage of His works through His Spirit in us is fraudulent and diabolic. We must be very careful so that we do not become victims of the grave consequences of such acts of covetousness like Gehazi. The good Lord will bless you in His own way and in His own time as you surrender yourself for His use in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A while ago, I was led to make a statement which some people did not take seriously, because it did not meet with faith in their hearts. The statement was that the use of excessive make-up is a sign of inferiority complex. I went further to say that people only try to “make up” for what is not good enough. I strongly believe that the Almighty God is the most perfect designer, and in His infinite wisdom He has designed you the way He feels is best for His glory. After all, in Revelation 4:11, the Holy Spirit reveals that He created us for His pleasure:
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
If God created you for His pleasure, it means that what any other person says about how your mouth is shaped, your colour, your height, the hair on your head or even your accent is irrelevant! The reason for the inferiority complex a lot of people suffer from can be traced to the fact that the glory of God is absent from their lives. Not only was Adam satisfied with the way God made him before the fall, he also appreciated the looks of his wife and admired her with a passion (Genesis 2:23-25). However, after the fall, he was not only fed up with himself, he also saw fault in the wife God “gave” him (Genesis 3:10-12).

Daniel 1:5-20 narrates the determination of some young Hebrew men who decided to live a consecrated life, in spite of the fact that they were captives in a strange land. This should serve as a lesson to Christians who live outside their homeland and decide to throw decency out of the window because of the prevailing situation in the land of their sojourn. Beloved, I implore you to seek something that is needful today, which is the glory of God upon your life through living a consecrated life. Once the glory of God is upon you, you will be the delight of your generation.

Sin robs man of God’s glory, and when God’s glory is out of a man’s life, his or her life becomes miserable and susceptible to demonic attacks. It was the glory of God upon Daniel that shut the mouths of lions that would have devoured him. It was the glory of God on the young Hebrew men’s lives that made them look fairer and fatter than their peers. May the glory of the Lord come upon you today as you consecrate your life to the Almighty in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The nature and purpose of leadership has been misunderstood by mankind from time immemorial, and this is the reason why most people crave for leadership positions so much. Leadership, when viewed from the right perspective, can be very enslaving, because the frame and popularity that come along with it may take away your sleep and freedom. However, when God puts you in a leadership position, He will also give you the grace to conduct yourself appropriately to meet His expectations. God’s expectation of what leadership should be is explained by the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 20:27. It is amazing that even the disciples did not understand God’s principles on leadership. This is evident in the fact that it was their agitation over who among them would occupy the highest position that led Jesus to explain what leadership really means.

From God’s perspective, leadership means to serve. It is no longer news that leadership in the Church today is out of tune with our Lord’s expectation to leaders being servants. Some leaders use their leadership position to oppress those under them. Proverbs 29:2 says:
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”
It is dangerous for a leader to oppress his or her subordinates because as they groan and cry unto God under such leaders, heaven will respond and the consequences that follow might be devastating. This has led to the destruction of several people who held leadership positions.

Frankly speaking, From God’s perspective, leadership is synonymous to servitude. It is servitude because a leader is expected to be under God’s absolute control, living a life of total submission that is enslaved to doing God’s  will (Hebrews 10:7). A leader must lay aside personal freedom to take on the yoke of Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:29). As a leader, taking on the Lord’s yoke means you have relinquished control over the manner of your speech, the places you go to and the things you do. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself had to do all these as our leader (John 5:19, John 8:28, John 12:49). In John 5:30, He said:
“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgement is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”

If you find yourself in a leadership position, you have to be careful of what you do with the privilege of leading God’s heritage, so that you will not be damned in the end (1st Peter 5:1-4).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Today, we are reflecting on the final two components of the armour of God mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:1-5. These are prayer and supplication, characterized by perseverance. Regardless of the sophisticated weapons available to a soldier, If he or she cannot persevere, these weapons will have little or no effect. Therefore, it is very important to emphasise the attribute of perseverance in the place of prayer and supplication. Imagine what would have become of Daniel’s requests and fasting if He had not persevered in prayers and supplication for 21 days (Daniel 10:2-13).

PRAYER
Prayer is the key with which we unlocks the heavenly armoury in order to access divine weapons for our spiritual battles. Our Lord Jesus Christ said something about prayer that many Christians seem to ignore, particularly in spiritual warfare. At the garden of Gethsemane, He gave us this counsel:
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 26:41
Even the Almighty God who became man admits here that the flesh is weak. Therefore, to overcome temptation, we need to watch and pray. Adam’s victory would have been glorious if he did not fall into the temptation of the devil. Little wonder when the second Adam came, He took the issue of prayer very seriously and also revealed the importance of prayer to us.

SUPPLICATION
To supplicate is to ask with every sense of humility and not in arrogance like the Pharisee in Luke 18:9-14. Arrogance and a sense of entitlement will not allow some children of God to persevere in the place of prayer. They time God in prayer and command Him to “do it now” or they will quit serving Him! Humility means surrendering to the will of God regardless of your desires and expectations. It is coming to God with trust that He will do what is best for you.

Beloved, the sure armour is Jesus Christ. He is the truth, the righteousness of God in us, the Good News of peace, and the Word of God personified. Our faith in Him earns us salvation. In His Name we receive answers to our prayers. Accept Him and put Him on today, and your victory is guaranteed.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The worst time in everyone's life is when he/she goes through a long and terrible wilderness experience; but in disguise, it is actually the best learning, character building, and developmental stage of one's life, which invariably makes it the best and the most refining period of one's life.

Yesterday we examined truth and righteousness as components of the sure armour of God. Today, Ephesians 6:17 introduces two more components of this armour. Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit.

SALVATION
Our complete victory against the enemy begins and ends with the salvation of our souls. Our warfare with the kingdom of darkness started in the Garden of Eden, where the devil stole the mandate to rule over this world from Adam. Eve chose to believe the devil’s lie and Adam disobeyed God by yielding to the devil. Adam sold himself and by extension his descendants to the enemy when he sinned against his Maker. This is the reason why Jesus always addressed the problem of sin first before addressing any other problem confronting those who came to Him. Before Jesus healed the man sick of the palsy in Luke 5:17-26, He said to him:
“Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.”
    Luke 5:20b
Jesus is still addressing the issue of sin first today. This is the reason why I know that as you surrender your life to Jesus today, the helmet of salvation will be your heritage, and you will have victory over your tormentors in Jesus’ Name.

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT
The sword of the spirit is the word of God. It is an offensive weapon with which we attack the enemy, and it is powerful through God to the pulling down of the devil’s strongholds. Hear what the Holy Spirit says in Hebrews 4:12 about the power that is inherent in God’s word:
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Today, people short-change themselves by not taking heed to the Word of God. I assume that people who trivialize the word of God don’t know that it is the powerful attacking piece of our sure armour with which we obtain victory. Note that it is the word of God that you respect that will work for you when you apply it in spiritual warfare. I encourage you therefore to let the word of God dwell in you richly. Meditate on it and make it a part of you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Life is full of complex challenges which can be overwhelming. These challenges have frustrated some people to the extent that they despair of life itself, leading them to take drugs, join the occult or even commit suicide, all in a bid to “escape” the reality of life’s problems. I pray that you will never be overwhelmed by the challenges of life in Jesus’ Name. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not say we would be immune from trials and tribulations in life (John 16:33); rather He provided us with the sure armour with which we can confront and triumph over everything the enemy throws at us. To be victorious in life, you need to first understand that life’s most devastating battles are not physical, but spiritual. Challenges that have their origin in the spirit realm have to be confronted with spiritual tools, which might appear foolish to the natural man. To help us be triumphant, Ephesians 6:14 introduces two important components of our armour: Truth and Righteousness.

A life of truth is a transparent and honest life that is based on the word of God, which Jesus declared to be truth (John 17:17). Living a life of truth is powerful (2nd Corinthians 4:2). Lies of any form are of the devil, and so when you live a lie, the devil will have foothold in your life with which to afflict you (John 8:44). However, if your life is based on the truth of God’s word, the devil will find nothing in your life to use against you. This was the situation with the Lord Jesus on the night He was betrayed. The devil came to examine His life to see if indeed He was without sin before going to the cross of Calvary, so that he could accuse Him of it and destroy the work of salvation before the last lap even started. In John 14:30 the Lord said:
“Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.”
Thank God that Jesus had truth in His armour and there was no lie in Him. Little wonder He declared to Pilate that truth was the purpose of His life (John 18:37).

The breastplate of righteousness is another critical part of our armour. 2nd Corinthians 6:7 says:
“By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,”
Righteousness is a gift that puts us in right standing with God and produces a life of uprightness in us (Romans 5:17, Ephesians 4:24). Having received the gift of righteousness, we are empowered to do the works of righteousness (1st Corinthians 15:34, Romans 6:18). Standing upon and walking in Christ’s righteousness defeats every range of the devil against us. Are truth and righteousness part of your armour today?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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