₦airaland Forum

You can live above the storms of life in these last days through the power of God’s word. The Lord has promised us in His word that He will not leave us comfortless (John 14:18). You therefore have His assurance that no matter how bad your situation may appear to be, there is hope for you. Let these words of Job 14:7 bring hope to your heart:
“For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.”
While Jesus and His disciples were on a missionary journey, the disciples desperately called his attention to a raging storm. He calmly woke up and rebuked the storm, and right away, there was great calm (Mark 4:36-41). The disciples first struggled to survive the storm on their own, but the more they tried, the more they were in danger of perishing at sea, until Jesus intervened. I pray that the Almighty God will intervene in your situation today in Jesus’ Name. From the words of the Lord, we know that the last days will be a time of turmoil with several raging storms (Luke 21:25-26). We are indeed in the last days. Are you experiencing a storm? The Lord has different strategies to bring comfort to you. He can simply calm the storm by the awesome power of His presence, or by directly commanding the storm to become still. He can also provide a cover for you from the storm. This is why you need to stay in God’s presence where your destiny can remain secure.

The Lord has promised the outpouring of His Spirit upon all flesh in the last days. Acts 2:17 says,
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:”
We are living in times when the Spirit of the Lord is empowering the saints for the fulfilment of prophecies and the actualisation of visions. The Body of Christ therefore has no excuse not to do exploits for God in times as these, because the promise of the Spirit’s outpouring has already been fulfilled by the Father. God is set to do great things, not because of our own abilities but because of His sovereignty. Not one of God’s children will be left out of His great move in these last days. Sons, daughters, old men, young men, menservants and maidservants are all relevant to God in His agenda for this time. He has reserved better things for His people in the midst of the turmoil unfolding in the world, and He will begin to give us divine revelation of how we will transmit from where we are to where we ought to be by His spirit. The Spirit will also release the strength and vigour needed for the actualisation of these dreams.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are several misconceptions about the existence and purpose of angels. Some people don’t believe that angels exist. Some other people who believe in the existence of angels don’t know their purpose. It is important for us to know the truth of what God’s word says about angels, so that we don’t miss out on the ministry of angels in our lives. Psalm 104:4 confirms that angels exist, and gives a hint on why they were created. From this scripture, we understand that angels are ministering spirits. We have two categories of angles: holy angels of God and fallen angels. The term “fallen angels” refers to Satan and the group of angels that rebelled along with him against God. These angels, now called the devil and demons, were cast out of heaven and are awaiting the day of God’s final judgement against them, when they will be sent into the place of eternal punishment (Isaiah 14:12-16, Ezekiel 28:12-19, Revelation 12:9, Matthew 8:29, Revelation 20:10). On the other hand, the holy angels of God are those angels that have remained loyal to God as their sovereign Lord. Concerning these angels, Psalms 103:20 says,
“Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.”

As a child of God, the angels of God are meant to minister to you and for you in the hour of great need, especially in situations beyond human control and power. Hebrews 1:14 says,
“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”
For example, angels ministered to Jesus after His temptation and before He went to the cross (Matthew 4:11, Luke 22:43). Psalm 91:11-12 mentions some specific assignments of the angels of God, saying,
“For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”
Years ago, when some of the brethren came to me suggesting that I begin to carry bodyguards around, because they would not want to lose me to hoodlums or hired assassins, I declined because, based on the above scripture, the One who called me has more than enough angelic bodyguards to take care of my security, and they are more effective than a billion human bodyguards could ever be. Note however that the angels of God should never be worshipped or prayed to. Often times, because of their awesome nature, those who encountered them attempted to do this, but every time, these angels themselves forbade them from doing so (Revelation 22:8-9). Are you enjoying the ministry of angels?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Going to church is not same as knowing God. There are many people in church today whose lifestyles do not reflect having any experiential knowledge of who God is. Furthermore, being involved in church activities is not the same as loving God. If you love God, it will show in the way you conduct the affairs of your life. God is a merciful God who desires the prosperity of His children, and He is in search of hearts that are longing for Him. God is calling us into an intimate knowledge of His son and His attributes. If you know God, the evidence will be seen in the way you relate with people around you. This includes your colleagues in the office as well as your neighbours at home. If your lifestyle does not match with God’s word, no matter how much you give to Him or the activities you engage in to impress Him, you will not find favour in His sight. The words of 1st Samuel 15:22 are very clear:
“…Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”
Some time ago, at a gathering of God’s people at the Redemption Camp, I had to tell everyone there that if you know you are not genuinely saved by the blood of the Lamb, there is no need to give any offering to God. God will not accept the offerings of sinners. It is an abomination before Him (Proverbs 15:. Our lives must count for God first, before other things can follow suit.

God wants us to obey His voice and follow His word for our lives. He wants His children to all be true people who impact the lives of others positively. Living a godly life is all that God desires from us. When we live according to His standards, He will be pleased with all that we have to offer. Morality and rituals cannot grant us access to the mercy of God. Before the prodigal son could receive mercy, he had to come to his senses and amend his ways by going back to his father. God is longing for those who will praise Him in spirit and in truth. He is desperate for those who will magnify Him not for what they can get from Him but for who He is. Do you know that you can come before God with big offerings and yet stir up His anger? This will not be your lot in Jesus’ Name. No amount of sacrifice from us can equal His sacrifice for us. The scope of this sacrifice can be seen in these words of Romans 8:32:
“He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also give us all things.” 
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When it comes to the issue of giving, we are not only expected to do what is required but also what is commanded by the Almighty God. No matter how much you give in church, or how much you give to different causes in God’s Kingdom, you can never out-give God. God is more interested in the attitude with which you give than in what you give. He knows to what extent He has blessed you, and He expects your acts of giving to reflect this. Each time we sow, God allows our seed to multiply. Since I have been giving God, I have never known a better yesterday, because God is always doing something new in my life. I always pity those who do not give to God. This is foolishness, because there is nothing you have today that you have not received from God. At the table of the Almighty set before you, you are permitted to take what you want and as much as you want (Psalm 23:5). There is no scarcity in Heaven, and this is why God had promised to open the windows of heaven to pour out a blessing on those who obey His commandments concerning tithes, offerings, and sowing to kingdom assignments and charities. Your acts of giving must be done cheerfully and not grudgingly.

In Genesis 4:1-7, Abel’s sacrifice was accepted while that of Cain was rejected. Why did this happen? Abel brought his sacrifice to God with joy, thankfulness and with great expectation. He brought his offering with an upright heart, and he also offered a sacrifice that was well pleasing to God. When people are not sincere with God, it doesn’t matter how many sermons they have listened to, or how many hours they have spent in the place of prayer, things will still always go wrong with them. God was not pleased with Cain’s sacrifice because his heart was not right before Him. Cain was envious of his brother’s blessings and he failed to focus on his own heart. May your sacrifice not be rejected before God in Jesus’ Name. Cain was a wicked man, operating under the influence of the flesh; therefore, his sacrifice was an abomination before God. Proverbs 15:8 says,
“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight.”
If a tree is good, its fruits will be good. God is interested in the fruits we bear. Abel was careful in the choice of his sacrifice. He intentionally used the best of his flock because he understood that if you give your best to God, He will in turn give His best to you. Endeavour to always give the best of your life to God, and see how He will respond.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One fundamental reason why some people have turned their back against godly living is that the ungodly are more in number than those who are godly. It takes faith in God to live a godly life in this age of political correctness, the ascendancy of philosophies of relativism and humanism, and agitation for the “fundamental human rights” of people involved in acts that are despicable to God. The age-long saying that “One with God is a Majority” is no longer popular because no one wants to suffer humiliation and marginalisation by the ungodly majority. The story in 2 Kings 6:8-17 demonstrates the truth that one with God is indeed a majority. While waging war against the king of Israel, the king of Syria discovered that all the tactical information he was discussing with his generals was somehow revealed to the king of Israel again and again. The King of Syria was so troubled by this, because he thought he had a mole among his men, divulging all his secrets to the king of Israel. My prayer for you today is that God will expose every plan of your enemies to you, and all their destructive schemes against you will fall in Jesus’ Name. When the king of Syria discovered that Elisha was the divine informant leaking his secrets, he ordered his arrest. On seeing the great host of the king of Syria that came by night to arrest his master, the servant of the prophet was so afraid and he cried out to Elisha, “Alas, my master! How shall we do? “The prophet, in 2nd Kings 6:16, answered thus:
“….Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”
After Elisha prayed that the Lord should open the eyes of his servant, the young prophet saw an angelic host with horses and chariots of fire around where they were. There and then, he believed that indeed there is a majority of hosts with the one who is on the Lord’s side.

The question is, are you on God’s side? You have no reason to fear if indeed you are with God. When we are in the minority from a physical perspective, our Lord Jesus Christ warns us against being discouraged, because with God on our side, we are always in the majority. After all, Jesus’ Name is Emmanuel, which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). 1st John 4:4 says,
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
I therefore encourage you to move on to the righteous side of God today. Moving on to the side of Jesus Christ is moving on to the side of victory, redemption and peaceful living.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Humanity is perishing every day because of sin. So many people are unaware of the truth of God’s word about the consequences of sin, and some who know this truth are drawing back from it. Due to the pervasiveness of iniquity in the world today, those who used to be very hot for the Lord are now cooling off in the flesh, while some have even departed from the faith completely. The irony of it all is that the Church is behaving as if all is well. The world is blind and needs to know about God. As God’s watchman, you are the light of the world. You are a city set on a hill, and you are the salt of the earth. However, are you measuring up to God’s expectation in the area of your responsibilities towards the great commission? How many sinners have you spoken to about the consequences of their actions? How many souls have you followed up this year? Many believers who are supposed to be God’s watchmen are now complacent; they are no longer aware of what the Spirit is saying. Today, there is so much religion without the visible demonstration of the power of the Holy Ghost. It is only through salvation in Jesus that there can be restoration of life to those dying in sin. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is for the purpose of going into all parts of the world to effect the deliverance of all those held captive by Satan (Acts 1:

As God’s watchman, you cannot afford to remain empty spiritually. You must be fruitful (John 15:16). We need to wake up and start bearing fruit if we do not want to be condemned. Most of the things happening around us today that have become a threat to the Body of Christ are happening because we are not doing what God expects of us. If we preach the true gospel as handed over to us by the apostles of old, the Church of God today will be more vibrant, healthier and spiritually active. If you will be equipped for the great assignment of the great commission, you need to avoid falling into the sin of covetousness, pride, self-centeredness, love of money, and ambition for power. We need to go to God in prayer and ask for His fire to be released upon our hearts, so that we can recover lost grounds. To God’s watchmen, He is saying return to the great commission. The great commission is God’s ultimate assignment and it entails transforming people from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, through the power of Holy Ghost. Let the gospel be preached to all people in all places. If there are places you can’t go yourself, make arrangements to send others there to do the work. The gospel of reconciliation is a message of universal concern, and we can all make a difference as we play our part.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Children are assets of the Almighty God entrusted to our care. We must therefore ensure that we do all we can to nurture them for the Lord and not for ourselves. We should strive to receive commendation from the Lord for our efforts in bringing them up as children He can be proud of. Raising children in today’s world is serious business. Unfortunately, we live in a world where parents have left to chance or entirely neglected the huge task of bringing up their children in the fear of the Lord. Many parents justify themselves by concluding that they are helpless, and they shift the blame of their own failures to the happenings in the society. In the time of father Abraham, there were also parents who did not bring up their children to follow the path of God, but for Abraham, his testimony was different. God said this concerning him in Genesis 18:19:
“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.”
If you want to raise children who will be obedient to the Lord, you must be ready to start right from the beginning of the child’s life. That is what parenting is all about. It involves training and educating a child from the phase of infancy through to adulthood. If you carry out the job of parenting as unto the Lord, you will be well rewarded by Him. There are many parents who realise late in life that they have neglected their roles as parents. In order to make amends, some of them begin to make efforts at “repairing” the lives of their children, but at that point, they discover it has become a herculean task.

Obedient children are godly children, committed to a life of honesty in all they do. Such children will never bring shame, reproach or embarrassment to the God of their fathers, because they have a deep understanding of the covenant upon which they have been groomed. There are parents today who have lost control of their children. Some other parents have turned their children into symbols of idolatry. They fear their children more than they fear God. May that not be your portion in Jesus’ Name. Obedient children must honour their parents. They must respect them irrespective of their status in society, if they want to live a life without regret. When their parents need their attention or help, they must be there for them. They must also be ready to submit willfully to their instructions, corrections and rebuke. There are children who bring sorrow to their parents. On the other hand, children of destiny bring great comfort to everyone around them. Are you a child of destiny?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The message in Proverbs 15:13 is food for thought for those children of God who think that being sorrowful or morose is a Christian virtue. A gloomy spirit is of the devil, who wants us to be in sorrow continually. In contrast to this, God wants all His children to be happy. The Holy Spirit in Isaiah 61:3 said that God gives joy to the sorrowful:
“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”
The Lord Jesus Christ, who came to demonstrate the nature and the character of God, read the above scripture in a synagogue on a certain day, and He declared:
“This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”
Luke 4:21b
By this declaration, as a child of God, you should not live in sorrow any more.

All through the course of Jesus’ earthly ministry, one statement that was common with Him was, “Be of good cheer”. In other words, “Have a merry heart”. He continually said this because He knew that a merry heart results in a smiling face and is like medicine to the body and soul (Proverbs 15:13, Proverbs 17:22). For example, John 16:33, Jesus told the disciples to be of good cheer because He had overcome the world. This means that, as children of God, we should not go about in life wearing a sorrowful face in self-pity – not even when we are confronted with the challenges of life. In the story of the man afflicted with the palsy, Jesus told him to be of good cheer because his sins were forgiven (Matthew 9:2). In other words, “Son, although your sins brought this sickness to your life, you are now forgiven, and you are made whole.” I prophesy to you today, irrespective of the agonising condition your past life has brought into your present, the Lord will redeem you today. You are forgiven by the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ, and you will be happy again in Jesus’ Name. In Matthew 14:23-27, the disciples were in the midst of the sea and its waves tossed them here and there. In the midst of palpable fear and despair, Jesus came to them and rebuked their faithlessness, before rebuking the destructive wind. He then encouraged them to be of good cheer. In like manner, the Lord is speaking to you today that you will not drown in that situation. Be cheerful because Emmanuel is with you. Your joy shall come, and it shall come in full measure in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Having tasted poverty and a little bit of wealth, I can tell you that wealth is better than poverty. If you are living in poverty, I prophesy over you that God will lift you out of poverty in Jesus’ Name. One of the reasons why I hate poverty so much is because of what Proverbs 14:20 says about the poor:
“The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.”
In 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, we are introduced to a Bible hero who experienced poverty, but who was not hypocritical about his undesirable condition. This fellow was Jabez. His mother named him Jabez because she gave birth to him with sorrow. As Jabez grew up, he started experiencing the meaning of his name, and so, he decided to do something about it. It is unfortunate that many people, even some children of God, bear names with negative meanings and connotations, and yet they refuse to do something about it, even after they start sensing the negative influence of such names on their lives. My prayer for you today is that the Almighty God will give you a name that will wipe away generational curses plaguing your life in Jesus’ Name. What Jabez did to change his situation is a common thing that some people don’t consider necessary: he Prayed.

There are many lessons we can learn from the life of Jabez, the first of which is that Jabez called on the God he knew was a prayer-answering God – the God of Israel. The question is, who are you calling upon? Psalm 5:3 clearly tells us who we should direct our prayers to:
“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”
A second lesson to learn from Jabez is that he did not ask for a small blessing; rather, he prayed that God should bless him indeed. Thirdly, he prayed that God would be with him in his prosperity and keep him from evil. It is an open secret that many rich people live in one calamity or the other. Jabez knew this, and so he prayed against riches that attract evil. What a great man who knew the ways of God! If you want poverty to be history in your life, you have to do something about it. Jabez can be classified as someone who was destined to die in penury, but he prayed himself out of poverty and God heard him. Jesus is the way out of poverty (2nd Corinthians 8:9). The life that He gives and His principle will lift you out of poverty. Therefore, give your life to Him without further delay today, and poverty shall become history in your life in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Who are you? If you are a child of God, then you must behave like God and reflect all that He represents. God is love. He is pure and there is no darkness in Him. If you are a child of the devil, your life will be patterned after the devil. I am a branch of Jesus because I am permanently rooted in Him. What about you? As a child of the Most-High God, you are expected to demonstrate His nature everywhere you find yourself. You are an ambassador of Jesus Christ, called to show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light (1st Peter 2:9). To be a representative of God to the world and a role model among believers, it is required of you to surrender yourself solely to Him. By so doing, you will be laying a good foundation for others to emulate. In many churches today, their modus operandi is “do as I say” and not “do as I do”. This was not the example that the believers of old showed us. Apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians 11:1 boldly said:
“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
He saw himself as a worthy follower of Christ, and he was not ashamed to tell us to follow his footsteps.

As an ambassador of Christ, you have a mandate to fulfil for the Lord in this generation. You have been positioned at such a time as this to be relevant in the scheme of things. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego stood out from the crowd. They did not allow the privileges of royalty to deny them their place in God. They were role models for the world to see, and they did great exploits for God because they had an understanding of the times and season they lived in. Do not engage in any despicable act that will cause men to despise your God. Do not engage in folly and a questionable lifestyle that will destroy what God has planned for you. The world must know that you are a believer, not just in words but also through your deeds. Let your life be an epistle for people to read. Do not do anything in secrecy that will tarnish your image, because the devil is going round looking for great soldiers in God’s battalion to discredit. The devil will never go after those who have nothing to offer. He is after the “Esthers” because he wants to stop them before they get to the king’s palace. He is after the “Daniels” because he wants to stop them from being relevant in life and in governance. He is after the “Nehemiahs” because he can’t stand them rebuilding the broken walls of godliness. To finish well, you must be resolute and determined. Irrespective of the odds against you, you must push through, break barriers and fulfil your destiny in grand style. Be a model of Christ to all men in word, in conversation, in love, in hospitality and in godliness.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Romans 5:8 gives us a glimpse of what God’s kind of love is all about. This scripture reveals one truth about God’s kind of love, which is that it is unconditional. God loves unconditionally, and His love prompts Him to forgive unconditionally! If God had chosen to wait until we become saints before extending His saving love to us, no one would be saved. Some years ago, one of my sons illustrated the unconditional nature of God’s love. In his place of work, his secretary did something unprofessional, and so he moved him out of his office to another role within the department. While suspending this man from his role as secretary, my son strangely instructed him to hold on to the computer he had been working with, and told him to retain all the files that were on it. Some months later, he reinstated this fellow to his old role as secretary. Surprised at his reinstatement, this secretary was initially not comfortable at his former desk, but my son reassured him that he had been forgiven. He said to him, “I had forgiven you even before you asked for forgiveness. Why do you think I told you to hold on to the computer and keep all the files? I forgave you and restored you even as I was suspending you from office. I planned your reinstatement right from that day, and I didn’t want you to return and start from scratch, which is why I left the computer with you even though you were no longer my secretary.” This secretary was dumbfounded.

In 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, we are enlightened on the characteristics of God’s kind of love. The Holy Spirit in these verses first declares the importance of this kind of love, without which life is worthless and meaningless. He then begins to list the characteristics of God’s love. Only God’s type of love suffers long and shows unusual kindness. God is sovereign and all-powerful, so He needs not envy anyone, neither does He need anybody to pump up His ego. God’s love contains no evil (James 1:13). Contrary to some people’s perception, God’s kind of love does not condone or rejoice in iniquity. Some pastors think that the best way of showing God’s kind of love is not to rebuke sinners. Nothing could be further from the truth! God’s kind of love is what Paul instructed Timothy to demonstrate in fulfilling his ministry, by reproving, rebuking and exhorting those he was ministering to with all longsuffering and doctrine (2nd Timothy 4:2). My advice to you is that you embrace God’s love as personified by His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of the whole world.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A lot of people think it impossible to live a life of faithfulness, and for this reason, unfaithfulness has become a norm in today’s world. The world may tolerate unfaithfulness and live with its consequences, but we as children of God cannot afford to live a life of unfaithfulness. The Holy Spirit in 1st Corinthians 4:2 notifies us of God’s requirement in this regard.
“Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”
Faithfulness has a secret which many may not recognise because of its simplicity. This secret is revealed in 1 Timothy 6:6. It is contentment. Discontentment – an off-shoot of godlessness – makes a person live an unfaithful life. When you are contented with what you have, you won’t indulge in ungodly or immoral acts in order to get what you do not have. When you live a life of contentment, you won’t like King Ahab misuse your position to entrap an innocent person, so that you can take over what belongs to him or her (1st Kings 21). Contentment will prevent you from being envious of people under you who are being celebrated for faithfully discharging their duties to the glory of God. Lack of contentment made Haman hate Mordecai, so much so that he planned to get rid of an innocent, dutiful but uncompromising doorman (Esther 5:11-14). Haman misused his position as a member of the king’s cabinet to pursue the destruction of innocent people (Esther 3:8-11). This is exactly what some people in privileged positions are doing today, even though this is to their own peril.

Faithfulness applies in terms of money and position, but it is also applicable in the use of your time. This is manifested in such areas as the time you are expected to spend at your place of work. It is ignorance that makes a child of God to think that he or she can spend just two out of the required eight hours at work, and then expect commendation by the God of Justice, when he or she brings the tithe of wages he or she did not work for. The Name of the Lord is blasphemed when a so-called child of God absconds from work for days – pursuing “missions”- only to come back and collect full wages covering the period of absence, in the full glare of unbelievers. God’s requirement of our faithfulness in stewardship applies to every area of our lives. My prayer is that the Almighty God will open your eyes to see the different areas of life you are lacking in faithfulness, and grant you grace to live faithfully in all these areas. Through faithfulness, unbelievers will see the light and glorify your Father who is in Heaven. This virtue of faithfulness was the reason why employers of labour came to our Church in those days to recruit workers for their secular establishments. May God bring such days back to us in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Do you know that it is very possible for one to be alive but living in death? Any man who does not have the life of God, manifested as new life in Christ Jesus, is dead even though he or she is physically alive. If you have received the new life of Christ, you have the nature of God, and one of the defining characteristics of this nature is love (1st John 4:16). This is why the Lord Jesus Christ emphasised that there is no greater commandment than that which is anchored on love for God and love for fellow men (Matthew 22:37-40). You cannot claim to love God when you have hatred and bitterness towards your fellow men. Where there is no love, there will be deceit. There is a lot of deceit in the interpersonal relationships between people today. Do you really love, or are you pretending to love? If you live a life of love, you are living in Christ; but if you are only pretending to love when deep inside you there is so much hatred and evil-plotting against your brother, then you are living in death. The new life in Christ is a spiritual experience that puts an end to all forms of bitterness, hatred and un-forgiveness in your heart. Manifesting love for God and love for others around you showcases the real image of God in you, which is characterised by purity, holiness and righteousness.

At the root of all the displacement, destruction and crime witnessed all over the world is the absence of love. Love is at the core of man’s existence. Love is the root of our salvation, and so, nothing genuine can be achieved among brethren if there is no love. When you have love, you will show compassion for those suffering and be willing to help. When you walk in love, you will no longer keep records of wrong done against you by others. Rather, you will let go and let God have His way in your life. True love is not easily offended, and it is always willing to forgive. It is this love that enables you to show kindness to those who hurt you, even though you have the power to harm or punish them. You choose to ignore their deeds because you know that there is nothing you have that you have not received from God. The word of God says prophecy and knowledge will fail, but love will always stand the test of time. Don’t envy others to the point of getting bitter with them. It is not a sign of love. Instead, let us encourage one another. You should not take other people for granted or malign others because you feel superior to them. A child of God should not revenge anything done against him or her, because vengeance is the Lord’s. Are you walking in love, or are you living in death?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God’s expectation of you in these end times is that you would live for a cause that is greater than yourself – a cause that will serve the purpose of advancing His Kingdom on earth. What worthy cause in God’s Kingdom keeps you awake at night? What burden are you carrying in your heart? When Nehemiah heard that his people back home had been put to shame and that worship services in the temple of God had been halted, he was overwhelmed with a burden to “occupy” for God and his people (Nehemiah 1:4). He immediately wanted to effect the necessary changes that would restore the image of God’s people. Many Christians are not bothered about making it a duty to occupy in the place of prayer for those in authority. Many Christians are not even concerned about the rate at which many sinners are going to Hell. As long as they are comfortable, they care less about the situation of others. Some people are so self-centred that as long as their immediate family is saved, the salvation of their extended family members is far from their mind. It is our duty as believers to bring all people to the knowledge of God. We must occupy by directing the souls of men to God through prayers and by witnessing to them until they give their lives to God. Although Nehemiah was comfortable in a king’s palace, he was troubled by the discomfort of God’s people. We ought to share the same spirit.

The burden for revival in the hearts of men was what led to the outburst of many moves of God in the world since the days of the apostles. The burden for holiness has led many to occupy in the place of prayer for certain territories. Our burden for the business of God’s Kingdom should lead us into prayer and fasting, so that we can become fruitful in our missionary assignments. As a branch of the Vine, you must be ready to bear fruit if you don’t want the Vine to cast you off. The Vine is committed to supplying all you need for the assignment; there is therefore no excuse for you not to occupy till His return (Philippians 4:19). Also, everything that the Vine’s expects you to do as His branch is done through the strength supplied by the Vine (John 15:5). As long as the branch remains attached to the Vine, it will be able to fulfil all that is expected of it (Philippians 4:13). I remember when I was in the university and I was trusting God for His help in winning the soul of one of my professors. I would do a lot of rehearsals on how I would present the message to him, but each time I saw him, I would lose my confidence. However, God helped me and I eventually succeeded in this assignment. It is only through God’s help that you can occupy till the very end.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God redeems us from the unfaithful works of darkness through His mercy and grace. When people become newly saved, though they have genuinely surrendered their lives to God and are committed to going all the way in pleasing Him, they are often not immediately well grounded in the things of God. These young converts need special care and attention from mature believers. It is the responsibility of those who have grown deeper in Christ to encourage those who are making efforts to have their faith established in Him. As their predecessor in the faith, young converts are watching and following you as an example. They must be followed up with love and shown good examples of how to live out their faith in Christ. As an older believer, you must show them compassion and understanding, remembering that Christ came to save us all because of His compassion for us. Mature believers have certain roles to play by deliberately denying themselves of certain things that are lawful but not helpful to the growth of these young converts. Like Paul who became all things to all people so that he might win many to Christ, mature believers must also be willing to become all things for the sake of those they want to establish in the knowledge of the truth. 1st Corinthians 9:22 says,
“To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

If you are grounded in Christ, you are not to use your liberty to harm those who are growing in the faith. Some of these people have already experienced a lot of disappointments outside the Church of God. Some of them have been defrauded, while some others have been unduly taken advantage of because of their vulnerability. Some lost precious things before coming to the knowledge of Christ. The moment they give their lives to Christ, they are full of great expectations because they’ve heard that the Name of the Lord is a strong tower. They believe the brethren will care for them, unlike what they experienced in the hands of unbelievers. We must therefore do all that is within our power not to make them regret their decision to come to Christ, which will be the case if we don’t extend hands of love to them. We must not give them occasion to stumble; neither should we allow them to stray away by our actions. We must avoid all circumstances that will grieve our fellow brethren and ensure that the word of God remains our standard in our dealings with them. Let us be careful not to offend the weak ones or lay a stumbling block on their way, because we are going to be accountable to God for all those He brings across our path.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As Christians who are Heaven-bound, the works of the flesh are things we should watch out for, so that they do not bring our soul into damnation. We must do all we can to cherish the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). If we continue to stir up the fruit of the Spirit in our lives daily, it will be difficult for the flesh to have dominion over us. On a daily basis, our thoughts, words and actions must be guided by this scripture which says:
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Philippians 4:8
If you give your heart to these words, it would be difficult for the flesh to have rule over your mind, and consequently, the works of the flesh will not find expression in your life. Such sins as hatred toward others, envy for what is happening in other people’s lives, pride and arrogance will not have a hold on you because you are walking in the Spirit of God.

All those who engage in the works of the flesh have no place in the kingdom of God. If you want to please God, the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and the lust for materialism, all of which do not allow the word of God to find its rightful place in the hearts of men, will have to go. God commands us to run the Christian race with patience (Hebrews 12:1). There are many who have turned sin into sport. They believe that they are very smart and cannot fall victim of sin. This was the same thinking that Adam and Eve had when they allowed the voice of the serpent to override God’s instructions for their lives (Genesis 3:1-6). Samson also had an idea of the destiny he was meant to fulfil on earth, but he gambled with the anointing of God on his life and died with his enemies (Judges 16:28-30). These examples are there for us to learn from and be wise. As a child of God, you have to drop those weights of sin that easily drag you down. Don’t allow the works of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the mundane things of life to deny you of God’s plan of your life. The moment you decide not to walk in the Spirit, you have resolved in your heart to be independent of God, and from that moment, the real life in you dies! This is a deadly path to take. No one who took this path has ever had a good story to tell, but that will not be your lot in Jesus’ Name. You have to be watchful, prayerful and engage in spiritual discipline from time to time, so as not to fall prey to the wiles of the devil manifested through the works of the flesh. 
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

King Solomon is considered to be the wisest king that ever lived. How did he become so wise? When God gave Him a blank cheque to ask for anything, in 1st King 3:9, he said:
“Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?”
He chose to ask for something that the average person of his time would consider inconsequential: wisdom. Solomon feared that he might misrule God’s people and thereby incur God’s wrath, and so he asked God for wisdom. Indeed, in Proverbs 9:10, he later wrote:
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”
It is unfortunate to discover that even among some children of God today, the fear of the Lord is greatly absent. This accounts for the level of character erosion that is being witnessed in the Church, so much so that even pastors are being caught in various acts of sin, such as sexual immorality. Joseph was repeatedly tempted and pressured to commit sexual immorality, but he vehemently refused to indulge in it, despite the fact that it was offered to him on a platter of gold. The Bible in Genesis 39:8-9 gives this account of Joseph’s steadfastness:
“But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; there is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”
If you ask me what kept Joseph away from this sexual immorality, I will tell you that it was wisdom, brought about by the fear of the Lord. How I wish all of God’s children would embrace the fear of God, so that they can begin to live in wisdom. It is wisdom to run away from sin, because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). A foolish fellow would say, “Death will come one day all the same.” Such a fellow fails to consider untimely death like the one that took Absalom away (2nd Samuel 18:10-17), the agony of death that comes as a result of sin, and the eternal death in the Lake of Fire. Revelations 21:8 speaks of the Lake of Fire in these words:
“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.”
For this reason, Proverbs 4:5-9 strongly recommends that we get wisdom. The question is, where can we get wisdom? It is from the word of God (2nd Timothy 3:15). Beloved, seek godly wisdom and don’t be lawless in the name of grace, because grace does not indulge in lawlessness.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Over the years, I have observed that the more powerful some people become, the more wicked they turn out to be. When they are not yet in a position of authority, they will appear humble, but once they have a little taste of power, they act as if they are God. This is what makes my Father very different: He is a merciful God. In spite of all His power and majesty, He remains merciful. Having experienced God’s mercy, David thus wrote in Psalm 40:1-2:
“I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”
God is so full of mercy, and there is no one who cannot benefit from His mercy. When powerful people know that no one can query them, they do whatever they like. God is however different! Even though He is the Almighty God and He is all powerful, yet His mercy endures forever. Every time you call upon Him, you can be sure His grace will speak for you. Ephesians 2:4 says
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,”
God’s grace grants us access to the things we don’t deserve. There are many of us who are what we are only by His grace. If not for His grace, some of us would not be alive today, if not for His grace; some of us would have no roof over our heads. If not for His grace, how would some of us have anyone willing to help us? There are many opportunities we have misused in the past, and yet we have not lived to regret this because of His grace. If not for His mercy, some of us wouldn’t have recovered from the consequences of our past life.

Can you imagine a person like Saul, who persecuted the Church of God, becoming a mighty apostle of the gospel? If I were God, I would not have saved his soul, especially when I think of the extent of the damage he single-handedly caused the Body of Christ. I then suddenly realised that I also was once in sin like him. When grace and mercy are at work in a person’s life, he will begin to make his boast in the Lord. Can you imagine Paul saying he had wronged no one (2nd Corinthians 7:2)? He could say this because the grace and mercy of God had washed away all his past misdeeds. When mercy is at work, every sinner has a future, and when grace is speaking, every saint has no past. God is telling you today that He can have mercy on you. All you need to do is to make up your mind that all the days of your life, you will continue to fear Him and walk in His ways.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

As we run the race that is set before us on the straight and narrow way to Heaven, it is possible to slip and fall. You should however note that falling or making mistakes along the way does not signify that an end has come to your life, ministry or destiny. There is no depth you sink to that the mercy of God cannot draw you out of. If you genuinely ask God for forgiveness and mercy, His grace will surely lift you up. If you are still down in sin, it is time to come up into righteousness. Are you in a situation where it appears all hope of you ever rising again is lost? No matter where you are, receive God’s touch of mercy at this very moment and come up again in Jesus’ Name!

There are ways to handle mistakes. One way is to learn from the mistakes of others so that you do not become the guinea pig. A Nigerian proverb says, “The one who falls into a pit is a lesson to others following from behind. ”You can scream after seeing that fellow fall into the pit, but make sure you don’t end up in it yourself. 1 Corinthians 10:1-12 tells us that the children of Israel who disobeyed God and were overthrown in the wilderness are lessons to us who are now on our way to the Promise Land of Heaven, it says we should not lust after evil things, because the Israelites did so and became causalities in the wilderness. It also says the reason why we should not serve other gods and commit fornication is that 23,000 of those Israelites who did the same perished in one day. It further says we should not tempt Christ like the Israelites did and died of snake bites. It even warns us of the dangers of murmuring, which some of us do very often. The Israelites murmured and were destroyed. When you see the pit your predecessors have fallen into, a wise follower will tread a lot more carefully to avoid ending up where they ended.

If you learn from the mistakes of others, you will not fall where they fall, and you will not perish where they perished; but if you fail to learn, you too will soon become a signpost that tells other not to follow the path you followed. How ironic it is for someone who was aware of the pitfalls that consumed others to end up in the same pit. This is what happens to those who never take warnings seriously. Are you like that? Do you say “it doesn’t matter “Yes, it does!  
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

More often than not, when a man receives provision before he or she has need for it, wastage occurs. Such a fellow will entertain expenditures that are focused more on unnecessary wants rather than on needs. This is why such an individual needs wisdom, guidance and lots of self-denial or self-control. May you not waste your provisions in Jesus’ Name! However, provision could also come at the time of need. This type of arrangement is preferred by some people because it eradicates the likelihood of waste. According to Psalm 46:5, when God is your refuge, He will always show up at the right time. He is never late! I pray that whatever assistance you need will locate you as soon as the need arises in Jesus’ Name.

In quite a number of situations, provision comes much after the day of need. This is totally unacceptable because the purpose for which the provision is needed is already defeated. Provision long after need is almost as bad as total denial. When help, assistance or provision is not available in the time of need, it will result in disappointment, feelings of rejection, shame and disgrace, painful loss or even death. Do you know that many people who died in some ghastly accidents could have survived if only they received help at the time of the incident? There are some who survived for a few hours but later gave up the ghost because they did not receive medical attention at the hour of need.

John 10:10 talks of Satan’s evil mission to steal, kill and destroy. One way he does this is by delaying provision or help from reaching people in need. In Daniel 10:7-13, following this petition to Heaven during a fast, an answer was sent to Daniel, but it was delayed by the Prince of Persia for 21 days. Daniel should have received the answer on the first day, but it was delayed for that whole period. Every forces of delay, sent to set back your provision or help beyond the time of need, shall be frustrated, disgraced and paralysed in Jesus’ Name! Whatever was programmed to reach you late shall arrive on time; you shall not be disappointed! That yoke of delay over your expectations is destroyed now! The Lord will sort you out speedily in Jesus’ Name! 
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?”
Deuteronomy 32:30
Although praying corporately is good, it should never be regarded as a substitute to a vibrant personal prayer life. Some people quote the above scripture to justify remaining at the level of corporate prayers, and as a result they consider efforts towards personal prayers to be a waste. It is not a wasted effort! God wants to relate with us individually and develop a personal relationship with us, just as much as He wants to relate with us as a group. For this reason, in Isaiah 51:2, He said this to us:
“Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.”
Even when we are in a group meeting, God still wants to maintain a personal link with each of us. God is a personal God. When two brothers came to give an offering to God, the Lord related with them individually (Genesis 4:3-10). How often do you spend time alone with God?

Moreover, there are great benefits that come from staying alone with God. If we look at the example of the widow of the prophet in 2nd Kings 4:1-7, we can see some of the benefits of individual prayers. When she was asked to shut the door on herself, several things happened to her, one of which is that she went in empty but came out full. She took several empty vessels with her into the room, and all the vessels were filled up. Even today, as you personally separate yourself to access the Throne of Grace, your empty vessels will be made full. In John 7:37-39, while attending the feast of the Jews, the Lord made a call. Although it was made publicly, it was a personal call. He said anyone who was thirsty could come to Him and be filled. If you can cultivate your personal relationship with God by creating regular time to be in His presence, you will always be filled, even when you enter His presence empty. Today, the Lord is sending you an invitation to come into His presence and He will fill you up. Your emptiness can be completely swallowed up as you spend personal time with Him. Are you ready to have your emptiness filled? How hungry are you? It is your level of hunger and thirst for Him that will determine how filled you will get, So, how hungry or thirsty are you today?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

If your giving reflects a financial status below the level God has placed you on, this would amount to demoting yourself. A wise fellow would rather promote himself or herself by giving beyond the level of his or her current financial status, so that God will upgrade him or her to that level. Some people look at me with envy, thinking that God is partial. No, He is not! God is not a respecter of persons, but He is a respecter of principles. When Peter realised this truth in Acts 10:34-35, He said:
“Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”
When you simply do what I do and follow the Bible principles that I fellow, you will get the results that I get. I am not boasting, but if you think it is boasting, then I am simply boasting in the Lord. My God is not a God that is ruled by emotions. He is not moved by your tears or by you rolling on the ground. If there is something He expects you to do in accordance with His word, but you leave it and begin to cry your eyes out or roll on the ground for days and weeks, at the end of the day, He will still be waiting for you to do what He expected of you before He fulfils His promise to you. So the earlier you obey God, the sooner His intervention will come. Some people think they can manipulate God with their tricks. No they can’t. God would rather wait for you to obey, even if it takes years, before releasing a desired blessing. Unfortunately, some people out of stubbornness are making God wait almost their entire life time!

“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:”
Genesis 12:1
When God called Abraham and gave him some promises, He also gave him three conditions he had to meet to access those promises. Abraham met two of these conditions, but he considered one of them not to be as important. He took Lot, his kindred, along with him. Probably he believed that his family would consider him a wicked fellow if he left his late brother’s son behind. For as long as he did not fulfil the condition of leaving his entire kindred, God also refused to fulfil His promises. This continued until Abraham began to feel the consequences of not separating from his relatives as instructed by God. It was after he obeyed and separated from Lot that God resumed discussions with him concerning His promises. Abraham lost 13 years to disobedience! Don’t be so wise in your own sight. Obey God today!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Our God is a great and big God. In terms of size, He is so massive. Imagine that He sits on His throne in the third heavens and His feet still touches the earth (Isaiah 66:1). Due to the fact that our God is so big, He does great and big things. In Genesis 1:20-22, when He said the waters should bring forth living creatures, the oceans were soon filled with all manner of fish and sea creatures. All He has to do is to say “Let there be”, and it will come to pass. The Lord will do great and mighty things in your life this season in Jesus’ mighty Name! Doing great and mighty things is His specialty. No wonder in Jeremiah 33:3, He said:
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
When He met a young, ordinary and unknown virgin and He picked her for His great purpose, she was overwhelmed and had this to say:
“For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.”
Luke 1:49
In the mighty Name of Jesus, the Lord shall pick and use you for His great and mighty works to demonstrate his Almightiness!

In Genesis 1:28, God said “Be fruitful and multiply.” When He says “multiply”, He really means it. During creation, when He spoke that command, it was just Adam and Eve, but today, the world has several billions of people in it. Also, when Israel came into Egypt in Exodus 1:5, they were just 70 people; but by the time they were leaving, there were  600,000 men besides women, who would not have been less than 800,000, and children, who would have been at least 1,000,000 (Exodus 12:37). They kept multiplying in accordance of God’s word, in spite of all that the government of Egypt did to drastically reduce their numbers. From today, no matter what the enemy does to stop your increase, God’s word on increase will continue to thrive in your life! In addition to being a big God, He does big things. His purpose for your life is therefore big. Are you small, little, unknown and a local champion? Because your God is big, you cannot remain small. His size will definitely affect and transform your size. In the Name of Jesus Christ, you are breaking out of every barrier and limitation! You are coming out of every box of limitation that both you and others have enclosed you in! You shall be great, and you shall achieve great things for God’s Name, far beyond your dreams!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To avoid financial storms, you need to carefully note all the elements of a divine instruction. God is a God of details. When He gives you a recipe to solve a particular problem, He expects you to leave no details out. In 2 Kings 4:1-7, to solve the serious debt problem of the widow of a late prophet, Elisha asked her to borrow vessels from all her neighbours, shut the door behind her and pour out her remaining pot of oil into all available vessels. If she had altered any element of this instruction, it would definitely have affected the result she got. Some people receive certain divine instructions and thereafter determine which to obey and which to discard. No! All the details must be observed! Do you know that if the widow had borrowed the vessels but refused to shut her door, the oil would not have flowed?

Beloved, always pay close attention to whatever instructions you receive from God. When it comes to sowing for instance, 2nd Corinthians 9:6-7 says,
“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
From the details of this scripture, it is not just sowing that will get you your expected returns, but rather, sowing bountifully and cheerfully. Today, many people have chosen to forget these details on sowing, and this accounts for the financial storms in their lives. On tithing, it is not enough to tithe, but to bring in all the tithes. After completing my PhD research, I recalled I still had part of my research grant with the university. So I went to my Head of Department (HoD) asking to draw out of it to bind my thesis. He refused to release it to me, and when I insisted, he sent me out of his office. With no other funds available, I wondered how to get the money I needed. A little past midnight, someone came knocking on my door. He said he could not sleep, and so he came to return the money I had loaned him five years earlier. Although I had forgotten this money, God had not. He paid me the exact amount I needed. After binding the thesis, I was scared, wondering if my HoD would accept it and give me a good score. So on the following Sunday, I paid my tithe, and on Monday, when I submitted my thesis to him, he was impressed and offered to personally take it to the external examiner. He also waited on the examiner until he finished his job in three days instead of six months. After this, my PhD grant was paid, and it became useful pocket money for me. You cannot tell the extent God will go to satisfy those who are totally obedient.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

First thing first, so the saying goes. As a believer in Christ, when you come before God’s presence, the most important person is not you but Him. Also, unlike most of us believe, at God’s Throne of Grace, the most important thing is not your requests, but rather the worship you offer to Him. If you fail to get this right, and you fail to adjust your approach and attitude to reflect this truth, you will always have issues with God. Do you know that every time you approach God’s presence, it is like facing a test? Believe it or not, when you come before God, there are two crucial people at that meeting: God and you. One of these two must take pre-eminence. Similarly, God has a need and you also have a need; one of these two needs must be more important.

“But seek ye first kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Matthew 6:33
The scripture tells us about a divine order that must be followed. It also talks about God’s need and man’s need. It tells us that God has already provided for all of man’s needs. In other words, God already has all you would ever need at anytime in your life. For you to receive them, all that He requires from you is to simply meet His needs. Give Him what He wants. Put Him first and your needs last. Give Him quality thanks, praise and worship. When you follow Heaven’s protocol, you will easily receive a favourable answer to your requests. God expects you to come before His presence with thanksgiving, praise and worship, leaving your request as the last thing. Do you know that one way to know how important something really is to you is to measure the amount of time you give to it? When you pray for one hour and you use 50 minutes of the time presenting your requests, you are telling God that you and your request are more important than Him and His desires. How do you think this makes God feel? In any case, He has already expressed His thoughts about this in 1st Samuel 2:30d, where He said:
“For them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”

Also, what you focus on becomes magnified. If you focus on your problems, they will be enlarged, but if you focus on God and on what He wants, He will be magnified to the extent that your problems will fade into insignificance. By the time you eventually remember them, you would discover that they have been swallowed up by His Almightiness, leaving you with the answer to your prayers.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Colossians 1:16 tells us that all visible and invisible things were created by God and for God. You were created to make God happy by following His will, plan and purpose for your life. However, when you take the path of self-government and go contrary to the purpose for which you were created, that is rebellion. Lucifer and several angels decided to walk out of God’s original plan, and they became who we now refer to as Satan and demons (Isaiah 14:12-16, Revelation 12:7-9). Anyone who follows self-government today will also end up where the devil and his demons are. The truth is, if you fail God, you fail yourself. Therefore, pleasing God is the real path to true self-fulfilment, lasting peace and joy. I tell you the truth, living on earth without conforming to God’s original blueprint for your life makes you waste that life. Without God, life is not worth living.

“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”
2nd Timothy 2:4
We are not here on earth by our power or design. We were created and placed here to satisfy God’s eternal plan and purpose for our lives. Even when Jesus was here, in all that He did, He did not try to please Himself but His father (John 8:29, John 5:30). Now that He has chosen us to be His soldiers, we cannot afford to please ourselves. When He gives us an assignment, we must do it exactly as He wants it done, or risk going against Him. In 1st Samuel 15, King Saul was given an assignment by God to go and utterly wipe out the Amalekites. He went out to fulfill it but made slight changes to the instructions. In the end, he failed God and failed himself. He lost his kingdom because he could not totally comply with God’s will. Today, for this same reason, many people are close to completely losing their place in God’s divine plan. A king who resisted God had to go on a seven-year trip into insanity, and he lost his throne for that period (Daniel 4). Similarly, another king who said that God’s word should not be heard was eaten alive by worms (Acts 12:1-24). If these great kings could not resist or withstand God, do you think you can? If you are wise, you will totally submit to His will today. God has a problem with the so-called obedience of a good number of His children. Although He is speaking to them, they are not listening to Him; rather they are more interested in hearing themselves. Hence, He has almost grounded them in all areas. Thinking it’s the devil at fault, such people are wrongly praying against agents of darkness. It is time to do nothing short of God’s total will in all your ways!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A blessing is an invitation to all the forces in Heaven, on earth and underneath the earth to cooperate with an individual and assist him or her to succeed. When Isaac pronounced a blessing on Jacob in Genesis 27:20-29, he summoned the dew of heaven, the land, and all the forces on earth to be of assistance to Jacob. As a result of this blessing, Jacob became exceedingly great. Hear what Genesis 30:43, says about his greatness:
“And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.”
How about his brother Esau? Genesis 27:38-40 says after Jacob had stolen the cream of the blessing from him, Esau came to ask for the remnant. What was the result of this “remnant”? From Genesis 32:3-6, we understand that this remnant got him so blessed that he could afford to retain the services of 400 personal bodyguards. If you become so rich that you require 400 men to go with you wherever you go, that is something remarkable. I can recall the first time a president visited us at the Redemption Camp; he came with an entourage of 250 people. So Imagine how blessed Esau was for him to have had 400 people in his entourage! I believe he was really blessed.
Moreover, let me add here that after a blessing is pronounced on you, it may not be obvious how the blessing will be fulfilled. Most times, it may not even make sense. You may not even be able to afford a bicycle now, and a blessing may be pronounced on you that a time will come when you will need a Boeing 747 to airlift those who will accompany you whenever you are travelling. It may not make sense to you, but that is what a blessing can do. I often say that I am where I am today by the grace of God and by the blessings of my mother. Any time I did something that pleased her, she would bless me. She would say, “You this boy, you will call one person, and two hundred people will respond.” I didn’t know what she meant back then, and I didn’t know how it would happen, but I always said “Amen”. Today, by the grace of God, I can say this has become reality. Have you provoked the blessing of your biological parents? Have you provoked the blessing of your spiritual parents? Most importantly, have you provoked a blessing from God?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus taught us to pray by approaching God as our Father. He said:
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”
Matthew 6:9
Why did He not say “Our God”, Our Maker” or Our Deliverer”? It is because God wants us to have a definite, personal relationship with Him. Of all the relationships we could possibly have with God, the father-son relationship is one of the greatest. In Mark 14:36, when the Lord Jesus Christ was facing His greatest challenge – dying on the cross of Calvary – He addressed God as “Abba, Father”, which in other words is “My Daddy”. This level of closeness with God is not exclusive to Jesus Christ alone. Romans 8:15 says,
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again for fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
If you compare this scripture with Galatians 4:6, you will realise that both the Holy Spirit and our Lord Jesus Christ have made it possible for us to share the same kind of closeness with the Father that Jesus had. Therefore, we too can unashamedly call God, “My Daddy”. If only you know how much God longs to have such intimacy with you!

Intimacy with God is something you cannot do without if you are to fulfil God’s plan for your life. There is a time of need that everyone will face, which will require each of us to draw on our relationship with God. Those who have God as their creator will approach Him as “My Creator”, while those who serve Him will approach Him as “My God”. In such times, those who are intimate with Him will call Him “My Daddy”. You can be sure that one carries more weight than the others. How would you want to approach God? Would you want to approach Him as a distant Creator, as God of the universe or as your personal Father? The choice is yours. When you develop a good relationship with God, He will indeed be a Father to you by acting as the fountain from which you came forth (Genesis 2:7). David understood this and he experienced a very intimate level of closeness with God. This is the reason why in Psalm 23, he could testify of enjoying that which a father provides: food, sleep, water, protection, guidance, security, goodness and mercy. These all will be yours today in Jesus’ Name! Do everything possible to build your intimacy with God!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Generous divine provision is a benefit of those in the sheepfold of the Great Shepherd. God prepares a table of abundance for His sheep (Psalm 23:5). No wonder David, in Psalm 13:6, said:
“I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.”
This scripture is a personal testimony of David. After God had blessed him beyond measure, he began to testify of God’s goodness through songs. If you carefully study the life of David, you will discover that the secret of his prosperity lay in the principles he lived by. One of such principles is demonstrated in 1 Chronicles 16:2-3: he believed giving to be the key to receiving. Can you imagine a man giving a loaf of bread to every citizens of a country? This was what David did, and he even gave much more! We often wonder why most of us are not flowing in God’s abundance, even though God has resources to cater for more than we could ever need. One likely reason for this is that we do not strictly follow divine financial principles. Jesus, in Luke 6:38, said:
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
Let us draw a few lessons from this. Firstly, if you ever want to receive, it is your duty to first give. If you fail to sow, you would be deceiving yourself to expect a harvest. Many of us refuse to give, and yet we continue to pray, fast and do all other things right. If you want to receive, first give. It is important to note that God will never owe anyone. If you give, you will receive a harvest, no matter how long it takes, as long as the seed is not uprooted.

However, the way the harvest comes and when it will come are issues that may not be too clear to you. For instance, you may be expecting your harvest for a particular seed in the form of physical cash, not knowing that God has already given it to you as a harvest of peace in the time of trouble, or as protection when the enemy came calling. Sometimes, you cannot tell how the harvest of a given seed will come, although if you key into the Holy Spirit, He can sometimes reveal to you that a particular harvest you received was from a particular seed you sowed. Moreover, God who knows our needs should be given the freedom to determine when and how our harvests should come. Just make sure that a lifestyle of giving and sowing seeds is an indelible part of you. Do you give to God? Do you give to His servants? Do you give to the needy? How often do you give?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It’s a fact of life that we are all susceptible to making mistakes. However, when we make mistakes, we must have the strength of character to admit our mistakes and also to resolve never to repeat them again (Proverbs 28:13). A child learning to walk will stand up, take a step or two and fall down again. You will observe however that in spite of these falls, he or she does not give up trying. The child will repeatedly make attempts at walking, and in the process of time, the child will not only walk, he or she will also run, leap and jump, all without falling to the ground like before. Do not turn a mistake into your final destination. Can you believe that because some people made a mistake in their walk of faith in Christ, they gave up the race entirely and decided to die there? That is most unfortunate! Some people cannot forgive themselves for either denying Jesus at a very crucial moment when their faith was tested, or for falling  into a particular sin that they have been preaching against all along. Such people need to learn from the example of Apostle Peter, who thrice denied Christ. The Lord had to make him realise that it was not over yet. That same Peter was the one who later led the other disciples in defending their faith in Christ and in propagating the Good News of the gospel around the world.

“Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.”
Micah 7:8
One lesson from this scripture is that the fact that you slipped and fell does not mean that the enemy has won the battle over your life. He hasn’t. It also says that there is the possibility of a comeback. From where you fell, you shall arise in Jesus’ Name! Your rise shall be more formidable! You may say that your case is a bad one because you have fallen so many times and you therefore concluded that it was better to stop trying. Oh, how wrong you are! Proverbs 24:16 says it is possible for a righteous man to fall seven times and still rise. To fall seven times simply refers to the possibility of falling to a point of experiencing what most people will call the final or ultimate fall. Yet, even at that, if you are a child of God, the Lord says that you should not give up hope. Make another attempt at reconciling with the Lord, confess your weakness to Him, and ask for His help. He will lift you up and He will sustain you afterwards. So are you still on the floor? Arise now!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A sign that confirms whether or not you have experienced genuine salvation is your willingness to make restitution with your fellow men. When you are genuinely saved, the Spirit of Jesus Christ in you will motivate you to right your wrongs and undo your evil deeds. An elderly judge once attended one of our meetings at the Sheraton Hotels, Ikeja (Lagos), and he gave his life to Christ. On his way home after the programme, he just could not contain himself. There was a person he quarrelled with several years before, and he had a burning urge to resolve the dispute; so right from the venue of our programme, he went straight to the house of the person in order to settle the matter. Did you say you are saved, but you still hold grudges, have bitterness and manifest an unforgiving spirit? Please examine yourself to be sure you are truly in Christ.

Similarly, there was a particular king in Ogun State, Nigeria. For several months, I went to preach to him and he would tell me “Before your mother married your father, I have been going to church.” He would show me a Bible that Queen Victoria gave to his grandfather. Repeatedly, I said to him, “Your royal highness, that is not what I am talking about. I am asking you to repent of your sins and surrender your life to Jesus Christ.” Then one day, he yielded and gave his life to Jesus. By that time, he had not seen his wife for years, due to a disagreement they had. Within days of giving his life to Christ, he promptly contacted her, and they resolved their differences. You cannot be genuinely saved and refuse to restitute.

In what areas would you need to make restitution today? If you stole anything from anybody, return it or pay for its replacement if it’s lost. If you bore false witness against somebody, go and uncover the truth. Have you fraudulently acquired your academic certificate? Go and restitute. If you have stolen another person’s passport and impersonated the fellow, using the passport to move around, go and restitute. Are you a second or third wife to a man, or have you as a man married two or more wives? You are living in adultery. Make restitution! Have you received payment for a contract which you did not execute? Go and return the money! Have you been falsifying records and stealing money through that? Go and restitute. If you have tough cases, seek counselling from a pastor in a true Bible-believing church. Also, ask God to help you. If you really want to obey God, He will definitely make a way for you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

How you approach a house will determine whether you will be welcomed or chased out. If you approach the door and knock, you will be attended to as a lady or a gentleman, but if you decided to break through the window, you will surely be taken for a burglar, thief or robber and met with several resistance. Your approach matters! In the same vein, to enter into God’s presence, you must follow heaven’s protocol. The Holy Spirit in Psalm 100:4 revealed this protocol when He said:
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”
If you want to be welcomed into God’s presence and have your requests granted, don’t just crash in, follow heaven’s protocol! Let your heart and mouth be full of thanks for all God has done for you, your family and your loved ones. When you approach God, let Him first hear your thanksgiving. Let this be followed by quality praise and worship. Let your request come last, and let the time you use in making your request be shorter than the time you spent giving Him thanks, praise and worship. Whenever you violate this order, you do damage your requests and hurt your relationship with the lover of your soul – the Almighty God Himself.

Moreover, you may want to ask: Why must I approach God with reverence, thanksgiving and praise? It is because worshippers always get what they want. In Matthew 8:1-3, a leper approached Jesus, fell at His feet and worshipped Him, even before he made his request. In the end, he was cleansed. What of the mad man of Gadara whose story is recorded in Mark 5:1-15? As mad as he was, after approaching Jesus, he knew enough to fall down at His feet to worship Him. For this reason, even without verbalising his desire to be delivered from the demonic siege he was under, Jesus set him free. Effective worship works wonders! Jairus was a top leader in Israel, and yet, when his daughter was seriously sick and he approached Jesus, he forgot about his position, power and wealth, fell at the Master’s feet and worshipped Him. Also, when the woman whose daughter was tormented by demons came to the Lord expressing her need, the Lord ignored her; but when she began to worship Him, the tide turned (Matthew 15:21-28). From today, follow heaven’s protocol in approaching God and you will get your heart’s desires.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.