₦airaland Forum

Looking at the title of today's study - "The Compassionate Prosecutor", you may begin to wonder how a person can persecute a case and be compassionate at the same time. This is ironic because a prosecutor is expected to press the case for the law to have its full course. Who then is this persecutor who manages to indict and show compassion all at once? The Lord Jesus Christ answers this question in John 16:8. The person He refers to is the Holy Spirit. Based on this revelation of the Lord, let us consider the there-pronged strategy by which the Holy Spirit carries out His assignment of prosecuting the world. Note first of all that it is compassion that motivates the Holy Spirit to prosecute the world while there is still time to make amends. A time will come when the whole world will stand before the throne of Christ to be judged of all their works (2nd Corinthians 5:10). There will be no excuses permitted on that day, because the Compassionate Prosecutor would have already given each man a dress rehearsal of what will happen in heaven’s court.

The first of the Holy Spirit’s three-pronged strategy is to make the world aware of the destructive nature of sin and cause each and everyone to run away from it. This is why those who preach the gospel must allow the Holy Spirit to use them to read the “riot act” to their audiences and not shy away from the reality of the pending doom that awaits those who will not believe in or accept the Holy Saviour of mankind. The early disciples allowed the Holy Spirit to do this work through them and a sample of the result is glaring in Acts 2:37:
“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
The second arm of His strategy is to make the world see the need to be upright in heart, and the need to be in right standing with the righteous God through the Mediator of the new covenant, Jesus Christ. Thirdly, the Holy Spirit works to make the world aware of the judgement and punishment that awaits the devil and his cohorts. He does this so that men may be wary of listening to the devil and avoid being condemned along with him. The Compassionate Prosecutor speaks truth to all those who will listen and be free from the eternal consequences of God’s judgement (John 16:12, John 8:32). How friendly are you with the Holy Spirit? Do you only love Him because He comforts you in times of distress, or do you still love him when He probes into your life and reproves you? I encourage you to make the Holy Spirit your Senior Partner, Guide, Mentor and Confidant; He will never lead you astray.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

According to Psalm 91:14, one sure weapon against experiencing destruction and calamity is a life of holiness. Opinions differ on what it means to live a holy life, and to some, such a lifestyle is unattainable. However, with reference to biblical heroes of faith, I have been able to explain what holiness is all about. Holiness simply means obedience to God’s instructions. As long as you obey God’s commands, He sees you as an acceptable carrier of His image and He will love you for that. In John 14:21 and 23b, the Lord Jesus Christ expounded on this truth, saying:
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him…. If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
Every child of God who knows God’s holy nature will also know that before the Trinity would decide to dwell within a person, he or she must be living a consecrated and holy life.

In Daniel 1:1-8, we see how Daniel guarded himself against the calamity and destruction that would have terminated his destiny later in life. Daniel 1:8a says
“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank:”
Please note that a portion of the king’s meat and some measure of the king’s wine were part of Daniel’s entitlements as an undergraduate in the University of Babylon where he was studying in preparation for service in the king’s court, but he declined having them. Glory to God that Daniel’s modest life of consecration to God paid off for him on the day of calamity when he was thrown into the den of lions. He could testify to his friend, King Darius, in Daniel 6:22, saying:
“My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.”
Beloved, endeavour to live holy through a modest life of consecration unto God, and you can be sure of divine protection because of God’s love.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I have watched with pity and dismay as many children of God, particularly ministers of God, carelessly fight spiritual battles at the expense of their own lives and family. If you desire to be triumphant in every area of life, you need to pay close attention to what the Lord Jesus Christ told His disciples in Mark 13:33. You need to apply caution and be strategic in all that you do. To see the big picture of the challenges confronting you, you need to watch. To get direction and strength from heaven to help you confront these challenges, you need to pray. In 1 Samuel 30:1-6, we have the story of a careless group of warriors: David and his mighty men of valour. While they went about fighting for survival as mercenaries, they left their own camp unprotected. Before they returned from their raid, their own camp had been raided and burnt, and their wives and children were taken away as captives by the enemy. When they discovered what the enemy had done, these men of war were so distressed that they wept like babies. They didn’t just weep, they wept until they had no more strength to weep. In their grief, they even revolted against their leader, David, and spoke of stoning him to death. However, faced with his volatile situation, David did something worthy of emulation: he encouraged himself in the Lord (1st Samuel 30:6).

There are a good number of lessons we can learn from this story; first of which is that as you fight the Lord’s battles, even the Lord of Hosts expects you to watch your back. Our God does not expect you to be presumptuous. The words of our Lord Jesus Christ concerning counting the cost before building a tower or fighting a foe are pointers to strategic planning in spiritual warfare (Luke 14:28-32). Secondly, there should be division of labour in spiritual warfare. We should not all be at the war front at the same time. All bases must be covered. The early church realised this truth on time, and so the apostles gave themselves to the ministry of the word and prayer while they appointed others to look after the administration of corporate social responsibilities (Acts 6:1-7). Thirdly, persons in leadership positions should always be proactive. David’s proactive move to seek God’s face was what saved the day. He inquired of the Lord on how to go about recovering all that they had lost (1st Samuel 30:7-. At the end of the day, what they should have done in the first place was what they later did. They learnt that they should always organise themselves into bands with different roles. When they pursed to recover all, not all of them pursued after the raiders, but when they shared the spoils of war, those who went to battle had the same portion as those who waited behind to look after their stuff. The principle did not go down well with some of David’s men who did not understand it (1st Samuel 30:21-24). Indeed, God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When the devil was cast out of Heaven, he brought spiritual darkness and everything that it represents along with him to the earth. God then created mankind to serve as bearers of light on earth and gave man a mandate to illuminate the whole world with His glory (Genesis 1:28) Through the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, the devil succeeded in putting out the light of God in man, thereby infusing him with his own darkness (Ephesians 5:. The devil stole the power over this world which God had given to man, and he now wields it as the power of darkness (Luke 4:6, Luke 22:53). However, those who have received Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, into their lives have been delivered from this power of darkness and been handed the keys to a kingdom far greater than that which was given to Adam (Colossians 1:13). The presence of darkness in this world is therefore due to spiritual factors, and not physical ones. Although man is not liable for the presence of darkness in this world, he will be held accountable if he chooses to embrace darkness instead of light. John 3:19 reveals why mankind embraces darkness, and consequences of this choice. From this insight, the unimaginable level of atrocities carried out in this world under the cover of darkness should therefore be of no surprise.

Jesus Christ is the Light of the world (John 8:12), and He is hated by those who are under manipulation of the power of darkness. Why do people of this world hate Jesus Christ, considering the benefits that light brings to mankind? The devil, his cohorts and evil men of this world do not only represent darkness, they are darkness personified. Jesus Christ, being the Light that came purposely not only to expose darkness but also to exterminate it, is therefore bound to be hated. Whoever decides to love Jesus Christ and reflect His light is also bound to be hated. Each of us must choose where we belong: the company of the Light or the company of darkness, What is your own choice today? Whichever you choose has its rewards and consequence. I encourage you to embrace Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. Embracing Him means renouncing all hidden works of darkness in your life (1st Corinthians 6:9-10). You need to confess and forsake them as the Holy Spirit convicts you of them all. You will be forgiven and set free from all the consequences associated with them. May God bless you as you take this decision for Christ today. 
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In plain terms, disappointment is sadness caused by unmet expectations. Although it is disheartening when a person’s expectations are not met, it is much more grievous when the disappointment experienced is of the ultimate or irreversible type. For example, it could be disappointing for someone to miss a train or bus but much more disappointing if the missed train or bus happens to be the last one for the day. It simply means such a fellow is stranded. My prayer for you is that you will not experience what it is to be stranded ultimately in Jesus’ Name.

Our Lord Jesus Christ counsels His Church in Revelation 3:18 to do some things that would prevent us from experiencing the ultimate disappointment. He gave us this counsel because, according to His promise, the Church is eventually expected to be with her Lord in eternity (John 14:1-3). It would therefore be a great disappointment, an ultimate one for that matter, if He returns and what we hear from Him are the words of Luke 13:27b:
“I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.”
This will not be your portion in Jesus’ Name. For this not to be your portion, you must take certain precautions. Firstly, you must strive to enter in through the strait gate. This is not an easy adventure, and thankfully, the Lord Jesus Christ has put us on notice about this. He forewarned us that many shall not be able to enter in through this gate because of persecution, the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches (Matthew 13:21-22). The Lord Jesus Christ also said that those who will suffer the ultimate disappointment will be surprised at His verdict on them because their expectation would be to receive His commendation, due to their closeness to the altar of God and the abundance of their activities in Church. Matthew 7:22-23, says,
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
What a terrible disappointment this would be! In order not to be counted in the number of those who will experience this ultimate disappointment, let us watch and pray, and let us examine ourselves to see if we are actually in the faith. May the Lord grant you understanding in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In conclusion of our series on what is expected of you now that you are saved, today we shall be reflecting on brotherly kindness and charity as key ingredients of the Christian life (2nd Peter 1:7). What is brotherly kindness? Brotherly kindness is benevolence that springs forth from the heart of a Christian, whose nature has been translated from the darkness of sin and is now conformed to the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. Brotherly kindness is sincere and does not attach any satanic strings to its gesture. This is the type of kindness our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated when He was here on earth. It was brotherly kindness that made Him teach the word of God to people who were without purpose in life and feed them with bread when He was done teaching (Mark 6:34-37). This type of kindness made him acquit the woman caught in the sin of adultery (John 8:1-11). Not only did He acquit her, He also liberated her from the hold of sin by declaring over her life: “Go and sin no more.”

Similarly to brotherly kindness is charity. Charity is love: God’s type of love. It is pure, untainted and without ulterior motives. This love is void of partiality. Here is how the Holy Spirit describes it in 1st Corinthians 13:4-7:
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Considering this special type of love, one would agree that it is indeed the greatest of all ingredients required to build the Christian life. There is one aspect of charity that is worthy of note in 1st Corinthians 13:4, which is that it “rejoiceth not in iniquity”. Many misinterpret charity as being tolerant of sin. It should not be so. Believers, especially those put in charge of the flock of the Great Shepherd, should not mistake discipline for wickedness. As a matter of fact, disciplining a member of the flock who errs is a demonstration of God’s love. This is the type of love God demonstrated to Adam and Eve by sending them out of the Garden of Eden so that their redemption and that of their descendants would not become impossible (Genesis 3:22-24). Mankind would have lived for ever without the remedy of salvation but for God proactively blocking them from eating from the tree of life, which would have perpetuated their state under the curse of sin eternally. I pray that you will not find yourself in an environment where you will not be corrected in the name of love.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In continuation of our reflection of the materials with which we build on the foundation of our Christian faith, today we will be looking at patience and godliness as parts of the building blocks of the Christian life (2nd Peter 1:5-. Why Patience? Just as knowledge is needed to checkmate the manifestation of misguided virtue, patience is also needed to prevent putting the cart before the horse in our Christian walk. Lack of patience is one of the factors that destroyed King Saul. His Journey on a downward slope started after he impatiently offered a sacrifice to God by himself, thus acting in the office of a priest, instead of waiting for Samuel. When patience is lacking in a child of God, he or she will repeatedly fail the test of faith. The Bible in James 1:3-4 says:
“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
Beloved, patience is needed if you will successfully journey through the wilderness of this world to your heavenly home just like the heroes of faith. Take heed to those words of the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 6:12:
“That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
It takes patience for prayers to be answered because you cannot stampede God into answering your prayers (Psalm 40:1). I pray that the Holy Spirit will endow you with the patience that is needed to obtain God’s eternal promises in Jesus’ Name.

In addition, godliness is part of the “DNA” of every child of God, because whoever is born of God has the seed of God in him or her. This is a very important truth you must engrave on the tablet of your heart if you will not be rising and falling into sin. Under the unction of the Holy Spirit, John the Beloved assures us of victory over sin through the seed of God that is implanted in us. 1st John 3:9 says,
“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”
If you will finish well and strong, please don’t trivialize these fundamental values of the Christian faith which you profess. My prayer for you is that the Lord will cause you to grow into the full stature of Christ in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday we started reflecting on what we need to do after we are saved (2nd Peter 1:5-. We looked at adding virtue to our faith because faith without virtue is incomplete. We saw virtue as the practical demonstration of our faith. Today we want to look at knowledge as an accomplishment of virtue. Do you know that knowledge is the companion of virtue, and that without knowledge virtue can become misguided? This is the reason why Romans 14:16 says.
“Let not then your good be evil spoken of:”
How can your virtuous act become evil in the sight of God and men? When you fail to add knowledge to your virtue, you will not be guiltless in the presence of your observers. For example, although it is virtuous to be of help to your neighbour, particularly those of the household of faith, stealing to help a brother or sister who is in need is “assistance” without knowledge. In like manner, “helping” a woman become pregnant because her husband has a low sperm count is misplaced “help” that will lead to hell fire.

In addition, we must make temperance a necessary companion of our faith and knowledge. Temperance is simply defined as restraint or self-control. Why should temperance be added to knowledge before it can be profitable? The number one reason is that the exercise of knowledge without restraint may lead to an abuse of the faith and be a cause for others to stumble, speaking about this in 1st Corinthians 8:10-12, the Holy Spirit says,
“For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.”
When we exercise knowledge in such a way that the weak in spirit are discouraged and backslide, such knowledge is destructive. It was the application of temperance that prevented the Lord Jesus Christ from calling down fire upon those who resisted His entering their village, after two of His disciples suggested it and even though He knew could do so (Luke 9:51-56). May the Lord add to your faith, the necessary virtue, knowledge and temperance in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

After you have been saved by the grace that is in Jesus Christ our Lord, you need to understand the nature of the new life that is in you, so that you can begin to exhibit its character. If you do not understand the fundamentals of the Christian faith and get to know what God expects of you now that you are saved, you will end up becoming a caricature of what you should be in the sight of God. May that never be your portion in Jesus’ Name.

2nd Peter 1:5-8 lays out in plain terms what God expects of you when you become saved. In this passage of scripture, after reminding us of our new life in Christ, Apostle Peter admonishes us to be diligent in going beyond the rudimentary salvation experience. According to him, we must add to our faith virtue. Now, what is virtue? Virtue, simply explained, is a kind of behaviour that exhibits high morals standards. This is food for thought for all children of God, because there is a tendency to assume that once we profess to be born again, good behaviour is no longer important. On the contrary, it is after we have experienced the regeneration of the heart that a high moral standard is most expected of us. The new life that Christ gives is a life of virtue. It is a life that produces good character in those who possess it. If you claim to have received this new life, the resultant virtue it produces must be glaring for the whole world to see. The early Church did not lose sight of this spiritual obligation, and for this reason the leading apostle admonishes us to add virtue to our professed faith. 2nd Peter 1:5 says,
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;”
In like manner, another apostle of the Lord, writing in James 2:18, says,
“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”
Although good works do not bring about redemption, redemption produces good works in us. As children of God, the Bible encourages us to be of good behaviour so that our Father in heaven may be glorified (1st Timothy 3:2, Titus 2:3). Unbelievers should not catch us with any vices; rather we should be virtuous enough to convince the world that only in Christ can a good and acceptable life be lived. We are born again to be law-abiding, even though we are not law-abiding to be born again. Yes, being born again is the work of grace, but the evidence of its genuineness should be substantial for all to see.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The moment you become a child of God, the glory of God comes upon your life. From that moment, God’s expectation is that you will continually move from one level of glory to another (Proverbs 4:18). A person who experiences shame will understand and appreciate the importance of glory. I pray that anything that is causing you shame will disappear today in Jesus’ Name. There are different types of glory, one of which is physical in nature. From a physical perspective, sicknesses and diseases are some of the agents of shame. After experiencing the shame of sickness, it is indeed a glorious thing to be healed. The woman with the issue of blood entered into a realm of glory the day she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and she was healed of her infirmity (Mark 5:31-34). While it is great to experience healing, you can move from the realm of being healed to the realm of living in good health permanently. If you are not yet living in that realm, I pray that God will take you there in Jesus’ Name. Beyond this realm lies an even greater realm of glory where a person becomes an agent of healing, just like the apostles of old (Acts 5:12-16, Acts 19:11-12). Your target should be to operate in this realm of glory. Glory can also be viewed from the perspective of material possessions. It is a glorious thing to be rich, because poverty brings shame. While Abraham was rich, Isaac was so rich that kings were envious of him (Genesis 24:24-35, Genesis 26). Although there is glory in being rich, its more glorious to be wealthy. However, beyond these two realms of material glory lies the realm of flourishing. Solomon flourished so much that silver was like common stones in his days (1st Kings 10:27). Today, may the Lord move you from glory to glory in wealth in Jesus’ Name.

Nevertheless, the spiritual aspect of glory is the ultimate. It is glorious when you become so intimate with God that before you finish praying, the answer would have already come. When you pray like Elijah did and fire falls, this is glorious (1st Kings 18:31-39). However, it’s more glorious when you live by decrees. Elijah moved from the realm of accelerated answers to prayer to the realm of living by decrees. He decreed that the first two sets of fifty soldiers that came to arrest him be consumed by fire, and it was so (Kings 1:9-12). Beyond this realm, there is yet a higher level of spiritual glory where you arrest the arrester and the arrester lives at your mercy. Elisha experienced this level of glory (2nd Kings 6:8-23). Above all, the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom is the climax of spiritual maturity that brings an individual into irreversible glory. I decree that from today, you will begin to go from one level of glory to another in every area of your life in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Luke 8:26-39, we read about the great deliverance the Lord Jesus Christ wrought in the life of the mad man of Gadara. For this mad man, although that day started like any other day of his affliction, his story changed before he went to bed that night. He went to bed in his house and not in the tombs where he used to be. I prophesy to a user of this devotional: your story will change for the better before you go to bed tonight in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ. What is that challenge confronting you or even driving you crazy? I have good news for you today: the Great Deliverer, Jesus Christ, will deliver you today. If you ask me what makes me so sure He will do it, I will tell you what He said in His word, which  I know is forever settled in heaven. In Jeremiah 32:27 He said,
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?”
Since He did it for the mad man of Gadara, and your own case is not as serious as his, be of good cheer because today you shall see the glory of the Lord. However, you need to give your life to Christ, and if you have done so, only believe His word.

Also in John 9:1, the Bible talks about a man who was born blind. Even though this man had been blind for more than 40 years, when his day of great deliverance came, Jesus saw him. This was not just an ordinary glance from some nobody; it was God directing the attention of the Maker of the whole universe to him. Jesus thereafter created two brand new eyeballs in his empty eye sockets. Have you been groping in the dark for a long time, and it seems you have no sense of direction? Are you being led by people to wherever they want you to go, regardless of your own will? Today is your day of great deliverance. The Lord will touch you before you finish reading this devotional. Peter, who witnessed the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, testified to His great power of deliverance. Here is his testimony in Acts 10:38:
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”
I can also testify of His great power of deliverance. There was a man who I think had two PhD’s and for more than 6 years could not get a job. When he was brought to the church for prayers, he looked almost like a mad man, and you could not even believe he ever went to school. He had suffered a lot! We introduced him to Jesus and he gave his life to Christ. Before he got home, people were already looking for him to offer him a job. This is the power of our Great Deliverer. Praise the Lord!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Do you know that you can attract divine favour through your attitude to work? When we diligently carry out our duties, whether secular or spiritual, as unto the Almighty God, we are bound to be divinely favoured. It is the will of God that every employee does the right thing to justify the wages he or she earns. This was the reason why the Holy Spirit moved Paul to instruct us to be diligent in our service to our employers, be they private or government institutions (Ephesians 6:5-7). We all need divine favour, not only to succeed but to succeed without stress. What can we do to attract divine favour in our chosen careers? The answer is diligence and faithfulness to the terms of our engagement with our employers. There was nothing extraordinary in what Joseph did in Potiphar’s house; the only difference between him and other slaves was the divine favour operating in his life through diligence. No wonder the wisdom of God in Proverbs 22:29 says,
“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.”

The first time I traveled overseas, it was to Canada for a conference of applied mathematicians. I knew no one there, and neither did I know what kind of food I would be eating over there. All my wife could do at home was to pray that God would take care of me. Meanwhile, someone in Canada went to see the list of mathematicians coming to their University for the conference. As he was looking through the names, he saw my name, Enoch Adeboye, and he mused to himself that he never could tell if the owner of that name was French or not. He therefore decided to locate the room where I was staying, and resolved within himself that when he got there, he would speak Yoruba and that if I responded, he would know that I am a Nigerian.. On getting to my door, he knocked and I asked “Who is that?” His response was “Emi ni” meaning “it’s me.” I therefore responded in Yoruba language that he should come in. Long story short, before the end of that day, I was eating pounded yam in Canada! My wife, who had been worried about the type of meals I would be eating, knew it was nothing but divine favour that granted me access to pounded yam in Canada. You need to understand that divine favour can come in any way or form. The danger is that more often than not, most people take some forms of divine intervention for granted especially when such intervention does not affect them the way they expect. One more lesson we should learn here is that there is nothing too small or too big to pray about, especially when it requires divine favour. May the Lord show you divine favour today in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday, we reflected on divine favour and discovered that divine favour is for those who seek it from God. Today we will be considering the blessedness of having a good spouse as a form of God’s favour. A blissful marriage is a divine gift and a mark of favour from the Almighty God. Some men and women maltreat their spouses because they fail to realise that having a wife (not just a woman) or a husband (not just a man) is God’s favour, as Proverbs 18:22 clearly shows. The truth of the matter is: a blessing you do not appreciate will depreciate in your hands as a result of abuse or misuse. It is evil to abuse the gift of God that is your spouse.

In Genesis 2:18-25, we see how God graciously provided Adam with a helper comparable to him, since none of the other existing creatures could meet his needs. The Lord knew that this helper must share the same image that Adam shared with God, and hence He created the woman. From this deed, one can understand why God frowns at sexual perversion, particularly homosexuality and bestiality. The Bible in Deuteronomy 27:21 say
“Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.”

Beloved, the Lord is calling on you today to cherish the gift He has given to you in the form of your spouse. It is an act of ingratitude for you to maltreat your spouse who is an embodiment of the Lord’s favour in your life. speaking to both parties, the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 5:21 says,
“Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
Let there be mutual submission between the two of you. Learn to say “sorry” to one another whenever you wrong each other. To the Christian husband, please love your wife (Ephesians 5:25). You have our Lord Jesus Christ as a role model to copy, being the Husband of the Church.  The same unconditional and enduring love with which Christ loves you must be extended to your wife, rebuke the ego that has been preventing you from apologising to your wife whenever you wronged her in the past. May the Lord help you in this regard in Jesus’ Name. To the Christian wife, I appeal to you not to allow that strange woman to take advantage of your pride and steal your husband from you. Please submit to your husband as the head; he did not make himself your head, God did (Ephesians 5:22). May the Lord preserve your home for you in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Esther 5:1-3 tells a bit of the story of Queen Esther, who was divinely favoured. From her experience, we can learn a few things on divine favour. For example, you will observe that she put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house before she was granted favour. Why did she put on her royal apparel? Apart from the rule that she could  not come before the king uninvited, it would also have been rude, uncomplimentary and indecent for the queen to have attempted to approach the king in her night dress or kitchen overall. Today, what used to be our mother’s underwear is what some women wear to parties, and even to their workplaces. No wonder divine favour is alien to many of them. It’s been said that you will be addressed the way you are dressed. To obtain divine favour in the sight of God, you need to be clothed in your royal apparel of righteousness which Christ gave to you when you receive salvation (Revelation 1:5-6, 19:. You will also observe that when the king saw Queen Esther, the sight of her produced divine favour, as he then held out to her the golden sceptre that was in his hand. When your time of favour comes, the first thing is that you will be identified for attention. My prayer is that the Almighty King of kings will look in your direction and identify you for His favour today in Jesus’ Name. In Genesis 18:1-5, Abraham was sitting in front of his tent, just relaxing at home, when favour located him. After his show of hospitality, the carriers of favour wiped away his tears of so many years as they declared these words to him in Genesis 18:10:
“…I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life, and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son….”
The Lord will cause His favour to produce declarations that will wipe away your tears in Jesus’ Name. Proverbs 29:26 indicates that the favour Queen Esther enjoyed was actually divine in nature. Indeed, before appearing before the king, she had first sought the Lord’s favour, and this was what later manifested itself as favour with the king. Esther 4:16 says:
“Go gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.”
I therefore encourage you to seek the Lord’s favour and stop cutting corners. Live a life that is pleasing to the One who has the heart of those who must favour you under His control, and you will not be denied your rights in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Romans 3:23
When you consider the implication of the above verse of scripture, and compare it with the way God related with Noah in Genesis 6:1-8, you will understand that Noah’s story is a classical example of the grace of God at work in someone’s life. To help you realise the enormity of God’s grace and what it can do for you, consider that at a time when the entire world was condemned to destruction by divine verdict, Noah was spared because he enjoyed divine grace. Genesis 6:7-8 says:
“And the LORD Said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”
Having understood the enormity of God’s grace, the wise at heart will earnestly seek to be blessed by it. As the grace of God spoke for Noah, I pray that it will speak for you at the point of your inadequacies in Jesus’ Name. Without God’s grace, no man can escape His judgement. This special grace of God is personified in Jesus Christ, God’s own Son (Titus 2:11). He is calling everyone today to come and partake of God’s benevolence grace in the form of the salvation He makes available for all mankind. Have you partaken of the grace of God available in Jesus Christ? If you haven’t what are you waiting for? Today is the day of salvation; remember that tomorrow may be too late (2nd Corinthians 6:2).

If you have received God’s grace in Jesus Christ, please don’t take it for granted. 2 Corinthians 6:1 implores us not to receive the grace of God in vain. Noah did not waste God’s grace upon his life. He promptly acted on God’s instructions by building the ark according to His specifications (Genesis 6:13-22). Are you living your Christian life according to divine specifications, or are you living as if your own heaven will be different from that of the early disciples? If you reject God’s grace after hearing that it is available for you, or you receive it but fail to act on it as you should and you end up missing heaven, you would have wasted this great grace. What a great waste that would be! I pray that this will not be your story in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“There is no King saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.”
Psalm 33:16
Our God is the Lord of Hosts; He specialises in using a minority who put their trust in Him to perform great feats. To someone reading this Devotional: with God alone on your side, you will overcome that battle that has besieged your life. Don’t let your heart be troubled; you are on top of that situation in the mighty Name of Jesus. In Romans 8:31, the Holy Spirit is confidently assuring us that as long as God is for us, nobody can be against us. Through His word that cannot fail, the Almighty God further assures us of victory in Isaiah 54:17, saying:
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.”
The most interesting part of this assurance is that victory is predicated on God’s righteousness and not ours. The devil, who is the accuser of the brethren, therefore has no say in this matter.

2 Kings 6:11-17 confirms the statement that says, “One with God is majority”. When Elisha’s servant saw the horses and chariots of the ungrateful king of Syria, whose general had previously been healed of leprosy, coming to attack his master, his heart melted. But the man of God in 2nd Kings 6:16 declared to him thus:
“….Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”
Wherever God is, legions of angelic hosts are present, and so when God is with you, His innumerable company of angelic hosts are also with you. This is the reason why a child of God cannot afford to either leave the presence of God or engage in things that would make God forsake him or her.  My prayer for you is that you will not do anything that would make the Lord forsake you in Jesus’ Name. The only way to make God your ally is to come to Jesus Christ with a humble heart of total submission to His will. He is inviting you today into a life of victory and rest (Matthew 11:28). Please come to Him and make Him the Lord of your life today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A role model is one who influences others to be like him or her. While there are godly role models, there are also ungodly ones who influence their followers to make choices that will lead them to the pit of hell. Today we are reflecting on godly role models, and the Lord is asking you this question: “Are you a godly role model?” Apostle Paul was so sure of himself and his position in Christ that he was bold enough to challenge those within his sphere of influence to imitate him as he himself imitated the Lord Jesus Christ (1st Corinthians 11:1)

From Philippians 3:7-14, we can learn some things about Apostle Paul which mirror the principles and life of our Lord Jesus Christ. The first of these is a lifestyle of godliness. Paul said that all he was after in life was the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. Secondly, to learn how to please God, he wanted to know more about Christ, including the power of His resurrection, what it meant to share in His sufferings and how to be like Him in death. Thirdly, he was relentless, not only in keeping himself pure but also in labouring for the harvest of lost souls. Fourthly, for the greatness of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ, he forsook all his worldly achievements and followed after Christ. This attitude mirrors the life of his Master, who left His glory in heaven to take up the image of a servant on earth. He humbled Himself so much that He even laid down His life for all mankind (Philippians 2:5-.

This lesson should challenge the Body of Christ in these end-times. I have observed that some pastors are not so mindful of where members of their congregation will end the Christian race. This is evidence in the type of sermons they preach: messages that play on human emotions and nothing more. Concerning such pastors, Apostle Paul has this to say:
“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example. (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.)”
Philippians 3:17-19
What a role model of the Christian faith we have in Apostle Paul! You will be wise to have such a godly driven personality as an influence in your life.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the tactics of the devil to bring down God’s people is to orchestrate situations that will put them under pressure, and then he attacks while they are vulnerable. He does this because he knows that operating under pressure can result in costly mistakes. In 1 Timothy 5:22, we can identify some dangers of operating under pressure. One of these is that operating under pressure can make a person an accomplice to an evil deed. For instance, in the name of charitable acts, you may be pressurised to unknowingly harbour stolen goods. As a pastor, the devil can quote scriptures to you out of context and thereby pressurise and intimidate you into officiating the marriage of a divorcee to another person, thereby causing you to partake in another man’s sin. Another danger of operating under pressure is that the scars resulting from errors committed while acting unwisely often leave indelible marks on the victim’s life.

King Saul is a classical example of someone who let himself fall into the trap of operating under pressure. As the first king of Israel, he was more concerned about the opinion of people than God’s opinion of him. Contrary to the instructions God gave him concerning the battle against the Amalekites, he spared not only the king but also the fatted cows and sheep. He took the spoils of a battle he did not actually fight. Some ministers of God have also fallen into this trap today. After they have been used by God to perform special miracles, they run after financial gratification like Gehazi did (2nd Kings 5:20-27).

Have your parents or society placed you under pressure to marry? Be very careful so that you don’t regret your actions later. I have this word for someone today: God will make everything beautiful for you in His own time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). At God’s own appointed time, that partner will emerge from the throne of grace and you will have a home comparable to heaven on earth. Is it employment that you seek and the personnel manager demands that you go out with him before you can get the job? Say NO to such advances! Don’t let the pressure of unemployment drag you into prostitution or drug trafficking. Are your parents-in-law saying you should come over to the village to offer sacrifice to ancestral spirits so that you can have your baby? You must not cave into such pressures. Let the Bible be your guide. Refuse to find any alternative to Jehovah El-Shaddai, May the word of God remain a lamp to your feet and a light to your path in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 1 Corinthians 15:33, the wisdom of God warns us that evil communication corrupts good manners. A wise person would take this divine warning seriously in order to escape the corrupting influence that associating with evil people will have on his or her good manners. Some people have allowed overconfidence to destroy their lives through careless and even deadly associations. Some young people with bright and promising futures, sent to school to prepare them for fulfilled adult lives, have been derailed through evil association with destiny destroyers like secret cults, sex-for-hire rings, partying and clubbing friends, drinking, smoking and gambling pals. Proverbs 1:10-19 warns us against the enticement of sinners. The revelation here is that sinners are capable of enticing us; we must therefore be careful not to fall prey to their enticing antics. One bait sinners use in luring good souls into their fold is the promise of material gain and comfort. In Proverbs 1:13-14, the Holy Spirit warns that sinners will say sweet words like these to entice you:
“We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:”
But it’s all a lie; the target is your soul.

There are many channels of evil communication. One avenue is through business partnership. Children of God should be careful of the type of people they partner with in business. Someone who pays his or her tithe regularly may begin to default after forming a business alliance with someone who does not believe in giving God a tenth of his or her income. Gradually, such children or God would begin to rob God, and consequently, the blessing of Abraham they claim as their portion will begin to elude them until they lose it all. Another channel of evil communication is marriage. In Deuteronomy 7:3-4, the Lord gave the children of Israel this injunction on marriage with those who did not share their faith.
“Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.”
This principle also applies to the Body of Christ today. Those who disobey this injunction never have a good story to tell down the line (1st Kings 11:4). I pray that you will not be a victim of evil communication in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To conclude our reflection on the fruit of the Spirit, we shall today be considering temperance. To be temperate is to have self-control. Temperance enables you to remain cool, calm and collected in the midst of dire situations. Through the manifestations of temperance, you will save yourself the pain of hasty and rash pronouncements that you will later regret. Temperance will restrain you from overreacting in situations that could make you lose your integrity. It takes the restraint of Holy Spirit to turn the other cheek to those who despitefully use you (Luke 6:29). To better understand temperance, just picture Stephen in excruciating pain and about to die, praying for God’s mercy on those who stoned him to death. This is the hallmark of a life full of the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:55). The Lord Jesus Christ also manifested this same nature on the cross of Calvary (Luke 23:34). When He was arrested and tried, it was temperance that enabled Him to restrain Himself from putting up a defence. There would have been no redemption if Jesus Christ had defended Himself. Matthew 27:13-14 says,
“Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.”
I reckon that in the course of His trial, the Holy Spirit could have continually brought to His remembrance what was written concerning Him in Isaiah 53:7-8. When you cultivate a relationship with the Holy Spirit, whenever you are faced with a situation of conflict, in order to restrain you, the Holy Spirit will remind you of who you are and where you are going . He will also put words in your mouth if there is a need for you to respond. This is how His nature of temperance is manifested in our character.

As we conclude our study on the fruit of the Spirit, you need to be reminded that walking in the Spirit is the process that brings about the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit in us. The Holy Spirit is a Person and not a force, and so He will not compel you to fellowship with Him, even though He resides inside of you. You need to yield yourself to Him and cultivate His friendship for His fruit to manifest in your life. Here is the key to walking in the Spirit, from Amos 3:3:
Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
Your life needs to be in agreement with His principles for you to walk with Him. He is the Promise of the Father, and He is willing to abide with you if you will make your life habitable for Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

I trust God that over the past few days of our study on the fruit of the Spirit, your relationship with the Holy Spirit has been revolutionized. Yesterday, we reflected on gentleness and goodness, and today by God’s grace we will reflect on faith and meekness. What is faith? In simple terms, faith is taking God at His word and accepting His verdict in all situations. Let’s consider what the Holy Spirit has to say about faith in Hebrews 11:6:
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
This statement makes faith a fundamental virtue of the Christian life. Our God operates in the realm of the spirit, and so when He speaks, His words come across as foolishness to the natural man (1st Corinthians 2:14). How do you believe something that appears foolish? How can a natural man believe in what the senses cannot comprehend? Well, glory be to God, our Lord knows our frame and understands the limitations of the natural body we inhabit (Psalm 103:13-14). It is for this reason that He sent the Holy Spirit to live with us. Thereby empowering us to rise above our limitations (Romans 8:11, 26). It takes walking with the Holy Spirit to rise above the senses and operate in the realm of faith. Faith is the nature of the Holy Spirit, and so those who cultivate a relationship with Him are enrolled in the school of faith where their faith is developed to the level where they effortlessly manifest the character of faith (John 14:26). Faith in God opens the doors of possibilities beyond the wildest imagination.

What is meekness? When someone has the power to retaliate a wrong done against him or her but decides to let go in the spirit of forgiveness: that is meekness. A commander-in-chief who is insulted and laughs it off with the sincerity it takes to forgive and forget can be said to be meek. This character trait is necessary for peace to reign in the Body of Christ and for her to be one. If Christians manifest this nature and engage in governance, the world would be at peace. The meekness of our Lord Jesus Christ is perfectly described as a signpost for us in Isaiah 53:7:
“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”
May the Lord make you an embodiment of faith and meekness in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In continuation of our reflection on the fruit of the Spirit, we will be considering the following dimensions of the Holy Spirit’s character: gentleness and goodness. Gentleness is a nature that maintains the appropriate comportment in the face of provocative events. Only the Holy Spirit can help a mortal being behave correctly or appropriately in the face of an event that seems to threaten his or her peace, or which stands in his or her way to actualizing a desired goal. In Luke 22:47-53, we see the Lord Jesus Christ manifesting this character in the Garden of Gethsemane, in spite of Judas’ betrayal, the sorrow of bearing the burden of sin and the degrading treatment meted out to Him, He still healed the ear of Malchus, servant of the high priest, which Peter had chopped off in His defence. The gravity of the character exhibited here by the Lord becomes more sobering when we realise that He could have asked for more than twelve legions of angels to fight for Him and they would have been granted Him, but He chose not to do this in order to achieve His goal of finishing the work of salvation for mankind (Matthew 26:53-54). Beloved, we need to manifest the nature of gentleness if we will not take laws into our hands. Romans 12:19 says:
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
The Lord will always fight our battles for us, if only we allow Him do it in His own way.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you”
Matthew 5:44
How can a man obey these words? How can a person do good to those who hate him or her? The Lord Himself showed us the possibility of obeying this difficult injunction by doing good to those who out of hatred came to arrest and crucify Him. How was He able to do it? Acts 10:38 answers this question; it reveals that the Lord Jesus Christ went about doing good because He had a relationship with the Holy Spirit, and only by cultivating a relationship with Him can we manifest this character. If we don’t do good to others, our faith is useless and without meaning (James 2:14-26). I encourage you therefore to be a doer of good deeds, because by this your soul-winning efforts will be effective.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Yesterday we established that the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit in the life of a person is the result of cultivating a relationship with the Holy Spirit, a process which the Bible refers to as walking in the Spirit. We also started taking a closer look at the individual character traits that emanate from such a relationship. Together, these character traits form the totality of the character of the Holy Spirit. Today, we will consider the dimensions of this character that enables the Holy Spirit reach out to us as the Comforter: Joy; Peace and Longsuffering.

Joy is a nature of gladness in the spirit that is not imparted by external circumstances. How does a person manifest joy in the midst of sorrow and calamity? A person who walks in the Spirit is able to manifest joy because he or she is privy to heaven’s information and is therefore able to see the bigger picture of what God is doing in every situation. Due to his or her relationship with the Holy Spirit, such a person receives secret information from heaven on the true state of things (John 16:13). This was why Paul, even as a prisoner about to be shipwrecked was able to eat, drink and give thanks in the middle of a storm! The Holy Spirit had already revealed to him what was going to happen, and so he was full of good cheer, unmoved by the external circumstances around him. I pray that from today, you will be filled with joy in the Holy Ghost in Jesus’ Name. Similar to joy, peace is a nature of calmness that reflects a freedom from strife within. To understand peace, just watch a little child sleep. The Lord Jesus Christ manifested this nature when He was able to sleep in the midst of a raging storm. When He was awoken by the disciples, He was able to extend the nature of peace within Him to the stormy environment around Him (Mark 4:37-39). This is what He expects of us also (John 14:27). You can only manifest the peace of God when you are at peace with the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. You cannot be at peace with the Holy Spirit  if you are involved in anything that is contrary to His nature. If you confess that you are saved, yet you are not at peace, examine your ways and motives; there might be something contrary to the nature of the Holy Spirit hiding somewhere. Longsuffering is a nature built on the hope of a greater glory that lies ahead after enduring sufferings. How does a man hold on to His faith in the midst of adversity? When the Holy Spirit reveals to you the glory that is reserved for you after overcoming hardship, you will manifest a longsuffering nature. This nature continually propelled Paul in the face of adversities (Romans 8:18, 2nd Corinthians 11:23-27). How we need the Spirit in these perilous times!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Over the next few days, we shall be taking a closer look at the important subject of the fruit of the Spirit. Our Bible text spells out the fruit of the Spirit as these; love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. In considering this important subject matter, the keywords to take hold of are “Fruit” and “Spirit”. From these keywords, we understand that the fruit of the Spirit have their origin in the Person of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, a person who has no relationship with the Holy Spirit cannot exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, no matter how hard he or she tries. The good news is, if you have given your life to Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells inside you. This truth is established in Romans 8:9b which says:
“Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his.”
However, for you to manifest the fruit of the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of you, you need to cultivate a relationship with the Holy Spirit by walking side by side with Him every day. This is the reason why, after outlining the fruit of the Spirit, Paul in Galatians 5:6
wrote,
“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? It means interacting with the Holy Spirit like a friend that you can see. It means asking Him what His opinion is before making any move, and yielding to His directions even when they are contrary to yours. It means listening to His voice before wearing that outfit, taking that job or picking that spouse. It means speaking what He suggests to you as the appropriate thing to say to that person. It means keeping quite when He instructs you to shut your mouth. It means giving out what gift that He nudges you to bless that fellow with. It means yielding to His voice when He reminds you to forgive that person who wronged you. When you cultivate such a relationship, the fruit of the Spirit will no longer be a checklist of character traits to be worked on. It will become your nature, effortlessly flowing from within you.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the character traits that emanate from walking with the Holy Spirit. Today, we will begin with love. Without the manifestation of love, our confession of faith becomes hypocritical (1st John 3:16-18). To love can be tough and difficult sometimes, and this is why we need to daily ask the Holy Spirit to pour out His love into our hearts (Romans 5:5). We need to demonstrate the God kind of love for the world to know that we are Christ’s disciples indeed. This will motivates them to join us as we journey to heaven with joy unspeakable, full of glory.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The power of choice is a great gift that God has given to every man. This gift is however a double-edged sword which can either make or mar a man’s destiny. You therefore have an obligation to be cautious while exercising its power. Wrong choices can lead to agony and end in eternal perdition, while right choices can bring joy and peace, and end in eternal bliss. Remarkably, even God’s directives are more often than not subject to human choices. When God gives a directive for our own good, we can either act on it or choose to ignore it. Those who ignore God's directives never have a good story to tell when the consequences of their choices begin to manifest. In Genesis 19:12-26 the Lord issued a command that Lot and his family should escape for their lives. The Bible says that when the angels of the Lord observed that Lot and his family were lingering, reluctant to leave Sodom because all their life investments were there, they took hold of their hands, dragged them outside the city and commanded them to escape for their lives by fleeing to the mountains. Yet, contrary to the directives of the angels that they should not look back, Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). She chose to neglect the warning that provided a way of escape from the judgement of God. Just like Lot’s wife, many people in the world today have chosen to neglect the call to free salvation that Jesus Christ procured for us with His life. To such people, the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 17:32 says:
“Remember Lot’s wife.”

God will never force His salvation on any man. Salvation is a free choice for those who want to escape the judgement of God that will surely come on the whole world (John 3:16-18). Apart from God’s judgement, there are many other unpleasant things we ought to make a choice to escape from. Poverty is one of such things. The Bible shows us the way out of poverty in Malachi 3:10. Sickness is another. The Lord told the children of Israel that if they would hearken diligently to His voice, He would keep sickness away from them (Exodus 15:26). Beloved, the Lord has made provision for all things that pertain to life and godliness, and He has made them accessible to you; you however need to choose to escape from the corruption that exists in this world, before you can have access to His provision (2nd Peter 1:3-4). Choose to escape today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

If you possess anything of great value, you must be ready to protect and defend it against the onslaught of thieves who would want to take it away from you at all cost. Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a precious commodity which the devil and his agents desire to steal away from us (2nd Peter 1:1). In 1st Peter 1:7, The Holy Spirit describes our faith as being much more precious than gold:
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ”
It is therefore not surprising that the kingdom of darkness will continue to attack our faith until we finish our course in this world. For this reason, you must be ready to continually fight to preserve, nurture and grow your faith. You must be ready to prevent all manner of assailants from stealing, killing and destroying it (John 10:10). This is what the good fight of faith is all about. Those who have gone ahead of us also had to contend for their faith in order to get a good report (Hebrews 11:2). You also must be ready to do all that is necessary to hold on to your faith and ensure that it is not shipwrecked (1st Timothy 1:19). Your ultimate goal should be that when it’s all been said and done, you will be able to declare like Paul in 2nd Timothy 4:7 that
“ I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”

Contending for the faith means defending the interest of God’s kingdom when the enemies of the Cross are on the loose. It means speaking up for the Lord Jesus Christ and speaking out against those that would oppose His person or principles. A classical example of contending for the faith is found in the encounter of Paul and Elymas the sorcerer in Acts 13:6-12. This sorcerer was trying to dissuade a potential convert from accepting the faith. Paul therefore rebuked him and placed him under God’s judgement. The result of this fight is glaring in Acts 13:12:
"Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.”
Beloved, the precious faith which you have obtained is worth defending, if you are determined that the devil will not wrest it away from you. Therefore, watch and pray, and be ready always to give an answer to every man who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear (1st Peter 3:15).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When Peter left the object of his first breakthrough in life – the big catch of fishes – to follow after a nomadic teacher, it was a sacrificial decision. However, that singular decision brought purpose and meaning to his life. I often credit Peter as one of the most popular men who ever lived, because in every continent of the world you will find at least one edifice or another named after him. How did he achieve this? He chose to live a life that was profitable to His Maker, even though it required a lot of sacrifice in the beginning. In like manner, it took a lot of sacrifice for Apostle Paul to abandon his doctorial title in law for the sake of evangelism the Way which he once opposed so vehemently.

A life that is profitable to God begins with the second birth. A fellow who gives his or her life to Christ is saying, “The marvellous grace of God, which Jesus Christ paid such a high price for, will not go to waste over me.” If you haven’t given your life to Christ, you need to start a profitable life today by surrendering your life to Him. Peter did this at the Lake of Gennesaret, in Luke 5:8
“When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ Knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Paul also did the same thing on the road to Damascus (Act 9:3-6). Beloved, God is also calling out to you. These are His words to you today:
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”
Acts 3:19
However, if you are born again, you need to know that a life of sacrifice is what is expected of a disciple of Jesus Christ. The Lord expects you to be ready to give your all, and if required, lay down your life for the sake of the gospel. Here is His promise to those who do this:
“…. Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.”
Mark 10:29-30
May the Lord help your decision in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Since Satan was cast out of heaven, he has been waging war against everything that represents God and godliness on the earth (Matthew 16:23, 2nd Timothy 3:12). Satan was cast out because he decided to rebel against the Almighty (Isaiah 14:12-15). His current game plan is to deceive as many people as possible into rebellion against God, so that they will also join him in the Lake of fire, which is the eternal place of punishment prepared for him and his cohorts (Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10). To destroy the works of the devil on earth and to manifest the plan of God for mankind, God has chosen to raise an army to Himself among men. If you have surrendered your life to Christ, you are part of this army. As a soldier in God’s army, in Jeremiah 51:20, God declares these words to you:
“Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;”
The nations and kingdoms in this declaration are not just physical, they are spiritual. The Holy Spirit made this clear to us in Ephesians 6:12, and He also teaches us that the weapons with which we wage war in God’s army are not physical weapons (2nd Corinthians 10:4-5)

As a soldier in God’s army, you need to take a cue from David in 1 Samuel 17:32-37. He presented himself as God’s battle-axe and he was mightily used of God to bring into captivity every thought and arrogance presented by Goliath. It is interesting to note that even Goliath, as huge as he was and as sophisticated as his weapons were, did not rely on his physical ability or weapons alone. 1st Samuel 17:43b says
“And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.”
As God’s foot-soldier, you need to know your God through and through, because only those who know their God can perform valiantly at the battlefront (Daniel 11:32). Because David knew his God, even without a sword in his hand, he boldly replied Goliath with those words of faith in 1st Samuel 17:45-46:
“…. I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defiled. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and  I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee….”
Are you presently fighting a battle in your life? This should serve as a template for you. Turn to God for victory, and you shall be victorious through the Name, and Blood of Jesus Christ (Luke 10:17. Philippians 2:10, Revelation 2:11).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

It is a statement of fact that the world is changing, and people are being changed by its evil whims and caprices. Irrespective of this fact, one truth that people, particularly children of God, must not allow to slip out of their minds is that although the world is changing, God does not change along with it (Malachi 3:6). His nature and standards are forever the same. Be aware that He will not judge you by what is acceptable in your world but by the standard He has set in His word (2nd Timothy 2:19). The Lord knew that the world would come to its present evil state, and so He forewarned us of the signs that will herald His coming judgement on this world. One of the signs that will herald His coming judgement on this world. One of the signs He gave to us is that in the last days, men and woman will lack natural affection (2nd Timothy 3:2-3). In other words, natural feelings, relationships and expression of love would no longer appeal to them. The lack of natural affection is a state of mind caused by the expunging of God from their so-called knowledge (Romans 1:28). Anyone who knows God as a consuming fire will dare not challenge Him to ideological arguments on morals. God dictates what He regards as moral or not. However, what do we see today? The philosophy of relativism argues that it is how you feel about yourself that matters; if as a man you feel you are a woman or if as a woman you feel you are a man, so be it! This is the reason why a man and a man would want to do what naturally a man should only do in a sexual relationship with a woman. Some women also prefer to engage in sexual perversions with other women. Such people choose to ignore the divine order set by God in the beginning. Genesis 1:27 tells us what this divine order is:
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
This Bible verse is at variance with the idea of homosexuality or being transgender. There is a distinction between male and female in the divine order. It is therefore rebellious and evil when a person, due to lust, is dragged out of his or her natural affection to abnormal instincts that pervert the original plan of God for his or her life. This exactly was what doomed Sodom and Gomorrah, and it must be avoided today. Beloved, do you have a feeling that there is a mix-up in your being, such that you want to change your natural or original makeup into another form? You need Jesus Christ urgently for restoration. You need the prayer of deliverance to restore you to your God-given personality. Do not be deceived: the world and everything in it are not the result of an arbitrary “big bang”. Everything was perfectly and methodically put in place by God. You are not a mistake; to think other wise is the age-old deceit of the devil. Come to Jesus Christ today and be free.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The Lord revealed Himself to us as the God of abundance by declaring these profound words about Himself in Psalm 50:9-10:
“I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.”
Having experienced the reality of this truth, Apostle Paul, in Philippians 4:19, penned those words to bear witness to the Lord’s capacity as the God of abundance:
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Through this scripture, the Holy Spirit also reveals to us that Jesus Christ is the channel through whom the abundance of God is made accessible. Why is this so? For you to understand the reason why, you need to know that Jesus Christ is the Living Word through whom all things were created. Hebrews 1:2 says this concerning Him:
“Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;”
This means that the earth and the fullness of it are His handwork – the handwork of the Word who became flesh (John 1:1-14). We can therefore get nothing in this world except through the Owner of it all. The story in Luke 5:1-7 demonstrates that this material world is indeed at the disposal of the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter had toiled all night long, but he caught nothing in his fishing net. However, when the God of abundance released His word, there was a great catch.

Beloved, what are those needs that have been bothering your mind? Tell it to Jesus today. He is the God of abundance, and He is capable of meeting you at the points of your need. When He came into this world, He decided to become poor in your place so that His riches may come to you. The Bible, in 2nd Corinthians 8:9, says,
“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
The only situation that can prevent you from benefiting from the self-imposed poverty of the Lord Jesus Christ is your refusal to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, and your refusal to walk by His principles. I pray for you today that the abundance riches of God in Christ Jesus will be your portion in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

“Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?”
Isaiah 45:9
Whenever I read the words of this scripture above, I tremble. It is quite astonishing to see mere mortals “flexing muscles” with the One who made them. You can be a ‘dare-devil’, but you better not dare the Almighty God; the end result will always be catastrophic for you. Daniel 3:14-30 narrates a classical example of someone who dared to challenge his Maker: King Nebuchadnezzar. When Nebuchadnezzar commanded all to bow before the golden image he had set up, the Hebrew boys refused to bow, daring the devil in King Nebuchadnezzar. In response, Nebuchadnezzar dared the God of heaven and threw His Children into a fiery furnace in defiance of God’s supremacy. However, the God of those Hebrew boys, who is also the God of all flesh, showed up in the furnace and rescued His children. It is unfortunate that those who, by the order of the king, threw them into the fiery furnace were all burnt to ashes. I decree that as it happened to those who threw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the fiery furnace, so shall it be to all the enemies of God in your life in Jesus’ Name. Although Nebuchadnezzar temporarily repented of his folly after witnessing the awesome power of God, he still got a taste of God’s punishment down the line: he was turned into a beast for a season (Daniel 4:28-37)! May those who are challenging the Almighty God in your life be like Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, Herod and all those who dared the King of glory throughout history.

How can a mere mortal possibly challenge the Almighty God? It seems ridiculous, but amazingly, this happens on a daily basis in the world that we live in today. We see nations making laws against the natural order set by God, judges redefining marriage contrary to what the Almighty God Himself instituted, and people calling to question the very existence of God. Such attitudes are not new. This defiant trend has persisted throughout all of history, but the sponsors of such assaults on the Divine have always paid dearly for their actions. Are you daring God in any way? I hope your answer is no. Please, never you dare the Almighty God, not even through subtle disobedience. May the Lord cause you to be wise enough never to dare Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Starting a journey to a great destination is such a nice experience, but it is of no use if the journey does not end at the expected destination. It is of utmost importance not just to finish a journey but to finish it well. It is not a trivial thing that of the about six hundred thousand adults who left the land of Egypt among the Israelites, only two of them got to the Promised Land (Exodus 12:37, Numbers 32:11-12). This should serve as an example and a warning to every child of God running the Christian race in these end-times (1st Corinthians 10:11). Ezekiel 33:18 should be food for thought for every child of God who plans to meet the Lord at the last trump (1st Corinthians 15:52). The ultimate goal of the Christian journey for every true child of God is to be transformed and meet the Lord in the air when the trumpet sounds (1st Thessalonians 4:17). I pray that you will not miss this great congregation of the saints in Jesus’ Name. There is however another destination, a place of eternal perdition, awaiting the devil, his demonic cohorts and all those who follow him to do evil among men. Matthew 25:41 says,
“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:”
Beloved, I pray that your portion will not be with the devil in Jesus’ Name.

What should be done to finish well in times as these? The Lord provides the answer in Mark 13:35-37:
“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.”
What must we watch? We must watch what goes into our heart and what comes out of it. We must watch what we feed our eyes and ears on. We must watch our speech, our mode of dressing, what we eat and drink, and the kind of company we keep. A Nigerian proverb says “The sheep that keeps company with dogs will soon develop an appetite for bones.” If you will end your journey well, you must be steadfast in goodliness. I pray that you will finish well and not fall by the wayside in Jesus’ Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.