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The word 'delicacy' is commonly used to describe a food item that is considered highly desirable and usually scarce and expensive. Delicacies often have unusual characteristics, flavours and tastes, thereby attracting the interest of the high and mighty in the society. Meanwhile, the devil uses a delicacy as a potent weapon to bring down his human targets, and it has proven an effective weapon over the years. He successfully used it against Adam and Eve, Esau, etc. However, Godly people like Daniel know that delicacies have the potential to defile a child of God, especially when offered as bait from the devil. I pray that you will never fall for any attractive proposition of the devil in Jesus' name.
"The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes."
Psalms 19:8

When oil is pure, it makes the lamp burn brightly. When a candle light burns, and it comes across something impure, it suddenly goes dim, or off. If you do not want to dim or quench the Spirit of God in you, keep off every form of defilement. Evil thoughts will hinder the free move of God in your life. Acts of disobedience, self-will and insubordination to authority are capable of putting out the fire of the Spirit in you.

Christians are the brides of Christ, therefore, God expects us to maintain our purity. Psalms 119:1 says:
"Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD."

The undefiled resists temptation and is without sin like Jesus was (Hebrews 4:15). If you want to remain undefiled, you must watch against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). To be undefiled, you must remain in God's way, keeping His commandments. God's Word and instructions must be the laws governing your life. Are you undefiled? How pure are you? No matter how pure or undefiled you may be; there is room to press forward for a greater, higher and closer walk with God. Are you ready to pant after more of God in your life?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Demons are fallen angels that were driven out of heaven because of their rebellious acts. The Bible presents demons as the authentic source of every manner of immorality in this world. Also, demons are the foot soldiers that the devil uses to steal, kill, devour and wreck all manner of evil against humanity. I pray that you will not become an easy prey to the devil and his demons in the Name of Jesus.

However, demons were subject to the authority of Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry and subsequently in the ministry of the Church. Demons and idols bow in the Presence of our God. If you study how demons related with Jesus Christ and His disciples in the Bible, you will observe that they recognized God's Presence in Jesus Christ and His disciples, and they surrendered without argument. I have always told my spiritual children that if we have enough of His Presence in us, demons will flee when they sight us, how much more when we command them to go out. In Mark 5:1-6, when Jesus stepped on the shores of the Gadarenes, a very notorious, heavily demon-possessed mad man immediately reported to Him even before He said a word. It is very easy to cast out demons when your life is full of God's glory. When Jesus came to earth, He brought with Him the glory and dominion of Heaven. Consequently, if demons see that same glory of God in you, they will have no choice but to submit to the King of Glory whose Presence you carry.

Until you carry a higher level of His Presence in your life, you may not realize the activities of demons in your environment. Believe it or not, they are everywhere, performing their negative assignments. But as God increases His Presence in your life, there will be commotions, because demons recognize the Presence of God and they won't be at rest. Even in the church, while God's anointed Word is being taught in power, demons will not be able to withstand that power. One day, Paul and his co-labourers in God's vineyard were on their way to a prayer meeting when the spirit of divination in a young lady became restless because of God's Presence. If only you carry a higher level of His Presence, the demons around you will manifest from wherever they are hiding. Ask God for more of His presence upon you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Bible records show that God is not passive about His creation; He is dynamically involved in everything that happens in the universe. His interest and involvement can be seen in the history of Israel and in the ministry of Jesus Christ. In the present age, God's activities and operations can be seen in the lives of believers and the Church. The Bible projected this in Colossians 1:16;
"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:"

Revelation 4:11 further states that all things were created for God's pleasure. In Moses' story, God divinely chose the burning bush, after looking through all the available bushes around, He found pleasure in the particular one and decided to use it, just as He decided to locate the Redemption Camp on its present site. If I had been given the privilege to determine the location of our camp ground, it would never have been in its present location. I would have preferred a location much closer to Lagos. For those believers who obtained their spouses from God, if asked to make that choice personally, they most likely would have chosen someone else and would have missed God's divine direction. Has the Lord chosen for you on any matter? Appreciate Him for His choice and go with that choice.

God is very much in the business of directing human affairs, and your choice in any matter can never produce a better result than His. God's choice may not look like the best when human reasoning is applied. Whenever God chooses somebody for an assignment, it does not necessarily mean the fellow is the most qualified. In fact, usually, God chooses the least qualified so that flesh will not rob Him of His glory. However, when it pleases God to choose someone for a purpose, several activities begin to follow in quick succession, just as the choice of the burning bush culminated in the death of many Egyptians and the release of the children of Israel from slavery. Because the Lord has chosen you to be an heir to His heritage, He will cause all things to work in your favour to the fulfillment of your destiny in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Alienation or banishment is a form of punishment in which a guilty person is expelled from a region and forbidden to return. Alienation is commonly used by God in the Bible to cut off sinners from His presence. A good example is the banishment of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden as a result of their disobedience to God. I pray that you will never do anything that will cause God to cut you off from His Presence in Jesus' name. Isaiah 59:1-2 says:
"Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, And your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear."

Christians today are daily challenging God by constantly indulging in acts that are clearly recorded as reasons for alienation in the Bible. For example, some people intentionally dress scantily on the street. Can you imagine somebody purchasing a nice pair of trousers, and deliberately using a blade to rip it to shreds before certifying it 'fit' to wear? If you cannot clearly spell out what passes as decent Christian dressing for yourself and your household, then you are the one to be held responsible for the loose behaviour and excesses of your family members. This is tantamount to an open invitation to alienation or banishment from the Presence of God, which explains why some Christians suffer unexplained attacks from the devil. The Presence of God departs from such Christians, making them an easy target in the hands of the devil and his agents. May the Lord deliver every child of God in this category today in the Name of Jesus.

Indeed, the Lord's Hands are not shortened, neither are His ears heavy that He cannot hear our cry for help. Sin is always responsible for alienation from God. In what way has your weakness, carelessness, and nonchalant attitude contributed to sin and immorality in your family or the Church of God? Repent and make amends today before it is too late.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The story of the woman caught in the act of adultery is typical of the mercy of God and it was in direct contradiction with the judgment of the old era which did not give remedy to the spiritual problem of the people.
Psalms 130:3-4 says:
"If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared."

This passage is a pointer to the fact that mercy is the preferred alternative to judgment. No matter how perfect you may think you are, you do not need to be asked whether you want to give consideration to judgment when there is room for mercy. However, mercy does not come on a platter of gold. The number one thing you must do to obtain mercy is to repent. Proverbs 28:13 says:
"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."

Another factor that can earn you mercy in the place of judgment is your love for God. This love you have for God will prevent you from continuing in sin against Him. Exodus 20:5-6 says:
"....for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto them third and fourth generation of they that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments."

Our Lord Jesus Christ corroborates what His Father says in the scripture above when He demands love and practical demonstration of it from his followers. He said in John 14:21:
"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."

Beloved, if indeed, you prefer mercy to judgment, you will choose to love God. To love God requires keeping His commandments. Finally, if you want mercy in the place of judgment, you need to humble yourself before God, acknowledging the fact that you are nothing without Him.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are different ways by which God can send His word to His people. The Word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah telling him to fear not the faces of the people He was sending him to because the message He had given him would not be a pleasant message for them. Same was the account of Jonah when he was given a message to the people of Nineveh. The message of God to His children is always in various forms. It contains doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). It is always difficult for man to be confronted with his errors and wicked ways, and this was the assignment that God gave Prophet Jeremiah. How I wish there are many prophet Jeremiahs in our land, there would be more revival in our land. Prophets like Jeremiah who will call a spade a spade and not water down the Word of God because of the faces of the people. You cannot entangle yourself with the affairs of this world and still deliver the message of God without bias. There are many men of God who are afraid of the people God is sending them to. The God we serve has not given us the spirit of fear but of boldness and soundness of mind.
You have to be fearless in preaching the Word of God. You must be instant in season and out of season. We live in a time when people do not want to listen to the absolute truth of God's Word. People are very selective about the kind of messages they listen to. Do you receive the Word with gladness each time the Word points you to the cross? 2 Timothy 4:3 says:
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;"

God wanted Jeremiah to warn the people about the punishment to come if they would not repent from their ways of wickedness. God told Jeremiah to inform those who were proud and wicked, that the rod of affliction was coming on them. The essence of this message to the people was for them to purge themselves from unrighteousness. Each time the Word of God comes to you, it is an opportunity to amend your ways before it is too late. God wants you to be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for His use so that you can be prepared for every good work.
Whatever assignment God has given to you, do not be afraid. You will meet with many oppositions and enemies but you can be sure God is by your side. They may look big, but they are not bigger than the One who has sent you. God will always deliver you out of the hand of persecutors. He will not only stand by you as you deliver the Word, He will deliver you from every trouble in the course of the assignment. When God sends you a message, He also backs you with His power. They may not like your face, but you can be sure that once you have declared the counsel of God to them, at the point of judgement; you will not be responsible for their blood.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Faithfulness is another obligation that God requires of us as human beings and particularly as His children. God is faithful and He wants us to resemble Him with this attribute of faithfulness. In Luke 16:1-8, we read about a steward who was found unfaithful and the master was about to sack him, this unfaithful servant then went about from one debtor to another to falsify records in order to please his master. The efforts this steward put up to regain his master's approval did nothing for the expansion of his master's business, but the master still commended him. If the unfaithful servant could go to the extent he went in order to remain in service, why can't the children of light go a greater extent to please our Father in heaven? The conclusion of Luke 16:1-8 says:
"And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely; for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light."

Another lesson we can learn from this story is that your upward movement to the next level is predicted upon how well you perform in your present level of operation. Luke 16:11-12 says:
"If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteousness mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?"

Beloved, the Lord is interested in promoting you. As a matter of fact, your promotion is long overdue. I am happy to announce to you that this is your time, however, what are you doing with your present level or position? Are you productive or you are hoarding your ideas so that you can have something to use when you come to a leadership position? You are just destroying and delaying your progress if this is your attitude. To be faithful simply means to be full of faith. Do you have faith in the organisation you are working with? You will not be at your best if you don't have faith in that organisation you work with?
Proverbs 22:29 says:
"Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings he shall not stand before mean men."

Daniel was a typical faithful steward. This is how he survived four generations of rulers - Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, Cyrus and Belshazzar. The faithfulness of Mordecai saved the entire Jewish race during the reign of Ahaseurus. My prayer is that you will be highly favoured by the virtue of your faithfulness in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When it comes to giving, the truth of the matter is that what you give may leave your hand but it never leaves your life. It is to our own advantage to meet the needs of others around us. When you meet the needs of the Almighty God, He will in turn meet your needs. The truth is that God is the only one who doesn't have a need. Whenever He tells you He has a need, it is only a strategy by Him to set you up for a miracle. Every child of God should have a liberal heart. You must be very generous in giving as you have been blessed by the Almighty God. When you sow into the lives of others, your soul shall be made fat with pleasure from God and will also be enriched with more grace. It is those who give more that receive more from God. In 1 Kings 17:8-16, God asked the widow to feed the prophet before taking care of herself. At the end of the day, what was not enough became more than enough. To what extent do you practice giving as an individual, family, church or nation?

Those who never give will continue to beg. If you desire to relocate from the side of begging to the side of giving, you have to become liberal. Everyone who would be a partner of Jesus Christ must learn to be a giver. There is nothing you give to God that the Almighty God will not reward you with much more. One thing the Lord makes very clear is that the harvest will always exceed the seed that was harvested. Harvests do not just come, they are planned for. You have to load the sky before it brings forth rain. There are people who are always waiting for the blessing of God when they have not done anything for God. You sow nothing, you reap nothing. Hence, famine is guaranteed for those who fail to sow.

You must never be tired of giving because the reward for your giving will never miss you. Solomon was a typical example of someone who was an ardent giver. No wonder God prospered him. God gave him more than he ever demanded. Some people believe that since they don't earn much, it is not appropriate to sow; unfortunately, this is why such people remain low income earners. The widow of Zarephat had only one seed, yet she was wise enough to know the appropriate soil to sow the seed. Whenever you have the opportunity to sow, don't just sow, you have to combine knowledge with the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit so that your seed will not be sown where it cannot be harvested.

There are rewards for the art of giving. The one who gives freely will be taken care of by God. The one who finds it difficult to give will also find it difficult to receive.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the illustrations of the Trinity says; God is the Father in Majesty, Jesus is the son in Suffering while the Holy Spirit is the Spirit in Striving. Jesus is the Word of God that became flesh among men. He is the one that the Father appointed over all the things He created. In time past, there were different ways that God used to reveal Himself to humanity. He spoke through dreams, or through supernatural happenings. In the present age, the Father communicates to us through His son Jesus Christ. Everyone that seeks for the Father will find Him only through the Son. Jesus is the only way through which men can be saved. Everything that God has can be inherited only through the Son. There is no way we can deeply understand the character and nature of God if not revealed through the Son. Through the Son, we know how powerful the Father is. Through the Son, we know how more than enough the Father is. Through the Son, we understand how loving and faithful the Father is. The Glory of the Father is radiated to the world through the Son. It is through the omnipotent Word that the universe is being held together. It is through the atoning work of Jesus on the Cross that our sins are purged away.

We have stories of people in the Bible who refused to acknowledge the supremacy of God in their lives. They refused to retain God in their hearts even though they daily enjoyed His works. Because they refused to put God in their hearts, they suffered a lot in the hands of their enemies. They were warned from time to time by prophets of God until they were condemned to captivity. This will never be your portion in Jesus' name. This is why you must make up your mind for Jesus.

There are people who do not want to hear anything about Jesus. Such people in the times of trouble will have nowhere to hide. If you don't honour His Word in your life, He will never bring you to the place of honour. The moment someone refuses to open up his or her heart to Jesus, the devil will take over such a life. The children of Israel refused to hearken to the will of God and the Lord chastised them by allowing their enemies to take them to captivity. When you allow the Word of God in your life, it will transform you into the image of God.
2 Timothy 3:16 says:
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."

One of the ways to harden ones heart is to refuse to accept and obey the will of God, when one's emotions and intellect isn't under the control of the Almighty God. Those who do not accept the Word of God in their lives will always provoke God to rise in judgement against them. If the judgement of God comes upon an individual, he may be left to wander in the wilderness of life. Accepting Jesus is accepting the Word of God into your life. It is finding rest for your soul.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God is love; He dwells in love; He acts in love; He judges in love. Everything around God is love. In John 15:7-13, we are confronted with God's kind of love demonstrated through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ affirms the quality of God's kind of love that He represents when he said:
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends"
John 15:13

Now, as beneficiaries of this great love, we are obliged to show this kind of love to our Maker and more importantly to our neighbours.

It is wisdom for us to love the One who loves us at least for two reasons. One; when we love someone that loves us, he keeps on loving us the more. Secondly, the love that is not reciprocated will grow sour. Even God stops loving those who do not return His love. Proverbs 8:17 says:
"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."

How can we love a God that we do not see? We can, by loving our neighbours, Matthew 25:35, 37, 40 says:
"For I was hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink. I was a stranger, and ye took me in... Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

John the beloved apostle went further to teach us how to love our God in practical terms 1 John 4:19-21:
"If a man say, I love God and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"

May the good Lord give us the grace to show our love to Him through our neighbours.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Deliverance constitutes a serious challenge in many Christian circles. In my personal experience, I have discovered that demons bow out easily wherever there is the manifest presence of the Lord. Wherever God is, there is an aura that is unmistakably evident; that aura is the Glory of His presence. For most people who have had a definite experience with God, it is only the glory of God that they could access. Only very few like Moses could go a little further.

The truth remains that the presence of God wields the same power as the Personality of God because where God's presence is, God Himself is. Several things are possible in His presence, one of which is that idols and the powers behind them not only bow but also surrender. A classic example of this is documented in 1 Samuel 5:1-5. In this account, the nation of Israel fought the Philistines and God gave them into the hands of their enemies because of their disobedience, the Ark of the Covenant was captured and taken into the house of Dagon - the national deity of the Philistines. This Dagon was a huge image, but it fell down before the Ark of the Covenant which represented the Presence of God. Initially, the priests of Dagon thought it was a mistake and put the image back up. But by the following morning, they were convinced beyond reasonable doubts that their idol was bowing to the God of gods.

Some Christians are afraid of entering into a shrine to declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It only shows that they do not know what they have inside of them. If you know who you are carrying, there will be no need to fear any idol. If you truly carry the Glory of God and you step into a shrine, they will immediately fish you out and would be uncomfortable until you leave. If you don't leave, a lot of things will go wrong. In a local community where women were forbidden to go out during a particular idol festival and men were equally harassed, a brother went to the headquarters of the idol worshipers at the peak of their festival to preach Jesus to them. These idol worshipers knew that it could only mean the brother carried a dangerous power for him to have the boldness to walk into their midst. Are you being threatened with some idol and you are afraid? If you are truly a child of God, you should be feared and not the other way round. Are you confronted with a demon possessed person that needs deliverance? Ask God to increase His presence in your life today and you will become a threat to demons.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Ancestral curses are said to be in operation when a terrible problem persistently runs through generations within a family. For example, an uncontrollable anger or promiscuity may be noticed in a teenager and on investigation; such is traced to the parents and grandparents.
Many people today live under bondage as a result of their forefathers' sins. Exodus 34:7 says:
"...visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation."

However, the moment God comes into such lives, things change dramatically. When God is in control of your life, it will be evident through the tremendous peace that will calm your storms, but when the devil rules the life of an individual, there will be total confusion. 1 Corinthians 14:33 says God has nothing to do with confusion. When the devil takes over the life of a man, everything will turn upside down. Instead of wearing clothes, he will walk about naked instead of wearing decent clothes, he will put on rags. The one who finds it uncomfortable to wear decent clothes capable of covering his or her unclothedness surely has gone nuts.
In Luke 8:26-33, after Satan took control of the Gadarene man's life, he left his bed for the graveyard. He abandoned decent clothes for rags. If one wears clothes that expose what should be covered, it is evident that such a fellow is losing his or her mind to the devil. This Gadarene demoniac began to inflict wounds on himself. He was crying out of pain yet couldn't stop himself. When people engage in things that can destroy them, it means their heads are besieged. The warning that smoking is injurious to a man's health is not enough to stop a smoker from indulging in the act because his head has been taken over by demons. Anyone who uses mind-bending substances such as Indian hemp, cocaine, alcohol, cigarette or powerful capsules is living in a spiritual graveyard. Besides, this man was violent, he could not be controlled. He rebelled against reason, he was wild. If you find it difficult to submit to authority or comply with simple rules, examine yourself. The state of the head is revealed by the conduct of the body. No matter how refined an individual is, if something is wrong with the head, it will show. What is the state of your head? Is it well with your head?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people are suffering from curses which they know nothing about because the cause of the curses took place a very long time ago in their lineage. As a matter of fact, if you think you haven't inherited any lineage curse, you should remember that of Adam and Eve, from who we inherited pain, hunger, sickness and death. We must deal with these curses if we want to live a meaningful and fulfilled life. In Galatians 3:13, we are assured of a way of dealing with ancestral curses. Curses, including the one we inherited from Adam and Eve, are being dealt with by the work of redemption wrought by Jesus Christ, our Lord. He was made a curse for us so that we can be delivered from the terrible consequences of sin and curses. Christ was to be made a sin and a curse; He felt the agony of this exercise and prayed asking if the deal could be amended:
"And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."
Luke 22:41-42

Jesus Christ went to the Cross with the age-long curses upon humanity. However, Jesus endured to the end and cried "It is finished", that is, the price of the curse has been paid in full. Hence, the human race was liberated. This is the reality which Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ described in Colossians 2:14-14:
"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

Beloved, if you want to effectively deal with the ancestral curses in your life, there is only one way and Jesus is that Way. He is the Lamb of God that is worthy to liberate you from the Devil. The Bible says He is the only One that is qualified to open the seal of freedom (Revelation 5:1-14). Today, I advise you to surrender your life totally to Jesus Christ if you have not done so. He will make a public show of those demonic influences hovering over your life and you will be free and blessed.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Many people do not know the secret of daily miraculous living. They think it has to do with strange things or occultism. Little do they know that a life of obedience enhances the supernatural intervention that results in miraculous events. It is unfortunate that even some children of God are missing out this truth as well. In John 2:1-11, we can see the confirmation of the title - Miracle-Producing Obedience. There was a marriage ceremony in Cana of Galilee and our Lord Jesus, His family and disciples were present. There came a need that only God could meet. The mother of Jesus Christ knew that the Representative of God was on ground to do what was humanly impossible. So, she approached the Miracle Worker but not without a seemingly negative reaction. It is interesting to note that despite our Lord's reaction, His mother gave a profound instruction to the waiters. "...Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." (John 2:5). Afterwards, Jesus Christ instructed the servants to fill the empty water pots with water and asked them to go ahead and serve it as wine. I decree to someone reading this devotional; whatever potential shame the enemies are planning concerning you, God will intervene with miracle that will nullify it.

There are lessons we must quickly learn from this story; God always involves man in the process of miracle-working events. When man cooperates with God through obedience, he experiences the miraculous. Naaman said that his expectation was that the man of God will come out and touch him. Howbeit, he was disappointed; he was to be part of the process. He had to go and dip himself in the Jordan River seven times before he could experience the miracle he sought for. He almost missed it when he refused to comply with the instruction of the prophet of God.

Another lesson we must learn from this story is that whenever you are trusting God for a miracle, you must not only be ready to receive instruction from God, you must also be attentive to the details of the instruction. After you get the message right, you must then go ahead and carry out the instruction. The servants indeed fetched the water; they also served it as wine under the instruction of our Lord. One may think it is simple to do what the servants did. They took the risk of being accused of playing on the intelligence of the people that came to the ceremony. Beloved, perfect obedience will change your story, just be willing to do whatever God asks you to do.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Give your life to Christ Jesus, He can do much more with it than you can do!

You cannot overcome the trials and temptations of life, if you have not caught the vision of heaven. It is the vision of heaven that will encourage, stimulate and empower you to forge ahead as you violently take the Kingdom of God (Matthew 11:12). There is a popular saying: "What you see is what you get". The underlying truth in this statement is that you cannot aspire for what has not been introduced into your consciousness. I told some of my children in a meeting many years ago, that the reason my father did not struggle to build a house with bathrooms and toilets was that he had never seen a house with toilets and bathrooms.

One of the secrets of the dogged determination of the early disciples to make it to heaven was that most of them saw a vision of heaven. This is the reason why Stephen for example, prayed that his executioners' actions won't be counted against them. He caught a vision of heaven with Jesus Christ giving him a standing ovation for being a hero of faith (Acts 7:55-56, 60).

In Revelation 21:1-7, another prominent leader of the early Church, John the beloved, saw the vision of heaven and narrated what he saw and heard. In heaven, there shall be no more death, sorrow, crying and pain. Having seen all these and heard a great voice out of heaven saying such pleasant things that shall soon come to pass, the Church was determined to lay down their lives for the sake of the Kingdom. As if that was not enough, Jesus Christ in Revelation 21:6-7 said:
"...It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

When a child of God sees a vision of heaven, he will not need much persuasion to do more than he is currently doing in the Kingdom business of soul-winning and holy living. The reason is that it is only those that overcome that shall inherit the beautiful heavenly jerusalem. My life never remained the same ever since I started seeing my heavenly home. This is why I cannot be persuaded to slow down in the Kingdom business. Like Apostle Paul, I am still pressing towards the mark of the high calling of God. What about you?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is nothing you want to become in life that you cannot be, when you leave your life in the hands of the Almighty God. There is nothing you want to achieve in life that you cannot achieve through the help of God. Man is limited; therefore there is a limit to how far he can help you. With God on your side, there is no mountain that cannot become a plain. Coming across a mountain already reveals to you that you need God's support. Most times, when God wants to give you a testimony that will cause men to marvel, He wraps it up in a mountain and presents it to you. At such times, you don't focus on the problem, but on the one who can solve the problem. David did not focus on Goliath and his size, he instead focused on the God of Israel and the rest is history.

Those who put their trust in flesh will never have peace. They are never sure of what will happen to them next. You can live in peace when you know that the Lord is by your side no matter what happens. With God on your side, you can look into your glorious future and walk into it as a victor. There will be battles, but with the Almighty God on your side, you are already a victor. After I became the General Overseer, there were mountains I could never have imagined as plains. There were storms and battles, but in the midst of these events, I enjoyed God's backing because He was the one who called me. This is why I pity those who put their trust in the arm of flesh. The man you are looking at today may be dead tomorrow, but there is a God in Heaven who never dies. The politician you look up to may lose the election tomorrow but there is a God who makes kings. He is the one who pulls one down and lifts the other. If you want to experience a permanent turnaround in your life, you have to cry to the Almighty God concerning that unpleasant situation and you will see help coming your way.

Do you desire to move from being mocked to being celebrated? Then turn to God. Do you want to operate in the miraculous? Turn to God. Have you been ignored and people are trying to push you out of relevance? Cry to God. Have people written you off as 'never can succeed'? Cry to Jesus and you will see God arise to attend to your case. With God on your side, those arms of flesh who told you that without them you won't make it will be the ones to ask you "WHO DID IT?" And you will be able to confidently reply them by saying "JESUS, OH MY GOD, WOW!"
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Because some people do not want to be confronted with the truth of the Word of God, they run from Bible believing churches to places where their atrocities can be allowed and covered. No matter how far you run from the truth, one day, you will be confronted by it. False prophets will never allow you to see the light of the Word of God. The Word of God reveals and when your eyes are opened, you will be able to differentiate between the real and the fake. False prophets will never deliver the mind of God to their followers because they are false. Their messages are in various colours and they use numerous ways to manipulate their victims. This is why Jesus Christ has admonished us to be watchful and careful of false prophets who are wolves, but hide in sheep's clothing. When they want to penetrate the life of anyone, they begin to tell you of your past in accurate details. You need to be sensitive in the spirit to know what is in their hearts. There are many innocent children of God who have given false prophets access into their lives. Unfortunately, some of them never recover from the damage done to them.

A true prophet of God will not play god in your life. A true prophet will do all within his calling to help you receive God first before you begin to talk of receiving His blessings. For you not to be a prey to false prophets, you have to be cautious and spirit minded, this is the only way to identify 'pastors' relating with you on the basis of what they want to get out of your life. False prophets will not ordinarily leave you until they have completed their mission of stealing your treasures, killing your investments and destroying your glorious destiny through manipulation and deceits from the pit of hell. It is important to note that the 21st century false prophets are not just those people you see in long white apparels and dreadlocks. The false prophets of the present age are now more refined and sophisticated. They now wear Italian suits and speak Queen's English, but deep inside of them, they are like a sepulchre.

Not all who introduce themselves to you as ministers are genuine ministers. You have to look beyond the titles and the influence they wield. You should check the kind of fruits they bear in the journey of the faith they profess.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Making it to heaven isn't an easy thing to achieve. It takes a firm decision to make it there irrespective of what others may be doing. Those engaged in self-righteousness, laziness and hypocrisy will not find a place in heaven. There are many people who are heading for destruction because they refuse to obey the commandment of the Almighty God. They do just what they want, but on the last day, the judgement of God will not spare them because nobody can escape that day. This is why you have to be serious with your Christian walk. Confessing that Christ is our Lord is not sufficient to earn us a place in the kingdom of God. Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:10 said:
"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death".

There is a higher expectation from those who will make it to the Kingdom of God, and this is why we need to understand that we need the help of the Almighty God. Jesus said there are people who profess Him as Lord everywhere they go, but not all of them will make it to His Kingdom. Are you a Pastor, Evangelist, Teacher, Apostle or an intercessor? All these are not sufficient to make one enter into the Kingdom. In other words, you can have all these titles and still miss the narrow way if your life is not in line with the pattern of Christ.
Are you still living your life as a natural man? If yes, you cannot go through the narrow way. The natural man will have to be redeemed through the Blood of Jesus before he can access the narrow way. Those who are not living their lives in accordance to the dictate of God cannot make it through the narrow way. Those who are still slaves to sin are far from the narrow way. The way to eternal life is for those who are redeemed through the Blood of the Lamb and have crucified their flesh. They have become alive to the realm of the spirit. The narrow way is for those who are walking in the spirit and are no longer fulfilling the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). You have to make up your mind to be free from every bondage of sin and condemnation of the devil. Your life will have to be directed by the Holy Spirit, so that you are no longer ruled by your natural desires. Only those who manifest the fruits of the Spirit in their lives will be able to go through the narrow way. If any of the fruits is absent in your life, there is an urgent need to do a self-appraisal before it becomes too late. The narrow gate is for those who know Christ and have lived their lives for Him. If your life is not conforming to the purpose for which He died, then you have to run to the cross for salvation.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In John 17:9-12, Jesus explained that those that the Father gave to Him have been safely kept and there was none that was missing except the son of perdition. Children of perdition are those who revolt against the teachings and guidance of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ kept the disciples in the faith and His labour over them was not in vain. Today, we see the evidences of that investment through the spread of the gospel from one nation to another. This is possible because of the labour of the Apostles who were first commissioned to spread this good news.
When you follow Jesus through and through, He will keep you from falling into the persecution of your enemies. They will try all their best to trap you, but the Almighty God will always deliver you from their traps. One truth we must always remember is that we are weak and we cannot keep ourselves. This is why it is very important to be a partner with Jesus. Once you leave your life in His care, you can be sure that your blessing is guaranteed in Him. The Almighty God will keep you in Jesus' name.
There are sons of perdition that will refuse to be kept by Jesus Christ. They will always intentionally disobey the instructions of the father. They are usually referred to as rebellious children who will not allow their lives to be governed by the truth in the Word of God. When a person who has been in God decides to forget his creator and also refuses the assembly of the brethren, such a person is already lost. It is not good for one to be left alone. Demas was left alone because he had given his heart to the world. Lot's wife looked back and she became forgotten. The sons of Eli did not fulfil their destiny despite the fact that they had all the opportunities to succeed in life. Children of perdition are those who have not said goodbye to sin. They are still living in sin and sin is a destroyer not a builder. Sin separates people from the blessings of God; it does not attract them to the place of God. At salvation, God comes inside of you and turns your journey towards perdition to the path of eternal life. This means that you and God are on the same page, and you are running away from those things that will affect His relationship with you. If you resist His will, you will not be a partaker of His glory. This is why you have to leave behind all those things hindering you from serving God and surrender all to Him. Judgement is coming; to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Tomorrow may be too late. God rewards those who allow their lives to be guided by Him with pleasant blessings and assurances of security. Those who refuse the government of Jesus have already exposed themselves to the wickedness of this world. You will not miss it in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are several challenges that will confront us as we progress in the journey of faith, but none of them will dominate us. As a child of God, when you pass through the fire, the mighty man in battle has promised that it will not burn you. At one point or the other, your faith will be tried; your love for God will be tested. There will be persecutions of all kinds. Because of your belief in Christ, people will say all kinds of things against you. There will be false accusations despite your level of commitment to your assignment. No matter how good your intentions may be, sometimes, they may be spoken of in an evil way. Many times these tribulations, trials and persecutions will come from quarters you least expect. You should not be bothered because the same people who hailed the triumphant entry of Jesus were the same people, who said to Pilate, crucify him. Have you been persecuted because of your faith and your holy living? I congratulate you, because you are fulfilling your part of the Christian calling. You have to know that the hostility of the world against believers in Christ Jesus is a transferred hostility. We are not the first set of people to be hated; the world hates us because they hated Jesus Christ. Despite the innocence of the young shepherd boy, king Saul attempted to kill him several times. You need to know that even in the household of faith, there are king Sauls. They are ready to kill you, not because you have committed any crime, but because they are uncomfortable with your standard of righteous living. On several occasions, Jesus Christ, before his final persecution on earth, was persecuted by the people listening to Him in the synagogue. They did not like the way He was preaching with so much authority. And they always rose up against His good acts. What should you do in times of trials, tribulations and persecutions? You must rejoice in the Lord. When Paul was going through persecution, rather than murmur and complain, he fellowshipped. No wonder he could say:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or unclothedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."
Romans 8:35, 37

He said this despite the fact that he was beaten with rods, he was stoned, he suffered a shipwreck, and he was kept in the deep prisons. He suffered in the hands of robbers as well as in the hands of his countrymen. False brethren also surrounded him. There were times when situations and circumstances of weariness, hunger, unclothedness and the cares of his missionary obligation threatened to discourage him, yet he finished well. You will finish well in Jesus' name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God is the only one who has the final say over your life; He will never permit any unpleasant situation to have a final say in your life nor allow your life to be at the mercy of people. He decides what happens to you at every given point in time because He is the Alpha and the Omega. If anybody ever tells you it is over, I congratulate you, because God is about to open a new chapter in your life that will amaze the world. Does your case seem hopeless like that of Lazarus? I prophecy into your life; you are the next in line for a miracle. Have you been married for all these years and you have no child? Welcome to your morning of fruitfulness. Simon Peter was a professional fisherman, he knew when the fishes would be in the river and he went with the right equipment, yet he struggled all night without a breakthrough. You have satisfied all requirements for that position, yet there is no positive response, I decree a supernatural lifting of every embargo placed upon your breakthrough in Jesus' name.

Believing what God says about the condition we are going through is very vital to our walk as Christians. When we believe the Word of God, we are expressing our confidence and trust in His divine attribute. There is nothing beyond Him. Martha had already given up on Lazarus. According to her, Jesus' coming was unnecessary because the situation had gone past what He could do anything about. She consoled herself with the fact that on the day of resurrection, she would see her brother again, but she did not recognise that the resurrection is not a period but a person. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. This is why you cannot afford to continue in sin. If you want to activate the glory of God in your life, you have to know Him.

To activate the glory of God, you must have faith in His Word. Faith is an act that produces an evidence of His glory. Faith is what gives meaning to your calling as a child of God. You need faith to do exploit in life. You need faith to win all the battles of life. In the atmosphere of faith, nothing is impossible for you. God dwells in the realm of the supernatural and anyone who will be able to access His glory must operate beyond the normal realm. If we take the Word of Jesus Christ and rely absolutely on His power and faithfulness, we shall see a daily occurrence of the glory of God in all our ways.

You must learn to always look beyond the grave and lift your eyes to God Almighty. Overlook all the reports, conditions, difficulties and obstacles. Lift up your eyes to the Lord in prayer, in praise, in worship and in fasting, and you will be surprised at what the Lord will do. There is no solution elsewhere; the real glory is in Christ Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God is against His children repaying evil to those who have done them evil. It is not the place of any genuine child of God to seek revenge.
"Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that you should inherit a blessing"
1 Peter 3:9

No one can avenge like God. This is why I don't worry myself about my enemies, I just report them to my father and I leave the rest to Him. When God fights your enemy, even you who was hurt will begin to pity them. This is because there is no one that can stand the anger of the Almighty God. Anytime you are trying to revenge, you are already playing God and the consequence is unbearable. Society may tell you to do otherwise. Reasoning may tell you to repay evil in return for the wrong done to you, but the scripture demands that you act differently. You are an ambassador of Christ, you are a peace maker, and you must do everything to prove that. In the world, people are taught to seek revenge, but the opposite is expected from children of God. We should hand over those who have hurt us to God. Moses handed over the rebels to God. Joseph handed over his elder brothers to God. Job forgave his accusers and left them to their conscience.
It is even possible that some people within your team will for no just reason antagonise all your actions and intents. They may show you so much hatred and make every move to work against the plan of God for your life. Some will harbour hatred just because the Lord is prospering you. Some may wish you bad, and go to the extent of including such wishes in their prayer points. But you must not fight for yourself; just allow them to face the great Avenger. We must be harmless and inoffensive so that we don't give people reasons to quarrel with us. We must labour to preserve peace. The world hated Christ without a cause, yet he died for them. When they brought Him before Pontius Pilate, they could not find any blame against Him, yet they demanded that He must be crucified. This is the same Jesus who chose to love an unloving world. He died for us while we were yet sinners. He is called the Judge of Israel (Micah 5:1). If He takes over your case, your enemies are in serious trouble. If He decides to advocate on your behalf, there can never be any appeal against His verdict. When He decides to be your witness, you can be sure that He will put all of them to shame. Is anybody troubling your peace in your home, office, neighbourhood, school, the Almighty God will put them where they belong in Jesus' name. No matter what the enemy does, your prosperity, progress, provision and security is guaranteed in Him. The enemy that has lifted himself against you and all the voices that are fighting against your glorious destiny shall be truncated in Jesus' name. The Lord will show up for you and take over all the battles of your life, and you can be sure that victory is yours. The most important thing is to stay on the Lord's side.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the category of the early Apostles, Apostle Paul could be called a latecomer. He was not privileged to be among the direct disciples of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, this latecomer did more exploit than all the Apostles that were before him. By the time he was through with his period of preparation, the handkerchief of Paul was already performing wonders. It is not how early you begin that matters, but your level of commitment, determination and the amount of sacrifice you make for God. Apostle Paul made a rugged determination to forget his societal status, he left his profession because he knew that time was not on his side. It is not great events that make great people, but great decisions. Apostle Paul decided to count all his gains as loss for the sake of Christ. He abandoned all the self-glory and carried his cross and followed Jesus. The reason why many people have not been able to manifest the way God expects them to is that they are not ready to burn the bridges behind them.

To become a divine champion, you must make a rugged determination to set your priorities in order. While others are wasting their time with frivolities, you must invest your time in personal spiritual development. The future belongs to those who prepare for it. You have to set your mind on certain things you want to see happen in your life. Apostle Paul pursued his goals relentlessly and nothing ever distracted him from the ultimate picture. There are many people who are far from their miracles because they have refused to let go. There is nothing I left for the sake of the ministry that God has not compensated me for with something much better. You have to make up your mind to forget those average goals and press forward for greater exploits in life. I made up my mind a very long time ago that I would not be an ordinary person. The choice is yours, to be or not to be? I have made up my mind that I will be God's choice forever. This is why I cannot take the grace of God upon my life for granted, because I know that the moment you remove God from my life, there will be nothing left. You must make up your mind that your priorities will be set right. Crave excellence and don't settle for less. Be a standard for the world to behold in holiness and righteousness. Make up your mind that no matter what the cost is, you will pay it to be God's favourite.

One thing you can be sure of is that nobody ever gives up something for Christ and not be rewarded here on earth with the assurance of eternity. There is nothing in this world that can ever be measured with the salvation that comes through Jesus. In comparison, there is no basis for comparing the worth of this world to the reward of eternal life. The glory of God that would be revealed to us is far beyond any possible acquisition by the works of man.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The fight against the devil is a fight that you must win. You must make a deliberate decision to keep the devil out of your life. There is nothing good that can come from him.
"The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly."

Jesus stated categorically here that both Himself and the devil have clear missions. Anyone who is not saved through Jesus is already a victim of the activities and works of the devil. There are many people who have accepted defeat from the devil; they see themselves as being unable to do anything about the activities of the devil in their lives. The seed of Christ enables you to overcome the devil in every aspect of life, but you must be on guard against the devil's activities in your lives. Thieves are always after treasures, they bother themselves with things that are valuable and this is why you must keep your life and guard it away from the devil.

Those who think they are enjoying what the devil has to offer are only deceiving themselves. The devil has nothing good to offer. The devil is a thief who comes with the evil intent to steal, kill and destroy. Majorly, he wants to steal the heart and affections of people for God. Deception is the devil's greatest tool, he is a strategist in deceiving people, this is why the Bible tells us to
"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil"
Ephesians 6:11.

It is only in Jesus Christ that you can experience true riches and enjoy the fullness of living. It is only in Christ that there are blessings that have no link to sorrow. Those who do not allow Jesus to have a say in their lives are only destroying themselves, because the devil will put them in total bondage. Those who know the voice of God will follow Him because He will speak peace into all their storms. He will set those that are in captivity free.

The Christian's number one treasure is salvation. The salvation of your soul is worth more than all the wealth in the world. Jesus teaches us that nothing can be as valuable as the soul and nothing is worth being replaced with your soul. The devil is after the salvation of our souls because thieves are only after treasures. The devil would do anything within his power to make us loose our salvation. The challenge is to keep our salvation even if we loose everything else.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Those who are born of God do not commit sin because the seed of God is in them. The moment a person becomes born-again, sin becomes distasteful to such an individual. The moment a person comes in contact with Jesus; he becomes a new creature. There is no amount of morality and self-righteousness that can declare one a saint, this can be done only through the help of Jesus Christ, because until there is a shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. The primary reason why Jesus came to the earth is simply to deliver people from sin. The moment sin is removed, there will be a great relationship with God. It is sin that takes us far from God.
Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and we see this in the life of the woman caught in the act of adultery. There was something Jesus saw that others didn't see. Jesus saw a sinner afflicted with the works of the devil. Jesus knew that the moment a woman like that comes to the knowledge of the Truth, she would be free from condemnation. Right there, the grace of God found her and she went and sinned no more. There are many honourable things to gain from living a holy life. 2 Timothy 2:19 says:
"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his, and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity".

The moment a person departs from the life of sin and turns to the path of holiness, he becomes a vessel unto the Most High God. The life of such a person becomes honourable. There are many people who claim to be Christians today but are living in sin. A genuine Christian must keep sin at a distance, live a life of good works through Jesus Christ and be a vessel that is clean both within and without.
Jesus showed the Pharisees their hypocrisy with respect to the case of the woman caught in adultery. They accused Jesus of breaking the law. They wanted to trap Jesus through her case, only to be caught in their own trap. They vanished one after the other by the time Jesus showed them the motives of their actions. This is why you must come to Jesus, no matter how terrible you feel you might have fallen. You cannot fall below His grace.
"But God demonstrated his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"
Romans 5:8

There is a sure reward for those who forsake the path of sin and choose the path of righteousness. Righteousness will exalt you, but sin will always bring reproach.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the Kingdom of God, there is no room for impossibility. Impossibilities only exist in the realm of the physical. As far as the dictionary of heaven is concerned, everything is possible.
"For with God nothing shall be impossible"
Luke 1:37

It doesn't matter how hopeless a situation can be, there is hope in Jesus. Without miracles, signs and wonders, there will never be any credibility to the Christian life. In the realm of the miraculous, events that are contrary to natural laws can take place. This is because the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are miracles. But, to operate in the miraculous, you need to first find your identity in Christ Jesus. Your newness in Christ Jesus will give you access to His divinity so that you can call those things that be not as though they are. However, there are certain things that trigger the occurrence of signs and wonders in a person's life. An understanding of the position of a child of God in the scheme of things will determine how much possibility such a person can command. There are so many wonders that happen when the Name of Jesus is called in righteousness. That Name is enough to silence everything that God has not planted in your life. That Name commands immediate results. There is a release of miracles once the Name is called in Spirit and in truth.
When the irreversible becomes reversible, then the miraculous is at work as we find in the case of Ezekiel and his encounter with the dry bones. I decree into the life of someone reading this devotional; you are the next in line for a miracle in your family. In Genesis 1:3, "God said let there be light" and immediately there was light. Whenever God is present, you can expect miraculous happenings. What is that problem that you are presently facing? By the power of God, it shall be resolved now in Jesus' name.
Doubts and unbelief are the opposites of the miraculous. When we don't believe what God is saying concerning any situation, it becomes impossible to receive what God has promised at such times, but if you constantly walk in faith, it will make your testimonies a reference point. Worship is also a catalyst for the miraculous. Every time you get to that point where you forget about your problems and you worship His Person, knowing well that His Person and Power is greater than your problem, you can be sure that your miracle is on its way. Also, when you enforce the Name of Jesus on any situation, you can be sure that the condition will change for the better. At the mention of His name, yokes are destroyed, oppositions naturally give way and long endured problems become a thing of the past. God's presence in your life is a guarantee for a continuous flow of signs and wonders. If you keep His presence, you will live a life of continuous victory and celebration.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

God, in His Word, states that everyone who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. The experience of persecution is part of our heritage as believers in Christ Jesus. The world will treat you in a cruel manner simply because of your faith. They will do many things to hurt you simply because you have chosen to live righteous. There are a lot of prices to pay for being a disciple of Jesus Christ, however, the benefits of following Christ far outweighs its cost. If you truly serve God the way you should, the world will persecute you. That is why I pity those people who live amiably with all and sundry. If you are a genuine believer and the world speaks so well of you and loves you so much, you have to be careful.
"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps"
1 Peter 2:21

Following the footsteps of Jesus may involve sufferings of all kinds. There are many people who say they are called into ministry, and they want to start the ministry by having all the comforts of life. They want offices that are fully air-conditioned; they want official cars, a place where their needs can be regularly guaranteed. Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having all these, but it should not become a condition for our response to the calling of God upon our lives. Nobody who is really devoted to serving the Lord will escape the kind of persecutions that people like David, Jeremiah, Daniel, Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego went through. David was persecuted because he killed a giant that Saul was unable to handle. Jeremiah was beaten and cast into prison because he declared the absolute Word of God to a sinful generation. Preaching the truth will always attract persecution, but you can be sure that the blood of those you told the truth will not be demanded from you. Daniel faced a lot of problems simply because he distinguished himself among the governors. Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego were cast into the burning furnace simply because they refused to compromise and bow to other gods.
"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us"
Romans 8:37

This portion of the scripture tells us that there is no amount of pressure from the pit of hell that can take us away from the love of God. David was a conqueror because God did not stop with him until he got to the throne. Daniel was a conqueror because no king ever served in his life time without having to recourse with him. The same Hebrew boys that were cast into the fiery furnace were the same boys whose God was declared the only One whom the whole nation must worship. The Lord commands us to rejoice when we go through trials in life, because great is our reward. People may say all kinds of evil against you. They may hate you. They may decide not to involve you in any beneficial thing, just to put you off. Do not fret, because you will laugh last.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Luke 9:57-62, some of those who were invited by Jesus could not come because they had excuses. On that day, when we shall all stand before the Almighty God, there will no longer be any excuses. Anyone who desires to please God and withstand the storms of life must not allow anything to hinder him from making it to the Kingdom. There are many people who started well but didn't end well because of the distractions of life. There are many things people do, which unknown to them, enslaves them to the devil. Demas forsook the faith because of his love for the world. Are you also forsaking God for riches? If others are deceived, you must not allow yourself to be a victim. This is why I always emphasise the fact that who or what you follow determines what follows you.

It is very obvious that Demas, who started well, missed it down the line because he did not set his priorities right. He totally abandoned the missionary support of Apostle Paul and became engrossed with the business of this world. This business consumed the thinking of Demas to the point that he was no longer relevant in the business of the Kingdom. While others continued with Paul on evangelistic responsibilities, Demas went back to the world. This will not be your lot in Jesus' name. In the world today, innumerable people are allowing the love of money to capture their hearts; they have wandered away from the Presence of God. Money is temporal and not eternal, money cannot buy joy; it cannot buy the peace of God. It is only the blessing of the Almighty God that makes one rich without any sorrow added to it. The desire to satisfy the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is what is deceiving many. Some people are always concerned about what they don't have and what God has not done. There is no better life outside Jesus Christ. What is that thing that you value over and above your salvation? It is the plan and purpose of God that you focus on Him for all your needs. No matter how much energy you put into the pursuance of the mundane things of this world, they are not enough to make you blessed. It is the blessing and joy of the Lord that makes one to be at peace.

Beloved, you have to call yourself to order, you have to make a commitment to focus on Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. Anyone who seeks to be a genuine follower of Jesus Christ must be willing to deny himself and live above the ephemerals of this present world. If you will pursue God, money and all that money cannot buy would pursue you. If you don't forsake Him, His goodness and mercy will follow you daily.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Love is the foundation upon which relationships are built. If your life will please God, then love is one action you must always practice. One of the basic principles of love is showing care for others. If you say you love, and you don't show how much you care, your love isn't genuine. Brotherly love should not only be restricted to the household of Christ, you must extend love beyond those you personally know. You need to show care to strangers too. At every given point in time, you must help those you come across to the best of your ability. When it becomes necessary, you must go the extra mile to show love to people, regardless of whether they deserve it or not. The very heart cry of Jesus is that we continue in love because we are partakers of His divine nature. Jesus Christ demonstrated the sacrificial love of giving himself for the benefit of those who did not deserve His love. Luke 10:30-37 gives a clear picture of the kind of love that must not be mentioned among believers - the lip service kind of love, 'missing in time of need' kind of love et cetera.

Love is a divine nature and since we have the mind of Christ, the love of Christ should be shared among us. When a person is driven by love, he will find it easy to apply the love of God in his behaviour towards others within his environment and also those outside his environment. There are people who claim to love Jesus, but they hate everyone around them. They suspect everyone around them; this is not the nature of Christ. The love of God will not make you condemn others or judge them. Jesus wants us to love our neighbours; that person next door, that staff in your office, that sinner on the way, that child with no one to run to, that widow who does not know where the next meal is coming from. Criticism and condemnation is not a reflection of the mind of Christ, strife and division among brethren is not the nature of Christ, but of the devil. Love will always attract a beautiful attitude.

Love was one of the hallmarks of the early apostles; they did everything in the spirit of love. The early church loved each other so much that everybody's needs were met. When there is love, there will be an elimination of jealousy and envy, whatever you do will be done in the best interest of others. When in love, we will no longer focus on just thinking about ourselves, but about the good of the other fellow. You must always have the desire to help people and add value to the lives of those around you. In 1 Samuel 18:1-4, the scripture tells us about the relationship that existed between Jonathan and David. Jonathan loved David the same way he loved himself. Jonathan made out time to meet the needs of David, he never bothered about himself. He just wanted to do what was right for the relationship; he was all out for the protection of David. Where there is love, there will be trust. Where there is trust, there will be growth. Love will bring commitment to the common good of all.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Love is a divine nature and since we have the mind of Christ, the love of Christ should be shared among us. When a person is driven by love, he will find it easy to apply the love of God in his behaviour towards others within his environment and also those outside his environment. There are people who claim to love Jesus, but they hate everyone around them. They suspect everyone around them; this is not the nature of Christ. The love of God will not make you condemn others or judge them. Jesus wants us to love our neighbours; that person next door, that staff in your office, that sinner on the way, that child with no one to run to, that widow who does not know where the next meal is coming from. Criticism and condemnation is not a reflection of the mind of Christ, strife and division among brethren is not the nature of Christ, but of the devil. Love will always attract a beautiful attitude.

Love was one of the hallmarks of the early apostles; they did everything in the spirit of love. The early church loved each other so much that everybody's needs were met. When there is love, there will be an elimination of jealousy and envy, whatever you do will be done in the best interest of others. When in love, we will no longer focus on just thinking about ourselves, but about the good of the other fellow. You must always have the desire to help people and add value to the lives of those around you. In 1 Samuel 18:1-4, the scripture tells us about the relationship that existed between Jonathan and David. Jonathan loved David the same way he loved himself. Jonathan made out time to meet the needs of David, he never bothered about himself. He just wanted to do what was right for the relationship; he was all out for the protection of David. Where there is love, there will be trust. Where there is trust, there will be growth. Love will bring commitment to the common good of all.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are dangerous traps of the devil set to derail people from inheriting their possessions in Christ Jesus. There are many people who have been deceived and enslaved in falsehood because they were not sensitive. This is why Jesus warned that if care is not taken, even the very elect will fall for the deceits of the devil. By all standards, lies are the devil's greatest weapons with which he enslaves people into falsehood. A lie is anything other than the absolute truth. The first man and woman to exist on the earth were victims of lies when the devil intentionally misinterpreted the instructions that God gave them to keep. It is upon this that the Bible tells us to be as wise as serpents, because the devil will always try to prove to the children of God how 'unreasonale' the commandments of God are. You have to make up your mind to obey God rather than question simple instructions that are intended to make you happy and give you rest. The devil will also make efforts to question the reputation of God. Some teachers have taught that one can continue in sin since grace abounds. False teachers will tell you to live your life as you deem fit because there is liberty in Christ. These are all lies of the devil; those who fall for them will always have woeful experiences. The scripture tells us not only to hate lies but to keep the utmost distance from it because those who engage in lies are abominable in the sight of God.

We need to be men and women who delight in the truths of God in all matters. The problem with human beings is that we always do not appreciate the truth when we find it. There are people who prefer to seek counsel from people that will destroy them through wrong counsels. Some people know that there is nothing biblical about their church, yet they remain in such places.

There are various wolves in sheep clothing parading themselves as true prophets sent by God, but if you allow the Lord to open your eyes, you will see clearly who they are. Many people have suffered untold damages in the hands of these fake prophets; this is why you need to be watchful. If you are a liar, or you are engaged in anything fraudulent, you need to stop it before the wrath of God comes upon you. If you are living a life that misrepresents the Kingdom of God, you have to quickly amend your ways before it becomes too late. If you give yourself to ungodly living, you will be enslaved by falsehood because you have refused to retain God in your knowledge. Are you under a 'man of God' who is performing miracles, signs and wonders, but whose life does not resemble that of Christ? I will advise that you relocate immediately to where the Truth will find you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.