₦airaland Forum

You cannot discover your true identity if you are not in Christ. You need to recognise your true self through the light of the Scripture. If you know your true identity, it will help you not to compromise the call of God on your life. The secret of blessings lies in your being able to walk in the divine purpose for your life. As a believer, you are the light in the midst of darkness, called to shine forth. You are the bridge to the destinies of men. If you don't discover your destiny, the destinies of many others will be buried. I once asked the Almighty God why He allowed me to "waste" twenty-seven years studying mathematics, when He knew that I would eventually become a pastor. The Lord told me that it was simply for the purpose of being able to preach mathematically. It then dawned on me that indeed all things work together for good for the children of God (Romans 8:28).

You are not a child of God just to attend church; you need to find out what God has empowered you for, and do exploits in that area. The reason why you are a child of God is not just to feel cool but to be driven by God's purpose and mission. When you recognise that you belong to God, it will be practically impossible for anyone to get you derailed (Acts 27:23-24). The power you have received as a child of God is not for nothing. It is expected that you will use this power in raising the dead, in opening the eyes of those still walking and living in ignorance, and in setting captives free from the bondage of Satan. In John 14:12, the Lord Jesus says to you:
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

As children of God, let us wake up from our slumber and do the needful urgently. Every child of God is meant to be a fighter - a fearless fighter. You must not be weak in doing exploits for the Lord. You must not give in to fear despite the obstacles before you. All you need is the confidence that as a child of God, you have the backing of your Father. Anyone who comes to Christ comes to the newness of life which qualifies him or her for a new beginning. As a child of God, you must realise that Christ is the centre of your life, and you are meant to be a channel of blessings. A lot of people pass through life without being noticed because they have failed to understand the plan and programme of God for their lives. I pray for you that, in the Name of Jesus, you will find your place in God. By His grace, you will begin to experience prosperity, excellence and extraordinary breakthroughs, and before the end of your life, you will make a lasting change in the world.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Every time I ponder on the glory awaiting all those who make it to Heaven, I feel so excited. It is so magnificent that the ordinary human heart cannot fathom it. If you will partake of this glory, you must not be discouraged in your walk of faith with God. You must have the assurance in your heart that the Lord Jesus Christ, who is your Redeemer, is alive, and because He is alive, your faith is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:14 & 20). There are some who are at the point of giving up their faith. They are no longer excited about their confession of faith in Jesus Christ. Some are fainting in their spirit, and their level of commitment has waned. If you are in such situation, the Holy Spirit in Hebrew 10:38-39 says this to you:
"Now the Just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."

The purpose of discouragement is to make you backslide. It is aimed at stopping the good things you started. Some of the activities of the Pharisees were aimed at discouraging the followers of Jesus, but their plots failed. Although they had Him crucified, some of His followers still followed Him to the very end. How amazing it was for them when they realised that Jesus had risen from the dead! The place where they laid His body was empty, and it remains so till today! I prophecy into your life that the very spot where the enemy hoped you will remain shall become empty!

I declare to you that there is power in the resurrection of Jesus. Every arrow of discouragement shot at you to make you faint shall instead birth a spirit of boldness in you in Jesus' Name. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. You need to have faith in Jesus, the Redeemer of mankind. He lives forever more and no situation is beyond Him. Every delay you have experienced is just to make your testimony more glorious. You need to persist in the place of prayer. As long as you are still awaiting your testimony, don't stop confessing the promises of God. Take practical steps to actualise God's plan and purpose for your life. The women kept going to the tomb because there was an assurance in their spirit that their efforts would not be wasted. May be you have tried all you can, and yet there remains a Goliath in your life. Because your Redeemer lives, that problem will not overcome you. Because your Redeemer lives, that sickness will come to an end. Problems respond to either the call of faith or doubt. Make sure all your challenges hear the call of faith from you saying: "because He lives, I can face tomorrow; my tomorrow shall be alright whether the devils likes it or not." It shall be so in Jesus' Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The easiest way to access victory in the kingdom of God is through praise. Each time we praise the Name of the Lord, great and marvellous things are bound to happen. If you are a believer and you do not yet know the essence of praise, you are missing a lot of blessings, opportunities and privileges. Our God is all-powerful, all-knowing and is the Almighty. The moment we are committed to the realm of praise, things begin to happen at His command. There are people who have been knocking on certain doors of opportunities before now, but to no avail. Why don't you try praise? You will be surprised at how fast those doors will open. The fact that you are praising the One that is higher than the highest should give you the assurance that your case is settled. Praise to God is an indication of absolute trust in Him. Those who put their confidence in God will always praise Him until they receive their victory, and even after receiving their victory, they still praise Him. It is the desire of the Almighty God that all His children should move from one level of victory to the other. When the people of God praise Him, infirmities, yokes, bondage, barrenness and all the works of the devil are destroyed. In the realm of praise, every limitation gives way.

In the battle of life, some are victors while some are victims. I decree into your life that you will continue to enjoy the victory of the Lord in Jesus' Name. Victors know how to move God into action. God is looking for people who can move Him through their praise. Such people will enjoy His mercy instead of receiving His judgement. Praise is the most powerful instrument we can use to move God. The whole of creation was designed to praise God (Psalm 150:5, Psalm 148:2). When we get to heaven, our assignment will be to keep praising God (Revelation 7:14-15), Psalm 145:2). Praise has greater impact whenever we come together to offer it to God, because His throne is set wherever His people are praising Him (Psalm 22:3).

When you bow before God in praise, you are showing that He alone is the Most High. Jehoshaphat enjoyed the victory of the Lord without fighting a battle! This is what praise can do. While the enemies were gathering their mercenaries and weapons of war against Judah, the people of God gathered momentum for praise. They believed in the victory of the Lord by faith, and all their enemies were smitten before them. From today, as you praise the Lord, He will stand in your place and take over every battle of your life, and your victory shall be total in Jesus' Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Without any iota of doubt, the Lord has been so good to us. He has never ceased to be faithful and kind. If it had not been for the Lord on our side, the devil would have destroyed us. We are who we are in Christ Jesus because of the goodness of God. For these reasons and many more, we need to make thanksgiving our lifestyle. Thanksgiving is an indispensable activity for every child of God. For our lives to experience the blessings of the Lord on a continuous basis, we need to thank Him. I sometimes marvel when I see people complain about their situation. Before complaining about your situation, take a critical look at another man's situation and you will realise that you have enjoyed the goodness of the Lord. A lifestyle of thanksgiving can make a lot of difference in our lives within a short time. Through thanksgiving, lost glory can be restored, as was the case with King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:34-37). When you adore and reverence the Almighty God, when you acknowledge Him as the source of your wealth and greatness, and see all you have achieved as being made possible by His hand, then God will be committed to preserving all He has given you.

Thanksgiving is the door that ushers you into God's blessings. For His greatness, goodness and wonderful works to the children of men, we must thank Him. The only reason why many of us are not on the street begging is because He is our Great Provider. We walk with our shoulders high because He is our Defence and Deliverer. He remains our Rock and source of strength in every situation. Whenever we gather together as a congregation, I tell my children to praise and thank God wholeheartedly. Thanksgiving is not something you do in a hurry because God also takes His time as He blesses us with unprecedented miracles. There are blessings reserved for those who thank the Lord. He will always launch them to the realm of unimaginable favour.

Our thanksgiving will only be acceptable to God if it comes from a heart of worship. For you to worship God in truth, you must live a holy life. Believers will always win the battles of life, as long as there is no impediment to their worship of God. We must be able to lift up clean hands and a pure heart to our Maker at all times (Psalm 24:3-4, Philippians 4:6). We must be honest and upright in character and reflect the nature of God in our dealings. Keep your heart pure so that your joy can be full. With a pure heart, you can make your request known to God and there will be instant response from the throne of grace.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

With all that we see and hear happening in different parts of the world today, it is no longer news that we are already in perilous times. This is why it is very urgent that we maximise the time that we have left in propagating the gospel of the Lord to those who are yet to know Him. We should carefully study the words of Ephesians 5:14-16 and obey its instructions. In these verses of Scripture, the Holy Spirit says,
"Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

In this modern age, where people are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, believers must watch against satanic wiles and temptations. We must avoid all forms of false doctrine that abound in churches today. Let us remain in the simple gospel of Jesus which is capable of seeing us through to the very end. There are false teachers rising up every day with different kinds of teachings and beliefs, using their influence to spread erroneous doctrines to unsuspecting believers. This is why you need to be selective of where you go and who you listen to. Those who go to church today only get excited when they are told what they want to hear. The Holy Spirit forewarned us of this in 2 Timothy 4:3:
"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."

Let us therefore run with the message of the gospel into every part of the world; reminding everyone that those who are not on the Lord's side on the last day will be eternally destroyed. Let us do the work of an evangelist, and go after those people who have strayed from the straight and narrow way. Let us bring back those sheep which are carelessly grazing on other fields, away from the presence of their Shepherd. These are those who started well but have become consumed by the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. The signs of the second coming of Christ are daily being fulfilled before our eyes. In order not to be caught unawares, you must prepare yourself daily through self examination. The enemy of your soul is out there seeking how to devour you; don't allow him to truncate your destiny. Ensure that you make no provision for the flesh, and put out all the works of darkness around you. Be prepared for His second coming!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One truth that everyone born of God must have at the back of their minds is that God has substitutes. He can therefore never be held to ransom by anyone. Whenever God decides to use a person, if that fellow does not yield to God at the time of His requisition, God will move on to use another person to fulfill His purpose. More often than not, such substitutes are better than the original recipients of God's mandate. Such was the case with King Saul.
"And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou."
1 Samuel 15:28

When a man feels too big to obey God's instruction, he is not fit for God's use. In the family of the works of the flesh, pride, stubbornness and rebellion are kinsmen, with witchcraft as their first cousin (Galatians 5:19-21). The Lord through Samuel reminded King Saul that there was nothing special about him before He made him king over Israel. King Saul himself did not see himself as qualified, yet God's grace preferred him, despite the fact that he came from the least of the tribes of Israel (1 Samuel 9:21). This is the reason why whosoever God decides to use should not allow himself or herself get carried away by the glamour of the office he or she is occupying. The fellow should always keep in mind where he or she is coming from and what he or she used to be. God does not use the qualified; rather, He qualifies the fellow He wants to use.

When King Saul began to feel too big to obey the Lord's commandment, he was replaced with a ready-made substitute, whom the Lord declared to be better than King Saul. My prayer for you is that you will not be replaced in the scheme of things in God's kingdom in Jesus' Name. Beloved, we should know that God has substitutes that can readily replace us if we fail to yield to His instructions. Never see yourself as being indispensible before God. Take heed to what the Lord Jesus Christ said concerning this in Matthew 3:9:
"And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham."
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One common error in Christendom today is to think that it is scriptural to confess your way to success without backing up such confessions with works. Faith in practice is actually the opposite of this. It is not just about confessing scriptures, but about acting it out when confronted with real life circumstances and situations. Faith in practice is what produces the miracle-working power of God. In contrast to faith, unbelief upsets God and we must all run away from it. The children of Israel could not enter into the Promised Land because of unbelief (Hebrews 3:19). In Mark 2:1-12, a paralytic man was brought before Jesus by four men who broke the roof of a house to get him there. This was faith in practice. They were practically saying to all the forces and situations surrounding this man's life that they were ready to get injured while climbing and nothing would stop them. They were also ready to take up the financial burden of damaging and repairing the roof of a house that was not theirs. They did all this because they knew that the challenges facing them were nothing when compared with the blessedness of having their paralytic friend receive his miracle. There are people who have many different versions of the Bible in their homes but do not practice the faith they read in it. Some even possess a PHD in the study of the Bible but still have no faith. This is because they read and study it, but they don't apply its content to their lives.

Some years back, we went to Haiti to hold a city-wide crusade, and we were blessed to have a live broadcast of it on radio. There was a man just lying on a bed in his house who accidentally tuned his radio to the station airing our programme. In the course of preaching, the Lord said to me that there was someone within the reach of my voice who was impotent and that He was healing him right away. I relayed this message as I was told. When this man heard it, he said to himself, "How did this Pastor know that I am impotent even though He cannot see me?" He immediately checked himself and realised he had been completely healed. He then left all he was doing, found his way to the crusade ground and surrendered his life to Jesus. If only you can believe and act on what God says, you also will share your own testimony in Jesus' Name. Who are the Goliaths harassing you? Consider that Goliath came to the battle with a sword, spear and shield, while David came in the Name of the Lord of hosts (1 Samuel 17:45). Although David challenged Goliath with his mouth, he did not stop there. He picked up five smooth stones, not just one (1 Samuel 17:40). Even though one stone was enough to bring down Goliath, David did not take chances. That is faith in practice. I decree that every Goliath that is standing between you and your miracles shall be brought down completely in Jesus' Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In these end times, the Lord is looking for those who are ready to consecrate themselves to His use. If you are ready to partner with God in His service, you can be sure that your reward will not only be great on earth but also in heaven. However, for you to be a vessel unto honour in the service of the Lord, you must be ready to admit your insignificance before Him (Isaiah 40:17). You must also be ready to follow the Lord all the way, cheerfully and heartily. You should see it as a great honour for God to count you worthy of being called into the service of His kingdom. Furthermore, God is holy, and so, for you to be a vessel in His service, you must also be holy in thought, character and conduct. Those who want to continue in sin and also live a hypocritical lifestyle cannot be blessed in God's service. You must surrender your life to Christ genuinely. This is a prerequisite in offering acceptable service to the Lord. Any defiled or polluted person cannot behold the glory of God's holiness. In the Scriptures, those who offered acceptable service, such as Enoch, Daniel, Elijah and Job, made up their minds that they would not allow anything to pollute their lives. Note however that you cannot all by yourself keep yourself from the vanities of this world; neither can you live a holy life through your morality. You can only live a holy and acceptable life by yielding to the grace of God. God's grace enables us to offer acceptable service before Him. Expounding on this grace, Titus 2:11-12 says,
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world"

Although there are several winds of false doctrine blowing across the world today, the Lord expects us to continue in the pure and undiluted word of God (2 Peter 3:16-18). This is the anchor that keeps us from being tossed about (Hebrew 6:18-19). The undefiled word of God will help us keep that which is committed into our hands as we offer our service to God in these last days. We must be watchful so that our works will not be adjudged as imperfect before the throne of God. In the Body of Christ today, many people serve God amiss. They are working, but not asking themselves if their labour follows the due order of heaven (1 Chronicles 15:13). If you fail to assess the methods you are using to achieve the mandate of the Commission, you will be shocked at the judgement seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10, 1 Corinthians 3:13-15). What are the motives behind what you do in Church? What attitude do you display when your pastor is not there to watch over you? How are you utilising the resources entrusted to your case?
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In the beginning, although the Almighty God had the vision of man filling the whole earth, He decided to actualise it through the law of increase. It is amazing that the whole world came forth from one man and woman. Our God is a God of increase. If you want anything that will increase in life, you have to source for it from the Almighty God, and use His approach and not that of the world to actualise it. Whatever is from the Lord will always stand the test of time. If God gives you an idea, He expects it to bring increase to your life. If God gives you a blessing, He also expects it to increase. When Adam knew his wife, a seed was planted in her which became a tree (Genesis 4:1). This is the more reason why you need to draw close to God so that He can sow a seed in your life that will become a reference point to generations yet unborn. If you sow to your flesh, you will reap destruction, but if you sow to the Holy Spirit, your increase will be till eternity (Galatians 6:. The fact that God wants you to increase does not mean you can do things that contravene His commandments to get this increase. The fact that God wants increase does not mean He allows polygamy. God has never been in a hurry to populate the earth, therefore His design is one man, one wife. Sex with anyone other than your spouse means you are throwing your most precious seed into the wrong soil. An adulterer is a person in bondage! Such a person lacks understanding of the fact that he or she is sowing seeds that only lead to poverty, destruction and eventual shame. There are some men whose children are out of school due to non-payment of fees, and yet they are sowing their seed into the lives of concubines. Such men are already on the path of destruction unless they come to the saving grace of Jesus. If you are involved in this, you better ask God for mercy before it is too late.

God is the one who gives increase after a seed has been sown; therefore we must always remember to give thanks to Him for all the successes He brings our way (1 Corinthians 3:6). If you are excelling in your chosen field, give God the glory. If things are working out for you in your career, give Him the glory. While some people grow rapidly in the things of God, some do not. One variable that determines this is the level of hunger in their hearts. There must always be a hunger in your heart to be better than what you are now. There is a better you in the mind of God, and so, refuse to remain small. Continue to develop yourself by acquiring relevant skills. Increase your knowledge base so that your earning capacity can also increase. If things have not been working out in your life, do a self-appraisal. In other words, check yourself. Soak yourself in God's word and occupy your mind with passages of Scripture that can address your area of stagnation. You will increase in Jesus' Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Until you get to the point of conviction where you accept the fact that you can never have anything better than what God has for you, life will remain a struggle. There are many people struggling to find their place in life, but as a child of God you were not created to live by chance. You were designed by God to walk in His blueprint for your life, and so anything less than what God intends for you should be rejected. Living within the divine will means having an understanding of God's plan for you in every area of your life. The will of God is always higher and greater than the will of man. His thoughts are directed towards our peace and fulfillment in this world (Jeremiah 29:11). This is why it is necessary to discern and hear what God is saying about the present phase of your life. There are people who are in the wrong job. No matter how much they work, they can never be successful because they are struggling with what God has not wired them for. Some people are in the wrong location, while some others are in relationships that drive away the presence of God from them. Do you know that there are people you meet in life who negatively impact your destiny? There are even some people you meet, and after they are gone out of your life, you find yourself drained, because all they did was use you. God's will is to increase you and not to use you. However, you have to wait upon the Lord and never outrun Him because He is the one leading you.

Examples abound in Scripture of those who struggled with the will of God for their lives before they understood what God would have them do. Moses thought he was doing the right thing when he killed an Egyptian, since he was born for the purpose of delivering the children of Israel from the hands of their Egyptian oppressors (Exodus 2:11-12). However, he walked outside the will of God by taking action at the wrong time and also by using the wrong approach. Jacob was also aware of God's plan for him to be greater than his elder brother, but he devised a crooked method of obtaining the covenant blessing from his father. Consequently, he had no rest until he learnt to surrender to God. Have faith in God that you will become what He wants you to become; not by folding your hands and doing nothing, but by being diligent in your walk of faith. What is not enough today will be more than enough tomorrow through God's help. Remember the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning (Job 42:12). Learn to wait. He who waits never loses, but he who is hasty never gains. Seek God's face, and ask Him for the needed grace to run the race. God places a high premium on his children who are ready to align their words, actions, thoughts and decisions with the standards of Heaven.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In Luke 3:3-14, we gain insights into what it means practically to be saved. To be saved means to repent from your dead works and to be alive unto Christ in righteousness. Practical salvation is making your ways right with God without any reservation. When you are genuinely saved, everyone around you will see it. It cannot be hidden because you will no longer be comfortable in the midst of your sinful former friends. Practical salvation is impacting the lives around you by demonstrating the love of Christ through giving. I always tell people that whatever you give away may leave your hands but it will never leave your life. There is no other way to show the world the true nature of Christ without identifying with the challenges of people. Jesus was compassionate towards all those He met who were in need. How can you claim to be a Christian when you live in affluence but do not bother about what happens to the man beside you?
"And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."
Ephesians 4:24

Practical salvation involves putting off our old Adamic nature and manifesting the divine nature of Christ. We receive this divine nature, referred to as the new man, through repentance from our old ways and having faith in Christ's work of salvation. The character of this new man says "Let him that stole steal no more" (Ephesians 4:28). It also uproots every root of bitterness, anger, wrath, envy, hatred and the likes out of your life. When you put on the new man, you will be ready to put right all that have gone wrong in your life, through the grace of the Almighty God. If something belonging to your organisation or the government has been taken by you without being given, practical salvation demands that you return it. If you have been working with a forged certificate and you now say you are born again, you have to let go of this pretence and amend your ways. Several years ago, before I met the Lord, I was a school teacher and I needed to take care of one of my visitors. This need made me take a bed from the school dormitory. However, after my visitor left, I still held on to the bed. Seven years after this happened, I gave my life to Christ and I noticed that this bed was still in my house. I lost my peace immediately because there was a new spirit in me. To practically demonstrate my salvation, I had to pay double for the bed because the Jesus living in me would not allow me return a used bed after seven years of holding unto it.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The awesomeness of God is made manifest in situations that are tagged impossible. Our God likes to get involved in such cases so that they serve as reference points to those who have doubts in their hearts about Him. What is that impossible situation you are confronted with? God can use it to demonstrate to the world that there is no situation, no matter how bad, that He cannot reverse. In Genesis 18:1-15, the three men who came on a visit to Abraham and Sarah were on a mission to remind them that God is a God of plan and purpose. Have you been waiting a long time for that precious promise of God to come to pass? I have good news for you: your season of divine visitation has come in Jesus' Name. Abraham and Sarah had given up and were no longer optimistic about the promise of a child to them. Sarah could not help laughing when she heard that time and life would be restored to her, because she knew her age and the deadness of her womb. Her scepticism made the Lord to ask "Is anything too hard for the Lord? Are you looking at the doctor's professional report concerning your case? I want to let you know that the report of the Lord will override every negative report concerning you in Jesus' Name.

Lazarus was dead and was already buried for four days (John 11:39). Nobody wanted to get close to his tomb because he was already stinking; yet the Lord went to that hopeless situation and reversed the irreversible. The Lord decided to take His time before going to Mary and Martha, in order to convince the whole world that even though people may have given up on you, He is always there to demonstrate to them that they are not your creator. There is nothing that the redemption paid for by Christ cannot take care of. Are you struggling with poverty, or are you getting in and out of hospital beds? Have you been labelled a permanent failure or been told nothing good can come out of your life? Know that there is a God in heaven who works wonders among men. If He sees that your natural season is over, He then reminds the world that "He changes times and seasons" (Daniel 2:21). If He realises there are powerful forces contending with your life, He lets them know that "He removeth kings, and setteth up kings" (Daniel 2:21). If the world says you are no longer relevant in the scheme of things, He tells them that "He giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding" (Daniel 2:21). With these assurances, you should thank God and praise Him all your life, knowing that your desires will come to pass. There shall be expedited reversal of every negative circumstance in your life today in Jesus' Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

What a great honour it is for God to positively testify of you while you are still alive! This is worth more than gold! Job and Abraham were two men who received this honour because they feared God (Job 1:8, Genesis 18:19). Those who walk in the fear of God have nothing to fear in life, because the fear of God grants them access to His secrets. To fear God is not only to obey Him, but to ensure that everything in our sphere of influence obeys God. There are some fathers who are pleased to serve God but are not bothered about their children's lack of interest in God. Abraham did not only fear God, he also ensured that his entire household walked in God's ways. No wonder God blessed him mightily. Abraham and his household were not only blessed, they became a channel of blessings to others. Today, we still make reference to the Abrahamic blessings. You are truly blessed when you receive blessings that no curse can negate. When you walk in the fear of the Lord, not only will your efforts be crowned with great blessings, lost opportunities will also become recovered, and your life becomes the headquarters of blessings through which millions of lives are positively impacted. Those who make up their mind to fear God, no matter the circumstances, can never be forsaken, even when it seems all hope is lost; God will always show up for them to reassure them of His faithfulness. The fear of the Lord gives God's children access to divine direction and divine security.

God is the only One to be feared, for He alone is eternal (Matthew 10:28). There are those I see who fear their bosses but don't fear God. If you say you don't fear your boss, why do you still allow him make inappropriate advances towards you? Is it not because you fear losing your job? Can't you see that it is foolishness not to remember that both your boss and your job are in the hands of God? Some people fear what will happen to them, and hence, they continue to live their life with a man who is legally married to another woman. Can't you see that you are just postponing the evil day? You better make amends so that the peace of God can return to your life. Anyone threatening you has limited powers, but God, who is to be feared, has unlimited power. When you keep a distance from all that God hates, His secrets will be made available to you. If you fear God, it will reflect in where you take counsel from, those you partner with, and even how you appear in public. If you fear Him, you will always do those things that make Him happy. Joseph feared the Lord and he made up his mind not to "do a great wickedness, and sin against God" (Genesis 39:9). Although that decision landed him in prison, the prison was the secret of his access to the throne.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When God created the world, He put some natural principles in place which can guarantee a measure of blessing. However, no blessing can stand the test of time apart from those made accessible by the Almighty God. The psalmist understood this truth, and hence he declared that only the Ultimate Shepherd can take you to green pastures (Psalm 23:2). Only the blessings of the Almighty God can give you the kind of peace that knows no trouble. When God pours His showers of blessings upon your life, the door of blessings will forever remain opened to you. The shower of blessings from the Lord is the starting point of a life of tremendous progress. You will suddenly realise that what others are finding difficult to achieve becomes very easy for you. You will also discover that what others complain about becomes what you rejoice over. The wind of the Holy Spirit is the source of God's blessings. On the day of Pentecost, when the wind of the Holy Spirit blew, the church suddenly grew by 3000 members (Acts 2:1-41). When the Lord decides to pour His blessings in your direction: the debtor of yesterday becomes a lender to nations today, the negative medical report of yesterday becomes the testimony of today, and the sack letter of yesterday becomes the promotion letter of today. A while ago, one of my sons was sacked from his place of work without any reason. As he worshipped with us at our monthly Holy Ghost Service, there was a word of knowledge sent from God saying that someone was going through some trouble but that those responsible for this trouble would die. The following week, word came to him that his father had passed on. On the actual day of his father's burial, he received a letter from the organisation that sacked him, asking him to return, and that he had been promoted. When the showers of blessings come upon your life, whatever the enemies have concluded concerning you becomes invalid by the power of the spoken word of God. I speak to the life of someone reading this devotional that your time of weeping has come to an end in Jesus' Name.

Those who truly love God are always carriers of His blessings. Do everything possible to stay in God. Stick with Him all of your days. Let Him continue to direct you to where your life can remain fresh. Let His word fill your heart in every situation. Never let go of God, and you will practically see Him taking you out of the shallow waters into showers of blessing. Are you experiencing dryness in your spiritual life, finances, marriage, career, business or ministry? God's showers of blessings will begin to flow in your direction in Jesus Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Faithfulness is a basic requirement for those who want to succeed in their dealings with God. For those who desire to be great, relevant and effective in life and ministry, there is no other way around it. Today, the Church in my opinion is not in short supply of Christian workers; rather, faithful workers are scarce. God blesses beyond measure, all those who exhibit faithfulness in His service. I have always told my children in ministry that when a man of God does the work of God the way it should be done, what he or she will eat would not be a prayer point. This is because God is committed to those who are faithful in His business. He gave us this guarantee in Hebrew 6:10:
"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister."

God is looking for men and women who are faithful stewards of all He has committed to their hands. You should be faithful in the handling of finances and not allow your heart be consumed by the love of money. Faithfulness is also required in the way you use your authority. You should be faithful in your service to God and in your service to humanity. You should be faithful in how you manage other people's time, because time is life. Stewardship is a trust that must not be abused. You should take the business of the kingdom seriously and not be complacent in your approach to life. You have to be steadfast and diligent in whatever assignment you are given. Diligence is a key that gives you access to people in high places (Proverbs 22:29). As a faithful steward in the vineyard, you have to be focused on your own mandate and never use another man as a parameter to evaluate your life (2 Corinthians 10:12). To be focused is to have a target and to work towards actualising it to the glory of God, being conscious of the fact that God's business requires urgency. Jesus made this clear in John 9:4:
"I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."

All the gifts, talents and potential that you have been given by God are expected to be deployed for His glory. It is my prayer that as you discern, develop and deploy all that He has committed into your hands, you will not be found wanting in Jesus' Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The patronage a brand enjoys and the loyalty of its customers is determined by the reputation of its manufacturer. This applies also to children of God. Whose brand are you? Who is your manufacturer? What reputation and goodwill does your manufacturer enjoy in the market place? For how long have you been in the market? What adverse market conditions have you overcome? What are your strategic selling points? I am excited to declare that I am a child of the Most High God. The Almighty God, who is the Maker of the heavens and the earth, is my Creator. There was no fault in my design because I was fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. My Father's reputation is staked on the fact that He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He is the oldest and yet the newest. Through Him, I have overcome defeat in every aspect of life. Sickness cannot have me. Poverty cannot come near me. Failure is far from me. Stagnation is not in my destiny. Barrenness is alien to me and I have no appointment with destruction. My selling point is that I have the joy of the Lord because I am a child of God!

As a child of God, you are not to run from problems; problems should be running from you. As a child of God, you have been created to be a terror to the kingdom of darkness. There should never be a report of you being terrorised by anything. Although Goliath had been terrorising the children of God for a long time, when a king under the King got there, his threats came to an end (1 Samuel 17:3-51). Today, I prophesy into your life that every Goliath in your home, finances, ministry, business and career shall be brought down in Jesus' Name. As a king, you are expected to command every negative situation out of your life. These situations have ears and they can hear you. That impossible situation is awaiting your command. Jeremiah 1:9-10 says,
"Then, the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth and the Lord said unto me; behold I have put my words in thy mouth, see I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down and to destroy, and to throw down, to build and to plant."

One of my beloved sons who has gone to be with the Lord, would always say that you should not complain about what you permit. So if there is anything you are complaining about, it is because you have permitted the devil for too long. Command him to pack his bags out of your family, out of your body and out of your business. Those who know their God shall be strong and do exploits.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

While it is very sweet and pleasant to be given another chance in life, in the face of resignation to doom and hopelessness, making the most of the opportunity presented by such a privilege is of greater importance. A classical example of someone who enjoyed another chance at life is the woman caught in the act of sexual immorality in John 8:1-11. Just when her life would have been taken away from her, God gave her another chance. Under the Mosaic Law, for her sin of adultery, she should have paid the supreme price of death through stoning. The scribes and Pharisees arrested and brought her to Jesus Christ for condemnation, but because He came to rescue and save the lost, he gave her another chance to live. The mercy of God that smiled on this woman on that fateful day caused her to be brought to the Saviour of life and not to the taker of it. After throwing a poser to her accusers which rocked the foundation of their souls and caused them to abandon their mission to take a life they did not create, Jesus in John 8:10 turned to this woman and asked her, "...Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?" "No man, Lord", she replied. Praise God for the verdict of Jesus which gave her another chance:
"...Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."
John 8:11

To someone reading this Devotional, Jesus Christ is saying to you today that though your family, your friends, your church, your government or the world may have condemned and written you off, He has not condemned you. He says to you, "Receive my forgiveness but go and sin no more". Thank God for His mercies. His mercy is so great that even the thief on the right side of the cross was given another chance (Luke 23:40-43)! This is the wonder of the cross. Beloved, you can be a partaker of the second chance that Jesus offers. Probably you are reading this in the prison yard, and you have been condemned to die. Do what that thief did - acknowledge your sins, repent of them, and accept Jesus Christ as the Righteous One who died for the unrighteous like you. Plead for God's mercy and believe you have received it through Jesus Christ. I assure you that the door of a second chance is opened to you. Seize it, celebrate it and thank God for it. You are now saved by grace. Hallelujah!
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Contrary to what the world would have you believe, you are a creation of the Almighty God. You were put here on earth to fulfill a divine purpose, and part of that purpose is multiplication. When God created you, He gave you a mandate, and He equally endowed you to fulfill this mandate (Genesis 1:28). You need to therefore understand that no demon, power, principality or even medical practitioner can say that there is no solution to the challenges you are facing. The only person permitted to have the final say over your situation is the Almighty God, and this is what He says about you in Exodus 23:26:
"There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfill."

Have you been tagged barren by this world? I want to assure you that your situation is not hopeless. The same God who remembered Rachael will surely remember you and remove every reproach in your life in Jesus' Name (Genesis 30:22). While Rachael trusted God for the fruit of the womb, the world despised her, her sister disdained her and her husband gave up on her; but by the time the Lord decided to repay her for the many years she had been under ridicule, her testimony exceeded that of those who had written her off.

I pity those who consult diviners in their search for children. God's stance on this is very clear:
"There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, OR a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer."
Deuteronomy 18:10-11

Every child that is gotten through the help of diviners will not give you joy. Submit to what God only can give. Do not run faster than your shadow. At God's appointed time and season, your song will change. As the Lord remembered Rachael He will surely remember you. Every reproach, sorrow, humiliation and secret cry of yours shall be brought to an end this month in Jesus' Name. All you need to do is to worship the One who can do what doctors say is impossible. Every husband who has been praying silently for his wife shall rejoice this season in Jesus' Name. Every family needs to unite together in prayer to wage war against those things that are not part of God's promise for your destiny. Have you lost so many years while waiting in expectation? Know that there is a God of redemption, and that the lost years of your life can be redeemed. The promises of God's restoration will come to pass in your life in Jesus' Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

The promotion that comes from God is worth waiting for; never settle for the promotion of men. Man can promote you today and demote you the next day. When man promotes you, they will expect something in return, but when God promotes you, all your sorrows will turn to joy and you will have absolute peace even in the midst of trouble. God's promotion usually shuts the mouth of detractors. Your detractors are those who boasted that you would never rise in their presence, and those who threatened that they would use the power of their position to destroy you, because you have refused to bow to their gods. They are those who, because of your uncompromising conviction, have said they will never recommend you for promotion as long as they are on the seat of power. I have good news for you: by this time tomorrow, their promotion will be at your mercy in Jesus' Name. They will never be able to carry out their mischievous plans against you in Jesus' Name. Concerning such people, the word of God in Psalm 21:11 says,
"For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform."

When God promotes you, you will go from success to success. This is why you need to make Him your ally. You need to come to Him, and let Him take over your life. The Lord's decision is always final. If He decides to promote you, no man can demote you. If He says this is your season, no accuser can deny you access. If He decides to bless you, no curse can prevail over you. All you need to do is to ensure His presence never departs from your life. There is someone reading this Devotional: by the time God starts with you, the whole world will be amazed. God promoted Joshua from being a messenger to the position of a commander. When God told him to take over the mantle of leadership from Moses and lead the children of Israel to the Promised Land, Joshua thought God was joking. God had to reassure him repeatedly that as He was with Moses, He would be with Him (Joshua 1:5-9, Joshua 3:7). Irrespective of how forceful the opposition confronting you is, when God is promoting you, He will cause you to experience certain blessings that will make all your enemies crumble. You will be able to do things you never thought you could do. However, God will not promote a person who is just folding his hands doing nothing. It is the soul of the diligent that will be made fat (Proverbs 13:4). If you are a hardworking person, God will reward you. God does not bless the lazy. What you sow is what you reap. If you want to soar, you have to go the extra mile and be a benchmark in the lifestyle of holiness and excellence.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Great faith is a kind of faith that works wonders in the life of an individual. It brings into manifestation the miracle-working power of God and makes one see His glory. Jesus referred to this kind of faith when He said to Martha,
"Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?"
John 11:38

The power of God is beyond human understanding. For this reason, you need to believe what God says, even when you don't know how He will do it. This is where faith comes in. There will always be a reason to doubt, but we must continue to suppress all doubts with great faith in God. Are there mountains in your life that you want removed? Are there steps you want to take that will lead to your breakthrough but you are having doubts about? Are there promises you received from God for which fulfillment seems impossible now? All will be well, and my God will remove every mountain before you. He will bring you to your desired destination in Jesus Name.

Unbelief is very dangerous because it displeases God. When the Almighty speaks to you and says what He will do, don't begin to scratch your head for a rationalization of its possibility. Like the children of Israel, contemporary believers are afraid of stepping into their glorious destinies because of unbelief (Hebrew 3:18-19). In Mark 3:1-5, Jesus went into a synagogue and there was a man there with a withered hand. Jesus told him to stretch out his hand, even though he knew his hand was withered. If that man had refused to act in great faith, he would have missed his miracle. As a child of God, when you say you believe God, your next action must show that you truly do. Exhibition of great faith produces the supernatural. This will lead to events that contravene the laws of nature taking place in your life. One of my daughters was told that her womb was too small to nurture a child to the point of delivery. This was the doctor's report, and the doctor was right because that was his field of specialty. However, God wanted to show to the doctor and to my daughter that He is the Doctor of all doctors and He can overrule any report. By His awesome power, the same womb that the doctor said could not nurture a child carried and gave birth to four children at once. It is only in God that such compelling events can happen, but it takes great faith in Him to reverse the irreversible in your life. This is why you need to come to Him and make Him your all in all. What is the physical challenge you are having in your body? By the power of God, an end has come to it today in Jesus' Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There is nothing as valuable as the word of the Lord. Its value lies in the fact that it will always fulfill that which the Lord has spoken. The words of men, as noble as they may sound, can never be relied on. You must have experienced on several occasions politicians making promises that will never come to pass. Some of them build roads with their mouths while some others make empty promises of employment for the youths. However, when God speaks, it is done! Having experienced the efficacy of God's word, the Psalmist in Psalm 119:89 made this declaration:
"For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."

You need to place a high premium on any word from the Lord. It takes the word of the Lord to experience the supernatural. Prophet Elijah received the word of the Lord on the exact place to go in order to be sustained during famine (1 Kings 17:8-9). There are many people who are wandering through life because they do not know what to do. That will not be your portion in Jesus' Name. I decree in the Name of my Father, the Maker of the heavens and the earth, that you will receive direction from Him that will position your life at an advantage.

If you are one of those who think that their problems are far from the touch of the supernatural, I have good news for you: before the end of the first quarter of this year, what the Lord will do in your life will attract the presence of the media. When the children of Israel were bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, something remarkable occurred along the way. In order to avoid the anger of the Lord, they had placed the Ark of the Covenant in the house of Obed-Edom, someone they considered a never-do-well. However, by the presence of the supernatural in the life of Obed-Edom, a never-do-well suddenly began to do well. He who was a nobody became somebody. The man who they had all concluded would die poor began to enjoy abundant wealth. I want you to know that the moment you make room for the presence of the supernatural in your life, anything called poverty will become a stranger to your house, because wherever God is, there must be abundance. In 1 Kings 17:8-16, the widow of Zarephath had only one meal left before the carrier of the supernatural arrived on the scene. The moment Elijah arrived, the last meal of this widow became her first of many. Absolute poverty gave room to absolute prosperity. Make up your mind to serve the Lord, and He will guide you on the exact steps to take for your life to turn around for the better. God is waiting for you to release yourself totally to Him; you will be amazed by the instructions He will release to you that will make you the envy of all.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Result-producing prayers are prayers that remove mountains. They are prayers that put the forces of hell to flight. They part Red Seas and make a way for you into your promised land. These are prayers that guarantee the achievement of impossible feats and open the door to outstanding success. They are prayers that put business ideas in the heart of entrepreneurs and make their businesses remain at the cutting edge of prosperity even during an economic crunch. It is the type of prayer that stills every storm in the life of an individual. Result-producing prayers make deliverance from evil powers possible. By these prayers, a beggar is raised from the pit and made a channel of blessings to generations after him. From today, your prayers will command outstanding results in Jesus' Name.

A lot of people pass through this world like an ant: unnoticed and unknown. Their minds are so beclouded by the powers of darkness that they do not understand the will of God for their lives. There are several people at various crossroads in life who have no clue of what to do next. For some, their hopes are dashed and purpose lost. It is only in the place of prayer - result-producing prayer - that you can put a stop to such activities of the devil. Prayer is a wonderful privilege the saints of God can use to access the promises of God. When you engage in violent prayer, it releases your faith. Faith in turn enables you to call those things that be not as though they exist. It sees life in death, prosperity in poverty, salvation in the enslavement of sin, fruitfulness in barrenness, redemption in destruction and miracles in the face of insurmountable problems.

The problem I have seen in the Body of Christ is that ministers theorise prayer. Prayer is a potent weapon that can produce speedy results. It should be consciously engaged in settling any unrest, challenges, confrontations, intimidations and difficulties that one faces in the journey of life. Prayer is not theoritical, but a practical demonstration of God's power. I have been to prayer meetings where ministers preach so much about prayer but end up not leading people in prayers. I have also seen people, who were asked to lead prayers, get distracted by other issues after getting to the pulpit. The power of the cross of Calvary will destroy every yoke, bondage, spell, attack and curse that has been waging war against your prayer life in Jesus' Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One of the utmost desires of every human being is to be fruitful. We derive our drive for fruitfulness from the command that God gave to our spirit after creation in Genesis 1:28:
"And God blessed them, God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

To be fruitful means to have outstanding results in one's assignment or chosen career. Fruitfulness is having excellent results where others are failing. It is to be highly favoured where others are struggling, and making progress where others are either retrogressing or remaining stagnant. Fruitfulness means being a vessel of honour while some are vessels unto dishonour. My prayer is that the Lord will reveal to you the secrets of good fruitfulness in Jesus' Name.

The first secret of good fruitfulness is absolute dependence on the One who infused our spirit with the drive to be fruitful: God. God plays a prominent role in the fruitfulness of His children. This is why you need to settle it in your mind that there is nothing you can achieve without the help of the Almighty God. Those who understand this secret never attempt to run ahead of God. Jesus in John 15:5 said,
"I am the vine, ye are the branches; He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

No amount of human labour would suffice if God is not involved. This is why you need to run your endeavours in partnership with Jesus. If you partner with Jesus, you can never suffer loss because He is committed to giving you what money cannot buy. Money cannot buy you a good name; neither can money buy you peace of mind or guaranteed protection.

Another secret of good fruitfulness is avoiding strife and division. These manifest carnality and they will hinder you from bearing good fruit in life. Any family where envy and provocation of one another persist cannot be fruitful. Any organisation where people are committed to breaking ranks cannot be fruitful. Any church where people are always pulling down one another through their actions and words cannot be fruitful. This is why the Bible admonishes us to always walk in the Spirit so that we will not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Let us always create an atmosphere of peace, love, joy and goodness, without undermining the importance of discipline. You will be amazed at how good our fruits would be under the leading of God.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

A lot of people go to unbelievable and unimaginable places seeking for solutions to their numerous problems and challenges, but all to no avail. Some people even go to the devil to find freedom. How can you seek freedom from an entity in bondage? Today, I pray for you that every wrong avenue from which you have been seeking freedom will be shut in Jesus' Name. The Almighty God will show you solutions to the challenges confronting you in Jesus' Name. It is often said that you cannot give what you don't have. This is very true, and that is why you need to run to Jesus for all of your needs. There is no question in your life that He does not have an answer to. There is no problem He cannot solve, no sickness He cannot heal and no negative report that Jesus cannot overturn. There is no pit dug for you that He cannot close, neither is there any weapon fashioned against you that He cannot raise a standard against.

Beloved, it's only in Jesus that you can have true freedom. If you really want to be free, you need to become a disciple of His. A disciple of Jesus is a follower of His person and principles. There are many people who go to church and deliverance meetings who are not disciples of Jesus. They are just among the multitudes who are interested in His miracles and blessings, and yet have no interest in making Him their personal Lord and Saviour. Becoming a disciple of Jesus is a personal decision wherein an individual has to make up his mind to respond to the love of God. It is accepting to be on the Lord's side. It is a deliberate intention to pay close attention to the word of God and allowing your life to be guided by it. This is the only way your freedom can be guaranteed. Over and over again you hear in adverts that tobacco smoking is dangerous to health, yet some people have remained under its bondage. Even some medical doctors, who know the serious negative effects of smoking, cannot help themselves from the bondage of this habit. Today, there shall be an end to every habit that is injurious to your life in Jesus' Name. Come to Jesus and surrender to Him absolutely. Only after doing this will you enjoy total freedom from all bondage of strange voices, satanic oppression, obsession, suppression and depression. He is the only Truth that can set you free. Once you are set free in Jesus and you continue to abide in Him, no one can put you back in bondage again. An end has come to all the works of the devil in your life. Now is the dawn of a new beginning. No matter how much you have been afflicted by the agents of hell, your freedom has finally come in Jesus' Name. I release the power of God to deliver you from all demonic attacks right now, in Jesus' Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Do you know that besides physical death there is also material death? One of the most dread and avoided passages in the Bible is Deuteronomy 28:15-68. Ironically, one of the best loved and most read passages of Scripture come from the first 14 verses of the same chapter. People want to read about God's blessings but they never want to be told about the curses. However, it is very instructive to read the passages that talk about the curses too, so that you can discern if your life is manifesting any of the curses and to seek spiritual help if that is the case. These passages also help us to know what the God who blesses His obedient children can do to those who disobey Him. It is also good to take a careful study of those who were placed under a divine curse in the Bible, so that you can steadfastly avoid their errors.

One repercussion for disobeying God is material death brought about by several agents of death. According to Deuteronomy 28:15-68, for the act of disobedience, the disobedient fellow shall be cursed everywhere he or she goes. That means, spiritually, such a fellow is wearing the garment of curses! When a person is cursed by God, wherever he or she goes, people will just find themselves opposing him or her, even without real provocation. Divine curses attract other types of curses to the fellow who is cursed. Also, when an individual is under a divine curse, the curses that men place on him will require no demonic power to make them work; they will just ride on the existing cursed climate surrounding the fellow. It is a terrible thing to come under a divine curse! If you are under a divine curse, do everything possible today to come out of it! For a fellow under a divine curse, everything God has made will begin to fight against that fellow. Friends will turn against him or her. Opportunity will shut its door. Good health will take its flight. Promotion will be on vacation. Success will run away. The life of that individual will attract all kinds of evils: disappointments, unending struggles, frustrations, sorrow, losses, wasted efforts, and every unpleasant experience. When Cain was cursed by God in Genesis 4:11-12, he understood the spiritual implication of this and he immediately began to pray for divine mercy. If he did not do this, everything and everyone would have worked against him. Does it appear like everyone and everything is fighting against you? Find out if you are under a divine curse and immediately go to God in repentance and ask for His mercy.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

To be a successful farmer, there are several activities you must carry out in the right order. You have to get a suitable farmland, cut the grass and fell the trees, make the ridges and thereafter sow your seeds. After sowing, you have to watch out for weeds that come to destroy your harvest, and when they show up, you have to take them out of the way. You have to also water your seed always. If you do all these, you will get a bountiful harvest. All these are a reflection of what you need to do in order to get a bountiful harvest in the Kingdom of God. One important point you need to take to heart is that after you have done your part, God is the One who gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6). Every increase that comes to your seed comes from God and not necessarily from the soil. This season, the Lord will give you increase in every good area you are sowing into in Jesus' Name.

However, what you reap will be determined by what you have sown. For instance, the young boy in John 6:5-13 did not only give bread, he also gave fish to Jesus. If you give Him bread, He will multiply it back to you. If you give Him more than bread, you will also get more than multiplied bread. The boy gave the Lord bread and fish, and at the end of the day, he got 12 baskets full of bread and fish. One lesson here is that sowing and reaping is not the exclusive preserve of adults. Teach your children to sow into the Kingdom of God. Teach them to pay tithes on the gifts they receive from their uncles, aunties and friends of their parents. They can even tithe their pocket money as they go to boarding school or university. The earlier they imbibe such Kingdom principles, the better for them.

Indeed, if you give the Lord more than bread, you will get more than bread in your harvest. In 2 Kings 4:8-17, the rich woman of Shunem started by providing food for Elisha. She then moved beyond providing bread to providing accommodation. When her harvest came, God went beyond bread and took care of a long standing need in her life that she had already given up hope on: her desire for a child. The seed she sowed into Elisha's life defied all scientific and diabolical reasons for her barrenness and gave her a baby boy. God knows your needs - even your deep, unvoiced needs. What are you giving to Him? If you are not yet giving Him anything, start giving something today! Are you giving only what you can easily part with? Take a step further today and sow sacrificially. Your seed will carve out a path into the fullness of your joy.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

"And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient."
Romans 1:27-28

From the scripture above, it is true that nature abhors a vacuum. Your mind was designed to retain the knowledge of God. However, if it is not used for that purpose, do not be surprised that it will become filled with junk and warped reasoning. How true the word of God is throughout the ages! What this scripture foretold centuries ago is exactly what we find being manifested right before our very eyes today. One reason why some people attach themselves to sodomy, lesbianism, bestiality and all kinds of abominable acts today is because they have shut their hearts to the truth of God's word. This includes those gays who profess to be religious. Such people do not have a true, inward relationship with God. Are you battling with evil thoughts? Then fill your mind with the knowledge of God, His word, His ways and His testimonies, and there will be no space for junk and the lies of the devil in it.

Do you know that God is seriously searching for those who are seeking for Him? The Bible in Psalm 14:2 says:
"The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God."

Wherever He finds them, irrespective of the religious sect they belong to, one way or another, He charts a path for them to come out, get to know and serve Him in the right way. This was the experience of Cornelius. This officer in the Roman army was still practicing judaism after Jesus had come to introduce a salvation by faith in Him. Despite the fact that Jesus had come and had finished the work of salvation, and the gospel was being preached, Cornelius continued worshipping God the same way he had always done before. Nevertheless, God saw the sincerity of his desire for Him, and He arranged for him to meet Apostle Peter, who taught him the new and living way to God. There are people in different faiths who are truly seeking God but are doing so wrongly. Pray that like Cornelius, God will lead them the right way, out of where they are into His Kingdom.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

One great expectation of the Almighty God is that man, whom He created in His image and likeness, will appreciate His benevolent deeds to them. It is unfortunate, however, that from generation to generation man has been ungrateful. This is even more pronounced in these last days (Romans 1:21, 2 Timothy 3:2). From Luke 17:11-19, we can see how expectant our Heavenly Father is for us to express appreciation whenever He does us good. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who came to show us the character of the Father, revealed this expectation to us through His reaction when only one leper returned to say "Glory to God in the highest", even though ten were healed.
"And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger."
Luke 17:17-18

When we fail to appreciate God for who He is and for what He continuously does for us, we rob Him of His rightful glory and honour. Indeed, ingratitude is an act of robbery against God. It is also dangerous, because your joy cannot be full if you are unthankful. Of the ten lepers that were healed, the only one we can consider to have received the fullness of joy is the one who returned to give glory to God, because Jesus crowned his healing with wholeness.

There is another dimension to being grateful to God, which has to do with our appreciation of what He did for us when He gave His only begotten Son as atonement for our sins. The only way to show our gratitude for this gift is to accept His offer of salvation, which is free for us but which cost the life of the immaculate Son of God. We must embrace this offer with every sense of gratitude because there are consequences for rejecting it. Hebrews 2:3 says,
"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;"

Beloved, the most profound gratitude we can show to God, for all the things He has done for us, is to accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ and to live by the ideals He brought from His Father. God bless you as you do so today.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, the Holy Spirit says this to us: "Pray without ceasing". This statement is not a piece of advice but rather a command. The reason why we should obey this command is revealed in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ to His disciples in Luke 22:40:
"Pray that ye enter not into temptation."

The disciples did not take this admonition seriously for obvious reasons of the sorrow that overwhelmed their hearts after their Master's valedictory speech. This is a lesson to us all that we should not allow circumstances weaken our prayer lives. The result of their prayerlessness was catastrophic. Most of them lacked the courage to stand firm when their Master was arrested. They would have obtained the needed courage in the place of prayer. They therefore could not resist the temptation of running away. Peter, the one who had appeared to be the boldest among them turned out to be bold only in the flesh; he ended up denying his master three times. He had no spiritual courage to follow through with his boast of readiness to die with the Master (Matthew 26:35). What a great lesson to us all! The arm of flesh will always fail (Jeremiah 17:5).

There are many lessons we can learn from the story of the widow in Luke 18:1-8; first of which is that the judge intervened in her case not because he was interested in her. Rather, it was her relentless prayer that compelled him to act and avenge her of her enemies. Secondly, this woman did not change her prayer at any time. In other words, she was consistent in her prayer, and so there was no need for additional witnesses to be called in, or for more evidence to be presented. Many people gamble in their prayer lives, not knowing exactly what they need. They are unstable like the waves of the sea, being driven by the wind. Concerning such people, Apostle James in James 1:7-8 writes:
"For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."

Our Lord Jesus Christ through this story assures us that our heavenly Father, unlike the unjust judge, will answer us speedily, but on one condition: if we pray in faith and trust in His justice. Therefore, ask of the Father today in faith, and you will receive beyond your wildest imagination.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

When God opens treasures to you but blinds your enemies from seeing them, the experience is simply wonderful. However, when your tomorrow becomes permanently settled for good, it is even more wonderful. This is what the Lord sent His word to do in Isaiah 3:10:
"Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings."

Beloved, if you are genuinely born again and in right standing before God, no matter what the devil does, no matter how hard he fights against you, and no matter the number of forces that gather together to stand in your way, you will prevail at the end. Sometimes, God keeps quiet and allows your enemies to believe that they have the upper-hand against you; but just when they think it's all over for you, the Lord will suddenly arise on your behalf and bring them under your feet. Also, never think that your labours are in vain. They are not! God keeps a record of them. That you did not enter your harvest today does not mean your harvest is lost forever. You shall not lose your harvest! There can only be some delay, some temporary setback, but you will enter your harvest. Have you been separated from your harvest for so long? This season, the Lord will arise for you, scatter all the impediments on your way and give you a great harvest, in Jesus' Name.

Beloved, it shall be well with you. Your tomorrow shall be alright. Your tomorrow is secured in God and not in your nation's economy. When God prospers you to the level where you can say, "By the grace of God, I now have enough to take care of me and my family for the rest of our lives", then that can be described as being even more wonderful. Beyond this, the experience of the widow of Zarephath in 1 Kings 17:8-16 can be described as most wonderful because, of all the households in a country suffering a nationwide famine, this widow's household was the only one singled out for favour. The miracle of divine provision was limited to her particular household alone. When you are singled out this way, the negative things that affect others will not affect you. Also, the good things that others cannot get, no matter how hard they try, will be yours with little or no effort. This year, the Lord will single you out for protection against any form of famine, disease or pestilence. The Lord will single you out for an uncommon blessing that will leave your enemies in the dark in Jesus' Name.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

There are so many wonderful things to know about the person of God the Son. His uniqueness is summarised in Colossians 2:9:
"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

He came to this world in the form of flesh to demonstrate the character of the 3 personalities found in the person of God. This means that if you want to know more about all the other persons of the Godhead, all you need to do is to take a close look at Jesus. He is the Great Physician who can heal all sicknesses and diseases. He is the One who can set the captives free and destroy all the works of the devil. Most importantly for us, He is the Saviour (Matthew 1:21). When He visited Zacchaeus, He declared to him that He had come to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). His blood cleanses from all sins (1 John 1:7), and it is only through His Name that we can be saved (Acts 4:12).

Several years ago, I visited an African nation and my host began to tell me about a particular government minister of that nation who was a very terrible man. He had killed quite a number of people and was so vicious that he was nicknamed "the Cobra". When he said that, the Spirit immediately told me to go and preach to him. I told my host, "I need to go and preach to the Cobra". He looked at me in disbelief and said, "Sir, it appears you do not understand what I have been saying". Then I replied, "If he is as bad as you say he is, then he needs salvation, and no other person can save him but Jesus". My host reluctantly agreed to take me to his house, but he told me that he would stay back in the car. "If I wait for one hour and you do not come out, I will drive off", he said. I agreed, and asked him to call the Cobra and inform him that a prophet is coming from Nigeria with a message for him. When I met the Cobra at his house, I said to him, "Sir, I have a message for you from the Lord". "What message?" He asked. "Your days are numbered, your judgment is at hand, your cup is about to overflow, but the Almighty God has sent me to tell you that despite all your atrocities, He still loves you". Within 15 minutes of talking, the Cobra was on his knees asking how he could be saved. Every "cobra" in your life shall be arrested today in Jesus' Name! However, one effective way of doing this is by introducing Jesus Christ the Saviour to your enemies. I know this is the last thing some people will want to do. If you lead your enemies to the Saviour, you will have rest because they will become your defence and supporters. Don't stop until all your enemies are saved.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.

Sin has wages for anyone who partakes in it (Romans 6:23). The word of God is so true about this. Do you know that the occurrence of most sicknesses and diseases can be traced to the problem of sin? As a child of God, if you find yourself sick at anytime, it is proper to first check yourself and be sure that sin is not secretly doing its dirty work on you. There are times when I have prayed from my heart for the sick and some of them either remained sick or even died. At such times, I returned to God to ask what could be wrong. "Lord", I would ask, "What is happening? I have done what you asked me to do. You said these signs shall follow the believers, and that if I lay my hands on the sick they shall recover; why is it that these ones have failed to recover?" The response I often got was "Son, you don't know the full story". In other words, sin was secretly at play in some of those cases.

Several years ago, I was invited to pray for a certain chief in Ogun State, Nigeria, who was sick. When I got there, I asked him if he was a Christian, and he responded in the affirmative. "Are you born-again?" I asked. "Yes, I am a child of God" was his reply. Then I assured him that he was going to get well. I prayed, but nothing happened. I sent two of my prayer warriors under strict conditions to pray and fast for seven days interceding for this man, but nothing happened. Thereafter, I myself decided to go on a 21-day fast for him, but that night, the Lord told me it was good to fast, but not for this chief, because he was not going to be healed. "Lord", I protested, "He told me he is a believer". The Lord told me to ask him seven simple questions that every born-again Christian would find easy to answer. When I did, he realised that certain events that were shrouded in secrecy were out. I asked him if he had repented of a particular incident over which he had a case in court. He had drowned the boat of some witnesses who were on their way to testify against him in court. To keep this secret from leaking out, he had poisoned the fellow who drowned the boat for him. If the secret ever got out, he would have lost the court case. Instead of repenting of these grievous sins, he simply warned me not to visit his house again. Are you sick? Is that sickness caused by a hidden sin you haven't confessed? There is a particular reader of this devotional who has been battling with one sickness or the other. If you can trace it carefully, you will realise it started when you began to steal money from your church. Repent and restitute your ways, and you will be healed.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.