₦airaland Forum

Wisdom For Destiny Daily Devotional *9th December, 2025)*

by *Sunday Akanni*

TOPIC: Speaking Truth To Power (1)

"Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, 'Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.'" - Acts 24:25 NKJV

*Message*

The Apostle Paul stood gallantly in chains before some of the most powerful men in the Roman Empire, the likes of Governor Felix, Festus, and King Agrippa. These were individuals accustomed to people cowering before them, flattering them, or begging for favors. But Paul did none of these things. Instead, he did something revolutionary: he treated them as souls in need of salvation.

Take note of the fact that Paul could have played it safe. He could have focused solely on defending himself against false accusations. He could have avoided topics that might offend his powerful audience. But Paul understood something profound that position and power don't exempt anyone from the need for the gospel.

When speaking to Felix, Paul didn't flatter the governor's authority or appeal to his political interests. Instead, he "reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come." Take note that these weren't abstract theological concepts. Rather, they struck at the heart of Felix's personal life.

It should be noted that Felix was living with Drusilla, another man's wife, and was known for his corruption and lack of self-control. Paul's message was so convicting that Felix became afraid.

Notice Paul's approach: he reasoned, he didn't rant. He presented truth with clarity and logic, engaging Felix's mind while addressing his conscience. This is wisdom. It has to do with speaking boldly without being reckless, being truthful without being unnecessarily offensive.

Hope you are taking notes already?

*Prayers/Confessions*

Lord, give me the courage to speak truth to power, just like Paul, without fear or compromise. Help me to be bold and wise in my words, addressing the hearts of those in authority, and pointing them to Your truth

*Further Reading*

The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion. Proverbs 28:1 NKJV

Wisdom For Destiny Daily Devotional *10th December, 2025)*

by *Sunday Akanni*

TOPIC: Speaking Truth To Those In Power (2)

"Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, 'Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.'" - Acts 24:25 NKJV

*Message*

When Paul was with King Agrippa, his defence became a testimony. He shared his personal encounter with Christ on the Damascus road, explained how prophecy pointed to Jesus, and made a direct appeal:

"King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe."

Agrippa's response shows the power of Paul's presentation: "You almost persuade me to become a Christian." Almost. The king stood at the threshold of salvation but chose not to cross it. Yet Paul's boldness had brought him to that point — closer to Christ than he had ever been.

When we speak to those in power, our posture shouldn't portray us as mischievous folks who want to vent our personal vendetta due to their failures. Rather, we are seeking at getting them either saved or convicted to begin operating with kingdom principles.

First of all, don't be intimidated by position. Paul remembered that governors and kings are still accountable to the King of Kings. Respect their position, but don't compromise the message.

Also, address real issues, not just surface matters. Paul spoke about righteousness, self-control, and judgment. These are topics that confront his audience's actual spiritual condition.

*Prayers/Confessions*

Lord, give me the courage to speak truth to power, just like Paul, without fear or compromise. Help me to be bold and wise in my words, addressing the hearts of those in authority, and pointing them to Your truth

*Further Reading*

[2] Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. [3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; [4] and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. [5] But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. II Timothy 4:2-5 NKJV

Wisdom For Destiny Daily Devotional *11th December, 2025)*

by *Sunday Akanni*

TOPIC: Speaking Truth To Those In Power (3)

"Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, 'Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.'" - Acts 24:25 NKJV

*Message*

When Paul was ministering to these powerful individuals, he combined logical argument with personal experience, engaging both the mind and the heart. Whenever you have the chance to do the same, you can also employ reason and testimony together. As the Holy Spirit breathe upon those words, they can convict the hardest hearts.

You should be eager to make the most of every platform. Paul turned a legal defense into an evangelistic opportunity. When God grants you access to influential people, steward it wisely. Just ensure you are kingdom oriented and missional conscious. It helps you see anything and everything as opportunities and platforms to propagate the kingdom.

Now, it's also important that you accept that you can't control the outcome. Felix postponed his decision indefinitely. Agrippa almost believed but walked away. But all that matters to Paul was that he faithfully presented truth and left the results to God.

The powerful need the gospel just as desperately as anyone else. Their influence may be great, but their eternity is not sure without Jesus. Like Paul, we must have the courage to speak truth clearly, the wisdom to speak it appropriately, and the faith to trust God with the results.

*Prayers/Confessions*

Father, give me boldness like Paul to speak Your truth to everyone, regardless of their position. Help me balance courage with wisdom, being faithful to Your message while trusting You with the outcome. In Jesus' name, Amen.

*Further Reading*

[2] Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. [3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; [4] and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. [5] But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. II Timothy 4:2-5 NKJV

God bless you

lalasticlala Nlfpmod

Apostle of the old, with passion for the work of God

Some of those religious leaders have eaten dodo, they can't speak ododo

Speaking truth to those in power is now an abomination in Nigeria. Na one pastor charge a former minister 150m for spiritual services.

See, these imported religions only brought about scam and backwardness in the lives of black men

Absolutely necessary, you can't call yourself a good man, talk more of calling yourself born again or righteous, if you don't speak truth to power.

This was what Jesus was doing all his life, with the leaders in the synagogues, the rabbis, clerics, even when he stood before Pilate. If you are a Christian we must emulate the one the religion is built after.

It's not about self righteousness, it's about selfless and sacrificial works, this was all Jesus came to do, and he ended physically that way... according to the Bible story, when I read about Jesus I see sacrifice, not for a church, denomination, but to humanity, the big picture.

If you try to speak to power publicly you won't end well.

Jesus and his disciples never had time for people in power! His concern were the masses and the kingdom of God!

It all started with Paul.

Tell those charlatans to sell off their earthly treasures and give to the poor. That is when we will take that religion serious because they are not living a Christlike life. Jesus did not have Benz, rolls Royce and mansions. He turned stones to bread to feed the sheeples. That bread runs into billions of naira if it

Tell those charlatans to sell off their earthly treasures and give to the poor. That is when we will take that religion serious because they are not living a Christlike life. Jesus did not have Benz, rolls Royce and mansions. He turned stones to bread to feed the sheeples. That bread runs into billions of naira if it is to be in today's Nigeria.

Those in power eat with



DEVIL



No words will enter their ear.

The early Christianity aware that being a true Christian is has much to do with d development of inner self and d enlight of ones self through understand the principles and law of God... The better for us ...not through self devotion to church services only..
Majority of christian affter prayers and services qt churxh ask them questions aboit the prayer and service ..

Speaking truth to power is a dangerous exercise and a waste of saliva because they will ignore the message no matter how nice and humbly you put it,they will not see the need for self reflection that requires self accountability and change because they're majorly psychopaths, they will instead target the speaker for death, embarrassment or smear campaign. that's why people like Bob marley, lucky dube,fela,Martin Luther, vdm,seun kuti etc are hated and constantly targeted but ass lickers,sycophants and liars are loved by those in power e.g reno

However there are few genuine men of God who might be pastors or non pastors who are ready to risk their lives and that of their families to speak truth to power and cannot be defiled with a pot of porridge in the name of appointment, oil block,mansions or brown envelope.they exist but they don't have big platforms like the other charlatans. I suspect that pastor in the North that exposed the constant genocide against Christians is one of them.i don't know his name

you want to start calling out leaders when you can't even correct or correct your own pastor

as they say charity begins at home.

Nigerians christians speak truth to power only when it is non christians. When it is christians in power , we blame Muslims and fulanis

Eph.4.15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ

AntiChristian:
If you try to speak to power publicly you won't end well.

Jesus and his disciples never had time for people in power! His concern were the masses and the kingdom of God!

It all started with Paul.

Well

1. In the old testament we had prophets and priests who did speak truth to power eg Amos and Elijah and Jeremiah.

2. Yes Jesus was more concerned about men's hearts , but he also was very critical of the pharisees and scribes which formed a large part of the then ruling class ( Rome practiced what we would call indirect rule, whether under a indigenous king chosen by them or by a governor or procurator appointed from Rome . In Judaea, the Sanhedrin was the main ruling body which operated under the auspices of the roman appointed ruler. For Judaea it was intirally the Herods , then from 6ad , roman governors. The Sanhedrin was made up of scribes and pharisees and Sadducees).

He was routinely critical of the pharisees and even the Sanhedrin and once refered to one of the Herods as that old fox.


Paul continued much in that vein . The reasons why christians were persecuted was largely because their cult claimed exclusivity. One God . Also Nero used them as scapegoats for the fire that burned Rome in 64.

At the end, christians tended to be critical of the Jewish religious leadership, starting from Jesus since until around 100 ad, most christians were Jews.

Wow, this one really dey inspire me. Paul no fear to speak truth, even to the most powerful people wey fit crush him anytime. E show say courage and wisdom dey together. Na so we suppose dey approach life—bold, but smart, speaking truth without wahala. I dey wonder, how many of us fit stand like Paul if e be our own oga or authority wey we dey address?

Akuoyibo Nsugbe on the beat

Interesting15:
Wisdom For Destiny Daily Devotional *9th December, 2025)*

by *Sunday Akanni*

TOPIC: Speaking Truth To Power (1)

"Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, 'Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.'" - Acts 24:25 NKJV

*Message*

The Apostle Paul stood gallantly in chains before some of the most powerful men in the Roman Empire, the likes of Governor Felix, Festus, and King Agrippa. These were individuals accustomed to people cowering before them, flattering them, or begging for favors. But Paul did none of these things. Instead, he did something revolutionary: he treated them as souls in need of salvation.

Take note of the fact that Paul could have played it safe. He could have focused solely on defending himself against false accusations. He could have avoided topics that might offend his powerful audience. But Paul understood something profound that position and power don't exempt anyone from the need for the gospel.

When speaking to Felix, Paul didn't flatter the governor's authority or appeal to his political interests. Instead, he "reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come." Take note that these weren't abstract theological concepts. Rather, they struck at the heart of Felix's personal life.

It should be noted that Felix was living with Drusilla, another man's wife, and was known for his corruption and lack of self-control. Paul's message was so convicting that Felix became afraid.

Notice Paul's approach: he reasoned, he didn't rant. He presented truth with clarity and logic, engaging Felix's mind while addressing his conscience. This is wisdom. It has to do with speaking boldly without being reckless, being truthful without being unnecessarily offensive.

Hope you are taking notes already?

*Prayers/Confessions*

Lord, give me the courage to speak truth to power, just like Paul, without fear or compromise. Help me to be bold and wise in my words, addressing the hearts of those in authority, and pointing them to Your truth

*Further Reading*

The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion. Proverbs 28:1 NKJV

nairalanda1:
Well

1. In the old testament we had prophets and priests who did speak truth to power eg Amos and Elijah and Jeremiah.

2. Yes Jesus was more concerned about men's hearts , but he also was very critical of the pharisees and scribes which formed a large part of the then ruling class ( Rome practiced what we would call indirect rule, whether under a indigenous king chosen by them or by a governor or procurator appointed from Rome . In Judaea, the Sanhedrin was the main ruling body which operated under the auspices of the roman appointed ruler. For Judaea it was intirally the Herods , then from 6ad , roman governors. The Sanhedrin was made up of scribes and pharisees and Sadducees).

He was routinely critical of the pharisees and even the Sanhedrin and once refered to one of the Herods as that old fox.


Paul continued much in that vein . The reasons why christians were persecuted was largely because their cult claimed exclusivity. One God . Also Nero used them as scapegoats for the fire that burned Rome in 64.

At the end, christians tended to be critical of the Jewish religious leadership, starting from Jesus since until around 100 ad, most christians were Jews.

I don't think Jesus made much contribution in this regard as i said before. Paul did more than Jesus in this regard! We are not talking about religious leadership but political leadership!

AntiChristian:
I don't think Jesus made much contribution in this regard as i said before. Paul did more than Jesus in this regard! We are not talking about religious leadership but political leadership!

Well, Paul was not politically inclined as was Jesus (kingdom of heaven), but they were about getting men closer to God, and thus changing the society...still that did not stop them from being critical of the religious and civil soceity, which was the Sanhedrin

nairalanda1:
Well, Paul was not politically inclined as was Jesus (kingdom of heaven), but they were about getting men closer to God, and thus changing the society...still that did not stop them from being critical of the religious and civil soceity, which was the Sanhedrin

I agree with you! They were largely apolitical....