Philippians 4:6  ‘be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God’.–

DAILY READING        •        Galatians 6; Ezekiel 2-3; Psalm 149

William J. Seymour was born in 1870 in Louisiana, to black parents who had recently been freed from slavery. Lacking formal education, as he grew older, Seymour taught himself to read, mainly through readingh the Bible. The social climate of America at that time was highly prejudiced and black people were largely segregated from much of mainstream American society. When he attended a Bible school, Seymour had to sit outside– because he was black. Undeterred, he preached the Gospel, wherever he could. One day, as a guest minister, he preached the message of Pentecost to a small church in Los Angeles, but this went against their doctrine. So after his first fiery sermon on The Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, he came back the following day to find the Church door locked with a big padlock.  He had been locked out by the church administration and told not to come back!

Though rudely rejected, he was however received by a couple who had been touched by his message. In their home, Seymour locked himself up and spent many hours in prayers. After many days of prayers, others began joining him and soon a prayer meeting developed. The meetings were filled with prayer, testimonies, worship and supernatural phenomena. The crowd grew so much that at a point the porch of the house where they held the meetings collapsed under the weight of all the people. And so in April, 1906, the group moved to an old building on 312 Azusa Street, Los Angeles. And a massive spiritual awakening erupted now known as the ‘Azusa Street revival’. It grew very rapidly and continued to spread like wildfire. The event was so great that its effect has been felt throughout the world. It marked the beginning of the Pentecostal Church. Thousands of pastors and leaders from all over the world visited this place of divine visitation, especially during its vibrant early years between 1906 and 1908.  And today over 550 million Pentecostals and Charismatics trace their spiritual ancestry back to this awesome event.

Indeed, William J. Seymour’s life illustrates the fact that God being for you is more than the world being against you.. People may try to discredit you, and reject you – it may hurt, but that doesn’t stop your purpose.  God is on the throne, He knew who wasn’t going to like you and who was going to try to push you down. When you know that God has the final say, you don’t live frustrated, or worried. You stay in peace knowing that nothing can stop God’s plan. You are not doing life by yourself, God is behind the scenes orchestrating things in your favor. And the place God has for you no man can take it, when you are sincerely serving Him. At the right time, He will cause the lines to fall for you in pleasant places.

If our destinies were in the hands of people, then David would never have been  heard of. When prophet Samuel came to Jesse’s house to choose the next king,  Jesse didn’t see David as king material and didn’t bother to bring him out. But  David is a generational celebrity today, because God doesn’t choose the way man chooses. God judges by the heart not by outward appearance. Therefore be encouraged to know that though people may have counted you out, God has already counted you in.

This is why we seek the face of God in prayers. God is really the one we should concern ourselves with pleasing. When a man’s ways pleases The Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. When we succeed in pleasing God no man can stop our destiny. God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. So ignore whatever opposition may be coming against you and spend time in seeking God’s face in prayers. And when you find God there shall be a reward and your expectations shall not be cut off.

PRAYER: Lord, I trust You are in control of my life. Am sincerely grateful that my destiny is in Your hands. And I know that even right now You are working out everything for my good in Jesus Name. .

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When God places His hand upon a man in life nothing can come against him, this is because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. WORDBITE 222…