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Isaiah 64:1-2 ‘Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!!’

Romans 9:1-29; 1 Samuel 17:55-18:30; Psalm 63

When Living Faith Church began full operation in December 1983., their first Church services were held in Kaduna, Northern Nigeria.
Despite having had a clear call from God in an 18 hour vision, David Oyedepo found that things did not immediately progress as he had expected.
The growth of the Church appeared stunted and stagnated. Oftentimes, there were only two people f in the Church services and they were his staff members.
Tired of the stagnation, one day, David Oyedepo called his staff together and they began prayers and fasting for three days. On the third day, the Lord said to him, “My son, get up and walk down the church area.” He obeyed and got up. After walking some steps he heard the Lord say to him “Turn back.”
He turned around and the Lord opened his eyes to see a layer of thick darkness sitting on the roof of the Church.
Oyedepo then began to challenge this dark cloud audibly with the Word of God.
He said, “Light shines in darkness and darkness comprehends it not. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I challenge you force of the enemy, fold up and get out of here.”
Immediately, he saw the layer of darkness fold up and roll away! From then on, there was a divine turnaround and people began to pour into the Church, and the ministry began to grow in leaps and bounds.
One of the new Church members who later became a pastor told Oyedepo that when he had first wanted to come the Church, what he saw were people robed in white clothing making him think it was a white garment Church, this had discouraged him from entering the premises.
Knowing that neither him or any of his staff had a white suit, Bishop Oyedepo realized the enemy had put a spiritual
camouflage over the Church, that turned people away. But when they rose up in prayer, the dark forces were overcome, and the Heavens opened up over the assembly, bringing growth and rapid expansion that has today established the Living Faith Church as a global Church with congregations in over 145 countries.

The fact that you have a genuine call from God does not mean you will not face resistance.
Despite all your hard work, certain ‘dark clouds’ might sit over your endeavors making growth and progress difficult until you decide to cry out to God for a change.
One of the most remarkable prayers of intercession recorded in the Bible is found in Isaiah 64 where prophet Isaiah called upon the Lord, saying, ‘Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!!'[Isaiah 64:1-2]

Isaiah was crying out to God to tear open the Heavens and cause the mountains to melt and show His power so that His adversaries and the nations may tremble.
It certainly takes the showing forth of God’s power to overcome the mountains of resistance and evil forces that sit on people’s destinies to resist their growth and expansion.

Zechariah 1:18-21 talks about the horns of the Gentiles, which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem so that no man did lift up his head.
These horns of the Gentiles were the wicked forces stagnating the destinies of men through spells, enchantments and manipulations.
These forces cannot be confronted with human wisdom, technology, philosophy, or ethical principles. Rather they are overcome through the weapons of our warfare which are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
Through engaging the force of prayer and fasting, those dark clouds that try to block our blessings will be rolled away enabling us to enjoy open Heavens and speedy progress.
Prayer and fasting releases the yoke-breaking anointing that deals with the stubborn ‘kinds’ of spiritual resistance. [Matthew 17:21]
Many of us have been called to great assignments, but until we overcome those ‘dark clouds’ of stagnation, progress may be difficult.
This year, we cannot afford to keep watching those things that threaten to abort our vision. We must therefore rise up in prayer and through persistence break down every resistance. Certainly, through prayers the Heavens will open over us and we shall see the growth, progress and expansion we desire.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the grace to keep pressing on in prayers. By Your grace I am overcoming every stubborn resistance to my progress and pressing forward into the glorious destiny You have ordained for me this year in Jesus Name.
QUOTE:
When God is on your side anything is possible. WORDBITE 222.–

Malachi 3:10 says ‘Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.’

DAILY READING; • • Romans 8; 1 Samuel 17:1-54; Psalm 62

William Colgate was 19 years old, when he decided to go into business on his own. He ventured into soapmaking with his aunt’s financial help. However, his business failed within a year and he had to close it down.
William was greatly disappointed, but he received encouragement while reading the Bible and saw how Jacob made a vow to God.
He read in Genesis 28: 20-21 “Then Jacob made a vow to the LORD :If you will be with me and protect me in the journey I am making and give me food and clothing, and if I return safely to my father’s home, then you will be my God… and I will give you a tenth of everything you give me.”

Jacob’s vow challenged William. He then prayed the same prayer and made a similar vow to give God first place in his life, and give a tithe of his profitts..
William travelled to New York and there started a new business. He never forgot his promise to God and from the first dollar he earned he devoted 10 percent of his net earnings to God.
As he gave God the first place in his life and career, it marked the beginning of his outstanding success.
As he progressed, he increased his tithe to 20 percent and later to 30 percent. It seemed that the more he gave, the more he prospered.
William experienced the fulfillment of Malachi 3:10 as God opened the windows of Heaven and pour out to him much blessings.
Soon the Colgate Company dominated the world’s cosmetic market as its operations branched out from soap manufacturing into a host of other products.
William was active in Church and served as a Deacon and donated large sums to missions, Christian education and Bible translation.
Though he died on March 25, 1857, his influence continues to llve on today through the Colgate-Palmolive company which is a major player in the global financial market.

Truly the secrets of men are in their stories.
Despite past setback and failures, when a man decides to come into covenant with God, he will experience open Heavens in his endeavors. And certainly, Open Heavens is the cure for earthly dryness.
When the windows of Heaven open over us, there is an outpouring of the rain of the Spirit that quickens our understanding and grants us access to divine ideas that launches us into outstanding success.

God is faithful to keep His covenant with us today, just as He was faithful to keep His covenant with His people in the past. And when we covenant to walk in line with His Word, it guarantees our supernatural breakthroughs in life.
One of the keys found in His Word for unlocking the Heavens is Malachi 3:10 which says ‘Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.’

When we bring all the tithes into God’s store house, He blesses us overwhelmingly and stops the devourer from attacking our health, families, businesses, career etc

Through the covenant of investing into God’s kingdom, we stay connected to a supply line that never runs dry.
Circumstances in the world may change, and global economy may shake, but Heaven’s economy never fails.
As long as we remain connected to God, we will prosper even in the desert. We will never see dryness because we are connected to the fountain of Living waters.

Today, let us determine to operate under open Heavens by sincerely serving God with our lives and also sowing into His kingdom. As we do, the Lord will cause doors of breakthrough to open up for us, crooked places shall be made straight and the hidden riches of secret places shall be given to us in Jesus Name.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for opening the Heavens over me throughout this year and beyond. I know that even right now You are already converting every breakdown into breakthroughs and giving me a divine turnaround in every area in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE
To get into the next level of your life, God will always give a specific instruction. – WORDBITE 222

Deut. 28: 12-13, “The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: ..if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them”

DAILY READING; – Romans 7; 1 Samuel 16, Psalm 61

In 1934, Stanley Tam was a young man who worked as a door-to-door salesman. One day, he met a farmer’s wife who told him about Jesus and thereafter he gave his life to Christ.
Before then he had been struggling to make ends meet. But after becoming a Christian, he believed God could change his financial situation.
With thirty-seven dollars in his pocket, in 1936, he launched United States Plastic Corporation, in Lima, Ohio.
At the beginning things were very tough and discouraging despite his efforts to make the business succeed. But everything changed when one day, he heard God clearly say to him: ‘Turn it over to me; I’ll make it succeed.’”
So Stanley Tam gave his entire business over to God and legally made God the company’s majority owner—51 percent of company stock was to generate earnings for God’s Kingdom. The profits would be for the spread of the Gospel across the world.
From then on the business began to experience open Heavens as sales greatly skyrocketed.
Ever since, the business has generated more than $140 Million towards the work of the Lord in many countries.
By simply obeying God, Stanley Tam experienced success beyond his wildest imaginations. In addition God blessed him with longevity and he has lived to be up to 105 years old.
Today, the Stanley Tam story continues to inspire many people globally as an extraordinary example of what one man can accomplish when he puts God first in his life and endeavors.

Operating under a closed Heaven means that hardship becomes inevitable. This was part of the curses for disobeying God as presented to the Israelites by Moses in Deuteronomy 28:23. It says, “And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.”

In the same chapter, Moses also presented to them the blessings for obeying God, part of which says in Deuteronomy 28:12 “The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.’
It was Israel’s choice to obey God and be blessed or disobey and be cursed.
The truth is that life does not get better by chance; it gets better by the choices we make.
Certainly, it takes obedience to God to operate under open Heavens in life.
Our degree of commitment in seeking God is what determines our ultimate height in the race of life.
When Jacob fled from Esau and was on his way to start a new life, he slept and dreamt of the Heavens opening over him. He saw a ladder that came down from Heaven to the earth and angels were ascending and descending on it.
In that place Jacob covenanted to serve God with his life and income. As Jacob kept to this covenant, God greatly blessed and distinguished him throughout his sojourn with Laban and made him prosperous in life.
To experience open Heavens we must make a definite choice to serve God and be dedicated to His cause.
Dedication is the mystery behind distinction. How dedicated you are in serving God, determines how distinguished you will become in life.
Certainly, God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Maintaining God as your focus is what turns you into a focus among men.
Seeking God’s kingdom first should be our main focus especially in these last days. As time runs out on earth, it is important that we begin to evaluate our priorities and ensure we are pursuing what matters most.
We can no longer afford to keep wasting time, running after frivolities and things that lack eternal value.
It is time to focus more on pleasing God and press forward, towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus [Philippians 3:13].
Today, through the Blood of Jesus, we receive the strength for greater kingdom commitment. Everything that tries to draw us back in our Heavenly race comes under divine judgement by the Blood.
Certainly, as we fervently pursue God in this season of fasting and praying, and hearken to His Word, He will open the windows of Heaven over us and pour out to us overflowing blessings beyond our greatest imaginations.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the grace to always make You top priority in my life. Please help me to maintain a lifestyle of tireless pursuit of Your kingdom. Certainly as I seek You first, every other thing shall be added unto me in Jesus’ Name.
QUOTE
Your heart needs to be filled with The Word of God to the point of overflow. – WORDBITE 222

Isaiah 45:2 ‘I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:’

DAILY READING – Romans 6; 1 Samuel 15; Psalm 60

“Made A Way” is a song written by Gospel singer and pastor, Travis Greene.
In 2015, Travis released his top-performing album titled ‘The Hill’. A single from this album that stands out the most is “Made A Way.” This song has won various awards including Billboard’s Top Gospel Song and Stellar’s Song of the Year.
Interestingly, Travis wrote this remarkable song in the midst of an impossible situation, where there seemed to be no way.

Travis is married to Dr. Jackie Gyamfi Greene, a Ghanaian dentist and together they pastor Forward City Church in Columbia, South Carolina.
In 2014, his wife Jackie became pregnant with their first child but halfway through the pregnancy she suffered complications that landed her in the hospital. Her water had broken at 21 weeks of pregnancy and doctors said the chance of the unborn child surviving was almost non-existent.
With the odds stacked against Travis and his wife, they had nothing but faith to hold on to. The only way their baby would live was if God would perform a miracle and “hold the water”. Jackie was placed on bed rest in the hospital for two months. During this trying period, Travis penned the words to the song ‘Made a way’. He proclaimed God’s divine ability to make a way for them despite the odds. He wrote: “You move mountains, You cause walls to fall, With Your power, You perform miracles. There is nothing, that’s impossible, and we’re standing here only because You made a way.”

God indeed made a way for Travis and his wife. He performed a miracle and ‘held the water’ for the next seven weeks, causing their unborn baby to survive. Though doctors had given up, Jackie gave birth at 28th week to a baby boy!
Being born premature, he had several complications while in the ICU, yet miraculously, this baby named, David Jace, grew up into a healthy child with no signs of prematurity. His life is an absolute miracle that shows that God is truly a way maker !

Many of us can easily relate to Travis’ song because in our own lives, we have also seen God make ways with nexplicable miracles.
Just as God “held the water” for Jackie Greene, thousands of years ago, He also ‘held the water’ and made a way for His people to escape.
In Exodus 14, the Israelites faced an impossible situation with Pharaoh’s army behind them and the Red sea before them.
Though it seemed there was no way out, God delivered the Israelites through inexplicable wonders.
Truly God is a miracle-worker who can create a path through the mighty waters. .
He cannot be limited or hindered by any impossibility.
Therefore, in this new month of February, let us get ready to experience His yoke breaking power as He goes before us to break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron ( Isaiah 45:2).
As we round up our fasting and praying this month, we can expect to see the mighty release of God’s miracle power that will destroy hitherto impossible barriers in our lives. In this month God will level long-standing mountains and cause generational walls to fall.
Having spent time in praying to connect with His mighty power, let us be ready for an outbreak of revival and supernatural occurrences.
It is certainly our month to see strange miracles as God makes way for us where there seemed to be no way.
Therefore rather than fret over any situation, let us keep praising God because of the wonders He is set to do in our lives this month.
Through the Blood of Jesus, we are guaranteed divine immunity and security throughout this month and the days ahead. Because God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, it is certainly, our month to see supernatural rewards and results in our health, finances, families and every of our endeavors.

PRAYER: Lord, Please grant me the grace to press in to all You have ordained for me in this unique new month. Today, through the Blood of Jesus I draw the strength to persevere in prayers, knowing that I am about to see Your rewards of miracles, signs and wonders in Jesus Name.

QUOTE :
Your present frustrations are God’s opportunities for manifestations. – WORDBITE 222

1 Corinthians 16:9 ‘For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.’

DAILY READING; Romans 5; 1 Samuel 14; Psalm 59

Fasting was popular among many of the men and women that God used throughout Church history.
Famous intercessors, preachers and evangelists all practiced the discipline of fasting and prayer.
The great revivalist Charles Finney fasted every week. Whenever he felt less power in his ministry, he would fast two or three days. Then the power would return. He is one of the greatest and most anointed soul-winners of all time.
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodists, urged Church members to fast and pray every Wednesday and Friday until 4pm. He wouldn’t ordain a Methodist pastor unless he agreed to fast and pray on these days. During his life time the Methodist movement helped bring revival to Great Britain and then to America.
John Wesley would rise up at 4am every day to seek God for the first four hours of the day. In his later years Wesley was known to spend up to 8 hours in prayer.
The famous John Knox greatly impacted Britain and brought reformation through prayer and fasting.
Through engaging the power of fasting and prayer, these men accomplished great things for God and changed the course of history.

Everyone who has ever operated in the realm of power subscribed to the demands of prayer and fasting.
Foremost among Biblical examples of those who fasted and prayed is our Lord
Jesus, who underwent a forty-day prayer and fasting expedition, and returned in the power of the Spirit to do mighty signs and wonders.
The Apostles often gave themselves to fasting and praying and did great exploits.
We also have examples of Old Testament figures like Moses, Daniel, Ezekiel, Ezra etc. Nehemiah was a man without identity but succeeded in rebuilding the broken walls of Jerusalem in 52 days after he had prayed and fasted.

Men and women in our generation, who understood and engaged the power of fasting and praying, have also achieved great results.
To truly benefit from this season of fasting we need spiritual understanding so that we don’t end up conducting a mere religious exercise.
The greatest benefit of fasting is drawing closer to God to be empowered to triumph in life.
The great and effectual doors God opens for us usually attract many adversaries and resistance from hell. [[1 Corinthians 16:9].
Through prayer and fasting we are empowered to triumph always and accomplish God’s purpose for us.
The truth is that it is impossible to achieve great exploits in God’s kingdom without prayer and fasting as a lifestyle.
We must therefore pay attention to this spiritual exercise not just as a Church doctrine but as a pathway to personal empowerment to enable us live victorious and rule in the midst of our enemies.
Indeed through the exercise of fasting, praying, study of God’s Word and fellowship with the Spirit, we will become outstanding in our generation and gloriously fulfill God’s purpose for our lives.

Having come to the end of the month of January today, let us wholeheartedly thank God for how far He has brought us on this journey and ask for grace to persevere in prayers in the remaining days.

PRAYER: Lord, I know that by Your grace my labour in prayers in this season shall never be in vain. Surely, I am emerging with greater power to accomplish exploits and truly be outstanding this year in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE;
God is preparing you for the season He prepared your breakthrough. – WORDBITE 222

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.’

DAILY READING; Romans 4; 1 Samuel 13; Psalm 58

‘Breaking a horse’ means teaching a horse how to carry a rider on its back.
“Breaking’ young horses is a centuries old phenomenon that started when man first had the idea to climb on a horse’s back to use him for hunting, agriculture and war.
The breaking process, involves teaching the young horse to accept a saddle, a bridle and the weight of the rider on his back. It also involves teaching the horse how to steer, stop and respond to cues on command when they are given using the reins, leg and seat.
Before the breaking process, a horse will normally reject attempts by anyone to ride it.
A wild stallion being ridden for the first time doesn’t want to submit to the rider or do what it’s told. And anyone who tries to ride it will only get thrown off its back. Therefore a horse owner knows that he cannot just toss a saddle on the back of a wild horse and try to ride it. He first has to follow a process used to break a horse to prepare it to be ridden. For days, he may lead the horse around a pen as it adjusts to the feel of the harness and its new surroundings. Then the saddle is placed on the horse’s back but without a rider. Finally, the cowboy puts a foot in one of the stirrups. When the cowboy climbs into the saddle, the initial shock of having someone on its back is frightening and irritating to the horse. It might buck and rear its head before it begins to settle and trot around its pen. And so gradually, the horse is prepared to begin a lifetime of service to its owner.
Horses that have been broken are considered to have greater value and worth than the unbroken ones.

For us to be useful and valuable to God, we must become broken. For revival fire to flow through us we must become submissive and yielded vessels in God’s hands.
When God begins to prepare us to be used for His work, one of the first things He does is to bring us to a place of brokenness.
Through preordained circumstances and situations, He works in our lives to bring us to the place of total surrender. This is the point where Paul said in Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.’

Before we can be used by God, our flesh must be crucified. It has been said that dead people make the best Christians. If you are still alive to your feelings and old ways of thinking, it becomes difficult for the Spirit to steer you in the direction of God’s perfect will.
We cannot be useful to God or become fruitful until we have become broken and dead to the flesh.

John 12:24 says ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit..’

The place of brokenness is a prerequisite for stepping into the fullness of our destiny.
The way to a blessed life is to allow God to take control, when we invite Him into every area of our lives.
The focus should be on Him and not on us; on what God wants and not what we want, on God’s will and desires, and not our plan and wishes.
It is in the places of brokenness that we really grow. Indeed there are certain heights you can never achieve in life until you have become humble enough to be entrusted with them. It is he that humbles himself that is exalted. Let us therefore learn to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt us in due season and use to greatly manifest His power to the world.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to surrender totally to Your will in every area of my life. Please destroy in me hardness of heart and everything that causes me to be unbroken in Jesus Name.
QUOTE :
It takes a heart for God to make a mark in the sands of time. – WORDBITE 201

Psalm 2:8, ‘Ask of Me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, And dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’

DAILY READING • Romans 3:9-31; 1 Samuel 12; Psalm 57

The revolution that brought down the communist regime in East Germany in 1989 began when a Lutheran pastor named Christian Führer rallied East Germans to resist the injustice of the communist system through prayers.
Beginning in the early 1980s he organized peace prayers every Monday at Church of St Nicholas in the city of Leipzig, about a 100 miles from Berlin. These prayers became a rallying point for the people’s protest against the oppressive communist regime.
As the gatherings at the Church came to the attention of the government, they sent ‘the Stasi’, the secret police, to start beating people and arresting them in large numbers in front of the church.
People coming to the Church every week faced serious danger of being shot, yet they still didn’t give up on coming to the Monday peace prayers. Rather the Church continued to grow in size, despite authorities barricading the streets leading to it and the secret police issuing death threats to the attendees.
The courage of the congregants at St. Nicholas inspired other churches in towns and cities around the country to also begin holding peace prayers, thereby spreading the Jesus message of nonviolence.
On Monday October 9, 1989, the people planned a massive demonstration demanding peaceful change. The communist government was resolved on crushing this gathering and stopping the prayer meetings and so they amassed 8000 police and armed military units to stop them. That day, 70,000 people turned up and marched towards the city center with lighted candles and praying.
As these people marched in defiance of the government, astonishingly, the police were unable to halt them and not a single shot was fired at any of them.
Exactly a month later, the people’s prayers were answered as a series of events led to the resignation of the communist leader marking an end to his oppressive regime and paving the way for the first free multi-party elections in East Germany.

True revivals and revolution are birthed in the womb of prayer.
Prayer is indeed powerful.
Times of trials in our nations should draw us into intercession for Heavenly intervention. Every oppression can be overturned through prayers.
One of the greatest theologian of the 20th century, Karl Barth, said that “to clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.”

It’s not enough to just think about the things that are going wrong in our environment or keep worrying about them, something supernatural happens when we choose to pray.
Our prayer puts a demand on Heaven and activates divine interventions. Therefore instead of worrying or complaining, we can rather pray into existence the changes we desire. God causes things to happen on earth when men and women are in agreement with His will.
Truly, to see divine intervention, prayer is a necessity for every believer.
It doesn’t matter how intimidating the machinery of the opposition, when we fight on our knees, we stand in victory. Indeed the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. [2 Corinthians 10:4-5].

As we call upon God in this time of fasting, certainly, we are going to see positive changes. Through the power of prayer we will re-organize circumstances not only in our individual lives, but also in our families, communities, cities, and nation.

PRAYER: Lord, please grant me the grace to fill my heart with Your Word, and to remain steadfast in prayers to see the changes I desire. Thank You Father for speedy answers and for doing exceedingly abundantly above all I have requested in Jesus Name.
QUOTE;
Until you cry out in the place of prayer certain things won’t happen. WORDBITE 222

Psalm 34:10 “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.”

DAILY READING; • Romans 2:1-3:8; 1 Samuel 10:17-11:15; Psalm 56

In 2010, an 80 years old American millionaire named Forrest Fenn, announced that he had hidden a gold chest worth an estimated $1 million in the Rocky Mountains around New Mexico. He then published a memoir titled “The Thrill of the Chase” in which he gave clues that could lead people to the discovery of this chest of gold.
When Newsweek magazine published an article about Forrest Fenn’s hidden gold, it further publicized this modern-day treasure hunt causing tens of thousands of people to join the search.
For ten years this intense search continued, yet no one could find the location of Fenn’s treasure.
Some people became so obsessed about finding the hidden gold chest, that they sold everything they owned and moved to New Mexico to be closer to the search area. Others spent thousands of dollars in travelling to the region to find the gold chest.
Many treasure hunters spent sleepless nights either on Google Earth, researching online or reading Fenn’s book again for clues.
For a few others, the hunt eventually cost them their lives, as in the course of the search in the wilderness, about five people died in different accidents.
Finally in July 2020, a medical student named Jack Stuef found the treasure in the forest, where it had been almost covered by leaves and debris.
For Forrest Fenn, now 90 years old, it seemed the end of the search for the gold also meant the end of the road, as he died just two months later on September 7, 2020.

For ten years, people spent money, efforts and even risked their lives all for the remote possibility of finding a chest of gold.
Such is gold fever, such is men’s thirst and quest for riches.
All over the world many people are hotly in pursuit of earthly treasures, while only few are in pursuit of God.
Yet, the pursuit of God is the secret card to finding life’s greatest treasures. It is when we first seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness, that every other thing, including gold, is added unto us. (Matt. 6:33).
According to Psalm 112:1-3, wealth and riches are found in the house of the man that fears the LORD, and delights greatly in his commandments.
It is therefore the depth of our pursuit of God that determines the weight of treasures we find in life. Indeed they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing! [Psalm 34:10]

When our hearts desperately pant after God, He will see to it that we receive far more than gold. He will give to us the anointing and power that will achieve for us what money cannot buy.
The sicknesses and demonic oppressions that money cannot solve, will be conquered by the power of God at work in our lives. Certainly, according to His power at work in us, God will do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask, think or imagine. [Ephesians 3:20].
As we seek God in this season of fasting let us be assured of great rewards. Launching into the search for a deeper relationship with God, will cause us to experience wonders. When we seek God and find Him, He will teach us to profit and open to us the treasures and hidden riches of secret places (Isaiah 45:3).
Let us therefore today make the decision to engage in a fervent search for God. Let us get into the depth of the Word, prayers and deep worship. Truly God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him and He has not called the sons of Jacob to seek Him in vain.
Certainly, we can never seek God first and come last in life because God honors those that honor Him.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to make seeking You my greatest priority in life. Please, grant me the grace to always seek first Your kingdom and righteousness, so that every good thing of life shall be added unto me in Jesus Name..

QUOTE;
Everything that ultimately has a glorious ending usually has a humble beginning. – WORDBITE 222.

1 Corinthians 15:58 ‘Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.’

DAILY READING; Romans 1:16-32; 1 Samuel 9:1-10:16; Psalm 55

Asa Alonzo Allen, better known as A.A Allen, was one of the most outstanding revivalists of the Voice of Healing revival of the 1950’s.
When Allen first started out in ministry, he had a sincere desire to follow God’s highest calling for his life. However, along the way, he became tempted to settle for less than God’s best.
In 1936, Alllen was a pastor who was so hungry for God’s power that he separated himself in fasting and prayers to seek God untill he eventually had a divine encounter.
During this divine visitation,, he was given a list of thirteen things that he needed to do so as to see the power of God in his ministry. Many of these items focused on total consecration to God and laying down sin. God told him if he did all of these things he would see healings and miracles.
Determined to follow God’s plan, Allen resigned from his position as a pastor and became a travelling evangelist, holding crusades in different towns.
However, being constantly on the road soon began to put a strain on his wife and four children. Moreover his income was no longer stable and they suffered financial lack.
Eventually in 1947 Allen decided to pull out from his travelling ministry to settle for a more stable life. He accepted an offer to pastor a church in Texas and soon settled down into a ‘normal’ life.
Two years later, in 1949, he began to hear about the great healing revivals being held by ministers like William Branham and Oral Roberts. When he attended these meetings, incredulously, he realized that what they were doing was the ministry God had called him to do. He then regretted not following through with God’s instruction, but rather settling for a comfortable life.
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Remorseful and repentant, Allen resigned his pastoral position and by the next year, 1950, he once again began holding evangelistic meetings. As he began to pay the price required of him, soon the power of God greatly erupted in his ministry, establishing him as one of the most remarkable revivalists in this mighty move of God that powerfully swept through the 1950’s.
His autobiography titled ‘Born to Lose, Bound to Win’ captures his remarkable story.

When A.A Allen received instructions from God on the ministry to follow, he had no idea of the revival that was coming. But God is a master planner and His instructions to us are all working ultimately into His divine blue print. Some of us would have been in greater and better positions in life today, if only we had faithfully followed the instructions God gave to us in the past
God has the script to each of our lives and our responsibility is to ensure that we are cooperating with His Spirit and building according to the pattern He has shown us.

God has already mapped out our destiny before the foundation of the world. And the path of every one’s destiny is different and unique.
This is why we should not pattern our lives after what someone else is doing or settle for what seems comfortable.
We do not obey God as convenient, but we obey as commanded.
When we know of a certainty that God has spoken to us, then we must focus on His instructions and run our race refusing to be discouraged by circumstances.
A vision is like a seed whose full dignity only emerges at the end.
When God calls us to an assignment, though we may not initially see the whole picture, we need to trust Him and continue to walk in faith. No matter the cost of the high calling, we must determine to keep doing our best and trust God to take care of the rest.
God alone knows what He wants to accomplish in and through us. As we begin to obey Him in the simple things the bigger picture of what He has ordained for us will begin to unfold.

Frustration in life comes from leaving God’s plan to follow our own paths. No matter how beautiful our own devices, it is only God’s counsel that can stand the test of time and only the Lord’s doing can be marvelous in our eyes.
Following God’s plan demands time spent in prayer, fasting and study of the Word. We must indeed walk closely to God, because no one has the capacity to execute divine plan except God Himself. And as we remain steadfast unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, surely our labour will not be in vain. Eventually we will see the full manifestation of God’s plan and arrive at His glorious destination for us.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the great and amazing things You have lined up for me in this season. Please help me to persist in faith, knowing that what You have promised, You are indeed able to accomplish in my life in Jesus Name.

QUOTE
When you apply The Word of God, it will work for you, anywhere and anytime- WORDBITE 222.

Luke 21:36 “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man”.

DAILY READING – • Romans 1:1-15; 1 Samuel 8; Psalm 54

Mount St. Helens eruption was the worst volcanic disaster in U.S. history. Despite the many warning signs before the blast, many people were still caught off guard.
Historically, Mt. St. Helens has had extended periods of volcanic activity, interspersed with dormant periods that lasted for hundreds of years. After a last eruption in 1857, the volcano grew quiet.
Due to its inactivity, during the 20th century, most people lost the fear of this potentially deadly volcano and built houses around the base of the mountain.
However, on March 20, 1980, there came a first warning sign that the volcano had reawakened, when a 4.1 magnitude earthquake struck underneath the mountain. Scientists flocked to the area to examine this occurrence. Similar small eruptions continued for the next month, causing fears that made the entire area to be evacuated..
However because the expected ‘big’ eruption did not occur, after two months, people began to relax and ignore the evacuation orders.
Government officials faced complications in enforcing evacuation because geologists were uncertain of what would happen because the mountain was inherently unpredictable.
However, at 8:32 a.m. on May 18, 1980, on a clear, cloudless, sunny Sunday morning, without warning, the big eruption suddenly came and caught people off guard.
A 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck under Mt. St. Helens resulting in avalanche that crashed down the mountain, destroying everything in its path. No one anticipated the strength of the eruption, which spewed 540 million tons of ash into the air and killed 57 people.
The casualty rate could have been worse, but fortunately, many lives were spared because that Sunday morning, hundreds of loggers who normally worked in the area were off duty.

Just as condition of the mountain remained unpredictable until the day of the volcanic eruption, situations in the world remain precarious today.
It may be easy to blame people living around the mountain for ignoring clear warnings, but likewise spiritually, many people are in deep slumber, ignoring Biblical warnings, even as the coming of the Lord fast approaches.
The 5 foolish virgins knew the bridegroom was coming, they had every opportunity to have gotten oil, while they could, yet they squandered the time of grace.
If ever there was a time to carefully heed Biblical prophesies, and live ready, that time is now! The truth is that the world has entered the fearful end-time years that are the grand climax of human civilization.
As believers, the security of our destiny in these end-times is to stay spiritually sensitive, alert and awake. We need to get oil in our lamps while we still can and begin to fervently seek God’s face while there is still time.

Indeed our ability to escape the evil of these perilous times will be determined by our commitment to a prayerful lifestyle.

In Luke 21:36 Jesus said “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man”.

Prayer is necessary for us to spiritually monitor end-time events so as not to be caught off guard. When we fast and pray, it sharpens our spiritual sensitivity and keeps us vigilant.
As end-time signs rapidly unfold around us, we can no longer afford to be spiritually numb or act unperturbed. It is indeed time to urgently wake up from every spiritual slumber and begin to watch and pray!

“Watch,” is the translation of one of two Greek words (gregoreuo and agrupneo), which have similar meanings—to “stay awake” and to “be sleepless.”

In these last days, we must therefore be fully awake, aware, alert and intently watching in God’s Word..
To overcome the many distractions and temptations that try to hinder our prayer life we must continually engage the power in the Blood of Jesus. As we plead the Blood, the yoke of spiritual lethargy and laziness will be broken in our lives.
By taking constant cover under the Blood, we will stay revived, alert and engraced to successfully run our Heavenly race.

PRAYER: Father please enable me to stay spiritually revived and alert. Please help me to make the needed spiritual investments in fasting, fervent prayers and study of Your Word so that I can always be sensitive to the leadings of Your Spirit in Jesus Name.
QUOTE:
As a child of God, you have to recognize that you are in the middle of an ongoing battle but God has already foreordained a victorious end for you – WORDBITE 222.