Hebrews 13:15 ‘By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name’

DAILY READING; Revelation 15; Esther 6:14-8:17; Psalm 107:1-22

In 2017, six Protestant pastors were arrested and jailed in India for holding house prayer in an Indian village..
Hindu activists had reported them to the police.
At that time, the situation in the region was very alarming for Christians, especially after a Hindu administrator took over the affairs of the state. Severally, Christians had suffered attacks from the Hindus.
Even before the Pastors arrived at the jail, the Hindus in the prison had been alerted and told to attack them.
And so for the first three days of their stay in the jail, the Pastors were verbally abused by the inmates, who pulled their hair, took away their bed roll, and forced them to sleep on the floor.

However, when the pastors continued to respond with the love of Christ, the prisoners began to change their attitudes. Before long, they were gathering to listen to the Gospel message being preached by these pastors.

When finally their case was brought to the court, the prosecution failed to prove the charges against the pastors. As a result, they were released on bail after having spent nine days in jail.
However, despite their ordeal, the pastors came out of the jail, joyful and thanking God for the opportunity to have witnessed Christ in jail to the prisoners. They believed it was a God given gift to have gone to jail to win souls for Christ.

The truth is that in life’s journey sometimes you may have to pass through some valleys before you can get to your mountaintop. A valley is defined as a depression. When you come to those places of depression in your journey, what do you do? It is easy to praise God when things are going well, but what of those times, when it seems as if life has taken an unexpected twist or turn?

Jesus gave thanks the night that he was living in the shadow of the cross. He was about to be crucified by the Romans, which is the most brutal form of death, yet He gave thanks.
The same night, Judas betrayed him and Peter denied him three times, Jesus gave thanks.
(1 Corinthians 11:24-25)

Because of the joy that was set before Him, Jesus endured the cross and despised the shame. He chose to look forward despite the difficult circumstance of the cross that surrounded Him..And because He endured with joy, He was able to triumph at last.

Indeed the spirit of thanksgiving releases the miracle-working power of God. When you sow the seed of praise you will reap the harvest of signs and wonders.
No matter how difficult the trial, as we stay in praise, God will turn every test into our testimony.

We don’t just praise God when it feels good, looks good, or benefits us in some way, we offer praise, “continually.”

Hebrews 13:15 says ‘By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name’

Even at those times, it may seem we have a good reason to feel down and discouraged, we must discipline ourselves to always give God thanks in everything.

I Thessalonians 5:18 says “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus’

Depression will only give room to the oppression of the enemy. But thanksgiving leads to our lifting.

When you continue to offer the sacrifice of praise, in the midst of difficulties, somehow, in ways you cannot fathom, things will begin to turn around.
You will see that negative medical verdict overturned, the financial problems will be resolved, the family crisis, marital troubles etc will all be overcome.
Indeed there’s nothing God cannot handle in our lives, as long as we stay in praise.
Certainly, He is the God of miracles, who can exceed our every expectations.

PRAYER: Father please enable me to always praise You at all times and in every situation. Please destroy every form of depression and discouragment in my life. Certainly, You are at work, even now, to turn every negative situation around for my good in Jesus Name.

QUOTE ;
When you make God your priority, God automatically makes you priority in His own plan. – WORDBITE 222.

Proverbs 18:10
‘The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe‘.

DAILY READING – Revelation 14; Esther 5:1-6:13; Psalm 106:24-48

During the 9th century, towers provided protection for the people of Ireland from the raid of the Vikings. The Vikings were Scandinavian warriors who left their homelands to seek their fortunes by attacking and raiding other towns. The Vikings often raided monasteries and Churches which they found as a rich source of treasures and valuable artifacts. They found the monasteries quite easy to raid because the monks were mostly unarmed and couldn’t fight their fierce warriors brandishing axes and spears. And so the Vikings often targeted Ireland’s Christian communities on their search for gold and valuables.

However, one way the monks defended themselves was by running into strong towers. The monks would hide both themselves and their valuable chalices, crosses and gold in the tower’s highest point. These fortified towers were difficult for the Vikings to break into and so these monks found a hiding place within the walls.

Indeed, throughout history, towers have been used as places of defense, even in prehistoric times. In ancient times, strong towers were often built as stone structures – solid, thick and virtually impregnable. During enemy raids, people would leave their fields and their flocks and run to the strong tower, where they would be safe. The enemy could not get in because of the strength of the building. Often times, these strong towers would store huge amounts of food and supplies for the people hidden within its walls. Also, strong towers served as watchtowers and were built to be part of the city wall, where soldiers would be mounted to provide security and surveillance for the city.

Proverbs 18:10 says, ‘The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe‘.

Spiritually, the Lord is our strong tower. He is our refuge, strength, our protection and preservation. God not only provides defense and protection for the righteous, but He is a covenant-keeping God who will fight our battles and overcome for us. Through the Name of the Lord, the righteous can always be protected and enjoy victory in every conflict of life.

One of the ways we call upon the Name of the Lord is through praise. As we magnify His Name and praise His mighty power, His presence surrounds us like a strong tower. The more we bless the Lord, and call upon His Name, the more we enjoy divine immunity and become untouchable to the forces of wickedness.

Philippians 2:9-11 says everything in heaven and on earth must bow to the Name of Jesus.

This means that as we lift up the Name of Jesus in praise, every contrary force in the atmosphere bows as they hear that Name. At we magnify the Name of the Lord, every demon, trouble and problems fall flat at the mention of that Name.
The Name of the Lord is our tower, our castle and our place of fortification!

Indeed, God is a refuge to all those who put their trust in Him. If trouble comes, or fear looms and anxiety threatens, the Name of the Lord remains our place of safety and refuge. When you bless His Name in time of danger, the power in the Name quickly rises to shield you from every harm. Anytime it seems we are confronted, we should always know that the battle is not ours but the Lord’s. At those times we are to focus on God’s power and not on the problem. As we call upon the Lord and He arises, all enemies will certainly be scattered.

Let us therefore make it a lifestyle to bless the Name of the Lord at all times. As we do, we will have divine security and always be defended by the power in His Name.

PRAYER
Lord, I thank You for being my constant refuge, strength and protection. Thank You Lord for the power inYour Name. Certainly, as I praise You always, my victory is established over every challenge in Jesus’ Name.

QUOTE
Illuminate your world for you are a star destined to shine. – WORDBITE 222.

Revelation 12:11 ‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death’

DAILY READING – Revelation 13; Esther 3; Psalm 106

Glacia Robinson is a multi-award winning singer, songwriter, producer, worship leader and author.

She has a powerful testimony of divine healing where she was literally snatched from the jaws of death.

She was sick for five and a half years, with an illness that could not be diagnosed by doctors in Jamaica and the US.

The effects of the sickness made her so weak that she was confined to a wheelchair.

It got so bad that she could not even digest water with her weight falling to below 90 pounds. Doctors said she would never walk again, and never sing again.

Though she virtually lost everything, yet she never lost hope in God. Eventually, the doctors gave up on her and said that there was nothing more they could do.

They asked her to go home, make peace with everyone and get ready to die.

They advised her family to put everything in order for her funeral.

Many people indeed believed that she could never survive the sickness and rumours started flying about that she was already dead.

Through it all, Robinson clung to her faith in God. She had to constantly fight negative voices in her mind that told her she would never recover and would certainly die.

She continued to declare
Psalm 118:17 “I shall not die, but live to declare to the works of the Lord.”

Despite the odds, she held on to prayers. She told God, ‘Lord, I know that You have a plan for my life…this is not how my end is going to look!”

God indeed answered her prayers and miraculously healed her.

By 2016 Robinson had defied all the doctors’ predictions. She was walking and back to her singing career.

Since then, she has
produced five albums including the title – “I Shall Live,

Today, her ministry extends into international missions, as she goes about testifying about God’s amazing deliverance power.

Revelation 12:11 says ‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death’

Indeed, through the power of God’s Word and the Blood, we will always overcome in every battle.

We engage God’s power for our deliverance through declarations of faith. In every situation, we must always think in line with God’s Word.

It doesn’t matter what the facts or the experts may say, God’s Word is always superior to man’s opinion.

Through declaring God’s Word we are able to win the battles the enemy often wages against our minds.

In 1 Samuel 17, Goliath, constantly attacked the minds of the Israelites, with negative words, intimidating them. His tactics worked because the Israelites fled before him each time he appeared. And for 40 days the Israelites were tormented, intimidated, worried and living in fear of Goliath. But then David showed up with a different mindset.

Instead of listening silently to Goliath’s harassing word, David fired back with words of faith. He declared he would bring down Goliath’s head in the Name of the Lord, and that was exactly what happened.

Indeed, through the Blood and the Word of our testimony, we can always bring down the head of every Goliath mocking our destiny.

Instead of listening passively to the negative words of the enemy, we need to attack back in faith with God’s Word.

Today, if the enemy has been attacking your mind with thoughts of fear, trying to intimidate and discourage you, counter that attack by declaring God’s counsel over your life. Whatever you may be confronted with today, in your health, family or finances rise up and begin to engage the weapon of the Blood against that evil attack.

Indeed, as we engage the weapon of Christ’s Blood and His Word, every tongue that shall rise against us in judgment shall be condemned. Truly by the Blood our victory is always guaranteed in every battle of life.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You today, that I have victory by the Blood of Jesus, indeed today I declare that no weapon formed against me shall prosper and every tongue that shall arise against me in Judgment is already condemned in Jesus Name.

QUOTE:
For you to enjoy victory in the Kingdom of God, you need to develop a Kingdom mindset, that thinks in line with the Word of God. – WORDBITE 222

Psalm 92:12-14 “But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the LORD’S own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.” (NLT)

DAILY READING • Revelation 12; Esther 2; Psalm 105:26-45

Palm trees are known to be storm survivors.
They rarely break no matter how hard the wind blows. One reason for their unusual strength is the fact that Palm trees evolved in regions with frequent strong winds and climates of hurricanes and typhoons.
After many generations of surviving such weathers, they have evolved to become nearly windproof trees.

Palm trees develop thick root systems that spread out to keep them from tipping over.
Palm trunks are naturally elastic, like a flexible aluminum rod. Reportedly, if a car crashes into a Palm, the tree will bend and then snap back, hitting the car again!
Its anchored roots and flexible trunk makes it very hard for a palm tree to be knocked over.

Indeed the Palm tree is the most resilient of trees.
The destructive force of typhoons and hurricanes can tear buildings to shreds and uproot other trees. However, the palm tree not only survives these strong winds, but when the storm is over, the palm tree remains standing tall, totally unfazed.
Though the winds can bend the palm tree, even flatten it almost horizontal to the ground, yet it rarely can break it.
The main stems of some palm species can bend as much as 40 to 50 degrees but once the storm is over, it just pops back up to its original position.
Interestingly, rather than weaken the palm tree’s root system, the storm ends up actually strengthening it.

Psalm 92:12 says that the righteous will flourish like the Palm Tree.
This means that just like a palm tree, the righteous will survive the storms of life, rise again, and keep prospering.

The truth is that God has equipped us with everything we need to be overcomers. Though the storms will come and winds will blow, yet through it all we are destined to be more than conquerors. Certainly, no weapon formed against us will prosper!
Though we may go through fire and through water, certainly, God will bring us out into a wealthy place.
(Psalms 66:12).

Despite the tough times, you will come back—even stronger than you were before. Indeed every setback will only serve to set you up for a greater comeback. What was meant for your harm God will turn it all around for your good.

God knew that you would experience times of being stretched and being compressed. However,He has designed the storms to end up making you better. You may bend, but you are getting right back up again!

God not only gives us the strength to bounce back, but He also promises to restore in our lives double for all our troubles. [Zechariah 9:12]
Sometimes, the reason for the storm, is because you are about to move to a higher place in destiny. When an airplane is about to rise higher, it often experiences turbulence.
However, the key to surviving and thriving through the tough times is being rooted in God. Time spent blessing the Lord through prayer and worship—regardless of your circumstances—will make you become grounded in faith, ready to weather any storm.

Through diligent study of God’s Word, we develop deep spiritual roots that make us immovable.
The Word births faith in our hearts that makes us unshakeable. While the world around us may be trembling in fear and anxiety, like Paul, we can boldly say ‘none of these things move me!’.
Our hope is not in the government’s security system or economic system, rather on Christ the solid rock we stand, because all other grounds are sinking sand.
Through Christ, we will keep flourishing even in the most difficult of times. Though the rain, wind and storm may come, like the house built on the rock, we will stand and never fall.
As long as we remain strongly connected to God, we will triumph over every test and soar high above every storm of life.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the grace to stay rooted in Your Word and to abide strong in faith despite the oppositions I may face. I know that You are too faithful to fail me, and no matter the trials and temptations, I will keep thriving, flourishing and rising higher in Jesus Name.

QUOTE:
True success is not verifiable in the fact that a man has never fallen before but in the fact that he did not only fall but also got up. WORDBITE 222.

Exodus 15:11 “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”

DAILY READING; Revelation 11; Esther 1; Psalm 105:1-25

Leslie Haskin is the author of the book, ‘Escape from the World Trade Center’.
The book is about her miraculous escape from the twin towers during the 9/11 terrorist attack.
In 2001, Leslie Haskin was a top executive for one of the largest insurance companies in America. She enjoyed all the privilege of an executive’s life.
Then at 8:43 am on the morning of September 11, 2001, everything changed.
Leslie was in her office on the 36th floor of Tower One when a Boeing 747 airplane slammed into the building.
The first impact of the plane was in the floor above her. Panic was instantaneous and people began to make a mad dash toward the exit stairs. As Leslie was trying to escape, she could hear the screams of people, and the sound of elevators falling. It was a nightmare! There was fire and smoke around her and and she saw people dying. She rushed down the exit stairs and ended up walking to the concourse level in darkness.
In that moment of desperation Leslie needed God. Though she grew up in the church and her father was a Baptist pastor, but as an adult she had not been close to God. However, that day, in the midst of the despair, she prayed like never before. She then began to sing hymns and praises to God.
God answered Leslie’s prayers and miraculously, she was able to escape from the burning building, soaked in dust and blood.
God also saw her through all the traumatic experiences that she later passed through in her health and finances due to the tragic attack.
She was able to recover all and eventually get back on her feet as a much better person. Today, Leslie Haskin is an evangelist who travels all over the world, encouraging thousands of people in their journey with God

Exodus 15:11 declares that God is fearful in praises, doing wonders.
No matter how desperate any situation, we can always connect to immediate divine deliverance through praises.
Praise is a Covenant mystery that draws God’s Presence into any situation.

The miracle working power of God manifests in the midst of praises.
Indeed praise paves the way for signs and wonders.

Genuine, heartfelt thanksgiving is a Covenant trigger for divine intervention. There is something about praise that instantly moves God.
In the face of any challenge, you can turn the tide of the battle through genuinely blessing God from the depths of your heart.

No matter how formidable the confrontation, just switch to praise and then stand still to see the salvation of the Lord!

You may pray amiss, but you can’t praise amiss. This is because the moment your voice of praise rises to Heaven, you gain God’s attention.
And as God arises for your deliverance, all enemies will be scattered.

Praise never loses a battle. Though you may walk through the valley of the shadow of death, as long as God is present, you shall fear no evil.
Certainly, the key to miracles is God’s Presence.

In this season, we can surround ourselves continually with God’s Presence through blessing Him at all times.
As we give God worthy praise, He will arise to deliver us from troubles and fight our battles, seen and unseen.
As we make the choice to magnify the Lord continually, certainly we shall receive fearful blessings and experience tearful testimonies.

PRAYER: Lord, I am grateful for Your marvelous helps in my life. I thank You for giving me both ‘fearful’ and ‘tearful’ testimonies in this season. As I praise You today, I know that You will indeed give me a divine turnaround and total victory in Jesus Name.

Psalm 110:1–2 ‘The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of Thy strength out of Zion: rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies.’

DAILY READING Revelation 10; Nehemiah 13; Psalm 104:24-35

Some accounts of miracles in Israel sometimes sound too incredible to be true.
One very famous case of such miracles happened in 1958 when the IDF [Israel Defense Force] went into the Golan Heights to fight the Syrian army. In the course of the battle, a soldier from the IDF got run over by a Syrian tank and was seriously wounded. As the Syrian soldiers saw this man lying helpless on the battlefield, they approached him and pulled out their guns ready to shoot him. But all of a sudden the Syrian soldiers started to run away for no obvious explanation. When later questioned by their superiors, these Syrian soldiers stated that they saw thousands of angels around this man. And at about the exact time, this wounded Israeli soldier said that he heard the voice of God telling him that He was not finished with him yet. And this man survived.

In another incident in 1973, a lone Israeli soldier took an entire Egyptian patrol all by himself. And this lone soldier, who became a hero, said that he couldn’t make any sense of it, he thought that he was going to be killed, but instead the Egyptian forces just turned themselves in and allowed him to lead them into Israeli territory. And when the Egyptian commander was questioned on why he and his men gave themselves up to this lone soldier, he replied, “One soldier? No, there were thousands of them.” According to him, it was only after they had crossed into Israel’s territory that these ‘thousands of soldiers’ disappeared!

These are testimonies of God’s miracles in the midst of His people.
These stories, as incredible as they seem, have been documented and collaborated by eyewitnesses. Indeed, the survival and existence of Israel is a living proof of God’s Presence in the midst of His people.

Israel is a tiny nation surrounded by large hostile nations, yet by the power of God Israel has continued to dominate and rule in the midst of its enemies.
Certainly, it is God’s will for His people to rule and dominate upon the earth. Likewise, according to God’s end-time agenda, the Church is in its era of dominion. It is God’s will that we dominate in our environment.
We are destined to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. We are to be the head and not the tail; above only and never beneath. We are to take the lead, while others follow. That is our heritage. But you cannot dominate without being empowered.

1John 5:19 tells us that ‘the whole world lieth in wickedness.’

Therefore to live and thrive in such a wicked world, we need power.
It is the power content at work in your life that makes you dominate. It is the level of power you operate in that will authenticate the level of dominion you can manifest.
Power is the beauty of Christianity. It is the identity and portion of every child of God. The kingdom of God speaks in power not just in word. It is through the manifestation of God’s power that our enemies shall be subdued. Through the power of God we rule over sickness, disease, poverty and every enemy of our lives and destiny. It is therefore time to go for power. And power is encountered through prayer and in-depth study of the Word of God.
Let us determine to pay the required price to walk in dominion. What we sow is what we will reap. If we sow the seed of diligently seeking God, we will be rewarded with the power to dominate over life’s situations and rule in the midst of our enemies.
In this season of fruitfulness and abundant harvest, let us sow the seed of spiritual diligence through study of the Word, prayers and praise. As we do, we will certainly reap the harvest of power and dominion to reign as kings and priests on the earth.

PRAYER: Father, I desire to live a life of victory and dominion. Please enable me to always seek You because I know that You are a rewarder of them that diligently seek You. Through the manifestation of Your power, I shall indeed live as a sign and wonder to my generation in Jesus’ Name.

QUOTE:
For you to enjoy victory in the Kingdom of God, you need to develop a kingdom mind that thinks in line with the Word of God. – WORDBITE 222.

2Chronicles 20:17 ‘Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.’

DAILY READING Revelation 9; Nehemiah 12; Psalm 104:1-23

When he was born prematurely in December 1707, Charles Wesley made no cry and lay silent.
He appeared dead and was not moving.
He had to be wrapped in wool, for weeks and gently tended until he fully came alive.

Charles Wesley was the eighteenth of nineteen children born to Samuel and Susannah Wesley. Only ten of those children lived to adulthood.
Though Charles Wesley almost died when he was born, yet God’s hand was upon him, and he survived.
Interestingly, this baby who was silent when he was born, would grow up to sing some of the greatest hymns in history.
Though less famous than his older brother, John Wesley who founded the Methodist denomination, Charles established his own legacy as the author of some of the most memorable and lasting hymns of the Church. These includes “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “”O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,”etc

The ability to write hymns came alive in him after he made a total surrender to Christ.
Though he was brought up in the Christian tradition, and even ordained a minister, yet Charles had no personal relationship with God until much later in his adult life..
After wholly handing over his life to Christ on May 21, 1738, the hymn writer in him emerged.
After this encounter with the Lord, his heart began to burn with the desire to sing praises to God.
Thereafter, he wrote his first hymn “O for a Thousand Tongues,” which became famous afterwards.
He would go on to write over 8,989 hymns and spiritual songs that continues to bless the world today.

Although Charles Wesley was born with a great destiny of singing praises to God, yet at birth, the enemy tried to silence him.
The truth is that many of the battles we fight in life are attempts of the enemy to snuff out the great potentials of praise in us.
This is why in every situation we must strive to maintain our praise.
Trials and temptations are often attempts to distract us from our life’s purpose of blessing the Lord at all times.
However, if we refuse to be silenced and continually praise God in every situation, we will have constant victory in life.

Praise is not just about singing, it is our source of strength and the covenant secret God has given us to stop the enemy in his tracks.

Psalm 8:2 says ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger’

Quoting this verse, Jesus said in Mathew 21:16 ‘Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?’

Indeed God has put strength in our mouth and it is the power of praise. Through praise you can always stop the enemy and the avenger.

Indeed praise is our covenant technique for easy victory. It is not just a preparatory thing you do before prayers, it is a formidable tool in the working of miracles.

Each time we raise our voice in praise God’s Presence is engaged for our deliverance.

In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat admitted that he had no strength to face the mighty army coming against him. Then God showed him what to do, and when he engaged the power of praise, he secured his victory.

God told him in 2 Chronicles 20:17 ‘Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you,.’

And God is saying the same thing to us today. If the battle you are faced with seems too much for you, hand it over to God through praise. Praise will cause God to fight on your behalf.
Whatever miracle you desire today, you can have it through praise. Just take the time to appreciate God for His mercies in your life. . Bless God continually for His faithfulness, loving kindness, goodness, provision and preservation..
Certainly, as we bless the Lord at all times, He will ensure we triumph always and fulfill the glorious destiny He has ordained for us.

PRAYER: Lord, I Thank You for granting me the grace to praise You always. I know that even now You are doing for me exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond all I could ever ask or imagine in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

Praise is proof that you believe God to do what He said, He would do in your life, – WORDBITE 201.

Habakkuk 3: 17-18 says ‘Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation’.

DAILY READING • Revelation 8; Nehemiah 11; Psalm 103

The book ‘A Wandering Jew in Brazil’ is the true story of a very courageous Jewish missionary named Solomon Ginsburg. He was born to a father who was a Jewish Rabbi who intended Solomon to follow in his footsteps and trained him to also become a Rabbi.
However, when Solomon was still a young boy, one day he overheard some Jewish men discussing chapter 53 of the book of Isaiah, raising questions about whom the prophet was referring to.
Solomon became curious, but when he later asked his father whom Isaiah 53 was referring to, his father replied him with a resounding slap.
His father’s reaction only ignited greater curiosity in young Solomon.
His question was eventually answered years later when he met a Jewish Christian who explained to him that Jesus was the Messiah prophesied about in Isaiah 53. This encounter with the Gospel made Solomon to surrender his life to Christ.
However, his conversion infuriated his family and friends in the Jewish community, and they even made attempts to kill him.
One day, Solomon went with some Christian friends to hold an open-air meeting in the Jewish community. As the crowds gathered, some of the Jews identified Solomon as a Jewish renegade. They then drove his friends away, but caught Solomon and beat him until he was almost dead. They then threw him into a garbage box with his skull cracked and his body all covered with bruises.
He was later rescued by a passerby. When Solomon regained consciousness, rather than be bitter he began to praise God that he had been permitted to suffer for His Name’s sake!
Solomon continued to count his trials as joy, even when he later went to serve as a missionary in Brazil and was jailed for preaching the Gospel. As he remained joyful despite the persecutions, he eventually triumphed over every opposition and was used mightily by God for thirty-five phenomenal, fruitful years of service in Brazil. Through him many lives were transformed, several churches were planted and multitudes were led to Christ.

Habakkuk 3: 17-18 says ‘Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation’.

Not many people have experienced what David felt when his own brethren and friends turned against him.
When he and his men returned to their home in Ziklag to discover their property destroyed and their wives taken by the Amalekites, his men reacted by speaking of stoning David.
It must have been a heartbreaking experience for David. Yet, rather than become bitter, in the midst of all these, he chose to praise God.

1 Sam 30:6 says David “encouraged himself in the Lord his God”.

When David decided to trust God even in the midst of despair, God gave him victory and full restoration of all he had lost. Eventually, David was able to pursue, overtake and recover all.

In our journey through life, sometimes we can be confronted by deep betrayals or adverse situations even while we are trying to obey God.
However, in every trial we must always choose to bless the Lord at all times.
We must learn to count it all joy and continually judge God faithful.
In the midst of persecutions and oppositions, when we lift our hands in praise and worship, we are breaking spiritual alabaster boxes of oil at the feet of Jesus. The sweet fragrance of our sacrifice of praise creates the conducive atmosphere for God to do the miraculous.

As we make the choice to praise God, He arises in His might and power to cause a forceful turnaround of every contrary situation in our lives.

Therefore let us quit worrying about people that may oppose us or contrary circumstances that may sometimes confront us. Rather let us resort to praise and watch as God arises to scatter every enemy of our destiny.

Certainly, it takes Praise to engage God’s Presence for our deliverance.
Always remember that the battle is not yours; the battle belongs to the Lord. And as we focus on giving Him high praises, He will certainly take us to our high places in life.

PRAYER: Father I choose to bless You at all times. I choose to set the tone to receive Your favor, grace and mercy by praising You in every situation. I thank You Lord, for giving me a positive change of story and granting me supernatural harvest of blessings in this season in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

Praise always guarantees you power for a raise, learning to praise God in season and out of season is key to fulfilling destiny. – WORDBITE 222

Revelation 1:5- 6 ‘..Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’

DAILY READING Revelation 7; Nehemiah 9:38-10:39; Psalm 102

James Garfield was born into a Christian family. However, as he grew older, he had no interest in living for God, but rather he desired to be a sailor. When he was 18 years old, he planned to take a sea trip with some friends, but fell sick just before their departure. He was compelled to stay at home while his friends left on the journey without him.
At that period a crusade was being organized in their town by a powerful Revivalist.
James attended the meetings, and became so deeply touched that he surrendered his life to Christ.
He took his faith seriously and immediately began to serve God, sharing the Gospel with others. James Garfield’s burning desire to represent God affected his character and how he related with people.
He was determined to seek an education, to enable him serve God better. He went to College, studied law and was admitted to the Ohio Bar Association in 1860. Thereafter, he became an ordained Gospel minister.
During the American Civil War, James Garfield served in the Military and used every opportunity to point the soldiers under him to a personal relationship with Christ.
Garfield distinguished himself in his military service and before the war was over, he rose to the rank of major general. After the war, he went into politics and was elected to the United States Congress where he quickly became a major player in national politics.
On November 2, 1880, Garfield who was a lay-minister became elected the 20th president of the United States. He became the only Gospel minister to serve as an American president.
Though he started life as a local boy who only wanted to be a sailor, his encounter with Christ positively altered the course of his life. His passionate desire to serve God distinguished him everywhere he went and eventually made him to occupy the highest office in his nation.

Indeed redemption offers us a glorious destiny in Christ. It is God’s plan for the redeemed to be pacesetters and trail blazers. We are ordained kings and priests to reign on the earth.
Salvation makes us to become the salt of the earth, the light of the world, and cities set on hills that cannot be hidden.
As long as we walk in His Will, God has lined up circumstances that will bring us to a glorious destiny.
In His plan, supernatural opportunities and divine connections are all lined up to help you arrive at your preordained place in life.
Frustrations only come if we leave God’s plan to follow our own paths. Indeed God’s plan for us surpasses whatever plans we may have for ourselves. As the Heavens are higher than the earth so are God’s thoughts higher than ours, and His ways higher than our ways..

Manifestation of His glorious destiny comes as we walk closely to Him because He alone has the capacity to execute His blueprint for our lives.

Indeed, life becomes easy when we simply learn to trust and obey God.
When the Lord is our shepherd, He will lead us to green pastures.
Therefore rather than fret about the future, let us rest in God and keep our focus on obeying His Word.
As we keep following Him each day, inch by inch He gradually leads us into the place of prominence He has destined for us.

Though we may sometimes encounter challenges, God is able to work in us to accomplish His preordained plan.
He sits upon the throne of His glory, holding the scepter of His dominion in our favor.

Therefore in every situation, let us keep praising God because as long as we are in Christ we are headed towards an enviable destiny. Certainly, He that has begun a good work in us will surely bring it to a glorious completion.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always walk closely to You through Your Word and be fervent in Spirit, so that I can be sensitive to know Your leadings in my life. Certainly by Your grace, I shall fulfill the glorious destiny You have ordained for me and truly manifest as a sign and wonder to all in Jesus Name

QUOTE
It takes a heart for God to make a mark in the sands of time. – WORDBITE 201.

Deuteronomy 28:7 “The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.”

DAILY READING – Revelation 6; Nehemiah 8:13-9:37; Psalm 101

In 1893, in Columbia, Mississippi, a farmer was killed by an unknown gunman. His brother, wrongfully claimed that a 21-year-old man named Will Purvis, was the murderer.

Though Purvis proclaimed his innocence and his family testified he was with them at the time of the murder, during the court case, the jury overlooked his pleas and sentenced Purvis to die by hanging.
While in jail, a local Pastor named Reverend J.Sibley came and preached to Purvis and helped him to draw closer to God. Reverend Sibley, who believed Purvis was innocent continued to pray for him.

When the day of the execution finally arrived, Purvis was led to the gallows where a crowd had gathered to watch. Before the execution, Revered Sibley cried to the heavens, “Almighty God, if it be thy will, stay the hand of the executioner.”
The noose was placed around Purvis’ neck and then the executioner cut the stay rope. Though the noose around his neck should have tightened and killed him, instead it untwisted on its own, freeing Purvis, who fell to the ground, unhurt.
The crowd seeing this, believed it was an act of God that had saved an innocent man and they refused that he should be hanged a second time.
Though the case caused a lot of uproar, eventually Purvis was pardoned by the court and later released.
Nineteen years later, the real murderer, while on his death bed, confessed to the crime, finally proving Purvis’ innocence.
The state of Mississippi awarded Purvis $5000 as compensation for his wrongful imprisonment. Incidentally, Will Purvis outlived all the members of the jury who had wrongfully sentenced him to death. He died in 1938, three days after the last juror had died.

Haman, working through deceit and manipulation, had plotted to get rid of Mordecai. He set up Mordecai’s demise and built gallows for his public execution.
However, while Haman was plotting and scheming, he failed to realize that nothing remains hidden from God and that Jehovah alone has the final say in all matters.
Through God’s divine deliverance, Mordecai escaped the evil plot of Haman. Not only that, what the enemy meant for evil, God turned it around for the good of Mordecai.

There are times we may encounter Hamans in our lives, people who build gallows to hang you even when you are innocent.
These are plotting, scheming, wicked people, whose goal seems to be focused on your demise.

However the Word of God has assured us that whosoever gathers against us must surely fall for our sake. Though they may come against you one way, they will flee seven ways.
Certainly, God knows how to deliver His children.
Today, through the Blood of Jesus we can no longer become cheap victims of the wicked. As a child of God, no weapon formed against you shall prosper.
No weapon of injustice, wickedness, sickness, etc can work against you. Jesus paid the ultimate price at Calvary to ensure our victory and deliverance from every evil plot against our lives. Certainly, we shall not die but live to declare the works of the Lord in the land of the living. Indeed when you are a child of God, every appointment with death will be disappointed.

Though we may live in a world where the innocent can become victims, and injustice abounds, the Mighty God we serve never sleeps nor slumbers. God who sees in secret is able to expose every hidden plot and vindicate you openly.

However, God’s Presence is what guarantees our divine immunity and security from the plots of the wicked.
This is why we must focus on building a more intimate relationship with Him through time spent in the Word, prayers and fellowship. Certainly, when God is on our side, our victory is guaranteed in every conflict.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the amazing power You have made available to me through the Blood of Jesus. Thank You Lord for delivering me from every evil plan and establishing my victory in every battle in Jesus Name.

QUOTE
True success is not verifiable in the fact a man has never fallen before but rather in the fact that he did not only fall but also got up- WORDBITE 222