Galatians 6:9  ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

• ’DAILY READING   Hebrews 2; Genesis 46:28-47:31; Psalm 37

Charles Haddon Spurgeon was an influential 19^th century Baptist preacher in England. He was the most popular preacher of his time and was known as “the Prince of Preachers.”

In 1854, before he was 20 years old, he became the pastor of the New Park Street Chapel, a Baptist church in London. Within a few weeks, many conversions resulted from Spurgeon’s preaching, and the church building could not accommodate the crowds. Two years later, Spurgeon’s congregation had grown so large that they had to rent a larger hall, the Music hall in Surrey Gardens. On June 7, 1891, an overflow crowd filled this huge building. As he prayed aloud, a prankster or an enemy of Spurgeon yelled, “Fire.” Someone shouted that the balcony was about to collapse. Panicking people surged toward the exits. Seven people were trampled to death. Dozens more were taken to the hospital badly injured. Spurgeon collapsed, inconsolable. He had to be carried from the pulpit and fell into such deep depression that he later said he doubted anyone had ever passed as close to madness as he and yet escaped with sanity.

This incident, coupled with criticisms that often trailed his ministry, caused him to be so plagued by discouragement, depression, and fatigue that he tendered his resignation thirty-two times in thirty-nine years. Interestingly, he gradually discovered that such lows always seemed to precede new times of empowering for ministry and so he realized it was a ploy of the enemy to keep him from progress.

Many Past and modern heroes of faith have suffered bouts of discouragement at one time or the other. But many refused to be weighed down or discouraged, rather they forged ahead no matter how they felt. They didn’t look at their feelings but at the unfailing Word of God.

It is interesting that most of these men felt the most discouragement, just at the verge of breakthroughs. What does this tell us? That it is always darkest just before the day breaks. This is why you must never give up. Challenges often come just when you are about to break forth, they come at the verge of new horizons, at the rising to your new level. The enemy fights hardest at that point of emergence, because he wants you to give up early. If you allow yourself to be overcome by discouragement and give up, then you lose.

You can shake off negative emotions and move forward in faith relying on God’s strength. Having to choose to rule over negative feelings is something every person has to deal with. Don’t think you’re alone if you feel this way. Turn to God and hope on His Word. Stop looking at how big your problems are, rather start looking at how big your God is. True joy is found only in God. In Psalm 42 David says. “Why are you cast down, oh, my soul? Hope in the Lord.” Sometimes the best thing we can do is to speak scripture over our lives. If you wake up in the morning and negative, discouraging thoughts and feelings come, shake them off by digging into scriptures. Declare to yourself “ This is the day the Lord has made. I choose to rejoice and be glad in it” Walk by faith and not by sight. Don’t let negative emotions keep you from God’s blessings and promotion. Fix your eyes on Jesus and know that He is in perfect control over your life. Cast all your cares upon Him and He will take care of you.

PRAYER:  Lord please help me to constantly feed on Your Word so that my heart will be filled with joy and strength to accomplish the assignments you have for me in Jesus Name. .

 quote

Nothing liberates like truth, the truth you know and act upon will make you free. – WORDBITE 222.  

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]

Proverbs 15:24 says ‘The way of life is above to the wise that he might depart from hell beneath.’

• ’DAILY READING   Hebrews 1; Genesis 45:1-46:27; Psalm 36

Temperatures on mountainous areas are generally cooler than temperatures on lower lands.

Geographically, it is said the higher you go the cooler it becomes. This principle is called temperature inversion. This happens when sun rays hit the earth’s surface and produces heat. But as this heat rises from the earth’s surface it loses its hotness as it goes higher up. So while the air on the lower grounds are hot, the air on the higher grounds remain cool.

This is why people in the higher areas of the Rift Valley region of East Africa, Jos Plateau in Nigeria and the Andes in Peru enjoy generally lower temperatures than people on the low lying areas.

The same can be said spiritually. Our lives are cooler and free from heat of trouble when we learn to rise higher in the place of prayer. When you live above, it becomes harder for the heat of harassment, problems and troubles from below to reach you.

Therefore to live victorious we must seek the higher life.

Isaiah 57:15 says ‘For thus says the High and Lofty One

Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’

When we go higher spiritually, we dwell in the high and holy place of intimacy with God. Those who abide in this secret place of The Almighty are those who like Apostle Paul, count all things dung that they might gain Christ. These people seek God with their whole heart, and it is to them that God reveals Himself.

Jesus has asked us to rise and pray so that we do not enter into temptation. So rising in prayer is an escape from temptation. Sin is a sinker that keeps men bound to the ground, but through prayer we arise above its  shackles and bondages. The more we pray the more we move from the confines of the flesh into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.

Proverbs 15:24 says ‘The way of life is above to the wise that he might depart from hell beneath.’

PRAYER: Father please grant me the grace to always rise in the place of prayer. Please destroy every spiritual weakness that tries to keep me on the floor. Indeed by Your Grace I am rising to my high places  in Jesus name.

quote :

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

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK ESTABLISHED BY THE WORD]

Philippians 4:6 KJV

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

• DAILY READING  Luke 24:13-53; Genesis 44; Psalm 35

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness of this age. According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, anxiety disorders are on the increase globally. Indeed it seems the world is entering a new age of anxiety. As the economic situation worsens, fretting in the general population seems to be on the rise.

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

God’s will is for us to focus on prayer and thanksgiving instead of worrying.

In Luke 12:25 Jesus said, “Which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”! Then, in the following verse 26, Jesus pointed something else out: He said “Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”

Indeed worry never solves any problem, Psychologists tell us that roughly 40 percent of what we worry about will never happen and 30 percent has already happened. Additionally, 12 percent of worries are over unfounded health concerns. Another 10 percent of worries involve the daily miscellaneous fretting that accomplishes nothing. That leaves only 8 percent. In other words, people are worrying 92 percent of the time for no good reason,

Worry has been described as interest paid on trouble before it comes due. Worry is like a rocking chair; requiring a lot of energy, and yet it gets you nowhere.

Instead of worrying, we have to trust that God is in control of our lives. We look to Him in every situation knowing that He will definitely work things out to our favor.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 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. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places’

We maintain a joyful attitude in the face of any challenge, because we trust God is in control of our lives.

Jesus put it plainly, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me.” Indeed when we believe in God and trust in Him then our hearts will not be troubled, rather we will be full of praise, knowing that God is at work in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

PRAYER: Lord, I trust you are in control of my life, and I know that even right now you are working out everything for my good. in Jesus Name. .

Quote

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…

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE]

Proverbs 22:29 ‘Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.’

DAILY READING –  Luke 24:1-12; Genesis 43; Psalm 34

Les Brown is a well known Christian motivational speaker. He has taught in many international Christian gatherings and inspires people around the world through his teachings. However it is amazing how he got to where he is today. As a baby, he was abandoned, with his twin brother, in an uncompleted building. They were found and adopted by a poor cleaning woman who raised them as her sons. Growing up in the ghetto, with no future, Les Brown dared to believe God for great things. He desired to become a successful radio presenter.

And though he lacked the necessary education and experience, somehow he believed God would make a way. After high school, he took up a job as a city sanitation worker. However at night he would take a transistor radio to bed and practice being a radio presenter, with a hairbrush serving as his microphone.

One day, when he felt he was ready, during his lunch break from mowing grass, Les went to the local radio station and asked for a job. Looking quite disheveled in his overalls and straw hat, he was immediately turned down. However Les didn’t give up, he returned to the radio station every day for a week, asking for any job openings. Finally the station manager gave in and took him on as an errand boy – at no pay. As he fetched coffee or picked up lunches for the studio workers, he secretly observed how the radio presenters operated. Somehow, he believed one day his opportunity will come and so secretly prepared himself for it.

One Saturday afternoon, a presenter was drunk while on air and couldn’t finish his program. And because there was no other presenter available, the studio manager called over the phone and asked Les if he could handle the controls. Les quickly jumped at the opportunity. As he took over the program from the drunk man, he knew his long awaited opportunity has come. He made such a good impression on the audience and his station manager, that he was immediately given the job of a radio presenter, despite the fact that he lacked the necessary education and qualifications. . And from that fateful beginning, Les went on to a successful career in broadcasting, politics, public speaking and television, and today is well known globally.

Proverbs 22:29 says ‘Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.’

When we decide to be diligent and persistent in pursuing our God given dreams, no obstacle can stop us. There can be no limitation to the man who solidly makes up his mind to rise by God’s help. Education, poverty, race or family background can never be a hindrance. Indeed when God is for you, nothing can be against you. Remain persistent in pursuing your God given vision. The truth is that persistence eventually wears down resistance. If you don’t quit you eventually win. Never allow challenges to erode your passion. Never allow people or circumstances to deter you. Trust God to bring to manifestation what He has birthed in your heart. Faithful is He that has called you who will also do it. Listen to His counsel through consistent study of The Word and prayers. Even if the road sometimes seem hard, you and God are an unbeatable team. And as you remain faithful in the little and refuse to quit, it is only a matter of time before you win.

PRAYER: Lord, please give the strength to keep pressing forward even in the face of oppositions. By Your grace I shall continue to persist until I see a full manifestation of Your plans for me in Jesus Name.  

quote

Nothing liberates like truth, the truth you know and act upon will set you free.- – WORDBITE 222

Exodus 12:13 ‘And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt’ 

DAILY READING –  Luke 23:26-56; Genesis 42; Psalm 33

On 11 December 2013, Pentecostal Christian worship leader Darlene Zschech was diagnosed with breast cancer. The fear of cancer began for her some years earlier when her father had died at 50 years of age from the disease. And when she was 48 years old, she was diagnosed with the same. But when she caught the revelation of the fact that her case was different by reason of redemption, she waged a war against the disease and secured her victory.

It has been proven by science that there are certain genetic traits that repeat themselves in a family. There are tendencies that seem to afflict a family in every generation. Often times patterns and strongholds are passed down to the next generation. What parents suffered tend to show up in their children’s lives.

However as children of God, our case is different. We are born again and separated by the blood of Jesus, therefore whatever afflicts others cannot afflict us.

Any negative trait or tendency found in our family tree is no longer our portion. If your parents or ancestors were known for barrenness, untimely death, poverty promiscuity, drunkenness etc, you have been separated from such. You are operating under a new covenant. The Bible says there is no condemnation for you now that you are in Christ Jesus. Christ Himself became a curse for us, that we might experience a blessed life. He has paid the price for every affliction, that is why concerning you, affliction cannot arise a second time. Spiritually you are a partaker of the blood line of Jesus Christ. Therefore whatever cannot afflict the blood line of Jesus has no access to you. The good things associated with the bloodline of Jesus are what you are meant to manifest. The good traits and character  of Jesus are what should be seen in you. There is no place for sickness in your blood. Such traits can’t even survive inside the blood of Jesus. His blood is hot with the Holy Ghost fire.  It is a fire that burns every chaff. So you cannot be carrying His blood and still be suffering  from diabetes, cancer, heart disease etc.  Just as chaff cannot survive inside fire, diseases cannot survive inside His blood.

As a child of God, your body is the temple of The Holy Ghost. And because The Holy Ghost carries fire, your body is a temple of fire. You are charged and electrified and any evil attempting to touch you gets electrocuted.

You have to take up the responsibility of maintaining your spiritual fire, through a fervent prayer life. There is no other way. We are in a battle. And you need fire power to win this war. The Blood of Jesus is our battle weapon.

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 you are an overcomer by the blood. By the blood every rod of the Egyptian around you is swallowed up. Everything which your Heavenly Father has not planted in you must be uprooted. Every ill fortune, every lack of progress, every poverty, every sickness, every affliction etc;  they are all swallowed up in your life today by the precious blood of Jesus Christ!

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the victory I have through the blood of Jesus. Indeed my case is different and affliction can never arise a second time in my life 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.

Psalms 68:1 – 3

‘Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

DAILY READING –   Luke 23:1-25; Genesis 41; Psalm 32

Israel as a nation, has fought wars on many fronts. In recent times one of the most difficult of its wars, has been with the terrorist group, Hamas. The founding charter of Hamas in 1988, was to war against the state of Israel, and ever since, it has become Israel’s major foe. Israel’s security has been very hard pressed in this war with Hamas. Residents in Israel have been under constant rocket attack and suicide bombings, yet God’s divine hand of protection has been strongly evident over His people.

The Iron Dome is Israel’s rocket interceptor which maintains the safety of Israeli civilians from rocket fire. Yet, statistics show that out of over 3,356 rockets fired at Israel, only 578 or roughly 17 percent of these rockets have been destroyed by Iron Dome Interceptions. The rest of the rockets have been misfired or simply failed to explode. These statistics show that there is something extraordinary occurring here because the number of misfired or failed rockets is quite overwhelming. It doesn’t make sense that Hamas which is quite experienced when it comes to rocket fire at Israel, should be misfiring so many times. Again very few casualties have resulted from the rocket fire, when in reality the number of casualties should be higher. It is obvious that God has been helping Israel in their fight against greater and mightier enemies.

In II Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat was faced with a similarly difficult situation. He was faced with a battle greater than him. Mightier enemy nations were against him. In II Chronicles 20:12, he prays to God saying “We have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee”.

And when they engaged God through praise, God did the unexpected. He caused the enemies to fight among themselves, until they had totally destroyed each other. There are battles in your life that can be  mightier than your strength, and tougher than your wisdom. And because of the complex nature of these battles, you can come to your wits’ end. In such cases, let God arise to take over your battles. Let Him go ahead of you, as you hide behind Him. He can do exceedingly abundantly above all you could ever ask or think. When a battle is stronger than your capacity, just hand it over to God. And when God takes over, the battle is over! Praise stirs God into action. Maybe you have tried your best, yet the year is ending and things are still not working as you anticipated. It doesn’t matter what forces are arrayed against you; just let God take over, and it will be a walkover.

Do you want to see the unusual? Then it’s time to tune in to praise. High praises will cause you to ride upon your high places. It provokes God’s manifold presence. And God’s Presence is your strongest defense in any battle. Romans 8:31 says ‘If God be for us who can be against us?’

When God arises all His enemies will be scattered. Psalms 68:1 says ‘Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered’

Indeed, no opposition can withstand the Presence of God around you. And it takes praise to bring God’s presence. Fearful praise provokes fearful blessings. Therefore turn over your battles today to God by engaging in high praises. And He will turn your mourning into dancing. He will do the unexpected, unprecedented and inexplicable for you. He will cause men to wonder, as He cuts your enemies asunder. By His mighty manifestations, men will indeed know of a truth that you are serving the living God.  They will declare concerning you ‘this can only be the finger of God.’

PRAYER: Lord, please arise for me, so that every enemy will be scattered. Today, let there be a mighty manifestation of Your power in my life that will guarantee victory for me in every battle in Jesus Name.

 quote

The battle you are faced with today is a good warfare because God has already foreordained  victorious end for you.

Galatians 6:9  ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

’DAILY READING       Luke 22:39-71; Genesis 40; Psalm 31

On May 29, 1953 Edmund Hillary became the first man ever to reach the top of mount Everest. On getting there, one of the first things he did was to place a cross on what was considered the roof of the world. It was his way of acknowledging God’s help and sovereignty. He realized he had not made it there by his own strength but by the grace of God. The story of Edmund Hillary’s success is an example of pushing till you reach your summit. His first major climb, at age 20, was Mount Olivier in the New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Consequently he continued scaling other mountains such as the Swiss and Austrian Alps. Despite these successes, he didn’t rest on his oars, but continued pushing forward, with the aim of scaling the world’s highest mountain. His past experiences gave him the credentials to join the ninth British expedition to Everest in 1953.  At that time, nobody has ever scaled mount Everest. During this expedition, Hillary continued to push himself to lead the climb. His efforts and stamina set him apart as the team struggled up to higher elevations. And eventually on  May 29, 1953 Edmund Hillary became the first man ever to reach the top of mount Everest.

Galatians 6:9 says ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.’

Despite his previous successes in mountain climbing, Edmund did not rest, but kept pushing until he reached the summit.  The truth is that no matter how great the things we think we may have achieved, God always has greater victories in store. When prophet Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal on mount Carmel, he attained a height and thought he was done, but the angel told him ‘arise and eat, for you still have a great journey to make’

This is the word for us today. There is a greater and better journey ahead. Perhaps you have made some progress this year, but this is not at all God’s ultimate. You have not reached your destination yet, where you are is only a bus stop. The rest of the year is the best of the year, because better is the end of a matter than the beginning thereof.

Today is the first day of October, which marks the beginning of the last three months of the year. It was within three months that God changed the story of Obededom. In 2 Samuel 6:10-12, David carried aside the ark of The Lord into the house of Obededom. And within three months God had blessed Obededom, and all his household amazingly. Likewise, in these last three months God is about to do something amazing. Just like the 3 months that changed the story of Obededom, your story is about to change drastically. Bringing the ark of The lord into your house, means connecting to active service in God’s kingdom. As you take your kingdom service to a new level in these last three months, God will indeed surprise you. Before the ark came to the house of Obededom, there was no mention of his name anywhere in the Bible. But after the ark came,  his name began to feature in the scriptures. Perhaps you have been in obscurity, but in the next three months as you serve God acceptably, like never before, you are coming into the limelight. The anointing to finish well and strong will come upon you. Just as God gave Obededom a sudden change of story, you are about to experience yours. Everything will turn around and God will be glorified in your life in Jesus Name.

PRAYER:  Lord please grant me the grace to connect to kingdom service like never before, help me to serve You with all my heart. Thank You Lord, for the great and mighty things You are doing in my life in Jesus Name. .

 quote

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

Isaiah 40:31 ‘But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint’.

DAILY READING – Luke 22:1-38; Genesis 39; Psalm 30

The eagle is one of the largest and most powerful birds in the world. The eagle is characterized with speed, strength, power, boldness, focus, courage and great vision. This amazing bird lives in high altitudes. They soar higher than any other bird because they understand thermal currents and use it to their advantage.

Isaiah 40:31 says ‘But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint’.

Those that wait upon The Lord, like the eagle, are high flyers. They are created to glide above. That is where they belong. When you wait upon The Lord, you receive strength that enables you to soar above. You are created to ride upon the high places of life. You are not meant to dwell in the low places.

Eagles are not designed to walk or dwell on the ground like chickens. When eagles fly they are majestic and beautiful as they soar, because they are created to live above. Likewise, God has created us for the top most places in life.  When you operate below, you struggle because you are out of your element.

Deuteronomy 28:13 says ‘And the Lord shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath,’

By covenant every child of God,  belongs on top. You are meant to soar above and excel in life. You born again to fly higher.  Do not limit yourself. Raise the bar higher, because you are capable of greater things. There is so much God has deposited inside of you. The only limitation is in your mind. Indeed you can do all things through Christ that strengthens you.

Another important characteristic of eagles is their ability to use the force of the storm to their advantage. When a storm is coming, all other birds seek shelter. The eagle alone flies out into the storm.   When the storm strikes an eagle, the eagle doesn’t struggle, rather it glides, moving with the wind. It doesn’t waste energy fighting against the storm. Rather it sets its wings in such a way that the air currents send it above the storm by their very fury. And the stronger the storm, the higher the eagle flies.

Exodus 19:4 says ‘Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself ‘

In the storms of life, we ride on the wings of The Spirit. We excel as we follow His leading and guidance. Like the eagle you can take advantage of your storm. Instead of struggling you allow The Spirit to guide you, and show you how to turn your trials into triumph. If you go where the Spirit of God leads, you won’t need to struggle. In this season we are going to be riding on the wings of grace. We have come into a lift and a shift. God is opening great doors and opportunities for His people. However, 1 Corinthians 15:9 says ‘For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.’

With the great opportunities, will come also great responsibilities and challenges. But whatever we face, we should know we are never alone.

In Isaiah 43:2 God says, ‘When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you’  We may go through these things, but the important thing is that we will come out better than when we went in, because God is with us.

God wants us like the eagle to use the storms to our advantage and go higher by them. This is why we wait upon Him for His strength, because we cannot overcome by our own power. Our strength comes from feeding on the Word of God. The eagle is able to soar high because of its diet. It does not eat anything that is dead, rather it only feeds on fresh food. When we wait upon The Lord and daily feed on the fresh meat of His Word, then can we be able to mount up with wings as eagles, we shall run, and not be weary; and walk, and not faint.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to develop a culture of deep study of Your Word; grant me also the grace to wait upon You continually, so that I can mount up with wings as eagles and ride upon my high places, in this season in Jesus Name. 

 quote :

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

John 15:4  ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

DAILY READING   Luke 21; Genesis 38; Psalm 29

In our relationship with God, we can be likened to the vine that clings to the strong oak in the times of storm. As long as we cling to God we are protected from the fierce winds of the storm. And even when  it seems we are exposed to the wind, rather than separate us from God, the winds only succeed in pressing us closer to Him.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina ripped through New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. It brought  floods and gale-force winds that devastated the region and displaced more than a million people. But New Orleans’ live oaks were surprisingly resilient, and many of them withstood the fierce winds of the hurricane. Oaks are known to  withstand incredibly strong storms, like tornadoes and hurricanes. Even when they are stripped of their leaves, oak trees survive because of their strength, their curvy branches, and their incredible root systems.

However, frail plants like vines can barely survive strong storms on their own. But when these vines cling to the oak, they can survive through the protection of the oak. During a storm the vine clinging to the oak is protected from the force of the fierce winds by the oak’s large trunk. And if the wind blows on the exposed side of the vine, the tempest only presses the vine closer to the oak’s trunk, where it is still protected from being blown away.

As Christians we will sometimes face challenges. But times of challenges are actually when we should draw closer to God so as to be shielded from the storm. And in drawing closer to God in those times, we experience greater intimacy with Him. Some of our most profound and intimate experiences of worship have come from those times when we had no one else to turn to but Jesus. In the seemingly dark days, when the wind is blowing fiercest, and your heart seems broken, that is the time you have run deeper into the arms of Jesus. And you’ll never know that God is all you need until God is all you’ve got.

Psalm 34:18  says  “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit.”

God really wants us to depend on Him at all times.

Jeremiah 13:11 says ‘For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me,’ declares the LORD, ‘that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise and for glory; but they did not listen.’

In the above scripture, the Lord had asked Jeremiah to take a cloth and wrap it around his waist tightly, then God said, that is how He wants His people to cling to Him, just as tightly. Jesus emphasizes the same principle in John 15:4  ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.’

Without God we have no value. It is only in Him we can live and move and have our being.  God is our only hope in life. When the storms of life come, our only option is to cling to Him with everything in us. Just as that frail vine clings to the strong oak, we must run to God and cling to Him to survive the storms of life. Afflictions are designed not to break us but to bend us toward God.

Psalm 62:1 says “In God, alone, there is rest for my soul, From Him comes my safety.” Don’t be broken by the wind, rather let it bend you towards God.  God is good to those that trust in Him. And He really wants us to trust Him especially in those times when the storm blows the hardest. Whatever situation you may be faced with right now, learn to run to God. What the enemy meant to bring tears to you, let it be the very reason why you praise God. Trust that God is on your side, and even though you may not see the whole picture now, trust that He is working it all out for your good. Trust that whatever you are facing will all end in praise; surely God will be glorified in your life in Jesus Name.

PRAYER: Lord, truly without You I can do nothing, my hope and trust is in You always. And even right now I know You will shield me through every storm of life in Jesus Name.   

 quote

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.

Revelation 5:5   ‘And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

DAILY READING —    Luke 20:27-47; Genesis 37; Psalm 28

Lions are one of the most fascinating creatures in the world.  They are strong and bold; and not afraid of any other animal.  With their ferocious outer appearance and terrifying roar, lions strike terror in man and in other beasts.. Proverbs 30:30 says  the lion is the strongest among beasts, and turns not away for any.

Lions are considered a symbol of strength. They are known as the king of beasts, because of  their raw power.  In many king’s courts across the world, lions are often used on shields and crests and banners to indicate power.  The Lion of Judah was used as a Jewish symbol for many years. It was originally the symbol of the tribe of Judah, but in 1950 it was included in the Emblem of Jerusalem, because Jerusalem was the ancient capital of Judah. The association between Judah and the lion is traced to the blessing given by Jacob to Judah in Genesis 49:9, where Jacob referred to Judah as a “Young Lion”.

Jesus Himself is known as The Lion of Judah. Revelation 5:5 says ‘And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”

We gain access to the lion nature in Christ  through opening of the book. We are to weep no more, because Jesus has paid the ultimate price to break every seal and grant us  access to God’s Word. All that we need to rule and reign in life are contained in God’s Word. As we study The Word, the life of God is imparted into us and the Lion nature in Him comes alive in us. It is indeed God’s will that we live a life of miracles and victory as Jesus lived when on earth. And that will happen when we partake of His nature through feeding constantly on His Word. And when we are one with Him, we begin to manifest the lion nature found in Him. And just as Christ is fearless, we also become fearless.  And as Jesus operated in the realm of unlimited possibilities, so we also live above human limitations. As He is the Lion of Judah, we also operate as spiritual lions, and kings of our domain. By His nature in us, we rule in our environment and exercise dominion over life’s challenges.

Judah means praise. And for us to manifest the lion nature of Christ and rule in our environment, we must engage the power of praise.  Judah is the tribe of those who carry the Presence of God through high praises.  No wonder Both King David and Jesus hail from this tribe of high praisers.

Praise guarantees God’s Presence. And whenever God arises, dominion is established.  Therefore to enjoy unending victory, let us commit to receiving Christ’s lion nature through study of The Word, and then releasing that nature through high praises to God. Indeed when we roar in praise, our dominion is guaranteed.

PRAYER: Lord, please open my eyes to behold the wonders in Your Word and to know my true identity in Christ. Enable me also to constantly praise You, so that  the lion nature in me can manifest to enable me dominate my world 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.