Isaiah 51:9 KJV

Behold The Lord’s hand is not shortened that He cannot save neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear but you iniquities have separated between you and your God..

DAILY READING Hebrews 10:19-39; Exodus 11:1-12:51; Proverbs 4

We all know from the Bible, the story of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; the Hebrew boys who were carried into Babylon. More than just a Bible story, there is also a historical account of what really took place at that time. Due to Israel’s disobedience, God prophesied through Jeremiah that the people of Israel would be carried captive into Babylon, where they would serve King Nebuchadnezzar for 70 years; after that, He would bring restoration to them. The historical account of events at that period confirms what God said; it came to pass exactly as was prophesied.

In 607 B.C, the Babylonian armies came and destroyed Jerusalem and took the Jews captive. For 70 years, the Jews were in captivity in Babylon. At this time, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were also carried from Judah into Babylon. During the years of captivity, Daniel in Daniel Chapter 9, began to pray to God asking for forgiveness for his people. In answer, God brought fulfillment to His word to bring restoration to His people. Not only were they restored, God also brought destruction to their captors. Though God was angry with His people, the moment they repented He turned His wrath against their enemies. God set into motion events that would culminate in the destruction of Babylon, even as His people Israel would be delivered. Now the destruction of Babylon could not have been humanly predicted. Babylon at that time, was the crown jewel of the Assyrian empire, the epitome of religion and culture in the ancient middle east, seemingly indestructible. But according to history, in 539 B.C, Cyrus attacked Babylon. And as foretold the great city of Babylon fell suddenly in one night [Jeremiah 51: 8]. Cyrus destroyed Babylon and restored the Jews back to their homeland, 70 years after their captivity, just as God had said through Jeremiah.

God is a God of love and mercy. Whenever we stray, He is ever ready to receive us back. When we understand the love of the Father, instead of running from Him when we sin, we would rather run to Him. He is ever ready to forgive and to restore us back, as long as we acknowledge our sins.

God is waiting for you to turn back from rebelling against His Word, so that He can judge the things afflicting you. 2 Corinthians 10:6 says ‘God is in readiness to revenge all disobedience when our obedience is fulfilled.’ Isaiah 51:9 says, ‘Behold the Lord’s hand is not shortened that He cannot save neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear but your iniquities have separated between you and your God.’ Sin is a separator between man and God. At this point you need to pause and ponder; could the reason why your deliverance has been delayed for so long be because of anything displeasing to God in your life? Two cannot walk together except they be agreed. By the help of the Holy Spirit, ask for grace to live a life totally pleasing to Him so that He can arise and avenge every enemy of your life.

PRAYER: Lord, help me get rid of anything displeasing to You in my life which could be hindering my long awaited deliverance in Jesus’ name.

 quote

When you obey God’s instruction, you are delivered from destruction.

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK TRIUMPH OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS]

1 Timothy 6:12 KJV

Fight the good fight of faith lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 

DAILY READING Hebrews 9:23-10:18; Exodus 9:1-10:29; Proverbs 3

Kenneth E. Hagin was born with a deformed heart and an incurable blood disease. Sickly as a child, he made his commitment to Christ and was baptized with water. He was born and raised a Southern Baptist, and believed that Jesus and all his disciples were Southern Baptists too. Later on in life, it came as a real shock to him when he found out that they weren’t. Doctors said, due to his illness, he was not expected to live long. At age nine, he thought he had done all that was necessary to get him a place in heaven. At age 15, he became bedridden. A couple  of years later, in April 1933 he had a dramatic conversion experience, dying 3 times in 10 minutes, each time seeing the horrors of hell and then returning to life. He was finally raised from his deathbed by the power of God on August 8, 1934 based on the revelation of faith in God’s Word. Two years later, he preached his first sermon as the pastor of a small community Church in Roland, Texas, going on from there to eventually head an international ministry that spanned the globe.

With all these challenges lined up against Kenneth Hagin, even from birth, no one would have ever thought he could have risen to the great height he did. But he succeeded by God’s help despite the odds against him. There is no opposition that can hinder a man who is being helped by God.

The story of man is battle from the womb to the tomb, from the cradle to the grave. This is why we need the help of God every step of the way. Many people, called to achieve great things, failed simply due to failure to acknowledge divine help, thinking they could achieve success on their own; they underestimated the greatness of the opposition against man. The fight and resistance against your destiny actually begins even from the womb. Do you know how many million sperm cells struggled with you to get here? You began fighting even from the womb! But while you were still a vapor, God made you a survivor. All the other sperm cells died off, but you survived. God chose you from millions of sperm cells and gave you the opportunity to exist. If God could help you at that stage, how much more in this age and time?

No man can truly succeed without God’s help. No man can make it on their own, because the spiritual oppositions against man are greater than what he can handle. We are told in Ephesians 6 :12, ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’  That’s a thick spiritual gang-up! How then do you think you can make it on your own? This is why you must invest in building a very strong relationship with God. His presence is your only ark of safety. Proverbs 18 tells us that ‘The name of the Lord is a strong tower, which he righteous run into and is safe.’

Perhaps you now understand why things may have been going the way they have. There is a fierce battle against your progress. There are forces resisting your forward movement. This is why you need to be totally dependent on God. The same God that helped you early in life is also ready to help you overcome. If only you will engage His help and guidance. This is therefore the time to draw closer to God more than ever before so that by His help you can arrive at your glorious destiny.

When we fight by God’s help we are sure of victory.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to be totally dependent upon You, so that I can engage Your help to overcome the oppositions against me, so as to arrive at my glorious destiny. .

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.

  [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]

 Psalm 34:1

I will bless The Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth…

DAILY READING – Hebrews 9:1-22; Exodus 6:28-8:32; Proverbs 2

 One of the greatest stories in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs is the story of Polycarp. After the account of St. Stephen’s death in Acts of the Apostles, the story of Polycarp is the next oldest existing factual account of martyrdom as recorded in the year 156AD.

Polycarp was an important leader in the early Church, a disciple of St. John the Apostle and later appointed Bishop of Smyrna (in modern-day Turkey).

According to history, Polycarp was betrayed by a servant, arrested, and led before the proconsul and a crowd that had gathered in the stadium. Upon being ordered to curse Christ, Polycarp responded, “I have served Him for eighty-six years and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and Savior?” The proconsul, at the urging of the crowd, thereupon ordered him burnt at the stake.

When being burned, he praised God amidst the flames saying, “Wherefore also I praise Thee for all things, I bless Thee, I glorify Thee, along with the everlasting and heavenly Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, with whom, to Thee and the Holy Ghost be glory both now and to all coming ages. Amen.”

As he praised God, miraculously, the flames refused to touch him. The men who watched could not believe that this “strange man” would not burn. So instead, at the proconsul’s orders, an executioner pierced him through with a dagger. It was said that such a great quantity of blood came out that the fire was completely extinguished.

When we read such amazing testimony of early Christians, we are prone to wonder if we, in our generation, have even started the race. A man being burned at the stakes chooses to praise God instead. In so doing he offered up himself as a sacrifice of sweet smelling savor.

Those early Christians walked in the very reality of God, understanding that we are created solely for the purpose of bringing glory to God. They therefore saw every opportunity as praise opportunity. In the same vein, today, we should in all things give thanks to God, seeking for ways to constantly bring glory to His name. This is what we are called to do as Christians.

1 Peter 2:9 says, ‘But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.’ God called us out of darkness into light to offer Him praise continually. When we understand this purpose, then we, like David, can declare, ‘I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth.’

In an atmosphere of continual praise, there are no pressures, only pleasures. In His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand pleasures forever more. So what is that battle you are faced with? What is that challenge? Cheer up and give God worthy praise. In your praise is your victory!

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to praise you despite any situation, let nothing ever stop the continual flow of your praise from my mouth. 

 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.

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE]

2 Timothy 1:7 KJV

‘For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of love and a sound mind’…   

DAILY READING – Hebrews 7; Exodus 3:1-4:31; Psalm 41

The words “Fear not” occur 365 times in some Bible versions. This cannot altogether be a mere coincidence. It would seem as if God has designed each ‘fear not’ for everyday of the year. This is because fear is a major problem that plagues the hearts of men. 2 Timothy 1:7 says ‘for God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of love and a sound mind.’ So, fear is a spirit. This is the spirit that keeps men bound in limitations and stops them from taking bold steps in life. But where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. To counter the spirit of fear, we need the liberty the Spirit of God brings. The righteous are as bold as a lion. It is the Spirit of God that imparts boldness to a believer. This was clearly seen in the life of Peter. Standing before a small maid, Peter out of fear, denied Jesus 3 times, but when the Holy Spirit came upon him, standing before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish highest ecclesiastical council, under threat of death, he boldly proclaimed Christ!

If a man lacks the Spirit of God, he will be plagued by the spirit of fear. The Spirit of God sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts, and perfect love casts out fear. Escape from the spirit of fear therefore, is by binding ourselves to the Spirit of God.

We need boldness to accomplish the assignment God has for us. On our journeys, we will be confronted by giants, battles, and all manner of challenges. Except the Spirit of God leads us and goes with us, we will be too afraid to make any move. Moses understood this when he declined to continue on the journey to Canaan except God’s presence goes with him and the children of Israel.

The fear that afflicts men is often based on the bad news they have heard or even witnessed at one time or the other. 1 John 5:19 lets us know that the whole world lies in wickedness. So, men are full of fear because of the wickedness rife in the world. But believers are exempted from such. Psalm 46 lets us know that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble therefore shall we not fear. If God be for us who can be against us? 1 Peter 3:13 questions, ‘who is he that will harm you if you be followers of that which is good?’ 

All these assure our hearts that our case is different. Emboldened by the Spirit of God, we can go forth and do exploits, knowing that we are truly unstoppable.

Faith is the answer to fear. It was said that fear knocked, faith opened the door and there was no one there. Fear flees when faith appears. This is why it is important to fill our hearts with the Word that produces faith. When Joshua was about to go forth with the army of Israel to possess the Promised Land, God commanded him to meditate on the Word day and night, by so doing, he will be strong, courageous, and not be afraid or dismayed. Likewise, to possess that which God has apportioned to us, we must meditate constantly on the Word of God. When filled with faith there will be no more room for fear.

PRAYER: Lord, I know You have so much in store for me, please enable me to meditate constantly on Your Word so that my heart can be filled with the faith I need to possess my possession.

QUOTE

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

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK METAMORPHOSIS]

1 Peter 1:8 KJV

Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary goes about as a roaring lion, seeking for whom to devour.

DAILY READING – Hebrews 6:13-20; Exodus 1:1-2:25; Psalm 40

Recently, a news media pictured Israeli female soldiers at a picnic on the beach with AK47 slung over their soldiers. This perhaps mirrors the state of readiness of the Israeli military. Surrounded by enemy nations on every side, Israeli soldiers always live ready for battle. Since the tiny nation of Israel became a state in 1948, they have endured repeated wars and attacks, from the larger Arab nations around them.

Apart from the occasional wars, Israel also daily has to contend with terrorist attacks from radical Islamic groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Fatah, PLO. Greatly outnumbered by its enemies, Israel’s survival from 1948 to the present is surely a miracle. Having a small population, to increase its military might, every Israeli citizen above 18 years, male and female are enlisted in a 3 years mandatory military service. This way, every adult in Israel is trained to be a soldier. So that in times of war, Israel has a much larger pool of manpower with which to fight. Though after the 3 year mandatory training people go back to their normal lives, in times of war, in a flash, they quickly pull off their civilian clothes and don their military uniform. Thus, in Israel everyone lives battle ready. No wonder Israeli military is considered one of the finest military in the whole world.

In the same vein, as Christians, we are required to live battle ready. Ephesians 6 lets us know that we are in a serious spiritual battle. We are not wrestling with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places. In this ongoing spiritual battle, you will survive based on the level of your spiritual readiness. Jesus severally admonished believers to watch and pray and to live ready.

1 Peter 1: 8 admonishes us to be sober and vigilant, because the enemy is going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom to devour. As a result of this spiritual battle, there is need for us to store up spiritual strength in readiness. The Bible says in Proverbs 24:10 that if you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Because life’s battle can come suddenly, we are to live always prepared for war. We prepare by maintaining a fervent spiritual life, diligently studying the Bible and keeping the fire always burning on our prayer altars.

The battles of life are represented by the challenges that often come our ways.

The road of life is fraught with these challenges. What will determine our victory is how we react to them. Someone said life is 10% what happens and 90% how you react. We must be equipped through the Word to react in faith. Faith is the victory that will overcome. What you put into your mind is what you get out. When pressure is applied, your internal essence is what will come out. When you squeeze orange you get orange juice and when you squeeze grape, you get grape juice. When challenged what you have put into your mind is essentially what flows out. This is why you must be committed to putting the Word of God into your mind daily, so that when squeezed only the Word of God will come out. And the Word is the answer to every challenge or problem of life. It delivers to us the faith to triumph always.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to be rightly positioned to be a part of the mighty army You are raising in this end-time. May I never miss my place nor break ranks.

 QUOTE:

As a child of God, you have to recognize that you are in the middle of an ongoing battle.

  [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK METAMORPHOSIS]

2 Chronicles 20:17 KJV

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 – Hebrews 4:14-6:12; Genesis 49:1-50:26; Psalm 39

In boxing, there is what is called a ‘fixed fight.’ This is where the outcome of the match has already been determined before the beginning of the fight. The result has been set, and the fighters only just go through the motions in order to get their money.

Looking at the transaction at Calvary, we can understand that for us, the fight had been ‘fixed.’ When Jesus said ‘it is finished’ our victory was established forever. The outcome of every battle we will ever fight has been predetermined, and we are only just going through the motions. All we need do is to align with the will of God and our victory will be made physically manifest. Therefore, we do not fret ourselves or wonder what the future may hold, because we already know who holds tomorrow.

Whatever battle you may be going through right now, understand that your victory is already established. That failed relationship the devil thought would destroy you, that attack on your finances, that setback in business; in all of them your victory is already established. You do not need to fight, just hold your peace and see the salvation of the Lord.

When a fight is fixed, all the fighter needs to do is just to show up. It doesn’t matter how badly he may fight, the result has already been predetermined.

Every battle has its root in the spirit. As you commit the situation confronting you now to God in prayers, He takes care of it in the spirit. Therefore, arise and begin to declare your victory. Take authority by the Word and declare what has already been written in your favor. You have what it takes to chase out every enemy and possess what God has ordained for you. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. There is no mountain that you cannot pull down by the power of God!

God told the children of Israel that He had already given them the land. That means in the spirit realm their name was already written on the land. But they had to get up physically and possess it. It was not the physical fight that will determine their victory, but what God has already done in the spirit. God had already fixed the fight and established their victory; all they needed to do was just to show up.

The end to your story has been predetermined. The fight is fixed. You don’t have to worry and fret yourself because God is in control. All you need is to remain strongly connected to Him. The battle is not yours, it is the Lord’s.

When you know the fight is fixed, you face the enemy confidently. God said in Deuteronomy 9, that He will go ahead of us as a consuming fire to destroy the enemies. In Isaiah 45, He said He will go before us and break the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron in sunder. So, no matter the roaring of the opposition right now, understand that this fight is already fixed. God has already established your victory. It is all sorted in the realm of the spirit, and its only a matter of time before it becomes physically manifest.

 PRAYER: Lord, help me to see in my situation a physical manifestation of the victory You have already won for me in the Spirit…

 QUOTE

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

  [CULLED FROM THE BOOK SUPERNATURAL LOVE OF GOD]

Proverbs 4:18 KJV

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 

DAILY READING Hebrews 3:1-4:13; Genesis 48; Psalm 38

Benson Idahosa was still a baby when the enemy planned to destroy him.

His father, a juju worshipper, exasperated by his constant sickness, one night threw him into the dustbin. He warned Benson’s mother not to attempt to rescue the child as that would mean being kicked out of his house. But as she stood by the door that rainy night with her heart breaking, Benson’s mother finally made the decision to give up her marital home for the sake of her baby. She rushed out into the night, pulled his frail sickly frame out of the dustbin, packed her few belongings and returned to her father’s house. There, she would live and raise little Benson. With the hand of God upon him, the little boy would eventually one day become known as Africa’s greatest ambassador of faith to the world. Likewise, in Scriptures, we see how the enemy always tried to truncate the destinies of great men like Moses, Joseph and Jesus.

Everyone destined for greatness will face battles, sometimes even starting from the womb. Though it was Benson’s father that acted that night, no doubt it was the enemy behind his actions in a bid to destroy that destiny.  When you have been predestined by God, the enemy will fight you every inch of the way. This is why when God’s mark is on you and His hand is upon you, the only place of strength is to hide in God, abide in Him and follow His plan for your life. Trying to live outside of God’s will, and do your own thing only exposes you to attack by an enemy who wants to destroy you.

God called Jonah to go to Nineveh. But Jonah decided to go his own way. And what happened? He ended up thrown overboard and swallowed by a fish. Many people, like Jonah, called by God are trying to run away from that call. The people on the ship that threw Jonah overboard signify the situations and circumstances that fight those who are headed away from God. And if they refuse to return to God’s will eventually, they may get swallowed and find themselves in “the belly of the fish” where they are stagnated.

When you have been destined for greatness, there is a path God sets before you to follow. This is the path that will take you to the place He has ordained for you. But if you try to run life’s race outside of that path, you will run into ditches where the enemy will be free to frustrate you. The only way to run successfully is to follow the path God has set before you, though it may be full of trials.

Men who succeed in the Kingdom of God are those who are following God’s path for their lives. It is only by following God wholly, obeying His will, that you can arrive at the destiny of greatness He has for you.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to follow the path You have set before me so that I can arrive at my great destiny. 

 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.

  [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK DIVINE ORDER FOR A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS]

Proverbs 15:24 KJV

24 The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.

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

There is always a struggle at the point of transition to greater heights. A moth will not become a beautiful butterfly until it has endured the struggle through the tiny hole in its cocoon. When a moth is struggling to get through the hole, it is actually forcing the fluid from its body into its wings. Without the struggle, the wings will not get the necessary fluid to grow; without the struggle, the butterfly’s wings would never be strong enough to function and fly. And without flight the butterfly will not be able to survive.

Challenges always come at the point of growth or moving to a new level. When you get into a seat on an airplane, what is the first thing you are told? “Fasten your seat belt.” Why? Because you are about to go up, brace yourself for the turbulence. In the same way, when you are about to move to your next level of accomplishment, you must fasten your mental and spiritual seat belts because you must endure the turbulence of change.

When you are about to soar to the next level, God will always allow you to receive an ‘examination.’ This is to prepare you to handle that new height, because new level comes with new devils, and you must be prepared beforehand to overcome, so that what was meant to become your throne does not become your tomb.

The challenges you are facing now may just mean you are about to go higher. Perhaps you are at the very edge of your promotion; so, don’t be discouraged, don’t waver. Rather, see every challenge as an opportunity to draw closer to God.

Though David was anointed king by Samuel, it took years of passing through difficult challenges before he could eventually mount the throne. But all that was part of the preparation for where he was going to. Life is a continuous succession of both small and large challenges. It seems no sooner you get control of one situation than another comes along. But yet, all these challenges come to make us stronger to prepare us for the heights we are destined to attain. Adversity pushes us to accelerate the development of our greatest potential. Without adversity there will be no growth.

See challenges as opportunities for rising, trusting that God is too faithful to allow you to be tempted more than you are able to handle. See them as times to praise God, because He is about to raise you. And as you praise God, He will indeed cause you to soar to your next level.

PRAYER: Father, please help me to overcome the trials and temptations that come my way, so that I can be qualified to ascend to greater heights in life 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]