HORM Devotional

Psalm 145:2-4 [NIV] ‘Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.’

DAILY READING; • James 2; Jeremiah 23-24; Psalm 130

Charles Betts Galloway was one of the best known Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America in the 19th century. His lifestory is a reflection of God’s amazing grace.
As a young man he had ran away from home because his parents objected to him dropping out of school to become a prizefighter. He stowed away on a train and went to another town and joined a carnival.
After several months, he wanted to move on to another town and tried to stow away on another train. But as he jumped into an open boxcar in the moving train, he found himself in a dangerous position. He had fallen halfway inside the train and before he could get a proper grip and haul himself properly into the boxcar, the train began running alongside a steep ravine. With nothing to hold on to, his body began sliding out. He was terrified at his predicament. If he slipped out he would either fall beneath the train’s wheels or plummet down the steep canyon to his death.
“Please, God!” he cried out with his eyes squeezed shut. “Don’t let me die here.”
With only seconds from death, he opened his eyes and suddenly saw standing inside the train, a young muscular black man. The man reached down and pulled him by his arms into the speeding boxcar. Charles lay face down on the floor of the car for several seconds trying to catch his breath and regain his strength. When he looked up to thank the man, he saw no one. The man had vanished. The boxcar was completely empty. One of the two side doors was closed, as it had been since the train began moving. The man had simply disappeared from sight. Charles sat down slowly in a corner of the car and began shivering.
Suddenly he knew with great certainty that he needed to get home. When he returned to his parents and told them about the man on the boxcar, they concluded it must have been an angel.
Charles returned to school and later became a licensed preacher. He often said his entire life would have been different if it weren’t for that single afternoon when God sent an angel to save his life and change it into something that could glorify Him forever.
His story is contained in the book ‘There’s an angel on your shoulder: Angel encounters in everyday life’.

Psalm 18:6 says ‘In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.’

God, indeed does answer the cry of those who call upon Him in distress.
For some of us, this has been our story. As believers, we all have a history with God. When we go back over our life story we can see how God has always been faithful. He has always showed up right on time.
At several low points of life, the grace of God had reached down and pulled us up.
Even the times we had messed up and rightly deserved the consequences of our actions, yet somehow God’s grace has covered us. By His mercies we had not been consumed.
We’ve all come through mistakes and difficulties that could have truncated our journey. Some of us went through obstacles that could have defeated us early in life. But somehow, through God’s grace and mercy we were able to survive.
He caused rivers to flow for us through the desert, pulled us from the fiery furnace, delivered us from the lion’s den, healed us from deadly diseases, and gave His angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways.
Despite all the plans of the enemy, God’s will over our lives has prevailed.
From the dunghill, He lifted us and made us to sit with princes. He set our feet upon the rock and established our goings.
God has always been there, working behind the scenes and pushing back the hands of darkness from snuffing out our lives and our light.
For all the goodness of God in our lives we ought to be always grateful. His praise should continually be on our lips. Indeed, if we can think, we can thank.
Nothing should hinder the flow of praise from our lips.
No matter any challenge we may face, there’s always a reason for us to be grateful. We cannot possibly know all the details of God’s goodness; the many traps He delivered us from and the hidden battles He fought and won for us. As we praise Him for His blessings, known and unknown, certainly, He will do greater things for us; taking us from glory to glory and from victory to victory.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for always answering me when I call. I am grateful that Your grace and mercy are always available to deliver me in Jesus Name.
QUOTE:
What you thought was disappointment in life, was actually just a redirection from God– WORDBITE 222

Joshua 6;16 ‘And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for the LORD has given you the city!

DAILY READING; James 1; Jeremiah 21-22; Psalm 129

The Battle of Jericho marked the first battle fought by the Israelites in their conquest of Canaan. This battle is famous for the triumphant fall of Jericho’s heavily fortified walls.
In modern times, archeologists initially doubted the truth of this Biblical story.
The first major excavation of the site of Jericho, located in the southern Jordan valley in Israel, was carried out by a German team between 1907 and 1909. Their report was inconclusive.
In the 1950s a British archaeologist named Kathleen Kenyon re-excavated the site with modern methods. She then found strong evidence that collaborated the Bible’s account of how the city was destroyed!
Her archaeological team found evidence for a massive destruction by fire, just as the Bible relates. Remarkably, just as the Bible had also said that Rahab’s house was spared, the archaeologists found that the north side of the city wall was preserved with houses in it. These houses were not destroyed while the rest of the wall fell.
The archeologists concluded that a great force, like an earthquake, must have pushed down the massive walls. But they were baffled by the manner in which the wall was selectively taken down suggesting that something other than a natural calamity had brought them down.
The only possible explanation is of course the Bible’s account that the supernatural power of God destroyed the walls.

The destruction of Jericho was essential for the Israelites if they were to advance into Canaan. The heavily fortified city stood between them and their Promised Land. The Israelite army had no hope of getting past, and even if they did, they would have to face an enemy army of Jericho.
As the successor of Moses, Joshua faced a great dilemma as the new, official leader of God’s people. He was facing the strongest city in the Promised Land and it would be the first that had to be conquered.
As Joshua’s mind was engrossed in his concerns, he looked up and suddenly saw a man with a drawn sword.
This man revealed Himself as the “captain of the hosts of the Lord,” and commander of the Lord’s army who had come to fight for Israel.
Joshua then realized that the battle was not his, but rather the battle belonged to the Lord.
What a comfort and great encouragement to know that we are never alone when we face our strongest battles.
When we face situations that seem overwhelming and greater than us, when we turn to the Lord, He always sends help out of Zion. The commander of the Lord’s army that met Joshua was a manifestation of the pre-incarnate Christ.
When we come in submission and worship, the Lord manifests Himself to us as the mighty man in battle.
After Joshua followed the instructions to march around the city walls, God’s power came down and destroyed the formidable resistance of Jericho
You will never need more than God to win your greatest battles. If you are facing any impossible situation today, in your health, family, finances or relationships, it is time to seek the Lord with greater fervency. You will find Him when you search for Him with your whole heart, through studying the Word, prayers and worship. And when God arises, every enemy of your destiny must scatter.
The truth is that between you and your promised land, there will always be a resisting wall of Jericho. You either have to defeat it, or it’s going to stop you.
Some issues are so critical that until you have dealt with them you cannot move forward to your next level of destiny.
But whatever walls of resistance you may be confronted with today, they are no match for the power of God.
Just focus on aligning yourself with God’s will. As you call upon Him, He will surely give you victory and dominion over those issues. Does it feel like you have been going around in circles and getting nowhere? Take time out, stay in God’s Word, until your faith is built up.
It was Israel’s faith in God that actually brought down the walls.
Hebrews 11:30 says (ESV). ‘By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days’.
Today, through faith in God and your shout of praise, surely every wall resisting your progress will come tumbling down.

PRAYER: Father, please grant me the grace to seek greater intimacy with You through passionate worship, prayers and study of Your Word. Thank You Lord for destroying every wall of resistance and giving me victory and dominion in Jesus’ Name.
QUOTE:
Illuminate your world for you are a star destined to shine. WORDBITE 222.

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; Philemon 1:1-25; Jeremiah 19-20; Psalm 128

Victor Torres was a gang warlord and heroin addict in New York City’s violent streets. At the age of twelve, he stabbed a young man and was taken to juvenile court. From there he quickly headed into a downward spiral.
At age fourteen he began to use heroin; by the age of seventeen, he had been imprisoned three times. From using drugs he transitioned to selling drugs.
His mother believed that through her prayers, God would spare her son from this dark lifestyle.
Every day, she prayed for Victor, asking God to save him and make him a minister of the Gospel. However, the more she prayed the worse Victor became, yet she never gave up.
Then God began to move. God made a young pastor named David Wilkerson to leave his own state and move to New York to begin a ministry for troubled called ‘Teen Challenge’.
His mother’s prayers made Victor to find help at Teen Challenge. Through the ministry of David Wilkerson, founder of Teen Challenge, Victor came to realize that God had a purpose for his life.
From the dark and violent streets of his past, Victor Torres gave his life to Christ and went on to Bible College. And just as his mother had prayed he eventually became a Gospel minister.
Today, he has traveled to over 30 countries of the world – sharing the message of hope in Jesus Christ. In 1971, Victor founded the New Life For Youth ministry, one of America’s most successful ministries, helping literally tens of thousands of young men and women, over the course of 40 years, find freedom from drug addiction and gang life.
In 2017, a movie was released in the theatres titled ‘Victor’, which was based on the real life story of Pastor Victor Torres.

If you are praying over any situation and it only seems to be getting worse, don’t get discouraged. Don’t walk by sight rather, walk by faith.
Why we should never give up is because we often face our greatest battles on the eve of our greatest victories.

In 1 Samuel 16 Prophet Samuel anointed David to be the next king when he was still a youth, but thirteen years went by, and there was no sign of it happening. Rather it seemed the worst of times for David as he was pursued up and down by Saul. And to make matters worse the home of David and his men at Ziklag were attacked and their families carried captive.
It seemed to be David’s darkest hour. But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God and pursued the Amalekites and recovered all that he had lost. And just three days later, in the very next chapter [1 Samuel 31] king Saul was killed in a battle. David soon became the king as God had promised him.
The point is that David was closest to the manifestation of God’s promise when he faced his greatest challenge. Sometimes when it seems like everything is coming against you, it may just be because you are at the verge of your greatest victory.
Weariness is a strategy the enemy often uses to try to get you to give up when you are closest to your miracle. Many times breakdowns come just before the point of your breakthrough. It is often darkest just before the day dawns, This is why you must never get weary in well doing. No matter how hard the road may seem keep going forward. There is a plan and there is a purpose. Every step you take is bringing you closer to your victory.
Understand that it is when you endure to the end that you reap.
Persistent and consistent prayers is necessary to stop the gates of hell from prevailing in our lives and in our families.
Indeed we must travail in prayers in order to prevail in life. We must kneel in prayer to stand in victory.
If we refuse to grow weary in praying, we will surely reap the promises of God in our lives.

PRAYER: Father, please grant me the grace to seek greater intimacy with You through consistent prayers and the study of Your Word. Please, help me to press on to victory in Jesus’Name.
QUOTE:
The treasures of God are never on the shallow end, but are always buried in the depth of God’s Word. It takes a personal discovery to get there. – WORDBITE 222.

Psalm 146:2 “I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”

DAILY READING• Titus 3; Jeremiah 17-18; Psalm 127

Today, modern technology has provided us with easy timekeeping devices like the wristwatches, wall clocks and mobile phones. However, in centuries past, there were no clocks, thus people had to rely on the natural world around them to keep track of the time.
One of those ancient ways of measuring time was the use of the water clock. The water clock dates back to 16th century B.C. Babylon and was used by the Greeks. It is one of the earliest forms of timekeeping devices that used a steady flow of water to track time. With this device, a large bowl would be filled with water and allowed to slowly drain from a spout at the bottom. The inside of the bowl was marked with time intervals. This enabled people to determine how much time had passed by the water level in the bowl. Water clocks were largely used to determine the hours especially at night times and on cloudy days.
As the water trickled away in the water clock, it represented how time was flowing away never to be recaptured again.

Time is always flowing away unnoticed.
The clock is always ticking, even as the past increases and future possibilities recede.
Each day, God entrusts us with 24 hours to use as wise stewards. Every morning we are credited with 86,400 seconds to invest to good purpose. Each day it opens a new account and if we fail to use the day’s deposits well, life may end in regret.
We must use our time on earth judiciously, constantly focusing on what God has called us to do.

Psalm 90:12-17 says ‘So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
In these last days, it has become crucial that we use the little time that is left wisely. Eternity is counting. You may delay, but time won’t. We must therefore ensure that the things we do in these last days have eternal value. What we do now for the Kingdom of God is what will matter most in eternity. Top on the priority of our time investment is our relationship with God which is the very bedrock of our existence. Time spent with God helps us to focus rightly on the necessary things that need to be done. It is while in God’s presence that we receive specific instructions on what to do. And His instructions lead to our distinction in life.
In these end-times, we must be deliberate in redeeming time because the enemy has sent out many weapons of mass distraction to squander people’s time.
Ephesians 5:16 says “redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
One certain way to redeem time is to be thankful. David said in Psalm 34:1 ‘I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.’
When we bless The Lord at all times, we are placing our life and times in His hand. And what we commit into God’s hands He is able to keep.
2 Timothy 1:12-says ‘for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.’
When we are thankful and bless The Lord continually at all times, He sees to it that our time on earth is used to His glory.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to begin to make good use of my time. Let Your praise and obedience to Your instructions be always top priority for me 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.

Isaiah 25:4 ‘For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.’

DAILY READING; Titus 2; Jeremiah 15-16; Psalm 126

Jason Nshimye is an international activist for human rights who is also a survivor of the Rwandan genocide.
He will never forget what happened on the morning of April 16, 1994, when he was 15 years old. As the genocide began in Rwanda, their family and other Tutsis in their village had taken refuge inside a church complex in the village. They had thought that the Hutus would fear God enough not to kill within the Church premises, but they were wrong.
Shortly after sunrise that day, his older brother warned him that their entire family would soon be slaughtered by Hutu tribesmen. He then said his goodbye to Nshimye.
Just as his brother had predicted, a few minutes later, the killers started coming from all directions. It didn’t take long before they started shooting and throwing grenades. Nshimye witnessed his entire family wiped out by their Hutu neighbors. Thousands were killed that day, but in the midst of the mayhem Nshimye kept his hope in God and miraculously managed to escape. He ran into the bushes, where he hid for weeks.
For three months, he was constantly on the run as his tribe, the Tutsis, were systematically eliminated. In less than 100 days, more than 800,000 of them were killed. Though he was terrified and horrified, yet Nshimye kept his faith in the everlasting God, whom he believed was watching over him.
God’s divine protection became very glaring to Nshimye when one day, he and a group of other children ran into a Hutu soldier who started shooting at them. As this soldier shot some of the children dead, he then pointed the gun at Nshimye’s head and pulled the trigger. But no bullet came out. It was a miracle! Nshimye escaped before the man could reload his gun. Again, he had managed to survive another direct encounter with death.
In this rough time, Nshimye met 8-year-old Françoise, who had also lost her whole family in the killings. They hid together until the end of the mayhem. Francoise, would later become his wife. Today, they are both public speakers, who share their experiences as survivors of the Rwandan genocide.
Nshimye, is the Founder and President of the Human Rights and Justice Foundation in the US. He credits his unwavering faith in God for his miraculous survival against great odds.

Nshimye came face to face with death at least twice, yet his faith in God caused him to miraculously escape.
Holding on to God is how we can triumph in life’s harshest situations. God is our only hope and guarantee of victory in the face of trials and troubles.
Though we may walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil when God is with us. Though a thousand may fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand, evil will not come near us when God is our refuge.
The world is full of tribulations, but through Christ we are destined for victory and jubilation. While others may travail, through faith in God, we will prevail.
Through faith in God we can overcome any situation. Indeed God knows how to cause the winds of adversity, instead of blowing you backwards to perdition, to blow you forward to progress. This is why in the face of difficulties, instead of becoming bitter, or complaining, we rather switch to praise. We praise God because we know He is at work. Something good is coming out of the struggle.
We are indeed products of God’s unfailing goodness and faithfulness. For this reason, God deserves our every praise. God didn’t promise that we would go through life without facing adversity. But what He has promised is that He will always be there. As long as we keep our eyes on Jesus, He will always make a way. He said in Isaiah 43, that when you pass through the waters and the fire, He will be right there to pull you through. You may walk through dark times and unexpected challenges, but never forget that God is your ever present help in the time of need. Even if you have lost anything, understand that God is the reason why you have not lost everything.
Therefore, in every situation, let us learn to rejoice and bless God. Let us praise Him for the many battles He has fought and won for us. Despite the many trials we have faced, God has continued to be our sun and our shield.
Indeed God has been our refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. [Isaiah 25:4]
Truly, it is only by His mercies that we have not been consumed. Even if your life is not yet what you desire it to be, it is only because of God that you are still alive and you still have hope for the future.
God is good and very faithful. And no matter what comes our way, let us keep praising Him, knowing that indeed He is working everything together for our good.

PRAYER: Lord please grant me the grace to praise You in every situation. By the revelation of The Spirit, help me to see indeed that You are working out all things for my good always. Thank You so much Jesus. .
QUOTE;
When you praise God despite your situation power is released for a raise. – WORDBITE 22

2 Timothy 2:15 ‘Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth’

DAILY READING •Titus 1; Jeremiah 13-14; Psalm 125

The lion is known as the king of beasts. One of the ways the lion exerts dominion in its environment is through its superior vision.
At birth, lion cubs are very small, and their eyes are closed until they are two to three weeks old. Even then, they cannot see properly for another few weeks. During this period, they are vulnerable to attack from large birds, snakes and other dangerous animals.
But as the cub grows older, it develops an outstanding sight. At full maturity, the lion’s vision becomes roughly eight times better than that of humans. A lions’ eyesight is arguably their most important sense.
The way a lion’s eye is designed helps it pick up and amplify very faint light such as that emitted from stars and the moon.
Lions see mainly in blue and greens, with highly developed night vision.
Their eyes and their “retina” have the ability to concentrate the least amount of light in the darkness of the night and reflect it in a manner similar to the night vision used by the military to have advantage in night battles.
Lions prefer hunting under the cover of darkness where their superior sight helps them achieve most of their kills.
The lion’s outstanding night vision, gives it advantage that helps to establish its dominion as the “king of the jungle”.

To exercise dominion in our environment, we need superior sight.
As believers, outstanding spiritual insight is the key to our exercise of dominion on the earth.
Just as lion cubs do not see well until they grow older, likewise, as spiritual babes we may struggle with spiritual sight, but as we grow in Christ, we are expected to exhibit superior vision and understanding that will enable us rule in life.
I Corinthians 13:11 -12 says ‘When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.’

As we grow spiritually, we must move away from spiritual ignorance and blindness. We must grow in the spiritual discipline of prayer, worship, diligent study of the Word, fasting , fellowship with the Spirit, etc.
No believer can dominate on earth, while lacking spiritual fervency, sensitivity, and discernment.
Just as Jesus is the Lion of Judah, we are to grow in Him to the point where we begin to manifest His lionic nature and rule in our environment.
Christ has redeemed us to walk in dominion on the earth. Through Him, we are now seated in Heavenly places far above all principalities and powers and dominions –[Eph. 1:20-21]
In these end-times, we are ordained by God to reign in the gross darkness of the earth through superior light from the Word. While the world is searching for solutions, our spiritual understanding will enable us achieve amazing results in our fields of endeavor. Truly, as far as our eyes can see, it shall be given unto us.
Since it is the entrance of God’s Word that gives light, we must therefore study if we don’t want to be stagnated in life. We must commit ourselves to continuous searching of scriptures, studying and meditation. [2Timothy 2:15].
Through the light we receive from God’s Word, we will exercise the dominion nature of the lion of the tribe of Judah, and rule in the midst of our enemies.
Belonging to the tribe of Judah also means that we are those who carry the Presence of God due to high praises because Judah means praise.
Certainly through illumination from the Word and the Presence of God, we will dominate in our environments and excell on the earth.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to commit to a lifestyle of diligent study of Your Word, prayers and praise, so that I can continually manifest Your nature and dominate on earth in Jesus Name.

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

Galatians 5:1 ‘Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith have Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.’

DAILY READING; 2 Timothy 4; Jeremiah 11-12; Psalm 124

Casey Treat is a well-known American pastor, televangelist, author and motivational speaker.
He is the co-founder and co-pastor of Christian Faith Center in Washington DC.
As a teenager, Casey Treat lived a rough life and was heavily involved with illegal drugs. In 1974, at the age of 19, he entered a drug rehabilitation center and there found salvation in Christ Jesus. However, 30 years later, the enemy tried to use the consequence of his earlier drug abuse to threaten his life.
In 2003, while undergoing a routine medical exam, the results revealed that Hepatitis C was killing Casey Treat. Doctors said he had a four percent chance of clearing the virus and most likely over the next few years, his liver would fail and he would either need a liver transplant, which was difficult, or he would die young.
Doctors recommended a double dose of chemotherapy and other medicines for 11 months. But they told Casey that even with treatment there was only a four percent chance of clearing the disease. With so few options, Casey desperately needed God to intervene. So he and his wife, Wendy began praying and seeking God for a miracle.
Casey continued to pastor his church of 8,000 members as he began undergoing treatments and believing God for divine healing.
Amazingly, the virus cleared in the first month of treatments. It was a miraculous answer to prayers and living by faith.
From this experience of God’s faithfulness, during his darkest hour, Casey Treat wrote the book ‘How to be Your Best When You Feel Your Worst’.

Nahum 1:9 says that affliction shall not rise up the second time. This declaration was the prayer and heart-cry of Prophet Nahum for the people of Israel, when he saw the desolation his nation had suffered at the hand of the Assyrians.
Oftentimes, the enemy attempts to afflict people with repetitive cycles of pain. Such trials and afflictions could be due to past mistakes or sin. But then the Bible says there is no more condemnation for them who are now in Christ Jesus.
No matter what happened in the past, affliction is not permitted to arise a second time in a believer’s life. The pains of the past are not allowed to torment your present.
This is why we must stand our ground and stop the enemy’s attempt to repeat afflictions in our lives. Despite the mistakes and sins of the past, God has made provision for our total deliverance through the Blood of Jesus.
We must therefore stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and refuse to be entangled again with any yoke of bondage.[ Galatians 5:1]

Through redemption, we are free from bondages and afflictions. Christ paid a high price at Calvary, to enable us walk free from every oppression of the enemy, Therefore we must not accept anything outside of God’s will for us.
Refuse and resist every plan of the enemy to put again upon you what Christ has already suffered for and paid for at Calvary.
Truly, whosoever the son of God has set free is truly free indeed. Freedom from oppression is our heritage in God and our birthright in Christ.
We are not meant to accept trials or challenges with docility, rather we are to arise and fight a good fight of faith against them, knowing that the price for our liberty has fully been paid
However, to truly enjoy freedom, we must seek for revelation from God’s Word because it is the knowledge of the truth that sets free.
Through the Word we receive the understanding that Jesus has given us power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing can by any means hurt us.
Through the price Christ paid at Calvary we are untouchable and unmolestable.
Because Jesus hung on the Cross for us, no sickness, poverty or affliction can hang on us anymore.
We have been set free indeed! Therefore wherever we go, there should be ceaseless songs of deliverance and victory in our mouth. We praise God who is faithful and has given us dominion over every affliction and freedom from every oppression!

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the power in the Blood of Jesus. Today I receive the grace for indepth study of the Word, so that I can know how to fully engage the power in the Blood to overcome in every area of my life in Jesus Name.
QUOTE :
Nothing liberates like truth, the truth you know and act upon will set you free.- – WORDBITE 222.

Philippians 2:10-12 ‘That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

DAILY READING ; 2 Timothy 3; Jeremiah 9-10; Psalm 123

David O. Oyedepo is the founder and presiding Bishop of Faith Tabernacle and Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners’ Chapel International.
He is a man of God known for his outstanding faith.
In his book ‘Operating in the Supernatural’, he shared the story of how armed robbers came to attack him in a town where he went for a crusade.
During this crusade held in 1990, Oyedepo was asleep in his hotel room one night when he was suddenly awakened by strange noises. He came out of the bedroom to the sitting room and saw that three hefty men carrying guns had invaded his hotel room. As he stood there in his pajamas, they surrounded him and he was right in the middle of them. Yet even in what looked like a tight situation, his heart remained strong and he was unmoved. Though awakened from sleep to face battle, he was prepared and empowered because of a lifestyle of deep spirituality.
When the armed robbers asked him to raise his hands, at that moment an unusual boldness arose within him. With his hands on his waist, he looked at them right in the face and cried out, “In the Name of Jesus!”.
As he shouted, a powerful force sent the men falling backward, as though a wind pushed them down. They began to scream in confusion, “He has a gun! He has a gun!”. With great panic they took to their heels and ran out of the hotel room.
Interestingly, Oyedepo had no physical weapon with him. He only had the powerful spiritual weapon of the Name of Jesus, which was superior to the weapon of guns.

Indeed the Name of the LORD is a strong tower that the righteous run into, and is safe.- [Proverbs 18:10].
The Name of Jesus means Saviour, not just from sin alone, but also from the harassments of the enemy.
There is an anointing that is in that Name. When it is invoked in faith, authority is established and every gang-up of the enemy is scattered.
The Name of Jesus is above every other name. At the mention of it, every knee must bow and every tongue must confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
However, for the Name to work for you, there must be a confidence in you that is rooted in righteousness. The Bible says the righteous are as bold as the lion.
And this boldness comes from the faith imparted into our hearts from the study of God’s Word and maintaining a spiritually fervent lifestyle.
The more we receive the Word into our heart, the more we receive the power to be and act as the sons of God.
God is the mighty Man in battle, He is the warrior King and Lion of the tribe of Judah. His lionic nature in us will cause us to roar boldly against any confrontation.
As we engage the Name of Jesus, every trouble that has a name, will always submit to the Name that is above every other name.
The Name of Jesus is strong and mighty in battle. Through His Name, our dominion, deliverance and victory will always be guaranteed.
No matter what may be trying to confront you today, you have what it takes to dominate that situation. As long as your heart is constantly filled with the Word, faith will arise in you to overcome every confrontation.
As you roar the Name of Jesus against that challenge, surely it will bow. God will be glorified and your enemies will be terrified.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank you for greatly anointing me to overcome every battle. By the power in the Name of Jesus l certainly have the dominion over every challenge and confrontation that comes my way in Jesus Name. .
QUOTE
When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction. WORDBITE 222

2 Corinthians 4:17 [NLT] “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!”

DAILY READING;; 2 Timothy 2; Jeremiah 7-8; Psalm 122

Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana. Interestingly, Helena was founded accidentally by four men, who had almost given up on their quest for gold.
In 1864, four prospectors were down on their luck and about ready to give up their quest for fortune.
They had travelled eagerly from their homes to Southwest Montana, formerly known as Gold West Country, which drew people far and wide to look for gold.
On their way to Montana, they had spotted a stream that had signs of containing gold. They had stopped and set up camp, but unfortunately after searching they found only minimal signs of gold. Abandoning the spot, they eagerly continued on their original destination to Montana.
However after reaching the destination, their quest proved futile. Having spent 6 months exploring western Montana and finding no gold, on July 14, 1864, these men were desperate, knowing that if they did not strike it rich soon they would need to return home empty handed.
As these prospectors were returning back through the Prickly Pear Valley of Montana, they stopped to water their horses. Recalling the small stream where they had earlier searched for gold but didn’t find, they decided to give it one more last try. They told each other, ‘Boys, this gulch is our last chance.’ It would be their final opportunity on their long fruitless prospecting trip, after which they were prepared to give up on the whole area and go home.
Interestingly this place they had earlier ignored on their way to greater prospects was where they amazingly found a great gold deposit that surpassed their imagination.
It would prove to be the second biggest placer gold deposit in Montana, producing some $19 million worth of gold in just four years. They named the new mining district ‘Last Chance Gulch’, because it was discovered on their last chance.
Due to the gold rush that followed, the area became established as the town of Helena, which would become a wealthy city, with approximately 50 millionaires inhabiting the area by 1888.

Many times, we miss out on God’s best because we gave up too soon. And some of the times we feel the need to give up, may have been when we were closest to our victory.
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. The worst failure of life is failure to try. Those who try again will triumph again.
Every man fails at some point, but not all accept defeat. Those who refuse to quit, eventually win.
The right angle to approach to life is the “try angle.” Keep trying because something is about to happen. Arise and try to fight again. Never fold your hands if you don’t want life to fold up on you. No matter how difficult the road, keep your faith strong in God and keep moving forward.
You are capable of much more accomplishment than you realize. You have potentials for greater victories within you. It is not about you, it is about Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is not about your capability, it is about His ability at work in you. So do not limit yourself to present circumstances. Do not let present troubles and temptations stop you from pressing into the great destiny God has ordained for you.

2 Corinthians 4:17 [NLT] says “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!”

Indeed to experience victory and dominion over challenges, we must be persistent. In this second half of the year, you may feel tempted to become discouraged because you have not yet seen the kind of results you had hoped for. But then never forget that we serve the God of miracles.
No matter what we go through, as long as we trust God, it will all work together for our good. Therefore in every situation, let’s continually bless God and let His praise always be on our lips.
Certainly, God is going to surprise you. You may have been digging for long, but suddenly, out of the ordinary, God will cause you to strike gold. God will exceed your expectations and amaze you with His goodness.
In this season, you’ll see amazing favor, victory, dominion and increase as God causes His blessings to flow towards you.

PRAYER; Lord I thank You for granting me the grace to keep pressing forward. By Your grace I will not be discouraged nor give up. And as I keep praising You, I know indeed my miracle is on the way in Jesus Name.
QUOTE
When you praise God despite your situation power is released for a raise. WORDBITE 222..

Isaiah 54:15 ‘Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.’

DAILY READING •2 Timothy 1; Jeremiah 5-6; Psalm 121

David Brainerd, known as “The apostle to the Indians” was one of America’s most influential missionaries. His intense, passionate devotion to God affected countless Christians for many generations.
David Brainerd was orphaned at the age of 14. Then at 21 years of age, during the Great Awakening, he had a conversion experience and later served as a missionary to the Indians from 1739 to 1747.
During the course of his ministry he kept a diary which recorded some of the remarkable things that happened to him. One of these events was God’s amazing divine protection over him, on his first night, when he went to minister to the Indians in Kaunaumeek, New York.
David arrived near their camp late one evening and decided to spend the night in the woods before introducing himself the next morning. He didn’t realize that several of the Indian men had seen him and reported to their chief of the stranger in their midst.
That night, the Indians planned to kill this white man because, up until then, the white man had brought them nothing but grief. However that night as the warriors silently drew near where Brainerd was, what they saw amazed them. Brainerd was on his knees praying, then a rattlesnake squirmed up to him, lifted its head, flicks its forked tongue close to his face, and then, for no apparent reason, glided away into the darkness.
Seeing this made the chief and the warriors nervous and instead of killing him they returned to their campsite.
When the young missionary eventually entered the Indian village early the next morning, he received a much more cordial welcome than he had anticipated. It wasn’t until later that he learned of the strange events of the preceding night.
Realizing that he must possess a higher power, these Indians were open to receive his message, and many of them eventually gave their lives to Christ.
Brainerd poured out his life in ministry to these Indians, writing that he wanted “to burn out in one continual flame for God.”
However, it was through God’s power of divine protection, manifesting that night when he was not even aware, that had opened the door to his amazing ministry to the Indians.

Indeed there are hidden battles which God fights for us, which we may never know about until we get to Heaven. There have been times the enemy set traps and nets for our feet, but yet in the nick of time, God pulled us out of it. There have been times we found ourselves in tight places, and when it seemed there was no way out, somehow, God showed up and made a way for us.
When God is on your side, there is no weapon formed against you that can prosper. God will always arise and fight for you and destroy the gatherings and gang-ups against you.

God says in Isaiah 54:15 ‘Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.’ Then He goes further on to say that this is your heritage as a servant of The Lord.
Indeed when we serve God we have a heritage of victory and dominion.
Therefore in times of challenges, instead of panicking, go on your knees and you will eventually stand in victory. The more you pray, the less you’ll panic. The more you worship, the less you worry.
God’s protection around us is real. This is why we do not have to fret or worry about what may be happening in the world. Let us always remember that God is watching over us, and He never sleeps nor slumbers. This is why we should concern ourselves more with drawing closer to God, knowing that He is able to deliver those that put their trust in Him.

Isaiah 31: 4-5 says ‘….so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.’

God is committed to our defense and deliverance. He will fight for us, He will protect us. Therefore rather than fret, let us always give Him worthy praise.
We do not have to wait before something major happens before we remember to pray or give thanks. Life itself is a daily miracle.
That we can sleep and wake up is a big miracle. Each morning you woke up always remember that it was The Lord that woke you up and not your alarm clock. And if He woke you up this morning it is because there is still so much He has in store for you. Let us therefore always remain thankful to God for His faithfulness to us. Indeed God is always good and His mercies endure forever.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to be always grateful for all Your goodness in my life. Please grant me the grace not to fret or worry, but rather to praise You always in Jesus Name
QUOTE
When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction WORDBITE 222