HORM Devotional

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ‘Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.’

DAILY READING •1 John 3; 2 Chronicles 36; Psalm 90

For many decades, Christians in China have suffered many attacks and persecutions. Yet, the Chinese Church keeps bouncing back and waxing stronger despite these many challenges.
One of the reasons for this has been the resilient spirit of the believers in China. For many years, the Chinese government has attempted to restrict the Christians in the country, yet their voices cannot be silenced.
The Chinese Communist Party’s attempt to bring religion under its control has been met with courageous opposition, and the testimony of Pastor Wang Yi is a prime example.

Pastor, Wang Yi, founder of Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China, was arrested in December 2018, along with over 100 other members of his congregation. They were charged with “inciting subversion of state power”—a charge often given to Christians who do not fit the Communist Party’s ideological mold.

Shortly after his arrest Wang’s church released a statement he wrote on civil disobedience—a treatise he penned on how believers should respond when the state conflicts with deeply held religious beliefs.
It was a defiant statement in the face of the Government’s persecutions. It showed that they were not bowed or defeated despite the various intimidations by the Chinese government.
These believers continue to stand strong in the face of oppositions.
In the midst of contrary situations, they continue to bless the Lord and worship Him. They remain grateful for God’s sufficient grace and mercy that continues to see them through.

Sometimes some of our sweetest incenses of praise are those offered from the fire.

In the Old Testament, when the priest made offerings on hot coals, accompanied with incense, the Bible says that these offerings made by fire were a pleasing aroma and a sweet savor unto the Lord. [Leviticus 2:16]

At those times, when everything seems to be contrary and there seems no reason to be thankful, those are the very moments we should offer unto God worthy praise.

God is certainly in control and He will never put on you more than you can bear. Sometimes, tribulation is an indication of the grace He has given you to overcome the situation.
Indeed the fire is not there to burn you, but rather there to reveal the power of God in your life.

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were put in jail for preaching the Gospel, but it became an opportunity to reveal the power of God in their lives. As they praised despite their pain, God came down in an earthquake and miraculously delivered them.

Every time you praise despite the pain, you’re making preparation for the rain. As you keep praising God, your season will start changing.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says ‘Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.’

Rejoicing and being thankful in everything is God’s will for us. Therefore, today, no matter the situation, let us keep blessing the Lord at all times. As we do, we will soon see downpours of His blessings of favor, mercy, and grace.

PRAYER: Lord, Please grant me the grace to always give You worthy praise at all times. No matter what happens around me, I thank You for always being in total control and perfecting all that concerns me in Jesus Name.

Quote
Your attitude always determines your altitude in life. –WORDBITE 222.

Psalm 107:20 ‘He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions’

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DAILY READING;1 John 2; 2 Chronicles 35; Psalm 89:38-52

Fred Francis Bosworth was a Pentecostal pioneer, famous healing evangelist, musician and author who took the United States and Canada by storm in the 1920s and 1930s.
He reportedly led over a million people to Christ, and was considered by scholars and ministers alike to be one of the most successful healing evangelists of his era.
His writings on divine healing influenced many Church leaders of his day, as well many who claim healing ministries today.
However, years earlier while he was a youth, F.F Bosworth almost died due to his lack of knowledge of the healing power in God’s Word.
Fred Bosworth was brought up by wonderful parents on a farm. By the age of sixteen, he was restless with life and struck out to be a salesman.
He soon became a jack of all trades and worked hard at trying to make his fortune as a traveling salesman.
But one day while he was working at one of his many “trades” Bosworth caught a severe cold that later developed into serious lung problems. His cough grew worse, and he lived in this condition for eight years. Finally, doctors told Bosworth that his was a hopeless case, and he would not recover. After receiving this report, he decided to visit home and see his parents once more before he died. However, the Lord had other plans. On the way, he wandered into a Methodist church where a meeting was being held. In this Church, a lady told Bosworth that he did not have to die. She told him it was God’s will to heal him. She prayed for him and God’s power healed him. This experience revolutionized Bosworth’s life. It set him on the path of the great ministry God used him to accomplish as a frontier evangelist, a pioneer Christian radio broadcaster and one of the most successful healing evangelists of the 1920s.

Hosea 4:6 says ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:’

It is indeed God’s plan to wipe away tears and bring healing and deliverance to His people. However people are being destroyed because they simply lack the knowledge of what God has made available in His Word. Many are perishing due to lack of knowledge of what the power of God can do.
Today, people are victims of afflictions because they don’t realize that divine provisions of healing, deliverance, prosperity, protection, grace and favor can be real in their lives.
The way out of every closed door is the key of Knowledge. It takes knowledge of the truth to be set free to enjoy the blessings of redemption.
And knowledge comes through in-depth study of God’s Word. It is as we continue in the Word, that we encounter the truth that makes us free. [John 8:32]

Spiritual ignorance can be likened to darkness, which is only destroyed by the light of God’s Word. Our source of light is the entrance of God’s Word into our hearts. .

God wants us to have knowledge and understanding of His Word so as to experience deliverance from all afflictions of the enemy.

Psalm 125:3 says ‘For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of righteous.’

It is God’s will that every form of the rod of the wicked be destroyed from our lives. However, knowledge of the Word is the key to our deliverance. One discovered truth from God’s Word can change your life forever. This is why we must diligently renew our mind through in-depth study of the Word. We truly have to become lifelong students of the Bible and addict to God’s Word so as to enjoy continual victory over life’s afflictions.
Through understanding of God’s Word we will enjoy multiplied grace and divine favor which will cause us to be outstanding in all our endeavors.

PRAYER: Father please help me to always walk in the light of Your Word, so that I can continually have dominion over all afflictions. By Your grace I shall always live victorious and triumphant in Jesus Name.

QUOTE :

In law ignorance is no excuse , as a child of God, failure is simply inexcusable. WORDBITE 222.

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

DAILY READING; 1 John 1; 2 Chronicles 34; Psalm 89:19-37

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist regarded as the greatest composer who ever lived, Ludwig van Beethoven dominates a period of musical history as no one else before or since.
Beethoven composed some of the most glorious music played in the Church during his generation and beyond.
His music ranks amongst the most performed of the classical music repertoire. He remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music and up till today, he is widely celebrated for being an innovator and an undisputed master at his art.
Beethoven dedicated his life to become the best at his work, which meant countless hours of practice, revisions, and overcoming many personal and professional difficulties.
From the age of seven years he made his first public recital on March 26, 1778, where he played impressively.
By 12 years he was already earning money through music and helping to support his parents. As a prodigiously talented musician, Beethoven’s fame soon quickly spread and he was in high demand.
During his time, he was highly sought after by kings and queens and played in the best courts and palaces of that era. Despite the great challenges he had faced, through his faith in God, his diligence and dedication to his work, he became one of the greatest composers of all time.

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

To be outstanding in life, we must give total diligence to our calling. It is true that success is our birthright as believers, but we must adhere to diligence to attain to our destined heights in life.
God’s gifts and callings are meant to bring us before great men, however, it takes understanding of God’s ways to actualize them.
Understanding God’s Word and walking in His covenant is what enables us to be diligent in our pursuit.
It is lack of vision and understanding of God’s Word that makes people live without focus and run after things of no eternal value. But, as believers, we cannot afford to squander precious time on vain pursuits, especially in these end-times.
We need a strict compliance with God’s Word to attain the great heights of success He has ordained for us.
God’s success formula is found in Joshua 1:8 which says that when we meditate day and night in His Word and observe to do what is written therein, then we will be prosperous and have good success.
Good understanding of the Word attracts God’s favor which is what elevates and promotes us to outstanding heights.

Proverbs 13:15-16 says ‘Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.’

People who transgress God’s Word and lack understanding of His covenant will find life hard and difficult because they would lack God’s mercy and favor necessary for success in life.
Isaiah 27:11 says ‘..For it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour.’
To actualize God’s plan for our lives, it is important that we labor in His Word and diligently pursue His will.
Throughout the Scriptures, those who greatly succeeded in their endeavors were those who worked hard in pursuit of God’s assignment for them.
Jesus, our Saviour said in John 9:4 ‘I must work the works of him that sent me,’
Then in John 5:17 He also said ‘The Father worketh hitherto, and I work’
If God the Father and Jesus are diligently working, then we have no excuse for not diligently pursuing our calling.
In this season, as we seek understanding of God’s Word and zealously pursue His call, we will surely experience unprecedented grace and favor that will take us to unimaginable heights in our endeavors.

PRAYER: Lord I thank You for granting me the grace to diligently seek Your Word and pursue Your calling for my life. As I do, I thank You for bountifully releasing Your blessings of grace, mercy and favor upon me 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.

Hebrew 4:16 ‘Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’

DAILY READING – John 21; 2 Chronicles 33; Psalm 89:1-18

When foreign Christian missionaries first came to China, they were restricted from living and traveling in China. They were limited to an area called Canton, where foreign traders were allowed to build their factories and warehouses.
However, in 1856 when the second Opium War broke out between the Chinese and Western countries, the Canton factories became a principal target for Chinese attacks. The missionaries living in the region also became targets.
The Chinese burned down the foreign factories in Canton and also began to attack the foreigners.
These escalating tensions produced a serious crisis for the missionaries as the local Chinese people began to plot the death of all foreigners in Canton. After killing about fifty Portuguese, they began targeting a number of Christians who usually gathered each Sunday night for prayers and worship in a certain house. The Chinese planned to surround the place as they were gathered on a Sunday night to murder them all.
Hearing of the plot, the missionaries met to pray and seek the protecting presence of God. As they cried out to God for mercy, a miracle began to take place. A government official they did not even know stepped in and stopped the planned attack. This man took it upon himself to arise to their rescue and foiled the plans of the attackers and ensured that the missionaries were protected.
Relief came for the missionaries as British troops eventually won the war and peace was restored between them and China.

As a child of God, you are never alone in your battles. God is able to raise help for you from unexpected places. He can cause even people you don’t know to come to your aid and rescue.
Sometimes in life’s battles it can seem as if you are one man against a greater force. The fight may sometimes seem greater than what you can handle. But no matter how stronger the enemy may appear, always have it in mind that they that be for you are greater than they that be against you. He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world.
It is the help of God that wins the battle of life: It was by God’s divine help that king Jehoshaphat and the men of Judah overcame the stronger nations that came against them. In 2 Chronicles 20:1-24 when King Jehoshaphat declared that their eyes were upon God, He arose for them and helped them to overcome.
The help of God is always available for us in every situation. And when it seems we are outnumbered, all we have to do is turn over our battles to God by calling upon Him in prayer.
Divine help is accessed by prayer. It is when we come to the throne of grace that we receive help in the time of need. To be prayerless is to be helpless but through a life of faith and fervent prayers, we will have constant access to the throne of grace to obtain the help we need..

Heb. 4: 16 says “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

To see the greater flow of grace in our lives, we must be willing to pray, because the prayer altar is the fountain of grace.
Today, no matter what may seem to be gathering against you, let not your heart be troubled, there’s help for you in God. As they come against you one way, so shall they scatter seven ways.
The Bible says in Isaiah 54, that surely they will gather. So the enemies’ agenda is to gather, but God’s own agenda is to scatter them.
Certainly today, God’s divine grace and mercy will speak for you. Help will arise for you from the least expected quarters. God will send destiny helpers to locate you and help you to overcome the battles that seem too strong for you. Indeed through God’s divine, mercy, grace and favor, we will triumph always and stand victorious in every conflict.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for Your continuous help in my life. As I come today to Your throne of grace, I know indeed I shall obtain the help I need to overcome and triumph always in Jesus Name.
QUOTE
There is something that God has placed within you that the world is eagerly awaiting to see. WORDBITE 222

Luke 10:19 ‘’Behold I give unto you power to thread upon serpent and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, nothing shall by any means hurt you.’

DAILY READING; John 20:19-31; 2 Chronicles 32; Psalm 88

Harmon Schmelzenbach was a pioneer Nazarene missionary to Africa, in the 19th century. He established Churches in Swaziland, Mozambique and South Africa.
From his youth he had felt divinely called to be a missionary to Africa. So great was the urgency of the call in Harmon’s soul that he would not wait to finish college. He asked the president of the Bible College to ordain him, so that he might go forth to answer his divine call.
Thereafter, he embarked on a long missionary work in Africa. While serving there, he experienced many miraculous deliverances and escapes that came in answer to prayer.
One remarkable story was how he was delivered from the grasp of a snake. One day Harmon had a trip to make through the veld, which was a region of wild uncultivated grassland in southern Africa. Kneeling down, he consecrated his life anew to God and asked for divine protection. Getting on his horse, he started through the veld. At a certain spot he felt a peculiar sense of imminent danger. A voice whispered, “Duck.” Harmon ducked his head. When he had ridden by the point, he stopped and looked back. What he saw was a huge snake lying on a limb just above where he had ducked his head to pass. He realized that, as he rode by, the snake had reached out to grasp him, and the warning Voice that said, “Duck,” had saved his life.
Though the snake wanted to grip and kill him, yet through divine mercy he was delivered from that evil trap.
Stories of his adventures in Africa are contained in his book, ‘The biography of Haromon F. Schmelzenbach’.

We live in a world where the enemy goes about looking for whom to devour. Psalms 10:8 says ‘he sits in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent.”
But it is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.”[Lamentations 3:22]
This verse does not just say ‘mercy’, it says “mercies”. This means that again and again, God shows up to show us mercy and deliver us from the snares of the fowler. His mercies are new and available to us every morning. Every day we wake up, we wake up to His mercy.
He never sleeps nor slumbers as He watches over us with compassion. Mercy is simply God’s compassion in action. With every breath we take, every move we make, God continually gives His angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways. Certainly, God is rich in mercy.

Ephesians 2:4-10 says ‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Because of God’s mercy, He sent His Son to earth to be our ultimate blood sacrifice. In the old Testament, God showed the Israelites a type of His mercy when He instructed Moses to build the mercy seat, on which the high priest would sprinkle the blood of a goat or lamb for sacrifice on the annual Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:15).
The sprinkling of animal blood was an essential part of asking for mercy, forgiveness and cleansing of sins.
But in the New Testament, God showed us ultimate mercy when the Blood of Jesus was shed as an eternal sacrifice that continually invokes the tender mercies of God towards us.
Today, the crimson flow of the precious Blood of the lamb continually cries ‘mercy’ over us and ensures our rescue from every demonic trap.
Jesus died on the Cross to save us from the many snares and traps set on earth to destroy the souls of men.
All that He suffered on Calvary was to ensure that we do not become victims but rather live as victors, triumphing over the works of darkness.
Through His death, Christ has brought us under the covenant of divine exemption. He has given us the power to crush and march over the forces of wickedness and conquer every power of the enemy.

In Luke 10:19, Jesus says ‘’Behold I give unto you power to thread upon serpent and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, nothing shall by any means hurt you.’

Truly, we are overcomers by the Blood of the lamb.
As we commit to living a life of fervent prayers and prompt obedience to the voice of the Holy Spirit, we will always escape every trap and ambush.
Indeed as we diligently obey God’s Word and bless Him at all times, we will abide under the shadow of the Almighty, where no weapon formed against us shall ever prosper and no plague can come near our dwelling place.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for Your seal of divine protection upon me and my family. Surely, by the power in the Blood of Jesus, no evil shall befall us and no plague can come near us in Jesus Name.
QUOTE;
To get into the next level of your life, God will always give a specific instruction. – WORDBITE 222.

1 Peter 5:10 ‘But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.’

DAILY READING; John 20:1-18; 2 Chronicles 31; Psalm 87

No other religion in the world has suffered as much persecutions as Christianity. Yet the Church of Christ remains indefatigable and keeps thriving.
In the first Century, when the Gospel began spreading, the Romans who were traditionally pagans, felt greatly threatened. Christian beliefs clashed directly with the Roman pagan system because Christian converts stopped sacrificing to the gods.
Roman leaders thereafter blamed the Christians for any disaster in the Empire, claiming that their gods were taking vengeance for the neglect of temple sacrifices.
When Rome burned in A.D. 64, Emperor Nero blamed the Christians and meted out cruel punishments that led to the perishing of many believers.
Also when a disastrous plague ravaged the Empire from A.D. 251 to 266, claiming 5,000 lives a day, Romans rulers again blamed Christians for provoking the wrath of the gods.
This was followed by terrible persecutions and wholesale massacres of believers.
Amazingly, despite all these attempt to annihilate and crush Christianity, it not only survived, but continued to thrive under the constant persecutions.
The believers’ refusal to renounce their faith during torment actually caused more Romans to inquire into Christian doctrine. Christian behavior under persecution preached a sermon far more effective than words.
By 311AD, even the rulers of Rome recognized that the oppression of Christians was encouraging more conversions rather than silencing the believers. Thereafter, the Roman rulers gave up trying to stop the spread of Christianity. Rather they issued laws which granted Christians freedom of worship for the first time. In return, the Christians were required to pray for the Emperors and the Empire.

The Gospel always prevails over opposing powers.
After a whole chapter of terrifying opposition from Herod in Acts 12, in the end of that chapter, the Gospel prevailed.
After God’s angel executed Herod in Acts 12:23, the very next verse said ‘But the word of God increased and multiplied.’ [Acts 12:24].
The opposition of Herod was no match for the unstoppable power of God and His Gospel. Jesus described Himself as the stone which the builders rejected, but has become the chief cornerstone and He said that anyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him to powder [Matthew 21:44].
For trying to stand in the way of Christ, Herod was crushed and the Gospel continued to grow.
Certainly, God know how to settle the
battles against His people.
Despite every attempt to squash Christianity, rather than stop, it keeps crushing the oppositions and keeps thriving and waxing stronger through God’s grace.
It is the same with our lives as believers. Because we carry Christ within us we are unstoppable and anyone who attempts to stand in our way will only be crushed as we continue to rise higher.
Certainly, through the grace of God at work in our lives, we will keep triumphing. Despite all attempts to stop our progress and truncate our destiny, the grace of God will continue to prevail against our enemies.
No matter what you may go through, always be assured that God has a time of divine settlement for you.
1 Peter 5:10 says that the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, will make you perfect, establish you, strengthen you and settle you.

Certainly, God will settle you. He will strengthen you and perfect all that concerns you.
The important thing is to ensure that we keep increasing in the knowledge of God’s Word which is what causes His grace to multiply in our lives. [2 Peter 1:2].
When you have grace you have God and whatever cannot stop God will never be able to stop you.
The same power that is keeping the Church indefatigable is also at work in each of us because we are the living stones that make up the Church.
Because we are born of God, we are born to always overcome.
Our covenant secret for constant victory is to always keep our focus on God’s Word. Certainly, in this season, through God’s divine grace, mercy and favor at work in our lives, every issue of concern, will finally be settled in Jesus Name..

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for Your grace that causes me to keep thriving despite trials and temptations. Surely, by Your power at work in me, I shall ever be victorious and triumph over all oppositions in Jesus Name.
QUOTE;
You will never need more than God to experience the impossible in life. WORDBITE 222

Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”

DAILY READING – John 19:16-42; 2 Chronicles 30; Psalm 86

Oscar Cervantes is a well-known minister whose prison ministry has positively impacted many lives.
He, himself was an ex-convict, who had been jailed 17 times for brutal crimes.
Oscar began getting into trouble from his childhood and grew worse as he got older. Despite various punishments, Oscar remained incorrigible and Prison psychiatrists eventually declared he was beyond help. His case was seen as hopeless and he appeared doomed to spend the rest of his life in prison.
But when it seemed nothing could change him, an encounter with Christ dramatically transformed him.
During a brief interval of freedom when he was out of prison, Oscar came across an elderly Christian man. This man told him about the love of Christ and God’s amazing grace.
These words penetrated Oscar’s hardened heart and from that moment, a transformation began to take place in his life until he fully surrendered to Christ. From a hardened criminal, he was changed and became a new man. As he grew in faith, years later, he started a prison ministry. God used Oscar to affect many lives for Christ. Prison inmates would come to hear Oscar and sit intently for hours listening to the Gospel as he preached. Hardened criminals were transformed through his ministry. Oscar’s life became a living proof of the transformational power of the Gospel.

Indeed Oscar’s story is a clear picture of God’s grace. What professional psychiatrists had failed to do for Oscar in years of counseling was achieved overnight through God’s power.
The grace of God set him free from every captivity and opened him up to a new glorious destiny in Christ.
Truly, Jesus is the Great Physician who handles hopeless cases. What is deemed impossible by human experts is easily handled by His grace.
His Word is as hammer that breaks every rock in pieces.
No matter how strong any captivity, the Word of God is a spiritual hammer that will thoroughly shatter it.

In Jeremiah 23:29 God says: “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”

Truly there is power in God’s Word to break every yoke in a man’s life. Anytime it seems as if we are confronted by spiritual strongholds or yokes that seem difficult to break, through faith in God’s Word we can always overcome. All we have to do is to stay connected to the Word until we are impacted by the faith that overcomes the world. As we release the Word against that situation, it goes forth as a spiritual sledge hammer to destroy the chains of captivity and release us into our glorious destiny.
Every sickness, financial challenge, sin, addiction, and afflictions can be broken off instantly by a genuine encounter with God’s Word.
Despite how difficult the condition, through God’s grace, there can be a change of story.
There is no pit so deep, that the power of God cannot deliver us from. There is no yoke so strong that His power cannot break. There is no bondage so thick that His power cannot destroy.
This is why in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones, we should never give up praying or think that any captivity is too strong, because no matter how terrible that situation, the yoke-breaking anointing in God’s Word can handle it.
All it takes is an encounter with the truth that sets free.
As long as we believe and receive God’s Word, His grace will be released for the supernatural restoration of our redemptive dignity. Indeed the grace of God can so color our past that no one sees the mess.
Today, it doesn’t matter how impossible the bondage or affliction confronting you, through God’s grace there can be supernatural deliverance. No matter how long that situation may have lingered, today can be your day of freedom.
Therefore, let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find the grace to help in time of need. — [Hebrews 4:16].

PRAYER: Lord, I know you have so much in store for me, please enable me to diligently study Your Word, so that I can encounter the power to break free from every bondage and move into the glorious future of blessings You have for me in Jesus Name. .

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

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

DAILY READING; John 18:38-19:16; 2 Chronicles 29; Psalm 85

In December 2019, in the city of Wuhan, China, unusual cases of patients with pneumonia caused by the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) were reported, and the spread of the virus swiftly became a global health threat
Today, medical researches show that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on public mental health.
As the world nears the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a noticeable increase in the global burden of depressive and anxiety disorders which has impacted the mental health of many people worldwide.
According to the new medical analysis, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a stark rise in depressive and anxiety disorders globally in 2020. The overall number of cases of mental disorders rose dramatically, with an additional 53.2 million and 76.2 million cases of anxiety and major depressive disorders, respectively.

Apart from the pandemic, worsening global situations in many countries is sending people into a frenzy of worry.
According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, anxiety disorders are on the increase globally.
Indeed the world is entering a new age where Anxiety disorders have become the most common mental illness. As insecurity, economic crisis, and other global conditions worsen, fretting in the general population continues to be on the rise.

However, for us as believers, the Bible tells us in Philippians 4:6 ‘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 about global conditions.

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. Truly, His grace is sufficient for us and by His mercies, we will always triumph over life’s trials.

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

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

DAILY READING – • John 18:19-38; 2 Chronicles 27-28; Psalm 84

Due to the peculiar nature of eagles, they live on higher grounds and this sets them apart from other smaller birds in the forest.
The major difference between eagles and other birds is that they fly to greater heights, where other birds cannot reach.
Also eagles deal differently with an approaching storm. Instead of flying away and hiding like other birds, eagles have great ability and skill to navigate the storms.
An eagle can detect when a storm is approaching long before it breaks. Then it will actually fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, the eagle sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm.
While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above. The eagle does not look for how to escape the storm, rather it simply uses the storm to go higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm. The eagle flies above and overcomes the storm by using the strength of the wind to its advantage.

We can indeed learn a wonderful lesson from this way the eagle handles a storm.
Life isn’t about running from the storm, it’s about learning to soar above it.
During the storms of life, you must learn to fly above. Despite the challenges, your constant aim must be to rise to higher ground spiritually. Do not sit in self-pity and depression, rather rise up to where you can sense the wind of the Spirit.
Go higher in prayer, study of the Word and worship, until you connect to God’s power which is able to carry you through that situation.

God said to the Israelites in Exodus 19:4 ‘Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.’.

Sometimes we may face seasons where we don’t know how we’re going to make it through. It could be receiving a negative medical report, dealing with family problems or handling financial challenges.
We could feel overwhelmed and fail to see how things will work out. But then, if we will only focus on going higher in seeking God, His grace and mercy will carry us through.
As you connect to God’s grace, you will receive supernatural strength, a peace that passes understanding, and favor that causes the lines to fall into pleasant places for you.
God has grace for every season. He never allows those that put their trust in Him to be ashamed.
If you look back at your life, you can see how He has carried you through life’s stormy weathers. On your own, you should not have survived those vicious attacks that came against you, but then God’s grace saw you through in ways you can’t even explain. Somehow you made it across that terrible challenge and arrived on the other side—blessed, healthy, and stronger than ever.
That is the faithfulness of God. And what God did before He is able to do again in your life. Though today it may seem you’re facing insurmountable odds, it’s not going to defeat you.
God will carry you on eagles’ wings and bring you to a place of rest. God’s grace will carry you through the disappointment, pain, heartache, poverty and bring you into abundance, peace, joy, favor, breakthroughs and promotions.
No matter the kind of storms that come your way, know that you are undefeatable. You have what it takes to rise above it and soar free. You are built to last because the stronger One lives in you, and because He lives, you shall live also. As you keep your root grounded in the Word of God, you will only grow stronger as the storm rages.
Through God’s grace, mercy and favor, you will arise above every adversity to mountaintops of victory.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to stand strong despite the fierce winds of oppositions. I thank you for the grace to always rise stronger and better.
QUOTE;
True success is not verifiable in the fact a man has never fallen before but rather in the fact that he did not only fall but also got up- WORDBITE 222.

Deuteronomy 28:7 says ‘The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.’

DAILY READING; John 18:1-18; 2 Chronicles 26; Psalm 83

Charles Price Jones was a prominent Christian leader in the twentieth century. He was the first Black Holiness Reformer and talented hymnist who authored over 1000 hymns.
After losing his father very early in life, as he grew older, he lost interest in the things of God. But he had a praying mother, who would often wake up at night, crying out to God to save him. Though many times she broke his heart by her pleadings for him to be a Christian, yet Charles remained rebellious and refused to receive Christ.
His mother died when he was only 17 years of age and after her death, he became aimless in life, and bounced from town to town. Eventually the grace of God located him, his mother’s prayer over him was answered and at twenty years of age, he surrendered his life to Christ.
Having witnessed the power of prayer in his mother’s life, in his own life, he began to engage the same power. His life of deep prayers led to a spiritual awakening and personal sanctification that made him to develop a reputation as a powerful preacher.
Though his successful ministry attracted attacks from those who opposed him, through prayers he was able to overcome the battles. In 1905, his Church building was burned to the ground by a mob, but he was able to rebuild it by the next year. In one incident his meeting was shot into and five people were wounded, yet miraculously none was a serious injury. As he waged spiritual battles on his knees God fought for him and leveled the oppositions against him. One day a group of men were sent to kill him and scatter his meetings. But while on their way, suddenly the gun in the hand of their leader accidentally dropped to the ground and exploded. The bullet pierced his heart and the man was killed instantly. Alarmed and amazed, the other men immediately scattered in fear and abandoned their plan to attack Jones.
Jones was very active in Church planting and eventually founded the Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A.
He also published several songs. Some of his known hymns which are still sung around the world today are ‘Deeper, Deeper’, ‘I Will Make the Darkness Light’ ‘I’m Happy With Jesus Alone’ etc.

Only those who travail in prayers, prevail in life. When you are a person of prayer, you will see God fight your battles. You will see an abundance of God’s grace, mercies and favors.
Indeed life is handled with prayers. Prayer is the spiritual control room of all happenings in our life. And when you’re in the control room, you are in charge. It is in the hidden season of prayers that we deal with the battles against our destiny. The truth is that many of the difficulties and challenges, we face in life are not random, they are strategic attacks rooted in the spirit realm, targeted to stop the purpose, destiny and greatness in you.
This is why your response to challenges should be equally spiritual. When we resort to prayers, God causes the plans of the wicked to backfire, and He gives us the victory.
Therefore, rather than bother about the threats of the enemy, let’s remain strongly connected to God through a life of fervent prayers, diligent study of the Word and praise.
A man cannot amount to anything in life without divine connection. But when God is on your side, there is no battle or situation that can overcome you.
God will always arise and fight for you and level 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.
As long as we are walking in His will, whenever we call upon Him, He will always answers us.(1 John 5:14)
Therefore in times of challenges, instead of panicking, go on your knees and report the matter to God. The more you pray, the less you’ll panic. The more you worship, the less you worry.
Truly there is nothing impossible with God. It doesn’t matter the roaring of the enemy, God will arise and fight for you.
Whatever you may face today, be assured that God is bigger than it. As you stay strong in faith, and keep giving glory to Him, surely God will turn your life into a catalogue of miracles of grace, favour and wonders.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You because I know You are in perfect control of my life. Surely, whatever I may face today, You are able to fight for me and give me the total victory in Jesus Name.. .
QUOTE;
God is preparing you for the season He prepared your breakthrough. – WORDBITE 222.