HORM Devotional

1 Kings 18:46 “And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel”

DAILY READING; Matthew 22:23-46; Numbers 22:1-40; Song of Solomon 2:8-3:5

Colonel David Sanders was 65 years old when he retired and received only $105 from the government. He had no other money and no source of financial support in his old age. Most other jobs and ventures he had earlier attempted in life had ended in failure. By the time he was 17 years he had already lost more than 4 jobs. Between the ages of 18 and 22 he worked as a driver and failed. He joined the army and was rejected. He tried to enter the judicial school and was rejected too. He became a failure as an insurance salesman. He then ran a restaurant for several years which also failed and he found himself penniless at age 65.
Believing his whole life was a failure, he then thought of committing suicide. As he sat under a tree to write his Testament, he realized there was something he still hadn’t yet tried; that was selling fried chicken using a recipe his grandmother taught him. And so with the $105 that the government gave him, he bought a deep fryer and began making fried chicken.
Despite his old age, Colonel Sanders traveled door to door to houses and restaurants all over his local area, looking for a partner to help promote his chicken recipe in exchange of certain percentage of profit. He was turned down by almost everybody he approached. Colonel Sanders heard 1009 “No”s before he eventually heard his first “yes”.
As he eventually went into partnership for the franchise of his fried chicken, in a matter of few years his recipe became an enormous national success. He ended up building a global empire out of fried chicken. Kentucky Fried Chicken [KFC] today is known all over the world. Sanders who became a devoted Christian in his later years, used his wealth for the promotion of the kingdom of God.

The story of Colonel Sanders shows that indeed with God it is never too late. God can do in a split second, what should have taken years to accomplish.
As we come to the end of November today, some of us may be concerned that there is no more time left to achieve anything this year. But having just come through a season of fasting, we have been put on the fast lane of life. Through waiting upon the Lord, His hand has come upon us to grant us divine acceleration and speed in the remaining days of this year.

Ezekiel 37:1 says “The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
The word “Carried” in the original language means to shoot out, to launch forward, implying acceleration. When Ezekiel was carried into the valley of dry bones, God caused a quick work to take place that transformed the dry bones into a mighty army. Indeed when God shoots you out, it will give you speed and make up for lost time. Doors will open that have never opened before for you. Suddenly you will go from the back to the front.
In 1 Kings 18:46 when the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah, God gave him supernatural strength that enabled him to outrun Ahab’s chariot.
Likewise, indeed in the few remaining weeks, God will grant us supernatural strength to pursue, overtake and recover all.
The important thing is for us to remain faithful in serving God with our whole heart. Surely, they that put their trust in God shall not be ashamed. Therefore as you stay faithful in sowing your financial seeds and propagating God’s kingdom, God knows how to open the windows of heaven for you. He is able to give you sudden good breaks that will propel you forward. Suddenly, your situation will change and God will surprise you with His surpassing goodness. Surely, it doesn’t time, it only takes God.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always trust You in every situation. You are indeed the God of miracles and even now I know that You are working out everything for my good to cause the year to end gloriously for me in Jesus Name.

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

Malachi 3:10 ‘Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it’

DAILY READING Matthew 22:1-22; Numbers 21; Song of Solomon 1:1-2:7

Welch Foods Inc., is one of the greatest companies today, particularly known for its grape juices, jams and jellies. Its founder, Charles Welch was the son of a Methodist minister and dentist in the 19th century.
As a young man Charles Welch believed God was calling him to the mission field and made plans to leave with his family for Africa. But just before the time of departure, his wife developed a disabling illness that made it impossible for her to move. Charles Welch was devastated. However, he prayerfully determined to make all the money he could to enable the spread of the Gospel all over the world.
At that time, his father, Thomas Welch had developed a way to pasteurize concord grape juice for use in church communion services. Charles then took over the business and started selling the juice as a means to raise money for missions. The more he gave of his income to the Lord, the more the business prospered. And soon he became the founder of the Welch Grape Juice Company and developed it until it became a world acclaimed business venture.
A faithful tither, Charles Welch gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to the work of missions. And even today the Welch family continues the tradition of giving offerings and faithfully tithing their income.

Indeed when the desire to give is in your heart God will put the resources in your hand. Giving is the mystery that provokes the release of blessings on our lives. Giving ushers us into a life of blessedness.
Through the determination to give to the Gospel, we can secure for ourselves a prosperous life on earth. Especially, the giving that costs us something is a sacrifice that moves God on our behalf.
In 2 Samuel 24 when the angel was destroying, David desired to offer a sacrifice to appease God. Araunah, the owner of the threshing floor where David stood offered to freely give him all he needed for the sacrifice, but King David replied Araunah, that he would not sacrifice to God that which had cost him nothing. And so David paid Araunah six hundred shekels of gold for the threshing floor. And when David offered the sacrifice that had cost him something, the Lord answered him with fire from heaven and it ended the plague in Israel.
As we come to the end of this period of waiting upon the Lord, it is a good place to resolve to first of all give our whole lives and heart to the Lord in rededication. Then also it is a good time to offer a captivity turning sacrifice to seal our prayers and enforce an end to every lingering plague. Indeed the altar of sacrifice is the altar of turnaround. And when you live a lifestyle of giving, you are certainly securing a lifestyle of blessing!

PRAYER: Lord, please grant me the grace to freely lay down in sacrifice whatever you require of me, so that I can experience a turnaround and miraculous change of story in Jesus Name.

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When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction. Wordbite 222

Mark 11:24 ‘Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.’

DAILY READING; • Matthew 21:28-46; Numbers 19-20; Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:14

As a young Christian, Hudson Taylor was praying one day when he heard clearly the call to serve as a missionary in China. Though he did not know how to go about it and had no money, he believed God would make a way. And so he began to get ready for this mission by studying the Chinese language. Young Taylor would also begin the study of medicine as well as Greek, Hebrew, and Latin.
As he vigorously prepared, one day, he decided to share his vision of being a missionary with his pastor. However the response he got was discouraging. His pastor placed a hand on his shoulder and told him he was still young and would soon outgrow such an archaic idea of going to serve as a missionary in China.
Feeling disappointed, Hudson then took the decision to take his eyes off man and focus only on God. He believed that God who called him would guide him. And so from then on he made his most important preparation to be the spiritual preparation of seeking God in the place of prayer. As he persevered in faith, miraculously God provided the funds he needed for the trip. .
When he finally arrived in China, he faced horrendous challenges as he saw the idolatry and superstition in the land. Though Taylor was almost overwhelmed by the enormity of the undertaking to serve there as a missionary, he continued to rely on God through fervent prayers. He depended utterly upon the Lord for protection, supplies and everything else.
And indeed God helped him marvelously. Hudosn Taylor would go on to do mighty exploits in China. He founded the China Inland Mission which was responsible for bringing over 800 missionaries to China and began 125 schools, which resulted in the conversion of thousands of Chinese people.

Psalm 125:1 says ‘Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.’

When you make God your sole focus, you will never be stranded in life. Indeed you cannot make God first, and become the last. When you are lost in His will, He will be committed to your welfare.
In whatever area we are called by God to serve, we can only succeed in our assignment by relying on God through a lifestyle of diligent prayers.
Indeed our best preparation for success in our endeavor is our spiritual preparation in studying the Word, fasting, prayers and fellowship with the Spirit. Rather than looking to men for help, let us spend the time in seeking the face of God. As we seek first the kingdom of God, every other thing will fall into place.
Indeed we need divine help to make it in life. And the altar of prayer is indeed the altar of breakthroughs that commands the flow of signs and wonders.
As we prepare to enter into the new year, we will succeed based on our dedication and commitment to prayer. As we pray especially in the Holy Ghost we will be praying mysteries and handling the issues of the coming year even before they arise.
Therefore today as we take up the responsibility of fervent prayers, we can be sure of divine help and mighty manifestations of miracles, signs and wonders in 2021 in Jesus Name. . .

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to commit to diligent prayers and study of Your Word in this season. As I do, please guide me by Your Spirit into the great things You have in store for me in the coming year in Jesus Name. .

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There is more to you than meets the eyes. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. – WORDBITE 222. .

2 Chronicles 20:15 ‘Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”.

DAILY READING; Matthew 21:1-27; Numbers 17-18; Ecclesiastes 11:1-8

In 1756 it seemed France was set to defeat Britain. These two most powerful European countries were involved in what has come to be known as the ‘Seven Years war’. This war became a global conflict that eventually spanned five continents.
Before this war began, the nations of Europe had formed fairly stable alliances that created a balance of power. However, after skirmishes between England and France, these two countries and their allies officially went to war, setting off what Winston Churchill would later call ‘the first world war.’

The initial armed conflicts did not go well for Britain and it seemed France would soundly defeat them. However, as a threatened invasion by the French loomed, the king of Britain called for a day of solemn prayer and fasting. On that day many people fasted and went to the Churches to call upon God to deliver Britain.
John Wesley who was a prominent minister at that time gave a record of what happened in his journal. On Friday, February 6, 1756, John Wesley wrote: “The fast day was a glorious day, such as London has scarcely seen since the Restoration. Every church in the city was more than full, and a solemn seriousness sat on every face. Surely God heareth prayer…’

The result of this national fasting and prayer was that the tide of the war turned to favor Britain. The threatened invasion by the French was averted and what had looked like eminent humiliation for Britain was turned into national rejoicing as they gained upper hand in the war, forcing France to abandon half of the British territory it had earlier conquered.

In 2 Chronicles 20 a terrifying coalition of enemies came against Judah and it seemed their defeat was eminent. However, King Jehoshaphat decided to seek God’s help and proclaimed a national day of fasting.
During this fast the Spirit of the Lord spoke to them saying ‘Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” [2 Chronicles 20:15].
God fought for them and by the next day they found that their enemies had destroyed one another and left behind a great spoil that took three days to gather.

Indeed when it seems we are faced with formidable battles, we can reposition ourselves for victory by handing over the battles to God. This we do by setting aside time to fast and pray and seek God’s help.
Surely, the battles of life are not ours but the Lord’s. The children of Judah did not lift any weapon, but through fasting, prayer and praise, God gave them the victory. Certainly, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
When we fight through God’s help, our victory is certain.

In 1 Samuel 17:44-45 Goliath was threatening David with his great strength, mighty sword and spear. But David who understood spiritual warfare said to him ‘Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel…’
When David turned the battle over to God, indeed God arose and defeated Goliath.
Likewise, we must learn to let God fight for us. Our wrestle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness in high places, and it is only through God’s power that they can be defeated.
To ensure total victory let us also learn to engage the weapon of praise. It was when the men of Judah began to sing and praise, that God set an ambush against their enemies and none of them escaped. So as we fast, pray and study the Word in this period, let us also engage the decisive weapon of praise to ensure no enemy of our destiny escapes. Indeed every enemy of sickness, poverty, disfavor, delay, etc, will be totally annihilated in this season in Jesus Name.

PRAYER: Lord, Thank You for the grace to always hand over my battles to you. In this season of waiting upon You, I thank You for empowering me and repositioning me for constant victory over every challenge in Jesus Name.
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The battle you are faced with today is a good warfare because God has already foreordained victorious end for you – WORDBITE 222.

1 John 4:4 ‘Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.’

DAILY READING ‘Matthew 20:17-34; Numbers 15-16; Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:20’

Maria Woodworth-Etter was one of the most influential Pentecostal Evangelists of the early 1900s. She was an outstanding preacher who was often used by God to break down resistance to the Gospel and bring thousands of hardened sinners into God’s Kingdom.
One particular meeting she held was in a town called ‘devils den’. No minister had ever been successful there. Some of the best ministers who tried to hold meetings there, left discouraged because of the people’s stiffness and resistance.
When Maria began her meetings, the people only attended to mock her. They believed she would soon be run out of town, shattered and defeated. But they received the surprise of their lives because Mariah knew the key to spiritual warfare, and the fervency of fasting and praying that unlocked Heaven’s power.

As the beginning of the meetings, no one participated or responded to her. And for three days Maria preached and sang alone. Finally, on the fourth night, she exercised her spiritual authority through intercession and tore down the demonic principality that ruled over ‘devils den’.
That night, God’s power swept down on the people in the meeting. Overwhelmed, they trembled in their seats and cried out in repentance before God. Overcome by the Holy Spirit, many gave their lives to Christ as their stiffness and resistance to the Gospel was finally broken. As news of the event spread like fire, ministers from other towns came down to help Maria reap the harvest of souls in ‘devil’s den’. It was indeed the greatest manifestation of Power the town had ever witnessed.

We often have to deal with spiritual resistance when carrying out our God given assignments. However, the power of God is designed to put us in command over such oppositions.
Indeed in every man’s promised land there will always be giants, but through God’s power we can overcome them all.
The truth is that it takes power to possess your possession and there are forces that must be cut down for your destiny to progress. However, thanks be unto God who always causes us to triumph.
Therefore no matter how tough the situations that try to resist you, don’t ever get discouraged, because you are born to overcome them, you are wired to win.
Whenever you are confronted, always remember that the Greater One lives in you. And He who is in you will always be greater than anything confronting you.
Through the power of God you can overcome every stronghold, oppositions, limitations and hindrances arrayed against you.
When we take the spiritual responsibility to fast, pray and study God’s Word, we receive the power to break down every limitation and barriers. Through the exercise of power we can subdue the forces fighting against our open doors and silence our mockers.
In this period of waiting upon the Lord, it is an ideal time to deal with the issues confronting your progress and enforce your desired change of story.
Surely as we begin to engage God’s power in this season, we shall overcome every resistance, rule in the midst of our enemies and rise to our glorious next level of destiny.

PRAYER;
Father I thank You for releasing upon me the power to overcome everything that has been resisting my progress. Surely by Your grace I have the victory over every opposition and I am rising to my next level of destiny in Jesus Name.

QUOTE
When God is on your side anything is possible. WORDBITE 201

2 Chronicles 7:14 ‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.’

DAILY READING; • Matthew 20:1-16; Numbers 13-14; Ecclesiastes 9:1-12

The book ‘Atomic Power With God Through Fasting and Prayer’, written by Franklin Hall, was a wakeup call for many believers in the 1940’s. This book led to a great movement of fasting and prayer that swept through America and then the rest of the world. Published in 1946, this book became the spark that ignited the hearts of thousands to go on extended fasts. Many people who read the book began to seek God for revival and the restoration of spiritual gifts to the church.
The result of this was that starting from 1947 up till 1952, the great healing revival broke out. There were extraordinary miracles through ministries of prominent preachers such as William Braham, Gordon Lindsay etc. As most of these itinerant evangelists followed the practice of fasting, they witnessed mighty manifestations of God’s power as thousands were converted and healed through their ministry.
In 1948 the “Latter Rain” outpouring visited North Battleford, Canada. The prominent preachers in this move of the Spirit also agreed that it was after reading the book ‘Atomic Power With God Through Fasting and Prayer’ that they became spiritually ignited.. They then entered a season of fasting which resulted in the powerful outpouring of the Spirit.

The power of fasting and prayer is indeed the spiritual atomic bomb that God has given us to destroy the strongholds of evil and usher in a great revival into the earth.
God has made tremendous power available to us through prayer. However, the enemy often tries to cheat believers out of this blessing, by peddling misconception and confusion regarding the subject of fasting, making it look like an unnecessary exercise.

Fasting is not optional, it is a practice every believer should always engage in periodically to experience a recharge and revival. With the worsening state of affairs in the world, there’s a growing need and urgency for a revival.
We need a spiritual awakening that will shake every believer out of slumber. The truth is that while it is glaringly clear that we are living in the very last days, many people in the Church are largely asleep and unprepared for the coming of the Lord. Many are still entangled with the affairs of this world and unaware of the signs of the times.

Indeed we are living in a very critical time on the earth right now. It is a time when no believer can afford to live as an ostrich with head buried in the sand, pretending everything is alright while the end is knocking at the door.
We need to become spiritually sensitive and alive, so as not to be caught unawares by unfolding events.
The price of revival is fasting and praying. As we sincerely humble ourselves before the Lord, repent, pray, and seek God in His Word, we will experience His divine visitation upon our lives and upon our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

When we humble ourselves in fasting and call upon the Lord in prayers, we will experience a mighty move of the Spirit. The power of God will break the holds of darkness, bring diverse miracles and healings and usher in a great harvest of souls into God’s kingdom.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank you for the grace to continually wait upon You. Please help me to wake up from every spiritual slumber and align myself to Your plans and purpose in these end-times in Jesus Name.

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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

Luke 10:19 ‘Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

DAILY READING; • Matthew 19:16-30; Numbers 11-12; Ecclesiastes 8

Tommy Lee Osborn was a great missionary evangelist who together with his wife, Daisy Osborne impacted millions of people globally through the mighty manifestation of God’s power in their ministry.
However it is interesting to note that the Osborns first missionary effort had ended in failure, due to inability to engage God’s power.
T.L. Osborn and his wife were in their twenties when they moved to India to begin missionary work. However while in India, despite all their efforts, they couldn’t convince the Hindus and the Muslims to accept Jesus. After months of frustration, they moved back to America, filled with shame at their perceived failures on the mission field.
Coming back to America, and seeing how powerfully God was using evangelists like William Branham and Gordon Lindsay, they realized that lack of power had been the missing ingredient that led to their ministry failure. As they hungered for the manifestation of God’s power, they embarked on voracious study of God’s Word, prayer and fasting. At one point, T.L. Osborne fasted for three days as he sought God’s presence. Afterwards he had a divine encounter where he heard the Lord say to him “ ..Wherever you go, I will give you the land for your possession. No demon, no disease, or no power can stand before you all the days of your life”
And that marked the beginning of the miraculous in their ministry. When they hosted the first healing service they saw amazing miracles and healings. From there they began to travel to other countries, preaching the Gospel and seeing mighty miracles. On their return back to India, they preached the Gospel with power and saw many souls saved. And for decades afterwards they ministered in huge crusades across Africa, Asia, South America and Europe, drawing thousands of souls to Christ.

Indeed the power of God will always make a huge difference in our lives and ministry. The power of God is what will announce you and turn you into a wonder to your world. When Jesus returned from 40 days of praying and fasting there was an eruption of power in His ministry and His fame spread abroad.
To be victorious and make impact and fulfill our purpose on earth, power is a non-negotiable requirement. It is a crucial asset that every believer needs.
If we do not want to end up as failures and victims in life then we must go on the quest to see the power of God manifest in our lives. The difference between travailing in life and prevailing in life is power. You will either be anointed or you will be frustrated.
It doesn’t matter how glorious the vision and mandate we have received, if we are unwilling to pay the price for power, we will never see their full manifestation.
Before we can make progress in life, there are forces that must be overcome. For every new level there is a new devil and for every open door there are adversaries. We must therefore be adequately empowered to overcome the battles and resistances that will try to hinder our forward movement. Indeed power is needed to surmount obstacles and subdue the works of darkness.
And to manifest power we must engage the secret of Prayer and fasting, that is what releases the flow of signs and wonders. Anyone who must see manifestation of God’s power must be willing to dig deeper in the Word, in prayer and fasting. Engaging in the study of God’s Word during praying and fasting leads to the outbreak of light of revelation which is what overcomes the forces of darkness.
Prayer is indeed the secret of power. This is why a prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian and a prayerful Christian is a powerful Christian. Indeed the tragedy of our generation is not the powerfulness of the devil but the powerlessness of the saints.
When we begin to engage in prayer and fasting we will have the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over every power of the enemy. Indeed through the power of God we will be victorious and triumphant in life and truly rule in the midst of our enemies.

PRAYER; Father please grant me the grace to pay the required spiritual price to see Your power manifest in my life. Thank You Lord for giving me victory over every challenge and enabling me to fulfill Your assignment for my life in Jesus Name.
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Everything that ultimately has a glorious ending usually has a humble beginning. – WORDBITE 222.

Mark 11:24 ‘Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them’

DAILY READING; Matthew 19:1-15; Numbers 9-10; Ecclesiastes 7

James Hudson Taylor was the first missionary to the interior of China and the founder of the China Inland Mission. He is known to be one of the greatest preachers of the 19th century.
When Hudson was a young man, he lived a wayward life which caused a lot of concern to his mother. But despite his sinful lifestyle, his mother kept praying for him.
One day when he was eighteen years old, he wandered into his father’s library and saw a gospel tract. He picked up this tract and read through it. However after reading it, he found he couldn’t shake off its message.
Feeling convicted, Hudson finally fell to his knees and cried out to God for forgiveness and then accepted Christ as his Savior. During this point his mother had been on a trip, when she returned home, Hudson told her the good news of his new birth. But she didn’t appear too surprised. She said, “I already know. Ten days ago, the very date on which you tell me you read that tract, I spent the entire afternoon in prayer for you until the Lord assured me that my wayward son had been brought into the fold.”
Hudson tailor would go on to become one of the greatest missionaries in history, who inspired many to work in China. He served for 51 years in China and was responsible for widening the impact of the Gospel in that region.

Mark 11:24 says ‘Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them’

Prayer indeed changes things. We have been called to stand as watchmen on the wall. We are to pray and not hold our peace until God’s will manifests in the lives of those around us.
We do not just get born again and go on a spiritual holiday, there’s work to be done and a battle to be fought. The burden for souls should be our heart cry. Jesus our master was travelling from city to city throughout His earthly ministry to ensure people heard the Word. The Apostles did likewise passing through many pains and travails to bring the Gospel to many. In generations past many great men and women have risked their lives and even died to bring the Gospel to others. What are we then doing in our generation? Let us not be deceived by the distractions of civilization and comforts of this age. The heartbeat of God remains the same; souls. The great commission still stands, the methods may change but the goal remains the same, we must indeed go into all the world and win souls.
And we must stand in the gap for them in the place of prayer and never give up in interceding for them.
No matter how discouraging any situation, we must never grow weary in prayers. As long as we persevere in prayers God will surely answer our request.
Oftentimes, the enemy would fight to discourage you from persisting in prayer, because he wants you to give up early. But if you allow yourself to be overcome by discouragement and give up, then you lose.
Rather fill your heart with faith through study of God’s Word and continue to hold on to His promises. God is too faithful to fail. His ears are open to the cry of the righteous. And even though you may not see the whole picture now, trust that God is indeed working it all out for your good. Trust that your prayers will surely end in praise; and God will be glorified in the end.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the grace to persist in the place of prayer. Thank You Lord for speedy answers and I know You shall do for me exceedingly abundantly above all I have requested in Jesus Name.

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It’s never over in your life until you win. God is still in control of your life. WORDBITE 222

Philippians 4:6-7 ‘Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’

DAILY READING; • Matthew 18:21-35; Numbers 7-8; Ecclesiastes 6

The sinking of the ship ‘Lady Elgin’ on September 8, 1860 was one of the worst maritime disasters in history. During a strong wind the ‘Lady Elgin’ was rammed by another ship, which tore a hole in its port side. This led to the sinking of the ship, resulting in the death of many of its passengers.
While the ship was sinking, many of the passengers couldn’t swim and were stranded. However a group of rescuers worked hard that day to save lives. Foremost among them was a ministerial student in Evanston, Illinois, named Edward Spencer. He waded again and again into the frigid waters to rescue 17 passengers. For being long in the cold waters, his health eventually became permanently damaged. He didn’t recover from this physical breakdown and died some years later. However, it was noted that at his funeral, none of the people he risked his health to rescue ever thanked him.

In Luke 17:11-19, when Jesus healed 10 lepers only one came back to thank Him.
These lepers had what was one of the worst diseases of their day. Leprosy attacks the body, leaving sores, missing fingers, missing toes, damaged limbs. In many cases, the initial pain of leprosy led to a loss of sensation in nerve endings, leading to more damage to more body parts. The disease could take 30 years to run its course, and in that time span, entire limbs could simply fall off. It is, assuredly, a most horrible disease. Yet after Jesus healed this lepers only one leper came back to thank Him. Leading Jesus to ask “Where are the other nine?”

Without doubt there are countless instances when God has rescued us from the frigid waters of life. Most importantly He has rescued our soul from eternal hell and damnation. But how are we showing Him we are thankful?
We should endeavor never to take God’s goodness for granted.
When we consider all God has done for us, we cannot but be filled with awe. When we think about what we deserve, as opposed to the great goodness He continues to show to us, we cannot but have an attitude of gratitude.
Praise is not just what we do, it is who we are. Our lives are meant to continually bring glory to God as we offer Him praise and thanks for His constant goodness in our lives. Especially in this season of praying and fasting, we should take time to deliberately thank God, because praise will grant speedy answers to our prayers.

Philippians 4:6-7 says ‘Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’

As we give God the praise that pleases Him, He will in turn do for us what we desire from Him. Indeed God is fearful in praises. And as we thank and praise Him today, He will do the unprecedented, the miraculous and the inexplicable in our lives.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always remain thankful and praise-full to You at all times. I thank You Lord for all Your faithfulness and granting me speedy answers to prayers in this season in Jesus Name. ,

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

Isaiah 58:6-7 ‘Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?’

DAILY READING; Matthew 18:1-20; Numbers 5-6; Ecclesiastes 5

During the Great Awakening in the early 1740s, the fire of revival swept mightily through New England. However, while many towns were massively responding to this new move of the Spirit, one town, Enfield, remained resistant. The people of Enfield were notorious for opposing the Gospel and had a reputation among itinerant preachers for being spiritually stubborn and complacent.
Jonathan Edwards, who was one of the foremost preachers of the revival, then took it upon himself to break the spiritual resistance in Enfield. In preparation he went into three days of fasting and praying. Then on July 8, 1741, Jonathan Edwards went to Enfield to preach.
That day he started a sermon that he would not finish. He preached what is now one of the most famous sermons in history. It was titled ’Sinners in the hand of an angry God.’
Jonathan Edwards preached with such power and fervency that it broke the demonic hold over the people of Enfield and destroyed their resistance to the Gospel.
Such was the impact of his preaching that the people listening began shrieking and crying out. The crying and weeping became so loud that Jonathan Edwards was forced to discontinue the sermon and couldn’t finish. Instead, the pastors went down among the people and prayed with them, bringing many to the saving knowledge of Christ. And from that day, revival swept through the town, setting many souls on fire and filling the people with a new hunger for God. Finally, the stubborn yoke of resistance over Enfield was broken, when Jonathan Edwards engaged the power of fasting and praying.

Matthew 17:21 says: ‘Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting’

Indeed some ‘kinds’ of stubborn spiritual resistance will not go, except with the combined force of prayer and fasting.
Some resistances will continue to persist, even get stronger until you decide to fast. There are some things that if you only pray about them, will keep defying solution, until you attack with a combined dose of fasting and praying.
Therefore in this season of waiting on the Lord, it is an ideal time to tackle some of those stubborn ‘kinds’. As you begin to come against them with God’s Word, surely every such resistance will crumble. God has programmed fasting as a way for us to break stubborn yokes and destroy evil oppressions.

In Isaiah 58:6-7 God says ‘Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?’

Fasting releases the yoke-breaking anointing that facilitates speedy answers to prayers. This is why the devil fights hard to keep you from fasting, so as to rob you of your victory.
We must, therefore, endeavor not to sell out our glorious destiny through gluttony and refusal to fast. Remember that Esau, because of uncontrolled appetite sold his birthright for a morsel of bread (Genesis 25:29-34).
But as we engage in fasting and praying in this season we will overcome every resistance and rise to higher grounds.
As we fast, God promises us in Isaiah 58:6 ‘I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it’.
Supernatural lifting and promotions shall indeed be our portion in this season. We must also continually praise God for the grace to fast. Surely, as we bless God for renewing our strength, we will mount up with wings as eagles and our story shall only be from glory to greater glory in Jesus Name.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the grace to wait upon You in this season. By Your grace I am overcoming every stubborn resistance to my progress and pressing forward into the glorious destiny You have ordained for me in Jesus Name.
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Nothing liberates like truth, the truth you know and act upon will set you free.- – WORDBITE 222.