HORM Devotional

Proverbs  29:18 KJV ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish, but he that keeps the law happy is he.’

DAILY READING  – •          – 1 Corinthians 16; 2 Kings 12-13; Micah 3

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader of the Civil Rights movement in America and  faced enormous challenges as a result. His first major protest was the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott of 1955-1956, when he, along with Rosa Parks, protested conditions that African-Americans faced on buses in that city. Under the laws of Jim Crow, African-Americans were forced to move to the back of the bus in Montgomery and other southern cities when whites boarded, and African-American riders were often treated unfairly and rudely. From the outset, Dr. King faced hostility from segregationists, and his life was threatened repeatedly. For example, during the bus boycott, his house was bombed, and he was arrested during a campaign to desegregate the city of Birmingham, Alabama and he was jailed several times during his lifetime.

In one of his famous speeches Rev. Martin Luther king said ‘we got difficult days ahead but it doesn’t really matter now, because I have been to the mountain top, I just want to do God’s will’.

Getting to the mountain top, getting to know God’s will gave him the stamina to forge ahead.  Men go to the mountain top to get a view of the promised land. You must see it before you can march into it. And you can’t see it until you seek God. Only God can show you what lies ahead and when He shows it to you, it is as good as done. This is the  secret of men who succeed,  they seek God to see it before they walk into it. And when they see it, it gives them the confidence to move against any opposition, knowing God is backing them.

No one succeeds by accident, men who succeed already see their success before it comes to pass. And this is what gives them the confidence to keep moving. Despite failures and oppositions, they know beyond doubt that at the end of the rainbow lies a pot of gold.  Indeed you must see beyond the ordinary, before you can do the extraordinary.

Life is a battle, there is an enemy that doesn’t want you to succeed, he is battling viciously against your progress, he is marking your every step trying to get you to stumble, therefore you can’t afford to  keep moving about in life blindly without knowing where you are going.  Jesus said ‘if a man walks in the night he stumbles, because he knows not where he is going’.  To walk successfully, you need light, you need revelation, you need vision. You can’t keep living your life by guesswork or by your human calculations. You need divine illumination to get ahead. One word from God can change everything for you. You need to hear from God for yourself. And we hear God through His Word. Take time to sit down with The Word and hear what He has to say concerning your situation. When you can hear God on any issue, then it is as good as done.

Prayer

Lord, please  help me to hear You clearly concerning Your will for me, no more guess work, Please help me to always receive Your precise instructions, before I take any major step in Jesus Name. .

quote

The tests you are going through in life today is not for your destruction, it is for your testimony. – WORDBITE 222.

1 Timothy 6:12 KJV

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

DAILY READING

1 Corinthians 15:1-34; 2 Kings 10; Micah 1

WHEN TWO boxers are in the ring, sometimes something happens which the audience many times do not see. Often as they war with their fists, they also war with words. A boxer may say something demeaning or provocative, just to get the other boxer to be angered and lose his coordination, thereby opening up his defenses for a knock out. To win a fight, a boxer must keep his mind focused on winning and shut out every distraction. No matter what he hears or sees, he must maintain his focus. A boxer who gives in to his emotions, will lose his coordination, and it’s a matter of time before he loses his fight.

Paul said I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith…

Paul kept the faith, because he kept his focus. He said in Philippians 3:14 ‘but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus’.

As Paul fought the good fight of faith, he kept his focus. He had his gaze locked on his high calling, and nothing could move him from his purpose. He said in Acts 20:24, ‘but none of these things move me’. A man who will not be moved will soon see his mountains move; it is only a matter of time. You have to learn to cut down distractions and focus on God’s word.

Paul was steadfast, refusing to be distracted by the many persecutions he faced. He realized that as a soldier of Christ, he could not be entangled with the affairs of this life. He could not dissipate spiritual energy on mundane things; he kept his gaze on finishing his course and on arriving at his preordained victory because that is all that matters in the end.

To have victory, you must maintain your focus. The world is full of distractions; so many things calling your name, seeking your attention, trying to shift your focus, trying to derail you from your course. Thus, you must let your focus always be on the Word. Be controlled by the Word. Keep filling your heart continually with the Word, until your actions are dominated and controlled only by what God says. When your heart is full of the Word of God, there will be no room for frivolities. Like Jesus, you will say, ‘My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, [John 4:34]. Your primary concern will be only to please God. When that happens, then you can be sure of victory, because God Himself will arise and fight for you.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to fight the good fight of faith, help me remove distractions and focus only on your Word always in Jesus’ Name.

Quote

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

– WORDBITE 222.

Philippians 4:6 KJV

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

• DAILY READING  1 Corinthians 14:26-40; 2 Kings 9; Jonah 4

According to the World Health Organization [WHO], every 40 seconds, one person commits suicide, worldwide. Suicide is the second leading cause of death especially among 15- to 29-year-olds globally.

Perhaps, it is even more disturbing when celebrities, who seem to have everything, take their own lives. Last year alone, the world was stunned by the news of three celebrity suicides, including that of a CNN presenter who took his life in a hotel room while filming an episode of his show for CNN.

The question that often trails such suicides is; Why? And part of the answer has been traced to anxiety disorder. According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, anxiety disorders are on the increase. Indeed, it seems the world is entering a new age of anxiety. As the economic situation worsens, fretting in the general population seems to be on the rise.

However, the Bible in Philippians 4:6 says, ‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God’. God’s will is for you to focus on praise and thanksgiving instead of worrying.

In Luke 12:25, Jesus said, “Which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Then, in the following verse 26, Jesus pointed something else out: He said, “Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” Indeed, worry never solves any problem. Psychologists tell us that roughly 40 percent of what we worry about will never happen and 30 percent has already happened. Additionally, 12 percent of worries are over unfounded health concerns. Another 10 percent of worries involve the daily miscellaneous fretting that accomplishes nothing. That leaves only 8 percent. In other words, people are worrying 92 percent of the time for no good reason.

Worry is like a rocking chair; requiring a lot of energy, and yet it gets you nowhere. Instead of worrying, look up to God in every situation, trusting that He will definitely work things out to your 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.’

Maintaining a joyful attitude in the face of any challenge, is a way of inviting God to come into that situation and take control. And whenever God takes over, the battle is over. Therefore today, turn your worry into worship and watch God turn your trials into triumphs.

 PRAYER

Lord, I trust that You are in control of my life, and all that concerns me. And I know that even right now You are working out everything together for my good in Jesus name.

 Quote

Praise always guarantees you power for a raise. Learning to praise God in season and out of season is key to fulfilling destiny. – WORDBITE 222.

James 1;2-4  ‘My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.’

DAILY READING – 1 Corinthians 14:1-25; 2 Kings 8; Jonah 3

When the twin Tower of the world trade center collapsed during the 9/11 terrorist attack, an adjoining skyscraper known as 7 World Trade Center building was also destroyed. However, soon after the attack, reconstruction began on the 7 world trade center building.

It is the first skyscraper to be rebuilt at the World Trade Center site. With the lessons learned from the 9/11 terrorist attack, the engineers made such great improvements that this rebuilt structure can never again be destroyed by a terrorist attack. In fact it has been hailed as the safest building in the world. It has been rebuilt to be a bunker in the sky, with its 52-stories of glass elegance belying a concrete sealed, hardened core.  This means that the structure around the core can go down, or be on fire, or be infested with a biological or chemical problem, but the actual building itself will be protected. It is the first of its kind and has become a model, so that many other buildings  are being designed accordingly.

The 911 attack was meant to have destroyed this building, but it has bounced back from that attack to become a thing of glory.

Indeed we can turn our pain into power. We all go through disappointments and setbacks. At such times, it’s easy to get discouraged, even bitter. But in God’s plan such seasons are meant to bring us to a place of brokenness where His glory will be revealed through us. Seasons of pain don’t leave us the same. But how the season changes you is up to you. You can come out bitter, or you can come out better. You can come out weaker or you can come out stronger, with a greater confidence in God. You can come out defeated, or you can come out with a new passion, a new fire, excited about the new opportunities in front of you.

Don’t just go through a trial, ‘grow’ through it. It is an opportunity to get stronger, to develop character, to gain new confidence. The fiery trial is not there to stop you. It’s there to prepare you, to increase you, to develop you.

God is really in control. Be assured that He will never allow what you cannot bear to come your way. The enemy may turn on the fire, but the good news is that God has his hand on the thermostat. God controls the heat, the pain and adversity that comes your way.

There is a purpose for the trial. Every struggle is making you stronger. Every difficulty is growing you up. Every painful time, is developing something in you that can only be developed in the tough times. Without those seasons where we are broken we couldn’t see God’s glory manifest in us. In those tough times, God is preparing you for the next level of your destiny.

Therefore keep a good attitude. Count it all joy, knowing that the pain is leading to your gain.

James 1;2-4 says ‘My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.’

Like  the 7 World Trade Center building, sometimes we may go through a season of fiery attack.  But the trial is not to destroy us, rather through it, we only become broken for God’s glory to be revealed in us.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for causing me to grow stronger and become better through every trial. I know that indeed You are causing everything to work out together for my good in Jesus Name.

quote

God will never allow the flames of trial to burn you more than is necessary. – WORDBITE 222

1 Peter 1:18-19 (NIV]  ‘For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.’

DAILY READING –  1 Corinthians 13; 2 Kings 7:3-20; Jonah 2

A half-century ago, thousands of Australian births each year were resulting in miscarriages, stillbirths or brain damage to babies. Doctors eventually figured out the babies were suffering from a condition caused by an incompatibility in blood types between them and their mothers. They also realized that the condition might be prevented by a treatment made from donated blood with a rare antibody. The medication known as Anti-D, is made from blood of people, who have a specific combination of RhD-negative blood and Rh+ antibodies. The only problem was finding someone with that rare antibody. After a frantic search, they eventually found a man named James Harrison whose blood contained the needed antibody that could be used to prevent the disease.

Harrison was encouraged by medical experts to donate his blood regularly to enable the production of the Anti-D drug. So, for the past 60 years, he has been donating blood every week. Since 1967 every ampule of Anti-D ever made in Australia has James’ blood in it. He has donated blood 1,173 times and according to the Red Cross Blood Service in Australia, James Harrison has saved approximately 2.4 million babies, and drastically reduced the rates of infant mortality in the country. Harrison was awarded the Order of Australia for his efforts, the country’s highest honor. The feat landed him in the Guinness Book of World Records. He is known as “the man with the golden arm.”

However, in May 2018 at 81-year-old, he made his final donation. In as much as he wanted to go on, the doctors stopped him because he had become too old. In fact by then, he was already ten years past the stipulated age when he should have stopped donating blood, but he was allowed to go on because there are few people like him whose blood contain the needed antibodies to save these babies. More than three million doses of the Anti-D medication have been created from his donations, to ensure that mothers will continue to receive the vaccination, even after James has stopped donating. But in the meantime there has been a frantic search to find those with his kind of blood to replace him in donating the blood for the production of the Anti-D drug. This means that if other people are not found with the blood such as James to produce the Anti-D the lives of many babies affected by the disease may be in jeopardy.

What a joy therefore for us to know that the fountain of the blood of Jesus will never run dry or be unavailable to heal and deliver us! From the beginning it was God’s plan that there will be a continuous inexhaustible flow of blood to meet man’s continual need for atonement and cleansing. In the Old Testament, on the Day of Atonement, the blood of animals flowed continually from the altar for days. All pointed to the time Jesus would die on the cross and the fountain of His blood would flow forever. And when Jesus came and died on the cross, the once-for-all-time sacrifice of Christ did away with the necessity of yearly animal sacrifices, which could never take away sins and were merely a foreshadowing of the perfect sacrifice to come.

We thank God that the blood of Jesus will keep flowing forever to save whosoever comes to God. The blood of the Lamb is inexhaustible and never-ending. It is an unlimited supply.

1 Peter 1:18-19 (NIV] says ‘For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.’

The blood of Jesus is without defect and is not perishable. It is the blood of the everlasting covenant. When heaven and earth vanish, the redeeming power of Christ’s blood will continue forever. Also the blood of Jesus remains powerful forever, thereby giving us everlasting dominion over the enemy and over every works of darkness. Indeed, we are overcomers by the power in the blood.

Revelation 12:11 says , “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death”.  Indeed, by the blood of Jesus we are overcomers in every conflict of life. Let us therefore take advantage of the continual access we have to the blood of Jesus, by continually pleading the blood over our lives and all that concerns us. Truly there is victory by His blood.

PRAYER:

Lord, I thank You for the  free and continual access I have to the blood of Jesus. I thank You Lord that by the blood of Jesus I have continual  victory over every work of darkness  in Jesus’ name.

quote

You will never need more than God to experience the impossible in life.

WORDBITE 222.

Romans 8;18

‘For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us;

 DAILY READING –1 Corinthians 12; 2 Kings 6:1-7:2; Jonah 1

Dr. Morris Cerullo, is a famous evangelist, known all around the world, When he celebrated his 85th birthday and 70th year in ministry, a book was released in his honor, titled “The Legend of Morris Cerullo: How God Used an Orphan to Change the World.” The book tells the story of an angry, rebellious child from New Jersey, literally abandoned in an orphanage, but who grew up to become a great man of God. When Morris Cerullo was five years old his widowed, alcoholic father dropped him and his brother and three sisters off at a foster home. Because his mother had been an Orthodox Jew, the state of New Jersey moved him to a Jewish orphanage and he was raised there. By the time he was 10 years old, he had earned a reputation for toughness and defiance because of his drinking, smoking, cursing, fighting and stealing. However, before he was 13 years old, life had broken him inside so badly that he devised a plan to kill himself. He might have done it, but he was divinely rescued by The Spirit of God.

One day he met a Christian nurse whom God sent into that orphanage and that encounter turned his life around. The woman led Morris to Christ and gave him a Bible to read. At the age of 14 years he gave his life to Christ.

While the orphanage trained him in Jewish laws and customs, the Christian nurse there secretly taught him about God.

When the authorities discovered that the nurse had been preaching to Morris, she was thrown out of the orphanage for trying to ‘pollute’ their Jewish traditions. Because of his faith, Morris was punished and was asked to make a choice between keeping the Bible and remaining in the orphanage hall with the pleasures and food it had to offer. He made a choice to keep the Bible and turned his back on the orphanage. He left the place with only the shirt on his back and no promise of food or shelter anywhere. However, God saw him through. Ever since then, God has used Morris Cerullo to reach multitudes of people around the world in over half a century of ministry. Today, by the grace of God, he is an international evangelist who has shared the love of Christ with the people of almost 100 nations.

The question is; Where do you place the most value? Is it on things of the flesh or things of the Spirit. Morris Cerullo, chose The Word of God above what to eat and drink, and in the end every other thing was added unto him.

Fleshly things are temporal and will soon fade away. Jesus said in John 6:27 ‘Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you:’

When you place greater value on The Word of God, then you will not need to labour for what to eat or drink. By seeking first God’s Kingdom, then every other thing will be added unto you. It is your sense of value that determines the flow of virtue to you.

Indeed who you follow determines what follows you. When we make it our priority to seek God first, then He makes it His priority to take care of us.

We must decide not to sell our birthright for a morsel of meat. Do not sell off the future because of the lure of the present.

Romans 8:18 says For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us;’

Do not compromise because of immediate gratification. You must keep the picture of where you are going strongly before your eyes. This picture of the future is what gives you the hope to persevere in the midst of difficulties. To go farther, you need to see further. Where no vision is the people perish. You need to see the future in your heart. Learn to see God’s possibilities even in the midst of impossibilities. No matter how hard the journey, don’t sell out, don’t give up, keep believing God, keep seeking God’s kingdom and surely every other thing shall be added unto you.

PRAYER: Lord, please grant me the grace to always  seek Your glory and not the immediate gratification of the flesh. Please help  me to always seek Your kingdom first so that all things can be added unto me in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

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

Romans 8;17-19

‘And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.’

DAILY READING      1 Corinthians 11:17-34; 2 Kings 5; Obadiah 1

April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar.  Its name, is derived from the latin word aperit, which means ‘to open’. April is considered the month of the growing season, when trees and flowers begin to “open”. The name Aperit, then, fits April, because it is the month of the spring season, which brings new growth,  new life, new beginnings, and bright, colorful new look to nature.  During spring, trees and bushes that lost their leaves over the winter begin to grow new leaves and flower again, and many animals begin to give birth to new lives. Indeed the month of April signifies a season of rebirth and renewal. In April we see rain showers that lead to flowers blooming in May. As it is often said ‘April showers bring May flowers’.

And most remarkable is the fact that in this month of April, we mark the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. A new beginning became possible for us because Christ shed His Blood at Calvary and paved a new and living way for us. When Jesus went to the cross, He ushered us into a new life, new day and new season. He died to raise a generation of believers who would do exploits just as He did on earth.

This is the new thing God is doing in this season. He is preparing a people for His glory, a strong and mighty army who will be a wonder to the world. Jesus shed His blood to redeem unto God, sons and daughters who will dominate in every affair of life and manifest God’s glory on the earth.

However there is a price to pay to see this glory revealed in us. Just like the season of spring is preceded by the season of winter, a season of new life is preceded by the season of death, and a season of pain precedes a season of power.

Romans 8;17-19 says ‘And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Indeed if we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with him. To see glory revealed in us we must therefore be willing to die to the flesh. Death to the flesh is a definite call for anyone who would see God’s glory.

Romans  8: 18-19 goes on to say ‘For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.’

Indeed it is our season of manifestation. It is our season to see glory. It is our season of exploits, miracles, signs and wonders.  And  by the power in the blood of Jesus nothing shall stop us from experiencing the glory God has ordained for us in this season in Jesus name.

PRAYER: Father, I thank You for the new season You have brought me into. Please help me to pay the price of dying to the flesh so that Your glory can be revealed in 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

Matthew 13:44 KJV

‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.’ –

• DAILY READING    – 1 Corinthians 11:1-16; 2 Kings 4; Amos 9

The world’s greatest and strangest treasure hunt is known as the Oak Island mystery. In 1795 three boys discovered the top of an ancient tunnel on uninhabited Oak Island in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. As the boys began to dig, it led to more tunnels and secret markings that seemed to indicate where treasure was hidden. As the news spread there were theories of pirate gold, or priceless artifacts hidden underneath the ground. More people came in to join the digging, and now more than 200 years later, with millions of dollars spent, lives lost and the treasure yet to be found, it has become the world’s greatest and strangest treasure hunt. Franklin Roosevelt before he became American president was even part of the treasure hunt in 1909. Two hundred years of back-breaking effort and engineering skills have failed to retrieve whatever is concealed underneath, yet men keep digging, hoping to strike gold someday.

As believers, we don’t have to pursue such illusive treasures, we have a sure treasure in the Word. Whatever we are looking for is available in The Word, but often what we lack is the faith to appropriate it. So rather than seek illusive treasures we go on a search in The Word to locate the faith for what we need. Mathew 6 describes a treasure hid in a field which makes a man sell all he has to seek it out. Faith for healing, breakthrough, fruitfulness, etc, are all available but you have to go for a search in the scriptures first to locate them. Treasures are not found on the surface. You have to dig deep, search and search until you find it, but when you find it there shall be a reward and your expectations not cut off.

So what do you really need from God today? It is available. But you must make up your mind to search for it. Stop making excuses and really make up your mind to seek until you find. Jesus said he that seeks will find [Mathew 7:7]. There is an answer, a solution waiting for you when you begin today to dig into the depths of The Word. So go for it!

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to pay the needed price, to go beyond the surface and search out your treasures laid up for me in Your Word in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

The Treasures of God are never in the shallow end, but always buried in the depths of His Word. – WORDBITE 222.

Psalm 71:7

‘I am a wonder unto many but though art my strong refuge’.

DAILY READING   1 Corinthians 10; 2 Kings 3; Amos 8

The Sherman Tree is a big tourist attraction in California. It has been long recognized as the largest tree in the world, in terms of overall volume. Other trees may be taller or wider, but none has the combined weight and width of the Sherman Tree. The Sherman Tree measures 103/31-meters around, and soars 275 feet/84 meters above and it’s still growing. The tree’s height equals that of a 25-story building. One branch of the General Sherman is so big—almost 7 feet/2 meters in diameter. The Sherman Tree appears to be perhaps 1,500 to 2,000 years old.  It’s a vigorous, fast-growing tree and every year it adds enough wood to make another 60-foot/18-meter-tall tree.

The Sherman Tree  is a Sequoia tree, and sequoia trees are generally known to be massive. They are one of the world’s most enduring trees. They can grow to 300 feet in height, weigh over 2.5 million pounds, and live for about 3,000 years. During extreme storms, branches will fall but the tree itself is likely to survive.

Its longevity is also due to its twelve to fourteen-foot-deep matting of roots, spreading over as much as an acre of earth. Such complex root system keeps the sequoia tree firmly grounded and stable. The tree’s extensive root system anchors it against storm conditions and allows it to absorb water and nutrients from the soil. Also the root system of this majestic tree is what is responsible for its towering height and astonishing weight.

In the same way, the deeper our spiritual roots are in God, the greater the heights we can attain in life.  In our lives and ministry, we must have a hidden season of developing deep spiritual roots. This hidden season of spiritual preparation must precede a period of visibility or outward prominence. Before attaining great heights there are seasons of preparation when we first develop intimacy with God. In the life of David for instance, we saw how God first prepared him in a hidden season before taking him to greatness.  It was in the bush, in a time of prayerful devotion, a season of serving unseen and unknown, that God prepared David for the throne. In this place God expanded his root system.

When David defeated Goliath many thought he was an overnight success, but nobody saw the lonely years in the shepherd’s fields where he prepared by fighting the bears and lions. In that hidden season of his life, he learned to trust God and make God his strong refuge. Indeed preparation is the mother of manifestation. God first prepares us before He presents us to our world. The season of preparation, is a hidden season of life, where it may seem you are alone fighting the bears and the lions. But God is using the things you are passing through to develop your spiritual roots, and an unshakeable faith in Him.

Some of the challenges you have had to deal with may actually be God’s way of training you for where you are going. Before you can ascend the throne God has for you, you must first pass through processes that prepare you and cause you to become totally dependent on God.

They say an exclamation mark is only a question mark straightened out. Men may exclaim and wonder at you when you finally ascend the throne, but then they didn’t see the hidden places of preparation where God trained you.

Our seasons of preparation will involve times of separation spent in prayer, fasting and studying The Word.  A hidden season of spiritual establishment and preparation is crucial to our outward manifestation,. Just as the root precedes the tree’s outward growth, things are first established spiritually before they manifest physically. That is God’s order of things. Therefore let us learn to patiently release ourselves to God in the place of training and preparation for the great heights He has ordained for us.

PRAYER: Lord, I submit myself, my plans and everything about my life to your perfect will. Lord  have your way in my life, and  please  grant  me the grace to be prepared when Your foreordained season for me comes, in Jesus Name.

Quote

Everything that ultimately  has a glorious ending usually has a humble beginning.

2 Chronicles 20:17

Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

DAILY READING –1 Corinthians 9; 2 Kings 1-2; Amos 7

In the first half of the sixteenth century, the Ottoman Empire was thought to be invincible. Suleiman the Magnificent, the Ottoman sultan, had expanded his empire from western Asia to southeastern Europe and North Africa. To secure control of the Mediterranean between these territories and launch an offensive into Western Europe, Suleiman needed the small but strategically crucial island of Malta. But Suleiman’s attempt to take the island from the Holy Roman Empire’s Knights of St. John would emerge as one of the most famous and brutal military defeats in history.

In 1565, seventy thousand Ottomans attempted to seize the Mediterranean island from 3,500 Christian troops led by about 500 Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem [later called the Knights of Malta]. Despite being very grossly outnumbered, the Christian defenders held out for almost four months, despite 50 percent casualties. And just when it seemed all hope was lost for the Christians, help suddenly arrived. On September 11, a long-belated relief force from the Continent reached the battle to assist the Christians and inflicted a final great slaughter on the Ottomans, whose survivors fled by sea. This battle is the subject of one of the greatest history books ever written, titled ‘The Great Siege 1565’ by Ernle Bradford.

Indeed God can raise help for you when you least expect it. When God arises for your help, no matter how great your enemies may appear, your victory will be assured. This world is a battle field, without divine help men suffer defeat, humiliation and shame, but through divine help battles are cheaply won.

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.’

Indeed, when God arises for you, all your enemies will be scattered. Do not limit how God can fight for you. Just stay in God’s will and He will take care of the oppositions against you. In 2 Chronicles 20, a great army came against King Jehoshaphat. He was greatly outnumbered and did not know what to do. But when he turned to the Lord, God made the enemies to fight against each other, until they were all destroyed.

Therefore do not be intimidated if it seems as if you are facing an impossible situation. Always remember that there is God in Heaven who rules in the affairs of men. He is the God of sudden visitations, who can suddenly intervene when it seems all hope is lost. He is the God of divine surprises who can do exceedingly abundantly above all you can ever think or imagine. Today He is going to arise for you!

And one key way to engage God to fight for us is through praise. From scriptures we know that praise is one of the most powerful spiritual weapons that provoke the acts of God. Just like Jehoshaphat did in 2 Chronicles 20, when you also begin to sing and praise God, He sets ambushment against your enemies. Praise is what triggers the intervention of the Omnipotent God. Praise is God’s hotline anytime! Praise attracts God’s presence.

Psalm 22:3 says ‘But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.’

Indeed God inhabits the praises of His people. When you live a praiseful life, God’s presence abides with you; and when He abides with you, He compels signs to attend to you. It is therefore time to hand over the battle to God. Today as you praise God, He will arise in your favour, and give you the victory in every battle in Jesus name. .

PRAYER; Lord, Please help me to hand over my battles to You through maintaining a praise-full lifestyle. In every situation please grant me the grace to always find a reason to praise You. Thank You Lord for causing me to triumph always 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.