HORM Devotional

ACTS 2:2  ‘And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

DAILY READING – Acts 26:1-18; Ruth 3-4; Psalm 48

Hudson Taylor was the founder of the China Inland Mission and was one of the greatest  missionaries to China. However  when he was journeying to China for the first time, he had an experience that showed him  that God indeed answers prayers.  On this first trip in 1854 he was travelling on a ship. But as they journeyed, the wind carrying the ship suddenly ceased, stalling its movement. Unable to sail forward, the ship drifted towards the shore. A four-knot current carried it swiftly towards some sunken reefs. The danger however was that on that shore was a cannibal island on the coast of New Guinea. Already, the cannibals had sighted the ship and were waiting excitedly for it to land. They had even lit fires in anticipation of a great feast.

The English captain and the crew of his ship had done everything they could to change the ship’s course but without success. Alarmed, they stood on the deck awaiting a fate of doom. Soon Hudson Tailor heard an urgent knock on his stateroom door. He opened it, and there stood the captain of the ship. “Mr. Taylor,” he said, “we have no wind. We are drifting toward an island where the people are heathen, and I fear they are cannibals.” “What can I do?” asked Taylor. “I understand that you believe in God. I want you to pray for wind.”

Hudson replied, “Four of us on board are Christians. Let each of us retire to his cabin and in agreed prayer ask the Lord to give us a breeze immediately.” And so with the other Christians on board Hudson went into prayers. After a few minutes of earnest intercession, Hudson came up on deck confident that the petition had been granted. Finding the first officer in charge, he requested him to let down the corners of the main sail immediately, because a wind was coming. There was not a minute to waste, since they were so near the cannibals now. The officer however doubted the possibility of a wind, since he couldn’t find any; but as he was still questioning Hudson’s request, he suddenly noticed that the topmost sail was beginning to tremble, indicating indeed the presence of wind. They immediately let down the main sail, even as a great wind descended, engulfing the ship and immediately carrying them away from the dangerous reefs, much to the disappointment of the native cannibals on the beach.

John 14:13 says, “And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” Prayer works. Through prayer, we engage the wind of the Spirit to carry us to our desired shores. Indeed we need the wind of the Spirit to set sail in life. Without His wind, a man’s life will remain stagnant or much worse, drift to dangerous shores. If there has been no desired forward movement around you, perhaps it is because the wind of The Spirit is missing.

Just as Jesus could not do miracles until the Spirit came upon Him, there can be no divine activity until His wind comes. The apostles were locked up in the upper room bound in fear, but when the wind of the Spirit began to blow in acts 2, they broke out into the city and took the world by storm!

Just as movement announces the presence of the wind, supernatural occurrences assure us that God is near. Psalm 75:1 says, ‘for that thy name is near, thy wondrous works declare’. Signs and wonders are indications the Spirit has come. When He came in acts chapter 2, He brought eruptive movements; suddenly things began to happen. We need the wind of the Spirit to move our lives forward. Without His wind every life remains spiritually dormant and stagnant. It is only when He begins to move in our lives that signs and wonders begin to erupt. It is only by His divine activity in our lives that we can see glory of God manifest around us. Let us therefore through fervent prayers engage The Spirit  for a forceful turnaround. Things must begin to work, our lives must go forward! Let us therefore today take up the responsibility of  being diligent in the place of prayer so as to ignite the moving of The Spirit upon our lives. By the power of The Spirit upon us, signs and wonders will become the order of our day in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER: LORD, I NEED THE WIND OF YOUR SPIRIT TO BEGIN TO BLOW LIKE NEVER BEFORE IN MY LIFE. I NEED TO SEE YOUR SIGNS  AND WONDERS MANIFEST; I NEED THE COURSE OF MY LIFE CHANGED FROM MERE DRIFTING TO SUPERNATURAL PROGRESS  IN JESUS NAME.

QUOTE :

Until you cry out in the place of prayer certain things won’t happen– WORDBITE 222.

Exodus 12:13 ‘And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt’

DAILY READING – Acts 25; Ruth 1-2; Psalm 47

On October 1, 2015,  a devastating massacre took place at Umpqua Community College  Oregon USA.  In the unfortunate incident, a 26-year-old student who was enrolled at the school, suddenly started shooting other students and ended up killing an assistant professor and eight students. However The daughter of an Oregon pastor, survived the shooting. Lacey, the daughter of Pastor Randy Scroggins survived because a classmate who had been shot and killed. rolled over her, covering her in his blood.. Lacey who was among a handful of students who had survived the shooting, testified in their church the Sunday morning after the shooting, recounting what happened that tragic morning. She said the shooter brandishing a gun, told everyone in the classroom to get down. Although Lacey thought it was part of a writing exercise for class, she soon realized it was all too real. The shooter, then questioned her classmates one by one before he shot them, asking “What religion are you? Are you a Christian?” Lacey said, at that point all she could hear within her was to pray. And pray she did, even as she laid on the ground. After Lacey heard a shot close to her head, she realized the boy next to her, had been shot and he was bleeding. Then somehow, he started rolling toward her. She felt the boy’s body move over her and then his blood covered her. When the shooter came to her and told her to get up, she didn’t move. He asked a woman nearby if Lacey was alive, but the woman replied that she didn’t know. Believing her to be dead, he stepped over her and shot another student. However, soon after, there was a barrage of gunfire when the police arrived and engaged the shooter in a gunfight. Eventually the shooter turned the gun on himself and took his own life. He had however, killed nine people and injured dozens of others, before his death. Pastor Randy Scroggins concluded by saying that for the boy that was shot to roll over his daughter was not  by mistake, he believed it was the blood of the boy covering his daughter that saved her life.

Indeed it was the blood of the dead student which covered Lacey that made the shooter to step over her. When he saw the blood, he was pacified, feeling he had achieved his evil purpose. Likewise, anytime the enemy sees the blood of Jesus upon us, he is compelled to Passover. Christ’s blood fulfilled the demands of justice and paid the price for our sins, so that the enemy has no more legal right to attack us.  The enemy’s thirst for our blood was quenched by Christ’s blood that was shed. Jesus paid it all and said it was finished.

Jesus died the death we should have died.  He took our pain and shame, thereby blotting out the handwriting of every ordinance against us. And because of His blood upon our lives, every evil is bound to pass over us. Indeed because of Chris’s  sacrifice affliction can never arise a second time in our lives.

It takes Kingdom mysteries to overcome the miseries of life. And the blood of Jesus is a kingdom mystery that guarantees our mastery over life circumstances. By the mystery of the blood covenant we become a ‘touch not’ to every evil.

Exodus 12:13 says ‘And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt’

Just like the Israelites dwelling in Goshen were separated from the afflictions of Egypt, we have been separated from the plagues and afflictions in the world. Romans 8:1 says ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus..’

Because we are in Christ, our case is different. By covenant what afflicts others cannot afflict you. Christ has paid the price for every affliction, He became a curse for us, that we might experience a blessed life.  Indeed by reason of the blood of Jesus, there is a ”touch not seal” upon every child of God.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for mystery of the blood of Jesus. Indeed by the mystery of the blood covenant I am separated from every evil occurrence. Indeed today, everything which my Heavenly Father has not planted in my life  is permanently uprooted  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

James 5:16, ‘Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.’

’DAILY READING Acts 24:10-27; Judges 21; Psalm 46

Revivals are born in the womb of prayer. When John Wesley prayed, England was revived; when John Knox prayed, Scotland was shaken by God’s power and likewise when John Nelson Hyde prayed India was affected for Jesus.

John Nelson Hyde who was one of the greatest missionaries to India, was born the son of a Presbyterian minister. His father, Rev Smith Harris Hyde, was a Presbyterian minister who faithfully proclaimed the Gospel message and called on the Lord to send  out laborers into His harvest. He prayed this prayer not only in the pulpit but also at his home. And interestingly one of the biggest answers to this prayer would come through his son, John.

Around 1892, John came to believe that God was calling him to India as a missionary,  and so he departed to India to preach in the Punjab region. However, when he first arrived in India he found the people very unreceptive to the Gospel. For eight years he labored without any results. It seemed that no matter how hard he worked, no matter how many people he witnessed to, nothing happened. The lack of conversion drove him into deep prayer. He would spend hours and hours with The Lord, forgetting about sleep and food, standing  in the gap for believers and those to be saved. “Oh God, give me souls or I die!” would become one of his most famous prayers. He finally decided to pray and fast until there was revival. For some days he did not eat and he spent each day on his face before God praying that He would open up the hearts of the people.  At one time, during those days, he spent continuous hours on his knees, begging God for His power. The Indians began to call him “The man who never sleeps.” And he became known widely as  “Praying Hyde”. It was not long after those days before his prayers began to have their desired effect. After a time of fruitlessness on the mission field, the Lord started moving. Through his ministry God’s revival power would sweep through the land. Many indigenous people were touched by this move of God, thereby. bringing many souls to Christ. Indeed through John Hyde God  changed the spiritual landscape of India. And today,  he is celebrated today as one of the greatest missionaries to ever come to that nation.

Though many saw the glory, very few knew the story of John Hyde’s desperate hunger and perseverance in the place of prayer.  The truth is that you can receive answers to prayer, if only you are willing to pay the price of seeking until you find. Prayer is a ministry of the secret place, but God rewards you openly. Jesus promised in Mathew 21:22 that ‘all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Indeed we can have our requests met when we  encounter God’s wonder working power in prayer. But for that to happen, we must be hungry for it. God is committed to filling those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. It is a law of the spirit that only the hungry get filled. Christianity is a faith of responsibility., every provision in scriptures has its conditions. And it is only those who seek that find. Indeed God will reward you when you  diligently seek Him.

James 5:16 says ‘The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.’

“Effectual fervent prayer” is absolutely one of the keys to revival.. Looking around  us today, we can see our nation needs  great revival, our cities and families need revival. Even in our personal lives there is constant need for fresh fire.  But revival will come when we are willing to cry out in desperate prayers to God.

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

Indeed if we pay the price of prayer God will heal our land. It is time therefore to pray down revival. Enough of tolerating oppression and afflictions.  Enough of making excuses for failure. Enough of watching things go from bad to worse in our nation. Things will change when we cry between the porch and the altar. Let us engage God’s power to establish a forceful turnaround to our situations. Let us cry out in prayer until we see our desired solutions. When we get into the depth of prayer we will see God’s  power in a new and greater dimension. Indeed whatsoever we desire, as we continue to table them before God in this season we can be sure of speedy answers.

PRAYER: Lord, please grant me a deeper desire for prayer. By Your grace, prayer shall indeed become a delight to me. And as I persevere in the place of prayer I thank You for Your Divine visitation that will bring revival to every area of my life  in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

There is something that God has placed within you that the world is eagerly awaiting to see. WORDBITE 222

Luke 9:29-32 ‘And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.’

DAILY READING – Acts 23:23-24:9; Judges 20; Psalm 45

The ‘DAVID’ is probably the world’s most well-known sculpture. It has been in existence for over 500 years. However what is amazing and remarkable is that this famous and celebrated sculpture was carved from a rejected piece of marble. Sculpted by renowned artist Michelangelo in 1504,  the sculpture is based on the biblical story of David and Goliath. Michelangelo, who was only 26 years old at the time, was commissioned to carve the sculpture as one in a series that would line the roof of a Cathedral in Florence. However, once the 6-ton piece was completed, it was found too heavy to be lifted to the Cathedral’s roof. And it was so greatly admired by the people of Florence that they decided to place it in the square next to the Palazzo Vecchio, which is the seat of the Florentine government. There it stood  from 1504 until 1873 when it was permanently relocated to the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence.

However, it is amazing that this celebrated artwork was made from a discarded block of Carrara marble that other artists had rejected. Two other artists had tried to work with this enormous piece of discarded Carrara marble, but had given up on it because they thought it had impurities. But when Michelangelo saw that piece of marble, he saw within it great possibilities. In his mind’s eye he saw the  picture of a sculpture of David. He saw what the other artists couldn’t see and quickly went to work. Michelangelo worked with this single block of marble between 1501 and 1504. He was able to find a way to sculpt  with this unworkable piece and from it he created the towering statue of the ‘DAVID’ that is now celebrated.  Since its debut, Michelangelo’s David statue has captivated the world of art for centuries. It is today considered one of art history’s major masterpieces. And yet amazingly it was made from an unworkable, rejected piece of marble.

This is similar to what God does with our lives. God loves to turn the stones which the builders rejected into the chief corner stone. Oftentimes, when men look at us and conclude poorly, God looks at us and sees a masterpiece emerging. When a building is under construction, to the untrained eye, the building can look really messed up. But the architect isn’t concerned because he drew the plans and knows that emerging from the mess is a beautiful structure. Our architect and Master builder is God. He has designed the blueprint of our lives. And though outwardly sometimes, things may seem messed up, God knows that within us is a masterpiece, within us is the potential for glory. This is why we should not look to men’s opinion, but rather we look to what God says in His Word, concerning us. Jehovah alone has the final say in our lives. And what He says about us, no man can contradict.  God says you are created after His image and likeness. You are designed to function as He does. We are to operate as sons of God on earth, ruling and dominating by the power of God. We are created to manifest the glory of God to our generation.

Ephesians 2:10  says that You are God’s workmanship. You are His divine project. As a child of God, you are not created to be average. You’re not called to live an ordinary life. There is treasure hidden within you. 2 Cor. 4:7 calls your potential a treasure in an earthen vessel. You are full of amazing potentials. If you don’t look like it now it is because  your life is still under construction and God that has begun this good work in you will bring it to perfection.

However, prayer is a necessary process for us to see the treasure in us manifest. To manifest God’s glory we must be willing to pay  the price of prayer.

Luke 9:29  says that as Jesus prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering,..’

When Jesus prayed on the mount of transfiguration, there was a transformation and His glory manifested. Christ in us is the hope of glory. And it is in the place of prayer and fasting when the flesh dies that Christ freely manifests through us. Verse 10 of the 2 Cor 4 we earlier read says ‘Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.’

There is a hidden treasure in you. You may be a rejected stone today, but watch out; God is causing you to become a chief cornerstone. Just as they cast away Joseph and he turned around to become the preserver of his generation, God will turn things around and cause those that rejected you to one day celebrate you. All you need to do is to be rightly positioned in Christ,,  and every other thing will fall into place. Indeed if God be for you, nobody can be against you.

PRAYER: Father I thank You for the grace to persevere in prayer, and even now I know that You are turning things around for me. Through Your glory manifesting in my life, everywhere I was once rejected, I shall soon be celebrated in Jesus’ name.

quote :

For you to enjoy victory in the Kingdom of God, you need to develop a Kingdom mindset, that thinks in line with the Word of God.  – WORDBITE 222.

Isaiah 43:2

‘I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:’

DAILY READING  Acts 22:30-23:22; Judges 19; Psalm 44

Dr. David Livingstone, is one of the best-known missionaries of the 19th century. As a missionary to Africa his work was that of a pioneer, blazing the way, for others to follow.. In November, 1853, he embarked on a great journey, to blaze a path through the heart of the jungle to the sea. From Linyanti, on the Zambesi, he spent seven months of untold hardship, until he reached St. Paul de Loanda, on the west coast. Twenty-seven men accompanied him on this journey. Dr. Livingstone was greatly reduced by fever, from which he suffered thirty-one attacks on this journey. Sometimes so difficult was the way that even the men travelling with him, became disheartened, and wanted to return home. However God continually intervened and guided them, until finally on May 31, 1854, they broke through the jungle and arrived their destination, at Loanda. The mighty task had been accomplished; a trail had been blazed through the impenetrable jungle. From then on the path Dr. Livingstone had blazed would be run by thousands of other feet to bring the Gospel and civilization to the African interiors. When the news of his  great accomplishment reached England, the Royal Geographical Society voted Livingstone a gold medal — their highest honor. Yet despite these accomplishment, Dr. Livingstone never rested on his oars, but kept pressing forward on his assignment to spread the Gospel. He is quoted to have said “”Death alone will put a stop to my efforts! Nothing earthly will make me give up my work in despair.  I encourage myself in the Lord, my God, and go forward”  He kept pressing forward until April 30, 1873 when he died while praying on his knees by his bed at Chitambo in present day Northern Zambia. According to Dr. David’s wishes, his heart was buried under a tree in Africa, and his body sent home to be buried in England.

In Acts 20:24 Paul said ‘But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God’.

Obstacles or resistance to our progress should never discourage us. Regardless of what comes your way, you must press forward in your assignment. Nothing should hinder or stop your forward movement. Obstacles are part of the road map on the path of destiny. If you want to live your life with your potential maximized to the fullest, you must press on in your assignment. Even if everything seems to be rising up against you, keep going forward. Always remember, that your destiny is greater than your disaster. And never forget that when God sends you, He goes with you. Therefore you are never alone.

God said in Isaiah 43:2 ‘I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:’

Indeed God  will go ahead of you to destroy the barriers to your progress. The work God began in you He will finish. What God started in you He will complete! The truth is, your Greatest Days Are Ahead. The path of the just shines brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. Therefore there is a brighter future ahead for you. Indeed there is greater glory awaiting you. You have not reached your full potential yet. To fulfill destiny we must despise present challenges and keep our eyes on Jesus.

Hebrews 12:2 Says “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

There is a joy set before you. There is light at the end of the tunnel, there is victory ahead. Therefore never give up. Keep pressing forward until you arrive at your preordained place of victory. And to receive the strength to keep moving on, we must be constantly study God’s Word. that is where our strength comes from. When you are strengthened by The Word, then truly you can do all things through Christ that strengthens you.

PRAYER: Father please enable me to keep going forward despite any challenge I may face. Help me to always see that You are with me and indeed You can do exceedingly abundantly above all I could ever ask or imagine in Jesus Name.

QUOTE :

For you to enjoy victory in the Kingdom of God, you need to develop a Kingdom mindset, that thinks in line with the Word of God.  – WORDBITE 222

Isaiah 41:10

‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’

DAILY READING    Acts 21:37-22:29; Judges 17-18; Psalm 43

Eric Alexander is a Christian mountaineer who has successfully climbed most of the highest mountains in the world. In Eric Alexander’s  new book ‘the summit’ he shares his adventures in the mountains. He has led expeditions throughout Europe, North America, South America, the Himalayas and other mountainous regions of the globe.  In this book, he shares how his faith in God served him well on those expeditions. In fact, those journeys actually helped to strengthen that faith and give him further insights into his beliefs  He also shares stories of his climbs on Ama Dablam, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Everest, and more. Those tales include near death experiences, crushing disappointments, spectacular triumphs. and moments of self discovery.  On May 25, 2001, Eric Alexander and a team of 19 climbers made history when they climbed Mt. Everest, the world’s highest mountain at 29,035 feet. Climbing Mt. Everest, or any other big peak, is always fraught with perils. One has to deal with altitude and technical challenges and spend months preparing for an opportunity to reach the top. Indeed climbing Mt. Everest is one of the greatest challenges any climber can face because Mount Everest is not only the highest mountain, but it is also the most dangerous mountain in the world. Many people who attempted to climb the mountain failed and died. Yet by God’s grace, Eric and his large team of 19 people all climbed and came down safely, achieving one of the most successful team climbs in history.  In this ascent to the top of the world on the slopes of Mount Everest Eric Alexander experienced grace and a faith-empowering journey. Eric dealt with the challenges and adversities he faced in this climb through his faith in God. He especially needed faith because prior to the climb, Eric had struggled with a lot of fear, due to the fact that a year earlier, he had almost died when he fell in another mountain climb. So when he was to climb Everest he was filled with all manner of anxiety and didn’t want to make the climb. But Eric decided to pray and put his faith and trust in God. And God enabled him to overcome fear and become part of the history making team that successfully climbed to the top of the Everest. Though he failed and fell in the  previous climb,  through God’s help, he was able to conquer fear, get up again and climb even the greater Mt. Everest.

Proverbs 24:16 says, ‘The righteous may fall seven times but still get up, but the wicked will stumble into trouble’.

Fear can be paralyzing. It tries to keep us from God’s best. It tries to prevent us from growing and stretching the way God intends. Fear in one area can spread and affect every other area of life. Most of man’s defeats in life are traceable to the spirit of fear. The fear of failure has grounded many people and prevented them from taking the bold step to success. But you cannot reach the pinnacle of success without overcoming the fear of failure. You have to realize that the road to Canaan is full of giants.  There is always a Goliath that stands between every man and his throne. The question is; how do you react to them?

Do you run from them or do you like David run to them?  Failure is not an event but rather it is your reaction to the event. When you are faced with any intimidating situation remember there is God who is greater and higher than them all. Whenever you are confronted, remember that the greater one lives in you.

In Isaiah 41:10 God says ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’

On the journey of life, failure at one time or the other is inevitable, but no matter where we may have failed, with God’s help we can always get up and reach our ordained goal in life.

Psalms 34:4 says ‘I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.’

Through seeking The Lord, we are delivered from all fears. The more we seek The Lord and know Him through His Word, the more we are freed from fear. Study of The Word inoculates our heart with faith. And faith is the ultimate answer to fear. Indeed when our heart is filed with faith there will be no room for fear.

To see God’s glory in your life this year, don’t let the fear of failure stop you from taking steps of faith. Start doing the things God has been putting in your heart to do. By God’s help you will overcome every obstacle and reach the pinnacle of success this year. Indeed through Christ you can do all things.

PRAYER: Father Please grant me renewed appetite and desire for Your Word. Thank You Lord for inoculating my heart with the faith and strength to overcome every mountain hindering my progress in Jesus Name.

quote :

For you to enjoy victory in The Kingdom of God, you need to develop a kingdom mind, that thinks in line with The Word of God. – WORDBITE 222

PSALM 124: 2 KJV

If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:   Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:

DAILY READING –Acts 20:17-34; Judges 14-15; Job 42

Lecrae Devaughn Moore is an American Christian hip hop recording artist, songwriter, record producer, and actor. As a child, Lecrae grew up never knowing who his father was. He sought to fill that void by surrounding himself with gangsters. Before long, Lecrae was embroiled in a world filled with drugs, theft, alcohol, and gang activity. However while schooling at the University of North Texas, a friend invited him to a Christian conference. There he ended up giving his life to Christ. However, as a young Christian, it was hard for him to give up his old life of partying and so he ended up living a double life of partying at night and going to church in the morning. But living this way only brought total frustration. He knew he needed to stop the life of sin. Then one day while driving, when he failed to negotiate a turn, his car went over an embankment and rolled several times. The car was destroyed with mangled metal and glass shards sprayed everywhere. Even his eye glasses got “molded” into the car frame. But Lecrae walked away unscathed. He knew he could have only escaped death by the grace of God, and so at that point he decided to turn himself completely over to Christ. He made his stand public by typing out his testimony and sharing it out at college, not caring that some people jeered at him.  Encouraged to use his rhyming talent for the Lord, Lecrae began rapping Christian songs. As his music ministry expanded, he later became the president, co-owner and co-founder of the independent record label Reach Records, To date, he has released several studio albums, won grammy awards, and become one of the most successful Contemporary Christian musicians today.

It is remarkable, that though Lecrae was living a double life, yet in the midst of his sin, God still gave him a second chance. He was delivered from the devastating accident, only by the mercy of God.

Lamentations 3:22  says ‘It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’

Many of us like Lecrae,  had at one point or the other made mistakes and could have died in our sins, yet God’s mercy prevailed. Even those times it seemed the enemy had every opportunity to have destroyed us, God’s mercy preserved us. We have survived thus far, not because of our own strength, but because of God’s unending love. Even in the midst of troubles He had given His angels charge over us. Do you know how many people went through what you went through and didn’t come out of it alive? Do you know how many arrows are sent towards you every day, and yet none ever finds their mark?

Indeed if it had not been for the Lord who was on our side, where would we be?  God is good and very faithful  . This is why we appreciate and praise Him at all times.  Even when things seem they are not working, if only we can praise God at those times, He will turn it all around for good.

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.’

In every situation, let us learn to rejoice and bless God. Let us praise Him for the many battles He has fought and won for you. And no matter what comes our way, let us keep praising Him, knowing that indeed He is working everything together for our good.

PRAYER:  Lord please grant me the grace to praise You in every situation. Despite the challenges, that may sometimes come my way, help me to see that indeed  you are working  everything together for my good in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

When you praise God despite your situation power is released for a raise. – WORDBITE 222.

Luke 21:12-13 KJV

But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

DAILY READING – Acts 20:1-16; Judges 13; Job 41

Elimination of religion was  a key part of the ideology of the Communist party in Bulgaria. Their ideology included removal of religion and the introduction of atheism as an ideological objective. The Communist regime prohibited public display of religious beliefs and regularly confiscated religious property and harassed believers, with some priests killed in the process.

In 1985 Pastor Christo Kulichev,  an evangelical pastor  in Bulgaria became a marked man by the Communist party in Bulgaria for his outspoken faith and preaching. On January 9, 1985 he was arrested, tried, and imprisoned for his disobedience to the Communist regime. His crime was that he preached in his church when the state had appointed another man to preach in his place. His trial was a mockery of justice. He was sentenced to eight months imprisonment. During his time in prison he made Christ known every way he could. When he finally got out of prison, he wrote, “Both prisoners and jailers asked many questions, and it turned out that we had a more fruitful ministry there than we could have expected in church. God was better served by our presence in prison than if we had been free.”

Though it seemed the communist government  were restricting him, they only ended up helping to expand his ministry while in the prison. Sometimes what may appear as tribulation in your life may be God expanding the scope of your mission. In Acts 8, when the apostles were scattered they went about preaching the Gospel to many cities.

When you are a child of God things don’t happen to you anyhow, there is a reason behind every season of life. Your life is following a divine script.  When Joseph’s brothers sold him into a foreign land, it seemed like the end of the road.  But rather they had only sent him to the place of destiny.  Sometimes God can use your enemies to scatter you from the familiar only to bring you to the place of destiny. Change is often not comfortable. Leaving behind the familiar and venturing into the unknown can even be scary. But in the case of Moses, Joseph, Esther, Daniel, David, it seemed none of them could come into their destined place until they had first been displaced from their comfort zone.

In Isaiah 66:19 God said ‘and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations.., to the isles afar that have not heard My Name, neither have seen My Glory, and they shall declare My Glory among the gentiles’.

Therefore whatever we go through, we must realize the purpose is ultimately to manifest and declare God’s glory. Even when you face trials and tribulations, it is all for the purpose of manifesting His Glory. God said in Isaiah 43;7  ‘Even everyone that is called by My Name, for I have created him for My Glory’.

We are created and prepared for the purpose of manifesting God’s Glory.  Everything that is being done in our lives is for the purpose of declaring His Glory.

Isaiah chapter 60 lets us know that despite the gross darkness in the world, the glory of The Lord shall rise upon us and the gentiles shall come to the brightness of our rising. Therefore, no matter how dark situations may sometimes look, understand that it will surely end in praise, this is because you are destined to be a vessel for the revelation of God’s glory. This is why in everything we give God thanks, everywhere we go we proclaim His Name. Indeed in every situation we face, God is at work to cause all things to work together for our good. We trust Him in all things knowing that He that has begun this good work in us is able to bring it to perfection.  And it is only when we have been pruned, purged and prepared that we can be vessels of honor fit for the master’s use.  Job 23;10 says ‘But He  knoweth the way that I take, when He hath tried me I shall come forth as gold’.

Indeed you are coming forth as gold. what the enemy meant for evil, God shall turn it all around for you. Though the enemy may think he is persecuting you now, you will only end up being multiplied. What looks like tribulation right now is working out for your good, and The Lord shall be glorified through your testimony.

PRAYER: Lord, please give me  the grace to see beyond the present and see Your will being done in my life. Whatever situation I may face, please give me the wisdom to discern your voice as You guide me to my place of destiny..

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

Ephesians 6:12 ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’”

DAILY READING- Acts 19:21-41; Judges 11:34-12:15; Job 40

On  11th of October 2011, the British Broadcasting Network [BBC] News, shared a shocking story of how child sacrifice by wealth seekers had become rampant in Uganda. The report said  that members of the country’s new elite were  paying vast sums of money for blood sacrifices in a bid to increase their wealth. The story also featured Pastor Peter Sewakiryanga of the Kyampisi Childcare Ministries church who had been fighting this evil. The Pastor who had lost quite a number of children from his church had been petitioning the international community to intervene to stop this evil practise in Uganda.

In this report, the BBC  journalists who carried out the investigation  posed as local businessmen who needed a witch doctor that could bring prosperity to their local construction company. They were soon introduced to one, who demanded a fee of $390 and told them that as part of the sacrifice he could bury a child alive on their construction site, or use the blood for rituals. However unknown to him the reporters had recorded this conversation, which they soon made public.

As appalling as this story may sound, this is the reality of the times we live in. Not only in Uganda in many other countries around the world, blood sacrifice for wealth has become rampant. Many are engaging in this to bring success to their business. And the fact is that these people are oftentimes the same people we compete with on the common ground of a business market place.

Ephesians 6;12 says ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’

The blood of Jesus is the most potent weapon against spiritual wickedness in high places. Therefore to succeed in our endeavors, we must evoke the speakings of the Blood of Jesus against the  forces of wickedness. We cannot succeed by power or by might,  only by the help of The Spirit of God.  Indeed by strength shall no man prevail.   

According to Revelations 12:11 we will overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of our testimony’ 

The blood of Jesus is the decisive weapon, that will stop every demonic harassment. When a battle seems greater than you, confront it with the Blood of Jesus. Whenever you don’t know what to pray, plead the blood of Jesus. The blood demolishes  every stronghold of satanic forces.  Everywhere the Blood is applied, fire falls and victory is assured. Indeed by the Blood every gate of brass is broken and the bars of iron are cut asunder. Therefore, today, as you begin to invoke the blood, every battle against you must come to a decisive end. Indeed by the Blood, every goliath resisting your progress  and every pharaoh resisting your financial  freedom is brought under divine judgment in Jesus name. 

PRAYER:  Lord, I thank You for the power that is available to me through the Blood of Jesus. As I evoke that Blood today, every force of wickedness resisting my success and progress are all destroyed. Surely I must experience glory in all my endeavors this year 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.

Mark 11:24  ‘What things so ever you desire when you pray believe that you receive them and you shall have them’

DAILY READING       Acts 19:1-20; Judges 10:1-11:33; Job 39

John Alexander Dowie was one of the greatest preachers used by God in the last century. He was a Scottish evangelist and great preacher  who ministered in Australia and the United States with miracles, signs and wonders. However, during his ministry Dowie faced several oppositions from the media. On January 1, 1904, Dr. Dowie with a party of several of his associates boarded a train to begin a planned tour. When they got to  California, some reporters also boarded the train and informed Dowie’s people that a severe drought had come to Southern California, and no rain had fallen for eighth months. The reporters  challenged Dowie to pray for rain pointing out that Elijah of the Bible prayed for rain after three and a half years of drought and his prayer was answered.

Through out his brief stay in the city, the newspapers kept challenging Dr. Dowie to pray for rain . When Dr Dowie went to  preach at a Pavilion on a Sunday afternoon the place was crowded.  As he preached there was tension in the audience, it seemed the newspapers had put Dr. Dowie in a spot with their taunting. When Dowie was about to close the service he knew he was in a tricky situation.  If he prayed and no rain came, then he would seem to be an impostor, but if he refused to pray then that would show he was afraid. However Dr. Dowie understood the power of fervent prayer. And so as he was ending his preaching,  he dropped  on his knees behind the pulpit and began to call upon God.  The audience followed his prayers with strained attention. Dowie in a deep heartfelt prayer, fervently called upon God to send rain over the distressed land just as He had done in the days of  Elijah the Prophet.

As he finished his prayer, a little while later the sky began to grow dark with rain clouds.  People looked at one another with wonder and awe.  At that point Dr. Dowie led the people in a prayer of consecration to close the service, then he pronounced the benediction, and said, ‘Get to your homes quickly, for there is sound of abundance of rain.’ But he was too late, just as the multitude turned to go, rain began to fall in torrents.This incidence was widely reported, as a testimony of God’s miracle working power. And of course this answer to prayer shut up the mouth of the Newspapers and Naysayers.

James 5:17-18 says ‘Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.’

The prayer from the heart is the kind that releases tremendous power, which is dynamic in its working.

The Amplified Bible translates James 5:16:  ‘The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].’

And when our prayer from the heart is combined with fasting, we are sure to succeed in arresting heaven’s attention. However, for effective prayer to come from your heart, your heart must first be loaded with The Word of God, because it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. When the chambers of your heart are loaded with the Word of God, as bullets are loaded in the chambers of a gun, when you pray your mouth becomes a trigger for signs and wonders. Therefore in this season of prayer, let us be deliberate to aim for results as we pray fervently from a heart loaded with The Word of God.  Prayer indeed works. Prayer does change things, prayer does level mountains.

Mark 11:24 tells us ‘What things so ever you desire when you pray believe that you receive them and you shall have them’

This is the promise of God. Whatsoever you desire, is an open cheque. Therefore let us know in this season of prayer that we can believe God for the impossible. There is no situation God cannot turn around for us. Surely this year, everything will be swinging to our favour. Indeed it is our year of unending glory.

PRAYER: Lord, please grant me  the grace to fill my heart with Your Word, and persevere in the place of prayer until my answer comes. Help me not to  grow weary but to persist until I see my desired result in Jesus Name.   .

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Until you cry out in the place of prayer certain things won’t happen