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 – – Matthew 13:1-23; Leviticus 17-18; Proverbs 28

In 1854 a sailing vessel was in a dire distress. The wind carrying it had suddenly ceased, stalling its movement. Unable to sail forward, the ship was now drifting towards the shore. A four-knot current carried it swiftly toward some sunken reefs. The danger however was, on that shore was a cannibal island on the coast of New guinea. And already the cannibals having sighted the ship, were now awaiting excitedly for it to land. They had even lighted 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 without succeeding, Alarmed, they now stood on the deck awaiting a fate of doom.

However  aboard the same ship were some Christian missionaries headed to China. One of them was J. Hudson Taylor, who would later become one of China’s greatest missionaries. When informed about the impending doom by the captain, Hudson replied. “There is one thing we haven’t done. 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 they 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 mainsail immediately, because a wind was coming. There was not a minute to waste, since they were so near the cannibals now. But the officer 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 mainsail, 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 therefore there has been no desired forward  movement around you, it is because His wind 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 disciples 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 therefore time to engage him for a forceful turnaround. Things must begin to work, our lives must go forward!   Let us therefore today take up the responsibility of maintaining a strong prayer life, as we do  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. .

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

– 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 – -•     Matthew 12:22-50; Leviticus 15-16; Proverbs 27

The American Civil War was fought between southern and northern states of the United States. The southern states didn’t want to be part of the United States any more because slavery was being outlawed, and they didn’t want to lose the right to keep slaves, so they decided to secede. But the northern states didn’t want the splitting of the United States. And when the issue could not be resolved, both sides went to war. During this war, a story is told of a man who could not decide on which side he wanted to fight on; whether for the North or the South. So he decided to play safe by seeming to agree with both warring sides. So he put on the coat of the army of the North and the trousers of the army of the South. However in the heat of the battle he got shot at from both sides. Since soldiers on either side couldn’t tell where he belonged, they also decided to play it safe by shooting him. .

This  story ‘illustrates what happens to the compromiser, the person who tries to live in two worlds.

James 4:4 says  “Friendship with the world is enmity with God. Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world   makes himself an enemy of God.”

In the journey of life, it is dangerous to try to walk in the middle of the road. You can get knocked down by vehicles from either side. You really have to make a choice, to either walk on the right side or the left side. 

Jesus said in Revelations 3:16, that you are going to choose to be either hot or cold. He said if anyone is lukewarm He will spew that person out of His mouth. Indeed in our lives, Christ has to be Lord of all or Lord of none. The truth is that we cannot serve two masters. We have to make our choice of who we will serve and where we will stand. As children of God we can’t afford to live a life of compromise. We need to make a full and total commitment to live for Christ and Christ alone. But then for many people their story is that ‘the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.’ Their experience is what Paul talks about in Roman 7:15 ‘For  what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I‘ 

The fact is that sin is a force. To overcome sin is a battle. And according to Ephesians 6:12 our battle is not against flesh and blood.  This is why we must engage the weapons of our warfare to overcome. And one sure weapon of victory is the blood of Jesus. The power of the blood of Jesus has provided everything we need to live a life of victory. 

Revelation 12;11  says ‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they did not love their lives to the death.’

By the blood we can overcome sin and avoid living a life of compromise. By the blood we have the power to live for Christ alone. let us therefore learn to plead the blood against the force of sin or any contrary thing contesting our glorious destiny. Indeed by the blood of the covenant we have been brought out of every water-less pit, including the pit of sin, sickness, poverty, ill favor etc. Truly by the blood we are set free. And whosoever the son of God has set free is free indeed. 

PRAYER: Father, I thank You for making me an overcomer in every battle of life.  Indeed by the power in the blood of Jesus I have overcome the force of sin and every contrary thing contesting my glorious destiny. in Jesus Name.

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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.

Galatians 6:9

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

•  DAILY READING –  Matthew 12:1-21; Leviticus 14; Proverbs 26

Enrico Caruso was an Italian opera singer who thrilled audiences in Europe and North and South America about 100 years ago. He sang to great acclaim at the major opera houses of Europe and the Americas.  He was one of the first to embrace the new technology known as the phonograph (or gramophone) and became the first recording star in history, who sold more than a million records.

However, Enrico Caruso came from a poor background. As a young boy he worked in a factory, but had an intense desire to be a singer. While still young, he sang in his church choir, and his voice showed enough promise for him to contemplate a possible career in music. When he turned ten years old, he took his first voice lesson which procured a less than encouraging remark from his teacher. The teacher said to him “You can’t sing. You haven’t any voice at all. Your voice sounds like a wind in the shutters.”. The teacher’s conclusion made the young boy want to give up singing, but Caruso’s mother chose to disbelief  the teacher. She believed rather that God had blessed him with the ability to sing and she knew that with the right lessons, he could learn to sing. Though she was very poor, she  decided to make every sacrifice to pay for his voice lessons.  Unfortunately, she died while he was still young. But her encouragement and sacrifice proved to be invaluable. His mother’s belief in him made Caruso to determine to still pursue a career in music. To raise money he found work as a street singer in Naples and performed at cafes and soirees. Aged 18, he used the fees he had earned by singing at an Italian resort to buy his first pair of new shoes. He also used part of the money he earned to pay for voice lessons. Despite all the challenges he faced along the way, with faith in God, he pressed on in his musical career and continued to make progress until he became a highly successful singer. Today, he is known in history as one of the world’s greatest singers.

Galatians 6:9 says ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.’

Everyone has God-given dreams and desires. We all have goals we want to accomplish and situations we are believing will be turned around for us.  But sometimes, if we face oppositions on the way to achieving them, we can begin to get weary and want to give up. However, you have to understand that the assignment God has called you to do requires tenacity on your part. The enemy will come against you with everything he can, he will send discouragement, temptations, weariness, all in an attempt to get you to give up. But make up your mind that  you will run the race set before you till you reach the finish line.  If you’re headed for greatness there will be tough times, times when you will feel like throwing in the towel. Trials and temptations will come;  The rain will come, the storms and wind will blow to try to get your house to crumble. But the secret is to never quit, keep holding on.  Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning.  Many times, people miss out on God’s best simply because they gave up too soon. And often times they didn’t realize just how close they came to their victory before they gave up. But don’t let that be your story. Don’t give up just because things seem hard. In fact anytime you encounter resistance, that is the time to push harder. Many times the greatest resistance comes at the points of breakthroughs. It has been said that the night is always darkest just before the day breaks.

So no matter the challenges and oppositions you may see before you, keep pushing forward. Persistence wears down resistance. Believe God to do what He has said He will do in your life. You can’t stop now because you have come too far to turn back on this journey.  Don’t give up because you may be closer than you think to reaching your goal. Don’t be discouraged no matter what comes your way. Remember, God is on your side!. And greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Therefore keep standing, keep believing and keep moving forward. If you don’t quit you win. Indeed if you do not faint, you will surely reap in due season.

PRAYER: Lord, I know You have so much in store for me, please help me to meditate constantly on your Word so that my heart can be filled with the faith I need to keep pressing forward until I attain victory in Jesus Name.    

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

Romans 8:28 KJV ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’

• DAILY READING   Matthew 11:20-30; Leviticus 13; Proverbs 25

In 1936 German leader Adolf Hitler preached a flawed doctrine called ‘Aryan Supremacy.’ His doctrine claimed Germans were superior beings, while other races were inferior, ‘subhuman’ and should be eliminated. This he would later carry out in his systematic killing of over 6 million Jews, gypsies, blacks, Slavs, communists, and other ‘subhumans’.

But before then, at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, he wanted to prove his theory to the world by showcasing the superiority of German athletes. As athletes arrived from other nations for the games, one of those representing American was a young black man named Jesse Owens.  Jesse was unnerved by the evident disdain for the black race by the German people. But Jesse determined not to let the hatred for his race put him down, rather he decided to prove Hitler wrong before the whole world. He knew the odds were great, and he went on his knees in prayer to engage the help of God. And God did send help.

As the competition commenced, Jesse shocked spectators with his amazing performance. He broke Olympic records and won four gold medals, more than any other athlete. This made him the most successful athlete at the games. Hitler’s  ‘Aryan Supremacy’  theory was quickly overturned as people saw that a black man of the ‘subhuman’ race had defeated the ‘superior’ Germans. The German people were won over by Jesse’s performance and he became a crowd favorite. Hitler was so infuriated that he refused to shake Jesse’s hands afterwards. Hitler’s hatred instead of hindering Jesse had fueled him to become one of the greatest athletes of all times. Indeed God can use your haters to promote you.

In the journey of life, just as God has divine connections lined up, He also has people who will be used to push you forward. Goliaths are not for your destruction, but for your elevation. Discouragers and haters can stir you up. Those against us perhaps help us sometimes more than our friends.  God used Judas more than any of the other disciples to accomplish the mission of Jesus on earth. Without the betrayal there would have been no  crucifixion or resurrection.  Jesus knew Judas would betray him but he didn’t try to stop it. He knew Judas was playing a vital role. No wonder Jesus called him ‘Friend’ in Matthew 26:50. The betrayal was crucial to the salvation plan.

So understand that your haters are serving an important purpose in your destiny. Some of your critics are the reason why you have learned how to pray. They drove you to your knees and kept you praying. We wouldn’t reach our highest potential without oppositions. If God removed some of your critics today you probably would become spiritually lazy. So God allows them sometimes as thorns on your side, to keep you pressing forward. Just as God strategically placed Goliath on David’s path and also used Joseph’s brothers; haters can push you to your throne. Without the naysayers you wouldn’t become all you were created to be. Thank God for your friends but also learn to thank God for your enemies. That’s why Paul tells us in Romans 12:20  ‘if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink’. Why? Because he is helping your destiny. You need to see people that oppose you in a new light. They are there to make you better, not bitter. They are there to squeeze  you so that the treasure buried within you can flow out. Perhaps if Hitler had not disdained  the black race, Jesse may not have pushed as hard as he did to win the 4 gold medals, and prove him wrong. So instead of being discouraged by oppositions ask God to give you the needed wisdom to thrive. It is by the wisdom of God that pressures are turned to pleasures. The Holy Spirit as you seek Him, will show you how to maximize negative situations. When  you stay in faith, God will turn your stumbling blocks to stepping stones. He will turn your pain into power, and  your mourning into dancing.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for using even the challenges I may face, to  move me into my greater destiny. Thank You Lord,  for causing all things to work together for my good in Jesus name. .  

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When God places His hand upon a man,  nothing can come against him, this is because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.- WORDBITE 222. 

Psalm 119:130

• “The entrance of Thy Words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple”
• DAILY READING- Matthew 11:1-19; Leviticus 11-12; Proverbs 24

Some cities have become so violent that they are now tagged crime capitals of the world. One of these is Venezuela, which has become one of the most weaponized places on earth with one firearm for every two people. The crime rate is such that the Venezuelan government has refused to officially publish murder statistics since 2011.

In this so called crime capitals, one major ways governments have been fighting crimes is by lighting up dark streets and corners. Hitherto crime zones once flooded with light had criminal activities drastically reduce. Criminals like to hide under the cover of darkness to carry out their evil activities. But when light comes and they have no more hiding place they are forced to quit the area.

Spiritually also man is oppressed from the regions of darkness. The psalmist says that the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. It is the dark regions in a man’s life that gives room to the operations of darkness.. But when light comes every darkness  must disappear. What you need to guarantee victory against the operations of evil forces is an introduction of the light of God’s Word. It doesn’t matter the trial or challenge facing you. The Bible declares, “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. [John 1:5.]

Any challenge faced by any man is from the region of darkness. This includes sickness, failure and repetitive evil cycles. You cannot fight darkness in darkness! The solution to every work of darkness is introduction of light. You cannot wrestle sickness in ignorance; what you need to do is to go into God’s Word and find out God’s promises for your health and wellbeing and introduce that Word into this area of darkness and darkness will naturally flee, because light and darkness don’t struggle for right of place. ‘The entrance of Thy Words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” [Psalm 119:130]

This means that it is your responsibility to access The Word that will give the light to dispel every darkness in your life. The Psalmist prayed: “Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law” [Psalms 119:18.]

As you begin today to flood your life with the light of The Word of God I see every darkness disappear from around you. From today may your life be permanently flooded with light as you commit to constant study of God’s Word!

 PRAYER:  Lord, help me to keep my life covered by your light so that there will be no hiding place for darkness in Jesus Name.

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Illuminate your world, for you are a star destined to shine- – WORDBITE 222

Psalm 30:5 KJV

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning..

• DAILY READING Matthew 10:26-42; Leviticus 9-10; Proverbs 23

Life can be likened to a river. As dirt and debris enter the river and flow past, so does problems come and go. Problems don’t linger, they have to flow past. Life is in times and seasons. Sometimes it can be a season of temptation when it seems you are being hard pressed, even out of measure. But then if you hold on, and trust in God, it too shall come to pass. It will not linger forever.

The Bible would often say ‘and it came to pass…’. That means it did not come to stay. It came to pass. So no matter how bad the situation, no matter how difficult, as long as you hold on to God, it too shall surely come to pass. Every problem has an expiry date,  yours is no different. Whatever challenge is confronting you shall not linger forever. It too shall come to pass.

Psalm 30:5 says ‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.’

It’s always darkest just before the day breaks. But no matter how deep or dark the night it has never stopped the day from breaking forth. Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. So no matter how dark your situation may look like now, your joy is surely coming forth.

Psalm 30:5 KJV

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning..

Christopher Columbus was on the verge of giving up. After three weeks of sailing and no sight of land, his crew threatened mutiny. Columbus had set sail in 1492.  A deeply devout man, Columbus was always grateful to God and dedicated his mission to the New World to the conversion of pagan peoples; like the apostles, he hoped to bring the Gospel to those who had never heard of Christ.. But  after one month of sailing and not sighting land,  the crew became restless.  Mutiny was brewing.  Discouraged and about to turn back, that was when he discovered land. At the moment when all hope seemed lost, Columbus realized his dream;  America was discovered.

On landing at the shore, he threw himself on his knees, kissed the earth, and returned thanks to God with tears of joy. His example was followed by the rest of the crew. Often breakthroughs come at the point of giving up.  When it seems all hope is lost that is not the point to give up, that is when to continue to press on. It is always darkest juts before the day breaks. So don’t be discourages by the things that may try to frustrate you. keep pushing forward, keep trusting in God to make  a way even where there seems to be no way. No matter the situation confronting you now, it too shall come to pass. It will not linger forever.

So turn your pain into power by releasing your praise. Thank God for what He set to do. Trust Him for a miracle. There is no situation God cannot handle. There is nothing too difficult for Him. Believe Him to do for you above your expectations. No matter how your back may seem to be pressed against the wall, God can suddenly change everything. It is only a matter of time. This too shall pass. And suddenly your mourning will be turned into dancing.

PRAYER: Lord, help me not to be discouraged by what I may see physically around me, I know indeed you are working out all things together for my good, and in due season I will see a manifestation of the victory you have already won for me. ….

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God’s promises in Christ in your life may appear delayed, but never forget that delays are not denials.

Philippians 4:6-7  ‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’

DAILY READING   Matthew 10:1-25; Leviticus 7-8; Proverbs 22

In the financial world, Tuesday, October 29, 1929, is a day nicknamed Black Tuesday. On that day, the Wall Street stock market crashed, and stock prices completely collapsed. Between $10-$15 billion was lost in just one day due to the plummeting share prices.

This economic Crash was caused by the prosperity and massive economic boom enjoyed in the 1920’s, which led to high consumerism, easy credit schemes and increased debt. During that time stock brokers encouraged people to buy stocks with loaned money. And so many people borrowed huge amounts of money to buy stocks.

However after a while, the economy began to contract and the share prices began to slowly fall until the stock market went into free fall. Those who had borrowed huge amounts of money to invest in stocks, now suddenly found themselves losing the money they had invested. And then creditors were hounding them to pay back their loans all at once. Of course many people didn’t have the money to pay back. And as a result, thousands of people panicked. Many seeing a bleak and hopeless future committed suicide. Yet had they waited a little while longer, they would have seen that the situation was not as terrible as it first appeared.

Philippians 4:6-7 says ‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.’

You should never give in to anxiety or panic no matter the situation you may face. Panic comes from a Greek word that means to ‘choke off’. What happens when anyone panics is that air is  choked off from their brain. Which means that the person can no longer think clearly leading to wrong decisions. Panic short circuits the nervous system, and keeps a man from thinking rational thoughts.

Therefore instead of panicking or being anxious we should rather learn to build up strength in our inner man by constant study of God’s Word. That way, no matter what happens, we will be strengthened and upheld by The Word within us.  Indeed God is in control and nothing ever takes Him by surprise. He will never allow any temptation greater than you to come your way. With every temptation, He will always make a way of escape.

Therefore whatever you are confronted with, rather than panic, take the situation to God in prayers with thanksgiving. Don’t ever let the enemy deceive you into thinking that the problem is more than you. God will never put upon you more than you can bear. Indeed weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. Therefore, instead of panicking, we should rather switch to praise. Turn your pressures into pleasures through giving God worthy praise. In an atmosphere of continual praise, there are no pressures, only pleasures. In your praise is your victory! Indeed in God’s Presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand pleasures forever more.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to always praise You in every situation. Indeed You are bigger than any problem I may face.  As I praise You I know You will indeed turn my mourning into dancing 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’ WORBITE 222

Isaiah 43:19  ‘ Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.’

 “DAILY READING —  Matthew 9:18-38; Leviticus 5-6; Proverbs 21

On the morning of July 16 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins took off in their spaceship Apollo 11, on the first historical journey to the moon.  About four days later the crew were set to land on the moon. But this landing was their biggest concern, because they were faced with many unknown factors. No man had ever been on the moon before, so they did not know what to really expect when they touched down on the moon surface. As they tried to land their space ship called ‘the Eagle’, they found themselves in an area littered with boulders. Fortunately they were able to navigate and avoid this dangerous area and landed in a better place. But again during the final seconds of descent, the Eagle’s computer began sounding alarms, but again fortunately the system which controlled the entire operation of their space craft, did not crash.  Another fortunate thing was that their fuel did not finish  in mid-flight, because when their lunar module landed at 4:18pm, only 30 seconds of fuel was left in it.  A number of things could have gone wrong, but somehow despite all these challenges they landed safely and made history. After they landed, the mission’s leader Neil Armstrong radioed back to earth and said  the now famous words ‘The Eagle has landed.” On hearing these words, the men in the NASA Mission control room who had been waiting anxiously to hear from them erupted in celebration. A new thing has taken place. History has been made, men have finally landed on the moon.

In Isaiah 43:19 God says, ‘ Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.’

Despite the various challenges these astronauts faced they were able to overcome and achieve a new thing, they made history by doing what no man had ever done before.

Sometimes when we are about to chart a new course challenges arise to try to discourage us. But no matter how desolate and dry things may look, God is able to do a new thing. He can make a way in your desert. He can  cause rivers of blessings and favor to flow towards you.  His plan for you today is blessing, to give you a future and a hope. His plan is to do a new thing in your life.

Today marks the first day of November. It is a month of new things.  It doesn’t matter what past months may have looked like,  today is a brand new month. It may be the eleventh month, but we serve the God of 11^th hour miracles.

Matthew Chapter 20:6: says “And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith to them, ‘Why stand ye here all the day idle?’”

These laborers had given up hope of getting work for that day, but they were met by an 11th hour miracle and got jobs that gave them equal pay with those that started working long before them. It is like a race where an athlete was still helplessly and hopelessly at the starting block when the race was about to end, but in split seconds a miracle happens that puts him ahead of others. In the same vein, others may have gone ahead of you this year, but  God is about to grant you the overtaker’s anointing.  God will miraculously turn your darkest hour into your greatest hour as the odds are shifted in your favor. He will surprise you beyond all possible expectations. No matter how discouraging  situations  and circumstances may seem, trust that God  can still do something new in your life. Like a seed buried deep in the ground, it may sometimes seem dark and lonely and there may be dirt all around, but that is the place where new life springs forth. Likewise despite all the challenges that surrounded you, you are about to spring forth in this new month. Weeping may have endured for the night but now your joy is coming in the morning. It is indeed a new day for you.  And He that has begun this good work in you will surely bring it to perfection.

PRAYER: Lord, I know that what may seem impossible to men is totally possible with You, I therefore praise You for the new and miraculous things You are about to do in my life in this month 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.

LUKE 22: 46.  

And said unto them why sleep ye, rise ye and pray lest you enter into temptation

DAILY READING      Matthew 9:1-17; Leviticus 3-4; Proverbs 20

Weeds choke, entangle and steal from plants, robbing them of  needed moisture and nutrients. They may not necessarily stop growth, but they can slow it down to the point that fruit never ripens. They hinder fruit from maturing. Weeds are aggressive, often quicker than useful plants at reproducing and spreading. Since they are typically fast growing, they eventually steal the sunlight, too, by towering over the good plants. Then they crowd out the tender young shoots, stealing their space. In agricultural situations, especially tropical regions, weeds can cause up to a fifty percent reduction in yields. They are not easy to get rid of. Any farmer or gardener will verify that one hundred percent control of weeds is impossible. A single plant of common ragweed can produce over 3000 seeds. A single pigweed plant produces over 120,000 seeds! And if conditions are not right, some weed seeds can lie dormant for decades, waiting for the right amount of moisture, light and heat before germinating. Studies have shown seeds from several varieties of weeds are still able to germinate after ninety years! Add to this that botanists have classified thousands of different species of weeds.

Indeed weeds are a problem that will not go away. The most that can be done is to manage the problem. Despite the best efforts of a farmer, every few days or weeks, weeds pop up and need to be pulled out.  A gardener has to watch constantly for them and attack their appearance early.

Spiritually, weeds and thorns are those things that can grow in a man’s life to rob him of God’s best for him. These weeds or thorns choke  growth of The Word in him and stop the man from being fruitful or  producing good fruits.

Luke 8:7 says ‘And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them’ And then Luke 8:14-15 says  ‘And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.’

So spiritually, weeds, thorns, tares can hinder a man’s fruitfulness. And it is spiritual slumber that gives the enemy the opportunity to sow these wrong seeds in a man’s life. 

Mathew 13:25 says ‘But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.’

This is why we need to constantly watch and pray so that we do not fall prey to the enemy. It is either you pray or you will be preyed upon. Having a strong Prayer life is where you stop the enemy from planting wrong things in your life. It is in the place of prayer that you roar and stop the enemy from invading your territory. Our deliverance is in our mouth. What you can’t confront you can’t conquer. If you don’t like what you see, speak what should be. Don’t keep silent over the enemy’s harassment. In spiritual warfare silence is seen as consent. But when you roar in the place of prayer, every enemy of your destiny is sent packing.

It is in the place of prayer that we exercise our redemptive rights. It is in the place of prayer that we can engage the spiritual weapons of our warfare. And one sure weapon is the blood of Jesus. If there are things the enemy may have planted in your life that are proving stubborn to be uprooted, then engage the power of the blood against them.  In spiritual warfare the blood is a weapon of mass destruction. Just like in physical warfare , nuclear power is the ultimate military might, in the same vein, the Blood is our ultimate spiritual weapon. It is the spiritual nuclear force that destroys all barriers, resistances and oppositions. It is our sure guarantee of victory in every battle.

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.

By engaging the power of the blood in prayer, every planting of the enemy is uprooted and destroyed. Indeed the blood is our ultimate victory against every satanic assault.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to be always prayerful and watchful. By Your grace the enemy will never have the opportunity to plant any tares in my life. Indeed by The blood of Jesus I am a winner in every battle of life 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

Matthew 5:23-24

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

• DAILY READING Matthew 8:14-34; Leviticus 1-2; Proverbs 19

 In the 1940’s, Corrie ten Boom and her family were watchmakers and devout Christians known for their faith and social outreach in their town of Haarlem, in Holland. After Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940, Jews and members of the Dutch resistance flocked to their home for safe harbor.

Between 1943 and 1944 the ten Boom family illegally housed countless refugees and helped them to escape. But on February 28, 1944 a secret informant revealed the family’s operation to the Gestapo, Germany’s secret police. Their home was raided and thirty people, including Corrie, her father, two sisters and brother were taken to prison. Miraculously, the Gestapo failed to find four Jews and two members of the Dutch underground, who were hiding behind a secret wall in Corrie’s bedroom. These would later escape to safety.

 The ten Boom family suffered greatly in prison. Corrie lost her father, brother and sister. However, months later Corrie was released from prison due to a clerical error. She would later find out that a week after she left, the rest of the women in her age group were all executed.

After the war Corrie returned to her home in the Netherlands and established a rehabilitation center for postwar refugees. However, Corrie’s faith was put to the ultimate test in 1947 when she happened to meet one of the prison guards who had tormented her and her sister in prison. In her best-selling autobiography ‘The Hiding Place’, she described the chance meeting. It was in a church in Munich where she had gone to preach that she saw him. Seeing him suddenly brought back very painful memories. But the former guard walked up to her and told her he had become a Christian after the war and asked for her forgiveness. As terrible as she felt, she grabbed his hand and with tears in her eyes told him she had forgiven him. Afterwards she said she never felt God’s love so intensely as she did that day. Corrie ten Boom died on her 91st birthday on April 15, 1983. According to Jewish tradition, only special souls are chosen to die on their birthday.

Matthew 5:23-24 says “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

Jesus says clearly in the Bible that offenses will come. But we must always remember that it does not really matter why someone has chosen to hurt us. What really matters is that we recognize that forgiveness is a necessity.   Unforgiveness is life-destroying. It is the root of many terminal illnesses. And in medical books it is even listed as a disease.

Forgiveness has less to do with the guilty person’s reaction, it’s about obeying God’s instruction to forgive. It is also a decision not to allow yourself to be victimized twice by giving the pain room to continue to operate in your life and affect you. Forgiveness liberates your heart from the anger and pain. The forgiving process means letting go and leaving all judgment to God.

Romans 12:20 says  “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

Obey God’s instruction to love your enemies and leave the judgment to Him. No matter where you are in life, no matter what you have done in the past, or what someone else has done to you, Jesus is able to wipe the slate clean. He is able to heal, make us whole and cause His peace to flow like a river through our hearts.

 PRAYER: Lord, please,  may your love constantly flow through me  and cause me  to live as a reflection of Christ. Wherever there is any bitterness or anger in my life, for whatever reason,please uproot it and fill my heart always with joy  in Jesus Name.

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