HORM Devotional

 Isaiah 59:1 KJV

Behold The Lord’s hand is not shortened that He cannot save neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear but you iniquities have separated between you and your God..

DAILY READING     John 7:1-24; 1 Chronicles 27-28; Zechariah12

We all know from the Bible, the story of Daniel Shadrach Meshach and Abednego; the Hebrew boys who were carried into Babylon.

More than just a bible story, there is also a historical account of what really took place at that time. Due to Israel’s disobedience God prophesied through Jeremiah that the people of Israel, would be carried captive into Babylon, where they would serve king Nebuchadnezzar for 70 years, then after that He will bring restoration to them. The historical account of events at that period confirm  what God said, came to pass exactly as was prophesied.

In 607 B.C, the Babylonian armies came and destroyed Jerusalem and took the Jews captive. For 70 years the Jews were in captivity in Babylon. At this time, Daniel Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were also carried from Judah into Babylon. During the years of captivity Daniel in Daniel chapter 9, began to pray to God asking for forgiveness  for his people. In answer God brought fulfillment to His word to bring restoration to His people.  Not only were they restored God also brought destruction to their captors.  

Though God was angry with His people, the moment they repented God turned His wrath against their enemies. God set forth into motion events that would culminate in the destruction of Babylon, even as His people Israel would be delivered. Now the destruction of Babylon could not have been humanly predicted. Babylon at that time, was the crown jewel of the Assyrian empire, the epitome of religion and culture in the ancient middle east, seemingly indestructible. But according to history in 539 B.C, Cyrus attacked Babylon. And as foretold the great city of Babylon fell suddenly in one night [Jeremiah 51: 8]. Cyrus destroyed Babylon and restored the Jews back to their homeland, 70 years after their captivity, just as God had said through Jeremiah. 

When the children of Israel repented and turned back to God, He sent deliverance. 

God is a God of love and mercy. Whenever we stray He is ever ready to receive us back. When we understand the love of The Father instead of running from Him when we sin, we should rather run to Him. He is ever ready to forgive and to restore us back, as long as we acknowledge our sins. 

Some of us today, God is waiting for us to turn back from rebelling against His Word, so that He can judge the things afflicting us. 

2 Corinthians 10:6 says ‘God is in readiness to revenge all  disobedience when our obedience is fulfilled’  

Isaiah 51:9 says ‘Behold The Lord’s hand is not shortened that He cannot save neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear but your iniquities have separated between you and your God..’

Sin is a separator between man and God. At this point we need to pause and ponder; Could the reason why our deliverance have been delayed for so long be because of anything displeasing to God in our lives? Two cannot walk together except they be agreed. By The Help of the Holy Spirit let us ask for grace to live a life totally pleasing to Him so that He can arise and avenge every enemy of our lives. 
PRAYER: Lord, help me get rid of anything displeasing to you in my life which could be hindering my long awaited deliverance in Jesus Name. .   

QUOTE 

When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction.
 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK TRIUMPH OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS] 

Acts 16:25 

‘And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.

’DAILY READING –     John 6:60-71; 1 Chronicles 25-26; Zechariah11

In May 1948 Israel became an independent state. And now 70 years later, it is celebrating the 70th anniversary of its official status as a nation.

70 years ago when Israel declared it’s statehood in 1948, many did not believe the new state would survive. This was especially due to the military onslaught launched by the Arabs to annihilate the Jewish state.  But it is obvious that God’s hand has been upon Israel, because despite all the warfare it has faced, it not only has survived but is today thriving and dominating its environment.

Today, Israel is not only a significant military power, but also a formidable economic machine. It is a worldwide center for technology and a leading nation in innovations. 

And now, as Israel celebrates the 70th anniversary of its official status as a nation, biblical scholars are analyzing the significance of this season. Indeed in this 70th year, we have entered a historic and unique window of time.
In Hebrew and in Biblical numerology, the number 70 is very significant. 

Ancient Israel spent 70 years in Babylonian captivity, after which they were miraculously released. This 70th year of modern Israel, therefore marks a season of supernatural release from every captivity. It is a season when God will bring His judgment upon everything that represents Babylon in your life  and establish a forceful release and turnaround for you. It is a time of coming into your liberty and inheritance. It is a season of all-around rest and supernatural fruitfulness. 

Again it is notable that just last year 2017, Jerusalem held its  golden Jubilee, the 50th anniversary celebration of its reunification.  

In the Hebrew calendar, a Jubilee, comes after 7 sabbatical cycles of 7 years. The 50th year was the Year of Jubilee, when bond slaves were released, land restored and debts forgiven. It is also significant that in 2017, exactly 50 years after the 6 day war in 1967 that liberated Jerusalem, President Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and directed the State Department to begin preparation to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This was unprecedented and historic, which many saw as a significant move of God. 

Indeed prophetically we are in a very unusual season. And we must be sensitive to appropriate the blessings and benefits of this season. 

Like the sons of Issachar we should have an understanding of the times and also know what we ought to do. 

And key to experiencing the promises of this season is by engaging the instrument of praise. It is through praise that we can experience the prophesied release and fruitfulness. It is when we praise God that the earth yields her increase.  

It is a season of release and restoration and, God is restoring again the tabernacle of David, which is a tabernacle of praise. Indeed  God is fearful in praises.

And it is as we praise God that He will destroy every captivity and deliver our portion and inheritance to us.

Acts 16:25 says ‘And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.’

Indeed as we begin to praise God today, every prison door will be opened and we will be released into our glorious destiny. Through praise we will connect to the blessings  of this season. Therefore today, let us begin to praise God  for what He has done, what He is doing and what He is set to do in our lives. For indeed our God is faithful and worthy of every praise!

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always praise You. Let nothing ever stop the continual flow of your praise from my mouth. By faith I connect to every blessing of this season 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. 

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE] 

2 Chronicles 16:9 
 ‘The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.’
 DAILY READING      John 6:22-59; 1 Chronicles 24; Zechariah10
Aimee Semple McPherson is one of the greatest female preachers who ever lived. This celebrated evangelist, born in the late 19th century was the only child of her parents. When she was 17 years old and still in high school, she attended a revival service where she accepted The Lord. Aimee desired to seek God further. She was glad when one weekend, while on a visit to a group of Christian friends, heavy snow began to fall and she couldn’t go home for some days. Grounded by the heavy snowing, she used the time rather to wait upon The Lord and to seek His face in prayer. And in those few days of waiting upon The Lord her life was totally revolutionized. She received the baptism of The Holy Ghost and the call to ministry.

She would begin to lead revivalist meetings, drawing large crowds in tents, concert halls and sports arenas. She witnessed thousands saved and healed during her evangelistic meetings. She built the Angelus Temple in 1923, which was a 5,000-seat auditorium in an influential area of Los Angeles. She paved the way for other female evangelists during a time when women were not accepted in the pulpit. She also launched the first Christian radio station and established a Bible college. She eventually founded the Church of the Foursquare Gospel, which is flourishing worldwide today. 

It is remarkable that in just a few days of waiting upon The Lord when she was 17 years old, Aimee’s Life became changed forever.  

When Jesus told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem, He was telling them that that this was a means of experiencing His power. In waiting they would catch the wind of God’s Spirit and see mighty signs and wonders erupt. Signs and wonders follow them that believe. And we believe through spending time in The Word to seek God.  God is indeed a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.  The biblical stories of Abraham, Job, Hannah,Zechariah and Elizabeth are perfect examples of those who learned to  wait on the lord and got their reward.

Isaiah 40:31 says ‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’

When we wait upon God we receive power and renewed strength to go forth and excel. 

When we wait upon The Lord health and healing is released to us and blessings abound in  our family.  

David was a poor shepherd boy who began to wait upon The Lord. Through waiting Upon The Lord his life was revolutionized.  

In 1 Samuel 16:1, referring to David, God said to Samuel ’I have found for myself a king’. And in Psalm 89:20 God said ‘I have found David my servant; with my Holy oil  have I anointed him.’

And 2 Chronicles 16:9 lets us know that ‘The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.’ 

So God’s eyes are going through the earth, seeking for those who are seeking for Him more than anything else.  

God is searching for true worshippers in spirit and truth. 

The devil has deceived man and kept him so busy that man has forgotten the original reason for his creation. Man runs after money, houses, cars, etc, and has no time for his creator. 

But Jesus said in Luke 10:42  that one thing is needful, which is sitting at the feet of the master, and hearing His Word. It is when we seek first the kingdom of God that every other thing gets added to us. 

Let us therefore begin to take the time to wait upon God, knowing that He has not called the sons of Jacob to seek Him in vain. Indeed when we seek Him and find Him, there is a reward and our expectations are not cut short. 
PRAYER: Lord, please  grant me  the grace to wait upon You always. May I never be too busy to seek Your Presence. As I wait upon  You, let my strength be renewed to mount up with wings in this year of eagle’s flight in Jesus Name.   

QUOTE 

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

– WORDBITE 222. 

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS] .

1 John 1:7 ‘ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin’
DAILY READING – John 6:1-21; 1 Chronicles 22:2-23:32; Zechariah9

Solomon Ginsburg was a Baptist missionary to Brazil who became known as the ‘Firebrand of Brazil’. He served in Brazil for thirty-five years, and co-founded the first Baptist church in the Amazon Valley. Though he was born in Poland as the son of a Jewish rabbi, through the revelation he received about the blood of Jesus from Isaiah 53, he became converted to Christianity. As a result of his conversion he became rejected and ostracized by the Jewish community. Attempts were even made to kill him, but nothing could dissuade him from the strong revelation he had received about the atoning blood of Jesus.

He would later become a missionary, and  dedicated himself, to the evangelization of Brazil. While in Brazil, he would go into the most dangerous quarters with the gospel; into dens of thieves and cut-throats that even the police feared to enter. However in the many challenges he encountered he always relied on the power in  blood of Jesus to deliver him.

On one occasion he was invited to the home of a notorious assassin in Brazil called Herculano. Solomon was warned not to go because it was believed Herculano would kill him. But the missionary, after a prayer of renewed consecration to Christ, set out on the journey. On reaching Herculano’s home, the missionary looked into the bloodshot eyes of the assassin and said: “Although warned that it would probably mean death to come to this place, I am here because I am more concerned about your soul than about my own life.” Then in simple language he told of the gospel of salvation, of God’s love, of Christ’s death and of Calvary’s cleansing blood.

As he spoke the missionary noticed the struggle going on in Herculano. It was obvious part of the assassin wanted to attack the missionary, but overcome by the greater power of God, he cried out “The cleansing blood—that is what I need!”. Soon the giant frame of Herculano fell prostrate to the floor as he cried out to God to wash him in the ‘cleansing blood of Jesus!’

When finally Herculano rose to his feet, he was  a changed man. After his conversion, he became an earnest and quiet Christian whose life and testimony became an amazement to the people in Brazil. 

Indeed there is power in the blood of Jesus to deliver and to transform. The blood not only protected the missionary but also arrested and transformed the assassin. 

In spiritual warfare, the blood of Jesus is the spiritual nuclear force that destroys all resistances and oppositions. The Blood Covenant occupies the highest and most powerful position in the battles of life. It is God’s answer against all satanic assaults. When we start speaking the blood we introduce the life and power of God into our midst. And whenever God arrives all His enemies must be scattered. Indeed when we engage the power in the blood, no devil can stand! Whenever we are confronted, we can plead the Blood of Jesus to overcome whatever is trying to resist our progress. And we can also draw the Blood line to define the boundaries that the enemy cannot cross. According to Revelations 12:11, we overcome the enemy by the Blood of the Lamb.

Indeed there are many benefits available to us through the application of the blood of Jesus. By the blood, we can secure our destiny in righteousness and holiness. Sin is a sinker and destroyer of purpose, but through the blood, we can overcome the power of sin. As we plead the blood over temptations, the root of sin is destroyed and we are empowered to live a Christ-like existence. 

Not only that, the blood of Jesus uproots every sickness and weakness from our body and sets a seal of longevity on our lives. The blood also restores color and dignity to our destiny.  The aftermath of the blood of sprinkling in Egypt brought about supernatural restoration for the Israelites. There was supernatural transfer of wealth as they spoiled the Egyptians.

Indeed there is so much available to us through the blood of Jesus. And as we begin to apply the blood over our family and all that concerns us, indeed the benefits in the blood will be made manifest all around us in Jesus Name.  

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the many benefits available to me through the Blood of Jesus. Indeed by the power in the blood I have    victory in every area of my life 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

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS] 

PSALM 125:3 
‘For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity..’ 

 DAILY READING – John 5:19-47; 1 Chronicles 20:1-22:1; Zechariah8

Recently, there was an online appeal, requesting people to submit interesting world war 1 stories. And one of the most amazing stories to emerge was the presentation of a bible that had over hundred years ago, stopped a bullet from entering a soldier’s heart. 

According to the story, the soldier, Leonard Knight born in 1898 in Wychbold, Worcestershire, was just 17-years-old when he enlisted to fight in the first world war.  However, before he left to the war front, his aunt gave him the gift of a pocket Bible. While on the warfront, Leonard was carrying this Bible in the breast pocket of his uniform when a German bullet struck him. The round penetrated the hardback front cover, but was stopped by the thickness of the Bible. Incredibly it was halted around 50 pages from the end of the book. The Bullet which would have hit Leonard’s heart was then trapped in the pages of the Bible. Leonard escaped without a scratch. 

This bible today is on display, still with its bullet hole and the original bullet still embedded in it. In the front cover can still be seen written his aunt’s little note  “To Leonard, with love from Aunt Minnie. July 1915”. 

This miracle Bible, treasured by Leonard’s family, has been passed down through five generations of their family, as an evidence of God’s divine hand to protect from danger. 

However the interesting thing is that a Bible on its own is not thick enough to stop a bullet. In fact, recently Discovery Channel’s popular show, MythBusters decided to test the possibility of a Bible stopping a bullet. And on that episode, it was “scientifically proven” that a Bible could not withstand more than a very small caliber bullet, let alone the high-powered armaments used in warfare. The truth is that, though their scientific calculations may be right, yet they failed to account for God’s unseen hand of divine protection. 

The Word of God indeed is our protection. Spiritually, the Word is able to stop any bullet or arrow of the wicked from reaching us.  Every day in the realm of the spirit, there are arrows and bullets flying up and down in every direction.  But in these battles God has promised protection to His children. It is by the shield of faith, that we quench every fiery dart of the wicked. And the shield of Faith is formed by surrounding ourselves with the Word of God. The Word of God in our mouth is what swallows up the rod of the wicked. 

Exodus 7:10&12 says ‘And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded; For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents:  but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods’

The word of God represented here, by the rod of Moses will always swallow up every rod of the Egyptian. Psalm 125:3 says ‘For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of righteous.’ Indeed the Word of God will always locate and swallow everything contrary to the will of God for us.

 Isaiah 25:8 says ‘God will swallow up death in victory; And the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces;’ This is God’s plan for you, God wants by His Word to swallow up death, sickness, poverty and everything that represents the rod of the wicked anywhere in your life. 

This is why we must always fill our heart with the Word, and confess it with our mouth. And today, as you commit to constantly study and confess God’s Word, indeed you will be shielded and protected from every evil arrow in Jesus Name. 
PRAYER: Lord, please enable me to meditate constantly on your Word so that my heart can be filled with the faith I need to overcome every evil arrow targeted against me. Indeed by Your Word, I know I have victory in every battle in Jesus Name.    

QUOTE: 

Your heart needs to be filled with The Word of God to the point of overflow. – WORDBITE 222

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK METAMORPHOSIS] 

Psalm 126:6 
‘He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.’
DAILY READING    John 5:1-18; 1 Chronicles 18-19; Zechariah7

In 1966 things were difficult for Kenneth and Gloria Copeland. They had no money, and had at some points even cooked their meal in a kettle, because they couldn’t afford proper pots. And also because they couldn’t afford a refrigerator, they stored their food on the porch during winter, to keep it cold. 

However at this time, God instructed Kenneth, to start attending classes at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Stepping out by faith, Kenneth and Gloria packed what they had and with their two children headed to Tulsa.  

When they arrived, Kenneth had no money to pay for the school’s tuition nor did he have a job. He struggled with poverty. But after attending  Kenneth Hagin’s Tulsa seminars in the mid ’60s, he got turned onto the Word of God. He realized that there was a key that could open him up to prosperity. He desperately wanted Kenneth Hagin’s tapes to learn more, but he was deeply in debt and couldn’t afford the tapes. Desperate for knowledge, he then went to Kenneth Hagin’s ministry to trade his car for tapes. But when the manager of the tape ministry, took one look at the old car, he told him, “Just go ahead and take the tapes. Bring the money when you can.” 

So  Kenneth Copeland packed as much tapes as he could and began to feed on The Word. 

The result is that his life was revolutionized. And as he began to practice the principle of seed sowing he had discovered, he moved from poverty to become one of the most prosperous preachers of the Gospel today. 
Psalm 126:6 says ‘He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.’

Though the poverty that had surrounded Kenneth Copeland, made it initially difficult for him to sow seeds,  he decided to trust God and began sowing in tears. And eventually what God promised came to pass in his life. He reaped a bountiful all round harvest.   

Indeed when we sow in tears we are bound to reap in joy.  Harvest only answers to seedtime. The tendency of the natural mind is to withhold or withdraw sowing seeds in difficult times. Sowing seed in times of famine takes great faith in God because all the odds seem to be against you. But when you ignore your circumstances and obey God, you will surely reap a bountiful harvest. 

In Genesis 26, there was famine in the land. And Isaac was faced with a difficult situation, he could have left the land, but rather he obeyed God’s word and stayed back.  Then the Bible says in Genesis 26:12  “Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him” 

Imagine the remarkable picture of Isaac sowing amid the desolation of a stark and barren land. Sowing in the belief that God would provide a bountiful harvest—and in spite of the famine gripping his homeland—must have been an unusual scene indeed.  But when he obeyed God, he reaped a bountiful harvest in return. Likewise, when we begin to operate the key of knowledge in the area of seed sowing, no matter how difficult our situation may be, God will surely turn every valley into a blessing field for us.  
When God asks us to sow in difficult times, it is for our own good. God is the raiser of men, and when He wants to raise you, He will always give you an instruction on what to do. It is when you obey that you receive your miracle. 

Therefore no matter the situation you may be facing today, keep sowing good seeds. There is coming a reaping season, there is a reward awaiting you. Your labor cannot be in vain. And if you do not faint, surely in due season, you shall reap.
PRAYER: Lord, please help me to keep sowing good seeds no matter how difficult things may sometimes seem around me.  I know my reaping season is coming. Please help me to stay strong as I await Your appointed seasons of harvest for me in  Jesus Name. .   

QUOTE 

When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction.
 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK TRIUMPH OF LIGHT OVER DARKNESS] 

Psalm 102:13 KJV

‘thou shall arise and have mercy upon Zion, for the time to favor her, yeah, the set time has come’

• DAILY READING – John 4:27-42; 1 Chronicles 16:7-43; Zechariah5

Christianity today is exploding in amazing numbers all over the world. According to a 2011 Pew Research Center survey, there were 2.19 billion Christians around the world in 2010, more than three times as much from the 600 million recorded in 1910. From 1960 to 2000, the global growth of the number of reported Evangelical Protestants grew three times the world’s population rate, and twice that of Islam.

The  bible has now been translated into 3850 languages, covering 98% of every one of the major world’s languages 

In 1949 in China after 150 years of missionary labor that cost many missionaries their lives, it was estimated that there were just only about 1 million Chinese Christians existing in China. But only 60 years later, in 2009 the number of Christians in China exploded to about 120 million Chinese Christians. 

What is happening? There has been a change of season. 

The season of dominion has come for the church. This is the time in God’s agenda for the church to dominate and overcome, because Christ is coming for a glorious church, an overcoming church.  And because we are part of the church our season of dominion has also come.

Israel suffered for many years, in Egypt. But God has already told Abraham in genesis 15;13-14 ‘ Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;  and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.’ So God has already planned their deliverance before their bondage. And at the set time and season He sent a deliverer. The tables were turned in favor of Israel. God backed them up with His power, and brought His people out victoriously. Why? Because the set season of their deliverance had come. 

And today victory is God’s end time agenda for the church. Psalm 102;13 says ‘thou shall arise and have mercy upon Zion, for the time to favor her, yeah, the set time has come’. We are now in this set time and season for God to favor the church. When it is the season of anything there is no struggle to get results. When it is rainy season you do not struggle for things in your garden to grow, they just grow naturally because the rainy season has come. 

Now in God’s plan and purpose this is the set season of your victory. And everything that has been fighting you must bow now, because the season of victory has come. Psalm 110; 1-3 says ‘The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power,’. 

Christ is seated at the right hand of God, waiting for His enemies to be made  His footstool, before He returns. Therefore in God’s agenda it is therefore the time for His people to terrorize the camp of the wicked. Defeating your enemies at this time should be very easy, because God is backing you up. God is backing up the church now for victory because this is the season of our dominion. 
PRAYER Lord help me to be a partaker of the goodness you have stored up for your people in this season, may I never miss my portion in Jesus Name.  

QUOTE  

God is preparing you for the season He prepared for your breakthrough WORDBITE 222. 

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK OPEN HEAVENS] .

Psalm 119:130
“The entrance of Thy Words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple”

• DAILY READING    John 4:1-26; 1 Chronicles 15:1-16:6; Zechariah4

Associating light with safety is one of those feelings that’s so universal. If you walk alone at night in a city or suburban area, you will probably prefer routes that are well-lit, over those that aren’t.  Part of the safety precautions that are given by the police is, if at night you are in a deserted or dark area, look for a lighted place or building and stand there until help arrives. 

This is because light discourages criminals from carrying out those  activities, that they normally would hide under the cover of darkness to carry out. Where there is light and they have no hiding place they are not likely to carry out their evil activities. 

In many cities, one major way governments have been fighting crime is by lighting up dark streets and corners. Intelligent street lighting is emerging as one of the tools that’s helping to make streets safer .  Hitherto crime zones once flooded with light had criminal activities drastically reduced. 

Psalm 74:20 says  ‘Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.’
Evil likes to hide and thrive  in dark places. When we keep our lives lighted  by The Word of God, then there will be no room for the devil to operate in our lives. Spiritually also man is oppressed from the regions of darkness. 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. The Bible declares in John 1:5  “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.’ 

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. Whenever light appears. darkness will automatically flee. Light and darkness do not struggle for right of place. 

Psalm 119:130 says  ‘The entrance of Thy Words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” 

This means that it is our responsibility to study The Word until it enters us and floods our lives with light. The light from God’s Word is what dispels every form of darkness from our lives. 
In John 8:12 Jesus says ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life’

When we follow Jesus there will be no hiding place for darkness in our lives. It is the light from the Word of God that dispels the works of darkness. A man who will not study the Word will find himself suffering all manner of demonic oppressions. It is in the outer regions of darkness, where there is no light from God’s Word,  that men suffer weeping and gnashing of teeth. And according to Revelation 5:3-5, until the Book is opened, weeping continues. It is only when the Book is opened that weeping will cease. Therefore to end the oppressions of darkness, we need to flood our lives with light from God’s Word.

We must make a commitment to study The Word constantly so as to keep our lives lighted. 

And as we begin today, to daily open the book of life to access light, indeed every form of weeping, whether in secret or public, will surely cease in our lives in Jesus Name!

PRAYER:  Lord, Please enable me to so study Your Word until my life is filled with Your light. As Your light dominates my life there will be no hiding place for darkness. Thank You Lord for victory through Your Light in Jesus Name. 

QUOTE 

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

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK TRIUMPH OF LIGHT ] 

Psalm 139:14
 ‘I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well’  
DAILY READING John 3:22-36; 1 Chronicles 13-14; Zechariah3

When we look at Creation, we see the wonders of God. And perhaps the greatest wonder in all of God’s creations is man himself. Man is God’s masterpiece—His workmanship, the crown of creation. 

Psalm 139:14 says ‘I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well’ 
Indeed we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Without a doubt, the most complex information-processing system in existence is the human body. The human body is a marvelous machine—precise and efficient. Indeed, the human body is a wonder machine, 

The body has a chemical plant far more intricate than any plant that man has ever built. This plant changes the food we eat into living tissue. It causes the growth of flesh, blood, bones and teeth. It even repairs the body when parts are damaged by accident or disease. Man-made machines are lubricated only by outside sources. But the body lubricates itself by manufacturing a jelly-like substance in the right amount at every place it is needed. 

The body has its own cooling system, that maintains the right body temperature. Drops of perspiration pour from millions of tiny sweat glands in the skin, and form a cooling system that keeps body temperature at about 37°C .
Indeed when we look at the wonder of the human body and how it functions efficiently, we realize how great God is. It is by His doing that we are alive and our body functions well every day. For keeping us alive and well, God continually deserves our praise. The psalmist has said let everything that has breath praise The Lord. Breathing is not as simple and as easy as we may think. The process of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide is a complicated respiratory task that requires physiological precision. Yet we breathe effortlessly everyday, without even thinking about it. If anything causes a man to stop breathing that would mean the end of his life. Yet God keeps us breathing even when we are sleeping. Each person takes approximately 23,000 breaths every day, but how much of that breath do we really use in thanking God?
This is why we need to sometimes deliberately sit down and bless God for His goodness and faithfulness in our lives.  We need to count our blessings and deliberately thank Him for all He has been doing for us; The reason why you are still alive today is because of the grace and mercy of God. Therefore today and always let us consciously always give God praise for all His goodness towards us. Indeed let everything that has breath praise the Lord. As long as we have breath let us use it and praise God, because indeed He is worthy. 
PRAYER:  Lord Please enable me to begin to praise you in every situation. Please,, grant me the grace to always enumerate your faithfulness in my life and to give you worthy praise for  all you have been doing for me in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE 

Praise is proof that you believe God to do what He said, He would do in your life, – WORDBITE 201. 

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE] 

Psalm 37;3-4 ‘
Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.’

• DAILY READING – John 3:1-21; 1 Chronicles 12; Zechariah2

•

In the 1967 Israeli war, the intention of the Arab nations against Israel was quite clear. For them, it was an opportunity to finally destroy the Jewish nation which had become a thorn in their flesh.  With that in mind, the Arab nations and their supporters prepared  massively for this war. They put together an amazing array of weaponry. These, they believed would finally crush the tiny nation of Israel. 

While Israel had insufficient weapons and received little or no help from other nations; the US Pentagon reported that 30 nations gave military or financial support to the Arabs. According to a Newsweek report; the Russians armed Egypt with a vast array of sophisticated missiles, warheads, aircrafts, tanks, etc. Indeed the weapons amassed against Israel was formidable. Yet in a most dramatic way, God turned around the situation to favor His people. At the end of the day, Israel not only won the war, but ended up possessing most of the weapons of its enemies. In fact, the amount of weapons Israel captured in this war was so large that it took months to sort them. And as a result, at the end of the war, Israel emerged by far, the best armed country in the Mideast.

Psalm 30:11says ‘Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;’

God knows how to turn the table in our favor. This is why we need not bother about evil schemes against us, because whatever the enemy meant for evil, God is able to turn around for our good.  

When the greater nations came against King Jehoshaphat and the men of Judah in 2 chronicles 20, these nations came with great weapons and treasures. However by the end of the day, the situation had changed and all the treasures and weapons were gathered by the men of Judah. 

Also in the book of Esther, Haman seemed to be in great power and authority, while Mordecai seemingly was a nobody.  When King Ahasuerus asked Haman to list what should be done for the man in whom the king delighted;  believing it was himself, Haman had listed the very best honor for such a man. Yet at the end of the day, God turned the table dramatically and all the wealth and honor went to Mordecai, while Haman went to the gallows. 

Psalm 37:1-4 says ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.’

Though sometimes it may seem as if the opposition is powerful and formidable, refuse to be intimidated and hold on to God. Keep believing the scriptures.  

It is only a matter of time before you see the tables turned in your favor.  So don’t fret or bother yourself no matter how  formidable or impossible the negative situation may seem. Just keep looking unto Jesus. Keep looking to The Word of God. Revelation from God’s Word is key to experiencing a supernatural turn around. The study of God’s Word will birth in you the needed faith for your miracle. 

We are serving the same God that turned around situations for Joseph, David, Esther, Mordecai etc. He is still the same yesterday, today and forever. His ears are open to the cry of the righteous, and His arms are mighty to save them. Whatever may seem too big for you today, God can handle it.  God is able to turn poverty into wealth, sickness into health, disfavor into divine favor, unholy living into righteous living.

In whatever situation you may be today, know that God is turning things around to your favor. Be encouraged because your times are in His hands. And whatever the enemy meant for evil, God will surely turn around for your good.  
PRAYER: Lord, Thank You for turning things around in my favor. I know that even right now You are at work in my situation. Thank You Lord, because indeed through Christ I am more than a conqueror in Jesus Name.  

QUOTE 

God’s promises in Christ in your life may appear delayed, but never forget that delays are not denials.  WORDBITE 222. 

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]