HORM Devotional

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 – Mark 8:22-9:1; 2 Samuel 20-21; Hosea 1:1-2:1

On the cover of Time Magazine of June 18 2001, was a story titled  Blind Faith. This story was about a team of 19 climbers who successfully reached the top of mount Everest. This team made history for being the largest team so far to reach the summit. They also broke other world records for  having among them; the first blind man to climb mount Everest, the oldest person at 64 years to make the climb, the first American father and son team, and for carrying the largest camera to the summit.

One of the leaders of this team was a Christian man named Eric. Speaking on an interview with the 700 club, Eric said for him, the climb was significant because through it God helped him to overcome his fear of failure. Though Eric was a Christian, born and raised in a Christian family, prior to the climb, he had wrestled greatly with fear and doubt. This was mainly because a year earlier, Eric fell 150 feet’ in the Himalayas on Mt. Amadablam. Eric developed pulmonary edema and he needed to be airlifted to safety. For eight months he struggled with pneumonia and was unable to train. When invited to climb Mount Everest, he initially didn’t want to make the climb. He knew many people who attempted to climb Mt. Everest had failed and died. And at that time fear of his previous fall gripped his heart. But Eric prayed and put his faith and trust in God. And God enabled him to overcome the fear and become part of the history making team that successfully climbed to the top of the Everest. For Eric, the greatest aspect of the historic climb, was how it improved his relationship with God. Eric learned that failure is not final, no matter how you fail, when you trust God, He will help you to get up. Though he fell when he attempted climbing Mt. Amadablam and almost died, through God’s help, he was able to get up again and climb even the greater mount Everest and win.

Proverbs 24:16 says, ‘The righteous may fall seven times but still get up.’

One of the greatest mountains anyone can conquer is fear. Most of man’s defeats in life are traceable to the spirit of fear. The fear of failure has gotten many destinies grounded.  But you cannot reach the pinnacle of success without overcoming fear.

We 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? 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. However the important thing is not to fail and fall out, but to get up and keep trying again.  With God’s help  we can always get up and reach our ordained goal. It is determination despite failures that leads to success.

We must have faith in the Lord. It is through faith in God that we can overcome fear. And faith comes by hearing and hearing The Word of God.

It is through the consciousness of God’s Presence that comes through an intimate walk and fellowship with Him, that we can conquer fear. Psalms 34:4 says ‘I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.’

It is through seeking The Lord that we are delivered from fears.

The more you know God, the bolder you become. The righteous are as bold as a lion.

In those times fear tries to attack our hearts we must learn to turn to God through His Word. Psalms 56:3-4 says ‘What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.’.

Study of The Word inoculates our heart with faith. And faith is the ultimate answer to fear. When our heart is filled with faith, there will be no room for fear. It is only when we can say, “The Lord is the strength of my life” that we can also be able to say “Of whom shall I be afraid?”.

When we are truly full of God, then we are truly free from fear!

PRAYER: Father by Your grace enable me to study Your Word with renewed zeal so that I can be full of faith. For I know that when I am full of faith there will be no room for fear in my life.  Through in-depth knowledge of Your Word, empower me to overcome every attack of fear 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 KING IN ME]

Prov. 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths’.
DAILY READING Mark 8:1-21; 2 Samuel 19; Daniel 12

Following instructions is critical to a pilot’s survival during a storm, fog or at night. In such situations, a pilot can lose all sense of direction.  In order to survive, he must adhere strictly to the instructions on his instruments panel.

During operation desert storm, Lt. Col. Jeff Patton flew an F-15 fighter jet, as part of a mission to bomb a chemical weapons plant in Iraq. To avoid being detected by enemy defenses, the planes flew in a cloudy night, where there was no moonlight.  Flying in total darkness, the pilots became completely dependent upon their instruments. But shortly after crossing into Iraq, Col. Patton realized that an Iraqi missile radar had detected his plane and “locked on” to it.  To escape being hit by the missile, he violently maneuvered his aircraft in another direction. Though he succeeded in escaping the missile, the sharp maneuver  had thrown him out of balance, causing him to become disoriented, and lose sense of direction. Because he was flying in total darkness, he could no longer tell if he was going up or down. Though his mind was telling him he was going up, when he checked his instruments, they indicated he was diving down to the ground!  His mind was screaming at him to lower the plane, because he was going up too high, but on the other hand his instruments instructed him to immediately lift up the plane because he was headed to the ground for a crash. He had to decide quickly whether to trust his mind or his instruments.  At that moment his life depended on making the correct choice. Even though it took everything within him to overcome what his mind was telling him, he decided to trust his instruments.  He immediately pulled his plane upward. It only took a few moments to realize he had made the right decision. He found he had narrowly escaped colliding into the mountains of Iraq. Had he delayed just three more seconds his plane would have crashed into the mountains. If he had lowered the nose of his jet like his mind had been telling him, he would have crashed the plane. Trusting his instruments saved his life!
We walk by faith not by sight. We fly by instructions. In those times, when it seems we are going through a storm or a fog in life, we need to rely on God’s guidance through the “instruments” of His Word.

Storms are often indicative of spiritual warfare. And don’t forget our wrestle is not with flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places. This is therefore not the time to rely on physical senses, but rather to engage the force of The Spirit. Our physical senses can be misleading and deceptive. To follow our minds can be dangerous. The book of Proverbs says there is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.  To fly through the storms of life, we need to strictly adhere to the instructions of scriptures.

Isaiah 30 says you shall hear a voice behind you saying this is the way, walk ye in it when you turn to the right or to the left.

Jesus said in John 5;30, ‘I can of My own self do nothing, as I hear I judge’. Jesus relied heavily on the instructions of The Spirit to escape the plots and plans of the Jews.

In the same way to survive the storm, and escape the traps of the wicked, we need to follow strictly the instructions of the Spirit.

Prov. 3:5 tells us to trust in the Lord with all our heart, and not to lean on our own understanding.

You cannot afford to trust your senses or rely on men’s advice. Even people who are sincere, can be sincerely wrong. This is why we follow only what God has said.

Because His Word never fails. His counsel will stand forever. He has promised to be with us when we pass through the waters, and  through the fire. He is our way maker and light in the darkness.  He is our beacon of hope as we navigate through the treacherous waters of this world.

Therefore we keep trusting His guidance, even if it seems we can’t trace Him. We trust His  dealings with us, and not in our feelings.

We do not go by what is happening, but rather by what is written. We  keep focused on God’s Word and His promises, knowing He never breaks covenant nor alters what has gone out of His lips. No one who has trusted what God said has ever been let down. And if we cannot seem to see Him at work, it does not mean that He is not actively involved in our lives. He is always there.

And trusting Him means that when we cannot see anything else and do not know which way to go, we must simply follow His Word, and fly by instructions.
PRAYER Lord Please enable me to follow closely the instructions of Scriptures, as I walk through the narrow corridors of this life.  By Your grace, help me always to walk by faith and not by sight. Indeed I have victory and have overcome the world through the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

QUOTE

When you apply The Word of God, it will work for you, anywhere and anytime- WORDBITE 222.

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]

Psalm 119:89 KJV

For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
• DAILY READING ;  Mark 7:14-37; 2 Samuel 18; Daniel 11:21-45

It is amazing to note that the Bible is written over  a period of 1600 years. The Bible was written between 1500 BC to AD 100, by 40 different men, who lived at different times. This is quite amazing, because of the flow and coordination we find in the Bible, brought together by The Holy Spirit, to make perfect sense.

Indeed the content of the Bible are more than mere letters, it’s the breath of The Spirit encapsulated in living words. The Bible is the oldest book known to man, yet mysteriously also, it is the greatest best seller of all ages and the most sold book of all times. It is also the most translated book on earth.

However through the ages,  the enemy has viciously fought the translation and  availability of The Bible to the common man. In fact, many of those who translated the Bible into simple languages paid dearly with their own lives. One of those who paid dearly for translating the Bible was John Hus. He was a catholic priest who lived in the 14th century. His life had a dramatic change when he began to translate some of the sermons of John Wycliffe into the Bohemian language. These sermons moved him to cry out for reform in the Church, and a return to the authority of the Scriptures as the sole source of faith and doctrine for the Christian.  For this, he at once was branded a heretic, excommunicated, and his writings were suppressed. He found refuge outside of the city, where he continued to preach, write, and study. He categorically stated in no uncertain terms that Christ is the only Head of the church.  In 1414 he was arrested , given a mock trial without the benefit of an advocate, and condemned to death as a heretic. He was kept in prison for seven months before he was brought forth to be burned. As Hus stood before the stake he said, “In the truth of the Gospel which I have written, taught, and preached, I die willingly and joyfully today.” Then the fire was kindled, and as the red tongues of flame driven by the wind, rose high around the body of the martyr, Hus sang, “Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, have mercy on me.”

John Hus was killed for making the Bible easily available. Besides John Hus, other Bible translators as Wycliffe, and Tyndale had also paid with their lives. And it is because of these men that we can have free access to the Bible today.

Having the Bible so easily available, let us always remember the great price that has been paid for it to be so. We must therefore value the precious gift The Bible is to humanity. It is The very Word of God existing  among us.  The Bible is the only book which  contains the actual words of God.  More than 3,000 times in the Bible you will find “thus saith the Lord’, with the very words of God written down. This is God’s direct communication to humanity. This is God speaking to us.

This is why you should approach the Bible with reverence, knowing it contains the living Word of The Living God. These are words that can transform you.

The Bible is no ordinary book.  It is God’s medium of communicating truth.  It’s our only true light in a world of darkness.

God knows  our end from our beginning, and it is only through His Word that we see light to understand the mysteries of our lives. We can never understand our times, seasons and reasons behind them except we come to The Word and allow The Holy Spirit to unravel truth to us.  There is something written about you. There is a script to the drama of your life. There is a reason why things have happened the way they have. To move forward in life, to fulfill destiny, You need to  pay attention to what God is really saying in His Word.  The study of The Word should be our number one priority. The one needful thing is sitting down at the feet of the Master and hearing His Word. When you begin to develop a culture of total regard for the Word, The Spirit of the Word will open up its content to you with depth of revelations you never imagined.  It will be the road map to your glorious destination, it will take you to heights you never imagined. Let us therefore from today, begin to approach The Bible with a renewed sense of value and appreciation for this great gift God has given to humanity.

PRAYER: Lord, Your Word is unchanging, and true. As I study Your Word, please help me to be  transformed daily into the image of Christ, I know by the power in Your Word I can indeed do all things through Christ that strengthens  me, in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

Reading The Bible gives you over view, Studying it takes you to depths. – WORDBITE 222.

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]

Psalm 105:14 – 15

‘He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;  Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.’
DAILY  READING  – – Mark 7:1-13; 2 Samuel 17; Daniel 11:1-19
In year 2000, a violent conflict began in the middle East. This violent period is known as the ‘intifada’, which was a period of violent uprisings by Palestinians against Israel. There were numerous  incidents  of  suicide bombings, rocket attacks, and sniper fire. This conflict lasted for 5 years, ending in 2005. By the end of it, about 1,000 Israelis and 3,200 Palestinians had lost their lives.

In response, to these attacks, Israel’s government decided to construct a security fence between Israel and the West Bank. This fence was to prevent Palestinian terrorists from easily infiltrating into Israel. As at that time, there was virtually no barrier to the terrorists. They  could easily walk across from the West Bank into Israel. Approximately 75 percent of the suicide bombers who attacked targets inside Israel, crossed the border into Israel through these ways.

Though it was a rigorous task, Israel did go ahead to construct the fence.

And after the construction, things changed dramatically in Israel. It soon became evident, the value of the fence in saving Israeli lives. The number of terrorist attacks dropped by more than 90%. The number of Israelis murdered and wounded decreased by more than 70% and 85%, respectively.  The fence also became successful in cutting illegal immigration by 99%. For instance the number of people illegally crossing the Israel-Egypt border, used to be as much as 16,000, but after the fence construction, the number reduced to less than 20.

Indeed the fence has provided great protection to the people of Israel.

Building fences, is an effective way of keeping away intruders. This is why also in our various homes, we have walls and fences around our compounds, to keep away unwelcome visitors.

And just as we have physical fences, we also need spiritual fences around us, to keep out spiritually unwanted visitors.

The spiritual defense around a believer is God’s presence.

In Zechariah 2:5 God says ‘For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.’

When we are in Christ, there is a spiritual wall of fire around us, which makes us untouchable to the enemy.

In Job 1:10, the enemy makes a revealing statement when he said ‘Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.’

Here, the enemy was revealing why he could not touch Job, because there was a spiritual fence around job and his household.  The wall of fire round about a believer makes it impossible for the devil to reach him.

The Lord is indeed our refuge and fortress. The Name of The Lord is a strong tower, which we run into and we are safe.

We can build a spiritual fence around our lives, by the continual mention of the Name of The Lord. Remember that at The Name of Jesus every knee bows. What that means is that, as we keep His Name in our mouth, the continual mentioning of His Name provides a spiritual barrier which no devil can cross. Because as soon as they hear that Name, they bow. They cannot cross an environment soaked with the Name of Jesus. This is why we keep blessing His Name at all times and ensure that His praise is continually in our lips.

Psalm 22 tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people. So praise provides a habitation for God around us. The more we praise Him, the more His Presence surrounds us.

God’s Presence is our refuge, He is our hiding place.

Therefore you can bring an end to every demonic intrusion and harassment   in your life, by building the spiritual fence of God’s presence around you.

When you begin to consciously praise God, you surround yourself with His Presence. And if God be for you, who can be against you? When God surrounds you, He ensures that no devil tampers with you. Psalm 105:13 – 15 says ‘When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people;  He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;  Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.’

God’s Presence indeed makes the difference. Through praise, the ‘touch not’ seal comes upon us. Through praise, we build a spiritual defense shield around us which no enemy can access.   Therefore as you go about today, ensure that you surround yourself with God’s Presence by maintaining a ceaseless flow of praise. The more you praise God, the more His Presence will surround you, as a spiritual wall of fire and defense.
PRAYER: Lord, please help me to continually bless You at all times, let Your Praise continually flow from my mouth. As I go about today, let Your Presence surround me as a spiritual shield and defense, which no enemy can access.  Indeed I am untouchable, because of Your  ‘touch not’ seal upon my life, in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE

As a child of God you have to recognize that you are in the middle of an ongoing battle, And your victory is assured. .

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE]

Philippians 4:6-7
‘Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God…shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
DAILY READING Mark 6:30-56; 2 Samuel 16; Daniel 10:1-21
The first settlers and founding fathers of America, were a group of English pilgrims.  In the 1500s, England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and created a new church called the Church of England. Everyone in England was mandated to belong to this church. But some group of pilgrims, rebelled against this law. Preferring to practice religious freedom they decided to leave England and start a new settlement of their own.  So these group of 102 Pilgrims, set sail on a ship called the Mayflower in September 1620.  Their destination was new area of lands discovered by Columbus in 1492 called the New World. Here they hoped to start a new city and serve God freely without interference. Their journey was filled with uncertainty and peril. But after two months of braving the harsh elements of a vast storm-tossed sea, they arrived in Massachusetts. After a prayer service, the Pilgrims began building hasty shelters. However, they were unprepared for the harsh New England winter. Faced with the devastating weather, half of them, about 50, died from sickness and starvation. Although their hearts were still heavy from these losses, they remained grateful and thankful to God. And as a show of their appreciation of God’s faithfulness, they set aside a certain day as first thanksgiving day, to show gratitude to God. They called together their Indian neighbours, and spent 3 days in celebration of praise to God. And year after year it became a tradition to set apart a particular day of thanking God for His faithfulness. And God indeed showed these pilgrims many miracles to prove He was with them. Though they lost half of the members of their community, but because they chose to keep praising God, today God has multiplied the remnant, into the great American nation. And this pilgrim’s thanksgiving day, has become entrenched in the American tradition. Yearly, in America, the last Thursday in November is set aside as thanksgiving day.  And in 1941, the American Congress permanently established the fourth Thursday of each November as a national holiday.

There was no way those pilgrims could have foreseen the greatness of their future generation, but for praising God despite their losses, God has made them a great nation.

Philippians 4:6-7 says ‘Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God…shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

It doesn’t matter what you think you may have lost, when you thank God for what is left, He will surely multiply it beyond your wildest expectation.

To feed five thousand men, Jesus had just five loaves and two fishes, but when He lifted up the little that was available in thanksgiving to God,  great multiplication came.

A wise man said if you have lost anything God is the reason why you have not lost everything. So let’s thank God for what is available. When you thank God for His finger, He will unveil His arm for you. Thanksgiving is a multiplier. It also brings perfection and wholeness.

When the one leper came back to thank Jesus, his healing was perfected.

In everything we are to give thanks. When we trust God we thank Him in everything. We trust that He is indeed working out all things for our good.

When one door closes we trust He will open another. We don’t keep crying over the closed door. What if it was a death trap, which God delivered us from?

Ephesians 5:20 says  “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”.

In every situation we give Him thanks.  We do not look at what is happening we look at what is written. Psalm 30 says though weeping may endure for a night joy is coming in the morning. Every problem has an expiry date, every storm runs out of rain. When you get into a tight place and everything seems to be against you, never give up. That may just be the place and time that the tide will turn. Remember it is always darkest just before the day breaks. When you are closest to your breakthrough is when your worst temptations come. This is why we praise God at all times,  knowing that He is turning it all around for our good. When you praise God, He will raise you out of the valley. He will turn your mourning into dancing. He will turn your darkness into light.

Yes, you can be in the storm, but don’t let the storm get in you, don’t let the happenings around you tamper with the joy within you.

Be radical. Praise God even in the storm. If you can do the ridiculous, you will see the miraculous.

God will arise for you. And when God arises all His enemies will be scattered. Your guarantee for victory  is God’s presence. And praise is what it takes to get God on the scene. He inhabits the praises of His people.

Like the American pilgrims do not look at what you may have lost, rather bless God for what remains. And when you do, He will multiply that remnant beyond your wildest expectations. God is too faithful to fail! So let us keep giving Him thanks in all things. Indeed He is working it all out for us.
PRAYER: Lord, please help me to praise You, despite any contrary situation, let nothing ever stop the continual flow of your praise from my mouth. You are forever faithful and I know that indeed all things are working out together for my good in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

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

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE]

Deuteronomy 28:13 KJV

13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath;:
DAILY READING – -Mark 6:1-29; 2 Samuel 15; Daniel 9

In 1967, in the mid-east, the drums of war began to beat. The faceoff between Israel and its Arab neighbors was coming to an unavoidable climax. In a provocative move, Egypt had moved large forces and heavy artillery to the Sinai desert. Next, Egypt had closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli ships and anyone bringing any military equipment to Israel. Then Egypt, Syria and Jordan formed a pact and placed their militaries on high alert. All these were acts of war! And it was clear that conflict was inevitable.

However, the odds were greatly against Israel. In fact globally it was believed Israel had no chance against the great Arab coalition. But despite the frightening scenario, the Jewish people confidently maintained their confidence in their God. They believed God was on their side and will fight for them.  And so it was. God indeed did fight for His people.

In a  preemptive move, Israel sent two hundred of its Air Force planes to attack the Egyptian air bases. Though, these planes flew very low to avoid being detected, still a Jordanian radar facility detected the  approaching Israeli aircrafts. Immediately  Jordan sent out a message to Egypt to warn them of the approaching Israeli planes. The secret code was the word “Inab”, meaning war. This was meant to alert Egypt to rise to counter the attack.  But unknown to Jordan, Egypt had only the day before changed their coding frequency, and was yet to update Jordan. So the warning was not received by the Egyptian military. This was indeed a miracle, because it prevented the Israeli planes from being shot down. Another remarkable thing, was that Egypt’s anti-aircraft ammunition was sufficient enough to have destroyed  all the Israeli planes, but miraculously, the order was not given to launch any of these missiles. Thus Israeli planes, arrived the Egyptian airbase, unresisted and began to attack, destroying half of the Egyptian air force.

With this surprise attack, Israeli effectively destabilized the Arab military.

And within six days, of intense fighting, Israel miraculously won the war. By its victory Israel was able to gain more lands from the Arabs, and tripled the size of its territory! No doubt, in this war, God fought for Israel, and gave His people dominion over their enemies.

Indeed Kingdom dominion is the heritage of God’s people. And under  the new covenant, the church is now in the era of dominion.  Psalms 110:1-2 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.’

We are to rule in the midst of our enemies. In this  era God’s people  will be dominating practically over the wicked.  We are to be the head and never the tail, above only and never beneath.

We are to dominate by a raw manifestation of the power of God. This is why every child of God should seek to be empowered at this time. You cannot afford to be powerless, lest the enemy make mincemeat of you. It is through the greatness of God’s power that the enemy will submit. By mighty signs and wonders, men shall know that we are indeed serving The living God.

It is indeed your time to dominate. Never mind that it may look as if you are in the minority.  Just like Israel in the battle with the Arabs, you may look grossly outnumbered. The odds may even be against you and the oppositions appear  greater in number. But then the arm of flesh shall fail. While they trust in their horses and chariots, we shall trust in the Name of The Lord our God.

God has said in Isaiah 31:3 ‘ Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together’

Therefore despite their war paraphernalia  and intimidating machinery, do not fear. They shall fall, and you shall stand upright.  We are in the days of His power, and it is our time to rule. Dominion is our portion.

However it is only those that know their God that can do exploits. Therefore this is the time to go for indepth knowledge of The Word.  It is by engaging the power of God via the knowledge of The Word, that we can dominate.  In the book of exodus when the power of God descended,  Egypt was dominated and overthrown. By this same power of God in this era, the wicked shall also be overthrown.  Therefore in this season, by God’s  power,  you  are dominating over  every negative circumstance. You are dominating over sickness and disease, over failure, poverty and every contrary situation in Jesus Name.   You are to be the head and not the tail, above only and never beneath. You are to take the lead, while others follow. That is your heritage. You are the winner in every conflict. You are the victor in every contest. Because you are born of God, you are born to overcome!

PRAYER: Father by Your grace enable me to overcome every contrary situation in my life. Through indepth knowledge of Your Word, empower me to dominate my world 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 KING IN ME]

1 Corinthians 15:58

‘Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.’

DAILY READING Mark 5:21-43; 2 Samuel 14; Daniel 8

Pastor Richard Wurmbrand was an evangelical minister who endured 14 years of Communist imprisonment and torture in Romania. He was arrested in 1948, along with his wife, for running an underground church. This was after the communists banned the preaching of The Gospel.

Pastor Wurmbrand spent three years in solitary confinement, seeing no one but his Communist torturers. He was then transferred to a group cell, where the torture continued for five more years. During his years in jail, Wurmbrand was beaten, given mind-altering drugs and humiliated. Through everything, he refused to recant his faith. He kept sane by preaching himself a sermon every night, fixing more than 300 sermons in his brain.

His wife was released after 3 years in prison. But she  was denied work for refusing to divorce her husband. Then after more than eight years in prison, Richard Wurmbrand was finally released. A group of Christians in Norway, paid a ransom of $10,000 to the Romanian government for his release. As soon as he came out, he immediately resumed his work with the underground church.  He later moved with his wife to America where they campaigned for religious freedom, founded the Christian Mission to the Communist World and became co-founders of The Voice of the Martyrs.

1 Corinthians 15:58 says ‘Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.’

Despite all this pastor went through, he remained immovable. He refused to recant his faith. And remained steadfast in proclaiming the Gospel of Christ.

As a child of God situations will come to try your faith. But no matter what you pass through, decide to stand strong in the face of every adversity. Don’t ever allow anything to shift your faith or focus from Christ. Be strong, immovable, always abounding in the work of The Lord.

Often, difficult situations are simply a test of your faith. If you choose to get bitter, then you have missed the point. Rather choose to get better by pressing forward with a smile on your face. Rejoice, and know that God is bringing out the best in you. The only difference between a piece of black coal and a priceless diamond is the amount of pressure that it’s endured. When you endure pressure, and stand strong in the midst of trials, you will come forth as gold.

Oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure. One of the surest tests for a true diamond is the water test. An imitation stone, on the surface is as brilliant as a genuine stone. But under water, a genuine diamond typically sparkles brilliantly, while the imitation is practically extinguished. Under water, the difference is immediately made clear. You may be going through a trying situation now, but always know that God has your best interest at heart. Regardless of your current circumstances, God is working out His will.

Eph 1:11 says God works all things according to the counsel of His own will. the enemy cannot have his way! only God’s counsel will stand;

Psalm 34:19 says ‘The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.’

Be assured that God’s will is your deliverance. Just keep standing strong in the face of every trial. Don’t give up, don’t give, don’t quit.

Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” To overcome you must be rooted in The Word. This means you soak up the Word just as a dry sponge soaks up water. It is The Word within you that births the faith that will cause you to overcome.

Yes, it may seem as if you have been fighting battles too great for you, but you are never alone in your battles. The battle is not yours, but the Lord’s! God is watching over you. He that keeps Israel never slumbers nor sleeps. God will see you through. His grace that has brought you thus far, will keep you. Fear not. Do not be troubled, let not your heart be shaken. Your God is able. Your God is faithful. He will fulfill His promise to you. He is committed to manifesting His glory embedded in you, He has not brought you this far to leave you. He is with you even till the end of time.

PRAYER: Lord, I know with you nothing shall be impossible. Please help me to always focus on your Word even in the midst of trying situations. I know that, no matter what it may look like now, everything will eventually  work out for my good in Jesus Name. 

quote

The battle you are faced with today is a good warfare because God has already foreordained  victorious end for you WORDBITE 222.

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD OF GOD]

Hebrews 10:35-36

‘Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For you have need of patience that after you have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise’.’

• DAILY READING -Mark 5:1-20; 2 Samuel 13; Daniel 7

During Idi Amin’s reign of terror in Uganda, he killed thousands of people. During that time, so many Christians lived in fear of their lives. On Easter morning in 1973, at the Redeemed Church in Kampala Uganda, Pastor Kefa Sempangi, after the service, headed for the vestry to change his clothes. He did not notice the five men that followed him. When he walked through the door of the vestry, these men stepped in quickly after him and closed the door.  The pastor turned to find five guns pointing at him. Immediately he recognized the men to be members of the dreaded idi Amin’s secret police.

Their leader told him they were going to kill him. For the pastor it was like a scene from a nightmare. Initially he almost collapsed with fear, but then, suddenly, something arose inside him. He heard a voice speaking with boldness, and was astonished to realize that it was his own voice.  He found himself saying boldly to the men “I do not need to plead my own cause, I am a dead man already. My life is dead and hidden in Christ. It is your lives that are in danger. You are dead in your sins.” The men were totally taken aback by his boldness. Usually they were used to their victims crying and begging for their lives, but this was different. Their leader took a step towards him, perhaps to strike him, but suddenly he stopped. It was as if something gripped him. These men stared at the pastor for a while in amazement. Then their leader lowered his gun and motioned the others to do the same.

Then their leader asked the pastor “Will you pray for us now?”

“Yes, I will pray for you,” the pastor answered, still surprised at his own boldness. “I will pray to the Father in heaven. Please bow your heads and close your eyes.”

And this was how this pastor led these assassins to Christ. They became committed members of the church and used their positions to help protect church members whose lives were in danger, even helping  several families escape from Uganda.

Hebrews 10:35  Says ‘Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.’

God helped this pastor to show great confidence even in the face of danger. This confidence was key in disarming his enemies. Because he refused to  show fear, the enemies had to bow. If you refuse to be terrified, your enemies will be petrified. When you refuse to be moved, the enemy will be forced to move. When your faith remains steadfast, heaven will come to your defense. David refused to be moved by Goliath and that became the end of goliath.

The power of God is released for our deliverance when we express confidence in Him. This is why in every battle the enemy’s first attack is your confidence.  If he can get you to bow, then you will be bound.

In a wrestling match, each fighter exaggerates his strength.  The purpose is to instill fear in the opponent and drive away his confidence. Because once confidence is lost, victory is lost. Philippians 1:28 Says ‘And in nothing terrified by your adversaries…’

Therefore do not be terrified by the enemy’s reports. All his noise is an effort to get you to lose confidence in your God.  But Like Paul in Acts 20:24  you must say: ‘But none of these things move me…’

When the 3 Hebrew boys declared confidently to Nebuchadnezzar that their God will deliver them, God came down and authenticated their confidence in Him. Each time the enemy tries to get you into a fix, remember you serve a mighty God. He is the God of miracles who can break open prison doors and get you out of any captivity. He makes a way where there seems to be no way. Certainly, for Daniel faced with lions in the den it seemed it was over. But God knows how to shut up the mouth of lions and deliver His own.

No matter what situation you are faced with now, do not limit your God. If He can  shut up the mouth of lions, cause earthquakes, then be assured that He can rescue you.  What He is asking is for you to keep trusting Him. Faith is the link that keeps you connected to Heaven for a rescue operation, don’t break that link.

And you don’t build faith in the day of trouble; you build faith against the day of trouble. What is in you today is what speaks for you tomorrow. What you have put inside of you is what will manifest in the day of trouble. This is why we must spend time in The Word to consciously build up our faith. Prov.24:10 say ‘If your strength fails in the day of trouble, then your strength is little.”

The Word of God in you is what gives you confidence and stamina in the day of battle. Confidence establishes your victory. Therefore do not cast away your confidence.

It is true, the year is fast coming to a close, but your case will not be closed until you decide to close it. The expectation of the righteous shall not be cut short. Therefore keep expressing confidence in your God. He is the God of the 11th hour miracle.  There is nothing impossible to Him.

It doesn’t matter the tight corner the enemy may have tried to put you into, you can still come out of it. There is still hope for you. Do not cast away your confidence. No matter the situation, be assured that as long as you remain confident in your God and His abilities to deliver, you will surely win.

PRAYER: Lord, I know with you nothing shall be impossible. Please help me to always focus on your Word so that I can maintain my confidence in You. I know that as long as my trust is in You, I shall never be put to shame in Jesus Name. . .
QUOTE
When God is on your side anything is possible.. – WORDBITE 222.
[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD OF GOD]

Revelation 12:11

‘And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto death’

DAILY READING –Mark 4:21-41; 2 Samuel 11-12; Daniel 6

In her book ‘the blood and the glory’, Billy Brim, former editor of publications for Kenneth Hagin Ministries gave the following account;

A minister named Stevens, who lived in Tennessee, and his wife were invited to conduct meetings in a church in Canada. But just before they left on the trip, Brother Stevens received reports from some friends that they had seen foxes roaming on his land. This report brought concern to the Stevens because they intended leaving their children behind, as they traveled. But deciding to trust God, they embarked on the trip, leaving their children at home in the care of grandparents.

When they arrived Canada, the meetings went very well. Many souls were saved, delivered, and set free from demonic bondages. Because of this success, the enemy became infuriated and began to torment Brother Stevens with the thought that he was going to kill the Stevens’ children, by sending rabid foxes to attack them. Brother Stevens said, “Devil, you’re a liar! You cannot kill my children.” But these thoughts became so strong that brother Stevens gathered together three other believers. Together they agreed in prayer, and by faith they drew a blood line of protection around the Stevens’ property.

A week later, Brother Stevens received a letter from his brother back in Tennessee. In the letter, his brother said he was out walking, around the edge of the Steven’s property. And on the boundary of their land he found on the ground five dead foxes. When the heads of these foxes were examined, they were found to be all rabid. Obviously the enemy had sent the rabid foxes as he had threatened but they had all dropped dead when they tried to cross the Blood line!

The blood of Jesus is indeed powerful. We draw the Blood line to define the boundaries that the enemy cannot cross. The blood of Jesus sets a demarcation between us and evil. By the blood we overcome the enemy and put a halt to his encroachment in our lives.

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 death’.

We secure victory over the enemy by the blood of the Lamb.

We must appreciate the fact that Jesus is reckoned in scriptures as our Passover Lamb. His blood was shed for us on the Cross, just as a lamb was slain for the sprinkling of the Passover Blood.

1 Corinthians 5:7 says ‘For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us’

In Exodus 12, the Blood sprinkled at Passover guaranteed the victory of the Israelites over pharaoh in Egypt. It was by the mystery of the blood that God delivered the Israelites from 430 years of captivity in Egypt. The Bible records that God had sent several plagues to Egypt but Pharaoh refused to release the Israelites. Then in Exodus 11:1 God said to Moses: ‘Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether’.

The “one more plague” was engaging the mystery of the Blood. The Bible records that after this mystery of the blood was applied, the siege of captivity over the Israelites was broken. The same night they were released by pharaoh in a hurry and left Egypt. The Blood indeed is an irresistible weapon which will break every stubborn yoke of the enemy.

Is there anything that has long been resisting your glorious destiny? It is time to invoke the blood against it. Every pharaoh must bow at the invocation of the blood of Jesus. No matter how far the enemy has gone he can always be stopped. Draw the blood line and declare to that devil ‘this is where you stop. You cannot go further.’ When Pharoah attempted to cross the red sea he drowned, the same way any enemy attempting to cross the red line of the blood will drown for your sake.  The Blood of Jesus  is God’s ultimate assault power! It is the spiritual nuclear force that destroys all barriers, resistances and oppositions. It is a mighty weapon of war; it is God’s answer against all satanic assaults. The Blood of the Lamb is a primary weapon against the strategies of the enemy.

It is time to arise and begin to engage the power in the blood. Tell that challenging situation ‘the blood of Jesus is against you!’ Enough is enough. Affliction cannot arise a second time!

The blood of Jesus cannot be shed in vain in your life. Jesus paid the ultimate price to secure for you the ultimate victory.

Jesus suffered, bled and died to give you victory over the enemy. He died young that you might live long. His blood was shed so that your blood will never be shed . Therefore you cannot be feeling helpless and defeated by a devil who was defeated over 2000 years ago by the blood. As the blood was powerful then, it is still powerful today and will be powerful forever.

Therefore draw the blood line around your life and create a demarcation that the enemy cannot cross. As the mark of the blood on the doorposts of the Israelites made them untouchable to the angel of death, so the mark of the blood upon your household, makes you untouchable to every evil. As the blood delivered Israel from 430 years of captivity, today let that blood break every yoke of captivity in your life.. And as the scarlet rope on Rahab’s window, signifying the blood, delivered her from destruction when the walls of Jericho fell, so also the mark of the blood of Jesus delivers you  from every destruction. Paul said, let no man trouble me for I bear in my body the marks of Jesus Christ. By reason of the blood mark upon you, every trouble stays away.

Today let the blood of Jesus begin to speak for you. Let the blood that speaks better things than the blood of Abel speak Passover to every evil in your life. Let it speak victory for you. Let it speak favour for you. By reason of the blood your life becomes totally inaccessible to every evil in Jesus Name.

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for the power that is in the blood of Jesus. Today I invoke that blood against everything resisting my glorious destiny. No more shall I be a victim.  Today I declare that I have overcome by the blood of Jesus. I have victory by the blood of the lamb. It is indeed well with me in Jesus Name. 

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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.

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK ESTABLISHED IN THE WORD OF GOD]

PS 121: 1-8
‘I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

• DAILY READING -Mark 4:1-20; 2 Samuel 9-10; Daniel 5

Recently in the news, there was a remarkable story of God’s intervention.  Pastor Paul Ciniraj, director of Bibles for Mideast, and other Christians were rescued from the clutches of death by a group of three lions. Ciniraj and his group were under attack from Islamic militants. The pastor had been under attack for converting more than 3,000 former Muslims, and baptizing them.

The pastor was in the home of some friends following a stoning attack by Islamists earlier that day. Suddenly, a group of militants reached the house, armed with steel bars and other weapons. There was no way to escape and Pastor Ciniraj thought this was the end of the road for him, and those with him in the house. Losing all hope, they thought this was their last day and so they began to pray.  Then, something truly amazing took place!

Completely unexpectedly, a lion ran from the forest, leapt toward the militants, and seized one by the neck. When other combatants tried to attack the lion, two other lions bounded toward them. The terrified militants fled the site.  The lions left the pastor and his people completely alone and went back into the forest. Equally astonishing is the fact that records show no lions are supposed to live in that forest.

What an incredible story of God’s power! God is indeed an ever present help in trouble.

Often when it seems there is no way out,  God arises for us. This world is a battle field, and we need divine help to make it. Without divine help a man will suffer defeat, humiliation and shame. If this pastor did not receive help from above, he and those with him would have been killed.

Every man needs help. Especially in this age and time we need God’s help. We need the kind of divine help that defies human solutions. We need help that confounds the enemy and delivers miracles to us. Our help is in the name of The Lord.

PS 121: says “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep’.

The Lord is our helper, without Him we can do nothing. We have to come to the point of full realization that we are utterly helpless without God.  The help of man is in vain. It is vain to trust in princes. The Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose. Joseph expected help from a man, but man forgot him. It was the help of God that caused him to be eventually remembered and brought out of prison.  Help from above is always superior to help from abroad. Rather than to trust in men we are to keep our eyes on God. Because they that put their trust in Him shall never be ashamed.

And sometimes we don’t know how strong our God is until we are faced with strong battles.  In Judges 15:14-17, The anointing became strongest on Samson when the Philistines shouted the loudest on him. According to Ps.66:1, God arises to scatter His enemies only when they have gathered.

And though it may seem as if they are gathering right now against you, do not be troubled. Let not your heart be shaken. Understand that they are gathering only to be scattered. The bible says in Isaiah 54, that surely they will gather. So the enemy’s agenda is to gather, but  God’s own agenda is to scatter them. When  they come against you one way, they shall scatter seven ways.

God will arise for you. Divine help will speak for you. Every tongue that arises against you in judgment, God will permanently silence for your sake. This is why psalm 46 tells us that though the land be carried into the sea, yet we will not fear. We do not look at the situation, we look unto our God. There is nothing too hard for God. There is no situation He cannot handle. It was by His help that the walls of Jericho came down. In Joshua 5:13-14, the captain of the host of God’s army, was present to help the Israelites. And though the Israeli army marched round the walls, it was only by supernatural assistance that the walls eventually came tumbling down. Again in 2Chr 26:15, the king did exploits because he was marvelously helped  by God until he was strong.

Without the help of God we cannot make it in this life. When you don’t know what to do, God’s help arises for you. In IIChr.20:1-24. King Jehoshaphat declared that their eyes were upon God. And God arose for them and helped them. The help of God wins the battle of life:  In Isaiah 41:10-14. God assures us that He will help us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. The help of God is always available for us in every situation. And when it seems we are overburdened, we have to learn to turn it all over to God. He has asked us to cast our cares upon Him for He cares for us.  He is our burden bearer. He is our way maker.

Psalms 61:2  says ‘From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.’

When it seems we can’t take it anymore, let us run to the Rock that is higher than us.

Heb. 4: 16  says “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

It does not matter the troubles or situations around you, when God sends help to you every storm becomes calm.

Divine help is accessed by prayer. It is when we come to the throne of grace that we receive help for the race. Therefore, to be prayerless is to be helpless. Things will cease to work if you cease to pray. To be constantly connected to divine help let us maintain our divine connection to the throne of grace. Let fire be renewed on our altar of prayer and praise. As we do so we will have continued access to God’s help in Jesus Name.

PRAYER: Lord, I need Your continued help in my life. It is so obvious that without You I can never make it in this life. Please help me, I need You every hour. As I come today to Your throne of grace, I know indeed I shall obtain help for the race, in Jesus Name.
QUOTE

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

[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK FAITH CLASSICS]