The Hallowed Place

Wednesday 31 January
READ: Exodus 3: 4 - 6  
MORE LESSON: 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

A nation, tribe, people or place can be chosen by God. Jehovah does not do things haphazardly; He is a God of order and choice. It is man's responsibility to find out what God has chosen and align yourself with it. There are places that God has chosen; when you recognise and position yourself in such places, you attract God to yourself.  In Exo. 30:6, the Lord said to Moses, And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you (NKJV). The Lord specified where He would meet with him. If Moses went somewhere else and waited for God, he might end up waiting in vain. In the same vein, when Moses was to encounter the glory of God face to face, God told him where to stay. The Lord said, ... Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock… and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen: Exo. 33:21-23.

We must understand and respect the power of places that the Lord has chosen. Hallowed places must be given due reverence. God has a great regard for such places and so must we. If God has arranged to meet you at the vigil in church and you decide that you want to pray in your bedroom while the other brethren are praying in the church, you can lose the blessing. There is a principle of places with God. It seems at times that unsaved people respect places of God than believers. I have never seen an unbeliever enter a church and light a cigarette, because even in the heart of unregenerate men, there is an understanding that the church must be hallowed. Normally, in times of war, when you run into a religious place of worship like a church, no one is allowed to harm you inside the sanctuary. This is because even governments and warlords respect the consecrated place of worship. However, some people in the name of Pentecostalism have lost respect for God and the altar. People do unspeakable things in and around the house of God and some have thereby brought curses on themselves.
Some hallowed things of God include:
1. God's name and altar.
2. God's offering – don't steal it.
3. Marriage bed – don't desecrate it.
4. God's anointed ones/servants – never raise a finger against them.

Everyone that respects what God hallows gets the blessing that he deserves. God has set aside places of worship and everyone who respects such places gets a reward from the Almighty.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that today you will be where God wants you to be, and do what He wants you to do.
* Ask that the presence of God will go with you from today.
* Request that the will and command of God will guide you.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I can't explain it but thank You Jesus, You made a way in January and it shall remain so throughout 2018, in the mighty name of Jesus. 

Mercy for a Manasseh

Tuesday 30 January
READ: 2 Chronicles 33: 1 – 20 
MORE LESSON: Psalm 89: 30 - 37    

Manasseh was one of the most wicked kings in Israel's history. He led Israel astray into idol worship and, of all the kings before him, did evil beyond measure. He went as far as building altars for idols and placing them in the Holy of Holies of the temple of Jehovah. He thereby turned the tabernacle of God to a shrine for idols. Manasseh burned his sons as offerings to devils and gathered sorcerers and magicians as his court advisers. Manasseh is believed to be responsible for the death of Prophet Isaiah and many other men of God during his time. This king of Israel actually killed prophets as he was out to abolish the memorial of Jehovah from Israel. Manasseh was a man that can be rightly termed a stout enemy of God. The Lord spoke to him many times but his heart was hardened like Pharaoh’s.

God then sent Assyrian troops to conquer Israel. Manasseh was bound with chains and carried as a slave to Babylon. In the anguish and pain of slavery in the dungeon of Babylon, Manasseh pleaded with Jehovah for mercy. 2 Chron 33:12-13 records, And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God. When Manasseh prayed to God in affliction, the Lord did not only forgive him but took him out of the prison of Babylon, returned him to Israel and set him back on the throne as king. In fact, the prayer of Manasseh is one of the Apocryphal books that is recorded in some Jewish texts. This means that the prayer of repentance that the evil king prayed was documented and read as scripture.

The story of Manasseh is a testament of the depth of the mercy of God. There are 'Manassehs' in our world today and the Lord has not given up on them and neither should we. No matter the evil a man has done, he can obtain mercy and acceptance from God. If God can forgive and restore Manasseh, then there is no person that cannot find mercy. The mercy of God turns the vilest sinner to the greatest saint.

Another thing the Lord must have considered in restoring Manasseh was His covenant with David. God had promised David that even if his children go astray, He will punish them but He will not take the throne entirely from the seed of David. Manasseh was a seed of David, so he obtained mercy. This is a lesson; we should start sowing seeds of covenant with God that will give a harvest of mercy to our children when we are gone.      

Prayer/Action
* Ask God for His mercy for any sinner in your family (nuclear and extended).
* Ask that by God’s mercy, your long standing problems will give way.
* Ask that by God’s grace and mercy, every long standing judgement on you be averted.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Thou everlasting God, as long as You remain on the throne, my place cannot be empty in destiny, in the name of Jesus.

Desiring More of His Glory

Monday 29 January
READ: Exodus 33: 18-23       
MORE LESSON: Psalm 63:1-8  

Moses started a journey to a greater dimension of God's glory by making a request that nobody before him had ever made. Many of his fore fathers had encountered God but his divine encounter was different as  He saw God face to face (Exo. 24:10). The reason Moses was able to go far  in his encounter with God was that he was a man that  always desired more of God. Moses had experienced God at the burning bush (Exo. 3:2); he had spoken to God one on one as a man with his friend (Exo. 33:11); he had seen and performed miracles, signs and wonders but he was still not satisfied; so he asked for more and said, “Lord, show me Your glory”. Glory starts when a man desires and pursues the right thing which is the knowledge of the glory of God. I pray that you will make the right request to God today.

It is what a man desires that he attracts to himself. If he desires money, he  will always think, talk and attract money. However, the man that desires God and pants after Him will get God. When you acquire the glory of the Lord , you will attract every other thing to your life.  Therefore, the best desire a man can have is to know God more and partake of His glory. God granted Moses' desire  and he saw  God's face. After seeing the face of God, his own face began to shine and the children of Israel could not look at his face anymore but began to bow before him. When you contact God's glory, your countenance will shine and people will bow to you. He who kneels before God can stand before men.

It is time to desire God above all material things. Like Moses, become a man who is always hungry for more and more of God. Remember Matt. 5: 6, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Those that hunger and thirst for God are the ones that will equally receive the precious gifts and material blessings that people run after.
Steps to finding more of God
1. Accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
2. Accept that there is more of God than you have seen, Phil. 3:10.
3. Like King David, ask for more of God, Psa. 42:1.
4. Spend more time in the study of the Word and prayer, Jude 1:20, 2 Tim. 2:15.
5. Be sensitive to things of God and His workings, Lk. 24:15-16, 30-32.   

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to increase your thirst and hunger for Him.
* Ask God to reveal His glory through you.
* Receive the grace to be sensitive to God and His workings.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Thank You Jesus, my path shall drop honey, honey and honeycomb throughout 2018, in the mighty name of Jesus.   

A Nazarite

Sunday 28 January
READ: Judges 13:3-5    
MORE LESSON: Exodus 28:35-36

A man can be specially set apart unto the Lord. There is no greater blessing than when God lays claim on a person to be His own. To be the chosen one of the Lord is a rare privilege that is to be treasured and guarded with all of one's strength and life. There have been people whom God has specifically claimed for Himself. An example of such in the Bible were the Nazarites, set apart by God unto Himself. Any man that wants to be used mightily of God needs to be set apart.

According to the text, Nazarites were not allowed to live anyhow. Holiness of life is God's expectation for those that are set apart for Him. Nazarites were not permitted to drink wine or similar strong drinks, no unclean thing could be allowed near them, no razor should come upon their heads. They were to be wholly dedicated to the Lord. In return, the Lord endowed them with power and might so that they could accomplish the extra-ordinary tasks that the Lord placed before them.

This is a lesson for us today. To be a people of power, we need to be Nazarites unto the Lord. The secret to a life of exploits is total consecration and dedication to the Lord. One cannot live anyhow and expect to be a special vessel in the hand of the Lord. There are several ways one can do this. Moses was predestined by the Lord to be the deliverer of Israel and Aaron and his descendants were chosen by the Lord to be set apart as priests unto Him. As priests, they were given special conditions of living which demand holiness unto the Lord. We also are to be set apart as kings and priests to the Lord, therefore our watchword should be holiness unto the Lord. In Samuel's case, it was the mother that made a covenant with God that her seed would become a Nazarite unto the Lord. David, on his own part, positioned himself to be found of the Lord (Psa. 89: 20). David went after God with all his heart and positioned himself through service, worship and love for God till God's heart was stirred and He chose David for Himself and put His anointing upon him.

God has called you to Himself, it is left for you to set yourself aside specially for Him. Whoever you are, whatever you do and wherever you are found, you must realise that you can be a Nazarite unto the Lord. With God, there is a chosen place, a chosen nation, a chosen tribe and a chosen people. You can be God's chosen person in your generation.

Prayer/Action
* Consecrate yourself afresh for God’s service.
* Ask the Lord to use you greatly from today.
* Ask the Lord to cleanse your life of every filthiness that can hinder your total surrender to God.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, in 2018, my sun shall not go down; neither will my moon withdraw itself, in the mighty name of Jesus.   

Enlargement

Saturday 27 January
READ: 2 Kings 6: 1-2    
MORE LESSON: Psalm 118: 5    

Enlargement is becoming more, doing more, going forward and expanding; enlargement is about advancement. For there to be enlargement, one must confront and overcome whatever stops one from going forward. Enlargement therefore is making all-round progress.  A good way of understanding the definition of something is to define its opposite.  To know what enlargement means therefore, we need to understand its opposite, that is, reduction. The opposite of being enlarged is to be reduced, which is to go backward, to suffer subtraction, to lose.

The key to enlargement is to refuse smallness and deal with it. In 2 Kings 6:1-2, ...the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us. Please, let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from there, and let us make there a place where we may dwell".... (NKJV). If you want to be big in life, you must keep dealing with smallness; rebuke it, reject it, plan against it, work against it. Don't dream small because smallness is a disadvantage. Job 36:16 says, Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress, Into a broad place where there is no restraint; And what is set on your table would be full of richness (NJKJV). If you ask to partner with God for enlargement, He will bring you out of your present narrow place into a broad place where there is no restraint.

From Psa 66: 12 we know there is a place called the wealthy place, Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. The wealthy place is the place of enlargement. The Living Bible calls it the place of great abundance. Where is the place? Locate where it is and go for it. The place where the sons of the prophets were staying was too small for them. They had a challenge and they faced it.

The first thing anybody, who wants enlargement, should know is that for there to be enlargement, there must be challenges. If you want enlargement in life you should prepare for confrontation and challenges. It is conquering challenges that brings enlargement. Even though the sons of the prophets were spiritual people, they were confronted by a natural problem. The challenge they had was smallness. The way they dealt with it was by taking the initiative to resolve the problem. The prophets were mighty people of prayer but they came up against little things that could mess them up if they did not advance beyond their challenges. This shows that it is not only spiritual steps that need to be taken but also natural steps for there to be enlargement. Today, the place where you are is too small for you, go and get a bigger place, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Ask the Lord to bring you to your wealthy place.
* Declare that you shall not be small in destiny.
* Ask God to bring to your way challenges that will provoke enlargement for you.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, the Creator and Owner of 2018, grant that mercy, help, advancement and unlimited joy flow to me this year, in the name of Jesus.

Back to Eden II

Friday 26 January
READ: Exodus 24: 1-11 
MORE LESSON: II Corinthians 12:1-4

God gives Eden experience to His loved ones. In today's text God fellowshipped with Moses and the elders of Israel in a unique way, And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink: Exo. 24:10-11. Wow! What beautiful experience, they saw God in his glory, fellowshipped with Him and ate with Him. May you have the Eden experience of seeing God in glory and partaking of the beauty of relating with God. Apostle Paul also had an Eden experience in II Cor. 12 where he was caught up to the third heavens into paradise, He saw and heard heavenly words which confirms again the realities of Eden, God's paradise prepared for His loved ones.

Satan robbed our first father of his Eden experience and even though the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus' death and resurrection has been paid to restore Eden to mankind, many children of God are still being robbed of their Eden experience. Don’t allow Satan to steal your Eden; step out of darkness and receive Jesus into your life. The following are other things to consider.
1. Avoid sin like a plague; sin robs men of their Eden experience. Keep away  from abominations or lies (Rev. 21:27). Also, repent of little foxes that spoil the vine; do not shrug them away saying that they do not matter.
2. Another thing is to consecrate your life to God in holy living.
3. Cultivate the worship lifestyle; God loves worship in spirit and truth. Worshipping Him whole-heartedly can give you the Eden experience while still here on earth.
4. Cultivate humility; remember Satan lost his Eden because of pride. Never allow arrogance towards man or God. Be conscious always that whatever you are or have is from God and is for God so never lift up your heart in pride.
5. Love God passionately. Let His love be your love and His hate be your hate. He delights to take those who love Him into His love garden.

He did it for Moses and the nobles of Israel; He also did it for Paul and He is ready to do it for you now and in eternity. Eden awaits all who follow Jesus and never lose faith to the end. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God: Rev. 2:7. You will get there in Jesus name!         

Prayer/Action
*Lord, thank You for loving me and desiring fellowship with me.
*I renounce all sins that steal the Eden experience from a man.
*I receive Eden as I step into this new day, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, I prophesy against the enemies of joy in 2018, nothing they do shall stop my joy, in the mighty name of Jesus.  

Back to Eden I

Thursday 25 January
READ: Genesis 2:8-15
MORE LESSON: Ezekiel 28:11-15

Eden is the paradise of God and in Hebrew it means “pleasure”or “delight”. Paradise in Greek is “paradeisos” which means “the king's private reserve” or “a unique and delightful place”. Eden (paradise) is the place where God fellowships with His sinless sanctified beings. Satan dwelt in an Eden with great glory as described in today's reading; he had perfect wisdom and beauty. He was covered with shining jewels: sardius, topaz, diamond, beryl, onyx, Jasper, sapphire, emerald carbuncle and gold. That Eden had stones of fire and was a place of great worship/love zone of Jehovah and His holy angels. Satan was in charge of worship before he rebelled and lost Eden. Before he sinned, there was perfect spiritual harmony between the worlds created by God and heaven. His sinful rebellion affected the world then and the Eden created by God.

Eden is described as a place of delightful sights and sounds, enjoyable work and worship, physical and spiritual wholeness as well as a place of the presence of God and fellowship with God. Adam and Eve also had the privilege of living in this Eden. From the Pre-Adamic era to the post Adamic era, it is obvious that Eden is a place God created for His loved ones. Eden typifies glory, beauty, communion, fellowship, exposures to heavenly realms and glory including the worship of the Most High. Eden cannot be created by man; God is the custodian and Lord of Eden. It is His private reserve and resort; He chooses to enjoy it with His created beings starting with angelic beings (Ezek. 28:13), then man (Gen. 2:8) and all His hosts (Rev. 3:23-24). When Satan deceived man, Eden was locked against man in all its glory. Man was driven out of Eden both by sight, sounds and experiences.

Praise God, hope for the joy of Eden was restored when Jesus went through the garden of sorrow: Gethsemane, to restore mankind to the garden of joy, communion and glory: Eden (Mk.14:32; Mt.26:36). Even now the acceptance and followership of the Lord Jesus can take you back to Eden. No wonder when men get saved, they sing “Heaven came down and glory fills my soul. When on the cross my savior made me whole, my sins were washed away and my night was turned to day”.

To get back into the Eden experience, get into a love relationship with God again through the Lord Jesus Christ and the Eden experience will happen in your life!       

Prayer/Action
* Lord, thank You, for creating Eden for us, Your created beings.
* Father, restore Eden experiences back to my life, which I surrender afresh to Jesus.
* Let the joy, glory, beauty and fellowship of Eden return to my life now and continually, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
In 2018, the gospel shall be spread by prosperity through me, in the name of Jesus.    

Discover and Surrender

Wednesday 24 January
READ: Jeremiah 1: 4 – 12         
MORE LESSON: Jeremiah 29: 11

Your destiny is not for you to decide; it is for you to discover. You don't make your destiny happen; you partner with God to let it happen. If you try to work your destiny out by yourself, you will make a mess of it but when you surrender it to Jesus, God will bear you until you arrive at His desired destination for you. Jer 29:11 says, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
The Lord called Jeremiah when he was very young as recorded in Jer. 1: 4 – 12. He obeyed and began to serve the Lord and this assurance came from the Lord that His plans for him were of good and great ending.

Similarly, if you follow God, He will make greater things out of your life than you can ever make on your own. When God calls a man into an assignment, he should obey no matter how bleak the future looks in the face of the assignment. Every man that follows God's call always ends well. Don't do another man's work in a bid to design something that looks good for yourself.  Do not go another man's direction because you feel that the chances of success are greater in that direction. Stay with God and discover His path for your life. When you have discovered it, lay yourself down in surrender.

There are two important things for destiny fulfilment. The first is discovery and the other is surrender. When you have heard and discovered what the Lord wants you to do with your destiny, you need to lay yourself on the altar of sacrificial obedience. It is after you have laid yourself down to obey that the Holy Spirit comes upon you to empower you to fulfil the assignment . It is only the Holy Spirit that can help a man fulfil his destiny, and the Spirit will only perfect what He initiated. This is why it is absolutely important to discover what the Holy Spirit wants you to do with your life before you start pursuing selfish paths and ambitions. The greatest gift you can enjoy in destiny is the partnership of the Holy Spirit. The infilling of the Holy Spirit is received by faith but the partnership of the Holy Spirit comes through a life of surrender.

Have you taken time to wait on God to discover His plan for your life? Have you surrendered to the Holy Spirit for Him to have His way in your destiny? Don't be like Jonah who tried to run away from God and drowned his destiny. Surrender to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to lead you safely to the land of destiny.    

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to make known to you who He wants you to be.
* Ask for grace to walk in God’s purpose for your life and to fulfil your destiny.
* Pray that as clay is in the hand of the potter God will mould you into His perfect will for your life.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
2018, from start to finish, it's testimonies and thanksgivings to the glory of the Father, in Jesus' name.

Cast out the Culprit

Tuesday 23 January
READ: Jonaah 1: 1 – 17     
MORE LESSON: I Corinthians 15:33 

The Lord sent Jonah to go and preach His message in Nineveh but he ran off from God's assignment. He boarded a ship with merchants heading off to Tarshish.  In the middle  of the sea, pandemonium broke out as a very violent wind  raged against the ship and all  on board were about to be lost. It is dangerous to enter into the same ship with a man who has incurred the anger of God. As a leader, you need to ensure that all who are inside your 'leader-ship' follow God, so that no one will cause the whole ship to capsize. 

Jonah caused the storm which lasted for days. While the captain and all the other sailors were panicking and calling for help, Jonah was sleeping at the bunker. It was only after the captain, out of fear for his dear life, woke him up and interrogated him that they realized he was the culprit who put all of them in such trouble. They cast Jonah out of the ship and the storm subsided. Prov. 22:10 says, Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. There are people and things that could make your destiny capsize. No matter how much you like such things, you need to cast them out. Cast out all the enemies of God within your life and around your vicinity, so that you can have peace like a river.  These enemies could be habits, desires, relationships or even people.

Jonah's sin was that he went contrary to God's assignment for his life. Anything or anyone who causes you to go against God's assignment for your destiny is not to be accommodated. Any relationship that jeopardizes God's assignment for your destiny is to be severed. Your assignment is more important than comfort and any emotional relationship. God is speaking to you today; do not jeopardize your assignment by wrong relationships.

Jonah was cast out, and after staying in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights, he repented and was able to go back to do God's assignment for his life. Therefore, it eventually happened to be to Jonah's advantage that he was cast out. There are people who it is only after they have been cast out of certain things and places that they will discover and fulfil God's assignment for their life. For example, a man may not discover his purpose and calling until he loses the job which got him so busy that he didn't even have time for God. A young lady, also, may never enter into her prophetic destiny until the wrong relationship she has with a man is shattered and her heart broken. I pray that God will not spare you of all He needs to do to you so that you will fulfil His divine purpose for your life, in Jesus name. 

Prayer/Action
* Pray that you will not company with men that will incur the anger of God.
* Pray that God will get you out of every relationship that will jeopardise your God’s ordained destiny.
* Pray that God’s mercy will not be taken away from you.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Only the counsel of the Lord shall stand in my life in 2018, in the name of Jesus.  

It is a Test

Monday 22 January
READ: Hebrews 11: 8 - 19     
MORE LESSON: Genesis 22: 1- 18 

The Lord promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. Abraham and Sarah left their native land in obedience to godly instructions and walked with God into the unknown. When they were called, they didn't have a child of their own and they had to wait on the Lord for twenty five years before they eventually got Isaac.  When the Lord spoke to Abraham one more time and asked him to lay down Isaac his only son, it was a sacrifice one too many.

Have you ever gotten to a point in your Christian walk where it looks like the cross you are asked to carry is too heavy and you do not have the strength for it? When God demanded for Isaac, there were many questions in Abraham's mind. Why Isaac and not Ishmael?  Why did You give me a son that You would take back? Abraham didn't have the answers to all his questions but he still obeyed. Abraham is called the father of faith because he obeyed God even when he didn't understand all the details.

Faith is obedience to the Word of God even when you don't know how He will work things out for you. Faith is when, like Jesus, you say, …Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done: Luke 22:42.
Abraham took Isaac to the mountain, tied him up and raised the knife but God quickly called out of heaven and told him that it was a test of faith which he had passed. Abraham got a promise of blessing that was sealed with an oath. God had something great in mind all the while he was making Abraham pass through the difficult road.

I want you to know that God has something great in mind for you no matter the situation you are going through today. You might have left all to serve God in the ministry and things seem as if they are not working. You have believed God's word for fruitfulness and the children are yet to come. You may have a calling of excellence over your life but right now you are struggling in your academics. You may even be serving God and there is no evidence of results in your own life.  I want you to know that God has a backup surprise for you. Just keep walking on in faith even if you do not know how He will come through for you. This phase is a test and when you pass the test of obedience and faith in the face of challenges, you will see God rise up and give you that which is beyond your wildest dreams and expectations. It is a test! 

Prayer/Action
* Give God thanks because He has you in mind in all you are going through.
* Pray that your present test and trail of your faith will end up in glorious testimony.
* Pray that you will not fail in the test of your faith.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Thank You Jesus for these 365 days of 2018, it's a gift from You, I shall be a victor and not a loser, in Jesus’ name.

Contending for your Destiny

Sunday 21 January
READ: Numbers 27:1-7            
MORE LESSON: Matthew 13:24-25    

There was a man in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital, who when the government came to demolish his house said, I built this house with my pension and it is everything I have at the age of seventy. I invested into this house. This is everything I have worked for all my life. If you want to demolish this, I'm not stopping you but I will stay inside; demolish me with the house so that after the demolition, I won't be around to feel the pain. The authorities had demolished several big houses but for this man's small house, they negotiated and paid him his money. He was also able to salvage some of the building materials, and was better off because he contended for his house.

The reason why the enemy is still   planting in your life is because your Christianity lacks the power of contention for ownership. You don't contend for what is yours which is the reason for the gradual encroachment into your destiny and you stand as a spectator saying, 'It is well.'  In fact, sometimes some believers say, 'May be it is the Lord's will'. But it is not the Lord's will for you as a human being to, for example, be swimming in your dream. You need to speak concerning that your business, and it will not collapse; whatever it takes- fasting, prayer or sacrifice. If you have to reduce the food you eat so that you can plunge back the profit into the business, or if it will take going back to learn from others, do everything you need to do. That is contending for ownership. Even when you hear testimonies of what is happening to other believers who accommodate oppression, insist that oppression is not okay with you.

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints  Jude1:3.
When it comes to your matter declare: “I know who I am; I know what belongs to me, and I will not allow satanic encroachment one inch”. Don’t allow the enemy to plant trees in your life so that you will not end up looking for how to uproot them. In medicine, prevention is better than cure; dealing with mosquitoes is cheaper than  buy anti-malaria drugs.

Like the Zelophehad daughters, take your case before the Judge of all flesh and you will have as much inheritance as you deserve.              

Prayer/Action
*Ask the Lord to release His fire and thunder against forces contending with you.
*Insist in prayer that life will turn to you the good side, and lines shall fall for you in pleasant places.
*Declare your life, destiny and home a no go area for the devil.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I am a planting of the Lord; no man born of a woman shall be able to uproot me from the land of the living in 2018, in the name of Jesus.            

Faith and Patience

Saturday 20 January
READ: Hebrews 6:12-15     
MORE LESSON: James 1:2-4         

The dictionary defines patience as the ability to endure waiting, delay, or provocation without becoming annoyed or upset. It is the ability to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties. Patience is part of the fruit of the Spirit as listed in Gal. 5: 22. Another word used in the Scripture for patience is longsuffering; so patience means to be long spirited, that is, being able to forebear. The word also connotes  being cheerful or hopeful in forbearance and endurance. Patience is endurance that is characterised by cheerfulness during the period of waiting or in the face of difficulties. Faith is the requirement for accessing salvation and other things from God; so every believer has a measure of faith, at least, sufficient to get him saved.

Many believers know that with faith we can possess what we want but their understanding of faith is incomplete.  Patience is what completes faith. The proof that you believe God is that you wait for Him, . . . he that believeth shall not make haste. Isa 28:16. Nowadays, people say if it is truly faith, then it must happen right now. But Scripture makes us to understand that, Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing: James 1:3-4.
Patience is a test of faith. How long you are willing to wait shows how much you believe. When God gives a promise and it has not materialised, the person who has no faith will quickly go out and explore alternatives. However, the man of faith will keep waiting on God because he knows that God will unfailingly come around for him.
Searching through scriptures, you will discover that the words 'faith' and 'patience' appear together most of the time because faith without patience is incomplete. Abraham, the hero of faith, was also renowned for his patience as he waited on God for years till God fulfilled the promise made to him, And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise: Heb 6:15.
Henceforth as you hold forth strongly in the patience of faith, I assure you that your fruitfulness will appear to all men, in Jesus’ name.              

Prayer/Action
* Pray that the virtue of patience will not be lacking in your life.
* Pray that patience will work the perfection of your faith.
* Receive grace to wait and hope for all He has promised.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
My Father and my God, Thou that rules in all things, rule my year 2018, I surrender it to You, in the name of Jesus.

Faith and Love

Friday 19 January
READ: Galatians 5:6  
MORE LESSON: I Corinthians  13:1-8  

The main text today makes us to understand that faith works by love. You must walk in love toward God and  men if you want to have a productive faith life. It is easy to believe and trust someone that you love because Love Beareth all things, BELIEVETH all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things: 1 Cor 13:7. The reason many find it difficult to have faith in God is because they do not love Him with all their heart. So they are always looking for alternative solutions to their problems because they are not ready to wait on Him. They do not spend enough time with Him and so do not know Him well enough how not to doubt Him. When a man has no deep rooted knowledge of God, doubt and unbelief are natural to such a man, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment: Matt 22: 37-38. Today, remove everything that takes your heart, love and attention from God and you will see your faith soar.

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: Matt 22:39. When a man is filled with unforgiveness, hatred, bitterness, resentment and lack of care for others, no matter how many scriptures he knows, and he can't be a man of faith. If you are exercising faith only for things to consume on yourself, you will keep 'faithing' and nothing will happen. If your motivation for whatever you are believing God for is to help others, expand the Kingdom and show God's love to people, you will get what you want, And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love: 1 Cor. 13:13 (NIV). If faith won't work without love, then love is greater than faith. Faith moves God's hand but love moves God's heart. With sincere love for God and people, you can be a man after God's heart, And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him: 1Jn 4:16. God is love. Whosoever has the fullness of love has the fullness of God, And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God: Eph 3:19.

As you make the Agape love of God your pursuit in life, faith ceases to elude you and you become a blessing to everyone around you. I pray that from today, you will grow more and more in love for God and show God's holy love to people around you, in Jesus’ name.    

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to help you to walk in love toward Him and all men.
* Pray against things that work against your faith.
* Ask God to help you to pursue love as you pursue faith.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Thou force that rules 2018, thou power of divinity, advance me all-round this year, in the name of Jesus.

Grace for the Race II

Thursday 18 January
READ: Hebrews 12: 1 - 4        
MORE LESSON: 1 Corinthians 15:9-10

In the race of life, there are times when a man comes to the end of his ability. At such times, what he needs is grace. Grace speaks loudest in the face of helplessness. It is when a man comes to an utter end of himself and all human means have been exhausted that grace is most needed. If failure has ever stared you face to face, where it seems you are bound to fail, you will understand the place of grace. Imagine a man has written an examination and he knows that failure is inevitable based on what he wrote. When grace comes in, God intervenes and suddenly, a Higher Hand converts the imminent failure (F9) to distinction (A1). Grace makes the difference; grace is God in your race.

One way to know how to get something is to understudy the life of someone who got the same thing. In understanding how to access grace, we need to consider the life of Jesus who is full of grace. Jesus was about to face the cross and He realised that He didn't have the ability to do it on His own. After praying for the cup to be taken away from Him, He added, ...nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done: Lk. 22: 42. Submission to the will of God releases grace. When you are faced with a situation that you can't go through by your strength, submit to God and you will access grace by death to self-will. As long as a man insists on having his own way in running his race, his path will be difficult. Another fact in accessing grace is to recognise the need for it. As long as a man thinks he can do it all by himself, he will not access grace. He will keep trying and failing till he recognises the need for grace. By strength shall no man prevail!

Apart from people who think it is possible to do  something in their own might, another category of people who will not access grace is people who think it is not possible to do that thing at all. Some people say an assignment/ project/process/change is beyond their power, so they conclude it is impossible after all and thereby miss out of grace. You only enjoy grace when you believe that you can do it, howbeit, not by your might, but by God at work in you.  Grace is released by a possibility mentality born out of faith in the ability of God at work in you. The way to receive grace for your race is simply to ask for it. 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. Today, ask for grace for your race. 

Prayer/Action
* Ask the Lord to amplify His grace in your weakest moments.
* Ask the Lord to take over every situation that is stronger than you.
* Reject impossibility mindset today.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Heaven and all the earth will rejoice with the doing of the Lord in my life in 2018, in Jesus' mighty name.

Grace for the Race I

Wednesday 17 January
READ: Hebrews 12: 1 - 3
MORE LESSON: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 

It is grace that makes the race of destiny easy. The Christian journey is likened to a race. Track events usually take a lot of discipline and endurance. There are different types of races. The sprint is a short distance race and speed is needed as the fastest runner usually receives the medal. The other type is the long distance race, which demands that athletes run long distance. In such a race, it is not the fastest but the one who is able to endure that wins. In a marathon, which is a long distance race, athletes don't even try to run too fast, because if they do,  they will lose their breath too soon and may no longer have the energy to finish the race.

The Christian race is not a sprint but a marathon. Successfully finishing a marathon is not all about having speed; there is need for endurance and support. This is the reason water, cheerers and energy drinks are stationed at intervals along the path of a cross country race. This is to show that, for a long distance race, there is need for help and grace. 
In Hebrews 12:1, Paul encourages us, ...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
This Scripture further states how grace for the race of destiny is accessed. He summarised, Looking unto Jesus.... (verse 2). Jesus is the grace for your race. He has run His race successfully and by looking unto Him and connecting with Him, you access everything that is needed to finish your race well. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of faith; so by maintaining unbroken connection with Him, we access limitless faith. He is the fullness of grace, therefore when we stay in touch with Him, we receive grace upon grace (John 1: 14 – 17). Jesus was pressed beyond measure, persecuted and beaten but He made it to the end of His race. Therefore, no matter what you face, you will triumph in your race. The secret to winning in the race of life is to stay glued to Jesus, running your race the way He ran His.  From today, in the race of life, you will never be a victim, in Jesus’ name; you will not be grounded, exhausted nor faint in the race of destiny. There is grace for your race.

Prayer/Action
* Ask for grace to run the race of life.
* Declare that you will not faint on the track of life’s race.
* Declare that you will not give up, you will finish strong.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Every storm shall surely obey my voice in 2018 as it obeyed the Master on the sea, in the mighty name of Jesus.

The Place of Grace

Tuesday 16 January
READ: 1 Corinthians 15: 1 - 10      
MORE LESSON: Jeremiah 31:1-4 

Grace is the difference in the race of life. There is no one anywhere in the world that is doing anything great except the grace of God makes it possible for him/her. Even those that do not know and think it is by their own power and might are only beneficiaries of grace. The race of destiny and the race to Heaven are only possible through the grace of God at work in us. When grace steps in, a man makes it despite his inadequacies. There will never be an adequate mortal being. Great people are those that have learnt how to leverage grace. An example is Moses who was said to be the meekest of all men in his time. Despite all the miracles and supernatural manifestations, Moses would have totally missed it and lost eternity. Moses was angry and sinned but when the devil wanted to raise an allegation against him, grace spoke for him (Num. 10: 10 -13, Jude 9). Moses, after all, was only saved by grace. 

Apostle Paul was a man who did mighty things and made great sacrifice for the furtherance of the gospel. It would seem like if anyone would qualify for reward based on merit, it was Paul. However, Paul understood  the place of grace when he wrote, But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me: 1 Cor. 15:10. He added in 1 Tim 1:14-15, And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Elijah was a powerful man of God who called down fire and commanded the elements of the universe. One threat from one woman one day was enough to make Elijah run for dear life. He asked for death but God fed him and told him that He would not kill him but translate him to glory in a way that no man had seen before (1 Kings 19: 1- 7). It was grace, after all, that Elijah found. Today, you need to recognise the place of grace in your race and know that there is nothing anybody is doing that God cannot do through you if you will lean on His grace. Grace is the difference; therefore, honour grace in others and seek more of God's grace for your race. 

Prayer/Action
* Pray that you will find grace.
* Ask that the grace of God will cover your inadequacies.
* Pray that you will not miss out of the grace of God.        

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
In 2018, my voice, my word and authority shall not be refused but celebrated, in the name of Jesus.    

Dimensions of Higher Ground

Monday 15 January
READ: Psalm 45: 2    
MORE LESSON: Daniel 1:15-21

There are different measures and dimensions of height. There is the  dimension where what you say becomes a law. The Bible describes, grace as that poured into his lips. You have heard stories of people who make incantations to compel others to do what they don't want. There was a time I travelled to Asia and I met a buddhist kneeling before a huge image in his shop. There were other shops that were opened with more goods but people stood waiting for him to finish what he was doing so they could buy from him. When I got there I also joined the queue to buy a video camera; I was in the company of a Bishop friend. Then suddenly it occurred to me that there were other shops, so I peeped and found better things in them. Then I asked why people were still waiting for the man, but they didn't know. Even after we went to other shops to buy, the other people were still there waiting. My spirit rang a bell; this man is dealing with people at the door through his god inside. But we have a better covenant; the Bible says that grace is poured into his lips. This means that whatever you speak carries a measure of an ability greater than the man you are speaking to and people honour you based on what  you are saying. That is a dimension where what you say becomes a law.

Another dimension is being able to receive favour each time you stand in a place to talk; people just like listening to you. When things are locked up and difficult you have an ability to make a way through. Do you know what grace is? It is a gift you didn't merit and you can't pay for. So when your lips are anointed with grace, it means you are able to get things you're not qualified for by the reason of speaking. It is not a common thing that everyone has; it takes men at a higher level to operate it. For instance, it gives a man the ability to answer a question even when he doesn't know the answer. The things that come out of his mouth give him favour and acceptance; they open the doors that were hitherto  locked to him.

A young man graduated from school and looked for a job but didn't find one, so he created one. He made some things and prayed for acceptance wherever he went to sell them and amazingly, they were accepted. When God lifts a man, he is blessed forever. He brings him to a place where He personally sustains him. It isn't just about finance and material things, but even spiritual ones. Today, grace is poured upon you in the name of Jesus; go speak the Word with accuracy and precision.   

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to take you to the next level ordained for you by His grace.
* Pray that your life will attract unusual favour whenever you go.
* Declare that the blessing of God will bring you a lifting in life and destiny.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
This year, every new day will deliver to me a new testimony, in the name of Jesus.

Higher Height II

Sunday 14 January
READ: Matthew 7:28-29        
MORE LESSON: I Corinthians 2:9-11

We saw yesterday that it is God's desire that we should continually scale to higher heights. We notice that Jesus didn't do any less. In fact, the Bible says that at the beginning of His ministry when He preached in the synagogue, the people said He preached with authority and not as the scribes. Even on the pulpit he defeated, several times over, those who went to school. It is an incredible thing what God has planned for us and if only we could find it out, life would be better on the face of the earth and best in heaven. God is not only planning good on the earth, but also for better and best in heaven. If you consider the words that Jesus constantly used to encourage those who want to become His children, you will find out that His desires, plans and provisions for us are not small things at all. In John 10:10 He says He has come to give us life, and not ordinary life, but abundant life. Living from hand to mouth or having to beg is never part of God's plans for us.

I notice that all during the life time of the Master Jesus, even though He didn't have any bank account, He never had a reason to get into a situation where He could not afford something. There was nothing He could not afford. The day He noticed that the treasurer had no money in the purse, He commanded the Heavens to send it through the bank in the waters. No Central Bank could provide that. That's a higher height; when your needs are met by a force that is beyond human capacity.

Most times people live less than what God desires for them because they have exchanged their standards. Instead of looking up to the life of Jesus as the standard, they tend to compare themselves with other humans; ...but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise: 2 Cor. 10:12.
The goal of the Holy Spirit is to make us like Jesus and not like another man. But Jesus even said, if we believe, we can even do beyond what He did. It is amazing that no  man has been able to attain that height, and we are so satisfied.
The key to attaining higher height is to remain open for more. The largest room in the world is the room for improvement. No matter how high you have gone there is a higher height. Don't stop; keep moving!      

Prayer/Action
* Pray that the supernatural hand of God will be at work in your life.
* Pray that in your field of life you will attain to the peak.
* Pray that you will attain to the high life of Jesus, in every area of life.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
In 2018, my seeds, my roots and my fruits shall be saved from the waster, in the mighty name of Jesus.         

Higher Height I

Saturday 13 January   
READ: Daniel 6:1-3      
MORE LESSON: John 14:12      

Daniel first entered the land of Babylon as a slave. He was captured from the land of Israel by King Nebuchadnezzar. Then he rose steadily during the reigns of different kings and began to rule over the indigenes of the land. That was inspite of the fact that he was a stranger and a slave who was not qualified for anything more than serving and cleaning. Instead of doing things associated with a slave, he reigned in the class of the elite. The Bible says that he was promoted in a foreign land to the position of a president, and from a president he became the president of presidents. That is a higher height than an ordinary Jew in Babylon should have enjoyed. So he was higher than his fellow Jews by becoming a president in a strange land.

Joseph started enjoying higher height from his father's house; charity they say begins at home. His greatness began from his father's house. He was one of the youngest of all the children but because he was distinguished by the Almighty God, he became the jewel to the admiration of everybody in the house. The Bible says his father loved him more than his brothers. And what more? He moved from his father's house to become a man of divine love and admiration to the point that wherever he went he was preferred. Even in the prison he was preferred above his fellow prisoners.

The day he arrived the prison he was treated specially. He wasn't a warder but he was better than a prisoner; people began to seek for his favour even in the prison. Even the warders respected him; the Bible says he was preferred even in the prison. He was so preferred that even in Potiphar's house, his master's wife desired him. The wife of a general preferred a slave boy to her husband. This is the type of life God wants us to live. By God's design, you are meant to be celebrated and not tolerated or even pitied. I Peter 2:9 says  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
If you are still being tolerated or even looked down on, you need to step to a higher height. If you are already on a high height, you must climb higher. Never be satisfied with where you are; there is room for more.       

Prayer/Action
*Pray that the priestly honour and royalty of a king will be evident in your life.
*Ask the Lord to take you to higher heights.
*Pray that God will grant you unsual favour and acceptance today.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
In 2018, every day is a closer walk with Jesus, in the name of Jesus.     

Fruitful in all Seasons

Friday 12 January
READ: Genesis 21:  1 - 2           
MORE LESSON: Psalm 92: 12 -15

Abraham was a hundred years old and Sarah was ninety when they had their first child, Isaac. The birth of Isaac is a testimony that God can make one fruitful even in old age. We serve a God who is not limited by times and seasons. In fact, God lives outside the scope of time, so He is not subject to the law of time. In the natural, there is a time and a season for certain fruits and another time and season when they are not available. In the same vein, humanly speaking, there is an age of childbearing and a time when medically a woman passes the age of childbearing. The good news is that God is not bound by these laws.

God suspended the law of times and seasons and gave Abraham and Sarah a child when it looked like the season for it was gone. There is no seasonal limitation in fruitfulness when God is involved. This is the reason Psa. 92:12 – 14 says, The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.

Those that are planted in the courts of the Lord will flourish in the courts of our God, so there is no limitation to their fruitfulness; they will be fruitful even in old age. The presence of God has a rejuvenating effect. Therefore even when some cells are dead due to the aging process, the Life that comes from God's presence will activate them. In the presence of God, there is no time, only endless eternity. Consequently, twenty years can be compressed into a day, for  with God one thousand years is a day with Him (Psa. 90: 4). So when men think you are too old to be productive, successful or fruitful, you are just starting your day of fruitfulness.

Abraham was called to destiny at the age of 75, at which age, other men have retired. But a man started the journey of destiny at seventy-five and still achieved generational greatness. Jesus Christ lived for thirty-three years only but no other person can come close to the greatness and impact that He made in His short life. Even  men that lived to be nearly a thousand years did not have the level of impact that Jesus made in three and a half years of ministry. Therefore, it is not about how young or old, it is about connecting to the God of all seasons. From today on, your greatness, success and fruitfulness will transcend seasons, in Jesus' mighty name.      

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to cause every seed that you sow to bring forth a hundredfold return.
* Declare that your loins/womb is blessed with fruitfulness.
* Prophesy that the devourer shall not eat up your seed in 2018.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
In 2018, help and helpers will not be missing in my endeavours, in the name of Jesus.

Jesus in My Boat

Thursday 11 January
READ: Matthew 8:23-27    
MORE LESSON: Hebrews 4:12-16

Any man who embarks on the journey of life without Jesus in his boat has signed up to be sunk by the boisterous storms that may arise. The devil is always working tooth and nail to make sure he scuttles the assignment that God gives His children and that is why we cannot afford to sail on our own. To have Jesus in your boat means to have a personal relationship with Him. It is evident from our text above that despite the fact that the disciples had Jesus physically present in their boat, they were not relating with Him because He was fast asleep. Many of us are going through situations because they have stopped servicing their relationship with the Master. As a result, though He is in the boat, the boisterous storms of life threaten to sink them. Arise and awake the Master and watch Him bring a great calm to that storm, in Jesus’ name.

When the disciples went to wake up Jesus from sleep, He didn't need to start struggling to help them remove the water from the boat, He simply spoke the Word, Peace, be still. The Word is strong and powerful; apply His Word to any situation and you are sure that situation will definitely change. He spoke to the storm and the storm responded. He spoke to few pieces of fish and a few loaves of bread and they multiplied and fed thousands. Nothing, no matter how difficult, will refuse to respond at the name of Jesus. At His Word there is response; all situations respond to His Word.

When Jesus told His disciples that He would be leaving in John 14, they were scared about His going because with Jesus around they had no problems that were not fixed. He healed Peter's sick mother-in-law, He sent Peter to get money out of a fish. There was nothing He didn't provide, His presence was the answer to any situation. They were never scared or afraid while He was around. But then He was going away and they were sad. When Jesus leaves a man's life, that man needs to be sad. It doesn't matter the security around a man, if Jesus is outside that security, there is no safety; that man is in grave danger. That was what the disciples perceived. They knew that everything minus Jesus was zero.

There will be crisis when Jesus is outside a situation; any situation without Jesus is a hopeless one. Jesus is the guarantee of a glorious change. Jesus told the disciples not to be scared about His going but they were not convinced, so He gave them assurance that whatever they will ask the Father in His name will be done. Whatever the person of Jesus can do, His name can do also. You can confront death in the name of Jesus and it will yield because it is guaranteed. Is Jesus still in your boat?                                        
   
Prayer/Action
*Pray that you will sail through the journey of life successfully.
*Pray that you will not be igorant of the fact that Jesus is always with you in the journey of life.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I decree the sound of abundance of rain, glory, and celebration in 2018, in the name of Jesus.

Bought with a Price

Wednesday 10 January
READ: Revelation 5:1-10          
MORE LESSON: Romans 5:1-2        

God made a provision for the redemption of man, and at the initial stage it was like there was nobody that was ready to uncover and implement that plan. This was because whosoever was going to open it must implement it. One could not break the seal without accepting the responsibility to carry out the instruction in the seal and that was why everybody stood still when the announcement was made. Everyone knew that the seal contained the price that had to be paid for man to be reconciled to God, but they did not know how expensive it would be. However, one thing was sure; they knew that man fell and by the reason of the sin that man committed, God was set to release judgment on him. But whosoever was going to uncover the seal must be ready to participate in the price that would cost God to reconcile man to God.

They knew that sin was one of the most expensive things on the face of the earth. God will pardon anything but not sin except the price is paid. Today we enjoy the benefit of mercy; we enjoy the cleansing of our sins and we receive the benefit of our name written in the Book of life. It didn't come on a platter of gold; as a matter of fact, it was not cheap. We are bought with a price; a price as expensive as the Blood of the Only Begotten Son of the Father.

You must not allow the devil to harass you because you have been bought with a price. You are not a borrowed material; the price for your redemption was fully and dully paid. When next the devil troubles you, you've got to show him your receipt-the Blood of Jesus. The Blood of Jesus is the proof that we have been bought. Any attack of the devil against you or anything that belongs to you is illegal. You can stand on the authority of what Jesus obtained for you and resist him and he will flee. The challenge most of the time is that we are ignorant of what Jesus has done for us and the devil leverages on this ignorance to afflict us. No wonder the Bible calls him the 'ruler of darkness’. The devil only rules as long as you remain in the dark about what God has done for you. As soon as you turn on the light of the Word of God, you disarm him.

Knowledge is the price of freedom. The more of God you know, the more liberty you enjoy from all satanic bondage. Know the full price that was paid over your life and always flaunt the receipt at the devil. God does not owe the devil anything over your freedom; rise and take your place today.     

Prayer/Action
* Give God thanks for the price that He paid to redeem you.
* Declare that you will walk in the knowledge of the accomplished work of Christ.
* Pray that the light of the knowledge of God’s work of redemption will shine through you today.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
2018, you shall not carry a covenant of sackcloth, ashes or shame for me, in the name of Jesus.     

Dangers of Ingratitude

Tuesday 9 January
READ: Psalm 100:1-5
MORE LESSON: Luke 17:12-19

God expects us to be grateful to Him. Every loving parent teaches their children to be appreciative of the support given them by all. Most times we claim we are grateful to God yet we do not show any sign of gratitude to our fellow man. But if we are not grateful to people who we can see, how can we be grateful to God who we cannot see? The Bible calls such a person a liar in I Jn. 4:20, If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar.... We must therefore learn to appreciate God and the people He uses to help us. We must also appreciate God even for yet unanswered prayers. We must give thanks for all things.

When we live a life of not appreciating what God does for us, we heap a lot of trouble on ourselves:
1.We lock the doors of blessing. Do you know that a single “thank you” can lead to another kindness? Psa. 100:4 says, Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise.... This means anyone who is not thankful at the gate cannot access the court. Our thanksgiving at the gate is our password to entering the court. The court is where God dwells, and everything we need or will ever need is found there. But ingratitude can hinder us from entering the court.

2.We activate anxiety in our lives. No wonder the Bible says in Phil 4:6, Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. We must present our requests to God with thanksgiving. Whenever we are not grateful for what God has done for us, the good things He has done diminish in our hearts and the things He is yet to do are magnified. This is a trick of the devil to make you feel that God is not faithful and therefore afflict you with anxiety. If you learn to see what God has done and thank Him for it while waiting patiently for Him to do others, you will save yourself  the trouble of anxiety.

3.We become short sighted. An ungrateful man is one who lacks the ability to see and appreciate the good done to him. So any man who chooses to be ungrateful will always only see what has not been done for him. We do this a lot of times. When we take a record of all that God has done for us against what He has not done, we will discover that what He has done is more than what He is yet to do. But when we complain, we sound as if God has not done anything for us. This is what ingratitude can do- make you short sighted.  

Prayer/Action
*Confess every act of ingratitude to God and men.
*Ask the Lord to give you grace to be grateful.
*Thank God for everything around your life.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, in 2018, make a way for me that even with closed eyes, I shall not miss my way, in the name of Jesus.

Gratitude

Monday 8 January
READ: I Kings 2:7
MORE LESSON:  I Thessalonians 5:18 

David was a man who God recognised because of his acts of gratitude. He virtually lived his life appreciating every kind gesture done to him and this made God pleased with him. The Bible tells us that at the time David was dying, he called Solomon his son and told him to show kindness to people who had been good to him as a way of appreciating them. David’s heart was the heart of appreciation. No wonder the King of Glory had to come from his family and lineage; he was a man that was given to appreciation and was grateful in all things.

In fact, David was grateful to a fault. In spite of all that Saul did to David, he still sought an occasion to be kind to his family in appreciation of what Jonathan had done for him when he was running from Saul. When Saul died, he asked if there was somebody left in Saul’s family that he could favour for Jonathan's sake. Jonathan was a very close friend of David, and the son of Saul but he loved David so much that he made a covenant with him. He took the risk of revealing his father's next plan to David; a rare act. Imagine that your father wants to kill somebody but you became  that person’s friend and revealed security information to him. If Saul had discovered it, he would have killed Jonathan. He risked his life to love his father's enemy, and David appreciated it. 

In that war, Saul and Jonathan died and David regretted the loss of Jonathan such that he was prepared to do anything in honour of their friendship. When David got to the throne, he asked if there was anyone in the house of Saul that he can show his kindness to. David could have decided to be ungrateful because of Saul's wickedness to him. But rather than look at the negative things and remain ungrateful, David chose to remember the positive thing about Saul's family and show them kindness.

Most times we are quick to forget people's act of kindness to us, especially if they later offend us. Rather than consider the negative and remain ungrateful, we should remember the good they have done and be grateful for it. Refusal to acknowledge the good acts because of an offence makes us the same with our offender. However, when we choose to overlook the wrong and still remain grateful for the good done to us in the past, we create a class for ourselves. This is why the Bible admonishes us; Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good: Rom. 12:21. Be grateful anyhow!     

Prayer/Action
* Give God thanks for many of His benefits in your life.
* Ask God to give you grace for a heart of gratitude to God and man.
* Ask God to help you see reasons to be grateful in all things.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
8th January 2018, you will not sing the song of my enemies, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Discover and Finish your Assignment

Sunday 7 January
READ: Joshua 13:1-6
MORE LESSON: II Timothy 4:1-8

Many people wander aimlessly through life. They don't know why they were born and for some, it has never occurred to them that they were born for a reason. No one is a biological accident. Even children who are born out of wedlock are not accidents. There is a reason why God allowed them to be born. They would have been aborted but God preserved them so that they can fulfil His eternal purpose.
On the other hand, there are people who have discovered what they are destined to do but who are just lazing around or who lack the capacity to complete that which they have started. The beginning of a race is as important as the finishing. No one who competes in athletics hopes to begin and not reach the finish line. In the same way, God expects that we don't only discover our purpose but also run with it to the end.
The following keys will enable you discover, run with and finish your assignment.
1. The first key in doing God's work and any other thing in life and finishing is being a faithful seeker and not a gambler. There are too many gamblers in church who have no direction. They always live by trial and error. This is a waste of time, and consequently a wasted life. Closely related to gamblers are gossips. They are always interested in people's life because they lost focus. Gossip, like cancer, is a destroyer of destiny. Nothing productive comes from the gossip. With their tongue they kill faster than the sword; they run down people and never get to the height of the people they run down. If all you do is spend your time talking about others, you may not have the time to seek and discover your assignment and if you don't really know what you were born to do, then how can you finish it?
2. You must be determined. If you are not determined in life, many things will take you from your purpose.
3. You must be ready to pay a price. There is always a price for a good finishing; there is no successful end without a price. Eye service does not deceive your Master but it reduces your destiny. You must work hard because spiritual things are not for the lazy.
4.  Make sure your methods are scriptural.  Godly means bring good result while ungodly means may give what you want but you will pay for it at the end. Pay the price for following a godly means so that your joy will not be cut short when you get to the finish line.
Child of God, I pray for you that you will not end your assignment half way; like Paul and Jesus you will reach your finish line strong. Another man's destiny will not become your own, you will find yours and fulfil it, in Jesus’ name.  

Prayer/Action
*Ask God for grace not to miss your purpose in life.
*Declare that your purpose in life will not be truncated.
*Ask God for the grace to finish well in life.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
By the authority in the name of Jesus, 2018, you must hear me when I call, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Anointing for Assignment

Saturday 6 January
READ: I Samuel 15:10-28   
MORE LESSON: I Samuel 28:3-8 

Our text today is the story of David whom God anointed in place of Saul. God appointed Saul first but he disobeyed Him; he was more interested in what he could get than serving. As a result, God took away the kingdom from him and gave it to David. The Bible tells us that the Spirit of God departed from Saul. God did not only take the kingdom, He also took His Spirit, who is the Anointing.

The anointing of God upon a man's life is for the purpose of the assignment God wants him to do. Therefore, the moment the assignment ceases the anointing also ceases; the anointing functions so long as the man functions in his assignment. Notice that God was quick to take His Spirit away as soon as Saul decided to please himself and not the Master. Many people get so busy bragging around with the anointing given to them instead of using it to fulfil the assignment. The anointing is not for show-off. The day God takes the assignment, He will also take away the anointing. God took the assignment from Saul and the anointing went away too.

Do you know you can lose the anointing? Anything that comes can go; anything that can hear, ‘come’ can also hear, ‘go’. Glory can come and it can also disappear; it is not permanent. It is for a purpose, and where it is not used for what it is meant for God does not hesitate to give it to someone else who will make judicious use of it. In the same way as God calls men, He also replaces them if they fail in the duty He has assigned them. The day that Saul abandoned the assignment that was given to him, the Bible tells us that the glory of God departed not just from Saul but the entire land of Israel was affected. That was to the point that they were disgraced when they went to war; the secret of their victory was taken away. Israel always had victory over their enemies because of the presence of God that was always with them. However, when the presence departed, they were badly defeated.

As children of God and as servants in His vineyard, we must be careful what decisions we make because they could have not just local but national or even global impact. It is my prayer that we would use the anointing to carry out our assignment for trans-generational impact, in Jesus’ name. Today check your life to see if the assignment and anointing are still in place. Do not sit down and allow demonic powers to carry on the work like Saul did and as many fake prophets do today. When the anointing departs, we can also go back and seek the face of our merciful God for restoration. God is ever willing to take us back and re-equip us for greater exploits.

Prayer/Action
*Ask that the Lord will anoint you afresh today for His assignment.
*Pray that God’s presence and anointing will not depart from you.
*Pray that you will not lose sight of your destiny assignment.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER:
As the Lord lives, this year, I shall prevail on every side, in the precious name of Jesus.

Divine Authority

Friday 5 January
READ: John 5:19-23
MORE LESSON: Isaiah 30:21

Any man who walks in divine authority is one who will find out what God is doing and do the same or what He is saying and say the same. Any man who does or says what God is saying per time will have the whole of creation respond to him. God’s Word will not return to Him void as He declared in Isa. 55:11, So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.  Anytime we say what God is saying or do what He is doing, we are bound to return with answer. The reason we do not get answer to our prayer sometimes is because we tend to talk about our situations more than we talk to our situations about what God has said. In order to get unhindered answer to our prayer, we should say what God has said concerning a situation because His Word will always return with answer.

The Bible says, Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven: Matt 18:18.  This does not mean that every time we pray, something is loosened or bound in Heaven. Everything that needs to be bound or loosened in Heaven is already in that state. This is why the Bible says, For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven: Psa. 119:89. Therefore all we need to do when we pray is to check what is bound in Heaven and bind it on earth, and loosen that which Heaven has loosened. If we can effectively do this, then our prayer will become more effective and result-oriented.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus worked with so much authority and precision? Every prayer Jesus uttered was honoured by God. The disciples were amazed and at a point they exclaimed, ...What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him: Matt 8:27. This is the secrete, ...Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise: Jn. 5:19. Jesus followed the voice of the Father to the letter. He did only what the Father did and said only what He heard the Father say, and the entire creation was subject to Him. This was the exact thing that Adam was supposed to enjoy and he did enjoy it until he rebelled. No wonder Jesus is called the second Adam. He came to restore man to the original estate. Choose to follow the voice of the Lord in everything because if you speak what God has said, you are perfectly sure that  the earth cannot resist the authority of the Word.                                            
                          
Prayer/Action
*AsK God to help you to do what He will want you to do.
*Ask God to reveal His perfect will to you for every matter of your life.
*Ask for the grace to walk in obedience to God and your leaders.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
My gracious Father, because of Jesus and His blood, let mercy speak for me in 2018, in Jesus' name.

All Things

Thursday 4 January
READ: Romans 8:31-39   
MORE LESSON: Haggard 2:4-11

The day God gave His only begotten Son to die for man's redemption, He gave mankind everything. The Bible says concerning God in Rom. 8:32, He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? There are certain things we have that we find very difficult to give out. They are like treasures to us. We protect them with all our might but the day you lose those things either by giving them out or they get damaged, you will realise that there is nothing else you will lose that will touch you. Some people have lost loved ones that were so dear to them and it looked like they were not going to get over it, but eventually, they did. And today when they hear that someone has died, it doesn't disturb them as such because they have lost what is more. So also, Jesus is God's choicest treasure, yet He gave Him to us. If God did not spare Jesus but gave Him to us, what on earth or in Heaven do you think God would not freely give you? Jesus is the key that gives us all things.
We have all things given to us but we may not be able to access them if we don't ask. Matthew 7:7 says, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. We have a record of several things that God has given in time past. He makes the sun to shine upon us, He makes the air to blow upon all of us without discriminating, He is a good God and He gives to all men who ask Him. If He gave Jesus, then He can give all things but you must ask Him. God has everything that man needs on the face of the earth and He will give to anyone who asks. He has the answer to every question, and the provision to satisfy every desire.
Solomon asked for wisdom and he got it, God added riches to the wisdom. Jabez asked for a changed life and God changed his life and he became a man more honourable than all his brothers. Then his name became the name of a city, and yet at the beginning of his life he was called a child of sorrow. God is the power behind every positive change and no one else can brag about the ability to make positive changes in your life except God because no man has what God has. Over that long standing issue in your life, ask God what you desire concerning it and watch Him turn things around for you. He is ever ready to give you all things, not just to own but to also enjoy.

Prayer/Action
*Pray that by the same love of God that gave us Jesus, God will give you all things for life and godliness.
*Ask God to bring answer to a definite outstanding request in your heart.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost are my portion in 2018, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Be the Best II

Wednesday 3 January
READ: Matthew 5:13-16  
MORE LESSON: Obadiah 1:21     

Yesterday we began to look at the fact that God wants us to be the best in all that we are and do. We also examined the necessity of becoming the best as a means of taking up kingdoms for our King and Father. We cannot effectively invade the world, impact it positively and take up territories without becoming an icon of excellence in our field. Moreso, we cannot become the best by remaining in obscurity. We are a city that is set on a hill, which cannot be hidden.

The things that God does are not an accident, oversight or coincidence. God is intentional about everything He does. He did not just make us the light of the world, the Bible says we are set on a hill so that our potential to shine will not be limited. It is God's original intention that when the world that lies in gross darkness seek light, they will look up to us on the hill. It is amazing that the children of light whom God has set on the mountain have left their place and are struggling for relevance in the valley.

Many Christians have hidden their light under the bushel of laziness, mediocrity, religious mindset and lots more. If we must become the best then we must learn to strike a balance in all that we do. Most times you find Christians who spend working hours praying and fasting instead of working. The Bible clearly tells us that God is not the author of confusion. He has given us time for everything.
We must, therefore, learn to manage our time wisely so that we can obtain maximum output in all that we do. It is embarrassing that we are the ones that are always queried for negligence of duty. It is an insult to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Also, some people have not been able to become the best in what they do because of mediocrity. They just believe in being small as they don't want to get out of their comfort zone to get anything done. With this kind of attitude, we cannot influence the world for God. We should therefore cast off every restraint of laziness, mediocrity, excuse etc, and work at becoming the best in all that we do,
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God: Rom 8:19.

It is time to wake up from slumber and manifest the glory of God in us and thereby command the world to do same.  Be the best.      

Prayer/Action
*Ask the Lord to make you an icon of excellence in your field of endeavour.
*Ask God to grant you the wisdom to stand out as the best.
*Pray for grace to live up to the expectation of God for your life.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
2018, I forbid you from co-operating with enmity against me in your whole season, in the mighty name of Jesus.                                                                                 

Be the Best I

Tuesday 2 January
READ: Matthew 5:13-16  
MORE LESSON: Isaiah 2:2-4   

There is a difference between being the best and being your best. To be your best limits you to your ability which may not be good enough. Your best may not be the best attainable height. But when you are the best, it means you are at the peak of what is attainable. God's desire is for us to be the best in everything we do. A mediocre mindset is never God's intention for His dear children. This is why He has given us the Spirit of love and a sound mind to the end that we will be the best.

God is expecting us to be above par in every aspect of our lives, be it physical, spiritual, economic, academic, marital, political and other wise. God's plan is for the world to look up to us as examples in whatever we are or are doing. Matthew 5:14 says, You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden: Matt 5:14-16 (NKJV). A light shines and sets the pace. In the same way God wants us to shine and teach the world what to do using Kingdom principles by being tiptop in whatever our hands find to do. The world cannot experience the excellence of our Father if we do not show forth His praise, But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light: 1 Pet. 2:9-10 (NKJV).

Therefore, whatever we do or become, we are invariably telling the world that that is who our Father is and that is what is obtainable in His kingdom. It is quite unfortunate that the Church has descended so low as to be copying the world instead of the world to imitate the Church. We are in the time when the Church must rise to her position and be unsurpassable. The Bible says, ...The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever: Rev 11:15.

This will only happen when the Church influences the world with the Kingdom lifestyle. But how can the world copy us when they tend to be doing better than us? I challenge you today to rise and be the best in whatever you do. Do not relax until you get to the top of your calling, career and ministry. Invade the world systems with the Kingdom lifestyle and take up territories for our King. Be the best.

Prayer/Action
*Ask the Lord to make you the best.
*Ask that the Spirit of excellence rest upon you.
*Pray against the spirit of mediocrity.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
January 2018, you shall be the beginning of strength and excellence shall last from start to finish, in the name of Jesus.

Rules in Engaging Year 2018

Monday 1 January

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2018
It is our Year of Divine Authority  ...the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force:  Matt 11:12. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open: Isaiah 22: 22.

To exercise divine authority demands that we recognize that:
1. We are people of power.
2. Our authority stems from the power of God.
3. We represent God, the Owner and Possessor of Heaven and the earth, here in the world; therefore, the earth must hear us this year.
4. As the children of God who owns the earth, we have the right to govern and direct the earth.
5. By the privilege of redemption, we can exercise God's authority over everything on the earth.
6. By our sonship in Christ, we do not beg situations and circumstances; we command them.
7. There is a giant in us that must not live like a toy.
8. The only thing we cannot own is what we cannot command by divine authority.
9. This year will respond only to those who take it by force.
10. We have a dominion mandate by which we can rule 2018 by His Word for the year

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Oh year, year, year 2018, hear the voice of the Lord, you shall be for my joy and fulfilment, in the mighty name of Jesus.