Faith and Love

Text: Gal 5: 6
More Lessons:1 Cor . 13: 1-13
Bible Reading in one Year: Isaiah 28-30

The above reading makes us understand that faith works by love. You must walk in love to God and towards 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 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 such a man knows, 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
* Pray that God’s love be shed abroad in your heart.
* Break out of your life everything that makes you doubt God and His Word.
* Ask for a fresh and renewal flow of your first love for God.

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Discerning of Spirits

Text: 1 Cor . 12: 10
More Lessons: Acts 16:16-18
Bible Reading in one Year: Isaiah 25-27

Paul and his fellow labourers in Christ were in Philippi and a certain girl followed them through the street shouting, 'These men are the servants of the Most High God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.' Acts 16:17. Many of us would have been happy if such affirmation were made of us, but that was not for these men who had the gift of the Holy Spirit to know that even though the girl was seemingly saying the right things, she was speaking by the spirit of the devil. Paul rebuked her and cast the evil spirit of divination out of her in the name of Jesus. It is not every one who says the right things that is operating with the right spirit. It is not every one who quotes scriptures and preaches that is of the Holy Spirit of God. It is not every song in which the name of Jesus or God is mentioned that is of God. This is the reason you have to be careful who and what you watch, listen to and open yourself to.

The discerning of spirits is the supernatural ability given by the Holy Spirit to a man to have insight into the realm of the spirit to detect spirits, their plans, activities and intentions. It involves the ability to detect and differentiate the activities of the Holy Spirit from those of the devil, angels from demons, and that which is of God from that which is of man. There are many spirits at work in these end-times. This is the reason the Bible says, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world: 1 John 4:1. And also, Test everything. Hold on to the good. 1 Thess 5:21-22 (NIV).

Every believer that is well established in the Word of God can have the ability to judge and discern every spiritual manifestation, whether they are from God or not. Every manifestation that contradicts the Scripture does not glorify Jesus or reveal the nature of God is not of God. There are, however, some believers that are gifted to see visions into the realm of the spirit; they can see demonic or angelic activities. Discerning of spirit can also be by hearing in the realm of the spirit or feeling a sense of rightness or wrongness of a spiritual manifestation.

However, the discerning comes only when a man is well grounded in the Word of God and can ultimately discern correctly spiritual activities. When a genuine servant of God advises or warns you against certain company, relationship, songs, programmes, gathering or people, don't be quick to claim there is nothing wrong with such things. The man of God may be talking from discernment of spirits. I pray that God will sharpen your discernment and you will not be swayed by deceit any more, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer /Action
*Ask God for the gift of the discerning of spirits.
*Ask the Spirit of God to scan through all relationships around you and expose the wrong ones.

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Enemies of Glory II

Text: Ezek.37:1-14
More Lessons: Job 14:7-14
Bible Reading in one Year: Isaiah 22-24

Be assured this morning as you step out that there is no hopelessness in God. Today's scripture clearly tells the truth that even in written off matters, there's hope, For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease: Job 14:7. This is the season of the Lord's glory. Whatever the enemy has done to your glory and things seem hopeless, this morning, I announce that your glory will sing again. What else can satan do to hinder a man's glory?

1. Satan defiles glory (Psa. 4:2). Take care to avoid the defilement of sin that can turn glory to shame. Avoid the silent invasions of a defiled spirit that comes in various shades of emotional entanglements. These include bitterness and unforgiveness.
2. Satan exchanges glory (Gen 48:20). Walk with God and seek His face for your divine purpose in life. There is that right connection, right place, right time for the manifestation of your glory. It will not be exchanged, in Jesus' name. Y our portion will be given to you and your lot another will not take, in Jesus’ name.
3. Satan causes a man's glory to sleep. (II Sam. 9: 5-7). The glory of Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan was sleeping until God caused David to remember him, And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually: II Sam 9:7. When Mephibosheth's glory awoke he moved from an obscure, crippled man to a celebrated land owner with a permanent seat in the royal palace. Indicators of a sleeping glory to pray about include:

1. Thick stiff opposition everywhere.
2. Worthless life with no respect.
3. Opportunities elude you mysteriously;
4. You arrive late instead of on time.
5. Your benefactors depart just before you arrive and helpers of destiny disappear for no reason or refuse to help.

Hear the testimony of a man whose glory awoke, This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him: Jn.2:11. The Lord Jesus paved the way for your glory to manifest. Declare that as the Lord showed forth His glory, so also will my glory manifest in the land of the living.

Prayer/Action
* With your hand raised declare with authority:
- Let all enemies of my glory be consumed by fire.
- Opportunities of glory will not elude me, in Jesus’ name.
-I command my glory to wake up and manifest to the full.

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Enemies of Glory I

Text: Judg.16:1-20
More Lessons: Psa. 91
Bible Reading in one Year: Isaiah 19-21

It's been said before that glory must be discovered, pursued and defended. Any glory that will last must be well managed. When glory is not well managed, it can turn to shame. 'Kabowd' can become 'Ichabod'. This implies that the glory, though heavy and weighty, placed on a man by God can depart. The devil does not want anyone to manifest his created glory; therefore, he lays different traps for the one carrying glory to fall into. A man must recognise that not all like his existence; there are enemies of glory. To have a lasting glory, you must know satan's tricks to spoil the glory and labour to defend it. You will not experience Ichabod, in Jesus' name. What can the enemy, satan, do to a man's glory?

1. He can strip him of his glory (Job 19:9). The devil used calamities, disasters and death to strip Job of his glory. The blood of Jesus will speak for you. You will not be stripped of your glory; you will not be made naked by the enemy.
2. Satan sometimes steals a man's glory (Judg 16:20). Glory can be stolen at various levels; individual, family and community. Even national glory can be stolen. In Judg. 16: 19, Samson's glory was stolen by the tool of sex. How do you know your glory is stolen?
a. When you become a shadow of yourself.
b. Constant set backs though you are labouring.
c. When you become an object of ridicule as a weakling just as Samson after Delilah emptied him of his glory.
d. When there is perennial barrenness of good things.
e. When you lose self-confidence and become scared to step out in greatness.
These are all indications that the enemy has stolen your glory. You need to cry out to the Lord of glory if any of these indicators occur in your life. Check yourself like Samson did! Several times sin opens the door for glories to be stolen. If it’s sin that led to it, then quickly confess that sin to the Lord, repent of it and the Lord will forgive you. Now cry out for a restoration of what the thief has stolen from your life. Don't stop insisting on a restoration until you see your abilities/glory returned.

Prayer/Action
* Lord, forgive me for allowing sin into my life.
* Deliver me from glory robbers.
* Restore to me all that the enemy stole. I take it back.

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