Fervent Spirit

Text: Acts 18:24-28
More Lessons: Matt. 3:1-11
Bible Reading in One Year: 1Thessalonians 4-5

One of Paul's instructions Christians in Rome about Christian lifestyle and service is, Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord : Rom. 12:11. He saw fervent spirit and effectiveness as necessary components of our service to the Lord. Being fervent in spirit implies being zealous, enthusiastic, and not being indifferent. Diligence and fervency are qualities that God requires of His children because He expects us to be diligent and industrious in all our duties both to God and man, especially in the duties of our calling.
To be fervent is to be earnest; allow your heart to be engaged in everything you do. Be enthusiastic about working for God. Nothing should be done out of hypocrisy, eye service, murmuring, grumbling or with indifference. The Bible condemns the attitude of Reuben, Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart: Judges 5:16. Contrary to what the world believe, an idle, slothful person cannot be a Christian because Christianity doesn’t encourage idleness or slothfulness.
Apollos has a testimony of being diligent among the Christians in Ephesus, This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John: Acts 18:25. After being taught of the way of the Lord, Apollos became a useful tool in nurturing the believers in Corinth (I Cor. 3:6). Paul also comments about Epaphras as always labouring fervently in prayer (Col 4:12); Phinehas has the commendation for being zealous for God (Num 25:1); Jesus, our perfect example, says, ... My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work: John 4:34. To have a fervent spirit, be earnest, let your heart be engaged in what you do, be diligent in seeking God, be consistent and be at the forefront of Kingdom matters.

Prayer/Action
* Ask the Lord to renew the zeal for His work in your heart.
* Ask God to kindle a fresh fire upon your spirit.

Acquiring Fire I

Text: Hab.2:3
MORE LESSONS: Obadiah 1:17-18
Bible Reading in one Year: Daniel 10-12

I remember that the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa used to say , I can acquire what I desire if I perspire and do not retire. And then one man of God added, ...if only I can refire. So say to yourself, I can acquire what I desire if I perspire and do not retire, but refire. I love the saying because it encourages one to keep on doing something until one gets result. Don't say never; just keep firing. Don't retire, just insist until something happens.

A lot of people go to bed after they have tried and waited on the Lord, fasted and prayed and it looks as if what they are looking for is not forth coming; they retire into sleep and tiredness. They stop praying; in fact sometimes when they announce a fast they ignore the announcement. Don’t be tired of praying, And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint: Lk. 18:1.

Y our problem is not what God can’t do, your retiring is your trouble; beloved, refire! The promises in today’s first scripture are promises that can be achieved if only you understand what the requirement is. The promise is that on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, there shall be holiness, the house of Jacob shall possess their possession, but then it goes ahead in verse 18 to tell us how the house of Jacob will possess their possession.

The first question we need to ask is, What is the property or estate that the house of Jacob need to possess? The first possession of the house of Jacob is the covenant, And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed: Gen.12:1. This verse spells God’s determination to bless Abraham. When Abraham was dying God had not fully fulfilled that promise, so Abraham handed over to Isaac for the continuity of the fulfilment of the promise in him. Isaac handed the same promise to Jacob and Jacob to Joseph. Obadiah 1:18 says for that promise to be possessed by the patriarchs, Jacob must become a fire and Joseph a flame, while Essau, an enemy of the promise, shall become dry grass.

Taking possession is made easy by the fire in Jacob and Joseph consuming the grass, that is, the enemy of the covenant. Today, I declare all the enemies of your promise dry grass and command your fire to consume them, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Command that every covenant promise for your life step up to fulfilment from today.
* Ask that every obstacle working against your fulfilment in life be destroyed by fire.
* Ask God to rekindle the Holy Ghost fire and righteousness in your life.

The Weapon in Your Mouth

Text: Mark 11: 20-24
MORE LESSONS: Deut. 6:26, I Kgs.16:34
Bible Reading in one Year: Daniel 7-9

One day while traveling to my village in a festive season, I stopped over to see a leading man of God in Nigeria, whose hometown is next to mine. While we were sitted at dinner someone brought a photograph of a lady who had burns all over her body and they were using her photograph to solicit for money for her. She obviously could not come out again so she sent people with her pictures to go beg for her.

They came and gave the man of God the photograph and the letter of appeal for funds for medical treatment. He looked at it and they were expecting him to write a cheque but he took the photograph and said, I curse the root of the burns, in Jesus’ name. He spoke to the malady as if the woman was present physically even though he had just the photograph. This problem is not ordinary, he said, I curse the root of the burns; woman, get healed in the name of Jesus; and he gave the photograph back.
In the first text, Jesus saw a tree and cursed it because the tree was occupying space and deceiving people with flamboyant leaves without bearing fruit.

The Bible says that by the next day, the tree dried up from the roots. It is unusual for a tree to dry up that way; trees start drying up from the top to the roots. And even if you cut a tree down from the roots it doesn't dry up the next day. But Jesus spoke and instantly the tree started drying up ; by the next day , the tree had dried up from the roots. What do you think dried that tree? It was the word that came out of the mouth of Jesus that dealt with the tree. When things are not the way you want them to be in your life, that is not the time to keep quiet. Use the words of your mouth to make things right. If anyone has spoken a word or a curse on you and it is causing problems for you, you have the right to speak your own words to your situation and the Spirit of the Lord will empower your words and the situation will change. From today, learn to speak words of command to your situations. Whatever is not planted by the Lord in your life, I command it to dry from the roots, in the name of Jesus.

The strongest weapon on the earth is the word on the lips of the believer; the heavens and the earth were created by the Word, and by the Word they are upheld. It is by the Word that man can operate his dominion mandate; by the Word a man is raised and by the Word he is brought down. Speak the Word of God and rule your world, ...upholding all things by the word of his power ,...: Heb.1:3.

Prayer/Action
Today, make authoritative declarations on any unfruitful situation in your life or a fellow child of God that you care for - Job 22:28, Isa. 45:11

Thieves of Glory

Text: II Pet. 1:5
MORE LESSONS: Judges 16:16-19
Bible Reading in one Year: Daniel 4-6

There are always representatives of satan to destroy your glory and no matter how long it takes them to achieve that they don't worry; they are enemies of glory on mission and until that mission is accomplished, they don't give up. Delilah didn't give up on Samson until she accomplished her mission in his life. You must insist on sustaining your glory as you never know the method which the enemy wants to use to terminate the glory of your life. I want you to know that glory has enemies. Everywhere glory is manifested attack is imminent. Whenever the devil sees your glory, agents are sent to begin to launch attacks on your glory until you give up.

Therefore, it is not sufficient to know that you have a glory within you. The first thing to do is to discover it, then pursue it and defend it. You have to be very careful and watchful, don't let your glory be taken from you; manage it well and be prayerful. Your glory must be defended because satan is interested in spoiling good things. You can't have honey around and ants are not there. In Isa. 60: 1-2, the same people that are asked to “arise, shine” are also told that darkness will threaten the glory.

Many people are in problem today because they don't know how to pursue their glory. Being the son of a president does not automatically make you a president, you have to pursue your glory. There is a son of a former president in a country who has been in trouble since the death of his father; he has been in problem with the financial crime commission over money laundering issue. He can't even win an election in that country because he did not know how to manage the glory when he had it. There was also one son of another president who pursued the office of the president until he became the president of that country. That is glory management. He rode on his parents’ pedigree and got into glory. He knew how to manage the glory. The glory of a family can be stolen. When glories are stolen, they are done in the spiritual realm.

This happens when wicked people are able to demonically peep into your destiny and invoke some demons to steal your destiny from you. For Samson, it was sex offered by a strange and demonic woman. After Delilah was done with Samson the Bible says that his strength left him. Just one woman offered him sex and took away what he carried. Don't let that strange being steal your glory. The same would have happened to Joseph but he resisted. However, it happened to Esau who couldn’t manage hunger and he lost it. Guard your glory by righteous living, careful walk, prayer and good company and you will never fail.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that your glory will not be available for harvesters of glory.
* Ask that the powers that defended the glory of Jesus will be at work in you.
* Ask God for sensitivity and grace to walk worthy of your divine glory.