Say No to Worry II

Sunday 8 March
READ: Phil 4: 6 -7
MORE LESSON: Ps 34: 4 - 10

It’s been proven that eighty seven percent (87%) of what people worry about never happen. Worry is the fear of the unknown and bringing into the present the pain of something that is yet to come. A worried man is afraid of something that has not come and is preoccupied with an unnecessary pain over a possible futuristic occurrence that he cannot change. It is like having a present rehearsal of a future pain.

Fear kills faster than the real event feared. It has been proven with people that have chronic diseases that the pressure, fear and worry they entertain are actually what kill a greater number of them and not the diseases themselves.. Thus God tried to calm the nerves of the afflicted by sending His Son to ...release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage: Heb 2:15 (NKJV). It isn't even death that keeps people in lifetime bondage but the fear and worry of dying. By the Word of God, you are delivered from worry and fear, whether of death, sickness, financial problem or anything, in Jesus’ name.

Faith and confidence in the Word of God is the antidote to worry. In order not to be overcome by worry in these times of overwhelming darkness in the world, the Light of God's Word must flood your heart. You will only live above worry about death when you truly know that you shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord (Psa 118:17). Worry about plagues and pestilence ravaging the world will not grip you when you truly believe that there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling: Psa 91:10. You don't lose sleep and become apprehensive each time you or your loved ones have a journey to make when you know that God ...shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone: Psa 91:11-12.

You should not die because of worry over sickness because there is healing in the Balm of Gilead( Jer. 8: 22). There is a God in Heaven who was wounded for your transgression, bruised for your iniquity, chastised for your peace and by whose stripes you were healed (Is 53: 5). Do not give yourself high blood pressure because of financial needs but believe that God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19), the young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing: Psa. 34:10.

When worry tries to enter your heart, use the Word of God as a safe lock to defend your heart. Say no to worry.

Prayer/Action
* O Lord, I break loose from the bondage of fear and worry, in Jesus’ name.
* O Lord, let the light of Your Word flood my heart and flush out all fear.
Use Psa. 27:1-3 to pray.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I command the doors of opportunity and breakthrough to freely open up for me today, in Jesus’ name.

Say No to Worry I

Saturday 7 March
READ: 1 Peter 5: 7
MORE LESSON: Matthew 6:25 -34

Every man has an issue for which he needs help to tackle. There is nobody that doesn't have one challenge or the other; even the patriarchs and heroes in the Bible had issues that confronted them. The only man that does not have an issue confronting him is the man who is already dead. So whatever you are going through, you should not think that you are the only one with problems. People go through hard times as you are, and there are testimonies of men who have overcome that same problem that you have; you must also overcome, as the Scripture encourages, There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it: 1 Cor 10:13.

One thing that challenges prompt in people is worry; everybody has issues that could give them a justified ground to be worried. Even men of God have things to worry about; a man of God could be great, blessed and anointed and equally greatly worried! However, worry is never scripturally justified because it does not change anything about the issue at hand. The only thing worry changes is the blood pressure of the person; worry doesn't change the issue, the circumstance, or the trouble but it changes your blood pressure. The greatest antidote to worry is to have an experiential knowledge of the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life . . . Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Matt 6:25 - 27( NLT).

Since you are not to entertain worry, what should you do? Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you: 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT). Worries are too overwhelming to be carried by you, so give them to God who has the capability to bear them without being weighed down. God is the custodian of peace while man always harbours worries. But God is graciously asking for an exchange, He wants to give you His peace and collect your worries. That is a beautiful exchange which any man in his right mind should be willing to make. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for doing it. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand, His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus: Phil. 4:6-7 (NLT).

Prayer/Action
* O Lord, the situation I am going through in life will not swallow or overpower me, in Jesus’ name.
* O Lord, give me Your peace in abundance.
* Ask God to give you a way of escape from all troubles.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
In the name of Jesus, the favour of God shall overwhelm me today and I shall advance in destiny.

Sweet Savour II

Friday 6 March
READ: Ps 50: 5
MORE LESSON: Ps 50: 5 - 15

God demands sacrifices that will give Him sweet savour, not because He has need of our offerings for the cattle on a thousand hills belong to Him (Ps 50: 10 -11). God demands sacrifices from us because He wants to enter into a covenant of blessing with us. God blesses but there are conditions and if you meet God's conditions then you will get His blessing. When it was time for Isaac to hand over the blessing of the covenant to one of his sons, he asked for the sweet smelling savour, And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die: Gen 27:4.

We all know that Isaac could easily have called the son he wanted to bless, and give him the blessing without any savoury meal. But the Scripture is communicating to us the dimensions of blessings that you cannot access except by sacrifice. Jacob got the blessing because of the savoury meal. Sweet smelling savour also is what makes the difference between Abel and Cain; God accepted Abel's offering and rejected Cain's because Abel's offering brought a sweet smelling sacrifice to God, And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: Gen 4:4. It is not enough to bring just any offering to God, make sure your offering is sacrificial and will bring forth a sweet flavour. There are some dimensions of answer to prayer that come only when your sweet sacrifice speaks and not by fasting and prayer, Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me: Psa. 50:14-15.

However, sweet savour is not all about money, it is about your life. The greatest sacrifice you can present to God is your life. There is a way you live that attracts God to your life. Some people don’t know how to have good relationship with others, thus they lack a sweet smelling savour, and they repel people around them; so also a man living in sin and rebellion repels God, no matter what offering he gives. Such life does not give a sweet smelling savour but a stench to God. A sacrifice from such a life will not bring blessing but curse. This is the reason the Holy Spirit makes us to know that the sweet savour which is acceptable to God is a life given to the Lord, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service: Rom 12:1.

Prayer/Action
* Say, Father, let Heaven be attracted to my life for blessing today.
*Ask God to remember your sacrifices and offerings this month for divine intervention.
* Ask God for grace to live a life that is acceptable to God.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I prophesy today that my glory shall not be reduced or stolen by robbers of destiny.

Sweet Savour I

Thursday 5 March
READ: Lev 23: 13
MORE LESSON: Rom 12: 1-2

Each substance has a distinctive quality that you can discover by taste or smell. Generally, a sweet savour is a pleasant taste or smell that is the distinctive quality or property of a substance. In our context, sweet savour means an action or expression to God that draws His attention to us. From the Scripture, we see that anywhere God perceives a sweet savour, He comes down and manifests Himself. Scripturally, a sweet smelling savour comes when men sacrifice an animal on fire to God. So, you cannot have the sweet taste without a burnt sacrifice. Man enjoys a sweet taste when he eats; however God doesn't eat man’s sacrifices but He smells our offerings and enjoys the aroma that comes forth when the offering is sacrificial. Sweet smelling savour is what comes out when you make a sacrificial expression or offering to God. God appreciates sacrificial offerings and expressions, and even man appreciates such expressions.

In the Bible, Noah saved a pair(s) of every animal and God destroyed all the remaining animals in the flood. After the flood, there were definitely few animals on earth but Noah sacrificed some to God. God smelt that sacrifice and vowed never to destroy the human race with flood anymore. God also removed the curse on the ground for man's sake (Gen 9: 1 – 13). As Noah offered a sweet smelling sacrifice that affected the entire human race, a single sweet smelling offering can end the trouble in your family.

Solomon also sacrificed 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep to God (2 Chro. 7:4-11). The sacrifice was so much that the brazen altar could not contain it. In 2 Chron 5:6, King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be numbered for multitude. No wonder the glory of the Lord came down upon the temple and Solomon had great glory as the king of Israel.

Today, you can give an offering that will rise as a sweet savour to God and compel a visitation to you from God. Your tithes, first-fruits, pledges and offerings are demands that God has made as sweet smelling sacrifices, it cannot be anything less. God is not looking for donations, He is looking for a man that will read His Word, discover the sacrifices that God has demanded of him and willingly present them to Him in obedience. Such expression will rise up to God as a sweet savour and provoke the covenant blessing of Jehovah.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that your life will be a sweet smelling savour to God permanently.
* Pray that your sacrifices and service will rise to God as a sweet smelling savour.
* With a seed of money in your hand, ask God to visit you as He visited Solomon. Go and sow the seed to either your pastor or your church.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Jesus, in this new month, I declare that people will no longer use my old problems to describe me.