The Covenant of Peace I

Friday 21 August
READ: Num 25: 6 - 13
MORE LESSON: Psa. 69: 9

There was a time in Israel when the anger of God burnt against them because they were engaged in immorality with the Moabite girls. Twenty four thousand people died and the congregation mourned and cried to God for mercy. Then a man who was even a leader in Israel came before the whole assembly and brought another girl and went in to start committing immorality with her. The man must have looked at Moses and proceeded into the tent with the girl, he must have thought to himself that the people could do nothing to him. He disrespected God, His servant and all the congregation of Israel. You have to be careful how you act in the presence of God and His servants. Some people are rude and disrespectful in the house of God and to ministers of God; even if God’s servants do not say anything, judgment will fall on the rude person.

Moses didn't even say anything but then a young man called Phinehas saw it and rose up, took a javelin in his hands and went after the Israelite in the tent. He thrust both the man and the harlot through with the javelin and the anger of God calmed down and the plague was stayed from the children of Israel, And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: Num. 25:11.

God rewarded him with a covenant of peace for himself and his generation. God gave him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood. So by his zeal for God, Phinephas secured an exalted position for himself and his seed after him. Ordinarily, a covenant is an agreement between two parties based on conditions. All the people God made covenants with had conditions and requirements to meet. But for Phinehas, God didn't attach a condition, that is why it is a covenant of peace. He would enjoy it eternally without labour or strife. No one can contest with him for it and nothing can disqualify him for it. God gave it to him unconditionally.

How did Phinehas obtain this covenant of peace? He was zealous for God like the Psalmist that says, For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me: Psa. 69: 9. I want you to know that there are things you too can do for God that He would vow to bless you and your generation after you. It could be in any area of life- service, giving, holy living, commitment, evangelism, prayer e.t.c. Choose to excel and move the hand of God for good in an extraordinary way in your life.

Prayer/Action
* Pray for grace to do extra ordinary things for God.
* Ask God to make you an icon of eternal memorial in His Kingdom.
* Pray that you will be an example of holy living.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Arise God of battle and let the enemies of Your works in my life be scattered, in Jesus’ name.

A Life without Lack

Thursday 20 August
READ: Psa. 23:1-6
MORE LESSON: Phil 4: 19

The Psalmist made a boast in the Lord that I want you to retain in your consciousness. He said, The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want: Psa. 23: 1. He was more or less beating his chest in confidence that because he had God as his provider, his provision was sure. How can a man have Elshaddai, the All-Sufficient One as his God and be living in lack? Lack is against the nature of God. Have you ever seen a poor son of a president before? Never. A father's position automatically puts the son to an advantaged position. God your Father has the highest position; today I want you to reject any position that is contrary to His. As a child of the King with vast resources you cannot continue to live with meagre means. I want you to reject lack in your thought, mind and consciousness. Reject it in the place of prayer.

Wealth is a position and poverty is a position. By your relationship with the Possessor of Heaven and earth, your position has changed. Poverty is a state of mind that leads to a state of being before it materialises in your physical environment. Wealth also is a consciousness that leads to a state of being that also materialises in your life and environment. It is that consciousness that the God is communicating to you in Psalm 23:2-3, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Your well-being is linked to your confidence in your relationship with God. This is the secret of wealth; a confidence in your relationship with the wealthy God, which guarantees you a wealthy life.

God wants you to make progress from that state of poverty to the state of abundance. He has everything you need to make that progress. But he wants you to believe in Him and His ability to supply your needs. Some people believe that God can save them from their sin but they do not see Him as their source of financial sustenance, so whenever they have a need, their minds explore all alternatives except trust in God. Today, God is asking you to take your place as a son of a wealthy God. Trust God and not men; do not even put your trust in your salary and income even though it is God that gave you that job. Stay open for God to bless you in whatever way He chooses; don't always go around begging, borrowing and taking overdraft: talk to your Father and trust Him. He will come through for you. You have a wealthy Father, choose to rely on Him for supplies and blessing. As you put your trust in God for supplies, from today, you will live a life without lack.

Prayer/Action
* Pray the following scriptures into your destiny repeatedly - Psa. 23:1-6, Ezek. 34:14.
* Give thanks.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
My Father and my God, send thick darkness into the pathway of any power challenging Your glory in my life, in the name of Jesus.

Hope for Change

Wednesday 19 August
READ: Job 14: 7 - 9
MORE LESSON: Job 14: 14

Job is a man that experienced difficulties like no other man in history. He was the richest man in the entire East who lost all his possessions, wealth, family and health in one day. He cascaded from the throne to the dunghill within hours. It was so bad that his wife felt there was no need for him to stay alive; therefore she told him to curse God and die because she felt he was better dead than alive the way he was (Job 2: 9 – 10). Everyone thought that the end had come for him and there was no hope or reason for him to live anymore. But then Job, in all the agony and misfortune, said something that every man in tribulation and difficulty should learn from. He said, If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come: Job 14:14. However bad you think your situation is, I want to boldly say that your situation is not as bad as Job's. But Job replied those that told him to kill himself that if he died there’s no hope anymore but as long as he was alive he had hope and he would wait for his change to come.

Job’s determination to wait for change means he believed there was time limit to his predicament. Beloved, there is time limit to your pain and affliction. There is a positive change that is on the way but you must learn to wait without losing hope until it happens.

There are three points I want to make from Job's statement in our text.
1. He believed that change was possible even when he was going through a situation that he did not understand. Whatever situation you find yourself today, know that change is possible. Your situation can change from bad to good and it can change from good to better. Positive change is possible; do not lose hope.

2. He said he would wait all the days of his appointed time. Don't ever give up until you get your desired result; even if it will take all your life, keep waiting. God never fails, keep waiting on Him.

3. He described a course of action until his change comes. In other words, he was saying, 'It is only waiting I can do now and I'll keep doing it till my change comes'. What can you keep doing till you get result? For you, waiting will not mean to sit and fold your arms, cry or complain. There are scriptural steps you can take while you wait; keep doing what you can while you trust God for your change to come. 
I declare today that you will experience the great change that will take you to your Promised Land, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Tell God you believe in His power to change all negative situations in your life.
* Tell God you will never give up your confidence in His promises.
* Give thanks to God for His promises that can never fail.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
The Lord shall arise and favour me today, for the appointed time of my goodness is now, in Jesus’ mighty name.

Hope for Change

Wednesday 19 August
READ: Job 14: 7 - 9
MORE LESSON: Job 14: 14

Job is a man that experienced difficulties like no other man in history. He was the richest man in the entire East who lost all his possessions, wealth, family and health in one day. He cascaded from the throne to the dunghill within hours. It was so bad that his wife felt there was no need for him to stay alive; therefore she told him to curse God and die because she felt he was better dead than alive the way he was (Job 2: 9 – 10). Everyone thought that the end had come for him and there was no hope or reason for him to live anymore. But then Job, in all the agony and misfortune, said something that every man in tribulation and difficulty should learn from. He said, If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come: Job 14:14. However bad you think your situation is, I want to boldly say that your situation is not as bad as Job's. But Job replied those that told him to kill himself that if he died there’s no hope anymore but as long as he was alive he had hope and he would wait for his change to come.

Job’s determination to wait for change means he believed there was time limit to his predicament. Beloved, there is time limit to your pain and affliction. There is a positive change that is on the way but you must learn to wait without losing hope until it happens.

There are three points I want to make from Job's statement in our text.
1. He believed that change was possible even when he was going through a situation that he did not understand. Whatever situation you find yourself today, know that change is possible. Your situation can change from bad to good and it can change from good to better. Positive change is possible; do not lose hope.

2. He said he would wait all the days of his appointed time. Don't ever give up until you get your desired result; even if it will take all your life, keep waiting. God never fails, keep waiting on Him.

3. He described a course of action until his change comes. In other words, he was saying, 'It is only waiting I can do now and I'll keep doing it till my change comes'. What can you keep doing till you get result? For you, waiting will not mean to sit and fold your arms, cry or complain. There are scriptural steps you can take while you wait; keep doing what you can while you trust God for your change to come. 
I declare today that you will experience the great change that will take you to your Promised Land, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Tell God you believe in His power to change all negative situations in your life.
* Tell God you will never give up your confidence in His promises.
* Give thanks to God for His promises that can never fail.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
The Lord shall arise and favour me today, for the appointed time of my goodness is now, in Jesus’ mighty name.