Integrity Counts

Tuesday 20 October
READ: Dan. 6:1-5
MORE LESSON: Job 27:3-6

But they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him: v 4. This was the testimony of Daniel, in a strange land where he was one of the captives; the enemy found no occasion to accuse him. He shared the same testimony with Jesus about whom the Bible testified as follows; for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me: Jn. 14:31. We are Jesus’ people and must bear His testimony as Daniel did. The Bible calls us the light of the world and if so, we must live a blameless life without spot or wrinkle.

What do people say about you as a Christian? If it is less than that of Daniel, then you have to work more! Integrity and uprightness are two pillars necessary for successful living (Psa. 25:21). Many believers’ lives are held down because of awkward lifestyles, unjust gains, falsehood, stealing, backbiting and all forms of disobedience. Lack of integrity makes the way very slippery. To be a person of integrity is to embrace honesty in words, actions and intentions; it is to make promises and pay the price to fulfil them.

Any life built on dishonesty always ends in loss and shame, For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up: Hosea 8:7. Lives and futures built on forged certificates and other frauds cannot be glorious. There are marks of integrity all of which must be found in your life :

1. Moral uprightness: Gen.20:3-10.

2. Unselfish service to God and man. And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them: Num 16:15.

3. Performing your vows and promises: Jer.35:12-19.

4. Rejecting brides of all forms: And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, ...: Acts 8:18-23.

5. Honest behaviour: Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man: 2Cor.7:2.

Job’s wife asked him a question that all of us must regularly ask ourselves; ...Dost thou still retain thine integrity? ...: Job 2:9. God, godly people and even unbelievers expect you to retain your integrity in all things. And until then you are still a struggling Christian.

Prayer/Action
* Father, release on me the spirit of truth, in Jesus’ mighty name.
* I receive grace to be honest in actions and intentions, in Jesus’ mighty name.
* I will retain my integrity in all things, in Jesus’ mighty name.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Shepherd of my soul, I give You full control, lead me besides still waters,and take me to green pastures, in the name of Jesus.

On Mission for God

Monday 19 October
READ: Psa. 105: 16-22
MORE LESSON: Gen. 37:13-14, 23-27

If God sent you to do something significant for Him, how would you expect to be treated? How would you expect to feel? Our first step along the pathway of serving God may feel like the end of the our hopes and dreams. Jesus was going to throw in the towel because of rough handlings and maltreatment. But praise God He allowed the sovereign will of the Father to prevail. He prayed and received strength to go on even though it was very difficult. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done: Lk. 22:41-42.

Most times, God's beginning for His servants often bear little resemblance to the endings He has in mind. But it is sure that if God has given you a difficult mission, He will sustain you until you reach the end He has in mind. The story of Joseph in our text today is a great encouragement, especially when God's dealings with us seem impossible to understand, He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Psa. 105:17-18. It took going into slavery and prison for Joseph to be able to fulfil God's mission for him.

This implies that being sent by God may begin with pain and loss; it could involve injustice or being penalized for being truthful and refusing to compromise. It may also hurt as much as Joseph's leg in iron and being imprisoned. But definitely it will end in commendations and good reward at the end. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord: Matt. 25: 23.

Dearly beloved, whatever your mission here is, and no matter how difficult and risky it seems, all God requires from you is faithfulness. It is being faithful to the one who called you and to the assignment you are given that gets you a welcome and well done at the end. You can be rest assured that the God who sent you will sustain you. So, keep working!

Prayer/Action
* Lord Jesus, You who helped Joseph to fulfil his destiny, help me also today, in Jesus’ mighty name.
* I receive the grace to preserve and continue steadfastly in what I am given to do, no matter the opposition, in Jesus’ mighty name.
* Father, help me to be faithful to the end, in Jesus’ mighty name.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
As the Lord lives, I shall fulfil my days, and shall not be cut off. They that attempt my life shall die in my stead, in the name of Jesus.

Contend for your Destiny

Sunday 18 October
READ: Num. 27:1-7
MORE LESSON: Jude 1:3

There is 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 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 am 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 able to salvage some of the building materials. He 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 otherwise why 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 be swimming in your dream. You need to talk to your business that it will not collapse. Whatever it takes, by fasting, by prayer or by hunger, if you have to reduce the food you eat so that you can plunge back the profit into the business, if it will take going back to learn from others, do everything you need to do. That is contending for ownership. I hear testimonies of what is happening to other believers. It is okay for them to accommodate oppression, but it is not okay with me.

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 my matter 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 be looking for how to uproot them. In medicine, prevention is better than cure. That is to say that dealing with mosquitoes is cheaper than going to 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
* My life is a no go area for the devil as from today, in Jesus’ name.
* Oh Lord, hedge my life round about with Your presence, let not the enemy have access to it any longer, in Jesus’ name.
Plead the blood of Jesus 21 times over your entire destiny before noon today.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I shall operate under an open heaven today, and I shall be unstoppable, in the mighty name of Jesus.

The Help that You Need

Saturday 17 October
READ: 1 Chron. 12 : 22
MORE LESSON: Gen 2: 20 - 22

Every man needs help and it is God's desire to give help to man. In fact, help is God's idea; in the beginning it wasn't man that realised his need for help, it was God that identified man's need for help and gave him the help that he needed. There are various ways by which God gives help to a man. The first help that God can give you is to give Himself to you. This is expressed in Ps 121: 2, My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. When you have God, you have help because He is the source of all help. The next help that God gives man is other men. God gave Eve to Adam as the help that he needed. The man needed the woman and the woman needed the man. So by a single act, God helped them both by giving them to each other. The man who hitherto had been lonely began to enjoy company and the woman also began to enjoy the joy of sharing. So everyone needs somebody. A man can be blessed and lonely, a man can be rich and without genuine friends and relationships. Such a man needs the blessing of true relationship with people who have sincere interest in him. It is only God that gives a man that kind of relationship. So today you need help no matter who you are or what you have and the help you need is first God and then, people. God will fill every gap in your life today, in Jesus’ name.

David also got help from God and from men. In 1 Chronicles 12:22, it is recorded that day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God: 1 Chron. 12:22 (NIV). God sent men to David to help him on a daily basis. That means a minimum of 365 helps in a year; he could have two or more help per day but there was no day that nobody came to help him. No wonder his army was as mighty as the host of Heaven; when God sends men to help you, you become a phenomenon.

I pray that God will add help to your blessing. Whether financial, material, marital or academic; whatever you need to be added to the blessings that you have already will be given to you by the help of God. Whatever has been a source of secret pain for you will be removed by the help of God. When men are commanded by God to help you, they help you both in their convenience and inconvenience. From today you will be helped by God and man, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to fill every gap and vacuum of your life by His divine help.
* Ask God to speedily intervene in every area of your life that needs help, which you are ignorant of.
* Ask God for daily help until you see Jesus.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Today, I declare God’s Word over my life: the sun shall not smite me by day nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve my life now and forever more, in the name of Jesus.