Love, Don’t Hate

Tuesday 27 September
READ: Matt. 22:37-40
MORE LESSONS: Lk. 11:4

A good person will not think of killing any other person. Now the Bible says, Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and… eternal life and murder don't go together: 1 John 3: 15 (MSG). The person who hates has no eternal life and so he is spiritually dead. God equates hatred to murder; hatred is darkness and is of death which is separation from the source of life. And the true source of life is God. Therefore, any man who hates his brother separates himself from God. Hatred is the nature of the devil. The man that is not born again does not have the capacity to love because he does not know God. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. Love is the expression of the new life the believer receives at new birth. At regeneration, we receive the ability to love.
A brother shared a testimony of how God healed his mother of a disease. This woman had experienced long years of health crises. She had visited many doctors, spent a lot of money, and visited men of God for prayers but to no avail. Medical science could not diagnose what was wrong with her until the disease reached a terminal stage. People fervently interceded for her, and then she was finally diagnosed of cancer. The doctor said she needed to go through surgery. Then, during a fasting and prayer programme, the Lord revealed to this brother that the cancer was a product of hatred, which the devil used as a foothold to afflict her. It was also revealed that if she would repent and forgive the person who had offended her, she would be healed.
She reconciled with the person and asked God for mercy and then went for the surgery. After the operation, the doctors confirmed that there was no trace of cancer in what they brought out of her. She had been healed. Hatred is a foothold for satan to afflict a man. Hatred is the nature of the devil and it is a mark of spiritual death. A spiritually dead man cannot love because love comes out of life. As you determine to forgive those who have offended you and let go of your past hurts, I prophesy today that death will not have power over you.
In the scriptural passage that we read, the man came to Jesus to ask Him what good thing he would do to have eternal life, and the answer Jesus gave was to keep the commandments. The commandment of God is love. Love is the key to life. Love the Lord your God and love your neighbour, your distant and close brother, your hurting friend and all! Let a new season of love begin today, that we might be forgiven and healed.

Prayer/Action
* Father, I uproot every seed of hatred planted. in me, in Jesus' name.
* Father, I forgive everyone that has hurt me in the past and I receive Your forgiveness, in Jesus' name.
* Father, heal me of every wound that unforgiveness has caused in my life.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I withdraw performance from every negative pronouncement over my life, in the name of Jesus.

The Law of Divine Exemption

Monday 26 September
READ: Exo. 12:12-13
MORE LESSON: Isa. 54:15-17

God is irrevocably committed to His children’s protection. Since the day you gave your life to Christ, some things are not permitted to happen to you. The blood of Jesus is powerful enough to ward off evil from a man’s life, And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the house where you are: And when I see the blood, I will pass over you,... When I smite the land of Egypt: Exo. 12:13. The difference between the believer and the unbeliever is in the appropriation of the blood.
The night that God decided to pass through Egypt was a horrible night for those whose door posts were not marked with blood. There was wailing in every house except the houses of the Israelites who appropriated the blood. Supposing some Israelites refused to apply the blood as instructed, they would have been victims of the great slaughter that night. Also, if by any chance some of the Egyptians had applied the blood, they would have been exempted. This is so because God’s condition for exemption is, ...when I see the blood, I will pass over you.... Exo. 12:13.
Any man that chooses to apply the blood of Jesus in his life has chosen to be different in this evil generation. Evil can be happening all around you, it is not permitted to happen to you; only with your eyes you will see the reward of the wicked. From today, walk tall knowing that no weapon turned against you will succeed. The passover blood worked for the Israelites because they obeyed God’s Word or instructions through Moses. For the law of divine exemption to work for you, you must walk in righteousness and obedience to God’s Word and His servant. May you be exempted from every evil today and always.

Prayer/Action
* Cover yourself with the blood of Jesus.
* Declare that no evil shall be able to touch you and your household because you are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Despite all odds, like Isaac, I shall wax great and move forward, in the name of Jesus.

The Enemy cannot Compete

Sunday 25 September
READ: Exo. 8:5-25
MORE LESSON: Psa. 2:1-5

The difference between gods and ordinary mortals is the capability to do such things that ordinary humans cannot do. When God allowed Moses to go to Pharaoh, it was with a promise, ...I have made thee a god to Pharaoh...: Exo. 7:1. For as long as the magicians of Egypt were able to copy and repeat whatever wonders Moses performed before Pharaoh, he was not a god to Pharaoh or a threat to his kingdom. In fact, Moses was disdained and earned no respect nor honour. But as soon as the magicians could no longer perform nor repeat the wonders of Moses, he became a god to them.
Moses suddenly became a man to be negotiated with, rather than a competitor. In fact, the magicians saw beyond Moses and they said, ... This is the finger of God. In verse 25, Pharaoh said, ...Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. That is the power that cannot be defeated. Again in verse 28, Pharaoh said, I will let you...: Intreat for me. Imagine Pharaoh begging for prayer, because he met a power stronger than him, such power that he could not compete with nor confront.
If only you will ask God today to grant you such power of performance that the enemy cannot confront nor compete with, just like a god, your enemies will soon go on their knees before you, pleading with you to intreat for them, rather than confront your destiny (Exo. 5:2). The good thing today is that every born again, spirit filled, righteous child of God has already been made a god, I have said, ye are gods; and all of you are the children of the most High: Psa. 82:6.
The challenge, however, is, how many of God’s children know this? The enemy has taken advantage of the ignorance of many for so long to cheat, harass, intimidate and afflict them. Today, break your enemy’s harassment with the knowledge and application of God’s power over your life. Tell the enemy, “No more competition, I am a god!”

Prayer/Action
* Father, make me a threat to my enemies and let my fear fall upon them that hate me.
* Father, help me to walk in reality of who I am in Christ Jesus.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, this month, prevent my sail from capsizing, my eyes from tears and my feet from failing, in the name of Jesus.

Empty Handed

Saturday 24 September
READ: I Cor.9:16-23
MORE LESSON: Ezek. 33:1-7

There is a song I grew up singing as a young believer in the Deeper Life Christian Ministries. Each time I sang it, it was always with passion and burden. That burden and passion has not left me even now. It has become a prayer and labour, something I pray about daily and work at. Sing it with me this morning and pray about it:
Must I go an empty handed, thus my dear redeemer meet, not one soul with which to greet Him, must I empty handed go.
You know why the song hits me so much each time? It is because of my knowledge of God's great investment upon my life, the price that Jesus paid to save a wretched one like me. It makes me cry to Heaven, Oh Lord, don't let me return back home to You like an ingrate, empty handed.
Only an ingrate or an ignorant person will go to Heaven without a soul in his hand to say thank you to Jesus. Think of His sacrifice of putting on humanity although He is God, the humility of subjecting Himself to earthly parents yet the Father of all, I see Him the creator of motion learning to crawl. Imagine Him before Pilate answering framed up charges as an accused. What about the soldiers slapping Him, spitting on Him and mocking Him!
Have you ever thought of Jesus in Gethsemane? He manifested humanity and made a request that could be answered by the Father. He tasted denial and although He prayed with sweat coming out like blood, He never got it and all these just to purchase my forgiveness. With that done, I will be wicked to refuse to tell sinners (friends, classmates, relations and neighbours) about life in Christ.
The only proof of appreciation that you and I can give Jesus is not to keep quiet while sinners go to hell. We must tell them, if by any means we shall be able to snatch some back to God and get to Heaven with a gift of souls.

Prayer/Action
* Oh Lord, don't let me return back home to you empty handed.
* Father, help me to shine the light of the gospel everywhere I am found.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
This month, my heavens must open, in the name of Jesus.