David's Battle Secret

Wednesday 22 March
READ: 1 Sam 17: 43 – 47
MORE LESSON: Psa. 18: 32 - 50

David was a warrior who always won the battles that he fought. Right from his teenage years when he defeated Goliath, he started facing battles but he always won. One secret of David's continuous victory in war is that he had an understanding that it was the Lord who always fought through him in battle. David would walk into any battle with full consciousness that even though he was the one holding the sword and shield, it was actually the Lord of Host Himself that was doing the fighting. With such a consciousness, it was impossible for anyone to defeat him. It is only the man that could defeat the Lord of Host that would defeat David. David simply believed that whenever he stepped into battle, even though he was the one that was physically seen, Jehovah was the Unseen One that was fighting through him. Such a mindset makes any child of God more dangerous than a nuclear weapon to the enemy.
When David confronted Goliath, we see an example of how spiritually David approached battles. He looked at the giant and said, 'You are holding sword, spear and shield and you see me approaching you with a sling but don't you know that it is the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel that is coming against you? (1 Sam 17: 45 paraphrased). Sure enough the teenage boy brought down the giant and removed his head from his neck. That could only be the Lord; the small David couldn't have done that. How does a teenager kill a giant that has been fighting for decades? How does a stone kill a whole general? When you realise that it is the Lord of Host inside of you that is doing the fighting, you can dare any foe and win every battle that comes your way.
You must learn to fight the battles of life with an understanding that the battle is not yours but the Lord's. This doesn't mean that you will do nothing as many have believed for many years. It only means that whatever little steps of faith that you take, the Lord will take them up and use them to defeat the enemy. He has used stones (1 Sam 17: 49 – 50), sound (2 Kings 7: 6 – 7), wind (Ex 14: 21), water (Ex 14: 27 -28), fire (2 Kings 1: 10) and all manners of things to fight before. So He can use words in your mouth as a weapon to destroy your sworn enemies. All you have to do is declare those words, and just as the Lord took the stones from David's sling, He will take those words from your mouth to destroy every Goliath in your life. The God of David will smite your enemies before you (Psa. 18: 37 – 45). Just put your trust in God and use the weapon of God's Word and promises in any battle, and victory is sure.

Prayer/Action
* Father, like David and the men of Issacher, make me a man/woman of understanding of times, in Jesus’ name.
* I receive divine revelation of battles that I fight, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Jehovah is my captain, He leads me into battle, therefore, I shall not lose any battle this year, in the mighty name of Jesus.

It's not yet Party Time

Tuesday 21 March
READ: 1 Cor. 9:24-27
MORE LESSON: Heb. 12:1-4

If someone gets born again today, the devil immediately goes to work to strategise how to ensnare him. However, many times the church celebrates so much that we forget that getting born again is just the beginning of a very long journey to entering Heaven. The Bible likens the race of faith to athletics. Have you ever seen a sports person on the track celebrating before he wins the medal? If you start celebrating before you cross the finish line, someone might just push forward to breast the tape. There is simply no room for celebration till you cross the finish line.
The Christian life is a walk that continues until we meet God and you don't rest until you finish your course. Athletes don't stop or relax on track while running. The track is not a place to throw a party. You can do all the partying when the medal has been handed over to you. The focus and discipline must continue till the finish line. God's expectation is that you finish your race well. You have a responsibility to keep working on, no matter how much you think you have done and also to keep helping other people on the track to run their race to the finish.
This also applies in ministry; a man works for God and probably he has a congregation of one thousand people in a year and then believers start applauding so loud that if he is not careful he gets into pride and dies before his day. Believers celebrate starting like there is no finishing. However, be informed that only the end counts with the Lord, it is he who endures to the end that will be saved (Matt. 24: 13). When you are doing well and people start commending you, don't let that make you relent and everyone you have left behind now overtakes you.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God: Heb 12:1-2. Keep looking at Jesus and keep pressing on till you reach the finish line. At the end of the race, God will throw a big party (marriage supper of the Lamb) for us. However, while you are here on earth, it is not yet party time.

Prayer/Action
* Lord, help me to run and finish well and strong like Paul, in Jesus’ name.
* I rebuke every obstacle on my way in the race of eternity, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
The Lord is my light and salvation, I shall not be afraid of any man, I shall triumph over every evil in the year, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Mighty Men of David

Monday 20 March
READ: 1 Sam 22: 1 -2
MORE LESSON: 2 Sam 23: 8 - 24

The Bible talks about some men who gathered themselves to David in the cave of Adullam when he was running from Saul. David needed great men that would help him fulfil God's prophecy of kingship over his life. Instead of noble men and army generals coming to him, the Bible says every one that was in distress, or discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men (1 Sam 22:2). David needed great men to help him fulfil his destiny but rascals and street boys gathered to him for help. Some of them were in debt and they needed him to help them pay their debts. Some were hungry and needed him to feed them; yet others were frustrated and needed David to encourage them. David himself needed help as God's anointed king who was nowhere near the throne but was being pursued by his enemy.
However, instead of looking around for the help which he needed, he decided to give help to those who came to him for help. David was a man who was very conversant with trouble. Instead of focusing on his troubles, he started solving these people's problems. Of course, everywhere problems are solved, a crowd soon gathers. So it wasn't long before many people started coming to David. In this life, people have lots of problems. If you are a solution provider, you will always have people flock to you. When they come to you, you can bring them to God because He is the solution provider. Don't be afraid, thinking, What if they come and overwhelm me and I can't solve their problems? You are not the problem solver, let them come and God will solve the problem through you.
It was the problematic people that David raised that became the mighty men of David (2 Sam 23: 8). When David grew old and his strength was gone, these men stood by him and fought for him (2 Sam. 21: 15 – 22). They became so loyal that they could lay their lives down for David. It was these men that fought with all their heart till the kingdom was given to David.
The easiest way to find help is to help people; the easiest way to be raised in life is by raising others. Your future is in the people you are impacting today. There is no lasting greatness outside of raising someone today. If you have not raised men in the place where you are, you can't be counted to be great. True greatness is yours as you learn to raise people and help them to become great.

Prayer/Action
* Father, make me a solution to the problem of many around me, in Jesus’ name.
* Ask God to lead you to such act that will bring forth the mighty man in you, in the name of Jesus.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, I shall obey and serve You, therefore I shall spend my days in prosperity and my years in pleasure, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Constant Addition

Sunday 19 March
READ: 2 Pet. 1: 5 – 10
MORE LESSON: Isa. 28: 10

There is no adult who was born as big as he/she is now. We got to the physical stature that we are now by adding. If a child is born and there is no addition to his height and weight, then the parents start running up and down. Even nature counts it abnormal to stay in one state; life is about addition. A successful life must be a life of constant addition.
Similarly, in our spiritual life, we must keep adding. Today's text admonishes us to add and add more. If you are born again, this means that you had faith in the name of Jesus to receive salvation. That is wonderful but that is not all; you need to add. The Bible says you should add virtue to the faith that you have. Virtue means good character; so add good character to your salvation. Don't live in a way that makes mockery of the salvation that you profess.
After adding character, the Lord wants you to add knowledge. You need to know more of God; so read the Word, come to fellowship and learn as the Word is taught. You also need knowledge in other areas of life that will make you successful, so take more courses, training and certificates that will give you more opportunities. Go to school and add to your knowledge.
The Bible says you also must add self-control to your knowledge. You can't just give your body everything it wants, you need self control. So add fasting and prayer, add discipline and hard-work. Add patience, godliness, kindness, and love. Just keep adding. Add success to your spirituality. It is good that you love God but don't be a failure in your finance and academics. So don't be lazy; work hard and pay the price for success. Add skills to your character, add practice to your skills, and excellence to your work.
A man who doesn't stop adding will realise one day that he has grown beyond where he was before. You may not be able to achieve everything you want in one day, but if you do not stop adding, you will get there one day. So today, you need to ask yourself, What have I added today?
Remember no addition, no continuing, no progress, no advancement! Adding more should be a life time exercise, you must never stop. There is life and power in adding.

Prayer/Action
* Father, help me daily to pursue perfection, in Jesus’ name
* Father, give me grace to constantly add virtue to my life, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, let Your amazing grace give me amazing results and testimonies this year, in the mighty name of Jesus.