Making your Plan Work

Saturday 20 May
READ: Gen. 1:1-13
MORE LESSON: Psa. 32:8

The need to plan cannot be over-emphasized in the life of a believer. God is a planner, He planned all things from existence to eternity and as His children, we must take cue and plan fully. Even the devil makes plans, and is diligent and consistent at fulfilling them. The way and manner in which the devil executed his desires on Job proves that the devil is organised and diligent to make his plans work. Of particular importance is the gradual and systemic way in which he unleashed terror on Job. He did it gradually, but one step at a time until he did all he could on Job. It was first his cattle, then his children, his wife, then the attack on Job himself. Even the children of the devil have learnt well from their master. Take the example of Delilah, she was organised, skillful and committed to her plans for Samson; until she dealt devastating blow on him. The struggle of every Delilah around you will fail no matter how skillful and well thought out. You will not fall or fail. You won't be a victim or a negative example in destiny.
As believers, we too must be good disciples of our Father, God in planning and following His plans. Our text today shows God's master plan and execution of the creation work, particularly the act of being able to put first things first. He did not create light as the last thing, else the whole of creation would have been in darkness. Also He didn't create the land animals before the creation of vegetation on which they will feed.
You can make your desires happen by doing the following: pray, present your desires to God, then put them in black and white. Next, work out the details on time, implement strategies and resources ,and take the package back to God in prayer for the confirmation of His will, His blessing and power to perform. Begin implementation and don't be too rigid about anything; rather keep reviewing everything as you go on. Be ready for any necessary change and keep in touch with God and any one who could be of help. Just as God finished the creation of the earth in six days, you too will finish all your plans well. None will fail.
Don't give up on any plan, no matter how tough. Just keep at it, until you get to not just the 6th day but the 7th day of rest.

Prayer/Action
* Thank God for His good thoughts and plans for you, in Jesus’ name.
* Satan will not hijack the good plans for my life, in the name of Jesus.
* I receive wisdom for good planning, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I command every invisible arrow of limitation and reduction to backfire, in the name of Jesus.

Dealing with a Deficit Future

Friday 19 May
READ: Luk. 15:11-24
MORE LESSONS: Hos. 10:12

A deficit future is a tomorrow that has been squandered today. There are many people squandering their tomorrow by the type of life they live today and they do not know it. Some of them are even doing it gladly, like the prodigal son. The story of the prodigal son is a lesson on the repercussion of riotous living. The prodigal son had a temporary immediate gain and pleasure, but he paid dearly later in life. The day the young man collected his inheritance prematurely, he left like a hero but then, a little while after, he began to gladly eat with pigs.
When you prematurely eat your evening meal in the morning, it will be pleasant, but in the evening, hunger will teach the lesson that night hunger can be deadly and the night becomes longer! Premarital sex can be pleasurable while it lasts but breeds barrenness and incurable diseases tomorrow. Stealing from your parents can make money available today just as, smoking, drinking and such vices are obviously pleasurable in the now, but the deficit is in the future. Whatever exists in you that will cause a sad, bankrupt future, I chase them out now. Your today will bring a happy tomorrow, in Jesus' name.
For a better tomorrow, stop living a wasteful life today. Begin to create reserves/savings for your tomorrow no matter how small; stop eating everything that comes to you. Reject anything that is sweet today but breeds sorrow tomorrow. Always ask yourself what the eternal result of what you are doing is, what contribution or otherwise is what you are doing now to your future? Thank God, the prodigal son came back to his reasoning; he took a bold step to go back home and found grace. You too can stop today; reason and ask God for help. Our God, the gracious Father of all prodigal children is still waiting to receive you if you can take a positive step today.
I release grace and favour for your recovery. Esau wept to recover but he didn't get it (Heb. 12:16-17) but you will get yours today, if you can seek God with sincere heart. Faith in the promise of God to forgive is the first step to your restoration. Have faith that God will forgive and restore you. Then take a definite step by confessing and asking God for forgiveness. Finally, take steps to correct whatever you consider that you have done wrong. Attach yourself to God’s Word, prayer, fellowship and godly counsellor. God, like the prodigal son’s father, has been waiting for you! Welcome to a new beginning.

Prayer/Action
* Ask for grace to be disciplined and patiently wait for the appropriate timing of God for you, in the mighty name of Jesus.
* Ask the Lord to redeem your future that you have wasted by your past acts, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, nothing You advertised is ever rejected, advertise me to my generation, in the mighty name of Jesus.

How to Find Joy

Thursday 18 May
READ: I Sam. 1:1-20
MORE LESSONS: Psa. 119:165

Joy and progress are not products of sight and wishes, but of knowledge and work. Someone once said to my wife, “The year is new but not a happy one”. The fellow was simply reacting to what he saw around, not what he knows about God. Ecc. 11:4 says, He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. You will never be happy looking around at prevailing situations, and satan will never allow you to see the things that will encourage your spirit, rather, he will show you negative things and will even magnify them beyond normal. So if you desire to have joy and gladness, don't look outside for them but erase and uproot them using God’s Word. Newspapers will never give you joy, because they are designed and marketed by bad news and negative events around the world. The only source of joy is God's Word and those who live by it can never be sad.
The point is this, the knowledge of God's Word and and promises is the only reason why a sick man with terminal illness can be happy, regardless of medical report and physical feelings. The same thing applies to the barren, the ones who are delayed, those with unanswered prayers, the burdened etc. Even as a believer, who is hale and healthy, if you desire joy by the things you possess, your joy will be as temporary as those material things. But if you build the source of your joy on what God's Word has promised you, no matter the negative environment, you will live such a happy life that the people around you will wonder what makes you happy. With Jesus on your inside as your anchor, you can smile at the storm and make your boast in the Lord your God. This is a major difference between the believer and the unbeliever. The believer rejoices in hope while the unbeliever has nothing to look up to outside of physical events
.
The joy of the Lord shall be your strength from today. Whatever be your case and regardless of what negative signs you see cheer up, rejoice in hope, just as Hannah did as soon as the prophet had prophesied on her (I Sam. 1:18). She became happy by what was said to her, not her barren situation. She came to the altar weeping and sad, while she was praying the prophet said to her, Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him. v17 (NIV). Hannah did not only say Amen, v18 says ...Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. - that is practical faith in the Word and v20 was the result; she was not disappointed, so will God do for you.

Prayer/Action
* Father help me to always find my joy in You no matter what I'm going through, in Jesus’ name.
* Father, let everything that makes me sad and sorrowful turn around to bring me joy, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
The strength of sin and error is hereby broken over me today by the blood of Jesus, in Jesus' mighty name.

Picking up the Pieces

Wednesday 17 May
READ: Psa. 126:1-6
MORE LESSONS: Job 42:12

Sometimes our dreams are shattered by lack of fulfilment; sometimes hope is lost to frustration. Many times we work so hard and get nothing and we ask, ‘why’? Sometimes the days ahead look so bright with an early sunrise, only for darkness to take over the horizon again. Often, great and solid promises suddenly disappear into thin air. Life becomes so confusing at such times that everything seems to be in pieces. Nothing seems real anymore; even God becomes so abstract, as if He does not exist. All we see is fear, helplessness, crisis, pain, darkness, and life becomes unbearable.
Many people commit suicide at such times; some go mad and never recover again. Others give in to depression and sit in self-pity, never attempting anything good again. A few others take it up against God and declare Him unfair and unjust. Consequently, they abandon seeking God and worship the creature of God or completely stay away from everything.
However, there are some who take advantage of such situations to rise. They simply decide to pick up the pieces of their life by fighting the enemy of goodness, the devil, using the last spiritual strength left in them. They just can't give up. They know that Jehovah God exists no matter what lies the situations of life attempt to tell.
Don't give up because it's not over yet. The God who turns captivity around is still in control. Seek God, invite Jesus into your life as your Lord and Saviour. Don't join the multitude to do evil. Make your ways right with God, and if you are already in Christ, stay hopeful. Renew your strength constantly in God's promises and like Job your change will come (Job 14:14).

Prayer/Action
* I declare in the name of Jesus that every dark cloud hovering around my destiny be cleared.
* I declare in the name of Jesus that there is hope for tomorrow no matter what I see today.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
This month, I receive the good news of the termination of every satanic agent working against me, in the name of Jesus.