Call it by Name

Monday 22 May
READ: Gen 1: 5
MORE LESSON: Gen 2: 19

One of the greatest privileges that God has given man is the authority to give names. We name our children, pets and even possessions. However, we must be conscious that the power to give name is not merely the power of nomenclature; it is the power of death and life. When you give a name to something, you give it a nature and identity. Gen 2:19-20 says, ...out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. So Adam gave names to all cattle, the birds of the air, and every beast of the field. Whatever you call, it will become.
There was a boy that was born with a hole in his heart. The doctor had said he would die in a few days and so all family and friends were weeping and speaking in tongues. They sent for me to come pray and so I went there. When I wanted to start praying, I asked for the child's name and the parents said that they had not named the child. They probably thought what would be the use of naming a child when he would die anyway. The Lord told me not to bother myself praying but merely to name the child. So I asked for the name they would like the child to bear. They told me the name and I pronounced the name three times as a witness to Heaven and earth. I knew that the child must be alive to answer that name which has been given to him. The child is still alive till tomorrow.
It is time for you to engage this power of naming to change your life and destiny. You have been praying for a child, give that child a name and begin to call him/her forth by name. You have to stop crying that you are not married, give your wedding date a name and begin to call it forth. For everything that God created, He called them by name even when they didn't yet exist. He already had a name for each one and called them by name. Call what you want by name and bring it into being. Do a naming ceremony for your heart desire before it manifests.
Similarly, if there is something you do not want in your life, give it a name of expiration. Are you trusting God for a better job, then this job becomes your 'former job' – that is its name. The job you are expecting is now your 'new job'. Do this in the presence of Him whom you believe — God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did (Rom 4:17).

Prayer/Action
* I renounce every name that God has not approved for my life, in Jesus’ name.
* Call forth your desires by name and receive them, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I command the potency of negative words and prophecies spoken to my life to die, in the name of Jesus.

High Cost of Stubbornness

Sunday 21 May
READ: Exodus 5:1-11
MORE LESSONS: 1Sam.15:23-25

Stubbornness is a character of the devil. Unfortunately, some people magnify stubbornness presuming that they are strong and tough as Pharaoh was seen by all Egyptians as a tough, no-nonsense leader, a mighty man of valour, one who could not be cowed to submission by the miraculous display of Moses and his God. Pharaoh's magicians encouraged him in his stubbornness when they went on to repeat some of Moses' miracles. They turned water to blood (Exo.7:22-23) and brought more frogs on the land (Exo.8:6-7). They did all that to prove to Pharaoh that all that Moses was doing was not impressive.
To be stubborn means: 1) to be unwilling to obey or do what you know is the right thing to do; 2) to deliberately set yourself against the truth; 3) to wilfully continue on the path you know or have been told is wrong; 4) to determine to do the wrong, damning the consequences. God hates stubbornness. In His sight, stubbornness or unwillingness to repent is as iniquity as idolatry (1Sam.15:23). Stubbornness is to say, What can authority do to me? What a man reaps from the sin of stubbornness and non-repentance are plague, affliction, sickness, pain and destruction of property, business and children, just as it happened to Pharaoh, his magicians, and the entire nation of Egypt. Pharaoh in his stubbornness said to Moses, ...Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go: Exo. 5:2. Even if Pharaoh did not know the God of Moses, he knew the power of the gods. But blindfolded by stubbornness, he dared the God of Moses. Stubbornness blindfolds and makes you see only yourself. It makes you rate yourself above your worth, and you become proud. Unfortunately, behind pride and haughty spirit is a monster lying in wait to override you, Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall: Prov.16:18.
It is not the desire of God to send plagues to your life. His desire for you is to bless and multiply you, If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: Isa.1:19. But if you continue in your pigheadedness, you can jeopardise your future and destiny. I plead with you to repent and come out of that sinful way, and you will enjoy the great harvest that God promised us this year.

Prayer/Action
* Ask the Lord to rid you of all secret stubbornness and seed of pride, in Jesus’ name.
* Pray that as you become willing and obedient to God, He will satisfy you with the good of the land, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY'S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I agree with God that the prevailing forces of sin shall not have dominion over me, in the name of Jesus.

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.