Count it all Joy

Friday 13 October
READ: Jms. 1:1-4
MORE LESSON:  I Pet. 1 : 3 – 9

One of the privileges the believers have is being a partaker of the suffering of Christ (Phil 1:29). Part of the sufferings a believer faces is the trial of our faith in Jesus Christ. Trial periods are not altogether bad; they are seasons to prove the worth of our faith (I Pet. 1:7), manifest the joy of the Lord, develop the fruit of the Spirit, and an avenue to qualify to share in Christ's glory (I Pet. 4:13-14).

The fruit of the Spirit is more evident in the time of trial and a trial season should produce a fruitful season in a believer. In our text, it is clear that our trial produces in us patience (endurance or perseverance), perfection (maturity), and completeness (not lacking anything). The believers’ joy should not be based on what we have, therefore our trials and challenges should not take away our joy. Joy in itself produces strength in us, for the joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh. 8:10). The early Church have the testimony of always rejoicing even when they were faced with trials and persecution (Acts 5:41, I Pet. 1:6).

Handling the times of trial requires that you know what God is saying about your situation. Do not allow fear; face the situation with hope of a better tomorrow; do not allow flesh to rule or reign, and handle all things with prayer, fear none of those things which you shall suffer, ...behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life: Rev. 2:10.

Count it all joy.  Walk in righteousness, refrain from sin, make sure that the accuser of the brethren, satan, finds nothing in you, thereafter count it all joy, whatever betides. Stand firm in the faith, refuse to doubt or deny your Saviour and it will all end in joy. Count it all joy. 

Prayer/Action
* Declare that the joy of the Lord is your strength, in the mighty name of Jesus.
*Declare that you shall not fail in the days of adversity, in Jesus' mighty name.
*Pray against any situation that can cause you sadness or sorrow, in the mighty name of Jesus.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, I prophesy to anything I lay hands on to do this year, there shall be no set back, all will be wonderfully completed, in the name of Jesus.

A Gift from the Lord

Thursday 12 October
READ: Matt. 2:1-2, 10-11 
MORE LESSON:  Psa. 108:1-5

An essential part of our worship is giving. God requires that we give to Him, His servants, our fellow brethren and even our neigbours. Giving is a token of love and appreciation. It is an investment that produces great dividends both here and in Heaven (Prov. 19:17). The attitude of the wise men from the east, who brought gifts to the Lord, is worth emulating. They saw Jesus’ star from the east and traced Him to Bethlehem to worship Him. As part of the worship, they brought gifts- gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They enquired of Him that was born King of the Jews (v.2) and found the child with His mother; they fell down and worshipped Him (v. 11). They were not moved by His age or size; they worshipped Him and gave Him gifts. They could have changed their mind when they saw that He was only a baby, and give Him gifts like toys. But they gave Him their best as they had determined in their heart before they left the east (II Cor. 9:7). Give God your best all the time, irrespective of what someone else around you is giving.

Again, though the gifts were for Jesus, it was obvious that the child Jesus would not be able to use them considering His age. These wise men did not bother about who would use the gifts or how the gifts would be used. As far as they were concerned, they had given the gifts to the Lord. Don't involve yourself with how the gifts you give to God are used. Some people even monitor church leaders’ use of tithes and offerings. Others want to know how a fellow brother uses a gift from them. A gift to the Lord should be given to the Lord without looking back.

The attitude of giving and the gifts given are both important to God. Even the packaging of our gifts to God must not be shabby or poor. We must remember the kind of God we are giving to. He is the great God full of majesty, to whom nothing can be added or removed; He has the whole world in His hands. We must give to Him in utmost joy, respect and honour. We must learn from the shepherds and give the best to the Lord in the best way. 

Prayer/Action
*Ask God for grace not to withhold anything He wants you to give out, in Jesus’ name.
*Receive grace to be a joyful giver, in Jesus’ mighty name.
*Ask God to remember all your gifts and bless you in multiple fold, in Jesus’ name.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I refuse to fail in anything I do because God is not a failure, in the name of Jesus.

Blessed in all Things

Wednesday 11 October
READ: Josh. 1:1-8   
MORE LESSON:  Psa. 1: 1-6

Prosperity is blessing from God, the evidence of God's blessing upon a man's life, The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich...: Prov.10:22. But not too many of God's people recognise that one way that God prospers a man is through meditating on God's Word, This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success: Josh. 1:8.

Through meditating on the Word, divine ideas, courage, strength, direction, guidance and sound mind come upon a man and these are the vital ingredients of prosperity. Ask great men of God and even ordinary people who have had breakthrough in life, they will tell you that meditation is vital. One great man of God in Nigeria once said that his study of the Word is not complete without time to meditate and that it is during meditation that great understanding and ideas that have made him what he is today come to him.

Discouragement, downcastness and all enemies of success disappear in the place of meditation on God's Word. God spoke to Joshua at a time of great challenge, that the way out is meditating day and night on God's Word. God's recipe cannot fail. If you desire prosperity and good success, create time for God's Word in your mouth, mind and act on it; the rest is testimony. A mind filled with God's Word is a life full of good success. Only God's Word can provide the sound mind, inspiration, intelligence and focus that are needed for a man to succeed in any area of life. Don't just study, meditate on the Word for the strength of it to manifest in your life. If truly you deserve all-round prosperity as God promised Joshua, deploy every means and technology within your reach to study and meditate on God's Word.

Money is not the first ingredient for a successful life; it is godly ideas and instructions. The earth belongs to God, He does not forget where He kept what, including the best of the earth. It is in hearing Him that you are delivered from hitting and digging the wrong location. He opened a two leave gate for Cyrus and handed to him the riches that were shrouded in darkness. If only you can get connected to this God and abide in Him through His Word, surely He will guide you to the best of the earth.

Prayer/Action
*Ask God to flood your heart with His Word, in the mighty name of Jesus.
*Ask that the strength of His Word will manifest fully in your life, in Jesus’ name.
*Pray that the Word of God will always prevail over every situation of your life, in the name of Jesus.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
O you gates of delay, broken promises, unfulfilled dreams, today, I demolish you by fire, in the name of Jesus.

Pray for your Jerusalem

Tuesday 10 October
READ: Psa. 122 :6 
MORE LESSON:  Psa. 122:1-9

The words in our anchor text are words of instruction and divine command; not mere advice or just another suggestion. In fact, the verse attaches a blessing to those who fulfil the condition. There is a level of prosperity exclusively reserved by God for those who love their Jerusalem enough to pray for her. God is sensitive and personal with those who love what He loves. Jerusalem is God's own land. It is the city of David and the centre of the many covenants God has with the Commonwealth of Israel. This is a powerful key to unlocking God's treasure chests of abundance.

There are both demographic and spiritual implications of Jerusalem as used in this scripture. Firstly, the demographic and literal sense of the word relates to God’s special love for the Jewish race. It also refers to Jerusalem as the centre of the Jewish nation because of God’s covenant with Abraham through David, and perfected in Jesus Christ. This places a responsibility on people of all races who share in the blessing of Abraham through redemption by the Blood of Jesus to love and pray for the Jewish nation and it's precious people. Secondly, the word has spiritual and figurative implications because the land where you live is your Jerusalem. The local assembly you fellowship with is your Jerusalem. The village, home and family you come from are as Jerusalem is to the Jewish people.

God expects us to mature in our prayer culture and quit praying only for ourselves and our needs. Pray for the land, the church and the people of your nativity. There are many reasons to watch and read both national and international news. Some people watch television just to complain about what the government has or has not done. Others watch the daily news only to fall into depression over the bad value of their currency in the stock exchange market or the recent news of terrorist attacks and the devastation they are wrecking all over the world. But there is another kind of people who have understanding of this scripture and watch the news to gather prayer points and prophetic declarations for their Jerusalem.

Gossiping about the leadership of your local church, rather than praying for it, is not the way to prosper. Being the dishonest, rebellious and a trouble shooter in the family is not going to bring prosperity. It will only attract woes and calamity. The sure way to prosper according to God, is to pray  for, not complain about your Jerusalem. Where is your Jerusalem? And what are you doing about the peace thereof, praying or complaining.?

Prayer/Action
*Ask God to show you mercy for ignorantly complaining and being complacent about praying for the peace of your Jerusalem.
* Stretch your hands and decree peace over the city of Jerusalem, your nation and local church.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
This month I will not labour in vain, my effort will yield positive results, I shall not work for another to consume, in the name of Jesus.