Don't give Up I

 STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 
A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare

Don't give Up I

Monday, 12 August

 

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. Job 13:15

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Genesis 22:1-12 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. 3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. 9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

 

MORE LESSON: Daniel 3:16-28 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

 

We are in hard times. People grapple with problems that seem to defile solutions. Sometimes even children of God go through certain difficult situations and Heaven appears quiet concerning their challenges. But whatever the situation you go through, you must not give up; you have to just stay there no matter the storm. When it looks like you have reached the wall of Jericho and nothing you do can bring it down, it is not time to turn back, you must choose to stay there. It is a demonstration of your faith and trust in God. Even if you do not know what to do next, just stay still and wait. That everything seems to be quiet does not mean that God is not doing anything about your situation. In fact, some times, your miracle is in your remaining still and waiting on God.

What should you do while you wait?

1. Make a commitment to remain with God come what may. Let God boast about you just like He did about Job and Abraham. One day God taught me something I had not known before; He asked if I knew why He tested Abraham and I said it was because He wanted to test the genuineness of his love for Him. But to my surprise, He told me it was because He wanted to boast about him. He said that He already knew that Abraham would give Him Isaac but just so that the world would not think that He blessed him by chance, God tested Abraham in order to make a boast about him. The same goes for Job; God wanted Satan to know that He had a man who could do anything for Him. And true to it, no trial that Job went through was strong enough to make him turn his back on God.

You too must resolve to remain with God no matter what happens. You must set your face like a flint as Job in Job13:15 and says, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. and the psalmist in Psalm 108:1, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. The devil truly can become weary of a man who would maintain his integrity before God, the situation not withstanding.

You enjoy unusual supernatural strength to leap over walls and run through troops when you make up your mind to stay with God no matter what. When going back is not an option, you will always find the supply of the Spirit to come out victorious. Our victory is sure so long as we remain on God's side. Know that God is faithful and able to deliver you. But you must decide that even if God chooses not to deliver you, it will not change your mind concerning Him. God's heart goes for such people and there is nothing He will not do for them as Psalm 34:5 assures, They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

 

Prayer/Action

* Receive help not to give in to discouragement in the face of challenges.

 * Pray that all you are going through will end in thanksgiving to the Lord.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Oh LORD, I am Yours. Do to me as it pleases You today and always, in the glorious name of Jesus.

Walking without Sinking II

 STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 
A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare

Walking without Sinking II

Sunday, 11 August

 

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. Matthew 14:25

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Matthew 14:22-32 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 

MORE LESSON: Colossians 3:1-4 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

 

Anytime you stand in faith looking at Jesus as the Word, the Blood, or the Life, there is nothing that can make you sink in life. Faith in God turns water to rock and wherever you stand becomes solid rock. In every circumstance that surrounds me, I see life behind the cross. For as long as you set your eyes on the Cross of Jesus, nothing can sink you. Before any evil can get to you, it must first win over the cross. Standing on the cross is an authority that governs the universe, a strength that has never experienced failure. Choose to see the cross first before seeing anything.

When I first started ministry, people used to come to me with many sad stories of what was happening to them. I used to become sober and downcast along with them and feel sorry for them. But then I started discovering that the people have not come to see me but who I represent. So when people come now with situations that could make anyone cry, I start making joke out of bad matters.

When they come crying over a bad case, I begin to laugh and crack joke with them. Then I share God’s Word and I pray with them before I ask them to go. Some think that it is because I do not understand what they are going through. No, it is because I choose not to see what the devil is doing but what God can do. I choose not to see the storm but Jesus miraculously walking on the water.

A woman came to me crying over her medical report of a cancer diagnosis. I collected the report and said, 'Father thank You because You are bigger than all this nonsense report. I replace the bad report with a good report'. Then I gave her back the paper and told her go see her doctor for a re-check. She looked at me and asked, 'Is that all?' Then she went and reported to the person who brought her that the Bishop didn't lay hands on her head. The fellow replied, 'Did he say anything to you?' She said that he only spoke a few words of prayer and told me to go and see the doctor again. Then the fellow said, ‘Go and do what he told you’. The Lord healed the woman supernaturally.

What she didn't know is that when I spoke to her, I wasn't seeing the cancer anymore; I was seeing her situation changed by the Miracle Worker. She forgot about the cross and remembered cancer as she came. But I decided to focus on the cross and help her put her attention away from cancer to the Great Physician. I don't care what you are going through; as long as you remove your focus from the situation and put it on the finished work of Christ on the Cross, you will experience miracles. You will walk on waters and not sink, in Jesus’ name.

 

Prayer/Action

* Declare in faith that every water that is designed for your sinking, let it be turn to solid ground.

* Pray for the strength never to see or pay attention to what the devil is doing but only on what god is doing around you.

* Thank god for keeping you and for not letting you to sink.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Flowers fade, grasses wither but my glory shall never fade nor wither, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Walking without Sinking I

STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 
A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare 

Walking without Sinking I

Saturday, 10 August

 

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. Hebrews 12:2

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Matthew 14:22-32 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

 

MORE LESSON: Hebrews 12:2 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.

 

The process of Peter’s sinking comprises three things. First, he looked off the Master and concentrated on the storm. Looking off the Master introduced fear and the result of the fear was the sinking. Each time a man sinks in destiny, there is a progression to the experience. Whatever succeeds in making you look off the source of strength sinks you. Do not allow anything to take you away from the Lord because to look off Jesus is to lose sight of confidence and strength.

The first consequence of looking off Jesus is the entrance of fear. Looking off Jesus opens the door for the thief to come in and the thief only needs a short period of time to steal, kill and destroy. You will not be a victim, in Jesus’ name; this is why your focus must be on J e sus unwaveringly throughout life. The moment Peter changed the object of his focus, he saw the storm. When he wasn't seeing Jesus anymore, he started seeing the storm. Remember, the storm didn’t just appear, he began to focus on the storm because he lost focus of the Lord. He started from a position of seeing the storm alongside with the other disciples before Jesus showed up. They all were looking at the storm until in the midst of the storm, he saw someone walking on the water. Immediately he found the supernatural sight of Jesus walking on water more captivating than the raging storm, the picture of the storm played down in his consciousness. In fact, as he concentrated on the miraculous sight, he so much forgot about the storm that he asked Jesus to bid him walk on the water in the midst of the storm. Then all of a sudden the devil reminded him, 'What do you think you are doing on the water with a storm as mighty as this blowing around you?' Immediately he remembered the storm, he forgot about Jesus and the miracle he was experiencing, and all he could remember was the storm.

Do you know that it is you who chooses what you want to see in life? Then what you choose to see determines whether you walk or sink. What sinks men is not the problems of life but their reactions to the problems. It wasn't the storm that actually made Peter to sink, it was the image of the storm. He allowed the image of the storm to overshadow the image of Jesus in his consciousness. Jesus is busy doing something in your life and the devil too is busy making his own noise; it is who you choose to see that wins in your life. What opened the door for Peter to sink was not the storm but his giving attention to fear by choosing not to see what Jesus was doing anymore. You will not sink in destiny, in Jesus’ name. But you must mind your sight, ear and mouth.

 Prayer/Action

* Pray that you will continue to fix your eyes on Jesus never to look away.

 * Pray against distraction.

 * declare that starting from today only God's favour you will see and hear enjoy.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Satan, the blood of Jesus is against you over my destiny, family and future, in Jesus' gracious name.

Faith and Love

 STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 

A Daily Devotional by Bishop David Bakare

Faith and Love

Friday, 9 August

 

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Galatians 5:6

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

 

MORE LESSON: I Corinthians 13:1-8 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

 

The main text today makes us to understand that faith works by love. You must walk in love toward God and men if you want to have a productive faith life. It is easy to believe and trust someone that you love because Love Beareth all things, BELIEVETH all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things: 1 Corinthians 13:7. The reason many find it difficult to have faith in God is because they do not love Him with all their heart. So they are always looking for alternative solutions to their problems because they are not ready to wait on Him. They do not spend enough time with Him and so do not know Him well enough how not to doubt Him. When a man has no deep rooted knowledge of God, doubt and unbelief are natural to such a man, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment: Matthew 22: 37-38. Today, remove everything that takes your heart, love and attention from God and you will see your faith soar.

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: Matthew 22:39. When a man is filled with unforgiveness, hatred, bitterness, resentment and lack of care for others, no matter how many scriptures he knows, he can't be a man of faith. If you are exercising faith only for things to consume on yourself, you will keep 'faithing' and nothing will happen. If your motivation for whatever you are believing God for is to help others, expand the Kingdom and show God's love to people, you will get what you want, And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love: 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV). If faith won't work without love, then love is greater than faith. Faith moves God's hand but love moves God's heart. With sincere love for God and people, you can be a man after God's heart, And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him: 1 John 4:16. God is love. Whosoever has the fullness of love has the fullness of God, And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God: Ephesians 3:19.

As you make the Agape love of God your pursuit in life, faith ceases to elude you and you become a blessing to everyone around you. I pray that from today, you will grow more and more in love for God and show God's holy love to people around you, in Jesus’ name.

 Prayer/Action

* Thank God for the ability to love.

* Ask the Holy Spirit to flood your heart with the love of God.

* Pray in the spirit for at least 10 minutes focusing on the love of God.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: No matter the state of affairs in this country, my hope is built on the Solid Rock. Nothing and no power will shake me off balance, in Jesus' precious name.

 

TODAY’S FASTING FOCUS: Divine provision; Nehemiah 9:15; Isaiah 33:16; 9:16-17