Expecting to Receive

STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 

A Daily Devotional by Bishop David

Expecting to Receive

Sunday, 20 October

 

And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Acts 3.5

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Acts 3:4-5 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

 

MORE LESSON: Psalm 62:5-11 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. 7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. 8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. 9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. 10 Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. 11 God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.

 

Expecting to receive is fundamental principle of faith. When we pray, we must trust that God hears us and will answer our requests. We must expect to receive what we ask for, not with doubt or uncertainty, but with confidence and assurance.

In Acts.3.5 the Bible says: And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. The lame man was expecting to receive something, but not what he received. He was looking for financial help but instead, he received healing and new life in Jesus. The lesson to learn here is that anytime you come to the presence of God, you must be expectant. Let everything in you be expecting to receive from God, even when you are not too sure of what you want.

There is no limit in receiving from God but we must fasten our eyes on God. Jesus in Mark 11.24 says: Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Prayer is an act of faith in God; any man that cannot pray has pride. When we pray we expect to receive something from God. Even when we may have a little understanding of His plans, we will be surprised by His blessings and answers we will receive from Him.

We will experience His grace and power in new ways when we demonstrate faith in God's goodness. As we show our trust in His promises and love, He will pour out His blessings and answers to make us experience His provision.

A believer doesn't come to church or any prophetic gathering without an expectation, and a heart open to receive beyond your expectations. Our God can do beyond our expectations as Ephesians 3.20 puts it: Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Don't limit God when it comes to receiving; if we can receive, God has no problem with releasing whatever we desire from Him. Only God has the answer to our expectations so stop looking at men; look unto God with a heart that is ready to receive.

May we come to God not just with expectations, but also with an open heart and mind, ready to receive what He has for us. May He surprise us with His goodness and grace, and may we receive all that He has in store for us. May your long-awaited expectations meet God's provisions this week, in Jesus' name.

 

Prayer/Action

* Pray for grace to expect and receive from God always. 

* Declare: I trust in God's goodness and grace, and I receive all that He has for me.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: This month I shall rejoice and be glad. The forces of sorrow and pain shall flee from me permanently, in the beautiful name of Jesus.

His Presence

 STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 

A Daily Devotional by Bishop David

His Presence

Saturday, 19 October

 

And he said, my presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. Exodus 33:14

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Exodus 33:14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

 

MORE LESSON: Exodus 13:21-22 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.; The result of the presence of the Lord is rest; it is in His presence that there is rest. This rest is interpreted comfort, well-being and peace. The word rest can be substituted for the Hebrew word shalom, which stands for prosperity, healing, goodness, divine health.

God, speaking to Moses, said, “You want me to go with you but I will go before you.” Personally, I don’t want God to just go with me but also before me. God’s answer to Moses was beyond his request because Moses asked according to the limit of his head knowledge. If we go together side by side, there is still some limits; certain things can still happen. But if He goes go ahead of me, I have an advantage. It is said that a man who goes ahead makes a way for the one coming behind. In the case when sight is a trouble, as long as you can follow the man in front of you, you can get to your destination. A blind man who has someone in front of him has direction. May the Lord go in front of you, in Jesus’ name.

When the Lord is in front of you there is no danger. Say, “Father go ahead of me, with you ahead of me there is no danger.” When someone is in front of you, you use his eye. For example, when a blind is connected to someone who can see, as long as they are connected, the blind need not to worry about his sight. He has an extra pair by the reason of his connection to the person with good eye sight.

Each time we walk away from the presence of the Lord, we lose sight and direction. The future (whether he gets to his destination or not) of the blind man depends on his connection with the man whose sight is good. The connection is important because it is the eye of the blind man. That is why we need to keep our connection with God in order to see because there are more things our physical eyes cannot see than the ones we can see. Psalm 91 talks about the terror by night and arrows that fly by day, which our naked eyes cannot see.

I went on a visit one day and while waiting to see my host, two ladies were walking and chatting. Where I was seated I saw one of the ladies actually had horse legs but physically she was walking normal. The other lady had no knowledge that the lady beside her was carrying the spirit of an horse. It is like using a microscope to check a specimen, you will be amazed at the things that exist which your naked eye may not see. The presence of God reveals and defends us against both what we see and those we cannot see. When a man sees an arrow coming, he can take cover; but how do you respond to an arrow you cannot see? It takes the one who can see it to raise an alarm.

 

Prayer/Action

* Ask God that His presence will never to leave you. 

* Ask God to give you and your household all-around rest. 

* Ask the Lord to take the lead in your life and affairs.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Today is my day of divine connection. Therefore, I command all channels of blessings open up for me now, in the mighty name of Jesus.

We Would Like to See Jesus

STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 

A Daily Devotional by Bishop David

We Would Like to See Jesus

Friday, 18 October

 

The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. John 12.21

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: John 12:20-22 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: 21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. 22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

 

MORE LESSON: Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

 

In our scripture for today, we see that a group of Greeks approached Philip, one of Jesus' disciples, with a humble request: "Sir, we would like to see Jesus." These Gentiles, drawn by Jesus' teachings and miracles, sought a personal encounter with the Saviour. This set of people did not only want to hear about Jesus but desperately desired to see Him.

What does "seeing Jesus" mean to you? Seeing Jesus means having a spiritual understanding or revelation of who He is and His significance in one's life. It symbolises a deep, personal relationship with Him, where one experiences His presence, guidance and love. Seeing Jesus can also mean understanding His attributes, such as His love, grace and mercy, and recognizing His presence in our lives.

Their request resonates with our own hearts' desires. We, too, yearn to see Jesus to experience His presence, guidance and love. We crave a deeper connection to Him, just as the Greeks did. Jesus' response is telling; He didn't simply grant their request or provide a quick fix. Instead, He spoke of His impending death and resurrection, saying, in John 12:23: The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

When you encounter Jesus personally, you know beyond the letters and beyond “My pastor said”. You must have a deeper understanding about Him. Jesus knew that seeing Him wasn't just about a physical encounter; it was about understanding His purpose and sacrifice. He wanted the Greeks of that time and we of now to grasp the depth of His love and the significance of His mission.

Here are some ways to deepen your connection with Jesus.

1. Prayer: regular, honest and intimate conversation with God.

2. Bible Study: reading, meditating, and applying God's Word to your life.

3. Worship: singing, praising, and honouring God with your heart and voice.

4. Communion: regularly participating in the Lord's Supper, remembering His sacrifice.

5. Fasting: setting aside time to focus on God, seeking guidance and clarity.

As we echo the Greeks' request, "We would like to see Jesus," may we also embrace the fullness of His message. May we seek not just a fleeting glimpse but a transformative encounter that changes our lives forever.

 

Prayer/Action

* Pray that you too will see Jesus. 

* Ask God to reveal Himself to you to behold His glory and understand the depth of His love. 

* Ask God to help you to embrace His sacrifice and follow Him with a heart fully devoted to Him.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: From this day on, the testimony of answered prayers shall be my song. Bye bye to closed heavens, in the mighty name of Jesus.

 

TODAY’S FASTING FOCUS: I shall testify; Revelation 12:11

Is the Fire still Burning?

 STRENGTH FOR MY DAYS 

A Daily Devotional by Bishop David

Is the Fire still Burning?

Thursday, 17 October

 

The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it, it shall not go out; the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and he shall lay the burnt offering in order upon it, and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. Leviticus 6: 12

SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Revelation 3:14-22 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

 

MORE LESSON: Leviticus 6: 12-14 And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings. 13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out. 14 And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, before the altar.

 

God instructed the Old Testament priests to put fire upon His altar and to ensure it was burning continuously. They were to refuel the fire every morning: it was an instruction they were to observe from generation to generation.

This is a picture of what God wants on the altar of our hearts. When you become born again and receive the Holy Spirit, the fire of God comes on the altar of your heart. If you remember, when you believed, you were on fire; you truly loved God. You were grateful He saved you and worshiped Him in Spirit and truth. You loved to pray, and you prayed with all your heart. You loved to go to church to be with other saints in worship. You loved to serve in the house of God and to win souls for Christ. You loved to give, to pay your tithe and to sacrifice for God. You followed God with all your heart because you were on fire for Him. This is the experience of anyone who truly becomes born again.

The fire of God upon the altar of your heart is expected to be burning continually. Just as your heart beats and does not stop until you die, God's fire is to burn continuously until you leave this world to be with Him in glory. The fire shall never go out, " but " shall ever be burning upon the altar " (Leviticus 6:13). Just as the Levites were commanded to refuel the fire every morning by putting wood upon it, refuel the fire of God on your altar through worship, prayer and feeding in the word of God, "morning by morning" (Isaiah 50:4). May the fire of God never go out on the altar of your heart, in Jesus ' name.

In case the fire has gone down, then it is time to refuel. This was the situation with the Laodicean Church; they became lukewarm and were neither cold nor hot. Jesus, rebuked them and asked them to return to their first love (Revelations 3:16; 2: 4-5). Revelations 3:19 cautions us: As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. It is time to return to your first love for the Lord. The fire of God's love must burn again in your heart and manifest in how you worship, pray, study His word, give, serve, evangelise, love to go to the house of God, and how you love the brethren.

May the fire of God burn brightly in your heart, today and forever. Ephesians 5:14 exhorts: Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

 

Prayer/Action

* Give thanks to God for His great love for you and for the fire of the Holy Spirit. 

* Ask God to purge you of everything that hinders this fire from burning.

* Pray that God's fire will burn on the altar of your heart forever.

 

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER: Thank You my Father and my God for giving me life. I receive everything that makes life worth living from You now, in the precious name of Jesus.