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February 2010

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“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Father God we need you now. Oh Holy Father, in your mercy, breathe upon us anew. Let the fragrance of your favor, the fragrance of your blessedness be our portion in the name of Jesus. Let your Word come through to your people today. Let them be encouraged by your Word, Oh Lord, be magnified and glorified in Jesus’ name.

Beloved, this passage is talking about our Lord Jesus Christ. Have you accepted this Son that God has given? Have you accepted that Jesus Christ was born as a child, given to us as the Son of God, and in His sacrifice we receive atonement by His shed blood? Do you believe that He is in charge of governing your life? For the Word of God says, “the government shall be upon his shoulder.”

Today I want us to focus on His name. The Bible says, “and his name shall be called Wonderful.” First of all, I want us to focus on the calling of His name, because when we call on that name—Jesus—our lives fill with wonder. Do you want wonders in your life? When you call on Jesus and wonders come into your life—the wonder of His love—then His name is called Wonderful. To those who need counsel, you who are confused and do not know what to do, whether you are coming or going - call on Jesus. The Word of God says that His name is called Counselor, and as you call on Jesus, He will give you proper counsel. If you do not know what to do with your feelings, with the depression you are having, you need counsel. If you do not know why everybody around you is smiling, call on Jesus whose name is Counselor.

The Word of God says He is also called the Mighty God. You need the intervention of God in your life. There are certain things that only God can do, and He offers divine intervention. Call on Jesus and you will be calling on the Mighty God. He will come and do mighty things in your life. Maybe you are at that place now where you just need a father. Maybe your earthly father has passed on or you do not have a father figure in your life. Call on Jesus because His name is also the Everlasting Father.

When the world around you is troubled, you need peace. Call on Jesus because His name is also the Prince of Peace. Blessed be God for He has provided for all of our needs. Beloved, today I want you to call on the name of Jesus. Call on Jesus like the air you breathe because you need Him.

Lord Jesus we are calling on your name. Come and pour your wonders into our days, for your name is Wonderful. Come and do wonderful things in the lives of your children in Jesus’ name. Lord Jesus, counsel us for we do not know our left from our right. Even when what we ought to do is right before us, Lord, foolishness does not allow us to do the right thing. Oh Lord Jesus, come and counsel us for your name is Counselor. The man of the world is oppressing us in all kinds of situations and we need you Mighty God. Come and show your might in every area where the storms of life are raging. Lord God Almighty, come and intervene. Your Word says, “when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him” (Isa 59:19). Oh Mighty God, set a standard against the floods that want to overtake us, the things that want to drown us. Mighty God, intervene in the name of Jesus, for we are calling the name of Jesus to manifest the might of the Mighty God in our lives to the glory of His holy name. Many of us have lost our earthly fathers; there is a vacuum of fatherhood in our lives. Many children do not even know where their fathers are now, and they do not have the experience of a father, but Lord Jesus we read and we believe that your name is Everlasting Father. Young children are lonely and missing their fathers, and old women and men are missing their fathers. Everlasting Father, the Father who does not die, come and manifest your everlasting fatherhood in our lives to the glory of your holy name. And Lord, your Word says that you are the Prince of Peace, so we are calling on you to bring peace in the midst of our soul. Every storm that is raging, Oh Lord, Prince of Peace, bring peace in Jesus’ name we pray.

Today these prayers are valid to those who have accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. If you have not given your life to Jesus pray with me, “Dear Lord Jesus, I accept you as my personal Lord and Savior. Come and reign in my life and do wonderful things Oh Lord. Come and counsel me, Oh Lord, come and manifest your might, Oh Mighty God. Come and manifest your everlasting fatherhood in my life and bring me your peace, Oh Prince of Peace, in Jesus’ name.”

“Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil” (Isa 1:16).

Father God, we pray for more of your love, more of your power, more of you in our lives. Lord we want to thank you for your Word because it is reliable; it is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Father we thank you because we can stand on your Word.

Today our topic is from Isaiah 1:16–19. In verse 16 we are given our first instruction: wash you. Is the Lord asking you to take a shower? No, he is saying wash yourself in the blood of Jesus. Let us begin to wash ourselves according to that commandment. Now, begin to plead the blood of Jesus upon your life, upon your spirit, upon your soul, upon your body. Plead the blood of Jesus upon your home, your car, your workplace, and your ministry. Wash everything that concerns you with the blood of Jesus. As you begin to cleanse with the blood of Jesus that washes white as snow, you will begin to experience a freshness, a cleanliness that was not there before, because the Word of God says, “Wash you, make you clean.”

There is nothing we do that God does not see. He sees everything, hears all we say, and is always taking notes. That is why He is saying today, “put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil.” Why is He calling us to wash ourselves clean, to sanctify ourselves and make our environment holy for Him? He is saying so because He wants us to be blessed. In Isaiah 1:17, He says “learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” Some of us have to learn to do well. We are not used to doing well because life has been tough; we are just trying to survive, trying to hit back because we have been hit. But He is saying now, “learn to do well.” How? Seek judgment. Do the right thing. Relieve the oppressed. Show kindness to someone. Help someone any which way you can. Brighten the corner where you are. Relieve the oppressed. Plead for the widow. Use your strength, your favors, and your skills to help someone. Do what you ordinarily do not do. Extend your love to reach all who are around you.

He then says, when you start doing this, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord” (Isa 1:18a). “Come now,” come to Him and you can reason together with God, you can have a meeting with God. He says no matter what you have done, “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa 1:18b). And then He offers you the icing to that cake: “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land” (Isa 1:19). If you be willing to wash you and make clean. If you be willing to put away the evil of your doings from before the eyes of God; if you be willing to cease to do evil; if you be willing to learn to do well; if you be willing to seek judgment; if you be willing to relieve the oppressed; if you be willing to judge the fatherless; if you be willing to plead for the widows; if you be willing to come now and reason with God—pray to God, come to God in frank and open prayer, then he says He will blot away all your sins! Everything that the devil has been using to harass you, He is going to clear off. Yes, it is time to turn a brand new page with God, because God says, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.” My prayer is that you will be one who God will bless with the good of the land. God is searching the earth for you. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” If you obey by washing yourself clean as He prescribed, you will eat the good of the land - spiritual blessings, physical blessings, health. What is the good of the land? Favor, financial blessings, prosperity. He said in His Word, 3 John 2, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”

Let us pray for the prosperity of your soul today. Lord God, give me the grace to wash me, to make myself clean. Give me the grace to clean out all the things in my lifestyle that have been shortchanging me from eating the good of the land. Oh Father, make me willing; make me obedient. In earnest, I am ready to wash me, to make me clean. I plead the blood of Jesus. I will do what you have prescribed in your Word today; and Lord God Almighty, pour into my life the blessings of the willing, the blessings of the obedient. Let me eat the good of the land.

If you have never given your life to Jesus, pray with me, “Dear Lord Jesus, I accept you as my Lord and Savior. Come into my life and cleanse me from my sins. Let me also be among those who will receive the good of the land, in Jesus’ name. Amen.” May you be willing and obedient to the Word of God that you will eat the good of the land to the glory of God in your life. Amen.

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.”

The Lord in His love for us came down here to take the fall so that we could become children of God and be reconciled to Him. We thank God that His coming is celebrated all over the world. Today I would like us to pray that God in His mercy will give us a perfect heart towards Him. Lord, perfect my heart towards you. Lord, touch my heart; cause it to begin to be perfect towards you that you will show yourself strong in my life.

In Luke 22:24–30, the Word of God says, “And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

The greatest challenge we all have in this physical body is pride in our flesh. It hides in us in different ways. Even the disciples, the disciplined followers of Jesus, had strife over who would be accounted the greatest. Where does pride come from? We learn from the Word of God that it is from the heart of man; the heart of man is deceitful above all else and desperately wicked. It is the heart that makes the disciples look at one another and ask who is considered the greatest among them. Mind you, they are not talking about who is the greatest, but who is being considered or accounted the greatest. Consideration and accounting comes from the external. In the hearts of the disciples the issue was, do they think Peter is the greatest or do they think I am the greatest? Do they think John is the greatest or do they think James is the greatest? They were not talking about who really had the greatest anointing, the greatest gifting. No, they were talking about who had the greatest label. Beloved, all of us face challenges with how we are labeled. Who do people think I am? When things happen to you do you ask yourself if it really hurts you inside or does it hurt because of how you think people will see you? Most of the time we worry about things that are happening externally; how people see us. Beloved, I pray that God will convert our hearts to think the way His heart thinks.

I heard a saying once that I will never forget. They say when you are in your twenties you are young and your total concern is what other people think of you, how you are perceived. When you are in your thirties, you begin to care a little less. In your forties you realize people never were thinking about you. Today I pray that God will deliver us from other people’s perceptions, because that is what causes strife, and that we will stop doing some of the things we do just so that we can be accounted as something. It is not what men think but what God sees in your heart. We need to pray about our hearts because God wants to show Himself strong in us. As God searches to and fro, wouldn’t it be nice for Him to find your heart perfect towards Him so that He could be shown strong on your behalf? Shouldn’t we want the strength of God to manifest on our behalf?

Oh Father, show yourself strong in our lives; be magnified to the glory of your holy name in our lives. Father God Almighty, have mercy upon us and deliver us from our concerns for the external labeling instead of the internal content of the heart. Deliver us from every way we have been diverted by our concerns for labeling. Lord, we know that man looks outside but you look inside. Today I pray in the name of Jesus that you will take hold of our hearts and turn them towards perfection to you. You made us, Oh Living God; our hearts are in your hands. Father, delete the things that we ought not to think from our hearts in Jesus’ name. Everything that is contrary to your perfection in our hearts today Lord, remove them. Oh Lord, come and show yourself strong in our families, in our relationships, in our professions, in our ministries. Lord we want to value our relationship with you above all, but what we wish and what we do are not always the same, but Lord help us oppressed by deeds undone. Oh thou whose deed and dreams were one. You were able to do all that was in your heart towards God, Lord Jesus when you were here. Touch our hearts; turn our hearts to perfection towards God, in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

If you have never given your life to Jesus pray with me, “Lord, touch my heart. I surrender my heart to you. In the name of Jesus accept me as your child. I accept you as my personal Lord and Savior.”

“And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”

Oh Father God, we thank you for desiring that we have a closer walk with you. Even as our consciousness of you has increased, Lord we pray that you will draw us closer to you. Father we pray for your anointing upon our lives. Let there be an infilling of your Holy Spirit, a fresh anointing to the glory of your Holy Name.

Beloved, today we will talk about some Christian words and gifting that draw us closer to God. Many of us have heard the word “anointing,” which simply means an infilling of the Holy Spirit that causes us to manifest the fruit and gifts of His Holy Spirit. I want us to pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit, to ask God to fill us with Fresh Oil, a fresh supply of His Spirit.

Today are you feeling a “burden” in your spirit? A burden is an anxiety in the spirit, usually an indication for caution and prayer. You may not know the source of that burden, but you know everything is not right. We pray that God in His mercy will lift that burden. Every burden that has been placed in the spirits of your children, Father, we pray them away now in the name of Jesus.

Sometimes we feel a “check” in our spirit, like a restraint, a hindrance, or a directive to stop something. You may be about to make a commitment but you sense that you should hold off—you have a check. I pray that God will give us all the grace to respond to the checks He puts in our path. There are things we want to do that in our heads seem okay, but they are not okay spiritually and God has put that check in you to say no, do not go that way, do not get into that relationship, do not sign that contract, do not do that which I have given you a check. Father God Almighty, I pray that you make us all sensitive to the checks you put in our actions. Most of our actions are based on our intellectual and human understanding; we do not see as the spirit sees, nor understand as the spirit understands. But in His love for us He has put in our spirit a system that represents an indication that we hold on.

If on the other side of a check you feel a “peace” in your spirit, a sigh of relief in a particular matter, this is an indication of approval in your spirit. Often you have a peace in your spirit and your head does not understand why, because it does not make intellectual sense. That peace is from the Spirit of the Living God directing you that everything is okay. Lord we thank you for the ministrations of peace in our spirit in every area of our lives: peace about a relationship, a new job, a new church, a ministry. Make us open to your indications of peace in our spirits that we will use it to the glory of your holy name in our Christian walk with you.

What does it mean to have a “revelation.” A Christian’s spiritual revelation is an understanding given by the Holy Spirit about a Scripture or a particular circumstance. You may be reading the Bible and suddenly a passage goes beyond just a writing to a green light, a great understanding. You understand it the way you never did before and can share it with confidence. Lord I pray that you bless us as we read your Word; pour into us revelations upon revelations. Open up your Word; open up the truth in every circumstance. I pray that we will walk in revelation not in ignorance, in Jesus’ name.

I want to also share about a “leading.” A leading is a directive by the Holy Spirit on how to proceed on a particular matter. My prayer is that if you have never experienced a leading that you will pray for it today. Pray that the Lord will lead you in every situation and every circumstance, that you will experience the privilege and benefits of the Christian leading by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit leads His own. May He lead you today.

Oh Lord, anoint me anew. Bless me with the fresh infilling of your Holy Spirit, your Fresh Oil, and give me the grace to manifest the fruit of your Spirit as enumerated in Galatians 5:22–23. Oh Lord, with your anointing help me to use my gifts to profit according to your desire for me in the name of Jesus. I pray for all who feel a burden in their spirit today. I case the burdens into the blood of Jesus, Oh Lord. Let the blood of Jesus speak for us, Oh Lord, let it prevail and avail for us. Let every burden be rolled away from every listener today in the name of Jesus. In your mercy, Oh Lord, give us the grace to obey the red lights, the checks you put in our spirit. Lord, help me to appreciate the peace that you put in my spirit, the peace you have put in my life, the peace you have put in my environment that indicates that everything is okay. Lord, continue to bless with revelations from your written Word in our circumstances in Jesus’ name. Beloved, I thank God for your lives and I pray in the name of Jesus that a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit will be your portion, that the peace of God will be your portion, that the revelation of God will be your portion, that the leading of the Holy Spirit will be your reality. May God bless you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

“Giving no offence in anything, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watching, in fastings” (2 Cor 6:3–5).

Oh Lord, be magnified in our lives. Lord today, we pray for the grace to walk with you and serve you.

In 2 Corinthians 6:3–10, Paul offers a description of what the Christian minister, the Christian worker should be doing. I believe that everyone who has given their life to the Lord Jesus Christ, who believes in the Lord God Almighty and the atonement that Jesus secured for us with His precious blood, should be now ministering to the Savior. We learn how to do this by studying those who have done it before.

Paul said we should give no offense in anything; that the ministry—our ministry, our walk for God—should be not blamed. My prayer is that every area where the enemy has set up an offense, that the grace of God will give you the ability to bring it down, that your ministry will not be blamed in the name of Jesus. What abilities are expected of you as a Christian who walks with Jesus Christ? Today we look at three key issues that are important to the character of a worker.

1. The first character is the ability to listen. As Christians it is time for you to serve and how can we minister except we hear? We need to pray that God will bless us with the ability to listen, to hear what people are saying, to hear what they are not saying even while they are speaking, and to hear what their spirit is saying. Pray today, “Lord Bless me with a clear mind. Remove my prejudices in Jesus’ name. Give me an open mind so I can hear from man and hear from you for them in Jesus’ name.” We need the ability to listen and this can only happen when we have a clear mind with no prejudices or preconceived notions about anyone.

2. The second character of our walk as ministers is love. Paul tells us we must be approving ourselves as ministers, “By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the Word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left” (2 Cor 6:6–7). Pray that God will make us a lover of men, not just people in our comfort zone. May God give us the grace to look at those society rejects and know that Jesus died for them and that each has a soul and a spirit. Let the love of God transmit from those who have received Jesus to reach the world that has not collected the privilege that is secured for them in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. May God give us the grace to rescue the perishing, to care for the dying, to snatch them in pity not in judgment, to pull them from the grave in the name of Jesus.

3. Longsuffering is the third character needed. In 2 Corinthians 6:8–10 Paul says, “By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” May God give us the grace in all these to have a mind to suffer, like Jesus did, for our assignment. If you serve God you are going to face rejection. People will think you are crazy. It is part of the suffering, but since God will have given you the grace to love, to see the person not in terms of their actions but because Jesus died for them, because they have a soul and a spirit, that spark will happen. If we continue in love, if we agree to go through all it takes to suffer, to have a mind to suffer for the gospel, we will bring people to Christ.

Let us pray that God will bless us with the character of His worker. You might say, “I do not have any position in a church. I’m not in any ministry. I’m not a minister.” I say to you that you are a minister. If you were not a minister, you would not be saved; you would not be among those who are called for His purpose. Before you were born God called you. He ordained you to minister, to preach, to reach the lost even as you were reached.

Lord, bless us with the ability to listen. Many of us are great talkers, but we do not know how to listen. I pray today that God will give us the gift of the listening ear, the grace to hear beyond the sound and beyond our oppressive responses. Oh Lord, give us the grace to hear what people are saying and what they are not saying in the name of Jesus. Bless us with a clear mind, that all of our prejudices, our racial attitudes, our attitudes of division, our denominational attitudes be removed. Oh Father, bless us with the mindset of your workers. Make us lovers of men, Oh Lord, because you loved all of us so much that you gave your only begotten son not just to us but also to the world. We pray that your Spirit that you put in every person will come alive for you and give you glory. Bless us with the mind to go through all it will take to be your ministers in the name of Jesus. May God give us that love that is not pretentious or judgmental. May God give us the grace to give it as we were given, which has saved us from damnation. May God give us the grace to reach the lost.

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”

First Corinthians 13 is a chapter of love. Here God speaks about His kind of love and the description of all the virtues of love as He commands us to love. He does not mean the romantic love that a man and woman have for one another. He does not mean the family kind of love that a mother has for her child, children have for their parents, or relatives have for one another. He talks about the God kind of love, the unconditional love towards your fellow man when you say you love your neighbor as yourself.

Loving your neighbor as yourself means you must love yourself because if you do not love yourself you cannot practice love towards your neighbor. You cannot give what you do not have. Many find it difficult to manifest love because they do not love themselves in the God kind of way. A famous singer once wrote that learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all. I pray that you will experience the greatest love of all, the unconditional love for yourself today. As you experience it, God will give you the grace to manifest it towards your fellow man. How do you learn to love yourself so that you can love your neighbor as yourself?

1. Be patient with yourself. The God kind of love is described as longsuffering, which means it is patient. Learning to love yourself means learning to be patient with yourself.

3. Be not jealous against yourself by looking down on yourself. Some people are never satisfied. They look down on themselves and practice jealousy by comparing themselves with others. They upgrade others and downgrade themselves. I pray that you do not manifest jealousy against yourself in Jesus’ name.

4. Do not push yourself forward or puff yourself up. When you are proud you are perpetually trying to prove a point and you have no peace in your spirit man. Your flesh may love it when you are puffed up but your true self, your spirit man, your heart is stressed and grieved when you flaunt yourself. That is why people feel empty when they finish manifesting pride by proving their point or making themselves to be greater than they are. The truth is, their flesh enjoyed it but their spirit man was stressed. Love yourself, do not vaunt yourself or be puffed up, do not push yourself forward; it is too stressful for your spirit man.

5. Do not behave in an unbecoming manner. Be well-mannered and manifest Christian character and decorum.

6. The God kind of love does not seek her own. Serve and you will be found and restored to your place in life by not even trying to look after you. Be selfless, do not seek your own. Seek other people: serve other people. Doing so will restore peace to your soul. Be kind to yourself and reach out to other people because it makes you feel good, gives you strength, and gives you life.

7. Be not easily provoked. In your patience, possess your soul. When you are provoked you lose virtue, which is the essence of your life. When you are provoked you lose spiritual anointing, that is why you feel empty after an anger outburst; you feel disoriented like you need recovery from temporary madness. Appreciate today that most things you worry about are small things. If you consider it all small stuff you will find that you will not allow yourself to be provoked easily.

8. Think no evil. When you think evil thoughts you are inviting sickness into your life. When an evil thought comes your way, delete it. Love yourself enough not to enjoy iniquity. Even when a little evil feels good and other people are doing it and seem okay with it, do not rejoice in it. You manifest hatred towards yourself when you rejoice in iniquity. Rejoice therefore in truth, which refreshes and brings life into your spirit man.

9. Bear all things. Consider it all passing. When you believe the Word of God is true and that it is a letter to you from your God, believe all things, especially the Word, and you will discover that life is a lot better. Hope all things through the Word for the Word of God will give you a lively hope. Endure all things; winners learn endurance to win prizes.

I pray in the name of Jesus that by the grace of God you will analyze yourself and ask, “Do I love myself? Am I patient with myself? Am I kind to myself? Am I puffed up? Do I behave unseemly? Am I selfish?” When you are selfish you think you are helping yourself, but you are halting yourself. Pray that you are not easily provoked. Ask yourself, “Am I easily provoked? Do I think evil? Do I rejoice in iniquity or do I rejoice in truth? Do I bear all things and consider them all passing? Do I believe the Word of God? Do I endure all things? Will I be a winner?” I pray that you will be a winner even as you learn to love yourself in the name of Jesus.

If you have never given your life to Jesus and do not have God’s Spirit in you, there is no way you can be someone who practices agape love. Pray with me now, “Dear Lord Jesus, I surrender my life to you and ask you to write my name in the Book of Life. Give me the born-again experience. Give me the grace to love myself so that I will be able to love my neighbor as myself.” Blessed be God.

“Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me” (Isa 38:14).

Our God is great. He does miracles that are great. You are one of the miracles of God.

Isaiah 40:9–11 says, “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him; behold his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” Are you one of the Lord’s sheep? God has led you into this day. God who is your shepherd will feed you as His flock. He will gather you as His lamb and will gently lead you because you are precious in His sight.

Are you oppressed today in any way? Talk to God; speak the Word of God to Him. Pray, Isaiah 38:14, “O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me.” As you call on God today, He will undertake for you. Pray and say, “O Lord by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me and make me to live” (Isa 38:16). Talk to God and say, “Behold for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in thy love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou has cast all my sins behind thy back. For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living he shall praise thee, as I do this day; the father to the children shall make known thy truth. The Lord was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord” (Isa 38:17–20). Yes, the living, he shall praise God as we do this day.

Today I want you to thank God for your life. There is nothing you give God to keep you alive till this day. It is by His mercy that you are walking today, that you are not consumed. It is by His favor that has caused your horn to stand strong. It is by His grace that you are what you are today, so give Him praise. Talk to Him and say, “Lord God Almighty, continue to preserve my life Oh Lord. Continue to give me the grace to praise you, to magnify your name. Continue to give me the grace to do the things I ought to do with the life you have given me, for only the living shall praise you as I do this day.” And as for those who associate themselves against the beloved of the Lord, we speak the Word of God to the enemies of the children of God today and we say, “Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word and it shall not stand: for God is with us” (Isa 8:9–10). Yes, the God of the living is with us for “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined” (Isa 9:2).

Father God thank you, for if the enemy had his way, we would not see this day. But Lord God Almighty, although they thought we were in darkness, you have given us your great light. Although they thought we dwell in the land of the shadow of death, Oh Lord, you have shined down your light of life. Yes, the living, they shall praise as we praise you this day.

I want to encourage you the beloved of the Lord, the favored of the Living God; make a commitment this week to praise God. Praise Him for it is from Him that all your blessings flow. Praise Him for He is the one who upgraded you to the living who can celebrate God. Thank Him for all His mercies upon your life. Yes, the living shall praise God. Are you alive in Christ or are you just physically alive? I pray that the life of God will come into you, that you will celebrate Him. Praise God and tell Him of His goodness, His greatness in your life. Yes, the God who brought you through the trials of last month will carry you through the winter of this month. Oh Lord, you are our God and we exalt you. We will praise your name for you have done wonderful things; your counsels are faithfulness and truth.

Our Lord Jesus is our God and our King and today I want us to take counsel from the Word of God. What does it mean to rejoice evermore? Rejoice means to remember, to bring forward in your mind the great things, the good times, the blessings that God has poured into your life in the past and that you can now re-celebrate. Yes, the Lord is saying to you today, “Rejoice evermore.” Verse 17 says, “Pray without ceasing.” Beloved, we need to upgrade our prayer life. Prayer needs to be in everything we do. As we wake up in the morning, we have God in our mind and we are communicating with Him. Prayer is expressing and communicating your soul’s sincere desires to the Lord in every form and in every way you can. In your shower talk to God, in your ride to work talk to God, when you are at home talk to God. Pray without ceasing is God’s counsel to you. Rejoice evermore and re-celebrate the things God has done in your life. Pray without ceasing, make it your walking stick.

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess 5:18). This means, in whatever situation you are now in, give thanks for it. Give thanks for your life, for all that has happened to you, for all that is happening to you, and for all that will happen to you in Christ Jesus. And then He says, “Quench not the Spirit” (1 Thess 5:19). Prayerlessness quenches the Spirit. A life without praise results in a quenched Spirit. Depression, forgetting the good things that God has done in your life, and lime lighting the evil things that you think are happening to you quench the Spirit. My message today is that you do all you can to revive your spirit. Read the Word of God, pray, praise, remember His promises, and shout hallelujah.

Verse 20 says, “Despise not prophesyings.” The greatest prophecy is the book that is in your hand. The Word of God is a prophecy given to you from God, the Father Almighty, directed to you. When the Word of God comes to you, do not despise it. Do not think, “Oh well, I’ve heard that before.” I want to encourage you to take the Word of God seriously. We should say to ourselves, “I am going to read the Word of God as a letter from God to me.” I want to encourage you to commit to read the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation. Encourage yourself, upgrade its value in your life in Jesus’ name.

Verse 21 says, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” Do not just believe statements you hear, prove them, prove them and hold fast to that which is good. The Word of God, the Bible, has been proven to be true. That is why it is held fast by those who are wise. It is the number one bestseller of all time. The Word in it is true. Ignore what some people are saying against the Word. The Word works, brethren. Hold fast to that which is good and “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thess 5:22). In the days to come, pray for the grace to abstain from everything that is not only evil, but has the appearance of evil. Let your communication be good. Let your fellowship, your companions, your friends, and everything you do be void and free of the appearance of evil. Let all things you do give glory to God.

I want you to pray with me and say, “Oh Lord my God, in your mercy flood me to the brim with your power and give me the grace to take these counsels in the name of Jesus.” Pray and say, “Lord in the name of Jesus, remove the spirit of lukewarmness from my life. That spirit of lukewarmness that makes it impossible for me to obey your Word, Father, remove it from me in the name of Jesus.” Father God Almighty, in the name of Jesus I pray that the spirit of spiritual laziness be bound in all of our lives in the name of Jesus. Lord we pray for spiritual gifts. We pray for the grace to obey your Word, to rejoice evermore, to pray without ceasing. We pray for the grace to give thanks in all things for this is the will in Christ Jesus concerning us. We pray for the grace not to quench the Spirit, for the grace not to despise prophesying, for the grace to prove all things and to hold fast to that which is good. We pray for the grace to abstain from all appearance of evil. Father God, grant us the grace to do these and grant us the grace to love you more in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Beloved, I pray that God will give you the grace to take His counsel seriously. Beloved, I thank God for your lives. I thank God for your patience. May God bless you. May God preserve you. May God keep you from all evil.

“But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things which I appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

Father God, we thank you, we give you glory, we give you honor, and we give you adoration. We thank you for the love you poured out so generously into our lives, Lord. We thank you because you love your own and you love them to the end. We thank you because eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, hearts have not known what you have prepared and purposed for those who love you, but you are revealing by your Spirit. Holy Father, we adore you. Help us to love you more and more, in Jesus’ name.

When God calls you into service in His Kingdom, what is the main purpose of the call? Let us look at someone who got an audible call—Paul. In that audible call from the Lord, Paul’s purpose was made clear. Many of us say we are called but we do not have a clear picture of what we are called to do. Because we have no clear picture, we respond to other people’s calls and operate in realms outside the Lord’s expectations.

Paul, in his own proclamation, clearly stated that the first reason the Lord called him was to open the eyes of the blind. There are two ways to do this. The first is to restore physical sight through the ministry of the gift of healing. Where applicable, by the power of the Holy Spirit, God seeks to open the eyes of the physically blind. The second way is to open the eyes of those who are spiritually blind. There are many who think they are on the right road spiritually but are totally wrong. This is alarming because they do not know they are blind and thus operate in dangerous territories. Paul’s call was to turn the Gentiles from darkness to light, to open the eyes of the spiritually blind. It is a pathetic state to be in spiritual darkness. God sees this and seeks to open their eyes. Today there are many who operate in darkness. They are very busy, in perpetual motion, but do not know where they are going. God calls His own and says, “Go open their eyes; turn them from darkness to light.”

Next, He calls them from the power of Satan unto God. For many who walk in spiritual blindness, their default mode is to operate in the power of the enemy. They practice the occult, visit the witchdoctor, or go to a psychic to find out about their future. Those in the darkness attribute meaning to anything: if they see a red car, it means something; if they get into the elevator and someone presses number thirteen, it is a sign of danger. But God says He calls His own, those who have received Him and the power of God, to in turn go and convert others, to turn them from the power of Satan unto God and His Word.

God also calls us to connect others to the ministry of grace, the forgiveness of sin. Many are carrying around the weight of the sins they have committed. They live with a heavy conscience wondering when the penalty will fall for their offense. God calls people to go and communicate the ministry of grace and the reality that God has made available a way whereby their sins are forgiven and they can have a new life. God has called us out of darkness to His marvelous light, but it is not enough for us alone to enjoy it. We must endeavor to rescue the perishing and care for the dying, to snatch them in pity from sin and the grave, and to tell them that forgiveness for their sins has been made available by the atonement of Jesus.

Finally, God calls us to invite more people to join those of us who have received open eyes, who have been turned from darkness to light, who have been turned from the power of Satan to God, who have received forgiveness of sins to also come into their inheritance among them who are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ. Brethren, if Paul was called to do primarily these five things listed in Acts 26:16–18, I am persuaded that Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday, today, and forever is calling you and me to minister in this capacity.

If you have never given your life to Jesus, pray with me now, “Lord Jesus open my eyes, turn me from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God. Forgive my sins and let me enjoy my inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in you Lord Jesus. Write my name in the Book of Life and give me the born-again experience.”

If you are already born again, this message is given clearly to say that you are called to open the eyes of the spiritually and physically blind by His power, to turn them from darkness to light. You are called to turn them from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and their inheritance among them who are sanctified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The abundance of God causes the inheritance to be available to one and all in ever-increasing capacity. God is able and He is asking you to rescue the perishing, in Jesus’ name.

“Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee” (Job 22:21).

Beloved, Job 22:21–30 is worth studying. The passage begins with encouraging Words from God as He commands, “Acquaint now thyself with him.” We make acquaintance with God by being perpetually in His presence, reading His Word, thinking of how to give Him pleasure, doing the right thing, and obeying His Word. Resolve from now on to acquaint yourself with God, “thereby good shall come unto thee.” These are not my words; the Living God wrote them. He then writes, “Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart” (Job 22:22). God’s Word is in the Bible and I urge you to read this book more than any other. I encourage you to resolve to read from Genesis to Revelation in the coming year.

Job 22:23 says, “If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up.” Is there anything in your life that is down now? Are you physically or psychologically down? Are you emotionally down? Is your health down? The Word of God tells us to return to the Almighty, to lay up His Words in your heart, acquaint yourself with Him, and you will be built up. It also tells us, “thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles” (Job 22:23). Do a spiritual home inspection. Look around and ask, “What here does not glorify God?” Cleanse your environment and put away iniquity for, “Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks” (Job 22:24). Do you know that iniquity in your environment can hinder financial and spiritual blessings? Some carvings are not of God but we decorate our homes with them. They are causing a demarcation between our blessings and us. Remove everything that is not godly so that you can lay up gold as dust according to the Word of God. “Yea, the Almighty shall be your defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. For then shalt though have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God” (Job 22:25–26). When you lay up His Word in your heart and acquaint yourself with Him, the Lord Almighty shall be your defense and you will have plenty of silver. You will have God as your delight and you will lift up your face unto God. Your level of communion with the Living God will increase and you will be favored beyond your imagination.

Job 22:27–29 says, “Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light will shine upon your ways. When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up and he shall save the humble person.” It will take humility to look at this Word today. Start reading your personal devotion and let the Holy Spirit teach you so that you will understand what you need to do to have your prayers answered; what you need to do to decree a thing and have it established to you. The Word of God says to walk with God at a new level and you will experience pleasure at a new level. Job 36:11 delivers a conditional blessing: “If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.” Job 22 and Job 36 make it clear that we must obey and serve Him if we are to receive the blessings of prosperity and pleasure. I encourage you to memorize Job 36:11. Speak to yourself and say, “Lord, give me the grace to obey you and serve you so that my days will be filled with prosperity and my years will be full of pleasure.”

Did you know that it is possible to serve God and not obey Him? Many of us cover up disobedience with extra service. But the commandment is clear, “if they obey and serve him.” On the one hand is obedience and on the other is service. When the two of them work together, obedience and service will bring prosperity and pleasure into your life. Are you are in total obedience to the Word of God or do you resist His Word by calling this direct instruction from Him legality and the doctrines of men? I pray that the Lord will deliver us today from that clog of disobedience that is stopping the flow of our blessings, that God will give us the grace to obey and serve Him so that our days will be filled with prosperity and pleasure in the name of Jesus.

If you have never given your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, what we are describing is for the children of the household of faith. Pray with me if you want to be part of that family, “Dear Lord Jesus, I accept you as my personal Lord and Savior. Write my name in the Book of Life and make me one of your children. Give me the grace to walk with you. Give me the grace to read the Bible, to believe your Word, and to go from glory to glory in you in the name of Jesus.”

If you are already born again, then examine yourself and ask, “Am I in total obedience to God?” Ninety-nine percent obedience and 100 percent service still reveals a blockage. Therefore we need to pray, “Lord give me the grace of total obedience by the leading of your Holy Spirit, not self-will Lord, but your will. Give me the grace of total obedience that in all things my days will be full of prosperity and my years full of pleasure to the glory of your holy name in Jesus’ name.”

“Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will fail the, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.”

God is great. God is merciful. God has done great things for us. He is a God who crowns the year with good things, with great things. Blessed be His name forever in our lives.

Today, we thank God because a new day is coming. Let us look at the Word of God, at 1 Chronicles 28:20. God is saying to you, be strong, be bold, be courageous and do it. Do what? Praise God. Do what? Thank God. Do what? Serve God. Do what? Obey God. Do what? Count your blessings. Today, we have a choice. We can sit down in sorrow and count our needs, count our tears, count things we think we lack. We can say, “Wow, it did not happen again this year.” Or, we can choose to count our blessings. It will take courage to count your blessings if you are going through a challenge now. It will take strength of character and gratitude to thank God, especially if you have had a challenging year. But, I want you to be strong and courageous and do it today. I encourage you to write to God, to sing to God, to say to Him, “Lord, I appreciate you. For everything you have done for me, I bless you. For thine, Oh Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty. You have used your greatness, your power and glory, and your ability to be victorious to bless me. You have blessed me with becoming you child in your majesty. Lord, you have made me a prince. You have made me a princess because I am a child of the Everlasting Father, King Jesus, His majesty.”

In everything give thanks to God today, for this is the will of God the Father concerning you. Take heed; be strong and do it. Spend today in great gratitude. Let God give you the grace today to thank Him for all He has done. Remember His promises and begin to thank Him. Count your blessings. For those of you who can count, you are in a special group, because I cannot count the blessings. The blessings of God are innumerable but we have to try to count the accountable. Is it life, health, breath, hope, salvation? Talk to God today and say, “Oh Lord, I count my blessings from you my God. With gratitude, I attempt to count the uncountable. I count the blessing of life, life that is irreplaceable.” Thank Him for abundant blessings and favor, for your family, for your prayers that He answered, for your health and healing, for your revival, for your vision, for journey mercies. Thank God for everything that He has done for you. Thank God for all the people you know. Bless Him and in gratitude He will give you wholeness this year. I pray that God will give you the grace to walk with favor and in pleasure and prosperity.

Pray with me now, “Lord God, I take courage. I take the strength. I take your counsel and I thank you for my life. I thank you and I praise you for all you are doing. Lord God, as I walk with you this year, bless me with favor from above. Bless me with favor in the sight of all with whom I have to deal with in the name of Jesus. Lord let me find favor, compassion, and lovingkindness with you and with man in the name of Jesus. Lord let the demonic circle that has been established in the heart of man against my prosperity, my favor, my pleasure be destroyed in the name of Jesus. Lord God Almighty, reveal all those who are holding my blessings, dreams, visions, and restlessness that will advance my call in the name of Jesus. Lord, give me supernatural breakthroughs now. Let divine wisdom fall upon me; let it fall upon all who are working with me in the name of Jesus. Lord, I break the backbone of any spirit of conspiracy and treachery operating against my life in the name of Jesus.”

Pray that the fire of the Holy Spirit will purge away every evil mark upon your life. Beloved, be strong. Fear not nor be dismayed for God is with you. He will be with you always. He will not fail you. Live by His Word, obey Him, and serve Him so that you will spend your days in prosperity and your years in pleasure, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Amen.

“But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil [subtle] man” (2 Sam 13:3).

Father God, I pray that you wash us, soak us in the blood of the Lamb. Cleanse us from all unrighteousness and deliver us from our strong enemies and wrong influences. Holy Father, I pray in the name of Jesus against the spirit of Jonadab (the spirit of wrong advice) for every man, every woman, and every child today. Lord, I pray that you will place people in our lives who will give us wise counsel in the name of Jesus.

Whether we like it or not, we are influenced positively or negatively by the people we allow to be around us. We know when people are oppressing or bringing us down, but sometimes our flesh decides to go along with it.

In 2 Samuel 13, we learn that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister whose name was Tamar; and Amnon, the son of David, loved her. Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick for his sister Tamar. She was a virgin and Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything to her. But Amnon had a friend, Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, and Jonadab was a very subtle man. Jonadab asked Amnon why he was so lean and Amnon confided that he was lovesick for Tamar. Jonadab schemed, “Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand” (2 Sam 13:5). Amnon did as Jonadab suggested, but when Tamar set the food in front of him, he refused to eat. After asking all the men to leave the house, He asked Tamar to bring the meat into the chamber so that he could eat it from her hand. There he took hold of her, “Come lie with me my sister. And she answered him Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. And I, wither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. Howbeit, he would not hearken unto her voice: but being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone” (2 Sam 13:11–15).

Beloved, the rest is history. Jonadab, the evil friend, convinced Amnon to defile his sister. Although Amnon had his share of problems with lust and inordinate affection, he also listened to advice from a crafty evil friend. Absalom eventually killed Amnon, but Jonadab continued to lurk about. Jonadab gave the advice that caused Amnon to sin and then showed up in the palace, giving the appearance of comforting King David. And Jonadab told the king the king’s sons were coming and sure enough it came to pass. The king’s sons came and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept. “And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day he forced his sister Tamar” (2 Sam 13:32).

How did he know so much? He knew because he was the devil’s engineering agent. Jonadab was observing Amnon and knew that he was in a low place, so he gave him wrong advice whereby causing Amnon to sin. Of course, he knew that there would be a reaction from Absalom. So after Absalom had killed Amnon, Jonadab was the first person in the palace to tell David that Absalom did not kill all his sons, just Amnon. Are there evil friends around you? So-called friends the devil is using to give you evil counsel and now they watch it unfold like Shakespeare would say, “evil thou art afoot, take withersoever cause thou will”? Those who have released evil have detailed information about that evil and give it to other demons. Jonadab was by Amnon and advised Amnon to force his sister; then he was by David to encourage David. The evil one who originated the challenge was in David’s house and in David’s palace! Why did Jonadab show up at the beginning and the end? Because as the devil’s agent, he wanted to see the drama unfold that he had set into motion. I pray today that the Jonadab the enemy has planted, whether in your family, office, or ministry, be separated from you in Jesus’ name.

I pray that the evil one the devil has planted in your family be uprooted, that the evil friend that has been programmed into your life and that you have trusted be destroyed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Father, deliver us from close friends who are indeed our enemies. Father, in your love and mercy, I pray that the Jonadabs in our lives be exposed and eliminated in Jesus’ name.

The Bible is a gift that was given for our salvation, for our inspiration, and for our instruction so that we will be wise. Only the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit can expose Jonadab. You cannot have the power, except you become born again. If you have never given your life to Jesus, pray with me, “Lord Jesus, I accept you as my personal Lord and Savior. Pour your Holy Spirit into my life, so that I will recognize the Jonadab’s wrong counsel and be delivered from the destruction that he brings. Amen.”

“I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord's anointed.”

Oh God, I pray in the name of Jesus, you are all we need and want. Lord, we pray for the reality of your presence in our thoughts, words, and deeds. May your presence make us whole, so we can think wholesome thoughts and do the right things. Father God Almighty, you know the challenges that we go through daily on our walk from earth to heaven; give us your wisdom as we face oppression this day. Give us individual revelation in our challenges so that the man of the earth will no longer oppress, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

What is reverencing the anointing and how should we use it in the face of authoritative oppressions or in oppressions from spiritual leaders? I pray that God will give us the grace to do what David did when Saul contrived to kill him. David did not take advantage of the opportunities that were presented to him to deal with Saul himself. David suppressed the adrenalin urge to feel bold and avenge his enemies; he left it to God. In your weakness, you can deal with your enemies, but the words of wisdom in this message are that you allow God, in His strength, to deal with them. You do that by reverencing the anointing. I am speaking particularly to those who are feeling spiritually oppressed by a pastor or ministry leader. This person is oppressing you in your ministry and you are screaming, “Lord, this is my enemy, I want to deal with him.” If you are provoked and act against the person according to their provocation, your sin is not justified. Their action does not eliminate the fact that you have fallen into sin, anger, or evil action. Do not deal with the person who is anointed. Learn from David and let God deal with them. The wisdom of reverencing the authoritative enemy is true, whether it be in the secular or spiritual arena. If you are in a corporation and the chief executive is after you, what should you do? You would be foolish to hit back. If you are in a spiritual organization and the carnal part of your leader is oppressing you, what should you do?

1. When you have an authoritative enemy, particularly a spiritual one, increase your prayer for them. Do not go about complaining, abusing, or running him or her down, because that person is still anointed by God. Instead, stop and pray that God in His mercy will forgive everything you have done against a spiritually anointed authoritative enemy, and then hand that person over to God the way David did. In this wisdom, you will get several blessings. The Bible says in Proverbs that when a man’s ways please the Lord, He causes his enemies to be at peace with him.

2. When you do not react to an authoritative enemy by paying evil for evil, God’s divine protection for you will be brought out in a new way. Because you are not even doing what you could do to hurt your enemy, God’s defense mechanism is to bring His combined forces to protect you spiritually, physically, and financially. He will protect you.

3. Reverencing the anointing even in the face of opposition by the anointed one will bring about promotion from God. David was promoted each time he reverenced the anointing in Saul’s life. God was pleased with him and when God is pleased with you, He will protect and promote you.

4. Learning from the way David acted will deliver you from the trap and punishment of sin caused by provocation. The enemy gives us justification to sin, but if we bypass it, God will intervene. There is nothing happening in your life now that God does not know about. He even knows details that you do not know; things that would cause you to panic. He knows, He oversees, and He brings peace into your situation because He is the Prince of Peace. But for Him to bring His total package, you must totally surrender your life to Him. When you do not act the way that you have been programmed, God will avenge for you. And when God avenges you, you will have the blessing of being pure, of having a pure conscience before God and man. If you deal with your strong enemy, your greatest effort will not even touch him, but when you allow God to deal with him, like David, you will feel so sorry for him you may even cry for him.

Oh Father God, give us the wisdom to walk this higher way. Not all can walk it, but I am encouraging you today that God knows what you are experiencing everyday through this oppression and He will deliver you with His strong hand. May this be your reality in Jesus’ name, but above all I pray that you reverence the anointing. Do not sin against God! When Joseph was tempted by his master’s wife he said, “How can I commit this sin and sin against God?” I pray that God will give you a divine revelation of the might and power of God that is higher than any of the oppressors, no matter what offices or authorities they hold. Reverence the anointing, reverence the authority and watch God deal with your strong enemies.

You cannot do this without the power of the Holy Spirit and you cannot get the power of the Holy Spirit without giving your life to Jesus. Therefore if you have never given your life to Jesus, pray along with me now, “Dear Lord Jesus, I accept you as my personal Lord and Savior. Write my name in the Book of Life. Bless me with the born-again experience. Oh Lord, in my life be magnified, fight for me and let me hold my peace in Jesus’ name.”

“For men shall be lovers of their own selves . . . Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Tim 3:2, 5).

Father God, we thank your glory, for you are worthy to be praised. We thank you because you are Alpha and Omega, and we bless your holy name. We ask, Lord, that you continue to teach us how to live this Christian life, how to walk the path of life in you. Father, help us to go from grace to grace, strength to strength, glory to glory, until we reach your throne. There we will fall adoringly at your feet for you have led us safely through all things. Father, be magnified in our lives today in Jesus’ name.

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim 3:1–7).

The Bible advises us today that in our Christian walk we are in the last days, and that this is a dangerous time and there are dangerous people abounding. We thank God that He will not leave us without cover, protection, or direction. Today I pray that God will give you and me the grace to assimilate this caution, this advice that will deliver us from evil.

1. Turn away from those who are lovers of themselves. Since they are selfish, they are covetous; everything they see they want for themselves. Also, they are boasters when they accumulate; they want people to know, so you hear them perpetually boasting. The Bible says, “from such turn away.” Then it says that their boasting leads to pride, and to an attitude that is not of God. They do not retain God in their hearts. They also blaspheme and turn the Word of God upside down.

2. Turn away from those who are out of order, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, and those who take things for granted. Disobedience is as the sin of witchcraft; therefore, anything that is right and in order clashes with their fleshly assumption of what is right.

3. Turn away from those without natural affection. It is natural that a man has affection for a woman, and vice versa. It is unnatural for a man to have affection for a man, or a woman for a woman, or a person for an animal. Some will tell you that they were created that way, but God did not create them that way. They are a product of the end times and of their rebellion. Mothers should also love their children, but they do not; family love is not in their books at all. Oh Father, deliver us from such in Jesus’ name.

4. Turn away from trucebreakers for they do not like peace. If peace comes into their environment, they find a way to ruin it. Still others are false accusers. They would accuse the Lord if they could get away with it. They will accuse to confuse. They are incontinent, fierce, and despisers of those who do good. They are traitors, heady, high-minded, and lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. The lovers of pleasure are amazing; they have a form of godliness and can be found in a church environment, but they deny the power thereof.

Concerning people who fit these descriptions, the Bible tells us, “from such turn away.” Do not even get into dialogue, debate, or discussion with them. Excuse yourself, move on, flee. Instruction is clear because these are perilous times; these are the last days. According to the Word of God, these people are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. You cannot see the results of the things that they have been learning for years in their lives.

Yes, Christianity is a reconciliatory life, but in these last days the devil has released certain spirits. Second Timothy tells clearly the personalities of these demonic spirits. The Bible encourages you, Oh Christian, “from such turn away!”

If any of you fit these descriptions, I dare say that you are not born again yet. If you are uncomfortable with this description of you, then it is time for you to make a change. Jesus is the only one who can make you brand new. Pray with me now, “Lord Jesus, I surrender my life to you. Deliver me from these evil and demonic personalities that would seek to operate in my life. Give me the grace to be filled with your Spirit to live the Christian life in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

“In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not” (John 1:4–5).

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we behold his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Beloved, have you received the Light of God into your life? Have you received Jesus, “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world”? (John 1:9). He has come to turn us out of darkness into His marvelous Light.

John 1:9–11 says, “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” Why did they not receive Him? Because they were in darkness. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). Do you believe in the name of Jesus today? You need that power, for with that power you will be born not only of flesh, nor of the will of man, but with that power you will become born of God (John 1:15).

“In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and darkness comprehended it not” (John 1:4–5). Do you have that Light? When you have Christ in you, the Light of the glory of God shines in you. That Light will shine in your environment, but the darkness will not like it because you are of the Light. Darkness cannot comprehend light, because as soon as light comes in, darkness disappears. I pray today in the name of Jesus that that Light shines in your darkness, and that you comprehend the Light. May that be your reality today, in the name of Jesus.

I pray that you will receive the Son of God. I pray that by the grace of God, the Word that was made flesh that dwells among you, you will behold His glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. The Lord Jesus, who we are celebrating today, is the Word, according to John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” If you replace “the Word” with “Jesus,” you will understand this verse better. You can interpret it to mean: “In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God.” Jesus is the Word and Jesus is the Light. He is the Light of the world. I pray that that Light comes in you, and like verse 14 that you behold His glory, which is full of grace and truth. If the Light of God is in you, if you have that Light that shines in darkness and darkness cannot comprehend, you will also be full of grace and truth. When people are full of lies, they are walking in darkness. They do not know their left from their right because they believe things that are not true. Yet when you are full of grace and truth, you work in revelation, you see every circumstance as it truly is. You will remember the fact that God sent His Son to come into this world, that He dwelt amongst us with the Light of the glory of God. He then deposited that Light in a dark world and that Light is available to all who are tired of the darkness, lies, and deception. That Light is available to you today; receive it in the name of Jesus.

As you and I walk in that Light, may we experience the grace of God. Grace is giving to you what you do not deserve. When the Light of God comes into your life it causes you to be seen in the right light. Then because you are seen in the right light, you will be favored. May you receive favor in Jesus’ name. May God fill you with glorious Light, so wherever you are seen His Light will radiate to all and you will be full of grace. Today, may you be full of truth as you receive the Light of Jesus. This means whenever you hear a lie, your ear and your spirit will reject it. The Holy Spirit will instantly minister to you that this person is deceiving you, and that their message is a manipulative lie.

I pray that the Light of God will be shed inside you, that you will receive the grace and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that your life be full of favor and truth, that there be no darkness, for God is Light and in Him there is no darkness at all; there is no lie at all. Receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior today. Receive that Light and be full of grace, unmerited favor and truth, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

“Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms” (Ps 95:2).

Father God, we thank you and we declare that our lips shall be filled with your praise all the time.

Beloved, do not be a people with a hardened heart. Resolve to “sing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of your salvation” (Ps 95:1). Come before Him with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. Before you eat your dinner today, pause with your family and make a joyful noise. Thank God, “For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also” (Ps 95:3–4). He knows what makes them stand and He knows what will bring them down. Fear Him! “The sea is his, and he made it; and his hands formed the dry land” (Ps 95:5). Beloved, come today, “let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker. He is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand” (Ps 95:6–7). Do not plan to do it tomorrow, “To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in this wilderness” (Ps 95:7–8). Do not be like those who provoked God and tempted Him in the wilderness.

Those who have no rest, those who have not entered into the rest of God, I want you to resolve to worship God. Accept Him as your personal Lord and Savior. Acknowledge Him in all your ways. Then sing unto the Lord a new song, sing unto the Lord all the earth, bless His name and show forth His salvation. Amen.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28).

Father God, we thank you because your Kingdom shall reign over all the earth. We thank you because this world has become the Kingdom of our God and of His saints and He shall reign forever. Father God, we thank you for our Lord Jesus Christ for He is the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Ancient of Days, the I Am that I Am, the soon returning King, the ever present God, the Faithful One, and the Most Reliable. We thank you for the lines are fallen upon us in pleasant places and we have final victory in the name of Jesus for greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. Father, we glorify your holy name today.

Beloved, you are a child of God and I assure you that God has a purposed, portioned, perfected final victory for you. You are the apple of His eye. He loves you and His thoughts for you are for good and not for evil to bring you to an expected end. Do you know that even the challenges you are going through are used to process you to perfection? The children of Israel, as the Lord talks about in Exodus 1, were meant to be fruitful and increase abundantly. They were meant to multiply, to wax mighty, and to fill the land. After God gave them these prophesies, we learn that they were being afflicted. But the Lord is good. The Bible says the more they were being afflicted, the more they grew. Are you going through affliction? If so, God allowed it. The devil thinks he is having fun; but God is growing you up. Your affliction will help you develop into a better person and will cause you to come forth as gold. Job said, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). God is removing impurities, so I assure you today that God’s design has confirmed and affirmed a final victory for you in every situation.

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified” (Rom 8:29–30). Are you in that number? Are you born again, filled with the Spirit of God, and sanctified—set apart for God’s use? Or, are you in the general class of Christianity—those who do what they want? If you are among those who use the Bible as your constitution and your standard, one who says that it does not matter how many of your generation deviates, but that you are going to do your utmost for His highest because you are one of the called, the predestined, the justified, the glorified, you can say, “If God be for us, who can be against us” (Rom 8:31). No one. The Bible says, “Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:39). Are you in Christ or are you just around Christ? Stop standing at the shore saying, “Well, I’m a Christian, I was born into a Christian home. I’ve tried.” Get in the boat with Jesus; watch Him walk on water for you. Watch Him calm the storms of your life; let nothing be able to separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus.

For those of you who are in Christ, God is assuring you of final victory in every battle that is raging in your life. He has begun to give, so begin to possess. How do you possess? You get knowledge from the Word of God. The Word of God says that my people perish for lack of knowledge (Hos 4:6). I pray that you will get the knowledge that will set you free. Know the truth about yourself. If you are one of the reserved, among the remnant of God, if you are one of God’s special people, He says that He will pardon whom He reserves. If you are one of the called, you are assured of final victory, for if God be with you, no one can be successfully against you. So with the walls of salvation surrounded, you can have a good laugh at your foes. Let them do their worst and God will do His best. His best will give you final victory.

Father, I thank you for your children who have received this word today. I ask that in every area in their lives that the enemy is working his worst, Oh Father, that you super impose your best in the situation. Oh thou Beautiful One, stamp your beauty in the ugly workings of the enemy in the lives of your children on earth. I pray that you, our Strong Redeemer, will come and intervene today to assure final victory in every area of your children’s lives in Jesus’ name.

If you have never given your life to Jesus, you are not among the reserved or the called. The Word of God says, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). If you want to be among the reserved, the remnant, among God’s treasured people, the first step is to surrender your life to Jesus. Pray along with me now, “Dear Lord Jesus, I surrender my life to you. Write my name in the Book of Life. Put me on your reserved list. Call down your blessings upon my life, Oh Lord.”

“God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend” (Job 37:5).

Ibakam means “God is too much” in Kalabari. Oh beloved, we have a God who is just too much. There is nothing He cannot do, nothing He has not done, and nothing He will not do. No power can compare with His power. He is the great, great, great God. Heaven is His throne and the earth is His footstool (Isa 66:1). Our Father is so big that His legs span the space between earth and heaven. He is indeed too much and Job describes His greatness . . .

“At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work. Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places. Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north. By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud: And it is turned round about his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth. He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy. Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine? Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge? How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south wind? Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass? Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness. Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up. And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them. Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict. Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart” (Job 37).

We can go on and on about the greatness of our God. Because of the irreverent attitude in our generation, God seems like just one familiar object that we talk about, but God is greater than your greatest imagination. God can do much more than you can ever ask or think. God can bless much more than He has blessed you ever before. God is able to do a new thing in your life, but you need to acknowledge that He is a great God. You need to acknowledge that there is nothing He cannot do. You need to acknowledge that He is able to bless and heal you, able to restore to you the years the locust has eaten, able to heal your backsliding, and able to meet that unspeakable need in your life. He is able to heal that emotional sickness and to cover your vulnerable areas. God is able to feed you, to direct you, to give you wisdom. Indeed, He is a great God.

Today will you connect your little strength to His great strength? Will you connect your weakness to His power, your lack to His plenty, your need to His provision, your sorrow to His joy? Oh Father God, connect us to your greatness. We are too small in our might because our minds are small. But today Lord, I pray for that one who is sick in body, soul, and spirit, that each be connected to your healthy spirit in the name of Jesus. You are a great God and there is nothing you cannot do. Let us be changed by your power and ready to do your will, Oh Lord. I pray for that one who is in need today, who does not even have food to eat; I connect them to your store of blessing, your store of provision and food. I connect that one who is tired to your hand that strengthens and refreshes. Father, touch your children today and let your healing hand be upon us. Heal every area of our lives in the powerful name of Jesus we pray, because you are a God who is too much. Father God, I pray that you will meet the needs of everyone reading this today. I pray that in your mercy, Oh Lord God Almighty, your divine touch will eliminate every effect of an evil touch. Many of us have been touched incorrectly, even spiritually in a dream. Father God Almighty, we pray that your good hand will reach us and that your touch will be our portion in the name of Jesus. Father God Almighty, if in anyway your children have been contaminated physically, emotionally, psychologically, or spiritually, I pray that the blood of Jesus will flush out that evil contaminant. Oh Father, touch us anew and make us whole again in Jesus’ name.

“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” (Dan 3:28).

Father, we pray that your Holy Spirit will reign down upon us. Reign down and quench the fire of the enemy, reign down and bring revival into our lives, reign down and pour your wonderful counsel and excellent working into our lives, Oh Lord.

The Bible says, “Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither” (Dan 3:26). When he saw that the fire he created had no power on these men, he did not just tell them to come forth and go to their homes, he said, “come forth, and come hither.” He wanted to know more of these men who had such a fire that his fire could not burn because they were covered with the glory of God that quenches the fire of the enemy. As you commit to worship the King of kings and no other, those who have set fire around you will call you to come forth and come hither. They want you to come closer, so they will know how your God works.

The first part of Daniel 3:27 says, “the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power.” How can you be a person upon whose body the fire of the world will have no power? The only way it can happen is how it happened for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. You must have the glory fire, and we see the glory of God in the presence of the Son of God in this situation. The fire of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego protected them from the fire of the world, so that the smell of the fire did not even touch them. “Nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them” (Dan 3:27b). Beloved, you could be in fire and not be burnt, but smell of smoke; to not even smell of the smoke means there is another fire covering you. Beyond the fire is the glory of God. I want you to internalize and pray that you will commit to worship God so that the glory fire will protect you; the fire of the world will not penetrate and reach you or make you smell funny.

Then Nebuchadnezzar honored the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who had sent His angel to deliver His servants who had trusted in Him, changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies rather than serve any god except their own God (Dan 3:28). Beloved, the Bible says in verse 29, “Therefore, I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.” How prophetic! Your God is as valid to you as you are valid to Him. If Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had politically obeyed and done what was expedient, they would not have seen their God in this matter. But as they stood for Him, He stood for them. Verse 30 says that the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Many of us who look for promotion, worship the idols of the age, worship the golden image, and serve other gods. But beloved, I say to you, ultimate promotion comes from being committed to God. If God looks at you and says, “Ah, that person is my own, that person is not interested in any other, his/her only agenda is me,” the hearts of kings are in God’s hands. When Nebuchadnezzar’s fire did not burn, who turned his heart so that he did not feel resentful or suffer a bruised ego? Who turned his heart to appreciate the power of God in deliverance? Who turned his tongue to make a prophetic decree that whoever does not serve God will be cut to pieces? The same is valid today. If you do not serve God, you are setting yourself up for the curse of Nebuchadnezzar. As a king set up by God, he pronounced that whoever does not worship God will be demoted, but those who are committed will be promoted. Are you ready for promotion? God is calling you to work before Him and become perfect. When you work before God it means you are totally committed to Him and that He will also work for you. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.”

Beloved, do you love God? Will you be committed to Him, so you will get the promotion of the committed? Those who compromise get temporary promotion, but those who are committed get permanent promotion. Set yourself up for promotion. Be committed to the King of kings. May you experience the promotion of the committed as you stand up for Him in your generation in Jesus’ name. Amen.

You cannot stand for Him, except you are born again. So if you are not born again, pray with me and say, “Dear Lord Jesus. Write my name in the Book of Life. Give me the grace to be committed to you and bless me with the promotion of the committed in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

“How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied? For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!”

How can we be released from what is holding us down? The Lord God Almighty said to Pharaoh, “Let my people go that they may serve me” (Exod 7:16). Whatever is holding you down today, the Word of God is saying let my son go, let my daughter go that they may serve me. You need a release because when you are bound you cannot be productive. Understanding what holds you captive and praying for a release from that stronghold is necessary because until you are released your progress will be limited.

To be held down, to be bound, is a disablement and a curse meant to prevent you from being effective and prosperous. You find out that you have blessings, but they are outside your reach. Your abilities are limited, your circumstance is reduced, and your position in life is reduced. Your quality of life takes a turn for the worse and often, future generations are affected. Because life in its essence is a generational relay race, what the fathers do, how far the fathers run, determines how much more the children will have to work. I pray that we all be released from our strongholds, from our sin, in the name of Jesus.

Sin is disobedience to God and sin causes strongholds. Deuteronomy 28:15–67 talks about the sins and curses that come because of sin. To rid our lives of these we need to apply the blood of Jesus. The atonement that Jesus made to deliver us from our sins must come upon our lives in the name of Jesus. Sin causes disablement and curse; sin is stealing your tithe, stealing the tithe of God. The Word of God says that you are cursed because you have robbed me, even this whole nation. If you are not in the covenant of tithing, please, in your own interest, restore your relationship with God by tithing. Restore yourself by tithing ten percent of the little that you have now and walk with God at the new level. Another thing that causes a curse is trusting in man. Jeremiah 17:5 says, “Thus saith the Lord, Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.” Adultery brings a curse. If you are in an adulterous relationship, I pray that you come out of it and walk with God in holiness and righteousness. You will see the difference in your life.

There are all kinds of curses: demonic curses, prophetic curses, territorial and community curses, self-imposed playful curses, family curses, friendly curses, parental curses, curses of the innocent, marital curses, curse of the avenger, dormant curses, oath-based curses, and more. My prayer today is that the blood of Jesus will set you free from every curse. Pray along with me, “Every curse I break from operating in my family now in the name of Jesus. My life is not your candidate; my life is no longer a place for your habitation; get out of my life now in the name of Jesus. I plead the blood of Jesus Christ and I break every curse operating in the life of anyone reading these words today. I pray that every curse of closed doors is reversed and that the doors begin to open. Father God, deliver your people from the stronghold of the waster of opportunities and the stronghold of the curses of the waster of money, of resources, of time, of blessings, of marriage, of a calling, of health, of birthright, of destiny. Father, all these wasting powers of sin are also enemy witchcraft powers, curses and evil covenants, familiar spirits, carrion spirits, sexual pervasions, drugs and alcohol, and unfriendly fronts in the name of Jesus. In the power of the blood of Jesus, I decree a divine release for the children of the Living God who are in bondage of the enemy. For whom the Son sets free is free indeed. Amen.”

If you have any known sins, repent now. Pray for the grace of complete obedience and strong faith in the Living God. Wage war against all the things that are wasting your life. Barricade your life with the blood of Jesus and the wall of fire, and commission the angels of the Living God to stand guard over you. Pray against every power that does not want the children of God to rise to their next level. Pray that every power that speaks frustration and hindrances into the life of the children of God be eliminated in Jesus’ name.

Father, I pray against the manipulator of the children of God. Any spirits that are deceiving the children of God, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I bind you and cast you out. Father God Almighty, deliver us by your strong hand. Many find themselves in a mess, being frustrated and confused, living in a stagnant state, and with no help around. Oh Living God, they feel forsaken by their family, but Lord your Word says that when my father and my mother forsake me, the Lord will pick me up. Lord God, you are the one who takes up the curse of your children; take up now, Oh Lord. You are the man of war, you are a consuming fire; you never loose a battle. You can be provoked into action and we pray that in the name of Jesus you will respond to every need in the life of everyone today. Father God, let there be a release for increase in Jesus’ name.

“And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?” (Matt 20:30–32).

Father God, we thank you for the beauty of your being that you have shown us in every situation. You are too marvelous for words, too wonderful for comprehension. Lord, today everything in us stands in reverence, in awe of you because indeed you are beautiful. Father, we ask for a divine revelation for those who cannot see your beauty because they are either physically or spiritually blind.

In Matthew 20:29–32, the Word of God tells us that as Jesus passed by two blind men, the multitude following Him rebuked them for calling out, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.” Notice that multitudes were following Jesus. Multitudes followed Him in biblical times and even today there are great multitudes following Jesus. Note also that although the multitude is following because they can see Him, there are blind people sitting beside the road who do not have visionary experience of the Lord Jesus Christ. They have not seen Him nor have they seen Him in action. But there is something unique about the people sitting on the wayside: their ears are open and they are waiting for a revelation of Jesus. When they heard that Jesus passed by, they did the right thing, they “cried out saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David” (Matt 20:30–31). Have you cried out to the Lord after hearing about His works? There are many encounters, experiences, and moves of the Lord that you hear about but have not seen. You did not see when Jesus worked that problem out for a particular sister or brother; you did not see when Jesus manifested His healing virtues in somebody’s life; you did not see when He brought a solution to an oppressive problem for another person. But you heard the testimony. The question is: How do you react to what you hear?

Those two blind men did not see Jesus physically, but they heard the multitude following Him. They heard that He was passing by and it caused them to call out to Him. They addressed Him as “Lord” and asked Him to “Have mercy on us.” They connected Him to His spiritual ancestry for He is the son of David and He has come to bring salvation: to bring sight to the blind and healing to the sick. They heard and what they heard caused them to cry out, not to the multitude but directly to Jesus, whom they could not see. The Bible says that Jesus stood still and asked them, “What would ye that I do unto you?” (Matt 20:32).

When we hear that the Lord is passing by in a particular area, it is not just news for us to put in the hard drives of our mind. When we hear about the good things the Lord has done, like with those two blind men, we are to connect to that move, connect to that anointing by getting into our prayer closet and saying, “Oh Lord, the multitude is seeing you in this area, have mercy on me because I am blind in that area. Have mercy on me, and let me receive my sight.” The Bible says that when He heard the blind men’s cry, “Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What would ye that I do unto you? They say unto Him, Lord, that our eyes might be opened. So Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes and immediately their eyes received sight and they followed him” (Matt 20:33–34). When you cry to Jesus, He stands still for you and then asks you what you want, so you need to be able to articulate your problem. Many of us read this passage literally and think it is for those who are physically blind. If you are in lack, you are blind to prosperity. If you are in sickness, you are blind to health. If you are in spiritual confusion, you are blind to peace. You hear that others enjoy prosperity, health, and peace, but you aren’t experiencing it. Cry to the Lord and say, “Lord, I am blind in this area, cause my eyes to see,” and Jesus who touched their eyes and caused their eyes to receive sight, will also cause you to see. May you see that which you are blind to in Jesus’ name and when you see it, may it cause you to follow our beautiful Savior, in Jesus’ name.

Father God, we pray that you will begin something great in the eyes of everyone today. Following Jesus starts with surrendering your life to Him, inviting Him into your heart so that from your heart He can control your five senses: what you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. From the heart He can then upgrade your reasoning process so that you will begin to do things that are proper and right in His sight. This is called salvation. He will wash your sins away with His shed blood and be your resident boss. He will live in you and make your life better. If you have never received Jesus into your heart and you desire that He come in, pray with me now, “Lord Jesus, I surrender my life to you, come into my heart and come and make my life better in Jesus’ name.”

“They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.”

Soon you are going to see the King manifest in your life in a new way. Today we look at going from showers to abundance. Blessed be God who always causes us to triumph. When we talk about blessings, we either look for blessings from around or from above. If you are a child of God, the best way to look for help to meet your personal needs is to look above. The blessings from above are always better because they come from God. Blessings from around you are like sprinklers; blessings from above are like showers. Showers of blessings are constant, yet they are intermittent. They come regularly, but they stop and start. So in essence, the provision God makes for you is to meet your personal needs. However, there is another level of provision for those who are looking for blessings from above. There are showers of abundance.

While showers are to bless you, the next level—the level of abundance—makes it possible for you to be a blessing. The greatest blessing is to be blessed enough to be a blessing. When you are blessed enough just for yourself, it is a tough place to be because you cannot help people who are asking if you can help. But when you are blessed enough to be a blessing, now that is a good place to be. Abundance is constant and consistent, and causes you to reach beyond where you are with your blessings. Abundance is like a river, like the sea, like the ocean that has a perpetual flow; it never dies, never dries. I pray that in the name of Jesus you will first of all deliver yourselves from expecting from man. Get yourself to the realm of expecting from God. When you start expecting from God, you stop looking around and you start looking above.

If you are a believer who wants to serve God, you must go beyond showers to abundance. Psalm 36:8 says we will be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and that we shall drink of the river of pleasures. It is okay to be satisfied with showers for yourself, but you soon realize that, as a Christian, you are meant to be a blessing to others. And this kind of blessing comes not only in terms of physical form, but also in spiritual substance. First you get showers of blessings spiritually; you begin to get ministrations for yourself. When you want to know how to minister to other people, you will need abundant anointing. You will need a level of anointing that will cause you not only to be able to bless yourself, but to bless others spiritually, financially, and with the Word. I pray that God will take you from showers to abundance in Jesus’ name. God will make you to drink of the river of this pleasure.

“Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it” (Ps 90:17). Father, I pray that you will bless the work of the hands of thy children. Oh Living God, I pray in the name of Jesus, that you will cause your children to look above and know that you are the only one who can establish their business, the works of their hands. Father, I pray that they will begin to get blessings from above, that they go from showers to abundance in Jesus’ name. Living God, I pray that you will pour the revelation of tithing upon your people; thereby, opening the windows of heaven over their lives. I pray that you will pour out from above blessings more than they have room enough to receive and that you will perpetually rebuke the devourer as you have promised in Deuteronomy 33:11: “accept the work of his hands; smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.”

Beloved, I have told you before that abundance is for you to abound to every good work. According to the Word of God in 2 Corinthians 9:8, “Good is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having sufficiency in all things, may abound in every good work.” We are also told in Deuteronomy 33:2, “And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if though shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.”

Living God, I pray that you will bless the substance of your children and bless the work of their hands in the name of Jesus according to your Word in Deuteronomy 33:11. Father God Almighty, I pray for the cumulative blessings of Deuteronomy 28:1–14 to be the portion of your children forever. Father, do a work in our lives and give us the grace to practice industry. Lord, let no one stop or hinder your work in our lives in the name of Jesus. Give your children the grace to obey and serve you, so that they will live their days in prosperity and their years in pleasure. Father, upgrade your children from showers to abundance in Jesus’ name. Amen.

“In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee” (1 Kgs 3:5).

If God appeared to you in a dream and said to you, “Ask what I shall give thee,” what would you say to Him? Today, let us look at how Solomon responded.

First Kings 3:6–15 says, “And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.”

If God appears to you in a dream and says, “Ask what I shall give thee,” how will you respond? Will you recount all His goodness to you and to your ancestors and then ask Him for the wisdom and understanding to fulfill His plan for your life? Pray that God will give you a wise and understanding heart. Pray that God will give you the grace to appreciate His goodness to you and your family. Pray that God will give you riches, honor, obedience, and length of days.

Besides praying as above, today let us take action. Give an offering unto the Lord today by doing something for Him. Feed the poor or give an offering. Render a service to your church. Do whatever you can as a sign of appreciation of His goodness.

“There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat” (Matt 26:7).

Father God, we thank you because if we believe in your Word and agree with your plan, you will answer by saying so be it. Give us the grace to do a good work unto you, as your Word says, and let your Word work in our lives.

The woman poured her precious ointment on Jesus’ head, “But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her” (Matt 26:8–13).

What did this woman do and why was it so valuable? Besides coming to Jesus, she opened an alabaster box of precious ointment and poured it on His head. The ointment was expensive and had a beautiful fragrance. But the disciples of the Lord complained that her offering was too great and was misdirected; they believed it was a wasteful act lacking sensible purpose.

What is your purpose as a Christian? The alabaster box today holds the gift that the Lord has put in you that you need to pour out. Are you just pouring it upon secular work or are you pouring it upon Jesus? Ministering to Jesus Christ should be your ultimate purpose and total goal. Nothing should be too much for you to do for Jesus because He should be the object of your ministry, the one who receives all your praise. Break your alabaster box and redirect your efforts to serving Jesus. When you pour out your gifts upon Jesus, you will be blessed with protection from trouble. This woman declared her worship and service to Jesus by anointing His head with precious ointment. Jesus valued it and commanded His disciples not to trouble her. The same applies today, for the Lord never changes. If you are working your hardest to further God’s glory and mockers begin to trouble you, the Lord Almighty Himself will intervene and say, “Don’t trouble this person for he or she is pouring out for me.”

Not only is the Lord your personal bodyguard whenever you do a good work upon Him, but He also promises that you will leave a great legacy. Jesus told His disciples that the work the woman had done would be told for a memorial of her wherever the gospel was preached. It is a great privilege to be considered so valuable to the God of the universe that He wants your service and worship to be remembered.

Are you doing a good work upon Jesus? If you are not, begin to pray. Prayer is the good work you can do right where you are. Pray for the Kingdom of God, for unity and harmony, for souls to be saved. Lord Jesus, give us the grace to pour out our ministry upon you. The Word of God says, “Touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm” (2 Chr 16:22; Ps 105:15). In your might, intervene and confront those who try to trouble our ministry to you. You cannot work for the Lord without salvation, so pray along with me if you have not given your life to Jesus, “Dear Lord Jesus, write my name in the Book of Life. I accept you as my Lord and Savior. I confess and forsake my sins. Forgive my sins and bless me with your Holy Spirit so I can pour out my gifts upon you.”

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). “And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily” (Luke 18:7–8a).

Have you told Jesus what has been happening to you lately? We do that through prayer and I want to encourage you today to make it a daily principle that you must tell Jesus everything. How blessed are those who have as their marching orders that they must tell Jesus. In families, there are children who keep secrets from their parents, and then there are some who must tell daddy, who must tell mommy. I pray that you will be one of God’s children who will apply the principle that you must tell your Father, you must tell Jesus, through prayer. How are we supposed to pray? We pray with purpose.

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me” Luke 18:1–5).

God will never grow weary of hearing your prayers. He longs for you to tell Him everything. Beloved, it takes faith in God to pray to God. I pray that today God will release into your life faith in God that will cause you to pray more and more. As you pray, I encourage you to pray with purpose and tell Jesus everything, not just the “Christian” parts. Pray with the understanding that God is interested in everything that is happening to you. You are God’s ambassador. You are here for a divine purpose and God is interested in making sure you fulfill your destiny. Therefore, pray with purpose. Seek His face in adoration for a revelation until you get an answer from Jesus. Pray for encouragement and rejoicing. Pray for the saving grace and salvation of your soul. As you purpose to pray today, tell Jesus everything, every matter, every purpose until God gives you revelation. Pray until you get to that place where as you adore God, He will answer you. Then, as you pray from that place where you have received from God, you will be encouraged; you will be out from dust and ashes to the place of glory and joy. Pray until your encouragement causes you to rejoice and re-celebrate the things God has done in your life so far. You will thank Him for His saving grace.

If God gave us an example of the godless judge who answered prayers, I want to assure you that our gracious God will answer your prayers if you obey that command to pray. Always pray and do not faint; do not get tired of praying. If you are alive, then there is hope. The Lord God is your permanent Father; He will not die. Go tell your Father. Resolve and say, “I must tell Jesus.” Pray with purpose. Here is a simple acronym for PRAYER:

You cannot rejoice if you have never given your life to Jesus. It is even simpler than the acronym, just pray along with me now, “Dear Lord Jesus, I accept you as my personal Lord and Savior. Write my name in the Book of Life and give me the grace to tell Jesus everything.”

Even when you are born again, life is full of problems. Oh tell Jesus everything. Tell Him as it is. I pray that your prayers will increase with the coming years. Tell Him everything and He who is more kind than that godless judge will respond, if you have faith. May God find faith in our generation, even as we tell Jesus everything in Jesus’ name. Amen.

“Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits.”

I pray in the name of Jesus that this will be a new season for you. I pray that everything that has held you in bondage, kept you bound, or kept you stagnant be divinely released upon you today to the glory of God in the name of Jesus.

This one verse is a prayer, a command, a prophecy, a stipulation, a decree, and it is the Word of God. May it work in your life in Jesus’ name. Pray in the name of Jesus, that the north wind and the south wind will blow upon the garden of your life, and that the spices of your life will flow out. Do you know that there are many among us who have such lovely fragrances? Many lovely spices are encased and covered up because we have been wounded with the challenges and bondages of the enemy. Today in the name of Jesus, I call upon the north wind to blow; I call upon the south wind to blow upon the garden of your life that the spices of your life may flow out.

What are the spices of your life? They are the things that God has encoded in you that are meant to blossom and bring out the fragrance of blessedness, the fragrance of favor, the fragrance of your gifting. When the wind of the Spirit does not blow, the fragrances are there but they do not come out to bless. There are many people on earth who are waiting to experience the spices and fragrance of your life. But that fragrance, that spice will not come out without the wind of the Holy Spirit. You receive the wind of the Holy Spirit when you pray in the name of Jesus. The Holy Spirit will then come and take control. He will move over you and cause you to have that divine release. Every virtue in you will begin to surface because your giftings are not meant for you alone; they are meant for you to benefit others.

When there is a bloom, the fragrance comes out and the wind blows it and carries it around to all who are in that environment. Many people are talented intercessors, but the wind has not blown upon them. So they pray in the closet, not confident. They have not become intercessors yet; they are still crying about their challenges. But I pray that the north wind and the south wind will blow the wind of the Holy Spirit so that the spices, the fragrance of intercession will come out and be a blessing to all. If you have the gift of prophecy, then the spices will begin to flow out and you will become an encourager to other people. If you have the gift of teaching, then the spices will begin to flow out and you will give wisdom to other people. If you have the gift of help, then the spices will begin to flow out and a servant’s heart will come forth. Everyone has a gift that is different. God, who is the giver, has poured into your life gifts that will begin to flow out as the wind of the Holy Spirit blows in the name of Jesus.

The Word of God says, “Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south.” Is the wind of the Holy Spirit in your life asleep? Sin makes it go to sleep. Unbelief, discouragement, and prayerlessness make it go to sleep. If you want to wake up the wind of the Holy Spirit upon your life, you need to say no to sin. You need to say no to prayerlessness and to everything that is contrary to the directives of the commandments of God. And then you can with boldness and confidence call upon the wind to blow upon the garden of your life: that the spices may flow out.

I pray that the spices in the life of everyone today will begin to flow out in a new measure. Oh precious Holy Spirit, blow upon the lives of your people. Blow awake, Oh Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh upon your people. Let the wind of the Holy Spirit blow again upon our lives in the name of Jesus, so that the spices may flow out and not be inhibited. Amen.

“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.”

Our God is great and He does miracles that are great. He is the source of all blessings and all goodness. He is the one who can open heavens. He is the one who can bless and is the true source of blessings. Let us personalize these truths by praying the Scriptures:

Father God, you are the one who does wonders. You are the only one who can bless each person and bless them forever. Father, today we pray for life, Oh Lord. “Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die.” Lord, we pray for your people who are in physical and spiritual prison.

Oh Lord God, true source of blessings, shine forth in our lives. You that dwell between the cherubim, Father God, we pray that you shine forth. “Turn us again, Oh God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved . . . Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.”

Father God, your Word says, “I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” Father, you will not ask us to open our mouths wide, except you have purposed to feed us. Lord, give us the grace to open our mouths wide in prayer to you. You will feed us, for Jehovah you are the Most High over all the earth. “Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee.” Father God, we give you glory and honor. We pray that you give us the grace to praise you, our God, with all our heart. Give us the grace to glorify your name forevermore, for great is your mercy towards us.

Father, you are the only one who can deliver our soul. Deliver us from the lowest hell, Oh Lord God. Show us favor so that those who hate us may see it and be ashamed, because you have helped and comforted us. Oh Living God, in your mercy and in your love, give us the grace to praise you for you are greatly to be feared in the assemblies of the saints and to be heard in reverence of all them that are about you. For Lord God, you are a great God and a great King above all other gods. Give us the grace to bless you, Oh Lord our God. Let all that is within us bless your holy name, for you are a great God.

Father God, no other blessings can last, except the true blessings that you give. Father, pour into our lives these blessings that can only come from you, Oh Lord. The organizations and systems in which we are working are not our source of blessings. You, God Almighty, are the source of our blessings, and you send systems and people to release our blessings to us. You send blessings to us through people who are like banks that store and disburse our blessings to us. Father God Almighty, give us the grace to be conscious of the truth that you are the true source of blessing.

Living God, bless us indeed and pour your mercies and blessings upon our lives in the name of Jesus. If you have never at any time given your life to Jesus, pray along with me and say, “Father, I ask that you wash me clean so that I can receive the blessings of God in my life. Become Lord and Savior of my life today. Write my name in the Book of Life in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world.”

I want to thank God for the privilege of the settled Word of God. He meant it yesterday and today and He will mean it tomorrow. The Word of God says, “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven” (Ps 119:89). Oh Father, I pray that you will give us an appreciation of your settled Word, your Word that does not change, that it will bless our lives and improve us in the name of Jesus.

If the Bible says something is going to happen, it is going to happen. The Bible says that at the end of the world His angels will come and sever the wicked from the just and cast them into the furnace of fire and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth for the wicked (Matt 13:49–50). When that day of selection comes, where will you be? Will you be gathered among the good or will you be cast away? I pray that none are cast away on the last day. I pray that God in His mercy will save our souls, that we will find rest for our souls as those who stood for God and as those who were just. How can you be just? “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein” (Jer 6:16). How do you get rest for your soul? The Bible says to “stand,” so stop sitting around in sin, and stop lying down when you should be awake praying. The Bible says to stand in the ways of salvation: prayer and reading the Word. When they are gathered to pray and praise, may you be there.

We live in a time where the old paths are covered with brush. They are overgrown because nobody is walking the old paths anymore. Everybody is creating an “if it feels good, do it” kind of Christianity. People think they are walking in liberty but they are actually walking to be cast away. The Bible is true and settled. It is tried and found true. It is not going to change for you or me. Find the old paths so that you will not be a cast away in the last day. It is clear that the end is near according to the Bible. The signs are evident in our generation; even those who are not spiritual know that the end times are upon us. Are you ready? The Bible says, “Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths.” What are the old paths? When Christianity was introduced to us, we went directly to the Bible, but now we follow the books we write that make each other feel good. We write books from the imagination of our hearts, which may be contrary to the Bible. Any book you read or preacher you listen to that communicates anything contrary to the Bible, contrary to the old paths, should be ignored and prayed against. The standard of the old paths is set, that is the good way, and that is where you will find rest for your soul.

Many who attend church are miserable. They go from one meeting to the other, but their soul is not contented because their work with God is founded on a principle error. There are certain things the Bible states as the good way and it is there for those who want to walk therein. But if you decide that now that Jesus has died all the things of the Bible do not really matter anymore, then the Bible is just a good novel. I pray that God will open your eyes and give you a revelation of Jeremiah 6:16, which makes it clear that you need to find the old paths. The old path may be things you used to do when you were first born again that you have since stopped doing. The old path may be the prayer life that you had before, but now you just talk to God on the road. It may be the way your grandmother used to take you to church early on Sunday, during the week, and then for prayer meetings. God is calling you back to the old paths so that you find rest for your soul. There are many who are not happy, who cry themselves to sleep; indeed, they are emotionally unanchored. Seek the old ways when you were first born; do the things you used to do for God; walk therein and you will find rest for your soul.

I pray that you will return in Jesus’ name, that you will seek the old paths and walk therein to the glory of God in Jesus’ name. I pray that when that great day of selection comes that we will not be cast away, that we will be among those called the just, those who maintained the standards of God, those who continue to work with Him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives.

Beloved, you cannot walk in holiness except you have the Holy Spirit, and you cannot have the Holy Spirit except you are born again. So if you have never at anytime given your life to Jesus, pray along with me now, “Dear Lord Jesus, I surrender my life to you. Write my name in the Book of Life and bless me with the born-again experience. Give me the grace to work according to the Good Book and find rest for my soul in Jesus’ name. Amen.”