EFFECTS OF GOD’S FIRE: MUST READ

Isaiah came into God’s presence one day and saw something different. He had always viewed himself as a righteous man of God who was envied by many. But that day he looked filthy to himself as he stood in God’s presence. His lips were unclean, and had to be cleansed by God’s fire. That fire is powerful! It purifies everything and everyone it touches.

ALL ROUND BREAKTHROUGH: MUST READ

 Many people have their lives in order except for one area. If you are in good health, progressing academically, financially and spiritually, but you have been trusting God for a child, or you have only girls, so you are trusting God for a boy, all you need is a breakthrough in that area. The God of breakthrough will visit you and give you a song. But there are some people who are hedged in on all sides. Virtually every area of their lives is under siege: no money, no job, frequent sicknesses and reproach by neighbours. Such people need a breakthrough in ever area.

HOLY SPIRIT BEFORE PENTECOST

The Holy Spirit is God and a member of the Trinity. He was not created. He has no beginning or ending, just like the Father and the Son. He was involved in the creation (Gen 1:1-2). Considering the terrible state of the earth, when the Holy Spirit moved, darkness turned to light. Even today, when he moves in your life, every lingering problem will suddenly vanish. The Holy Spirit acted as conscience before the flood (Gen 6: 1-3). That means he led people to know the difference between right and wrong. Today, when you are about to do something wrong, it is the Holy Spirit who instructs you not to. When he warns you and you keep shunning him, he becomes grieved. He is gentle and will not force or struggle with you. He will just leave you to your ways (Gen 6: 1-3).

LOYALTY: BEWARE!

King Saul appeared to have let David go free. He swore never to kill David. So David resumed his work in the palace. On day, while he was playing his instrument before the king, Saul cast his javelin at him again. Thank God David knew Saul better than to take him at his word. The enemy never tires of seeking the lives of God’s children. This is why you, too, must not grow weary. You have to be alert and on your guard. Also, once you have established who the enemy is, never rely on any promise he makes. The only one you can rely on is God.

THE OVERCOMER

Galatians 5:16 - ”This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”.

Immediately a sinner becomes saved, God plants the seed of victory in him. This seed of victory soon grows and becomes a tree of righteousness. A Christian is an overcomer. He is given power to overcome sin, Satan and the flesh.

A STUBBORN ENEMY

The devil is stubborn and unrepentant enemy. An understanding of this fact will guide you as you fight the battles of life. We often expect the devil to give up after we have put up a little resistance. But we are wrong. The devil is a dogged fighter. The text of today’s devotional study reveals the devil as a stubborn enemy who would never give up easily.

POVERTY AND HOLINESS BY: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

In times past, some Christians equated poverty with holiness. They believed that to make it to heaven, you must be poor. Lazarus was their example. Today many have realized the foolishness of such a belief.

MANIFESTING AS A SON: MUST READ

Are you a child of God? Have you been begotten of the father? Then show it. We live in a time where there are more professors of the faith than possessors of it. Many profess to have been saved. They shout the loudest hallelujahs, but when they must demonstrate the power, their emptiness is exposed. 2 Timothy 3: 5 warns us to flee from those who have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof.

SHOW ME YOUR GLORY

‘But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.’ (2 Cor 3:18)

It is wonderful to be in God’s presence. Anyone who enters God’s presence and stays long enough will reflect God’s glory. Exdous 34: 29-30 says that Moses’ face was radiant even after he had left God’s immediate presence. God is looking to shine his glory upon us. We will never be the same from that moment on: we will cease to be ordinary.

BACK TO JERICHO?

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus said a traveler had left Jerusalem for Jericho. On his way he met trouble. Let us consider what Jericho is all about. When you think of Jericho, the first thing that strikes you is curses. Joshua placed a curse on Jericho after its defeat” ‘And Josh adhered them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it’ (Josh 6: 26).

SEE HOW GOD SPEAKS TO HIS PEOPLE

An issue that disturbs many Christians is how can they know God’s will for marriage. How does God speak to his people? There are several ways. He can speak directly – you hear his voice distinctly. In Acts 9:9-20, the Lord asked Ananias to go to a particular street called ‘straight’ and ask at the house of Judas for one Saul of Tarsus, who was praying. This shows that God knows your name, address, your birthplace and other details about you. So God can tell you all the details about your spouse long before you meet her, such as her address, height, size of shoe, name and complexion.

THE KING KNOWS

Queen Esther was in a crisis. She and the whole Jewish nation were faced with extermination by their enemies. It was at that time that she decided to offer her husband what he enjoyed most. A time of crisis is a time to praise God. In Acts 16:16-26, Paul and Silas were imprisoned. They praised God and were set free. It is important to note however that the size of the problem should determine the size of praise. That is, the greater the problem or crisis, the greater should be the praise. In 2 Chronicles 20:1-37, when King Jehoshaphat was faced with the allied forces of three kings, he knew praising God on his own might not be sufficient. So he appointed singers and as they sang, God gave them victory.

INTERMEDIARY

Man is a trinity, comprising spirit, soul and body. The soul is the intermediary between the spirit and the body. Of the two, whichever the soul teams up with determines the overcomer. 'Whereithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments? Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee' (Ps 119:9-11).

INSTANT OBEDIENCE

'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. for as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.' (Isa 55:8-9)

SUBDUE THE FLESH

When a new government has come into the life of a sinner, his body will fight it to the finish. The body will call for its allies - Satan and his demonic host to join battle and fight the new government. Any step of the spirit will be greeted with opposition from the body. It gets to the point that if care is not taken, the ex-sinner becomes a victim of an ongoing war. To have effective control of the situation, the battle lines must be drawn. You must decide to establish the new government or let the old order return.