October
HIS BODY WAS BROKEN FOR YOU October 1st, 2023
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing (John 15:5).
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing (John 15:5).
The night Jesus made the statement above was the same night He was betrayed. All the gospels recorded events that transpired that night. The Synoptic gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—focused on the Communion Jesus had with His disciples while John focused on certain important teachings Jesus gave from the 13th chapter all the way to the 16th chapter. It was indeed a long night.
Something significant happened during the Communion, which occurred earlier in the night. Paul, by revelation, gives us insight into this: “…the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:23-24). Jesus said to His disciples, “Eat my body which is broken for you.” This was the bread of life that if any man would eat, he would live forever (John 6:51).
Shortly afterwards, He said to them, “I am the vine, ye are the branches...” (John 15:5). This was no ordinary teaching; He wasn’t talking religiously. This glorious relationship came about as they broke bread and drank the cup, being His body and blood.
On that night, He brought them into a new kind of relationship that wasn’t there before. Now, in this oneness with them, He headed to the cross in their place. Do you see why there ’s no need for you to ever be broken anymore?
There’s no need for your child to be born sick. No reason for you to be diabetic, to have heart trouble, cancer, asthma, or even the flu; His body was broken for you. What if you feel symptoms in your body? That’s why He said to us, “…this do in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24). So, as you take the Communion, you say, “I haven’t forgotten that His body was broken for me. I refuse to be sick! I proclaim divine health for my body.” Hallelujah!
Prayer
Thank you, blessed heavenly Father, for your unfathomable love in sending Jesus to be the propitiation for my sin. I’m free from sickness, disease and every form of affliction because of His body that was broken for me. I walk in health, strength and victory, being rooted in your Word and guided by your Spirit. I bear much fruit, bringing glory to your Name. Amen.
Further Study
1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 6:51-56
Excerpt
Something significant happened during the Communion, which occurred earlier in the night. Jesus said to His disciples, “Eat my body which is broken for you.” There’s no need for your child to be born sick. No reason for you to be diabetic, to have heart trouble, cancer, asthma, or even the flu; His body was broken for you.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : Ephesians 6:10-24; Isaiah 31-32
Bi-Annual : John 2:12-25; 1 Kings 6
SOAR HIGHER October 2nd, 2023
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
When someone says to you, “Things are so expensive now; prices have gone up.” Smile and say, “I’ve gone higher than the prices. I’ve ascended beyond inflation.” That should always be your mentality.
From experience, we’ve only known prices of goods and commodities to always keep going higher. The cry has always been that things are getting more expensive. So, if it’s happening again, why do you care? Don’t let it trouble you, because you’re the seed of Abraham. Your life is different.
I found out in my Bible that God’s people always soared in hard times. Isaac prospered in the midst of extremely harsh economic conditions (Genesis 26). Don’t be troubled; just raise your standard higher; soar higher than the world’s market forces. Let your mind soar beyond the country where you live. Think how big God is, and what He can do with and through you.
We shine brighter in the dark. When everything is bright, not everyone’s light will be noticed. But when it’s dark, even the dimmest flicker will be noticed; every light shines in the dark. The Bible says, “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee” (Isaiah 60:2). It’s time for you to shine!
The Bible says, “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” (Romans 8:28). When inflation skyrockets and the prices of commodities increase, don’t cry or complain. It’ll only create opportunities for you because your faith will get you the money you require. Your prosperity isn’t based on what your company pays you or the available opportunities in your country; your prosperity is a function of who you are: an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ.
Prayer
Dear Father, I affirm that I excel beyond inflation and financial uncertainties. Your Word empowers me to flourish regardless of external circumstances, for you are my true source. I am not a victim of the economy of my nation. I am among those creating opportunities for others. I have already overcome the world and its systems, so I am reigning in life, in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Further Study
Romans 8:37; Psalm 37:25; Philippians 4:19
Excerpt
We shine brighter in the dark. When everything is bright, not everyone’s light will be noticed. But when it’s dark, even the dimmest flicker will be noticed; every light shines in the dark. Your prosperity isn’t based on what your company pays you or the available opportunities in your country; your prosperity is a function of who you are: an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : Philippians 1:1-30; Isaiah 33-34
Bi-Annual : John 3:1-8; 1 Kings 7
PUT YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THE WORD October 3rd, 2023
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith (Hebrews 11:7).
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith (Hebrews 11:7).
The Bible tells us how the Lord told Noah to build an ark because He was about to destroy the earth with a great flood. All the people and animals on earth drowned and whole cities were submerged in the flood. Yet, the very flood of judgment that came to destroy the ungodly bore Noah’s ark up; it bore up the righteous!
As the floods of inflation, disaster and violence beat on the world in these latter days, refuse to fret or fear. What you need to live victoriously is the deposit of God’s Word in your spirit. You’ve got to know and have the Word in you. With the Word in you, your success is assured, no matter what happens around you.
Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom….” That’s it! Inundate your spirit with the Word and you’ll stay afloat like the ark of Noah, and the circumstances responsible for sinking businesses, careers and finances will be for your promotion.
The floods of economic and natural disasters in the world aren’t against you. God has ordained your promotion and prosperity. He already planned that you’ll be a success irrespective of what’s going on around you. Remember Isaac: he reaped a hundredfold harvest even when there was famine (Genesis 26:12).
You’re ordained to prosper in a time of inflation. This is your life as a Christian. Let your confidence rest only in how much of the Word of Christ you have in you and live by, not in how much money you have in your bank account. As you allow the Word to dominate you, it’ll give you the mentality of a victor such that no matter what happens, you’ll stay above only.
Confession
The entrance of God’s Word floods my heart with light and brings brilliance and beauty into my life. I do not fret over the hardship, inflation and evil in today’s world, for they’re not set against me! I’ve ascended above the economics of this world! I’m in my place of inheritance in Christ Jesus, where I prosper continually. Hallelujah!
Further Study
Psalm 1:1-3; Joshua 1:8 AMPC; Jeremiah 17:7-8
Excerpt
As the floods of inflation, disaster and violence beat on the world in these latter days, refuse to fret or fear. What you need to live victoriously is the deposit of God’s Word in your spirit. You’ve got to know and have the Word in you. With the Word in you, your success is assured, no matter what happens around you.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : Philippians 2:1-18; Isaiah 35-37
Bi-Annual : John 3:9-21; 1 Kings 8
CHOOSE TO WIN October 4th, 2023
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live (Deuteronomy 30:19).
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live (Deuteronomy 30:19).
One important choice you have to make in life is to always win. Choose to win. When you choose to win, nothing in the world will be able to stop you. But the first thing is for you to make that decision, because not everyone chooses to win.
Some people go through life just hoping things will turn out right; they don’t consciously think about winning. Such people say, “Well, if I’m lucky, I’ll make it.” No! Don’t wait for luck. God’s children don’t hope for luck or walk by luck; we walk in the grace and blessings of God.
Some others say, “I won’t choose anything, win or lose.” If you don’t choose to win, you have chosen to fail. How can you help others if you don’t choose to win? The world has more poor people than rich people, and more suffering people than those who are sound and prosperous. If you’re not prosperous, you can’t help others to become prosperous.
It’s only people who are up that can help those who are down to come up. So, where do you want to be in life? What side of the street do you want to live? I found out from the Scriptures that God gave us the right to choose, and also points out the right and the best option for us to choose.
Notice that in our opening verse, He didn’t say, “Choose whichever one you think is okay”; no! He shows us what’s better and tells us to choose it. You can choose to win at whatever stage you are in life.
Are you a student? Do you work or do you own a business? Make the choice to be the best and achieve the highest height of success possible. God will take you from one step to another in an upward and forward journey of success.
Prayer
Dear Father, I choose to walk in your ways and align my thoughts, words and actions with your will. I’m not governed by luck or chance; rather, I walk in the path of victory, promotion, strength, health and excellence, as I navigate my way through life with your Word, to the praise and glory of your Name. Amen.
Further Study
Deuteronomy 30:19 AMPC; 1 Samuel 17:32-37
Excerpt
One important choice you have to make in life is to always win. Choose to win. When you choose to win, nothing in the world will be able to stop you. But the first thing is for you to make that decision, because not everyone chooses to win.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : Philippians 2:19-30; Philippians 3:1-11; Isaiah 38-39
Bi-Annual : John 3:22-36; 1 Kings 9
EXPECT GOOD THINGS EVERY DAY October 5th, 2023
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man (Luke 2:52).
There’re people who don’t expect good outcomes in their lives. They’re so used to struggling, suffering and seeing failure and stagnation that they never expect more. They never expect that their lives could be better. They haven’t learnt to expect favours; they haven’t learnt to take advantage of the grace and glory of God available to all who are in Christ Jesus.
Our opening scripture tells us how Jesus increased in wisdom, increased in stature and also in favour with God and with man. Some people have increased only in stature without increasing in wisdom and favour. Don’t just be satisfied to grow in stature; grow in wisdom and favour. Always affirm, “I’m increasing in favour!”
Yes! Become expectant that God is favouring you. Expect that favour is being channelled towards you from God and men. Expect to always walk into divine opportunities. It’s good to work hard, but remember what the Bible says, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God” (2 Corinthians 3:5).
Moreover, the Bible says not of works lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:9); it’s not about your hard work but by the grace of God. So, always be in a state of expectancy with God; expect good things because you’re a child of God and a child of grace. His grace is superabundant upon your life.
Expect blessings every day. The Bible says He daily loads us with benefits (Psalm 68:19); He does it every day. Psalm 33:5 says, “...the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.” Who’s the goodness for? It’s for you! So expect good things every day. Make continual proclamations of the favour of God working in your life.
Confession
My faith is alive and working, ever ready to receive, and always expecting good outcomes. I walk into divine favour and opportunities today. I’m conscious that God loves to always prosper me and delights in doing good things for me. I’m conscious that I’m walking in the blessings of Abraham. Amen.
Further Study
Psalm 5:12; Proverbs 3:4; Psalm 84:11
Excerpt
Become expectant that God is favouring you. Expect that favour is being channelled towards you from God and men. Expect to always walk into divine opportunities. Expect blessings every day. Expect good things every day. Make continual proclamations of the favour of God working in your life.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : Philippians 3:12-21; Philippians 4:1-3; Isaiah 40-41
Bi-Annual : John 4:1-9; 1 Kings 10-11
WHO YOU ARE NOW October 6th, 2023
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not (1 John 3:1).
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not (1 John 3:1).
The word “sons” in our opening verse is from the Greek “teknon,” which primarily refers to one born of parents. We’re the sons of God because we’re born of God. The world may not recognize this, but it’s true nonetheless. That’s why it says, “…therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not” (1 John 3:1).
The world didn’t recognize Jesus when He came; the people thought He was an ordinary man. The Bible says Jesus was begotten of God (Acts 13:33); the same is true of us as seen in James 1:18. It says, “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
We’re sons of God now even though our outward appearance doesn’t show this. But I love how the apostle John sums it up in the concluding part of 1 John 3:2. He said, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
When the Lord appears at the Rapture of the Church, we shall be like Him outwardly. But already, we’re sons of God and we have His life in us. Refuse to see or describe yourself according to your earthly nativity, because in your spirit, you’re like Jesus. Hallelujah!
God has given us the divine nature in Christ Jesus, so now, as He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17). Once you understand this, you’ll realize you’re not living the human life. You’re not ordinary; you don’t belong in this world. You’re in God’s class, born of His Word and Spirit with this transcendent life. Glory to God!
Prayer
Dear Father, thank you for the great love you’ve bestowed upon me in Christ Jesus. You’ve made me a partaker of the divine nature. I’m uninfectable, impregnable and full of life; I live victoriously to your glory and praise, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study
Romans 8:14-16; Galatians 3:26; John 1:12:13
Excerpt
When the Lord appears at the Rapture of the Church, we shall be like Him outwardly. But already, we’re sons of God and we have His life in us. Refuse to see or describe yourself according to your earthly nativity, because in your spirit, you’re like Jesus. Hallelujah!
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : Philippians 4:4-23; Isaiah 42-43
Bi-Annual : John 4:10-18; 1 Kings 12
THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF HIS PERSON October 7th, 2023
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17).
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17).
An important question to ask after reading our opening verse is: What was Jesus like when the Father sent Him? The Bible gives us a description in Hebrews 1:3: “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
Two phrases to notice in this verse are: “the brightness of his glory” and “the express image of his person.” Jesus was the brightness—the effulgence or the outshining—of God’s glory. Each time He stepped out, He was the glory of God manifested. He was also the express image of the Father’s person.
If you wanted to know what God was like, you looked at Jesus. He was the absolute description of the Father, and His life was endlessly glorious. Now, Jesus says, “… as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John 20:21). Then 1 John 4:17 tells us that as He (Jesus) is, so are we in this world.
This means that just as Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory, you’re the brightness of Jesus’ glory. You’re the express image of the Father’s person as Jesus. This is too lofty for the religious mind to grasp, but it's one of the truths of who we are in Christ and what He’s made us. He sent us to go into all the world and express His love, kindness, nature and character.
Remember what He said in John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches….” That means we have the same life. He’s also given us His Name, so we have the same name. What belongs to Him belongs to us; we’re “…heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ…” (Romans 8:17).
Even now, declare with absolute confidence, “I’m the express image of the Father’s person. I reveal and unveil His glory.” Hallelujah!
Confession
I'm an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ. I possess the same life and bear the same name as the Lord Jesus. Therefore, I manifest His love, kindness, nature, and character to the world around me, and as a vessel, His glory shines and is revealed through me with greater intensity. I bring the reality of this truth to many, and they accept the salvation that’s in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Further Study
Romans 8:17; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Ephesians 5:1
Excerpt
Just as Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory, you’re the brightness of Jesus’ glory. You’re the express image of the Father’s person as Jesus. This is too lofty for the religious mind to grasp, but it's one of the truths of who we are in Christ and what He’s made us.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : Colossians 1:1-23; Isaiah 44-45
Bi-Annual : John 4:19-29; 1 Kings 13
COMPASSION—A STRONG DESIRE TO REMOVE PAIN October 8th, 2023
But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth (Psalm 86:15).
But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth (Psalm 86:15).
Notice that the Bible didn’t say God has compassion, which would also have been wonderful, but it says God is full of compassion. What’s compassion?
Compassion means to recognize or to become aware of the sufferings of another with a desire to alleviate that suffering. That’s what makes it different from sympathy. To sympathize with someone means to identify with someone in his suffering or pain. That doesn’t mean the sympathizer is going to or able to do anything about the person’s suffering.
Compassion is also different from mercy, which is forbearance shown especially to an offender or to someone you have the right or power to punish. But compassion has a strong desire to remove the pain. If there’s no desire to take away the suffering, then it’s not compassion.
So, when the Bible says God is full of compassion, it means He looks at you and recognizes what you may be going through with a desire to change the situation. Hallelujah! The Bible says we have a high priest who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15).
Psalm 145:8 says, “The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.” God is loaded with compassion; He’s never mad at you. Rather, He’s always moved with a desire to bless you, help you, and change your situation.
Prayer
Gracious Father, you're full of compassion and abounding in mercy and truth. Thank you, for your compassion knows no bounds, and I'm grateful for your unwavering love and care. That same compassion is ignited within me to recognize the sufferings of others; I’m moved with a burning desire to alleviate their pain and make a positive difference in their lives through the Word and by your Spirit, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study
Psalm 78:38; Psalm 111:4; Matthew 9:36; Colossians 3:12
Excerpt
When the Bible says God is full of compassion, it means He looks at you and recognizes what you may be going through with a desire to change the situation. God is loaded with compassion; He’s never mad at you. Rather, He’s always moved with a desire to bless you, help you, and change your situation.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : Colossians 1:24-29; Colossians 2:1-5; Isaiah 46-47
Bi-Annual : John 4:30-42; 1 Kings 14
COMPASSION IS A FORCE October 9th, 2023
And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean (Mark 1:41).
And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean (Mark 1:41).
Recall what we said in our previous study about compassion: a strong desire to ease the pain of others. Compassion compels one to action. Compassion is a force.
When you study Jesus and the way He ministered, you’d observe that He was often moved by compassion. Every time He had compassion on, or was moved with compassion for someone, He did something to change the situation.
Compassion moved Him to teach the people, feed them, and heal them. Mark 6:34 says, “And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.” Matthew 14:14 says, “And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.”
Compassion moved Him to raise the only son of a widow back to life in a city called Nain. When Jesus saw the widow, the Bible says, "...he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not” (Luke 7:13). He then touched the casket and commanded the dead man to get up, and he came back to life.
Matthew 20:30 tells us of two blind men who cried after Jesus, saying: “Son of David, have mercy upon us!” Jesus stopped to ask them what they wanted and they replied that they wanted to receive their sight. The Bible says, “So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him” (Matthew 20:34).
So, like the Master, we’re to be full of compassion. Change comes when we’re moved with compassion. We’re His express image today. He’s counting on you to be moved with compassion and do something for those in need; change the lives and circumstances of those in your world. You’ve been empowered by the Spirit to take action, offer comfort and be a vessel of God’s love and kindness to a hurting world.
Prayer
Dear Father, I'm stirred by the examples of Jesus who being moved with compassion brought healing, strength, comfort and hope to those in need. I’m empowered by your Spirit to take action, to offer comfort, and to be a vessel of your love and kindness to a hurting world, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study
Psalm 145:8; Psalm 112:4
Excerpt
Like the Master, we’re to be full of compassion. Change comes when we’re moved with compassion. We’re His express image today. He’s counting on you to be moved with compassion and do something for those in need; change the lives and circumstances of those in your world.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : Colossians 2:6-23; Isaiah 48-49
Bi-Annual : John 4:43-54; 1 Kings 15
FASTING HELPS TO MAINTAIN SPIRITUAL FOCUS October 10th, 2023
And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away (Acts 13:3).
There’re several spiritual blessings and benefits of fasting and one of them is that it helps you maintain spiritual focus. It involves putting away food, but it’s not just about abstinence from food but all forms of distraction for the time being. This helps your spirit to become more sensitive to the Spirit of God. You become more conscious of His leading within your spirit.
At such times when your heart and mind are turned away from the things of this world unto the Lord, it becomes easy for you to receive His guidance.
If you’re going to be spiritually alert and walk spiritually, you should fast from time to time. That means to centre your attention on the Lord for the time. By doing this, your spirit gains the ascendency. When you want to deal with certain important things of the Spirit or you’re studying the Word and you want to have the insight and sensitivity of the Spirit, fast.
Through fasting and prayer, your effectiveness in the things of the Spirit is improved. Your ability to hear and receive from God is sharpened, and you’re more attuned to the finer signals and instructions of the Spirit that you need for a higher level of life; a life of continuous glory and success. Hallelujah!
Prayer
Dear Father, my spirit is attuned to your leading, guidance, promptings, direction and voice within me. I’m receptive and responsive to you as you guide me to walk in, and fulfil, your perfect will today, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study
Joel 1:14; Joel 2:12; Luke 2:36-37
Excerpt
Fasting helps you maintain spiritual focus. It helps your spirit to become more sensitive to the Spirit of God. Your heart and mind are turned away from the things of this world unto the Lord, it becomes easy for you to receive His guidance. If you’re going to be spiritually alert and walk spiritually, you should fast from time to time.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : Colossians 3:1-4:1; Isaiah 50-51
Bi-Annual : John 5:1-9; 1 Kings 16
YOUR TONGUE IS THE COMPASS October 11th, 2023
For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body (James 3:2).
For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body (James 3:2).
Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue….” It parallels what the Master said in Matthew 12:37, “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Through your thoughts, your character is formed, but it’s expressed through your words. Your mouth-work is your life.
As revealed in our opening verse, Christian perfection or maturity is expressed primarily in your communication. If you want to go in the right direction in life, your tongue is the compass. If you offend in words, you’re sunk; but if your communication is wholesome, your life will be great. Your speech controls you. Proverbs 15:4 says, “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life....” I love the way Peter puts it in 1 Peter 3:10; it says, “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.” In other words, maintain the right confession.
Your mouth is where your blessing is. Romans 10:10 says, “…with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” It’s a principle. God said to Joshua, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night…” (Joshua 1:8). That means keep affirming the Word.
No matter what’s happening around you, keep the Word on your lips. The Bible says, “When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up…” (Job 22:29). Again, the emphasis is on what you say. When things are rough and tough, you’re not to wait to be lifted; you have a lifting power; it’s in your mouth.
What is it that you want? It’s all in your mouth. That’s the compass with which you steer your life aright, in the direction of God’s perfect will. Blessed be God!
Confession
I have a wholesome tongue; my words are sculpted in line with God’s perfect will and direction for my life. I walk in divine health, prosperity, victory, success and financial abundance, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study
Matthew 12:37 AMPC; Mark 11:23
Excerpt
Christian perfection or maturity is expressed primarily in your communication. If you want to go in the right direction in life, your tongue is the compass. If you offend in words, you’re sunk; but if your communication is wholesome, your life will be great. Your speech controls you.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : Colossians 4:2-18; Isaiah 52-53
Bi-Annual : John 5:10-18; 1 Kings 17-18
A CALLING TO GLORY AND VIRTUE October 12th, 2023
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue (2 Peter 1:3).
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue (2 Peter 1:3).
The verse above says God has called us to glory and virtue. That means we’ve been called to a life of honour, heavenly dignity, and excellence. No matter what situation you find yourself in, your life is one of honour, dignity and excellence. Glory to God!
The Amplified Classic says He “…called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).” There should be no mediocrity in your life because excellence is working in you.
The Apostle Paul says, “We encouraged you, we comforted you, and we kept urging you to live the kind of life that pleases God, who calls you to share in his own Kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:12 GNB). What a life He’s given us! How could you live an ordinary life when you have a calling to glory and virtue?
It doesn’t matter how dark and gloomy things get in this world; be unruffled because your journey in life is one direction only: upward and forward. You’re not of this world! Your path is different. It’s a path of glory and excellence, prosperity and success, peace and joy. Hallelujah!
Confession
My life is for the glory of God and I experience His goodness and mercies today; my life is one of honour, excellence, praise, glory and thanksgiving to the Lord at all times. Hallelujah!
Further Study
1 Peter 2:9 AMPC; 2 Peter 1:3 AMPC; 2 Corinthians 3:18
Excerpt
God has called us to glory and virtue. That means we’ve been called to a life of honour, heavenly dignity, and excellence. No matter what situation you find yourself in, your life is one of honour, dignity and excellence. Glory to God!
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; 1 Thessalonians -2:1-16; Isaiah 54-56
Bi-Annual : John 5:19-27; 1 Kings 19
CUT THEM OFF! October 13th, 2023
"Get out of here, Satan," Jesus told him. "For the Scriptures say, 'You must worship the Lord your God; serve only him’ (Matthew 4:10 NLT).
When the Lord Jesus ministered to different people in Bible days, He cast out a lot of demons, showing us that demons are responsible for most of the afflictions that people suffer with. And in Mark 16:17 He listed several signs to identify those who believe, and the very first of the signs is that they shall cast out demons.
But during His forty days in the wilderness, He gave us an insight into how to deal with Satan and demons. Satan had come to tempt Him, and the first temptation was for Jesus to command stones to be made bread. In response, Jesus, quoting from the Book of Deuteronomy, said, “...It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
For the second time, the Bible says, “Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down…” (Matthew 4:5-6). Again, Jesus responded and said, “...It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Matthew 4:7).
Then came the last temptation. At a high mountain, Satan showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment, offering them to Jesus, if He would bow down and worship him. Jesus said, “Get out of here, Satan!” The original word in Hebrew for “Get out of here” signifies “sink out,” or “disappear.” That’s casting out the devil!
In those three temptations, Jesus was consistent in emphasizing to Satan, “It is written…,” and after establishing that clearly, He said, “Get out of here!” That’s how to deal with Satan; you cast him out or cut him off from your home, your body, your city, nation, etc.
If it’s your child, and he or she is within the age where you’re still in control of what they do, you say, “Devil, this is my child; take your hands off my child; get out of here!” He’s got to obey, because you're exercising your authority in Christ. You have the legal right, the power of attorney to use the Name of Jesus and subdue Satan and his demons. Cut them off! Praise God!
Prayer
Satan has no right to run things in my life, in my home or the lives of my loved ones; by my authority in Christ, I exercise dominion over him and his demons. I walk in power and in the glory of the Father, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Further Study
Matthew 10:7-8; Luke 10:19; Mark 1:25-26 MSG; Ephesians 4:27 GNB
Excerpt
You have the legal right, the power of attorney to use the Name of Jesus and subdue Satan and his demons. If it’s your child, and he or she is within the age where you’re still in control of what they do, you say, “Devil, this is my child; take your hands off my child; get out of here!”
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13; Isaiah 57-58
Bi-Annual : John 5:28-32; 1 Kings 20
MORE THAN HUMAN October 14th, 2023
And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:11-12 NKJV).
And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:11-12 NKJV).
Christ in you means eternal life in you. Eternal life is the life and nature of God: the God-life. Notice the tenses in our theme scripture; it says God “has given us eternal life.” It’s not a promise. He’s not “going” to give us eternal life. You have that life NOW. As a result, John says in the 13th verse, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13 NIV).
He wants you to know that you’re more than human. Your human life has been supplanted by the life and nature of God. This divine life in you has made fellowship and oneness with God possible. You’re by no means an ordinary person. Recall the words of the psalmist in Psalm 82:6, “I have said, Ye are gods, and all of you are children of the most High.”
The same truth is referenced and reiterated by the Lord Jesus in John 10:35 when He said, “If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken.” We are gods, because God gave birth to us. We’re the offspring of the Word: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Peter 1:23). 1 John 4:17 says, “...as He is, so are we in this world.”
Confession
Christ lives in me! I’m the expression of His reality, His grace, glory, kingdom, power and personality! I’m the expression of His fullness; He is my completeness. It makes no difference what challenges I face in life; there’s a force—an empowerment—at work in me to blaze through the barriers. Everything and anything I could ever need is inside the greater One that lives in me. Glory to God!
Further Study
1 Corinthians 3:16; Colossians 1:26-27; 1 John 4:4
Excerpt
God wants you to know that you’re more than human. Your human life has been supplanted by the life and nature of God. This divine life in you has made fellowship and oneness with God possible. You’re by no means an ordinary person.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18; Isaiah 59-60
Bi-Annual : John 5:33-47; 1 Kings 21
GOD ALIVE IN YOU October 15th, 2023
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God (Ephesians 3:19).
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God (Ephesians 3:19).
The Bible says, “…Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Christ in you means God alive and at work in you.
2 Corinthians 5:19 says, “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” It was God working in Christ as He walked the streets in Bible days doing those mighty miracles that He did.
Also, Colossians 1:19 says, “For it pleased the Father that in him (Christ) should all fulness dwell.” When Jesus walked the earth, all of divinity was at home in Him. He was God alive—walking and talking in a man’s body. But that’s not the end. The same God is in you now as He was in Christ. Hallelujah!
Having received the Holy Spirit, God lives in you now; you’re His temple. Through you, He impacts your world. He brings sinners out of darkness into His marvellous light. You’re His extension in the earth today.
Remember His words, “…I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:16). He’s talking in you and walking in you today. Every time you’re ministering to someone about Jesus, that’s God at work and alive in you and through you.
It’s the reason you must be faithful and diligent in soul winning because through you, the Father expresses His love and righteousness. He said in Mark 16:15, “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Through you, He impacts this world with the glory of His divine presence, demonstrates the character of the Spirit, fills the earth with the knowledge of His glory, and rains righteousness upon the nations. Hallelujah!
Confession
Everywhere I go, I go in and with the Father who lives permanently in me. Through me, He expresses His love and righteousness to others, for I’m His extension in the earth by Christ Jesus. Glory to God!
Further Study
Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:26-27
Excerpt
Having received the Holy Spirit, God lives in you now; you’re His temple. Through you, He impacts your world. You’re His extension in the earth today. It’s the reason you must be faithful and diligent in soul winning because through you, the Father expresses His love and righteousness.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 1 Thessalonians 5:1-28; Isaiah 61-63
Bi-Annual : John 6:1-14; 1 Kings 22
THE LIFE HE’S GIVEN US October 16th, 2023
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows) (John 10:10 AMPC).
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows) (John 10:10 AMPC).
Many don’t know why Jesus came. There’s a difference between what He came to do for Israel as a nation and what He came to do for the whole world. For the whole world, He came to give life to the full.
You can only give what you have, and Jesus didn’t just have life, He was life personified—the embodiment of life (1 John 1:2). The Bible says, “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself” (John 5:26). It’s the reason He could give us life to the full. He’s the life-giver: “…it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45 ASV).
There’s something about this life that He’s given us. Paul helps us understand it some more in Romans 8:2. It says, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Paul wasn’t saying the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has “freed” us from death but that it’s made us death-free.
You’re untouchable by death. You’ve been translated from the realm of death into the realm of life.
Confession
I’m a partaker of the divine nature, filled with the “maximum load” of God. I walk in divine health, prosperity and victory every day. I am a living testimony of God’s grace, goodness and love. I walk in the consciousness of my new life in Christ, knowing that I am more than a conqueror and victorious in every situation. Thank you, Father, for the glorious life you've given me in Christ, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Further Study
John 5:24; 1 John 5:11-12
Excerpt
Many don’t know why Jesus came. There’s a difference between what He came to do for Israel as a nation and what He came to do for the whole world. For the whole world, He came to give life to the full. You’re untouchable by death. You’ve been translated from the realm of death into the realm of life.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12; Isaiah 64-66
Bi-Annual : John 6:15-21; 2 Kings 1-2
LIGHT TO THE NATIONS October 17th, 2023
Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world (Philippians 2:14-15).
Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world (Philippians 2:14-15).
There's so much poverty in the world that's not supposed to be there. Poverty is not from God; it’s man-made. The poverty and wickedness in the world are because of the selfishness of man, and that's because Satan introduced that selfishness into man's heart. He’s responsible for the darkness in our world.
But thanks be unto God! The Bible says even though darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people, we’re to arise and shine (Isaiah 60:2-3). God sent us (the Church of Jesus Christ) as a light to the nations. And in these last days, we’ll shine with maximum intensity.
This is the time for us, as God’s people, to use what God has given us and take our place as the light of the world. The Bible says “…the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty” (Psalm 74:20). But when we take our place, there’s no force, adversary or adversity on earth that can withstand us.
So, arise and shine. Impact your world. You’re the hope and solution that the world needs. The Lord has sent you to bring glory, excellence and meaning to the lives of those around you. You’re His hands of love, mercy, and compassion to your world. Hallelujah!
Confession
I’m the hope and solution that the world needs, for the Lord has sent me as a light to bring glory, excellence and meaning to the lives of those around me. I’m God’s hands of love, mercy and compassion to the world. Praise God!
Further Study
Isaiah 60:1-3; Matthew 5:14-16
Excerpt
The Bible says even though darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people, we’re to arise and shine. God sent us (the Church of Jesus Christ) as a light to the nations. And in these last days, we’ll shine with maximum intensity. So, arise and shine. Impact your world. You’re the hope and solution that the world needs.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17; Jeremiah 1-2
Bi-Annual : John 6:22-29; 2 Kings 3
BE SPIRITUALLY SENSITIVE October 18th, 2023
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).
Many years ago, while casting a devil out from a dear lady, the demon, trying to put up some resistance, said, “I’m not coming out; I’m responsible for the removal of her fallopian tube!”
Of course, I didn’t bother to engage the demon in a dialogue; I simply said, “You’re coming out right now, in the Name of Jesus!” And he screamed and came out of the lady. Later on, the lady began to explain to me how she was given the wrong diagnosis and underwent a bilateral salpingectomy. She didn’t know demons were responsible for that cruel mistake.
This has happened to a lot of people. There’re people who have had to go through surgeries they never needed; some died in the process. Many hospitals are deathtraps, where demon spirits lodge and inspire doctors to do the wrong things. We’re living in the days of intense spiritual conflicts and warfare.
A young girl of about nine years became demon-possessed; her behaviour suddenly changed and her health became unstable. No one could understand what happened to her. She started having very strange dreams where she’d find herself at the bottom of a river with a “queen” and other girls of her age.
Her life became a mess. It was later discovered that it all happened at her school when her friend, who was demon-possessed, gave her a particular gift item, and the devil entered into her. Life is spiritual; everything you can see with your optical eyes and relate physically with, came from the realm of the spirit.
It’s essential for you to be spiritually sensitive to discern and decisively deal with the enemy whenever he shows up. Be on the alert. The Lord Jesus warned us to watch and pray (Mark 13:33). Speak in tongues often, because as you pray in tongues, spiritual realities are unveiled to your spirit and you won’t be ignorant of the devices of the enemy. You’ll see and will be able to relate with the “real” truth concerning any situation. Praise God!
Confession
I’m strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. I keep His Word in my heart and in my mouth always and therefore discomfit all the stratagems, schemes, manoeuvres and manipulations of the devil. And as I speak in tongues, spiritual realities are unveiled to my spirit, and I see and relate with the “real” truth concerning any situation. Hallelujah!
Further Study
Ephesians 6:10-13; Colossians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 14:2 AMPC
Excerpt
We’re living in the days of intense spiritual conflicts and warfare. Life is spiritual; everything you can see with your optical eyes and relate physically with, came from the realm of the spirit. It’s essential for you to be spiritually sensitive to discern and decisively deal with the enemy whenever he shows up. Be on the alert.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18; Jeremiah 3-4
Bi-Annual : John 6:30-40; 2 Kings 4
A CALL TO ACTION October 19th, 2023
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved (Romans 10:9).
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved(Romans 10:9).
When we preach the message of salvation to sinners, we must give them the opportunity to act their faith and receive salvation. There must be a call to action. If we don't give them an opportunity to act their faith on the message, the seed sown in their hearts could be lost; Satan could steal it from their hearts (Matthew 13:18-19).
The proof that the seed of God's Word has taken root in someone’s heart is their response and action of faith. Until a person responds in faith, it can be said that they have not truly heard the Word. When the Word is truly heard, it produces faith within the individual.
Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17); and faith is the response of the human spirit to the Word of God. So the response is so important. It’s the same when we minister to the sick. Take what Paul did in Lystra as an example.
A man who had been crippled since birth listened intently to Paul's teachings. The Bible says Paul perceived that the man had faith to be healed. He locked eyes with him and then commanded, "Stand up on your feet!" The man jumped to his feet and walked, gloriously healed!
In ministering to people, be it the sinner, the sick, the oppressed or the depressed, we must provide clear instructions for their faith to be activated. Don’t just preach the Word and leave them wondering what to do next; put them through and let them act their faith on the words they’ve received.
Even now, while reading this, if you’ve never been born again, turn to the “Prayer of Salvation” on page 76; pray that prayer, mean it with all your heart and immediately, you’ll be saved, translated into the Kingdom of God. Hallelujah!
Prayer
Dear Father, your Word is life to me, and as I hear and receive your Word, I’m compelled to respond, because I’m a doer of the Word. My faith prevails as I walk in the consciousness of all that the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ consummated for me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study
James 1:22; James 2:17; Acts 14:8-10
Excerpt
When we preach the message of salvation to sinners, we must give them the opportunity to act their faith and receive salvation. There must be a call to action. If we don't give them an opportunity to act their faith on the message, the seed sown in their hearts could be lost; Satan could steal it from their hearts.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 1 Timothy 1:1-20; Jeremiah 5-6
Bi-Annual : John 6:41-51; 2 Kings 5
ACT YOUR FAITH AND EXPERIENCE THE MIRACULOUS October 20th, 2023
So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead) (James 2:17 AMPC).
So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead) (James 2:17 AMPC).
Let's consider the example of the man in Acts 3:1-16, who was lame from birth and begged for alms at the gate of the temple called Beautiful. The Lord Jesus Himself had been in that very temple multiple times, yet the man’s condition didn’t change.
But on a certain day, as Peter and John walked by, he begged them for money. Then, the Bible says that Peter looked at him intently and said, "Look on us." Expecting to receive something, the man gave them his attention. Peter then declared, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have, give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."
Peter then took the man by the right hand and lifted him up. Immediately, the lame man’s feet and ankle bones received strength. Imagine if the man had resisted as Peter was trying to yank him up; he probably wouldn’t have received his miracle. The miraculous change in the man’s life occurred because the call to action was answered. He received the Word with corresponding action.
When you receive the Word about your prosperity and finances, for example, it’s important to back it up with the right actions. Without taking action, your situation may remain the same. For example, 2 Corinthians 8:7 (NIV) says, “But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” What do you do when you meditate on this truth?
First, understand that the Word has the power to change your situation. The Word brings you transformation through the power and Spirit of God. Therefore, when the Word comes to you like what we read in 2 Corinthians 8:7 above, recognize the call to action that accompanies it and respond.
Whenever you get a prompting from the Word or in your spirit as a result of the Word, don’t hesitate or wait. Seize the moment and respond immediately. By acting in faith, you position yourself to experience the miraculous blessings of the Word.
Prayer
Dear Father, I thank you for the glory of your Word and the transformation I experience even now as your Word takes root in my spirit, producing in me fruits of righteousness. I respond and take action on your Word; therefore, your glory is seen in my life, and I experience the fullness of your blessings and abundant provisions, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study
James 2:17-26; Acts 3:6-9
Excerpt
Whenever you get a prompting from the Word or in your spirit as a result of the Word, don’t hesitate or wait. Seize the moment and respond immediately. By acting in faith, you position yourself to experience the miraculous blessings of the Word.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 1 Timothy 2:1-15; Jeremiah 7-8
Bi-Annual : John 6:52-60; 2 Kings 6
YOU CAN CAST OUT DEMONS FROM ANYWHERE October 21st, 2023
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give (Matthew 10:8).
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give (Matthew 10:8).
There’re those who say, “You can cast demons out of individuals but you can’t cast them out of a city.” But that’s not true. In Mark 5, we find a very interesting story of Jesus demonstrating His authority in casting out devils. He came across a demoniac who lived among tombs, and had a legion of demons.
When the man saw Jesus from afar, the demon, speaking through him, said*, “...What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not”* (Mark 5:7). The Bible says the demon “...besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country” (Mark 5:10).
Even the demons knew Jesus could send them out of the country and they immediately began to plead with Him. Whether “the country” means countryside, a region or a territory, it makes no difference. They understood that Jesus could send them out of the place; they knew it then, and they still know it today! We’ve been given that same authority to put them to flight.
Jesus said*, “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues”* (Mark 16:17 NKJV). Jesus gave us authority to cast out demons; He didn't limit it to any place. We can cast out devils from anywhere. Hallelujah!
Take control of your city, state, and country! Cut off the influence of Satan in your country. Run him out of your country. Oftentimes, when there’s chaos, anarchy and turmoil in a place, many don’t realise that it’s the devil that’s behind such negative activities. But you’ve been vested with all power and authority in heaven and in earth to subdue, dominate and take charge of your world, using the Name of Jesus. Hallelujah!
Prayer
The devil is a fully defeated foe, and I’ve been vested with all power and authority in heaven and in earth to subdue, dominate and take charge of my world. I therefore demand, in the Name of Jesus Christ, that the demons that influence and cause violence, shortage and opposition to the Gospel cease and desist from their operations in my nation. Amen.
Further Study
Psalm 118:10-12 NIV; Philippians 2:9-11; Luke 10:19
Excerpt
Oftentimes, when there’s chaos, anarchy and turmoil in a place, many don’t realise that it’s the devil that’s behind such negative activities. But you’ve been vested with all power and authority in heaven and in earth to subdue, dominate and take charge of your world, using the Name of Jesus.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 1 Timothy 3:1-16; Jeremiah 9-10
Bi-Annual : John 6:61-71; 2 Kings 7-8
THE URGENCY OF THE GOSPEL October 22nd, 2023
…preach the Word of God urgently at all times, whenever you get the chance, in season and out, when it is convenient and when it is not. Correct and rebuke your people when they need it, encourage them to do right, and all the time be feeding them patiently with God’s Word (2 Timothy 4:2 TLB).
…preach the Word of God urgently at all times, whenever you get the chance, in season and out, when it is convenient and when it is not. Correct and rebuke your people when they need it, encourage them to do right, and all the time be feeding them patiently with God’s Word (2 Timothy 4:2 TLB).
We must constantly remind ourselves that the Lord is coming soon. We must work hard as people who are living in expectation of the Lord. Commit yourself to spreading the Gospel as though it rested on you alone to tell it to the whole world. Be committed to it.
We’ve got to use every opportunity to propagate the Gospel and advance the Kingdom of God. No one’s effort is insignificant. It doesn't matter where you are; whether you’re in a big city or a small town, ten souls in a small village have the same value to God as ten souls in a big city. It’s the same Jesus Christ that died for them.
Where you are is God's headquarters! God cares about where you are and what you do where you are. The message of the Gospel committed to us to preach is the only hope for salvation. Therefore, never be discouraged or distracted; preach it with urgency and conviction.
You’re the custodian of this glorious Gospel; it’s your responsibility to preach it with the knowledge and power of the Spirit. Think and talk like Paul in the way he personalized the divine mandate to preach the Gospel. In 1 Timothy 1:11, he said*, “According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.”*
Notice the latter part; he didn’t say the Gospel which is committed to “our trust” but to “my trust!” The Great Commission was personal to Paul. He ran with it as though it depended on him alone to preach the Gospel to the whole world. That’s how it ought to be. Be committed to the urgency of the hour. Preach the Gospel irrespective of the tests, trials and persecutions that you might face while at it. Remember, the time is short.
Prayer
Blessed be God for His unfathomable grace, wisdom and mercy lavished upon His Church to effectively proclaim the Gospel and establish His righteousness in all the earth in these last days! Thank you Father, for committing this glorious Gospel to my trust; I preach it in season and out of season, hauling many from darkness to light, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study
Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Timothy 4:5; Philippians 1:27
Excerpt
We must constantly remind ourselves that the Lord is coming soon. We must work hard as people who are living in expectation of the Lord. Commit yourself to spreading the Gospel as though it rested on you alone to tell it to the whole world. Be committed to it.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 1 Timothy 4:1-16; Jeremiah 11-12
Bi-Annual : John 7:1-10; 2 Kings 9
RIGHTEOUS USE OF YOUR FINANCES October 23rd, 2023
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33).
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33).
Whatever you are currently doing with your finances, especially in relation to God, to the propagation of the Gospel and the advancement of the Kingdom is a reflection of what you would do if your finances were multiplied a hundred times.
Someone might think, “Only if I could get a million dollars, I’ll be a big financier of the Kingdom of God!” The question is, have you been faithful with the little committed to you? Have you put that little in your trust into the Gospel?
The Lord Jesus, in Luke 16:10, emphasizes the principle of faithfulness and integrity in managing worldly possessions when He said, “He who is faithful in a very little [thing] is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest and unjust in a very little [thing] is dishonest and unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the [case of] unrighteous mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions), who will entrust to you the true riches?” (Luke 16:10-11 AMPC).
Money is an amplifier; it has the unique ability to amplify, magnify or reveal one's character. Every action and decision you make with your money today is a testament to your character, and this fundamental aspect of your character will not change when your financial resources are increased. You will simply do more of what you have been doing.
For people who already use their money in negative ways, having more financial resources will only amplify those negative actions. Conversely, if you’re using your money for righteous purposes, seeding the Gospel, and advancing the Kingdom, having more money will amplify those good actions.
That’s why you need to examine your current financial behaviours; do they align with the principles of God's Word? God is pleased to multiply the finances of those who are committed to His righteous cause. When you prioritize serving the Lord and His Kingdom, your actions with money become a testament of faithfulness. It's not about the amount of money you possess; rather, it's the alignment of your heart and intentions with God's purposes.
By consistently prioritizing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and seeking His Kingdom above all else, you position yourself to experience God's provisions and the multiplication of your resources. Hallelujah!
Prayer
Dear Father, I declare that I am a faithful steward of all that you have entrusted to me, and I use my finances in ways that honour and glorify you. My financial character is rooted in righteousness. I give generously, sowing seeds of blessing, and I'm committed to the prosperity and advancement of the Kingdom, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study
Luke 16:10-12; 2 Corinthians 9:6-9
Excerpt
You need to examine your current financial behaviours; do they align with the principles of God's Word? God is pleased to multiply the finances of those who are committed to His righteous cause. When you prioritize serving the Lord and His Kingdom, your actions with money become a testament of faithfulness.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 1 Timothy 5:1-25; Jeremiah 13-14
Bi-Annual : John 7:11-19; 2 Kings 10
DON’T FORGET WHAT SPECIES YOU ARE October 24th, 2023
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).
God's Word has been given to us to lead, guide, instruct and train us in the things of the Kingdom of God. But even more importantly, God gave us His Word to enable us see ourselves the way He sees us. That’s because His Word is a mirror (2 Corinthians 3:18).
When you look into the mirror of God, you see the image that God has of you and what He thinks of you. He wants you to have and retain that exact image of yourself, so you can see who you are and act accordingly.
James 1:22-25 communicates the same important and instructive truth. It says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."
It's quite enlightening that it doesn't say that the man who isn’t a doer of the Word forgets “what he looked like.” Rather, it says he forgets “what manner of man he was.” In other words, he forgets the “kind” or “type” of man that he saw. God's mirror—His Word—doesn't only show you your appearance; it shows you your “kind” or “species.” God’s Word shows you that you’re in God’s class of being, and the life you have is the God-kind of life. Hallelujah! Your part is to keep looking steadfastly into God’s mirror and not forget what you look like, who you are.
2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “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.” The word “beholding” is translated from the Greek “katanoeo” which means to consider attentively; to fix one's eyes or mind upon. As you consider attentively and fix your mind on the image of you that you see in God’s Word, you’re transformed into the same image of divine glory, beauty and excellence. Glory to God!
Confession
I’m a new creation, a new species of being that never existed before—dead to the rudiments of the world! I’m constantly transformed into the same image of divine glory, beauty and excellence that I see in the Word. Blessed be God!
Further Study
2 Corinthians 5:17; James 1:18
Excerpt
When you look into the mirror of God, you see the image that God has of you and what He thinks of you. He wants you to have and retain that exact image of yourself, so you can see who you are and act accordingly.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 1 Timothy 6:1-21; Jeremiah 15-16
Bi-Annual : John 7:20-31; 2 Kings 11-12
A FRESH KIND OF A NEW BREED October 25th, 2023
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The Greek rendering of the verse above actually reads, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new species of being!” This isn’t just referring to a new life that’s just begun, but also refers to newness in type. This means the one who’s born again is a new type of man, a new species.
You’re not just a fresh one of the same kind; rather, you’re one of a kind that never existed before. You’re a fresh kind of a new breed of man. Hallelujah! The Lord Jesus is the first among this special class of associates of the God-kind. He’s the last Adam, and when you study 1 Corinthians 15:45-49, the Bible lets us know that we all have been born after the similitude of the last Adam (or second man -vs 47).
The Bible says, “…like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). You received a newness of life and it’s the God-life. This is the summary of the message of who the Christian is. Though your physical body remains the same, your spirit, which is the real you, is born anew with the divine life.
This new life is higher in quality than the human life because it’s eternal life. This new type of man isn’t subject to Satan, neither does he need deliverance from any oppression. He can’t be oppressed! This world hasn’t seen our type before. That’s why they can’t figure out who we really are.
It reminds of what Jesus said in John 3:8 about the one who’s born again: “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” We’re partakers of the divine nature—comrades of the God-kind (2 Peter 1:4); born of God, born with eternal life, to rule and reign in this life. Brace up to this truth and walk in this consciousness.
Confession
I’m a new creature; I have a special kind of life – different in type and quality from the human, animal, or plant life; it is the God-life! I live above the devil and his cohorts and above the rudiments of this world. I’m born of God, born with eternal life, to rule and reign in this life! Glory to God!
Further Study
Romans 6:4; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:10 AMPC
Excerpt
The Greek rendering of the verse above actually reads, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new species of being!” This isn’t just referring to a new life that’s just begun, but also refers to newness in type. This means the one who’s born again is a new type of man, a new species.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 2 Timothy 1:1-18; Jeremiah 17-18
Bi-Annual : John 7:32-44; 2 Kings 13-14
BORN FROM SPIRITUAL DEATH October 26th, 2023
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, THE FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD; that in all things he might have the preeminence (Colossians 1:18).
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, THE FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD; that in all things he might have the preeminence (Colossians 1:18).
Many misunderstand the underlined phrase above, thinking that it means the first to be raised from the dead. Prior to Jesus’ vicarious death, there were those who had been raised from the dead. So what the Apostle Paul communicates by the Spirit here is different. When our sins were laid on Jesus on the Cross, He died spiritually. Spiritual death is separation from God. Only through a spiritual rebirth does one awake from spiritual death. Jesus Christ was thus the firstborn from spiritual death.
As Jesus hung on the Cross, He suffered the agony of being separated from the Father (Mark 15:34). This was a result of His being made the sin sacrifice, which automatically identified with sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
It should have been illegal for Jesus to be crucified and sent to hell, because He was innocent and without sin, but He went in our place. Recall the graphic details in Colossians 2:15 when He engaged Satan in that awful combat in hell and defeated him and all his cohorts of darkness: “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
No one ever came out of spiritual death or out of Satan’s bondage, but Jesus did. He paid the full penalty for every man. Thus, because a righteous man was given for sinners, it became legal, and possible, for sinners to be given His righteousness. He took our place of sin, that we might obtain His righteousness.
Now, He has made you the very expression of His righteousness. The righteousness that He was clothed with was made available to you because He died for you, and when He came out of death, you came out in and with Him. Now, like Him, you’ve been born into a newness of life (Romans 6:4). Hallelujah!
Prayer
Dear Father, I thank you for the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus in my behalf, who became the very representation of sin and died in my place so that I might be made righteous and also become the expression of your righteousness. I walk in and manifest your righteousness, today in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study
Romans 5:17-19; 1 Peter 1:3; Romans 6:4
Excerpt
When our sins were laid on Jesus on the Cross, He died spiritually. Spiritual death is separation from God. Only through a spiritual rebirth does one awake from spiritual death. Jesus Christ was thus the firstborn from spiritual death. Now, like Him, you’ve been born into a newness of life.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 2 Timothy 2:1-26; Jeremiah 19-22
Bi-Annual : John 7:45-53; 2 Kings 15-16
UNDERSTANDING GOD’S TIMING October 27th, 2023
Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready (John 7:6).
In the verse above, the Lord Jesus emphasized time consciousness and the significance of divine and prophetic timing. When you look at the prophetic revelation of the things that happened with Jesus, from His birth to His ascension, everything unfolded precisely as the prophets had foretold.
We live in a time-conscious Kingdom even though we belong in a timeless Kingdom. Jesus said, “I'm from above” (John 8:23). He was from eternity, but in dealing with things of this world, He was time conscious. We have to know the time in which we’re living, where we are in God's calendar, what we should do, and what we should expect.
The question then is, how do you know God’s timing for your life or for the nations? How do you know things that should happen or what we should expect? The answers are in the Scriptures—God’s Word! That’s the absolute source of Truth.
Through the diligent study of the Word, you can align yourself with God’s timing and live a purposeful, meaningful and fulfilling life. For example, did you know that this is God’s set time to favour you, and also the nations? The Scriptures let us know we’re in His set time of favour.
Psalms 102:13 says, “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.” Then in 2 Corinthians 6:2 NKJV, Paul reiterates God’s prophetic word to Israel, which is applicable to the nations today: “For He says: In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
This is the day of God's favour, and we have to recognize it and act. It's a day of opportunity, the day of salvation. The Apostle Paul called it the acceptable time. In other words, this is the day in which God accepts men, receives men, and helps men.
The nations are also right now in the day of God's mercy and favour, meaning that we can take advantage of this opportunity and pray for all men and leaders of nations, because if we would pray, God will answer. Hallelujah!
Prayer
Dear Father, thank you for the wisdom and guidance I receive from your Word. I have an understanding of the times; I have clarity and understanding of your purpose and timing and I’m walking in sync with the Spirit to fulfil my destiny in Christ, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Further Study
Ecclesiastes 3:1; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 5:15-17
Excerpt
We have to know the time in which we’re living, where we are in God's calendar, what we should do, and what we should expect. Through the diligent study of the Word, you can align yourself with God’s timing and live a purposeful, meaningful and fulfilling life.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 2 Timothy 3:1-17; Jeremiah 23-25
Bi-Annual : John 8:1-11; 2 Kings 17-18
AFFIRM THE “DECREE” October 28th, 2023
To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD (Psalm 149:8-9).
To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD (Psalm 149:8-9).
We’ve been authorized to take action against the chief spiritual personalities in the kingdom of darkness. Jesus said, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils…” (Mark 16:17), and He also asserted in Matthew 18:18, “…Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Then He tells us in our theme verse to “…bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.” In the physical world, when the court has decided the case against a criminal, all that the judge does is read out his written judgment and go his way. But then the police take a copy of that judgment and go into action to execute it; they arrest the fellow and put him behind bars.
Now, in the realm of the spirit, we, the saints of God, are the ones called and authorized to execute the judgment that’s been written against principalities and powers, the “kings and nobles of evil.” The Bible says, “…this honour have all his saints...” (Psalm 149:9). It doesn’t say, “some of His saints” or “the apostles and evangelists only” but “ALL His saints.” Hallelujah!
How do you execute the judgment that’s been written against these rebel holders-of-authority? The Psalmist tells us how; he says, “I will declare the decree…” (Psalm 2:7). You’ve got to declare the decree! But you need to know what decrees have been issued against these evil spiritual forces that are trying to run rampage in our world today.
One of the decrees says, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). This is a decree of Almighty God! Now, you’re the one to enforce this decree in the earth.
You’re the one to rule with the Name of Jesus in your world: in your home, your family, your school, your community, your streets, and your country. Give no place to the devil! Rule your world with the Name of Jesus. Glory to God!
Prayer
Dear Father, thank you for the power vested in the Name of Jesus and for giving me the power of attorney to use that Name. Now I speak to the demons of evil and darkness that cause chaos and violence in my city and nation, I break your power over the people; I command you to cease from your operations and manoeuvres over them in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen.
Further Study
Job 22:28; Luke 10:17-19
Excerpt
You’re the one to rule with the Name of Jesus in your world: in your home, your family, your school, your community, your streets, and your country. Give no place to the devil! Rule your world with the Name of Jesus. Glory to God!
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : 2 Timothy 4:1-22; Jeremiah 26-28
Bi-Annual : John 8:12-21; 2 Kings 19-20
TRUST AND RELY ON GOD ALONE October 29th, 2023
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
In a world filled with imperfect human systems, it’s crucial to shift our trust from these fallible structures and wholly trust in the Lord. The failures and limitations of human systems serve as reminders to us that our ultimate trust should be in the One who is completely reliable—the LORD!
Some time ago, news aired of a man who was planning to sue his state government for being wrongfully convicted. He endured 37 long years in prison for a crime he never committed. It's truly disheartening to think about it.
There’re others who have remained behind bars for crimes they didn't commit as a result of the failure and inadequacies of the system and their government. Humans naturally feel the need to trust and depend on something or someone. We weren't designed to be faithless; we were meant to have faith or to be trusting.
However, because humans are fallible, systems run by individuals are also prone to failure. It makes no difference how lofty or robust you think the systems and structures of your nation or society are; they're still fallible. Trust and rely on God alone. Follow and live by His Word.
Trust the principles, systems, and structures of the Kingdom. The prophet Jeremiah, as inspired by the Spirit, wrote: “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
Then in Psalm 37:3, the psalmist said, “Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.” Cultivate absolute reliance on God instead of the frail or flawed human constructs. He never fails. He’s righteous and just, faithful and true. Trust Him wholeheartedly.
Prayer
Dear Father, I place my ultimate trust in you and your infallible Word. I lean on your wisdom and understanding and wholly depend on you. Thank you Lord, for granting me the discernment and wisdom to live triumphantly every day and manifest your glory and righteousness, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Further Study
Psalm 118:8; Proverbs 3:5-6; Isaiah 26:4
Excerpt
It makes no difference how lofty or robust you think the systems and structures of your nation or society are; they're still fallible. Trust and rely on God alone. Follow and live by His Word. Trust the principles, systems, and structures of the Kingdom.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : Titus 1-2; Jeremiah 29-30
Bi-Annual : John 8:22-32; 2 Kings 21-22
THE ESSENCE OF CHRIST IN YOU October 30th, 2023
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-3).
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-3).
Our opening scripture helps to paint a picture of the life we have now in Christ. It’s the resurrection life. Remember, when He died on the cross, we died with Him. We were buried with Him, and when God raised Him up, we were raised together with Him.
The human life you had when you were born of your parents is dead; you have a new life now—CHRIST! Christ is your life. Hallelujah! The Bible says, “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:4). This is mind-blowing. This means you ’re not an ordinary person. How could you be sick when Christ is your life? How could anything be wrong with your liver, heart, or kidney when Christ lives in you? How could you fail, be defeated, or act foolishly when you’re powered from within by Christ and guided by His wisdom?
Every so often, boldly declare: “Christ is my life!” Christ in you is a mystery to the world, but it is the essence and glory of the Christian life. The mystery was hidden from ages and generations, but now, it’s been revealed: “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:26-27).
The essence of Christ in you is Christ is your life. You’re not subject to the rudiments and limitations of this world; you have the Christ-life, the divine nature. Blessed be God!
Confession
I’m not subject to the rudiments and limitations of this world because I live in Christ and Christ is my life. He’s in every fibre of my being, in every bone of my body, and in every cell of my blood. I reign and rule over circumstances in His Name, shielded from all evil and harm because I’m seated together with Christ in the heavenly realms. Hallelujah!
Further Study
Galatians 2:20; 1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:11-12
Excerpt
The human life you had when you were born of your parents is dead; you have a new life now—CHRIST! Christ is your life. The essence of Christ in you is Christ is your life. You’re not subject to the rudiments and limitations of this world; you have the Christ-life, the divine nature. Blessed be God!
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : Titus 3:1-15; Jeremiah 31-32
Bi-Annual : John 8:33-43; 2 Kings 23
LEARN TO RESPOND TO HIS PROMPTINGS October 31st, 2023
And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth (1 Samuel 3:10).
And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth (1 Samuel 3:10).
Samuel, as a young man, was taught by Eli, the priest how to respond to God’s voice. God called Samuel by name three different times and on each of those occasions, Samuel thought it was Eli that was calling him and ran to Eli.
From the first time the boy heard his name and ran to Eli, God could have stopped him and said, “Samuel, don’t go to Eli, I’m the one calling you.” He didn’t do that because that’s not how He operates. Rather, He let him go and left the responsibility of the training to Eli.
In my early days in the ministry, while still learning these things, I remember saying to the Lord, “But everybody ought to know your voice.” His answer was, “No. It’s my sheep that know my voice. The lambs follow the bidding of the sheep, because they don’t know the voice of the shepherd.” How instructive!
Remember, the Lord Jesus said to Peter, “Feed my lambs.” He also said, “Feed my sheep.” That’s because the lambs are different from the sheep; they’re “babies” and that’s why they have to be taught.
When you study His Word, He talks to you, but you have to respond to Him. For example, when you read the Scriptures; don’t just read or quote them; respond! Take Galatians 5:24 as an example; it says, “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Don’t merely read and quote it; respond by saying: “I am Christ’s, I belong to God; therefore, I’ve crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts; I’ve overcome the world!” Always respond to God and to His Word; your response is where your blessing is.
Prayer
Dear Father, your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. I hear and discern your voice. I’m sensitive and attentive to your guidance, promptings and counsels. I respond in faith, and my thoughts, words, and actions are aligned with your will always. I walk in victory continually, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study
John 10:27; Isaiah 30:21; James 1:22
Excerpt
Samuel, as a young man, was taught by Eli, the priest how to respond to God’s voice. When you study His Word, He talks to you, but you have to respond to Him. For example, when you read the Scriptures; don’t just read or quote them; respond! Always respond to God and to His Word; your response is where your blessing is.
Bible Reading Plan
Annual : Philemon 1:1-25; Jeremiah 33
Bi-Annual : John 8:44-59; 2 Kings 24-25