Are You Still In Good Standing With God, Or Have You For One Reason Or The Other Backslidden? Press Into Your Day Of Favour, By Pastor E A Adeboye.

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Memorise:

For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Read: Esther 5:1-3

1 Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.

2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.

Pastor E A Adeboye. RCCG. Daddy G O

Message

Queen Esther is one person who pressed into her day of favour. Her experience should serve as a template for us all. She obtained favour in the sight of the king because it was the day of her favour. Be aware that the law of the land during this period was that nobody could go into the king’s inner court uninvited. Disobeying this law was equivalent to a suicide mission. But Esther went to the king in his inner court uninvited, and she lived because of favour.

The first lesson to take note of from our template is that Queen Esther did not go to the inner court of the king’s house until after three days of fasting and prayers were over. Secondly, she went into the inner court in her royal apparel, not in kitchen aprons. What does this suggest to us? It shows us that righteousness must be the garment of any person who desires God’s favour, just as stated in our memory verse. The third lesson to note is that the Queen was found standing in the court. Are you still in good standing with God, or have you for one reason or the other backslidden? To be favoured of men, you must be in good standing with God. Carefully consider the location of the king on the day of Esther’s favour.

This is the fourth lesson to note. Esther 5:1 says that:

“…and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.”

Is the King of kings on the throne of your life? Do not expect the day of His favour to come if He is not. Note that the king sat against the gate of the house, overseeing everything. What will God find in you when He looks towards your direction today? Will He find filthy garments of sin or royal garments of righteousness? Imagine Esther in a kind of attire that was unbecoming, the story would have been different. A lot of people go to the sanctuary of the King of kings half-naked in the name of fashion. This they do contrary to the Lord’s directive in Exodus 20:26:

“Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.”

The key message here is that your nakedness must not be seen by other worshippers, thereby distracting them. The Almighty God is at the gate of your heart knocking (Revelation 3:20). Will you open for Him to come in and show you His favour today? You have agonised enough; surrender your life to the One who can grant you favour today. I prophesy to your life that today is your day of favour in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:

Father, let all men and all things work together for my favour today in Jesus’ Name.

May God Bless Nigeria, America And Israel And Take Care Of Us; May God Make His Face Shine Upon Us, And Be Gracious To Us; May The Lord Lift Up His Countenance Upon Us, And Give Us Peace, In Jesus Christ Name, We Pray! Amen!

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Signs Of God’s Presence, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Prayer

Psalms_100-4: Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Memorise:

Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

Psalm 100:2

Psalms_100-2: Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing

Read: 2 Samuel 6:10-12

10 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.

11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.

12 And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.

Psalms_100-5: For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Message

When Moses tenaciously requested that the presence of the Almighty God should follow them in their journey to the Promised Land, he knew what he was doing (Exodus 33:14-16). Many children of God don’t value the presence of God, and so they don’t bother to ensure that they are in His presence or that He is present in their situations. The proof of this observation can be seen in what some so-called children of God do in supposedly secret places. If such people had formed the habit of craving God’s presence wherever they go, they would not indulge in such things. Nobody would steal or fornicate if he or she desires or carries God’s presence wherever he or she might be.

From today’s Bible reading, the signs of God’s presence in the household of Obed-Edom were apparent. David, out of fear of death, rejected the presence of the Lord symbolised by the Ark of the Covenant, because Uzzah died suddenly when he erroneously touched it. An adage in my native tongue says: “Cutting off the head is not the right cure for a headache.” This was exactly what David did; he rejected the presence of the Lord instead of finding out how to behave in God’s presence. A lot of people don’t want to come to Church because they feel sad whenever they come. They feel sad because the pastor makes them feel guilty by his sermons! Such people don’t know what they are missing when they run away from God’s presence. Psalm 16:11says:

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Three months after David had shunned the presence of the Lord as represented by the Ark, God had so blessed the house of Obed-Edom who accepted the Ark, that David himself heard about it. David then realised his folly in rejecting the presence of the Lord. The Bible in 2 Samuel 6:12 says:

“And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness.”

When I encourage some of my children to surrender their houses for use as House Fellowship meeting points, some do not realise that I’m only trying to bring God’s presence into their homes for blessings and protection. God will not allow evil in any house being used as a meeting place for His praise. I pray that God’s presence shall be upon you and you will rejoice in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:

Father, just like You did for Moses, let Your presence follow me all the days of my life in Jesus’ Name.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Lethal Weapon Of Spiritual Warfare. Engage In Wonder-Working Praise, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Memorise:

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

Psalm 22:3

Read: Acts 16:25-26

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.

Psalms_9-1: I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.

Message

Praise directed towards God is a lethal weapon of spiritual warfare. This is so because God inhabits the praises of His people. Children of God must not joke with their praise life. It would be logical to say that if prayer is the “master key”, then praise is the “principal key”. You need to catch the revelation of what the Psalmist is saying in Psalm 22:3:

“But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.”

In other words, God, the wonder-working Father, dwells in the praises of His people. The implication of this revelation is that wherever God is, the supernatural is always present. In the habitation of the Almighty, wonder-working power is present and breakthrough is commonplace. However, we must get it right; it is the praise we channel towards God that He receives. God will only take what you give to Him. Those who sing the praise of pastors or of themselves, particularly during testimony time, are missing a great point without knowing it. It is not your prayer or the prayer of your pastor that did the wonders; rather, it is the mercy of God in action upon your life. He alone deserves your praise.

Although Paul and Silas were kept in prison, they did something unusual of people in trouble. Even when people know that they are the architect of their own problems, they still try to justify themselves by raining curses on their tormentors. This was not the attitude of Paul and Silas. Their case was different because they were apprehended for preaching the gospel. They were thoroughly beaten and cast into prison. While they sang praises, the Almighty God came to inhabit their praises. This should not be surprising, because the promises of God are Yea and Amen. He had already promised that He would inhabit the praises of His people. Since this is true, what prison gate could have resisted the coming of the King of glory? None! It is written:

“Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.”

Psalm 24:7

Paul and Silas engaged in wonder-working praise and they experienced wonders in their ministries. God is no respecter of persons; what He did for them, He can do for you also. Learn to engage in the praise of God to unleash His wonder-working power. I pray that as you engage in the praise of the Almighty God, you shall receive the wonders of a life-time in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point:

Devote at least one hour to the praise of God the Almighty without asking for anything.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Prayer Is The Master Key. Praying Wonder Working Prayers. By Pastor E A Adeboye.

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Memorise:

And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Luke 6:12

Read: John 11:41-44

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Matthew_21-22: And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Message

When we sing the song “Prayer is the master key“, I sometimes wonder whether we really understand what we are singing about. For some people, prayer is a religious routine, but there is a type of prayer that has wonder-working powers. Our Lord Jesus Christ set a good example of this type of prayer in our Bible reading today. Let us look at His prayer in detail to better understand how to engage in prayers that produce wonders.

When Jesus got to the tomb of Lazarus, the first thing He did was to give thanks to His Father for two wonderful reasons: that the Father had heard Him, even before praying, and that the Father always hears Him! Moreover, Jesus Christ did not pray the “gentleman’s prayer” that is common in many so-called elitist Christian organisations. The Bible in John 11:43 says:

“And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.”

I always tell my children in the Redeemed Christian Church of God that the intensity of your prayer will tell God how urgently you want your miracle. Whether you believe it or not, God will listen to the one who cries aloud to Him for help before He listens to those who whisper their requests. If you don’t believe me, ask blind Bartimaeus. Among all those following Jesus on His way out of Jericho, only the one who cried out got his need met (Mark 10:47-52).

Also, in the prayer of our Lord at the tomb of Lazarus, we can see Him expressing His faith in what His Father is capable of doing. We can also perceive the cordial relationship between the Son and the Father in this prayer. This relationship gave the Son the confidence to ask the Father what He knew would glorify the Father. Jesus would not ask for anything that did not bring glory to His Father. Many times, we pray and receive no answer. Some might think that God is on holiday at such times; not at all. The Bible gives us one reason why we do not receive answers to our prayers in James 4:3:

“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

Another reason is that a life of sin robs us of the confidence we need to ask God in faith. Beloved, how is your relationship with the Almighty God? Remember, your prayer can work wonders today.

Prayer Point:

Father, grant me the grace to maintain a cordial relationship with You, so that my prayers to You may continue to produce wonders to the glory of Your Name.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

God Attaches Great Significance To Names. What’s In A Name? By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Memorise:

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Luke 24:47

Read: Luke 1:30-35

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Pastor E A Adeboye, Daddy G O, RCCG

Message

God attaches great significance to names. It is unfortunate that many people don’t pay attention to the importance of the names they bear or the names they give to their children. Africans, like the Jews, consider the meaning of a name before they give it to their children or to someone else. The Name that the Almighty God chose to give to His only begotten Son is very significant. It is a wonder-working Name. In Matthew 1:21, we are told the reason why the miracle child Mary would give birth to should bear the Name Jesus:

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

Salvation from sin is the greatest wonder in the history of mankind because the Bible expressly declares sin as a plague affecting all men. Romans 3:23 says that:

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

The Name Jesus therefore proclaims to the world thus: “Behold the Man who came to achieve the greatest wonder the world needs.”

This is where practitioners of some other religions get confused. They wonder how the Name of one Man can save another man; not to talk of the claim that this same Name can save all who believe in it. They wonder silently and loudly; they try to rationalise the workability of this declaration which God Almighty Himself made concerning His only begotten Son. Beloved, I encourage you not to bother about how it works. Evidence abounds as to how on the merit of this Name, souls have received and are receiving the forgiveness of sin. Not only that, the positive transformation that occurs in those who believe in this Name is indisputable proof of the wonders the Name of Jesus performs from generation to generation.

One of my sons testified that when he believed in the Name of Jesus, not only was he forgiven, he was also miraculous transformed. He experienced the disappearance of curses and abusive words from his vocabulary. He testified that “The curse words could just not come out anymore even when I tried.” To have this same experience, I encourage you to surrender your life totally to Him today. You need to identify with the Owner of this Name before it can work for you. God bless you as you do so today in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point:

Make sure you know and belong to the Owner of the Name, JESUS. By this, you will experience transformational wonders, not only in your spiritual life but also in your family and business.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Power In The Spoken Word Of God. Power In The Spoken Word, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Memorise:

The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

Matthew 8:8

Read: Matthew 8:8-13

8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee And his servant was healed in the self-same hour.

Matthew_24-35: Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away

Message

There is power in the spoken Word of God, and this power produces unspeakable wonders. In fact, the entire universe was formed by the spoken Word of God (2 Peter 3:5). Hence, we must give more earnest heed to the spoken Word of God emanating from genuine men of God. Many people have missed their miracles because they mistook the Word of God for the words of a pastor. They fail to realise that God will not come down to speak His word, but He speaks through His genuine servants. The onus is now on whoever wants God’s Word to perform wonders in his or her life to identify genuine ministers of God through whom God speaks. The Bible in 2 Chronicles 20:20b says:

“Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.”

How then do you identify a word as being genuinely spoken by God through His servants? The written word, which is the Bible, authenticates and must align with the spoken word (John 16:13, Galatians 1:8). After you have ascertained that the source of a spoken word is clean, and that the word is directly from God, it is your responsibility to believe it. Only then will you receive the miracle you so much desire from God, as it is written in Psalm 107:20:

“He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”

Without controversy, there is power in the word of God as spoken by His genuine ministers. However, this power can have a positive or negative effect. We must therefore comport ourselves with wisdom so that the spoken word does not affect us negatively. The spoken word of God which came to the widow of Zarephath through Elijah in 1 Kings 17:14 is a case in point; it says:

“For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.”

We see the power in this spoken word, working positively in 1 Kings 17:16:

“And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.”

Elijah also spoke concerning the shameful death of the wicked King Ahab in 1 Kings 21:19, and the wonder-working power of the spoken word produced the negative effect of Ahab’s death in 1 Kings 22:38.

Prayer Point:

Father, grant me grace to live my life in such a way that it will attract the positive wonders of Your spoken Word

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Have You Experienced This Wonder? Transformed By The New Creation, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Prayer

1-Corinthians_6-20: For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Memorise:

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6:11

Read: Luke 8:1-3

1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,

2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,

3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

1-Corinthians_6-19-1: What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own

Message

One of the most profound wonders you will find anywhere in the world is the wonder of a transformed life. When a person who was demon-possessed suddenly becomes a vessel unto honour, what wonder can be greater than this? Such a person remains a wonder throughout his or her lifetime. This was the testimony of Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2). It is wonderful for a demoniac to become a financial backer of God’s Kingdom. Another example of a transformed life that became a wonder is the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well (John 4:28-30). From being a promiscuous person, she became a lady evangelist. The Bible in John 4:39 says this about her impact:

“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.”

Apostle Paul in today’s memory verse, after listing the evil characteristics of the old creation, testified to the transforming wonder of the new creation experience as seen in some members of the Church at Corinth. After I received the grace of God for the salvation of my soul, and I became a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, a woman came to the church with her child who had a problem that only a miracle could solve. She requested to see the pastor and to her surprise, it was her ex-boyfriend! On discovering that I was the pastor who would pray for the healing of her child, she said, “You? It cannot be!” However, I told her that what she was seeing was nothing but the transforming wonder of the new creation. I told her of how God saved me, and that the same God could save her also. She believed me, I prayed a simple prayer of faith, and the child got healed. This is the transforming wonder of the new creation. Have you experienced this wonder? If not, today is the day of salvation for you. The Bible in 2 Corinthians 6:2 says:

“(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”

Let today be the day you experience the transforming wonder of the new creation, and all things, including your worn-out hope, will be renewed.

Action Point:

Take a bold step of faith by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour indeed, and you will experience the transforming wonders of the new creation.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Principle Of Jesus Lifestyle. Mind Of Jesus, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Memorise:

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Philippians 2:5

Read: Matthew 11:28-30

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Pastor E A Adeboye, Daddy G O, RCCG

Message

The Lord Jesus Christ invites us into His rest in today’s Bible text. However, before we can obtain His rest, we must have the same mind as His. To have the same mind as Jesus, we must learn of Him. Many would-be Christians fail to realise that what makes Christ unique is not His complexion or stature, but the life that He lived while on the earth – a sanctified life of love, compassion, holiness and perfect obedience to His Father. He said in John 17:19 that:

“And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.”

This statement reveals His mind, and the guiding principle of His lifestyle.

Some people desire to know God without first knowing about Him. How can one have the mind of Jesus and get to know Him without first learning about Him? Jesus in John 7:17 says,

“If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”

We are called to learn of Jesus Christ. We should allow Him to teach us through His human agents under the guidance of the Holy Ghost. This is why Bible Study services and Sunday School classes are very necessary. Daily study of God’s word in devotionals like this will enhance your knowledge of Jesus Christ in order to know and have His mind.

What then is the mind of Christ? The mind of Christ is the mind of humility (Philippians 3:5-8). This is an all-encompassing Christian virtue that takes root from the very first day of your conversion. As a matter of fact, the acceptance of the gospel lays the foundation of humility, because you cannot accept that you are a sinner without a humble heart. The natural man tends to either rationalise his evil deeds or assume that sin is not so bad because “everyone else is doing it”. However, when the Spirit of Christ comes upon an individual, He convicts him of his sins (John 16:8-11). This leads to repentance and sets the stage for the process that brings about the formation of the mind of Christ in that individual, even as he or she continues to learn of Christ. Learning of Christ entails imbibing His ideals, which many so-called brilliant theologians and churchmen think are no longer valid for the 21st century Church. My prayer for you is that any knowledge which will invalidate the ideals of Christ as contained in the Bible will not come your way in Jesus’ Name. For you to find rest for your soul, you must have the mind of Jesus Christ.

Prayer Point:

Father, give me the same mind You gave to Your Son Jesus, and help me, in this evil and perverse generation, to live by the ideals He brought to this world.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Power Of Spiritual Vision. Agony Of A Backslider, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Memorise:

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Revelation 2:5

Read: Judges 16:18-21

18 And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.

19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.

21 But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Daddy G O

Message

In today’s Bible reading, we see the agony of a backslider manifested in the loss of Samson’s eyes. To lose one’s physical, intellectual or spiritual vision is very agonising. Samson, a Nazarite of God from the womb, broke the covenant of his calling first as an Israelite and then as a Nazarite. With reference to the inhabitants of the land of Canaan such as the Philistines, God in Deuteronomy 7:3 had thus commanded the children of Israel:

“Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.”

Contrary to this instruction, Samson went to seek the hand of a Philistine woman in marriage. When his parents tried to guide him back to the right path, he in Judges 14:3 said:

“…..Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.”

Also, concerning Nazarites such as Samson, God in Numbers 6:6 had thus commanded:

“All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.”

But the devil ensnared Samson with honey in the carcass of a dead lion he had killed. In the process of collecting honey to eat, he ended up defiling himself (Judges 14:8-9).

Many children of God are, like Samson, erring in the choice of a marriage partner. Some have been destroyed by their appetite, because they could not resist the devil when he asked them to turn stone to bread by sleeping with a personnel manager to secure a job. To such people, the end justifies the means, but the question is: can this temporary “respite” be worth the agony of backsliding? One lesson we must quickly learn is that, the moment a Christian begins to slide backward into his or her old way of life or into things that God frowns at, he or she loses the power of spiritual vision. Such a fellow begins to wallow in darkness of untold agony. After the last straw that broke the back of Samson’s spiritual camel was engaged, the Bible in Judges 16:20 says:

“…And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.”

Alas, the process of Samson’s downfall was complete and his eyes were put out. The worst thing that happened to Samson was that he died with his enemies; hence, he could not be considered a victor. My prayer for you is that you will not backslide in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point:

Search your life to see if there are ways you have been backsliding unnoticed. Make amends and ask God to restore you back to your first love for Him.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Fear Of God. From Grass To Grace, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Memorise:

The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

Proverbs 3:35

Read: Esther 8:15-17

15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.

16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.

17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.

Proverbs_9-10-2: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding

Message

When a man’s way pleases the Lord, He will make his enemies to be at peace with him. After this, God moves him from grass to grace. This was the experience of Mordecai in our Bible reading today. There is one condition which anyone who desires to move from grass to grace must fulfil: such a person must be wise. The Bible says the wise shall inherit glory (Proverbs 3:35). Who are the wise? The wise are those who fear the Lord rather than man. In Esther 3:1-2, we read of how a man was trying to play God by having all men bow before him. Contrary to his expectation, Mordecai would rather worship God than man, hence, Haman hated him. Even as Haman planned the downfall of Mordecai, the Almighty God was arranging how this God-fearing man would move from grass to grace. It is wisdom to fear the One you know has the capability to promote or demote you.

This was the wisdom that eluded King Nebuchadnezzar and he fell from grace to the level of eating grass (Daniel 4:30-33). Not until after he had learnt not only to reverence God but also to fear Him did he rise again. It is indeed true that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Jesus Christ taught His disciples this principle in Matthew 10:28, saying:

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Those who allow the fear of men to push them against the will of God are in danger of moving from grace to grass. When you learn to fear the Lord, He takes up any challenge that may be facing you, and beyond your wildest imagination, He will lift you up. Daniel was another person who feared the Lord, and God raised him from grass to grace. After being lifted from the den of lions unhurt, Daniel was promoted in the reign of Darius (Daniel 6:23-28). Nowadays, Christians hardly exhibit the type of fear that is expected of a servant to the master.

God Himself demanded this type of fear from us who are His royal priests (1 Peter 2:9) in Malachi 1:6:

“A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?”

Beloved, if you want accelerated promotion that will move you from grass to grace, the secret lies in the fear of God.

Prayer Point:

Father, please move me from grass to grace today and let the world see Your glory in my life.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Seeds Of Doubt. Stop Complaining! It Is For Your Good, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Prayer

Romans_8-28: 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

Memorise:

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

Read: Genesis 50:15-21

15 And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.

16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,

17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.

18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.

19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?

20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Message

From the beginning, the devil’s modus operandi has been to sow the seeds of doubt in the heart of mankind with regards to the plan and intentions of God for them. For example, while God’s reason for restraining Adam and Eve from eating the forbidden fruit was to keep them alive, healthy and prosperous, the devil came and told them that God did so because He did not have their good at heart (Genesis 3:4-5). It was this type of doubt that the devil sowed in the heart of Joseph’s brothers after the demise of their father. Thank God Joseph was a man who knew the mind of God; He quickly quenched their doubts. For us His children today, God has revealed His plans and intentions for us in Jeremiah 29:11:

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

This is not an after-thought; rather, this has always been God’s intention for us from the beginning of creation (Genesis 1:26). It is therefore a sin to doubt the good in God’s motives when He directs us to do something or live in a particular way that is contrary to what the devil or the world expects.

Because Joseph knew the mind of God concerning all that happened to him, he rejected hero-worship from his brothers and allayed their fears. He comforted them by making them understand that their negative actions towards him were used by God to fulfil His eternal good purpose in his life. Genesis 50:19-20 thus says:

“And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

In other words, Joseph was saying to his brothers that it was not they but God who sent him to Egypt for a clearly defined purpose. Paul corroborates this truth in our memory verse.

The Lord is saying to you that you should stop complaining about what is happening to you now; it is for your good. Things will work out for your good if you continue to love God even in that so-called unpleasant situation, which has a divine purpose attached to it. Once again I say to you: it is for your good, and you will soon know why.

Prayer Point:

Father, according to Your word, let all things work together for my good from today in Jesus’ Name.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Spiritual Poverty. Cross Over From Poverty To Prosperity. New Beginning Of Prosperity, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 3, 2015 by Prayer

Ephesians_1-3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Memorise:

This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

Exodus 12:2

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Read: Exodus 12:33-36

33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.

34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.

35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:

36 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

Pastor E A Adeboye Birthday

Message

When the Almighty God grants a new beginning to an individual or a nation, it could be a new beginning of prosperity. Imagine the Hebrew nation which for over four hundred years had been at the mercy of their Egyptian rulers, coming out of Egypt as millionaires simply because the Almighty God decided to grant them a new beginning. I pray for you that this month shall be to you as the first month of the year in astonishing prosperity in Jesus’ Name. How did the Lord do this for the Israelites?

The Bible says that He gave them favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that the Egyptians gave them whatever they asked for. The treasures of the Egyptians were transferred to them without them having to shoot an arrow. The Bible in Proverbs 16:7 says:

“When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

This scripture sums up the experience of the Israelites. Whenever God makes a pronouncement, we should learn to take Him at His word. Sometimes, this is easier read about than practiced. Imagine how difficult it would have been for the Israelites to believe that before daybreak after the night of the Passover, they would cross over from poverty to prosperity.

“Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.”

Joel 2:23

For this beautiful prophecy to come to pass in your life, some spiritual conditions must be met. Prior to this prophecy, the Lord demanded that his people turn to Him with all their hearts: with fasting, weeping and mourning (Joel 2:12-13). He asked them to rend their hearts and not their garments, and return to Him. We can deduce from this narrative that the poor condition that a lot of people find themselves in today is caused by their spiritual poverty. Some people live in abject poverty because their lifestyle has turned God, who should bless them, into their enemy. Here is the good news: when this great God turns a life around onto godliness, he also changes the physical condition of the fellow concerned. Settling the issue of poverty was one of the reasons why Christ came (2 Corinthians 8:9). In the Name of Jesus Christ, I welcome you to your new beginning of prosperity. Only believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and repent of your sins.

Prayer Point:

Father, in your infinite mercy, banish poverty from every area of my life in Jesus’ Name.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Healthy Living Guarantees Longevity. Enjoying Longevity, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Memorise:

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

1 Timothy 4:8

Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Pastor E A Adeboye, Daddy G O

Message

Every rational being wishes to be healthy, wealthy, fulfilled and enjoy longevity. The desire to live long and be healthy is scriptural. Psalm 91:16 says,

“With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.”

Man is a tripartite being. The Bible teaches that man consists of the spirit, soul and body. God is interested in our good health (3 John 1:2). He desires for us to be sound and complete in our spirit, soul and body. The working of wholeness in man starts in his spirit. It begins when God touches our spirit by the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 12:3). Has your spirit been touched by the Holy Spirit? The first miracle God does is to liberate man’s spirit from sin. He justifies us from sin and reconnects our spirit man to Himself (1 Corinthians 6:11). He then continually bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children (Romans 8:16). After releasing our spirit from sin, the Holy Spirit works His way to our soul to heal and restore it. The soul of man is the seat of his emotions, intellect and will. The soul is the dwelling place of healthy and unhealthy emotions. It is thus possible for the soul to be healthy or sick.

The human body is that part of man which is aware of and interacts with the tangible, empirical world. The whole body of man is built around a bony framework of skeleton and consists of a great number of different parts. The human body consists primarily of cells, which together form tissues, which form organs, which work together as systems to carry out specific functions. It is worth noting that healthy living guarantees longevity. To enjoy longevity, you need to eat proper balanced diets. Experts in nutrition teach that our foods can be classified into two classes. One class consists of fruits and vegetables. The other class consist of fats, starch and proteins.

A proper balance of these two classes of food will provide good health and a long life. An improper balance will bring poor health, sickness and can result in early death. Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins and minerals. Proteins supply building blocks for the body. Fats and starch supply heat and energy to the body. According to many health books, we should eat about 75% fruits and vegetables, while 25% should be protein, fats and starch. This 75 : 25 ratio should form the basis of the daily diet of every living person. To obtain and maintain good health, you must eat foods that contain generous amounts of vitamins and minerals. Foods low in vitamins and minerals lead to poor health, ailments, suffering and death. Enjoying longevity in good health is however not limited to the food you eat. Your state of mind and pattern of life can either accelerate or slow down the aging process. These also affect your good health. In addition, learn to exercise your body. Don’t forget: “bodily exercise profiteth little.”

Action Point:

Take stock of how you are treating your body. Adjust your nutrition and lifestyle if necessary.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Do You Desire To Know The Perfect Will Of God For Every Aspect Of Your Life? Renewing Your Mind, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Prayer

Romans_12-2: And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God

Memorise:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:2

1-Corinthians_2-9: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him

Read: 1 Corinthians 2:9-14

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

One striking thing about holiness is that it is what makes God who He is. If a human being was asked this question: “Who is God?”, you might get answers like: God is love, God is powerful, God is merciful, God is faithful etc. But if angels or celestial beings were asked this same question, they would chorus: God is Holy! The theme of the songs of celestial beings in heaven is the holiness of God (Isaiah 6:2-3, Revelation 4:8). Do you belong to God? Then be prepared to live holy. Why? God’s people are a holy temple to Him (1 Corinthians 3:17). We are called to a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:5), and we are described as holy brethren (Hebrews 3:1). The Father chose His own, so that they might be holy (Ephesians 1:4).

This is the reason why Jesus died for us (Ephesians 5:25-27).The Holy Spirit was given, so that through the renewing of our minds, we might be holy (Titus 3:5, 2 Corinthians 3:18). The Holy Spirit renews our mind by convincing us and making us accept what God’s Word says about us or about a subject-matter. This is critical because your mind controls your actions. The Word of God is spiritual; only the Holy Spirit can bring the mind to a state of conformity with its contents (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Holiness simply means obeying God totally and consecrating yourself to do His will from the heart. It is difficult to do God’s will without knowing His mind. The Bible, which is the word of God, is a compendium of God’s will. It is easy to know the mind of God and to renew your own mind when you meditate on the word of God. This meditation should however be a daily affair. It is imperative for every child of God to study and meditate on God’s word. Merely reading the word of God is different from studying and serious meditation.

Studying is an application of the mental faculties to the acquisition of knowledge. It entails a careful examination or analysis of the Bible – its promises, commandments, warnings, blessings, questions and answers. Meditation on God’s word denotes focusing one’s thoughts on it, reflecting on and pondering over it. In Joshua 1:8, Joshua was instructed to meditate on the word of God day and night because constant meditation leads to good success. This happens progressively. First, meditate on God’s word on daily basis. Second, be observant enough to obey it unconditionally. Doing this will assure you of good success; i.e. full-blown success that is holistic, covering every imaginable area of life (spirit, soul and body). Renewing your mind makes it possible to discern what the perfect will of God is (Romans 12:2). Do you desire to know the perfect will of God for every aspect of your life? Renew your mind through constant studying and meditation on the word of God. Keep God’s Word in your heart, allow it to permeate your entire being through the Holy Spirit and act on it.

Prayer Point:

Dear Holy Spirit, as I ponder on God’s word, help my mind to accept the truth of what it says.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Beware Of Idolatry. Enemy Of Divine Blessings, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Prayer

Ephesians_1-3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Memorise:

The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

1 Samuel 2:7

Read: Hosea 5:3-9

3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.

4 They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD.

5 And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.

6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.

7 They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.

8 Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin.

9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

At the beginning of Ephraim’s history, Ephraim was God’s favourite and a symbol of blessing. In Genesis 48:20, Jacob pronounced these blessings on Ephraim:

“…In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.”

David also spoke about the blessings on Ephraim in Psalm 108:8. Without any doubt, Ephraim was indeed a beneficiary of divine blessings. But at some point in history, Ephraim became an object of ridicule (Jeremiah 7:15). How did Ephraim come to this state? The answer is in Hosea 4:17:

“Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.”

What is idolatry? Idolatry is the act of reverencing anything other than the Almighty God. It can take the form of esteeming your culture, race, idea, achievement, etc over and above the Almighty and His Word. Idolatry can also be an insatiable craving for the material things of this world (1 John 2:15-17). When you esteem your children, your cars or your educational qualifications so highly that you make them “no go areas” for the One who gave them to you in the first place, then you are guilty of idolatry. This was the undoing of King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:30-33).

Idolatry is one of the archenemies of divine blessings. The Almighty God warned His people against idolatry in Exodus 20:3 saying:

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

When the children of Israel became comfortable in the Promised Land, they joined themselves with the natives to worship their gods. For this reason, they suffered series of servitude under neighbouring kingdoms. At some point, they were even carried away into captivity by the Assyrians and Babylonians. A nation that had hitherto enjoyed divine blessings in the land flowing with milk and honey became slaves all over again because of their sin of idolatry. This was exactly what turned Ephraim’s divine blessings into a curse.

The word of the Lord is coming to you today to beware of idolatry. Put God first in all you think, say or do, and you will not be a victim of the sin of idolatry.

Prayer Point:

Father, today, I pull down every strange altar I have consciously or unconsciously erected to compete with You in my life, home, business or ministry, in Jesus’ Name.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Irreversible Divine Blessings, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Prayer

Proverbs_10-22: The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it

Memorise:

The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

Proverbs 10:22

Read: Genesis 22:15-18

15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,

16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

The blessings that can be regarded as irreversible are those which come from God. God Almighty decided to give irreversible blessings to Abraham. In Genesis 22:16-17, God declared thus:

“…By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;”

The conditional nature of divine blessings makes some of them irreversible. When you fulfil some spiritual conditions for divine blessings, God will show Himself mighty, faithful and dependable in your life. Nobody is able to reverse a divine blessing, except God Himself. He will only reverse it if the recipient defaults in the terms of His covenant. For example, God reversed the promise He made to Eli when he and his sons failed to live by the terms of the covenant that made them God’s priests (1 Samuel 2:30). If God decides to bless you and you mess up, He can change a blessing to a curse.

The faithfulness of God in keeping His promise to Abraham is demonstrated in Genesis 26, while the irreversible nature of this promise is demonstrated in Genesis 35. In these two instances, the Almighty God reiterated to Isaac and Jacob that the promise He made to Abraham was an everlasting covenant.

Before a person can enjoy irreversible blessings, there are certain conditions he or she must fulfil in Jesus Christ. These include remarkable love towards God, sacrificial giving and commitment to holiness and worship. All these attributes are found in Jesus Christ, and they can rub off on anyone who accepts him as Lord and Personal Saviour. The Bible in Colossians 1:19-20 says:

“For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”

To enjoy irreversible blessings therefore, you must establish a lasting relationship with the Almighty Father, from whom all blessings flow, through Jesus Christ.

Action Point:

Identify some irreversible blessings you have access to through Christ in the Bible, and ask God to bring about their manifestation in your life.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Ministry Of Reconciliation. Have You Been Reconciled With Your Lord And Maker? Peacemaker? By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Prayer

Matthew_5-9: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God

Memorise:

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Matthew 5:9

Read: 2 Corinthians 5:18-20

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 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.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

When Adam and Eve fell into sin in the Garden of Eden, this brought enmity between the Creator and His human creation. The first man and woman decided to love what God hated (Genesis 3:6). It is unfortunate that this spiritual depravity has continued till date. Men tend to love the world more than their Creator as a result of the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life (1 John 2:14-15).

“Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

Genesis 3:23-24

The enmity and separation symbolised by the scripture above lingered for a very long time until God decided to reconcile mankind to Himself. God’s expectation is that men will get reconciled to Him by accepting the hand of love He has stretched out to humanity. Like the father of the prodigal son, God is expectantly waiting for mankind to come home to eternal bliss. God wants to make children out of his human creation.

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

Matthew 5:9

Who are the peacemakers? The peacemakers are those who realise their state of enmity with God and endeavour to forsake their sinful ways of life in order to please Him. Apostle Paul wrote that:

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 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.”

2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Have you been reconciled with your Lord and Maker? Do not forget that the peacemakers are blessed; they will enjoy the benefits associated with being a child of God.

Action Point:

Are you struggling with God on any issue in your head or heart? Be reconciled to God today by submitting to His will.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Secret Of Good Success. By Pastor E A Adeboye.

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Prayer

Joshua_1-8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success

Memorise:

For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

Proverbs 1:32

Read: Joshua 1:8

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

The Bible classifies success into good success and negative or bad success. Of course, to the carnal mind, the idea of bad success is an irony. The Lord defined the type of success that emanates from Him in Proverbs 10:22:

“The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.”

In other words, if a so-called blessing is not from the Lord, certainly there will be some sorrow attached to it. This kind of success cannot be said to be good. Little wonder God Almighty prescribed what will bring good success to Joshua, as there are other types of success.

The blessing of the Lord makes you live long to enjoy the fruit of your labour (Psalm 91:6). The Lord who blesses is the same one who protects. If you are afraid of calamity after a breakthrough, maybe the source of that so-called breakthrough is not God. No man can tamper with good success that emanates from God. Some people are afraid of success because of what people will say about them. You can go ahead and continue to run from success if the success is not coming from God, because it cannot be good success. However, when your breakthrough or success is directly from God, no witch, wizard or herbalist can tamper with it.

In Genesis 26:12-14, we read about a classical example of good success recorded by Isaac. This man was so blessed that even the king of the Philistines envied him. The secret of this good success is found in the Genesis 26:2-6. Isaac obeyed the voice of God, stayed where God asked him to stay and he became prosperous with good success. Good success is not far from those who determine to obey God all the way. In today’s Bible text, God revealed the secret of good success to Joshua which every child of God must pay attention to. God told Joshua that for Him to have good success, the book of the law should not just be in his mouth, he was to meditate therein constantly in order to observe to do according to its contents. This truth is reinforced in James 1:25:

“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.”

If you want to obtain good success therefore, be a doer of the work in God’s Word.

Prayer Point:

Father, please grant me good success in all of my endeavours this year in Jesus’ Name.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Word Of God And The Blood Of Jesus Christ, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Prayer

1-John_5-4-3: For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith

Memorise:

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Revelation 12:11

Read: Hebrews 12:22-25

22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

There are two irresistible weapons available to the children of God in spiritual warfare. These are the Word [of God] and the Blood [of Jesus Christ]. The Word is so powerful that the entire universe was made by Him (John 1:1-3). This is why the Word can put any abnormality in your life under control, just as He did in Genesis 1. Death is the greatest problem that confronts mankind. The Bible in 1 Corinthians 15:56a reveals that the power of death lies in sin:

“The sting of death is sin;”

But praise God, the Blood of Jesus took care of sin once and for all. Revelation 1:5b says that:

“Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”

Once the matter of sin is dealt with by the sinless Blood of Jesus Christ, the evil sting of death is rendered powerless.

Pastor E A Adeboye, Daddy G O

As such, when a child of God is armed with the Word and with the Blood, victory is fully decided. The question then is: why are some children of God still living defeated lives? The problem is, for these two weapons of spiritual warfare to be effective for any child of God, certain conditions must be fulfilled. One of such conditions is that they must be ready to honour God’s Word, no matter the cost. At times, when some children of God are caught in heinous sins that should not even be heard of among moralists, they chorus, “It is the devil’s work.” It’s as if John 10:10 has been erased from their Bibles. Because such Christians do not honour God’s Word by keeping it, the Word can’t work for them. When a so-called child of God continues to kiss women other than his wife and blatantly disregard God’s Word in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 that says,

“Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

The Word will not be effective for him in fighting against the likes of Delilah. Or is it the Blood of Jesus Christ, who some nail to the cross times without number as they rise and fall, that would avail for them? Notice that the Bible in the concluding part of Revelation 12:11 says that:

“…and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

For the Blood of Jesus to work for you, you are expected to resist sin to the point of, if necessary, shedding your own blood (Hebrews 12:4). I pray that the Word and the Blood will work for you at all times in Jesus’ Name.

Action Point:

Determine to put the Word of God into proper application in your daily life, and plead the Blood of Jesus Christ against all negative situations of life for a pleasant turn around.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

Principles Of Divine Blessing. Do You Desire To Be Blessed. By Pastor E A Adeboye.

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Prayer

Pastor E A Adeboye. Daddy G O

Memorise:

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Psalm 32:1

Read: Genesis 27:1-4

1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.

2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:

3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

4 And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.

Pastor E A Adeboye. Open Heavens. RCCG

Message

Many people desire to be blessed by God and men, but they have never bothered to do anything to actualise their most-desired blessings. Many have received fantastic prophecies which they know are theirs indeed, but they have never taken any step to bring about the fulfilment of such prophecies. When the Lord told the children of Israel that it was time for them to possess the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey, the onus was on them to depose the illegal occupants before they could possess it (Joshua 1:11-15).

It is very important that the children of God know the principles that guarantee divine blessing so that they can endeavour to apply them. Years ago, at London Heathrow on my way back to Nigeria, I met two of my children who greeted me, and I responded accordingly. One of them moved towards me and helped me with one of the carry-on bags that I was struggling with and I said, “God bless you.” On hearing “God bless you” coming from me to the one who helped me with my bag, the other fellow said, “What about me, daddy?” I spontaneously responded, “What for?” He saw me laden with luggage and merely greeted me, so I merely greeted him in return. If God’s blessing is conditional, and indeed it is, then I won’t put it on those who do not deserve it.

From our scripture reading, take note of the condition Esau needed to fulfil before he could access his father’s blessing. The father’s blessing, both biological and spiritual, is one that must not be missed. It is powerful and only reversible by the Almighty God. The greatness of our loss is therefore unimaginable, if we do nothing to access His divine blessing. One way of accessing divine blessing is stated in Proverbs 3:9-10. Take care to apply this in your life.

Many so-called children of God today are in deep financial and material agony. They seek God’s blessing to no avail because they have failed to realise that it is when they give that they would be given. It is my belief that you would always have something to give not only to God but also to His servants. You can use one orange to entertain four visitors at a time instead of letting them go empty. My prayer for you is that at every point of your life, you will not lack food to eat, and you will not lack the seed to sow to access your divine blessings in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point:

Father, open my eyes to recognise what it will take to access my divine blessings, in Jesus’ Name.

May The Grace The Lord Jesus Christ, And The Love Of God, And The Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit Be With You All. Amen!

← Back

Prayer Point

One Prayer Point at a Time

Tag Archives: Sermon And Prayer points by Pastor E A Adeboye

Are You Still In Good Standing With God, Or Have You For One Reason Or The Other Backslidden? Press Into Your Day Of Favour, By Pastor E A Adeboye.

Signs Of God’s Presence, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Lethal Weapon Of Spiritual Warfare. Engage In Wonder-Working Praise, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Prayer Is The Master Key. Praying Wonder Working Prayers. By Pastor E A Adeboye.

God Attaches Great Significance To Names. What’s In A Name? By Pastor E A Adeboye

Power In The Spoken Word Of God. Power In The Spoken Word, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Have You Experienced This Wonder? Transformed By The New Creation, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Principle Of Jesus Lifestyle. Mind Of Jesus, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Power Of Spiritual Vision. Agony Of A Backslider, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Fear Of God. From Grass To Grace, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Seeds Of Doubt. Stop Complaining! It Is For Your Good, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Spiritual Poverty. Cross Over From Poverty To Prosperity. New Beginning Of Prosperity, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Healthy Living Guarantees Longevity. Enjoying Longevity, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Do You Desire To Know The Perfect Will Of God For Every Aspect Of Your Life? Renewing Your Mind, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Beware Of Idolatry. Enemy Of Divine Blessings, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Irreversible Divine Blessings, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Ministry Of Reconciliation. Have You Been Reconciled With Your Lord And Maker? Peacemaker? By Pastor E A Adeboye

Secret Of Good Success. By Pastor E A Adeboye.

Word Of God And The Blood Of Jesus Christ, By Pastor E A Adeboye

Principles Of Divine Blessing. Do You Desire To Be Blessed. By Pastor E A Adeboye.

Thank you for your response. ✨

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Thank you for your response. ✨

Share this: