Conscience Call

The first part of Hosea 4:6 says "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge" And this couldn't be more evident by what is going on in Akwa Ibom today, where parents are being led astray by false prophets to the point where they maim, torture, abandon and even kill their own children just because they (the children) have be branded witches.

The UK Documentary brought this evil act to public consciousness not to ridicule or damage the reputations of Christians but to as a call to arms...an SOS!


The rescued children need our help in every which way we can. Please let us give it them. Below is the contact information for the organization in Charge.

Child's Right And Rehabilitation Network (CRARN),

http://crarn.tripod.com/index.html
Sam Ikpe-Itauma, Director
Ikot Afaha-Idung Ukpa,P. M. B. 1042 Eket,
Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
Childs Rights and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN)
Phone (Hotline ): +2348026693099
Talk to the children direct, call +2348086754666
Regististered with Corperate Affairs Commission Abuja, Nigeria.
Charity Number: CAC/IT/No 27195

For UK Residents
http://www.justgiving.com/witchchildren

God Bless You all as you help. Amen.

Open Heavens November 30, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Psa 133-137

HANDLING RESILIENT PROBLEMS

MEMORIZE: "The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein" (Nahum 1:5)

READ: Nahum 1:1-9

The wall of Jericho remained a formidable obstacle preventing invading forces from capturing the city for many years. Historically, it was not just a fence but a massive structure capable of accommodating two cars at a time. It also had compartments and chalets within it. The wall of Jericho symbolized the strength of the people of Jericho. They concentrated on building such a high and formidable fence in their bid to forestall all attacks of the enemy. But when the children of Israel showed up, they discovered that it would be impossible to pull down or penetrate this wall using physical means. So they called their God into action. When the Lord collided with that strong wall, not one block maintained its position: it fell like a pack of cards! That long-standing problem in your life will collide with God today and fall like a pack of cards. That mountain before you is coming down.

In Judges 14:5-6, Samson was heading for Timnath when a lion came to tear him into pieces. But because God had a soft spot for Samson, He deliberately collided with the lion. The aftermath was that the lion was torn to shreds. When God collides with your enemy, the plan of the enemy will be executed on him. Everything working at truncating your destiny shall be torn in pieces this season in Jesus’ Name. Sometimes, the enemy could be persistent and resilient. After being defeated in one area, it will rear up its ugly head in another area. That was Samson’s experience. After the defeat of the lion, his relatives handed him bound to his enemies (Judges 15:14-15). Again God organized a collision with ropes used in binding him and they were burnt to ashes by the Consuming Fire. Whatever has been used to tie you down, shall be roasted today. In 1 Samuel 17:45-51, David who has been anointed by God and destined to rule as king was brought face to face with Goliath. The opponent thought his strength, height, experience and weapons will not only intimidate David, but also the God of David. He recorded his greatest hit. That collision with God was like hitting a mountainous rock at great speed. He lost his head and never recovered from it. The destiny of David whom he was sent to stop could not be stopped at the end of the day. All those assigned to stop you from getting to the top - to your high places and destiny will collide with the Eternal Rock of Ages, and will not recover from it. Every re-occurrent problem in your life will meet with God’s re-occurrent resistance from today. Fear not. Just remain in holiness and praise and worship Him

ACTIONPOINT: Do you have a stubborn problem(s) you have been wrestling with?Praise and worship God for three hours and thereafter ask Him to collide with that problem.

Open Heavens November 29, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Psa 127-132

HEALING FOR DEFECTIVE WOMBS

MEMORIZE: "Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?" (Jeremiah 8:22)

READ: Jeremiah 8:18-22

The womb of a woman is where conception takes place. Satan and his cohorts have constantly harassed many godly women in this area. Every satanic harassment in your life shall be terminated today in Jesus’ Name. A woman saw her mother-in-law returning from the market one day, and went to welcome her joyfully. Later, the latter gave the former a loaf of bread and told her, ‘Eat this bread and use it to block your womb’. The woman took her aged mother-in-law for a joker and ate the bread. She observed that from that day, she stopped menstruating and as a result could not become pregnant. We were to have a programme in the area she lived and she got to know. She began to pray and fast for God to visit her. And He did. In a vision while preparing for the programme one afternoon, she saw herself bedridden and some people in white came to carry out an operation on her. After opening her up, the heavenly team began to pull out of her womb, a long rope at which end was tied a thick black loaf of bread. This was kept in a container. At the end of the operation, her stomach was closed up and the team of heavenly doctors and nurses left. On return from the trance, she found her bed wet with blood. She had began to menstruate again! Today, she has become a joyful mother of children. Do you need a heavenly cesarean section to deal with the cause of barrenness in your body? The Lord will give it to you. Call on Him for a divine intervention.

Similarly, business has its womb. When the womb of business is shut, there will be nothing to show for years of labor, effort and struggle. One reason some people have not been able to enter their financial harvest is because of the presence of holes in their financial womb. A family needed the services of a house help sometime ago and they got one from the village where the man of the house hailed from. In the nick of time, the financial fortunes of the man nose-dived until he was in abject poverty. One day, he came to the church to meet us and we called on the Lord on his behalf. The power of God struck the house-help and he confessed that some people from his master’s village had asked him to bring the man’s cap, and he obliged. Their satanic design made each income he earned appear first in his cap. Thereafter, they used it up and left the man in emptiness! Every satanic plan to take over your wealth is cancelled from this moment. Every hole in your finances is blocked today. However, never default in tithes, offerings and vows. Owe no man. Defraud and oppress no man.

ACTIONPOINT: Every Satanic manipulation over my finances, Father, destroy them by fire.

Open Heavens November 28, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Psa 120-126

PREPARED OR WAITING?

MEMORIZE: "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (Matthew 25:13)

READ: Matthew 25:1-13

In the story of the 10 virgins, one feature that distinguished the wise from the foolish was how they handled their preparation period. The foolish had their lamps. They also had a little oil in the lamps. They had the means to buy extra oil since they were not certain how long they might wait for the Bridegroom. They had time at their disposal, but their undoing was their inability to manage it. While the wise ones were in a hurry to get all they needed, the foolish ones were on recess. They thought the supermarket would remain open to enable them buy whatever they needed, whenever they were ready. They soon realized how wrong they were! The difference between believers who would make it to Heaven and those who would be left behind, is how they use their time during the preparation stage. Any grace of God you fail to acquire now might count against you. Now is the time to live holy. Now is the time to serve God selflessly with all your resources - time, intellect, money, materials, strength, etc. Failing to do so puts you at risk. How are you utilizing your time today?

After preparation, the next stage is to wait. Wait patiently for the Lord’s return. Some believers and church leaders who think they are already waiting are not even prepared. If there is any unsettled issue in your Christian life, or involving you and a fellow believer, you are not yet prepared. Settle it today! To wait entails maintaining everything Heaven has given to you. According to Colossians 3:1-3, to wait entails fixing your priority on Jesus. It also means jealously guarding your Christian life against any form of compromise, defilement or distraction. The waiting period should not be handled with levity. Christ must remain your focus. You have reached a point of no return. Nothing of the world attracts you anymore. Not the lust, money, fame, fashion or sinful pleasure. Your heart is fixed. You are ready and expectant of the Lord’s return. You can be sure that such a fellow will be among the wise virgins that will meet the Bridegroom. Are you ready for His return? If ready, are you earnestly waiting for Him? The Lord is coming for those who are ready and are looking forward to His return. Are you one of them?

ACTIONPOINT: If Christ were to take His five wise virgins now, would you go with Him? If you are not sure, list the things that could hinder you. Deal with them now.

Open Heavens November 27, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Gen 12-15

KNOCKING YOUR REQUEST?

MEMORIZE: "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking" (Matthew 6:7)

READ: Matthew 6:5-8

In 1 Samuel 17:48-49, David took the first step against his opponents. Hit your enemies first. You are destined to terrorize the kingdom of darkness. When you hit the enemy after he hits you, he would have prepared for that hit. Return attacks on the enemy do not devastate the enemy. If care is not taken, because he was expecting it, the hit may not have any impact. This is how the hits of believers who are always on the defensive have become. But when you hit the enemy when he is not expecting it, you devastate him and his weapons, and disorganize him. Before he recovers, you hit him with another salvo. Even if he is able to gather himself to return the attack, because he is not coordinated, he will most likely miss his target and you can easily contain such an attack. If you can adopt the offensive posture, you will always be ahead. Get rid of agents of darkness in your life or else they will not fail to finish you.

In 2 Kings 6:18, apart from not running from the enemies, Elisha prayed to God and got an immediate answer. Many prayers that should have been answered long ago are on hold for failing to meet Heaven’s requirement. Heaven has a clear blue print for approval of requests. According to John 16:23, any request must be addressed to God the Father. And it must be made in the name of Jesus Christ. If you need to pray over a situation but you are at a loss over how to go about it, rather than waste your words, ask the Holy Spirit to help you. Pray in the spirit (Romans 8:26). If you want your car to perform effectively, you would need to put oil into the engine, water into the radiator, and petrol into the fuel tank. If you mistakenly mix oil, petrol and water inside your engine, it can knock the engine. If you do not pray correctly, you will ‘knock’ your request. Satan is not afraid of the prayers of some believers because it amounts to having the wrong mix in the right engine. For such people, he will not even bother to contend with them at the time of prayer because he knows the prayer will not go beyond the roof of the you in the place of prayer. He will employ all manner of distractions -sleep, tiredness, wandering thoughts, diversionary suggestions, etc. just to stop you from praying. Why? He is afraid of your prayer. As you keep to Heaven’s blue print, your enemies will dread your prayers. You will terrorize the satanic kingdom from today!

ACTIONPOINT: If demons do not fear your prayers, it means you are praying amiss. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you how to pray from today.

Open Heavens November 26, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Chron 27-29

AGGRESSION AND COMMITMENT

MEMORIZE: "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11)

READ: Genesis 18:1-14

If you desire a taste of Heaven, you must learn to serve God aggressively in praise and worship, prayer, giving, soul winning, etc. Aggressive service entails serving God with a bit of haste and lots of zeal. When service lacks the sense of time and fire of zeal, it defeats its purpose, and may not attract desired blessings. You must put life into whatever you do for the Kingdom, or else that service could be rejected. How aggressive is your soul winning? How fervent is your prayer life? How zealous are you in carrying out your ministerial or departmental assignment? The truth is, those who are always aggressive in their commitment to the Lord always end up as leaders e.g. Peter. Although an illiterate fisherman, Peter was always in a hurry to obey Jesus. He was ready to run with the vision even before he got the details. The Lord saw this: and at the end, he led the other disciples and apostles.

Another person who was aggressive in his commitment to God and His Word was Abraham. In Genesis 18:1-14, Abraham was sitting at the front of his tent one day when he saw three men passing by. He sensed that there was something different about these strangers. Recalling his home training lessons, he ran after them and compelled them into his tent. As soon as they arrived, he got his wife to prepare a sumptuous meal for them. When visited, some believers will ask, ‘Will you eat?’ That is unacceptable for a hospitable believer. It is better to set the table and invite them to join you there. Abraham’s aggressive hospitality paid off! The promise of 25 years came to pass in one day. When an assignment is given to some believers, the first thing they will ask is, ‘How much will I get from doing this?’ On the camp ground, the reason we prefer to engage unbelievers is simply because the believers who should have been engaged, think we are either plucking money from a money fruit tree, or we are picking it from the streets. What would cost N100 would suddenly become N1000. They may say because of you or the fact that it is their Father’s work, you should pay N700. The elders say that the house that is built with stick will come down by the wind. You have not seen those to exploit other than men of God, fellow believers and the church of God? Remember it is God you are exploiting and you will surely pay both on earth and in eternity. Repent.

ACTIONPOINT: Are you sluggish in obeying God's command? It can make God to be sluggish in granting your desires. Have a change of attitude today!

Open Heavens November 25, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Chro 24-26

WEEPING IS NO ANSWER

MEMORIZE: "And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people" (Genesis 14:16)

READ: Genesis 14:10-16

Have you lost your vision, spiritual gifts and graces, material blessings, etc?They can be recovered if you adopt the principles of loss recovery. In 1 Samuel 30:1-20, David returned from a battle to find that the Amalekites had invaded the city in his absence, and taken all the women and children as slaves, including his wives and children. Like his men, the initial response was to weep, but when he realized weeping was not solving the problem, he dried up his tears. If he had continued to weep, his men would have transferred their aggression and anger on him. They might have stoned him to death like they planned. His loss would have been irrecoverable! How long would you weep over the loss of a loved one? How long would you weep over your unpleasant state? Stop weeping. Dry up your tears. At best, weeping may draw the sympathy of those around but will never lead to recovery. Weeping will sap the energy that could have been used in a more productive way. Weeping will blur your vision to see clearly and think properly.

While David wept, no solution came. But after he dried up his tears, ideas on what to do began to come. Some believers remain in a state of weeping, distress, discouragement several days, weeks, months or even years after a loss. As long as you remain in that state, your loss will be unending - you will continue to lose; no answer will come even when it is so close to you. Inability to recover from the effects of a major loss is a state of unbelief, fear, doubt and hopelessness that prevents God from bringing about a change, but exalts the problem at stake. If you stop crying and refocus on the Lord, solutions will come. In a similar event, three powerful kings raided Sodom and Gomorrah and made a clean sweep of the people there, including Lot and all that they had (Genesis 14:116). A servant escaped to inform Abraham of what had happened. Abraham knew this was no time to weep but a time for action.

Since his mind was clear, he immediately received direction from the Lord and pursued them. He recovered all. After David wiped his tears, he sought God’s face for direction. He followed God’s lead, pursued the enemies and recovered everything. You are about to recover all you lost if only you can dry your tears, seek guidance from God and act on it. As you seek Jesus this season, He will turn your loss into gain.

ACTIONPOINT: If you must weep, take your tears to the Throne of Grace. If you desire sympathy, get it from Heaven. Heaven's sympathy is accompanied by positive changes.

Open Heavens November 24, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Chron 20-23

USES OF AFFLICTIONS

MEMORIZE: "Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction" (Isaiah 48:10)

READ: Hebrews 12:9-11

As bad as afflictions may be, they have something good to offer sincere believers, leaving them better, richer and more blessed after the affliction. It helps you to learn obedience and stick with God’s Word (Hebrews 5:8, 12:5-10). Psalms 119:71 says, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes”. Some of us keep a distance from God’s Word until a calamity strikes. In the panic which follows, we will pray and study our Bible and in the process draw nearer to God. May afflictions draw you closer to God and teach you what God wants you to learn. God’s approved affliction is never meant to work against you, but for you. It is not to destroy you but to build you up. That fire of affliction is not meant to devour, but to bless you.

Another use of afflictions is that it helps to purge, refine, purify and increase your productivity. There is gold in you. The seed of greatness has been planted in you. Your gold or fruit of greatness will never be revealed except through the fire of affliction. You cannot become more fruitful than your present level of productivity until you go through the fire of pruning (John 15:2). Even after being told that their affliction is as a result of a trial of their faith, some believers still resist it. Do not resist what will bring out the best in you. 1 Corinthians 10:5-11 tells us how an understanding of the afflicted helps to prevent us from falling where our predecessors fell. The fact that some Israelites committed fornication and the nation lost 23,000 Israelites is enough warning to modern day believers not to fornicate. Unfortunately, many of us are not taking such warning to heart.

According to Job 33:14-29, God allows afflictions to prevent pride in His children. Your degree of sincerity can be ascertained through an affliction (James 5:10-11). Mark 4:17 says, “And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended”. Are you offended when persecuted? Or do you rejoice like the disciples in the Early Church that you are blessed to be counted worthy to suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ? Your response to afflictions or persecutions emanating from God’s Word shows genuiness of your faith and love for the Master.

ACTIONPOINT: Ask for grace to prevent foolish afflictions and to successfully learn from whatever God has allowed you to go through.

Open Heavens November 23, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Chron 17-19

HOLDING BACK?

MEMORIZE: "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent" (Rev. 3:19)

READ: Revelation 3:19-20

Jesus Christ is a gentleman. He never takes what you don’t give to Him. He will not force you against your will. God gave you a will and gives you the freedom to do what you like with it. Hence in Revelation 3:20, He says He will only enter the door you open to Him. If you keep the door shut, He will stay outside. In Deuteronomy 30:19 He puts life and death before you, but allows you to make up your mind on which to choose. The Lord will give you reasons to obey Him but He will not compel you to live holy, give offering, pay tithes and first fruits, or preach the Word to unbelievers. Any area you do not allow Jesus to enter in your life becomes a target of the enemy. Some Christians invite Jesus into their hearts but not their businesses, marriages, finances. No wonder the devourer is having a filled day in such unprotected areas. What are you holding back?

 
Before I became saved, my wife had three children by caesarean section. But after we knew the Lord, she miraculously had a baby boy by normal delivery. By this, we believed he was a special child and we were full of joy. Between two and three years he took ill. Since we believed in divine healing, we prayed for several days but the illness rather grew worse. On the tenth day, I asked the Lord what I was expected to do having prayed, vowed, fasted, observed night vigils without any respite. God’s answer was rather shocking! He told me there was no answer because the baby in question was my son. I got the message and changed my prayer: “Father, heal your son. He is no longer mine”. The boy recovered within the next hour! Never love the gift beyond the Giver. You may be parents over your children, yet God retains the deeds of ownership, hence Psalms 127:3 says children are God’s heritage.

 

According to our reading, there is a unique relationship the Lord desires with you that cannot hold because you yield only a part or nothing to Him. Any area of your life under self government remains a hindrance to an excellent relationship with the Master. Like it happened to me, some believers have over-personalized their blessings and endowments to their detriment. How much of your life, assets and plans you lay at the altar of sacrifice determines the extent of trust you repose in God. If you cannot trust the One who sees the past, present and future at the same time, who will you trust? If you can entrust your spiritual instability to Him, He will stabilize you. There is divine insurance coverage over the areas you have entrusted to the Lord.

 

ACTIONPOINT: Examine your life. List the areas under divine government and those under self-government. Totally yield to His lordship today.

Open Heavens November 21, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Chron 10-13

MISSING ITEM ON SHOPPING LIST?

MEMORIZE: "And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him" (Matthew 25:6)

READ: Matthew 25:1-5

“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). Nothing moves me like the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His own. This is a message I am happy to preach about any day to whoever cares to listen. Any Christian who has lost sight of the Second Coming of our Lord has nothing else to live for. The bottom line of most activities today is to gain the world - acquire money, material assets, etc. But every mundane acquisition without a complimentary spiritual acquisition amounts to a loss. God is interested in blessing His children with material blessings. However, every blessing needs a foundation. The gifts of the Spirit are great. The fruit of the Spirit however are the foundation on which the gifts should rest. If you have not developed the fruit of the Spirit, whatever material blessings you have can easily go with the wind. One reason God allows us to go through fire, water and other wilderness experiences, is to give us the opportunity of building a solid foundation for our blessings. Or else we would have no strength to retain them.

A look at the Parable of the 10 virgins tells us of three major periods - the preparation period, the waiting period and the unannounced arrival. How you handle the first two periods will determine the state at which the Bridegroom will meet you. You will notice that the virgins first prepared for the return of the Bridegroom by getting their lamps, oil and setting out to the designated location. They knew they had no business waiting for the Bridegroom until they had prepared. If you look around you, you will find that most of the believers who make mention of or even teach the second advent of Christ do not take it serious. They are not prepared. Now is the time to prepare. Are you prepared for His second coming? Now is the time to go to the Heavenly departmental stores to do some shopping. Go and shop for grace to forgive and love your neighbor. Shop for strength to pray. Shop for grace to live victoriously over sin. Any vital item missing on your shopping list makes you unprepared. If you have a pending restitution, you are not prepared. If you are up today, down tomorrow, you are not prepared. If you are still begrudging your neighbor, you are not yet ready. Are you defaulting in tithes or vows? You are not prepared. What is lacking in your life today? Get it fast before it is too late. Without preparation no believer can enter the heavenly planet!

ACTIONPOINT: Ask the Holy Spirit to expose all areas you need to prepare for the coming of the Lord. Take steps to do so now.

Open Heavens November 20, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Chron 7-9

AHEAD OF THE ENEMY

MEMORIZE: "A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes" (Proverbs 20:8)

READ: 1 Samuel 17:48-49

In 2 Kings 6:18, Elisha did not only refuse to run but also went on the offensive. He got his enemies to become blind. The Lord will strike with blindness all agents of darkness sent against you this season in Jesus’ Name. However, never wait until the enemy enters your house, business, ministry, etc. before you act. In the parable of the Wheat and Tares recorded in Luke 13:24-30, it was while men slept that the enemy crept in and sowed tares in the wheat field. Many calamities believers suffer are preventable. Not all wilderness experiences are led of the Spirit. Quite a number of them are self induced. Heaven will not compensate you for the suffering brought on yourself, but the ones God has approved for you to go through. You can prevent the enemy from entering into your life. But if the enemy is already inside, do not wait until he starts harassing you. Do something about it! Be on the offensive! The best form of defense is adopting an offensive strategy.

A look at winners shows this offensive trait. 1 Samuel 17:48 says, “And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine”. In the battle between David and Goliath, while the latter walked towards the former, David ran towards his opponent. You must always be steps ahead of your enemy. That means, you should live a very watchful and guarded life. Always be on your guard. Pre- empt the steps of your opponent, or receive it by revelation from God’s presence, and immediately take steps to prevent him. The offensive party is always the winning party. Throughout His life and ministry, our Lord Jesus was always offensive in posture. He never waited for events to take place before acting. He always pre-prayed the day’s events and thereby kept His enemies on the defensive. Do not let the sack letter meet you before you start panic praying. Pray ahead to prevent sack, demotion, denial, even when there is no sign of such in sight. Pray against war in time of peace. Pray against enemies’ attacks when there is no threat. Pray for your future today. If you can sow prayers into future promotions, you will receive the best and the grace to remain standing. Some believers’ blessings have already been tampered with by the enemy, for failing to pray adequately before their arrival?

ACTIONPOINT: If you always embark on fire-brigade prayers and measures, you will remain a perpetual victim of circumstance and casualty of enemies' fire.

Open Heavens November 19, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Chron 4-6

TENT VIEW OR SKY VIEW?

MEMORIZE: "And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be" (Genesis 15:5)

READ: Genesis 15:1-5

“And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be” (Genesis 15:5). In fulfilling destiny, you cannot under estimate the place of vision. People are where they are now because of what they saw some years ago. If you cannot see your future, it is doubtful if you can ever get there. What your eyes can see, your mind can conceive. If you depend on your limited valley view, you cannot become anyone special. To see more, you need to climb higher. If you keep away from God’s presence, you cannot know God’s high calling upon you. You may never discover your ultimate divine destiny outside the mountain of God ’s presence. God had to bring Abraham out of his limited tent view into unlimited sky view for him to become the father of nations. To get to where God is taking you, you have to dump your tent view. Drop every vision, goal or target that falls within reach for the seemingly impossible vision that comes from above. You are more than you think you are. Never rate yourself by the limits of your strength, ability, resources, etc. As long as God is on your side, you are more than sufficient.

 
The Lord miraculously provided 114 acres of land for our camp at Dallas , Texas .  I went to see the place and decided to spend the night alone with God. At some point, I came out of the caravan to pray while walking, around but it was quite cold so I returned to the caravan. My spirit was not at peace so I defied the cold and came out to pray. It was while praying, that the Lord told me He had given me all the land I can see there. I thanked Him, prayed some more and went to sleep. The following day, I disclosed what the Lord told me to some of my boys but asked them to keep it to themselves. Although it appeared impossible, they however said ‘Amen’. Today, we already have 580 acres. When we newly entered the land, there was a big storey building which I liked. I told the brother who was driving me, ‘This is my house’. He laughed. A few years ago, the owner of that house came to tell us he wants to sell the house and adjoining land. He pleaded for us to give him a little while before moving. What you see is what you get. Joseph saw his brothers bowing down to him and it came to pass. Joseph’s father took note of Joseph’s dream because he knew the power of vision. The vision of a visioner sustains him. You will not die until you birth your vision. Do you have a vision?

ACTIONPOINT: What is God's vision for your life? Write it out and channel all your resources towards achieving it.

Open Heavens November 18, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Chron 1-3

THAT LOSS IS RECOVERABLE

MEMORIZE: "And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer worm, my great army which I sent among you" (Joel 2:25)

READ: Revelation 3:7-8

When life’s situations and circumstances are becoming too impossible, it’s time to look up. In Psalms 121:1, David says, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help”. Whenever you get to your wits end and there appears to be no way out, look up to the One who made the heavens and the earth. He will create one for you! A very good natured and lovable sister had a ‘but’ in her life. It was her son who suffered epileptic fits. Living with neighbors was cordial and pleasant until the boy suffered a crisis. As a result she was asked to move out of the house. They could not stand it. This continued for several years until one day. She was on her way to the market with her son when he suffered another crisis. Being a public place, people saw what happened and fled, but she held the boy, stood him on his feet and cried to the Helper of the helpless: “Oh God, I may be alone at the moment but I know you are present: help me”. That was how the child was miraculously healed.

Are you going through a situation that you cannot disclose to your friends or spouse? The Lord will intervene today. Another reason you should look up to God is because whatever you have lost may be out of your reach, but within the reach of the Almighty God. Have the enemies buried your star, blessings and entitlements in an unknown place? The Lord who sees everything, whose hands are not short, will locate and release them to you in Jesus’ Name. This is why He promised to restore lost years that your enemies thought are forever gone (Joel 2:25). They are not gone! Have you worked for months or years without being paid? The Lord will restore your pay. Have you patiently labored for the Lord and your colleagues have overtaken you and appear more successful than you? Relax. Rejoice in the Lord. The Lord is faithful and He will restore what you have lost. The Lord will make it up to you. The door the enemy has shut will open today. Revelation 3:7 talks of a divine Master key called the key of David. Whatever is locked by this key can never be reopened; and whatever is opened by this key can never be shut. The Lord Jesus has this key with Him and He has given it to us. Today, the Lord will lock out every evil thing from your life and family, and open every door of blessing to you.

ACTIONPOINT: Use the name of Jesus to lock out any undesirable situation and to open the doors of your desires.

Open Heavens November 17, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ezek 19-21

BORN INTO TROUBLE?

MEMORIZE: "Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward" (Job 5:7)

READ: Job 5:6-11

“Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). Some afflictions are self-induced while some are inherited. Many children were born into trouble. Jabez was one of such victims, hence he was named after the sorrowful circumstance of his birth. In 2 Kings 5:20-27, through acts of greed and covetousness, Gehazi attracted Naaman’s leprosy. But the curse was to affect generations after him. This meant that innocent children in his lineage were born into leprosy. There is no record that any of Gehazi’s descendants changed their fate, but Jabez did. Since you were not consulted before being born into the home, country, continent, colour, tribe and tongue of your birth, you could not have prevented being born into the afflictions inherent in your family. But like Jabez, you can change it! If you fail to do so, it is because you are contented with the way things are. The day you get fed up and revolt against that ancestral curse or affliction, and cry unto God, a change will come. If men do not live beyond 40 years in your family, you will break the rule. If women do not have a settled marriage in your family, your case will be different. Every affliction you were born into shall be terminated this season in Jesus’ Name. You are coming out of that family bed of affliction now!

Another cause of affliction is resentment. In Genesis 16:4-11, after Hagar -Sarah’s maid conceived, she began to look down on her madam. She disrespected and flouted her instructions with utter recklessness. She was beginning to behave as the new madam of the house, since she had become pregnant. That made Sarah maltreat her until she fled for her life. Some believers are suffering for their foolishness. Some sufferings are caused by inability to submit to leadership. They allow pride and haughtiness to displace the grace of God upon their lives. They question the authority of the church, challenge their leaders and spearhead revolts because they have been ordained, appointed a leader or acquired certain material or financial blessings. Such sufferings could have been avoided. Job 33:14-29 says pride is another major cause of affliction. Have you attracted afflictions upon yourself or family in any way? Repent today and ask God for forgiveness. Totally turn your back on anything capable of bringing you afflictions. Most afflictions are avoidable!

ACTIONPOINT: Were you born into trouble? You can live out of trouble if you contact the Troubler of troubles.

Open Heavens November 16, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ezek 15-18

POINT OF COLLISION

MEMORIZE: "Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son"(Genesis 18:14)

READ: Genesis 18:10-15

Abraham and Sarah fought the problem of barrenness from youth till old age. There are certain battles that believers fight virtually throughout their lives. At old age, Sarah was not supposed to bear a child. That means Sarah’s evening became her morning. At the time she should have had grandchildren, she began to nurse her first child. God gave her a fresh start in her old age! Who told you your womb will not conceive? Who said because you are getting old, you will not enter financial prosperity? Who said you cannot make it in life just because you are over 40, 50 or 60? They are in for a surprise! At 80, when Moses was planning his retirement, Heaven was getting ready to commission him on a most important assignment. Your blessing will locate you. Your good expectations are only reserved, not denied. God wants to turn your old age into youth, your night into morning. You shall be fruitful. Your womb shall carry your babies and deliver them safely.

A sister wrestled with barrenness for many years. She became a subject of ridicule in her neighborhood particularly among her relatives. The doctor told her she had no womb and so it was practically impossible for conception to take place. The future looked bleak but she refused to answer the name offered by circumstances. She was invited to one of our programmes one day and God’s favor singled her out of the crowd. A word of knowledge came, ‘There is a woman here who has been told she can never have a child. The Lord is saying you will soon have a set of twins’. She immediately received and believed the word. Not long after, she became pregnant. One day, she went for a scan and it revealed that there was one baby. But she protested the result, affirming to the doctor that God had told her she was carrying a set of twins. On the day of delivery, she went through a cesarean operation and to the shock of everyone present, she had a set of twins! After congratulating her, the medical director confessed that having taken delivery of 25,000 babies in all his years of practice, hers remains the first case of a woman without a womb to give birth. He said he wondered how she could have carried the babies in her stomach without a womb: and that she broke every medical record known to him. You too are set to break records. That problem tormenting your life will collide with the Almighty and give way today.

ACTIONPOINT: Faith is central to every manifestation of the miraculous in our lives. What are you doing to increase your faith?

Open Heavens November 16, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ezek 12-14

TAKE YOUR STAND

MEMORIZE: "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD" (Psalms 119:1)

READ: Psalms 119:1-8

Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were four of the Jewish captives carried into Babylon. The city of Babylon in those days was the headquarters of evil. Idolatry ruled the day. Immorality was rife. The prevalence of sin in Babylon swept the other Jewish captives into compromise. “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself” (Daniel 1:8). One reason God caused those four Hebrews to stand out was because they were determined to remain wholly dedicated to God. No pressure from fellow compromising Jews, officials of the king, or the king himself could make them change their minds. Meanwhile, God was watching with keen interest. He saw four men who stood to make His name known, so He arose and distinguished them from the crowd. Daniel 1:17 says God made their intellectual womb so fertile that it became an uphill task for any student to catch up with them. It was an impossibility. This shows that God is ever ready to increase whatever He has given to you. Are you great? You can be greater. Are you intelligent? You can become more intelligent. The other lesson is that the degree to which you determine to stand for God and use whatever He has given you to make Him known, will determine the measure of multiplication
Heaven will release to you.

Daniel stood against defilement. Psalms 119:1 says, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD”. Do you realize that every atom of defilement that comes into your heart robs you of the winning streak? That defilement is out to steal from you. Joseph refused to be defiled. He resisted being raped by his master’s lustful wife. If he had yielded, he could have told the world he did not want to do it, but was raped. Many believers today rationalize compromise. Men might exonerate you, but will God do so when He knows you refused to use the way of escape available to you? Joseph knew that single act of compromise could truncate his destiny, so he fled. What are you doing that can rob you of your future glory? If you will be outstanding, you must first take your stand for Jesus.

ACTIONPOINT: Each act of defilement destroys a building block of your glorious future until that glory is completely eroded. Stop mortgaging your future!

Open Heavens November 15, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ezek 12-14

TAKE YOUR STAND

MEMORIZE: "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD" (Psalms 119:1)

READ: Psalms 119:1-8

Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were four of the Jewish captives carried into Babylon. The city of Babylon in those days was the headquarters of evil. Idolatry ruled the day. Immorality was rife. The prevalence of sin in Babylon swept the other Jewish captives into compromise. “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself” (Daniel 1:8). One reason God caused those four Hebrews to stand out was because they were determined to remain wholly dedicated to God. No pressure from fellow compromising Jews, officials of the king, or the king himself could make them change their minds. Meanwhile, God was watching with keen interest. He saw four men who stood to make His name known, so He arose and distinguished them from the crowd. Daniel 1:17 says God made their intellectual womb so fertile that it became an uphill task for any student to catch up with them. It was an impossibility. This shows that God is ever ready to increase whatever He has given to you. Are you great? You can be greater. Are you intelligent? You can become more intelligent. The other lesson is that the degree to which you determine to stand for God and use whatever He has given you to make Him known, will determine the measure of multiplication
Heaven will release to you.

Daniel stood against defilement. Psalms 119:1 says, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD”. Do you realize that every atom of defilement that comes into your heart robs you of the winning streak? That defilement is out to steal from you. Joseph refused to be defiled. He resisted being raped by his master’s lustful wife. If he had yielded, he could have told the world he did not want to do it, but was raped. Many believers today rationalize compromise. Men might exonerate you, but will God do so when He knows you refused to use the way of escape available to you? Joseph knew that single act of compromise could truncate his destiny, so he fled. What are you doing that can rob you of your future glory? If you will be outstanding, you must first take your stand for Jesus.

ACTIONPOINT: Each act of defilement destroys a building block of your glorious future until that glory is completely eroded. Stop mortgaging your future!

Open Heavens November 14, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: John 11:13-31

HIGH QUALITY SPIRITUAL PRODUCT

MEMORIZE: "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;" (1 Peter 1:15)

READ: 1 Peter 1:14-16

1Peter 2:9 says believers are a royal priesthood. High quality products in Britain usually bear the mark of the Queen of England. For instance, you will read on the pack of a high quality soap:“by appointment soap maker to the queen”. Whenever you see such a statement, it means you are dealing with a product of the highest quality. Spiritually, a royal priesthood means “by appointment, priest to the King of kings”. Revelation 1:6 lends credence to this when it said we have been made kings and priests to God by our Lord Jesus Christ. You have been chosen by appointment of the One whose Name is above every other name. In Israel those days, every priest was totally consecrated to should wholly consecrate his life to God, and daily offer sweet-smelling, living sacrifices unto God (Romans 12:1). For instance, your tongue should be full of quality praise and worship unto the One who appointed you a Kingdom priest. You should mobilize all parts of your body towards showing forth His praise. To what extent are you doing this O Priest of the Most High?

Believers are also called a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9). God is holy. He equally wants us to be like Him. If you must be blessed, you must manifest God’s holiness. Holiness and righteousness must be your watchword, emblem and pastime. You must be fond of holy living. Your life-style must reflect your godly nature. In line with this, believers should offer their sacrifices under the best conditions that could elicit Heaven’s acceptance. In Biblical days, there was a portion of the temple that only Jews could enter. Any Gentile who stepped there would be stoned to death. You had the Outer Court, Inner Court and the Holy of Hollies. Priests could enter the inner court but not the Holy of Hollies which was exclusively for the High Priest -once a year.

If the High Priest entered there and made any mistake, only his corpse would come out. The Lord will not accept frivolous, deceptive or haphazard service or commitment from modern Kingdom priests. Whatever you do, irrespective of its magnitude, must be done in holiness. Today, so many workers and leaders handle God’s work with levity. Sometime ago, while on my prayer walk at the church headquarters before Sunday school class one Sunday morning, I could not help noticing a sister who was engaged in aggressive prayers at a corner of the church. I felt concerned and went to ask her what was wrong. And she said, No problem except that she was asked to take a solo for a few minutes. That is how it should be! God observes and records all attitudes to His assignments. Be careful!

ACTIONPOINT: If you can pay maximum attention in preparing for the least assignment, you are on your way to the award of faithfulness.

Open Heavens November 13, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Ezek 1-3

CONDITIONS FOR SPIRITUAL SIGHT

MEMORIZE: "For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever" (Gen. 13:15)

READ: Genesis 13:14-18

The meekest of men are the greatest recipient of divine revelations and spiritual sight. May the Lord open your eyes to clearly see and hear activities in the spiritual realm in Jesus’ Name. Besides meekness, another qualification for open spiritual eyes is fullness of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:13-14, Jesus said that it is the duty of the Holy Spirit to show you things to come. If you can remain full of the Holy Spirit, you will constantly access spiritual information. Some people are full of anger, bitterness, clamour, envy, unforgiveness, greed, covetousness, etc. These are spirits. Any time you are filled with any of them, you are filled with Satan. 2 Corinthians 6:15 says, “And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?”. In Acts 5:1-3 when Ananias conspired with his wife to lie against the Holy Spirit, he was full of the spirit of lies. Peter told him point blank: “Satan has filled your heart”.


Light and darkness cannot dwell together. Light must displace darkness. The reason many believers are not full of the Holy Spirit is because they are already filled with something else. What has filled your heart? If the door to spiritual sight and revelation will be opened to you, you must possess the fear of God. Psalms 25:14 says God has made those who fear Him custodians of divine secrets and mysteries. Do you have the fear of God? It is not enough to profess it: you must possess it. If you fear God, it will show to all and sundry. It will be evident in total love, devotion and obedience to God. It will show in your ability to hate sin as much as God does. To what extent do you fear God? If confronted with two conflicting situations - one calling for attention to your loved ones and the other calling for attention to God’s call, which would you obey?

Another requirement for spiritual sight is prayer. Jeremiah 33:3 says as you call on God in prayer, He will show you great and mighty things you do not know. If you hardly see into the realm of the spirit, it could be a pointer to prayerlessness. If you want your spiritual eyes opened, be prepared to pray particularly in the spirit - the language of the Holy Spirit. You must do so regularly for at least two hours daily. The ability to see spiritually affords you the power of vision. And what you can see, you can have. God told Abraham that what he can have would be determined by what he can see. Never limit your sight. Abraham saw his children as stars of the night and he eventually had countless children (Gen. 15:1-5). What can you see?

ACTIONPOINT: Personalize and pray these scriptures frequently for seven days. You could add fasting: Ephesians 1:16-19; 3:16-19 and Colossians 1:9-11.

Open Heavens November 12, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Psa 55-57

FOUNDATION INDUCED CLOSED DOORS

MEMORIZE: "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalms 11:3)

READ: 1 Chronicles 4:-9-106

Besides sin, another factor responsible for closed doors is defective foundation. Psalms 11:3 says, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”. The foundation is the origin of something. Jabez had a foundational problem. The reason doors of blessings, promotion, and favor refused to open to him was because his mother named him ‘closed doors’. It became natural therefore for doors of opportunity to close whenever he got to the scene. One day, Jabez cried to the Lord for a name change -from sorrow to joy. In other words, he was asking God to revisit his foundation and bring about a new order. The problems of some Christians are below-surface. They are root-based or foundational problems. As you call on God today, He will visit your foundation and correct every seen and unseen defect. Until your foundation is right, whatever is built upon it cannot be right.

“In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly” (Job 1:22). Another reason for closed doors is the inability to contain setbacks, obstacles and disappointments. Certain difficulties come to try your faith and bring out the real substance in you. A setback could come to prepare the ground for your promotion. Like He allowed Jesus, God may allow you to go through certain difficulties so as to teach you beautiful lessons. But if you fail to confirm the purpose of such challenges and allow them to make a shipwreck of your faith, the doors that should have opened would be shut. The Bible records that when Job went through a series of mishaps, he was not swept away by the current, but stood his ground and was better placed in every area of loss. It is my prayer that you will win in the battle against setbacks.

Another factor shutting the doors against many today is selfishness. As long as you choose to walk in your set ways, glorify the flesh and keep the Holy Spirit aside, you may continue to experience closed doors (Romans 8:5-6). Gehazi was set to make history as a greater prophet than his master - Elisha. But he allowed covetousness, greed and lies, shut the door of eternal relevance against him. The one who was meant to cure lepers became the father of lepers. Do you know that godliness with contentment can open doors for you? Many believers have lost several openings to greed, lies and covetousness. Satan and his cohorts can also shut doors against you. Be sober and vigilant. Arise and deal with all door shutting enemies in your life!

ACTIONPOINT: Father, visit my foundation and correct every defect so as to positively affect my destiny.

Open Heavens November 11, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Psa 55-57

FOUNDATION INDUCED CLOSED DOORS

MEMORIZE: "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalms 11:3)

READ: 1 Chronicles 4:-9-106

Besides sin, another factor responsible for closed doors is defective foundation. Psalms 11:3 says, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”. The foundation is the origin of something. Jabez had a foundational problem. The reason doors of blessings, promotion, and favor refused to open to him was because his mother named him ‘closed doors’. It became natural therefore for doors of opportunity to close whenever he got to the scene. One day, Jabez cried to the Lord for a name change -from sorrow to joy. In other words, he was asking God to revisit his foundation and bring about a new order. The problems of some Christians are below-surface. They are root-based or foundational problems. As you call on God today, He will visit your foundation and correct every seen and unseen defect. Until your foundation is right, whatever is built upon it cannot be right.

“In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly” (Job 1:22). Another reason for closed doors is the inability to contain setbacks, obstacles and disappointments. Certain difficulties come to try your faith and bring out the real substance in you. A setback could come to prepare the ground for your promotion. Like He allowed Jesus, God may allow you to go through certain difficulties so as to teach you beautiful lessons. But if you fail to confirm the purpose of such challenges and allow them to make a shipwreck of your faith, the doors that should have opened would be shut. The Bible records that when Job went through a series of mishaps, he was not swept away by the current, but stood his ground and was better placed in every area of loss. It is my prayer that you will win in the battle against setbacks.

Another factor shutting the doors against many today is selfishness. As long as you choose to walk in your set ways, glorify the flesh and keep the Holy Spirit aside, you may continue to experience closed doors (Romans 8:5-6). Gehazi was set to make history as a greater prophet than his master - Elisha. But he allowed covetousness, greed and lies, shut the door of eternal relevance against him. The one who was meant to cure lepers became the father of lepers. Do you know that godliness with contentment can open doors for you? Many believers have lost several openings to greed, lies and covetousness. Satan and his cohorts can also shut doors against you. Be sober and vigilant. Arise and deal with all door shutting enemies in your life!

ACTIONPOINT: Father, visit my foundation and correct every defect so as to positively affect my destiny.

Open Heavens November 10, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Psa 52-54

PROVOKING AFFLICTION

MEMORIZE: "A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin" (Proverbs 26:28)

READ: Genesis 31:36-42

“Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word” (Psalms 119: 67). Besides hypocrisy and sin, another factor responsible for affliction is backsliding. There is no one who turns his or her back from God that will not be afflicted. Such afflictions are two pronged: from God and Satan. When you dump God, He equally dumps the fellow. Hebrews 10:38-39 says the backslider is destined for destruction. But before he goes to hell, because God no longer takes pleasure in him, he will become a victim of his enemies. Another reason a backslider will be hit by the forces of darkness is because such a fellow once tormented them while in Christ. Have you fallen from favor with God, the satanic kingdom will come for their pound of flesh. A backslider lives in fear. He has no peace. No certainty of future bliss. However such afflictions are avoidable.

According to Genesis 27:1-46 and Genesis 32:11, maltreatment of others is acause of affliction. Jacob sold a plate of porridge to his brother in exchange for his birthright. Later, he deceived his brother and stole his blessing. That led him into exile. For many years he could not return home. He suffered in many ways. He worked for Laban but his wages were constantly reviewed downward. He worked for seven years to marry his heart throb - Rachel. After the wedding, he discovered the following morning that he was given Leah her elder sister. So he had to work for another seven years to get Rachel. He lived in fear of death. He was afraid that all his possessions could be destroyed in one day. Have you been oppressing others in your office, parish, family, neighborhood? Repent and restitute before your seed yields a bad harvest.

The mouth of some people is what is responsible for their afflictions. Proverbs 26:28 says, “A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin”. The mouth has a tremendous role to play in the destiny of the body. You must be very careful what you use your mouth to say. If you keep confessing that times are hard, dry and difficult, they will remain so. Even when the rains are positioned at your direction, such negative confession will turn them away. Many predicaments that befall believers are a product of past negative confessions. If the situation is unpleasant, confess something positive about it. Maintain your positive disposition and confession and expect it to come to pass.

ACTIONPOINT: It is foolishness to bring afflictions to yourself rather than prevent them.

Open Heavens November 9, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Psa 49-51

POSSIBILITIES OF HIS PRESENCE

MEMORIZE: "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (2 Corinthians 3:17)

READ: Acts 18: 13-16

The presence of God offers believers great possibilities. The attitude of Christians to God’s presence reveals the quality of life they live. If you meet with a fellow who has cultivated the habit of going into God’s presence, you can easily distinguish such an individual from another who hardly goes there. Regular visitors or permanent residents of His presence display lots of courage. They are not moved by the noise of a riotous storm. They are not shaken by the quake of the earth. They are not scared by the fury of the oppressor. They are not worried by the emptiness of their bank accounts, etc. because they know everything can be settled in God’s presence. Any believer who is easily worried, disturbed, or distracted to a point of dislocation is simply displaying distance from God’s presence. How regular have you been to God’s presence? In His presence, you can realize all your potentials and possibilities.

According to today’s reading, if you are being chased by enemies and run into God’s presence, it is either they turn back at the entrance, or they will fall and are consumed. Any enemy that follows you into God’s presence will be roasted. Similarly, Psalms 16:11 says whenever your container of joy is half empty or completely dry, where to go for replenishment is God’s presence. It also says that you will find uncommon pleasures there. If you love pleasure, especially the special kind, go regularly into His presence. “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17). All lovers of freedom need to come into His presence. Whatever yoke or heavy load you have been carrying, when you come into God’s presence today, there will be a separation between you and the load. The Lord will separate you from every satanic load as you enter into His presence. The hills melt at His presence because there is a fire before Him. Every problem in your life turns into a candle and the fire of His presence ignites it. It burns progressively and melts the problems to extinction. Every problem in your life will melt this season as you regularly approach His presence. Enter in with thanksgiving and praise. Be full of expectations. Your change will come.

ACTIONPOINT: The glory that comes down each time you enter God's presence is the stipend your ministering angel requires to continue to render services to you. Without this, your angel may look away when you are in need.

Open Heavens November 8, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Psa 46-48

RELEASED INTO FRUITFULNESS

MEMORIZE: "But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold"(Matthew 13:8) 

READ: Matthew 13:1-9

The womb means different things to different people. The womb of a farmer is the ground. However, the fruitfulness of this farmer would be determined by the fertility of the soil. When seeds are sown into a fertile soil, a bountiful harvest can be expected. But if the soil is not a fertile one, little or no harvest will result. Some soils swallow up the seeds that come into them without producing any harvest. The good soils in today’s reading did not produce the same degree of harvest due to differences in soil fertility. Some produced thirtyfold, some sixty-fold while others a hundredfold. Whatever is preventing the womb of your business or source of livelihood from giving you optimum returns shall be destroyed in Jesus’ Name? Until he met Jesus, Peter was a fisherman. The womb of his fishing business was the river. His womb was barren hence all through his fishing years, he never got a breakthrough catch of fishes until that day Jesus healed the sickness that affected his womb.

 
With one throw from his net, he sank two ships with fishes. That area of your life that has been experiencing barrenness, and therefore unable to produce little or optimal yield shall be healed this season. In the same vein, the womb of a student is the brain. If the brain is fertile, failure will be a rarity to such a student. On the other hand, the student who constantly fails in examination is expressing mental barrenness. The womb of that brain is sick, hence it is incapable of producing results. In your academic pursuits you shall be fruitful. There is a user of this Devotional who has been undergoing a particular course, but unable to complete or graduate. His colleagues have graduated and left him behind. Divine help in form of healing is coming your way now. That siege is destroyed and you shall graduate not long from now. When the issue of barrenness is discussed, most people point accusing fingers at women. Ironically, there are more barren men than women. By virtue of being heads, men are confronted by greater opposing forces. This is why you need to pray for your head to be fruitful. You shall be fruitful from today. God has commanded you to be fruitful because you were designed to be so (Gen. 1:28). Nothing will hinder your fruitfulness henceforth. You are released into fruitfulness in every area of your life in Jesus’ Name.

 
ACTIONPOINT : Refuse to be barren! Ask God to destroy from its root any anti-fruitful element in your mind and being.

Open Heavens November 7, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Psa 43-45

TRULY SALT?

MEMORIZE: "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men" (Matthew 5:13)

READ: Matthew 5:13-16

1Peter 2:9 says you have been chosen. Why did God leave others and choose you? He chose you to positively affect your generation. Influence is power. Strong influence is tremendous power. A leader is one who can influence others in a particular way. God has chosen you to influence others in a godly way. God is happy with His choice when you are able to positively influence many people to follow His ways. Your ability to turn many away from unrighteousness to the
Kingdom of God, makes God pleased with His choice. And when God is pleased with you, He may not be able to contain His joy sometimes, hence He makes public declarations of His favorites to the world like He did to Jesus (Matt. 3:17). To what extent do you please Him? Many of us have not maximally exploited our circle of influence - all those under our influence. If you can do this, you will have quite a number of them obeying the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Today’s reading compares believers with salt and light.

As salt, you are to sweeten your generation. You are the sugar in the tea cup of the world. Without you, their lives will remain tasteless or even bitter. How many individuals or families have you sweetened since they met you? Salt preserves. Introducing salt to meat can keep worms, flies and decay at bay. If you are the salt of your generation, to what extent is your presence keeping away spiritual worms and demonic flies from your surrounding? If your taking a ride in a bus or vehicle cannot prevent an accident earlier scheduled against that vehicle, it is questionable whether you are truly the salt of the earth. Some agents of darkness gathered to cause accidents at a particular road junction.

They had already got some victims and were sucking their blood into their spiritual blood banks when a genuine salt of the earth started heading in their direction. They could see him from afar like a shaft of light. Before he got to that spot, they ran away. Thereafter, they waited until the aura he carried had completely gone before resuming their nefarious activities. What benefits are those around you getting? As long as Joseph was in the house of his master, God prospered all Potiphar had. When he threw Joseph into prison, his prosperity ebbed. It was then he became doubly sure that he just had an encounter with the salt of the earth! Paul’s presence protected everyone on board a ship from death. Although the ship sank, no life was lost. What are members of your extended family benefiting from being linked to you?

ACTIONPOINT: Intercede for members of your extended family, neighbors and colleagues at work. Ask that your benefit as salt of the earth will positively affect their lives.

Open Heavens November 6, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Tim 1-3

MISSION OF DISCOURAGEMENT

MEMORIZE: "And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives" (1 Samuel 30:18)

READ: Joshua 14:6-15

One great lesson any child of destiny should learn from 2 Kings 6:13-14, is never to be discouraged. After repeated defeats, the king of Syria still sent his soldiers after Elisha. Some of us give up too soon. The only way you can be assured of victory in any endeavor is by keeping your doors permanently closed on discouragement. Everyone goes through moments of disappointments or discouragement but how you handle it, is what determines what you are made of. David and his men encountered discouragement in a formidable way. They returned home one day and found that their wives and children had become slaves and their city razed down by fire. They did not know where to start.

Leaders must be careful not to express discouragement especially in the midst of their subordinates. As a leader, you should have a word of hope for the hopeless and stir up faith in the faithless. If the wind of discouragement that sweeps over a congregation also prevails over the leadership, then Satan would have a field day. Whenever the spirit of discouragement comes, what does it intend to accomplish? It takes your focus from God to the problem contrary to Hebrews 12:2. If you concentrate on the problem at hand, it will be magnified. Discouragement paints a picture of impossibility - that nothing can be done to remedy the situation contrary to Luke 1:37. No matter how bad your case is, something can be done. The One who specializes in turning the impossible to become possible is around you, and if you can call on Him today, He will presently send help. Also, discouragement makes you lose the tears you should shed for joy to sorrow.

Remember, whenever you weep as a result of discouragement, you lose something precious. Discouragement robs you of strength, hope and direction. Hence you should put all major decisions on hold when discouraged. Discouragement blinds you to the solution to your problem. Hagar was discouraged and feeling hopeless, hence she could not see the well of providence beside her. Discouragement finally teams up with the spirit of suicide and tells you there’s nothing to live for, go and commit suicide. Don’t. You have a lot to live for. That end of the road is actually the beginning of your turning point - the beginning of your greatness. You are not alone. Help is locating you from above. Recount God’s mercies, thank Him, reject the spirit of discouragement and receive God’s guidance. You will recover all you have lost!

ACTIONPOINT: Some people are made of steel, some of wood and others of stubble. Your attitude to disappointment and discouragement reveals what you are made of.

Open Heavens November 5, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Zech 11-14

NO CAUSE FOR ALARM

MEMORIZE: "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision" (Psalms 2:4)

READ: Psalm 2:1-5

It is a wonderful thing to have spiritual sight. In 2 Kings 6:13-17, Elisha prayed for the eyes of his servant to be opened and God heard him. Immediately, he saw differently. The besieging Syrian army that had made him panic were besieged by an angelic host. His fear disappeared. Until you see with your spiritual eyes, you will never have a correct view of your situation. If only you could see into the realm of the spirit, you would realize that there is no cause for alarm concerning those who have ganged up against your rise in the office. Why? It is because; there is another gang-up of heavenly host surrounding that gang-up. Hence, verse four of today’s reading says, “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision”. The Lord will turn all those who have formed an association against you into a laughing stock. Fear not, beloved. That siege over your life is a farce: it is under a super siege. The siege in your finances, family, and ministry is under a super siege. There is always a double siege at play whenever there is a siege involving a child of God. Whenever there is a double siege, the stronger force wins and takes all the booties. Every siege over your life is under a siege. Your besieging enemies are about to lose all their treasures, assets and weapons to the super siege!

Before the Lord opens your spiritual eyes to see events in the realm of the spirit, you need some vital virtues. You must be meek. Psalms 25:9-10 says it is those who are meek that qualify for heavenly guidance. According to Numbers 12:1-3, Moses excelled in spiritual vision during his life time because he was the meekest of men. Moses was not born at the time of the creation of the world, yet during his 40 days on the mountain, God revealed the secrets of the beginning to him. God is looking for meek people. Meekness is not weakness. The meek retains tremendous power because he has power but rarely uses it. It is difficult for meek people to be annoyed. If you have a violent temper, you need to cry to God for the spirit of meekness. The meeker you are, the stronger you are. It is a terrible weakness if one is easily provoked. The one who is quick to act in the flesh or fight for himself is very weak, because he is limited to his physical strength. If you fight for yourself, Heaven will keep the heavenly host from intervening in your situation. Ask God to open your spiritual eyes today!

ACTIONPOINT: Pray for the grace to be meek. Ask God to surround every siege in your life and destroy them now.

Open Heavens November 4, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Zech 7-10

SIN SHUTS DOORS

MEMORIZE: "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13)

READ: Matthew 9:1-7

“And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee” (Matthew 9:2). One major hindrance to open doors is sin. If you have reached the point of believing that you have become so special to God that even when you sin, it cannot affect you, you have already been trapped in Satan’s pit of deception. The daughter of a prominent world evangelist was thinking of marriage. For fear of certain prophecies that went ahead of her, she and the brother agreed to have a child before the wedding. They fornicated and she became pregnant. Getting close to her delivery, the spirit of death hung over her. It took God’s mercy to survive that delivery.

Even after the delivery, the spirit of death still loomed over her. One day, as a man of God met her and tried to make her realize that she and the brother had violated God’s Word by their premarital sex, and therefore needed to repent, she strongly disagreed. Then she told the man of God that it was not a mistake but a deliberate step to outsmart their enemies. But when the man of God further tried to convince her from the Word of God, that sin is sin irrespective of who committed it, she said, God has a way He deals with some of His special children. She meant she was above the law of God. She could sin and yet remain a saint.

“Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered” (Proverbs 11:21). Every sin has its pay: every sinner must receive the wages of his or her sin (Romans 6:23). The above lady was about to reap the wages of fornication - death but for the mercy of God. The above scripture says even if partners to a sin use the promise of God on agreement prayers stated in Matthew 18:18-20 to ask that the consequence of their sin be overlooked or cancelled, it will be a prayer in futility! The more special you are to God, the farther away from sin you should be. As special as David was, God never spared him of the repercussion of his sins. He suffered and his family too. Because of him, the sword is still devouring lives in Israel. You are not above God’s law! If you want open doors, recognize that you are a sinner, confess all known sins to God, resolve never to return to the sins, and commit your life to God. Read the Word of God daily and prayerfully put it into practice. Any unconfessed sin can keep the door to your breakthrough shut. Sin brought sickness to the paralytic in today’s reading. Sin is still responsible for most sicknesses today.

ACTIONPOINT: The man who allows his wife or daughter to wear clothes that show they are 'for sale' is out to sell them. Such a fellow should not complain after they are 'sold'

Open Heavens November 3, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Zech 4-6

RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT AFFLICTION?

MEMORIZE: "Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes" (Psalm 89:32)

READ: Psalms 89:28-33

Affliction is some evil - a calamity, something causing grief and sorrow. It is also a bad state - a state of wretchedness that someone can experience. In Isaiah 53:1-12, God allowed His Son Jesus Christ to be afflicted. He was wounded and afflicted to pay for our total salvation package. Without that sacrifice, all men would have ended us in hell. Even today, afflictions are a common feature in the lives of men. However, there is a cause for every affliction that comes your way. In Matthew 23:1-4, Jesus says the Jews were afflicted by their temple leaders out of hypocrisy. Placing doctrinal burdens on members of the church without abiding by them yourself is some kind of affliction. As a leader, you should be seen to observe what you teach or else you become a task master.

Wherever hypocrisy is found,suffering results. The hypocrite not only brings affliction to himself but also to those close to him. All hypocrisy- induced afflictions are avoidable. Another cause of affliction is sin. Psalms 89:32 says, “Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes”. Some believers are sick because of sinful indulgence. Some are facing serious hardship, not as a trial of faith, but as a consequence of sin. You can avoid all sin-induced sufferings. It is wisdom to live righteously and abhor every act God has warned you to. It is only a fool that dares violate God’s instruction because it will surely bring about suffering. During the yuletide season, a minister of God received a visitor. He had ministered to the fellow before. This minister was trusting God for provision for the Christmas

When the man came and gave him a cash gift of N150,000 in N1000 denominations. Before his arrival, God had given him specific instructions. Although he was in dire need of money, he only asked the man to change one of the N1000 notes out of which he took N10 and prayed with it that night. Then the Lord revealed that the man had killed several men of God through the same method. And that he was the target this time around. But that the N10 note was meant to invite His judgement on him. Unknown to this minister, the man was an armed robber. A few days later, the man was on his way to pick the minister as an accomplice in armed robbery when he met his death. If the servant of God had allowed greed or disobedience, he would have brought serious affliction or even death upon himself. Avoid afflictions. Stop inviting the evil that is going on its own!

ACTIONPOINT: If you can prevent afflictions by total obedience to God's Word, whatever is left may be a trial of faith.

Open Heavens November 2, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Zech 1-3

COVERED BY MOTHER HEN?

MEMORIZE: "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalms 91:1)

READ: Matthew 23:37-39

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). Another reason for coming apart is to access divine coverage. The eagle cannot see the chickens under the wings of their mother. God wants us under His wings. Matthew 23:37 says, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not”. The reason some believers are not enjoying full divine protection is because they refused to set themselves apart and be alone with God. The only time some people engage in meaningful, fervent prayer is when they come to church. They hardly spend time alone with God. Until Jacob stood alone with God, he remained what he had always been - a deceiver. The day he decided enough was enough, he parted with his family and everything else just to be alone with God. That day, his name was changed: his status quo changed. His destiny changed. The danger ahead of him turned to jubilation. When will you make time to be alone with God? If you are too busy to do so, it means it is not important to you.

In one Holy Ghost Service we organized, the Lord said that there was a lady with a problem in her intestines and that it has been taken care of. Later, the woman came to testify that she had been eating baby food for 23 years. But when the Word of God concerning her situation was mentioned, she claimed it in faith and ever since she can eat regular food. Whatever has troubled you for so long will come to an end this season. In ministry, be wary of those who are quick to start a church and call themselves “President or Founder.” The elders have a saying that while they are trying to deliver the chick from the eagle, it will be complaining that it was not allowed to enter the dunghill to feast on worms. There is much freedom when not under a spiritual cover. Many a time when the eagle attempts to pick a chick, the mother hen pecks it with its beak, and inflicts a wound. In the process, the eater becomes the prey. It is very attractive for a pastor to leave spiritual coverage and start his own ministry because nobody will ask him for tithes or records. But when the eagle comes, then he will realize he has been fattened for the slaughter. The cover you need is not the one you choose by yourself, but the one the Lord chooses for you. Are you under divine cover? If you are, remain there. Do not stray out of that cover except you want to be a prey.

ACTIONPOINT: The price into your greatest breakthrough or place of destiny is one no other person can pay but you. Have you paid it like Jacob?

Open Heavens November 1, 2008

BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 &3 John, Jude

RISING AFTER A FALL

MEMORIZE: "The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down" (Psalms 145:14)

READ: Job 14:7-12

“For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease” (Job 14:7). The greatest men that ever lived have experienced a fall. The most accomplished achievers have not only fallen but have experienced it several times. What is important is not that someone fell, but the step after a fall. A baby who falls and refuses to try again while attempting to walk, will never walk. Many believers have not handled a fall the way they should. Let us look at some lessons from this passage. It is possible for a child of destiny to fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12 says if you do not take care, you can fall. The strongest, most anointed man of God can fall if not careful. If you are careless or non challant enough to surround yourself with objects of temptation, you will fall.

One antidote to a fall stated by our Lord Jesus Christ - the only One who never fell, is separation from objects of temptation (Matthew 5:27-30). To avoid falling into drunkenness, avoid beer parlors and beer drinking pals. If your maid has become an item of lust, confess to your wife and send her packing. It is better you have no house maid than have a maid that is taking you to hell. If your job is always making you compromise in bribes, change the job or request for a transfer to a department that is not as tempting. When some men join the police force, they do all they can to be sent to road blocks so that they can extort money from the public. Such money is cursed and brings a curse into their blessing. No Heaven-bound saint will struggle to go to such places, except of course he wants to show that you can be at a road block and perform your job without taking bribes.

Some believers may have to separate from their television sets because they lack self-control. The naked pictures they do not publicly entertain, entertains them in the privacy of their homes. Without any control, they allow their flesh to feed on lust. If Christ meets them in that state, they will be left behind. Some pastors are the ones tempting themselves by keeping church money with them. Pastors have no business handling church money. No wonder some pastors are worse thieves than their mentor - Judas Iscariot. Restitute immediately. Have you fallen into sin? Repent and rise up. Separate from anything and anyone capable of keeping you in that fallen state.

ACTIONPOINT: Examine yourself. List those people, hobbies or items that easily draw you into sin. Prayerfully separate from them. However, this excludes your impossible spouse.